30 years ago, Peter Case released his first solo album, with the production of T-Bone Burnett and contributions from the likes of Roger McGuinn, Rusty Anderson, Jim Keltner, Jerry Marotta/dr, Van Dyke Parks and Mike Campbell. The album got him his first Grammy nominations for “Old Blue Car,” and got the attention of many critics at the time. This cd revisits that album along with acoustic versions and alternative mixes of some of the other songs as well as a few unissued releases.
Looking back, the ex-Nerves member and leader of Plimsouls sound like a mid-period Bob Dylan, mixing intimate folk tunes with penetrating messages such as “Echo Wars” and ”I Shook His Hand.” The band delivers some nice grooves on “Three Days Straight” while the intimate “Small Town Spree” is draped with linen by Parks’ strings. Dashes of a Nashville skyline pop up on “Satellite Beach” and a bit of country rock is felt as Roger McGuinn brings his 12 string Rickenbacker into the studio for “Pair of Brown Eyes.” This album still sounds fresh and alert after being on the road for 3 decades.
Omnivore Records