New Kick!

New Kick was the New Christy Minstrels' (or, rather, their owner/managers') attempt to keep the group relevant amid the burgeoning folk-rock boom and other sounds that were filling the airwaves. If it had been done by anyone but the Christies, it would probably have a decent reputation among '60s folk-rock collectors, if only for its downright weird rendition of "I Want to Hold Your Hand," done as a slow, introspective ballad, juxtaposed with the Bob Buchanan-led, bluesy rendition of "Highflyin' Bird," which is one of the most powerful songs to come out of the group's orbit, the earnest, big-chorus-driven version of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind," and the exquisitely textured "Raindrops" (written by the group's then-principal arranger, Mike Settle) -- of course, all of those unexpected delights can't quite compensate for the bizarre, very busy cover of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"." By this time, the original group's lineup had more or less scattered to the wind, and among the new members participating on these recordings was Kenny Rogers, and Kim Carnes was somewhere in there as well. ~ Bruce Eder|