Across The Great Divide: Getting It Together In The Country 1968-74: Clamshell Boxset

As the day-glo tide of psychedelic that swept over the UK in the late 60s began to recede, something far less ornate and flashy took root in its place. Spurred on by the artistic and commercial success of Traffics folk and jazz-influenced debut album - which was recorded out in the countryside -- the Byrds headlong plunge into country rock on Sweetheart of the Rodeo and the Bands brilliant slice of backwoods Americana Music from Big Pink, all sorts of groups and artists sprouted up to play loose and wooly blends of organically grown folk, country, jazz and rock. Some of the bands were beat group leftovers looking to evolve past paisley (the Searchers, the Tremeloes); some were city boys gone to seed (Mott the Hoople, the Pretty Things) and some were just weirdos like Greasy Bear or lazy sunday balladeers like Curtiss Muldoon all doing their own freaky thing. Across the Great Divide gathers up three discs of songs recorded between 1968 and 1974 that range from joyful knees up rockers (Fairport Conventions Cajun Woman) to happily meandering Dead-style jams (Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers Desert Island Woman); sad and lonesome ballads like Matthews Southern Comforts Touch Her If You Can to loose and funky groovers like Traffics Forty Thousand Headmen; and loads of songs that sound like they were written and recorded under the influence of really good drugs. And Crosby, Stills & Nashs first album too. Check Mother Natures Clear Blue Sky or the Pretty Things languidly pretty Country Road for a couple examples of how influential that trios vocal harmonies were on the scene. This is the kind of collection that rewards an investment of time with all sorts of gems whether its as on the nose as Rod Stewart covering Elton Johns Country Comfort or as obscure as Dancing Flower, a ridiculously twee forest folk song by the post-Jeff Lynne incarnation of the Idle Race. Other nice finds are Brinsley Schwarz super hooky country rambler Country Girl, Herons Van Morrison-esque Bye and Bye, Bridget St. Johns lilting Nice, Masons choogling rocker Fading and Unicorns sweetly jangling Sleep Song. The compliers even made space to include one of the eras definitive songs, the Faces Oh La La. Its an impressively deep and diverse tracklist and anyone looking to explore this brief time when artists were casting off the shackles and trappings of the pop charts while looking to make music with minimal fuss will surely find planety of old favorites and new artists to check out. Thats the best kind of archival set and Across the Great Divide works both as a history lesson and a good listen. ~ Tim Sendra