New Riders of the Purple Sage (1971) (Vinyl record album review)

Album name: New Riders of the Purple Sage

Group name: New Riders of the Purple Sage

Year: 1971

Number of discs: one

Label: Columbia Records

Collection: Brenner / Gessner

Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written on top left of album, indicating that my father owned it

Buy it on Amazon: $109.00

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

Though I had heard of NRPS at some point or another before starting this project, it was reviewing three of their records last summer that really brought them to my attention, and now I listen to them all of the time. Here are those three:

Powerglide (1972): 5/5

Gypsy Cowboy (1972): 4/5

Home, Home on the Road (1974): 5/5

This record is their first, and I’ve probably listened to it around 40 times by now.

What I expected

Cosmic American music.

What it was actually like

All of these songs have a very consistent style and the recordings are pretty tight (but you can find a ton of NRPS live recordings on youtube that vary dramatically in how well rehearsed they sounded). There were a lot of great harmonies and Jerry Garcia steel guitar (and banjo). I love this record.

Henry was probably my favorite song on side one, as it was the fastest and most energetic, and I liked Louisiana Lady the most on side two for the same reason.

Glendale Train also stood out as excellent, for the banjo and also for how they made the sound evoke a train engine (check out the beginning of this live version), and I also love the proto-funk bass in Dirty Business.

My least favorite song was All I Ever Wanted since it was slower (though I don’t skip it when I listen). On the other hand, Last Lonely Eagle was a similar tempo and I thought it was great.

Grade

5/5: love it