Search - Michael Nesmith :: Magnetic South / Loose Salute

Noise Reduction Residue

Edward Brydalski | Buffalo New York | 02/29/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As you may know if you read my reviews,I dont talk much about the music and the style of music. Thats your taste and perception.

I dig into the remastering and the technical side of things like source material and handling of the master.



This set consists of 2 albums poorly remastered from god knows what source.

The first album, "the blue one", really suffers here with an amature noise reduction disaster complete with whistling artifacts.

The original album sounded bad on the post dynagroove pre dynaflex thick orange label RCA vinyl.

It was a bad master. Dont make it worse.

What was the Quad 8 track made from. Perhaps it was better.

CD companies rarely do any homework or research when putting together a package.

Steve Hoffman is an example of a person who cares and does a stellar job!!! I wish he was consulted on this project.

The new pictures are nice but the CD is an audio product.

This is forgotten time and again.

Maybe there is a better CD out there. There are more to choose from.

This one is ok if you dont care that much about audio quality. ie mp3"

YOU MUST HEAR THIS!!!!!!!!!

Chester Cannon | Midwest | 03/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is just great stuff. I bought the first Monkees lp to get "Papa Gene's Blues". This is more of the same. "Beyond the Blue Horizon" was originally dedicated to the "Tomorrow" man on the lp...Nez eventually fessed up and admitted it was about himself..."goodbye to things that bore me, joy is waiting for me...". Saying adeiu to Kirshner and the music machine the Monkees were tied up in gave Nez the creative freedom he wanted and needed. With the exception of Rays, The Prison and the Garden, I recommend all of this man's work."

Monkee Leaves Tree, Does Good

Richard E. Jandrow | Worcester, Massachusetts | 08/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Many bad things have been said about the Monkees.... they were a pretend group... they didn't play on their albums..... they were wierd... they were a teen group...Good bad or indifferently, Michael Nesmith came from The Monkees. His first real claim to fame since his mother invented liquid paper in the 50's.



Michael was a budding musician and songwriter when he was drafted into the Monkees. He constantly fought for creative power and independence, and sometimes he actually won. He did, however, write many of the songs: good or bad.



This was his second venture out on his own, with a select group of musicians featuring "Red" Rhodes on steel guitar. The First National Band was one of the first groups in the country which featured and pounded out Country-Rock. Later, he would be followed by Rickey Nelson, and many, many more.



To be allowed to create unusual sounds and unique styles on a record label (RCA) that knew very little, if anything, about Rock 'n' Roll (remember Roy Orbison?) was quite unique in itself. Let alone being one of the first to release this unique sound to the world. These were the first two albums and probably the best of the group.



The hot licks of "Red" Rhodes, Steel-Player Unique, are heard, or should I say felt, on just about every track, especially the instrumentals. Michael's non-chalont, sing as you will, lovingly making fun of The Country Songs method of singing more than makes one listen and want more.



My favorite cuts are : Calico Girlfriend, Joanne (of course), First National Rag, The One Rose (That's Left In My Heart), Beyond The Blue Horizon (done with a different flair), Silver Moon (Love Song?), I Fall To Pieces (for the traditionalists in the audience), Dedicated Friend (Steel Guitar Workshop), Tengo Amore (sex appeal with a beat), Listen To The Band, 1st National Dance (Instrumental). Alright, so all the CD is good.



Recommended for students of Rock and Country everywhere.







"