3/17/73 S.U.N.Y. STONYBROOK,NEW YORK
Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 05/11/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Two discs 79,74 minutes each approximately. The sound is good,but some of the other live sets released by Kufala seem to have a bit better,immediate,overall sound. This sounds just slightly ever so distant. But don't worry,this is perfectly fine unless you're an audiophile. This set was mastered by Stephen Barncard,who has worked with the Grateful Dead,among others.
This set features the usual players-John Dawson-vocals/rhythm guitar,David Nelson-lead guitar/vocals,Dave Torbert-bass/vocals,Buddy Cage-pedal steel guitar,and (the late) Spencer Dryden-drums. A perusal of the track titles will tell the NRPS fan a lot. The usual popular tunes are ever present,along with some songs that are not heard that often. There is a short interlude as to whether the band will sing "Louie Louie",that staple of r&r. However,don't get excited (as I was) because they don't perform it. This is a long set,which,if you're a fan,is nice. There is also an encore with Ramblin' Jack Elliott on two tunes,"Connection" and "Honky Tonk Women",the ROLLING STONES numbers. The vocals are a bit ragged and the band isn't to musically solid,but their fun. It's nice to hear the band stretch out a bit and do other songs not normally associated with them. If you're new to NRPS,this may not be the best (try the first album titled NRPS-spelled out) place to start. I've been a fan since the days when Jerry Garcia wanted somewhere and someone to play his pedal steel guitar with. For a lot of people (especially "Deadheads",of which I've been one,since 1967) this was their first introduction to something approximating real country music. The bands predilection for combining country,r&r,and good-time "hippie" psychedelic music was very popular. Playing at Grateful Dead concerts,when Garcia would plug in his pedal steel guitar helped this band become more than a pick-up group,and become a permanent band,who toured and recorded in their own right.
After listening (with great delight) to all the sets that Kufala Records has released,this is no better nor worse than any of the other releases. It's obvious that the group is having a great time playing for their fans,which carries over to the listener. This set is a slice of the times way back then,perhaps when people weren't so "sophisticated" as now-listeners are missing out on some great music. On hearing this music,you can't help but have a smile on your face. And that's one of the best things about NRPS-it's good-time music played with a wink and a smile. It harks back to a different time,when the world was,seemingly,a happier,friendlier place. Yes,the musicians (especially Cage) are good players. Dawson's voice (and the group's harmony singing) is just right for this type of music,and the song writing is okay to good. But it's the "vibe" you come away with that makes this music so worthwhile,and repeated listenings only reinforce that effect. It should be noted that this is the "original" group (Garcia backed off),when things got serious,and at the present time (to the best of my knowledge),no original members are currently in the group calling themselves NRPS.
The bottom line is,if you liked previous sets of this type,you'll like this too. It's something you'll find yourself coming back to again,when you want (or need) a dose of good-time "hippie"-psychedelic-country-r&r. It's sure to put a smile on your face,and set your toe to tapping. What else do you really need?"
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1