Hot on the heels of the Gram Parsons compilation, comes this latest collection from Raven Records. Gene Clark was undoubtedly one of the most underrated talents of his generation. This 24-track, 75-minute collection is ... more »the perfect companion to Columbia's excellent Byrds' boxed set. It includes the pick of his back catalogue, and draws not only on his premier solo recordings, but also his collaborations with Doug Dillard, the Flying Burritos and the Gosdin Brothers. Impressively packaged and illustrated, this CD emphasizes the man's superb songwriting craft and includes his original versions of songs recorded by the Eagles, Tom Petty and others. An added bonus is the original, previously unreleased mix of 'Full Circle' from the Roadmaster sessions. 1992.« less
Hot on the heels of the Gram Parsons compilation, comes this latest collection from Raven Records. Gene Clark was undoubtedly one of the most underrated talents of his generation. This 24-track, 75-minute collection is the perfect companion to Columbia's excellent Byrds' boxed set. It includes the pick of his back catalogue, and draws not only on his premier solo recordings, but also his collaborations with Doug Dillard, the Flying Burritos and the Gosdin Brothers. Impressively packaged and illustrated, this CD emphasizes the man's superb songwriting craft and includes his original versions of songs recorded by the Eagles, Tom Petty and others. An added bonus is the original, previously unreleased mix of 'Full Circle' from the Roadmaster sessions. 1992.
CD Reviews
What Was and What Might Have Been
Frank Lemire | Montclair, NJ USA | 05/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Gene Clark's American Dreamer is a must have for any fan, and a thoughtful compilation that will satisfy any lover of well crafted words and music. The treasure here is in getting both previously unreleased material and material that is no longer in production. It is in the newly released material that I find the greatest joy and sorrow. The included version of "One In A Hundred" is a revalation. Gene Clark backed by Roger McGuinn's 12 string is a joy to behold and vastly superior to the version released on the "White Light" album. Thats not to say that the "White Light" version is bad because it is in fact very, very good. But there is a particular magic when Clark's voice and lyrics are paired with McGuinn's musicianship and production. One cannot help but wonder how other of Clark's songs would have sounded with Roger at his side. The CD is worth having for that one song alone. Thats the "what might have been". The "what was" is good enough to stand on its own. "She Don't Care About Time","Spanish Guitar" and the rest form a body of work that most people will find "what if" proof. As a fan I find myself second guessing some of the selections. Why two versions of "Full Circle" and so much from Dillard & Clark (but omitting "Kansas City Southern") and so little from the "No Other" album (namely omitting my personal favorite "The True One")? As compilations go the CD along with the liner notes are first rate. As a fan I can only hope that Gene's solo albums get put on CD or that Roger McGuinn or someone else has some more Clark & McGuinn demos in the vault."
AN OVERVIEW OF AN IMPRESSIVE CAREER
S. F Gulvezan | Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan USA | 03/08/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This 24-song overview of Gene Clark's amazing career begins with "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better," from the first album of the group Clark co-founded, The Byrds, and ends appropriately with "Full Circle Song," another Clark-penned tune which is a fitting summation for a career which spanned a wide range of musical history. The 22 songs in between these two should be considered a sampler of the work of the influential, innovative, soulful singer-songwriter who had so much to do with the creation of folk-rock, jazz-rock, and country-rock. A perfect purchase for anyone wishing to sample Clark in many of the phases of his career."
Byrdman!
Kurt Tunkl | Calgary | 01/19/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"American Dreamer is one of those rare successful compilations,no filler tunes here,just Gene's genious in all the incarnations from the Byrds to the Dillards to just Gene Clark.........dream on Gene!"
Clark has wings
R. J MOSS | Alice Springs, Australia | 08/27/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The hit & miss career of the late Gene Clark has been documented, & this collection is testament to his talent. At one time, I think I had just about everything he'd committed to vinyl which bespeaks of my infatuation with the warmth & emotion of his voice. And more generally, he epitomised my fascination with that early 70s West Coast Country Rock; Jackson Browne's, 'Saturate', & 'For Everyman',The Eagle's, 'Desperado',The Burritos, New Riders, TJ Kaye, the Dead's,'American Beauty,. Clark's,'No Other', indeed, was a revelatory apex to this immersion. From its gorgeously excessive cover art, to the final cut, I was hooked. (To hold the cover of'Desperado'or The Band's self-titled second disc,in one hand & 'No Other' in the other made me wonder at the distance that country rock had covered so swiftly and about the attendant lifestyles it provided for its purveyors). Not enough of,'No Other' gets onto'American Dreamer'. Though what would make way for 2 or more tracks from it? Anything less than we have here would deprive us of the big picture of Clark's adventurousness. The same regrets might be extended to the low profile given to the Doug Dillard collaborations. But 'White Light' & 'No Other' apart, his albums were a pretty mixed bag."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1