Track Listing

1. The Fast One
2. Run Like a Thief
3. Jesus in 3/4 Time
4. Kite Woman
5. Some People Call It Music
6. White Wing
7. It's the Same
8. How Long
9. Out to Sea
10. Lullaby

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74538 in Music
• Released on: 2008-08-04
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

Classy California Rock with a Country feel
A relatively obscure artist on this side of the Atlantic, J.D.Souther is probably best known for his long association with the Eagles, and for his collaboration on many of their most memorable songs, including New Kid In Town, Best of My Love, Doolin` Dalton, Victim of Love etc.
His sparse solo output has been difficult to obtain in th UK prior to the advent of internet shopping, but is thankfully more accessible now, so we can enjoy good quality Country-influenced rock along with our American cousins.
John David Souther is his first offering, originally released on vinyl in 1972, and reveals JDS as a major songwriting talent.
The ten tracks, of which three feature Glenn Frey, cover a range of styles while retaining a Country feel throughout.
The most out-and-out Country track is The Fast One with a kickin` tempo and wry lyric.
Run Like A Theif has a Hendrixy feel to it and, like most songs on the album, features fine vocal harmonies.
Other cuts include Jesus in 3/4 time - a gospel ballad; Kite Woman, with beautiful acoustic guitar and those vocal harmonies; White Wing, a bluesy 12 bar;and Out To Sea, a great melody beautifully arranged and featuring some more great vocals and a spot of pedal steel guitar.
Some People Call It Music and How Long are rockier songs and It`s The Same is more piano-based with a slower more plaintiff vocal.
The final track Lullaby is a brilliant but short piece for voice and solo acoustic guitar, and rounds off the album beautifully.

All tracks are thoughtfully arranged and skilfully executed and show some of the range of this fine musician.
Anyone with an interest in California rock with a Country twist will enjoy this, especially those who enjoy early Eagles.

Long-Forgotten 1972 Gem Resurrected by Rhino in 2008
Texas-raised John David Souther saw his self-titled debut album issued October 1972 on Asylum Records SYL 9003 in the UK and on Asylum SD 5055 in the USA. This August 2008 CD is a bare-bones reissue of that warmly revered, but criminally forgotten country-rock album (35:06 minutes).

Stylistically, Souther is like Jackson Browne meets Gram Parsons meets David Blue with a huge dollop of the Eagles in between. In fact, his association with the Eagles then - is on-going to this day. He co-wrote "Doolin' Dalton" on "Desperado" and three off "On The Border" - "You Never Cry Like A Lover", "James Dean" and "The Best Of My Love". Other co-writes include "New Kid In Town" and "Sad Café" from "The Long Run" album. The Eagles now include one of this album's tracks "How Long" in their live repertoire, because they covered it on the 2CD "Long Road Out Of Eden" set in 2007 (their cover was Grammy nominated and won).

But for his debut, Souther penned all 10 of its tracks on his own and they're well-written country rock songs served up by a lovely, heartfelt expressive voice and great musicians complementing the melodies. I've loved this album for yonks now and my vinyl copy has graced more than a few turntables over the years. Speaking of comparisons - it's uncanny just how like RYAN ADAMS Souther sounds - or vice-verse - and I mean that as compliment to both artists. If RYAN ADAMS and WHISKEYTOWN were making an album in 1972, John David Souther is what it would sound like.

This re-released remaster is unfortunately a bit of a mixed bag soundwise; disappointingly, some tracks have a very audible amount of hiss on them, while on others you don't notice it so much and the tracks rock along sweetly. A plus is the bass and drums - very, very clear now - while Joe Tepp's slinky harmonica work on "White Fang" is up-front too. The achingly sad "It's The Same" is my favourite track and it's a treat to hear it sound so good.

The packaging is all but non-existent. Rhino have issued this album on their new "Encore" label imprint and while the sound is good, the trade off for the £5 price tag is a gatefold inlay which lists only the tracks and no other info of any kind - not even who played on what. The label on the disc, however, reflects its US vinyl original - the Asylum Cage In The Sky logo.

Still, it's wonderful to hear this gem again - and at this price, a bona fide bargain. The later Souther-Hillman-Furay Band albums may follow in the next batch too.

Highly recommended.

