Search - Pure Prairie League :: Mementos 1971-1987

When You Hear The Sky

PHILIP S WOLF | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA | 06/29/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Back in 1988, I found myself in Florida, getting some schoolin'. I was in dire need of some music to get me through. I purchased two CD's for my discman {change those batteries, every four hours!} One, was the current Robert Plant release, the other was this Pure Prairie League collection.



On the surface, this disc looks like one of the many other greatest hits collections of PPL, that outnumber the regular albums of their catalog. And that was exactly what I thought it was... I was wrong, but really happy that I ended up with something different. This CD contains new studio versions of old Prairie League favorites, recorded in 1987. Bass player Michael Reilly, was the guy behind all of this, and he roped: Craig Fuller, George Ed Powell, Vince Gill, John Call, Larry Goshorn, Mike Hamilton, Michael Connor, Dan Clawson, Joel Rosenblatt, Gary Burr, Nicolette Larson & Rosemary Butler, into a studio in the middle of Ohio, to produce this album of sparkling, crystal clear sounding Pure Prairie League music.



The seventies records of Pure Prairie League, are the most country of the country rock records ever produced. The problem with those classic records was the sound. The production of the early PPL records does not live up to the excellence of the material, it sounds like the wagon wheels of this music are submerging into soft desert sands. This wonderful state-of-the art (for 1987) production, pulls all the music up front and puts you dead center with the band all around you playing like blue skies in the morning.



This CD begins with: "Country Song" from 1971, and winds it's way up to 1987's: "Love Is An Illusion." In between, the PPL classics are here, and sounding better than you have ever heard them before. With: "Early Morning Riser", "Falling In And Out Of Love", "Amie", "Boulder Skies", "Two Lane Highway", "Pickin' To Beat The Devil" "Sun Shone Lightly", I'm Almost Ready", "I'm Hot, You're Not", "Does This Only Happen (When You Fall In Love)", "Never Thought Love Would Find Me" & "Let Me Love You Tonight", all spotlighted here, on this CD.



The arrangements of the songs are the same as they have always been, they have not altered here. The big issue with this CD, is the amazing sound that Michael Reilly, has produced here. The argument between digital and analog recordings, is a matter of taste. Right here on this CD entitled: "Mementos 1971-1987" digital recording wins this battle. These songs have never sounded better, than they do on this disc. My only wish would be that the band, had re-recorded MORE of their music for this project. This is a wonderful CD of some fantastic country rock, played by the masters...The Pure Prairie League.

4.5 Stars !!!"