Search - New Riders of the Purple Sage :: New Riders of Purple Sage

A Fun Time for all the Psychedelic Cowboys Out There...

Kenneth M. Gelwasser | Hollywood, Fl USA | 06/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For years and years, I've enjoyed the self-titled first recording of the New Riders of the Purple Sage.If your a fan of some of the cowboy music ("El Paso". "Me & My Uncle", "Jack Straw") the Grateful Dead played in the early '70s, then you'll love NRPS. John "Marmaduke" Dawson, David Nelson and Dave Torbet join forces with Dead musicians Jerry Garcia & Mickey Hart to create a perfect mixture of cowboy/country rock with a touch of psychedelia thrown in for good measure.In the mix we get a number of light hearted stories of cowboys, dope runners, train robbers, old girlfriends and the ecology of the planet. My personal favorite song of the CD is the fast paced, bouncey smuggler's tale simply entitled "Henry". But really all the tunes are great! The laid back vocals of the band are splendid and Garcia shines with his excellent steel pedal, guitar playing. This is a remastered edition which has been cleaned up and now has a wonderful, crystal clear, sound quality to it. There are three bonus tracks which includes a really laid-back, live cover of The Band's classic, "The Weight". A fun album for all the psychedelic cowboys out there."

+ 1/2 stars...Psychedelic Cowboy Music

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 03/05/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In the wake of such country-rock bands as Poco and the Flying Burrito Brothers, the New Riders of the Purple Sage unleashed their debut album in 1971, adding a touch of psychedelia to the mix courtesy of the band's association with the Grateful Dead. [Jerry Garcia adds pedal steel or banjo on all tracks, Mickey Hart plays drums on tracks 5 and 9, and one of the executive producers was Phil Lesh.]While NRPS were part of the Grateful Dead family, this was no mere Garcia side-project. The core group consisted of John Dawson (guitar, vocals), David Nelson (lead guitar) and Dave Torbert (bass). In fact, Dawson wrote all ten songs on the original release. The songs kicks off with the jaunty "I Don't Know You." "Henry" is an uptempo song about dope smuggling. The album's first single was the rollicking "Louisiana Lady." And the train-robbing saga of "Glendale Train" is propelled by Garcia's pedal steel and banjo picking. The Dead influence is perhaps most noticeable on the overlong "Dirty Business." Clocking in at more than eight minutes, it would have benefited from the shorter time frame of the rest of the songs on the album.The bonus tracks are taken from their set during the closing of the Fillmore West in July of 1971. The three songs include covers of Joe South's "Down in the Boondocks," a 7:37 take on The Band's "The Weight," and the Dawson original "Superman." Garcia provides pedal steel and background vocals on "The Weight." "Superman," while it dates back to 1968, would not appear on a NRPS album until their 1973 album GYPSY COWBOY.The band probably had more in common with Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen than to the Flying Burrito Brothers, but on this debut album the New Riders put their own unique spin on country-rock and came up with the best overall album of their career. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"

Country Rock Ride

Thomas Magnum | NJ, USA | 03/16/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"New Riders Of The Purple Sage's debut album is one of the best country-rock albums of the early 70's. The band was made up of John "Marmaduke" Dawson, Dave Tolbert & David Nelson, but was augmented by Jerry Garcia on steel guitar, Mickey Hart on percussion and Spencer Dryden on drums. The band stared out as a project for the Grateful Dead's Mr. Garcia, Mr. Hart & Phil Lesh to fully indulge themselves with the country sounds that they had touched upon in their music. The music veers from straightforward country-rock of "Henry", "Portland Woman" & "I Don't Know You" to "Dirty Business" which is an eight-minute track that leans towards a weird mix of acid rock & country. The album's highlight is "All I Ever Wanted" which contains the most beautiful and delicate steel guitar work from Mr. Garcia. New Riders Of The Purple Sage is a must for any fans of the Grateful Dead, but should be equally enjoyed by fans of the Flying Burrito Brothers, The Byrds or CSN&Y."