uReview: Townes Van Zandt
(22 votes, average: 8.55 out of 10)
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Sometimes when I listen to Townes, it makes me feel like nothing else could ever reach his level.
But does the production on this debut truly take the steam out of the songs?
And if this isn’t his best record, which one is?
Vinyl Search | ebay ]
CD Reissue | 2007 | Fat Possum | amazon ]
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
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The songs are too good for that, but just think what it could have been…
Maybe that´s why the solo acoustic Live At The Old Quarter is probably his best. But the self-titled third album, Delta Momma Blues and Flying Shoes are highlights too.
Ramone666 December 3, 2009 @ 12:45 pm
My favorite TVZ album is the self-titled third album. It’s got four of the best songs from “For The Sake Of The Song” re-done with much better production. In addition to the albums mentioned in the first comment, I also really like “A Gentle Evening With Townes Van Zandt,” which is a 1969 show at Carnegie Hall featuring Towne’s great version of The Ballad of Ira Hayes.
Paul December 3, 2009 @ 1:32 pm
Ramone666 is correct: Live At The Old Quarter is the best one.
David Snusgrop December 3, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
Is it possible to have a “correct” answer in matters of taste?
Paul December 3, 2009 @ 3:00 pm
my fave TVZ record is probably the collection of early demos on In The Beginning – and then Our Mother the Mountain. But this album is still great…i kind of like the backing vocals etc at times – they’re so out of place here that it almost creates a strange, surreal effect….
Stranger December 3, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
This is a great one, but his self-titled is what really does it for me.
cody December 3, 2009 @ 11:36 pm
Our Mother the Mountain is a personal favorite. What about The Late Great? Isn’t that amazing too? I should just list all his LPs – TVZ is untouchable – maybe the best book of songs yet written – should be mandatory listening!!!
Jeff December 4, 2009 @ 11:19 am
Man, I swear I am the only guy on the planet that feels old Townes was an over-rated hack. Yes, the production is bad on this record, but I wouldn’t know what to do with that thin, maudlin voice either! In terms of songwriters from that generation, for me he does not come even close to guys like Billy Joe Shaver (whose early records also sound like crap) or Kris Kristoferson. Too many times, his stuff dissolves into the same baroque weirdness of guys like Tim Buckley or later Phil Ochs. My favorite thing he ever did was “Dead Flowers” which was not even his song, but it did make a great closer for the movie “The Big Lebowski”.
Concrete Cowboy December 5, 2009 @ 6:29 pm
I never really understood the production knocks on this album… What’s the deal? It sounds excellent to me, and atmospheric. But I could do w/o “Talkin’ Karate Blues” – I generally skip over that one. Among my favorite TVZ albums. Thanks for posting!
Carlisle December 6, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
flyin shoes is my personal favorite. despite production flaws, i think it has the most character.
ss December 10, 2009 @ 2:49 pm
I love TVZ, but don’t think his voice is really that good. I think the production actually helps.
April December 10, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
It’s like a spaghetti western score sweetly mixed with a soft orchestra, which has been recorded simataneously, but in another room, perhaps several rooms away.
what’s not too like?
I find this LP to be a rather fine companion to Leon Cohen’s “Songs From a Room” LP.
Jason Odd March 10, 2010 @ 3:32 am