Commander Cody - Live From Deep in the Heart of Texas (13 tracks) +Album Reviews

Stale beer and patchouli oil can mix just fine

David Kinney | San Francisco, Ca. United States | 02/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Commander Cody And The Lost Planet Airmen were a well known progresive art-rock ensemble notable for their brilliant usage of synthesizers and theremins on such masterpieces as Shostakovich's Concerto in B-flat minor. Ha! Just seein' if you were paying attention. Although, now that I think of it, fiddle player Andy Stein could play any kind of music you put in front of him. The Commander and company were merely the toughest, funniest, countrybilly rockingest band in the Bay Area in the early seventies. No other local country rock group would dare get on the stage after them (with the possible exception of Asleep At The Wheel who wisely kept things on the country side of the equation). Everybody else packed up their dobros and headed for the purple sage from whence they came. Anyway the Commander was best heard live and this is their best live album ergo it is their best album period. Nutty originals go hand in hand with inspired covers in this timeless concert in front of rabid Texas hippies and rednecks. My only complaint ; why oh why in the early seventies, the time of bloated, boring triple and quadruple overdubbed 'live' albums, was this racous masterpiece a single LP? Cody played generous, exciting sets and there must be more live stuff somewhere. But this will do just fine for starters.Crank it up! And I hope your neighbors have a sense of humor!"

YEEEEEHAW!! Even the free spirits from up North "Git It!"

Phil Porter | Edmond, OK USA | 01/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Think of this album as an acid test of your stereo. Wick that sucker up to just below the distortion level, find the sweet spot and hog it, and get ready to readjust your definition of "Country Rock"! After I heard it the first time and rallyed enough to drive, I headed straight for the music store and bought 3 copies. I still have have the first one I opened, and the other two got stolen, hopefully by good friends. At that time, I had a stereo that loafed along at 300 watts per channel, and all you had to do was close your eyes, and you were THERE!! The recording is excellent, and along with "Waiting For Columbus" from Little Feat is my test record for any new addition to my system. The musicanship is absolutely first class, and it comes through with plenty of punch. Did you hear the three part whistle harmony in "Sunset on the Sage"? Do you know how hard that is to do live? Can you resist the urge to Two Step when you hear "Oh, Momma Momma"? Do you start looking for a beer to cry in when you hear the worlds saddest song "Down To Seeds And Stems Again Blues"? Can you resist the urge to testify when you hear "Mean Woman Blues"? This is the perfect snapshot of Texas music in 1973. At a casual listen, the album is pure fun. After you listen to it more and more, you will hear new things with each listen. One thing is unmistakable-this album catches the Commander and the Lost Planet Airmen at the top of their game. I personaly prefer the wax version, but they are hard to find. The CD version seems to sell out immediately wherever it hits the retail racks, so my recommendation is buy at least three copies so your friends will have something great to steal from you!"

Superb live album of hippie-country-rock-swing

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 08/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Following a third album that didn't shine as inventively as their first two, the Airmen returned with an absolutely brilliant document of all that their music meant. Recorded live at Austin, Texas' "World Armadillo Headquarters," the Airmen sound like the Buckaroos in their prime: relaxed, confident, and deadly across a wide variety of inter-related musical genres. They even cover Owens' "Crying Time," much to the crowd's delight.The band swings effortlessly from the opening fiddle-driven instrumental into a rousing take of Elvis' "Good Rockin' Tonight." They cruise along with Johnny Horton's trucker themed "I'm Coming Home" only to plow headlong into the misery of the band's signature "Seeds and Stems (Again)." They harmonize with equal beauty for the cowboy tune, "Sunset on the Sage," and the doo-wop "Git It."The Commander gets his boogie-woogie slot on the band-penned "Oh Momma," and his spoken-vocal leads a guitar-and-sax heavy take of Leiber & Stoller's "Riot in Cell Block #9. The Cajun-influenced "Diggy Liggy Lo" bursts with incredible, manic energy, and the band's "Too Much Fun" shows what a fine dance-combo they were, as does the rousing closer, "Mean Woman Blues."This would be the last record the band would make before jumping to Warner Brothers, and it's a pitch-perfect document of all they created in their time at Paramount. All that's missing from this album is the dancer's sweat and a cold Shiner Bock -- the good times are preserved here for all to hear."

Cody and the Airmen live on stage-DON'T MISS IT!!!!

hyperbolium | 07/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first got a taste of Commander Cody and the LOst PLanet Airmen it was back in high school circa 1976 with the recently released ""We've Got a Live One Here!". A girlfriend had the 8-track and after one listen I borrowed it for the next month or two. At the time , my idea of country rock was basically the Eagles, the later Byrds (Sweet Heart of the Rodeo, etc.), Charlie Daniels and to a certain extent, The Band. This was decidely different, definitely fun, and addicting!. Over the years I've picked up several of their albums and one thing is clear--the best stuff was recorded live. These guys are a true road band and feed off the energy of an audience. And they don't dissappoint. "Live From Deep in the Heart of Texas" opens with the fiddle/pedal steel driven instrumental "Armadillo Stomp" and in true Airmen style they slide into "Good Rockin' Tonight" (remember Elvis?) before gear-jamming in to the truck driving burner "I'm Coming Home". They slow it down with the Country Western cowboy tale "Sunset on the Sage", only to roar back with more rock& roll boogie with "Little Sally Walker " and the a cappella flavored "Git It". As always with the Airmen, the musicianship is superb. Bill Kirchen is a master of the Telecaster and his country flavored baritone vocals are a joy. Andy Stein's fiddle and Bobby Black's pedal steel are a exhilirating combination. The Commander, with his ragged vocals, pumping piano and over-the-top wit and style keeps things shaking and smiling along. The rhythm section is sharp and tight thanks to "Bruce and Lance-- the Sons of the Rednecks!", and the guitar of John Tichy. Last but not least are the vocals of Billy C. Farlow who also contributes his raucous songwriting skills to many of the band's original tunes. Although I still prefer "Live One Here" to this disc, "Deep in the Heart of Texas" is great and has some incomparable moments of its own. Cody and the Airmen are perhaps the best honky tonk/bar band ever. Don't miss the fun!!"

Good Rockin Tonight

Randy Keehn | Williston, ND United States | 08/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There were a lot of groups that I enjoyed in my wilder 20's and 30's. Asleep at the Wheel was my favorite until I discovered Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen. These guys could really rock and roll. Their early albums showed them finding their style and they kept getting better. Unfortunately, when they had really hit their stride, the real talent of the group went elsewhere and we were left with the Commander and a new group. He may have put the group together and his name at the front but Commander Cody was not the heart and soul of this group.

"Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas" is one of those great later albums when the group had found their sound and wasn't afraid to show it. My favorite cuts are "Sunset on the Sage", "Git It", "Diggy Liggy Lo", "Mean Woman Blues", and "Too Much Fun". They show that they can do ballads, rock and roll, and out of control rockabilly. I thing what gives them their special sound is the liberal use of the pedal steel guitar and the fiddle. It gives their sound a sort of "take off" to a higher level.

I saw Asleep at the Wheel live on several occassions (including the original cast) but I never had an opportunity to see Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen. There's nothing I can do to fill the void except continue to listen to their live albums. If you can't get excited about this album, you're on too much medication."

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