Comments on: uReview: Townes Van Zandt

By: Townes Van Zandt “The Late Great Townes Van Zandt” | StigmaBot

Townes Van Zandt “The Late Great Townes Van Zandt” | StigmaBot — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:20:20 +0000

[...] to Townes Van Zandt in these pages, though until now a nearest he’s come to a dedicated post is a uReview of his 1968 beginner manuscript For The Sake Of A Song which examines a debatably elaborate [...]

By: Len Liechti

Len Liechti — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:49:30 +0000

OK, I also don’t think the production does Townes any favours here but that’s the way it was done back in ’68 in singer-songwriter-land. On the later stuff the rawer 70s production values suit his voice and the lyrics better. “Thin maudlin voice”? Perhaps, but would you really want these songs done in a basso profundo? I recently scored the box set Texas Troubadour which offers the first seven studio albums plus a concert recording on 4 CDs, all for thirteen English Pounds. There’s enough magic in those grooves to keep me going for a time yet. “Pancho & Lefty” is already in my Open Mic set and I’ve had more than one punter come up and congratulate me just for knowing TVZ. He must be the best kept secret in quality rock at this moment. I love the quote in the box set booklet where Steve Earle says “Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter ever, and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that”. TVZ apparently responded, “I’ve seen Bob Dylan’s minders, and you wouldn’t get near his coffee table”. Typical of the man’s unassuming manner. Whatever the pluses and minuses of his first album , I’d recommend his body of work overall to anyone.

By: Mariano

Mariano — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:00:49 +0000

“No Deeper Blue” and “At My Window” anyone? Not as good as the 70′s albums but still worth the ride.

Great blog.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:09:49 +0000

I just bought a copy of Flyin’ Shoes today!!!

By: Mariano

Mariano — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:06:23 +0000

No one mentions Flyin’ Shoes?!?!?! That’s a great, amazing album. Maybe even his best no-filler LP.

By: Jason Odd

Jason Odd — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:32:59 +0000

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.

By: April

April — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:17:03 +0000

I love TVZ, but don’t think his voice is really that good. I think the production actually helps.

By: ss

ss — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:49:10 +0000

flyin shoes is my personal favorite. despite production flaws, i think it has the most character.

By: Carlisle

Carlisle — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:37:22 +0000

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!

By: Concrete Cowboy

Concrete Cowboy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:29:08 +0000

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”.