PS: RHINO ENCORE
This issue is part of Rhino's "ENCORE" series - reissues of classic albums from the huge WEA catalogue. All 37 titles listed below were issued Monday 11 August 2008 and are based on the US versions of the albums; there's more promised in the forthcoming months. As with the Souther disc, the others titles reflect the label of the original American release, the Warner Brothers Tan label design for Curved Air in 1970, while the Burbank Avenue Of Trees label is on the McGarrigle disc of 1975, the pink Bearsville on Bobby Charles and so on. I've provided year of release and label for reference - and as you can see, some are re-releases, but there's also plenty of great titles seeing the light of day for the first time...

Solid Bond by GRAHAM BOND [1970 on Warner Brothers, a 2LP set on 1CD)
Byrds by BYRDS (1973 on Asylum)
Bobby Charles by BOBBY CHARLES (1973 debut on Bearsville)
3614 Jackson Highway by CHER (1969 on Atco)
Pretties For You by ALICE COOPER (1969 debut on Straight)
Easy Action by ALICE COOPER (1970 on Straight)
Air Conditioning by CURVED AIR (1970 debut on Warner Brothers)
Second Album by CURVED AIR (1971 on Warner Brothers)
Hand It Over by DINOSAUR JR. (1997 on Blanco Y Negro)
A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die by THE FLESH EATERS (1981 on Initial)
Aretha Arrives by ARETHA FRANKLIN (1967 on Atlantic)
Let Me In Your Life by ARETHA FRANKLIN (1974 on Atlantic)
The J. Geils Band by THE J. GEILS BAND (1971 debut on Atlantic)
All To Bring You Morning by JOHNNY HARRIS (1973 on Warner Brothers)
The Living End by HUSKER DU (Live, 1994 on Warner Brothers)
Jobriath by JOBRIATH (1973 debut on Elektra)
Jo Jo Gunne by JO JO GUNNE (1972 debut on Asylum)
Glorious Fool by JOHN MARTYN (1981 on Geffen)
Well Kept Secret by JOHN MARTYN (1982 on WEA)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle by KATE & ANNA McGARRIGLE (1975 on Warner Brothers)
Graham Nash and David Crosby by GRAHAM NASH & DAVID CROSBY (1972 on Atlantic)
Innocent Eyes by GRAHAM NASH (1986 on Atlantic)
GP by GRAM PARSONS (1973 debut solo LP on Reprise)
Grievous Angel by GRAM PARSONS (1974 on Reprise)
Third Eye by REDD KROSS (1990 on Atlantic)
Love Man by OTIS REDDING (1969 on Atlantic)
Doug Sahm And Band by DOUG SAHM and BAND (1973 on Atlantic)
Tarzana Kid by JOHN SEBASTIAN [of The Lovin' Spoonful] (1974 on Reprise)
John David Souther by JOHN DAVID SOUTHER (1972 debut on Asylum)
Sparks by SPARKS (Their 1971 "Halfnelson" debut album - re-issued as "Sparks" in 1972 on Bearsville under their new name, SPARKS)
A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing by SPARKS (1973 on Bearsville)
God Bless Tiny Tim by TINY TIM (1968 on Reprise)
Zero Time by TONTO'S EXPANDING HEAD BAND (1971 debut on Atlantic)
Orange Crate Art by BRIAN WILSON and VAN DYKE PARKS (1995 on Warner Bros)
I've Got My Own Album To Do by RON WOOD [Faces & The Rolling Stones]
(1974 on Warner Brothers)
Now Look by RONNIE WOOD (1975 on Warner Brothers)
Mr. Bad Example by WARREN ZEVON (1991 on Giant)

Spare Eagle
Souther was Glenn Frey's partner prior to the latter's fame with The Eagles and the connection on this debut album is obvious. Frey appears on three tracks, but this is definitely Souther's show, made in 1972, being around the time that The Eagles were starting to make a name for themselves.

The songs are about the well-worn subjects of love and relationships, exalted women and troublesome ones. Souther articulates his messages with seamless expertise, however, touching all the right nerves. His voice is gentle and you can imagine him tackling songs like 'Tequila Sunrise.' Comparisons with Frey's band may be unwelcome, but my point is that fans of their music will almost certainly like this. Souther works with relatively few musicians, giving his recordings an intimate feel. He regularly dips into country influences, the opening track being the most obvious example, yet 'White Wing' is a bluesy number that builds superbly in strength.

This is also the album that features 'How Long,' recently recorded by The Eagles. 'Out To Sea' is a wonderfully impassioned, delicately layered track, while 'Run Like A Thief' is elegant from its guitar intro to its lyric. J. D. Souther is a gem of an artist waiting to be discovered.