Tracks by McKendree Spring (Vinyl record album review)

Record basics

• Album name: Tracks
• Group name: McKendree Spring
• Year: 1972
• Number of discs: one
• Label: Decca Records
• Collection: Brenner / Gessner
• Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written inside album cover, indicating that my father owned it
• Buy it on Amazon: $29.99

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I thought that I might have heard of McKendree Spring, but I couldn’t be sure, and mentioned this record to my parents. My father said that their music was very lively and pleasant, and that they were one of the first groups to use an electric violin. Then I checked, and realized that I actually had reviewed Second Thoughts (1970) less than five weeks ago – and liked it^[1]! Ooops!

What I expected

Folk, folk rock, electric country.

What it was actually like

Most of the songs on this record were basically country rock, and they sounded fine, but I didn’t find them special or interesting for the most part. Shoot Me was more of a hard rock song, but still country rock at its core.

The Man In Me is definitely not one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs, but McKendree Spring’s version was very strong, much richer than his and without his annoying voice.

I also thought that Watch Those Pennies was great, even though it was quite Oompa Loompa and sounded kind of like a 1920s dance hall tune. It was quite entertaining, and I loved its electric violin.

Probably my favorite was Friends Die Easy II, with an electric guitar that sounded like Santana.

Two Of Me had an interesting sound like on Second Thoughts with very extensive violin, but I disliked it overall because it sounded atonal, and Train To Dixie had an appalling saxophone solo.

Grade

3/5: interesting, but not for me