Native Sons

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Los Angeles's Long Ryders were unabashed in revering their musical ancestors. The front cover of the country-rock quartet's debut album aped the planned photo for Buffalo Springfield's unreleased Stampede, and the group dressed in the same sort of sheepskin jackets and Nudie vests as Neil Young and Gram Parsons wore back in their heydays. They even asked ex-Byrd Gene Clark to sing with them. (Lead Ryder Sid Griffin would take his love of rock history even further by writing the first book on the life of the late country-rock pioneer Parsons. He's now a widely published music writer.) Given all that, it's easy to write the Long Ryders off as just another in a series of early- to mid-'80s West Coast groups going through a momentary "paisley revival." But the group's first two releases--an EP called 10-5-60 and their debut long-player, Native Sons--are available on this CD, and show that this was a band that could often take borrowed influences to new and exciting places, fusing punk energy and southern-rock populism with the secondhand West Coast milieu. "Tell It to the Judge on Sunday" and "Never Got to Meet the Mom," in particular, were songs strong and vibrant enough to brighten up any Springfield album. --Don Harrison --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Album Description
Native Sons was the first full-length album by the Long Ryders and the one that established their eclectic mixture of Byrds/Clash/Flying Burrito Brothers' influences. 1984 release. Frontier. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Sweet Marie
Pretty Princess
My Lady, My Love
When I Was A Child
Waisting Our Time
Peacemaker
It's Alright
Boogie Man
Fox Fire
Native Son

Customer Reviews:

Not there best, but..............2006-09-24

I have most if not all of Loggins and Messina's work. Together, I feel they did their best work. This album was not a chart topper but has some of the best stuff they ever did. Pretty Princess puts chills up my spine everytime I hear the horns in it. I have had this record for years and am finally upgrading to a CD. If you don't have this album and are a fan, you should buy it. You will be very happy you did.

With All Due Respect..........2006-07-31

With all due respect to the other reviewers of this CD, "Native Sons" is my favorite Loggins & Messina album. Maybe it's because this was the first L&M album I bought. Prior to getting this album, I was only familiar with Loggins & Messina through their top 40 hits (which I liked well enough). But after hearing this album, I realized there was a lot more to these guys. I quickly gathered their entire discography.

Granted there were no hit singles from "Native Sons", but I much prefer an album of consistent quality to one with a few hits surrounded by filler. And I like the quality of this album. Play "It's Alright" and see if the message Jim Messina is saying is still true today. "Politician's reasoning is downright confusing - and now their rationing gas..." It slides right into "Boogie Man", a fine boogie-woogie number. "When I Was a Child" is a touching ballad about loss of a parent. "Sweet Marie" is a great song with a funky bass saxophone line. "My Lady, My Love" is a waltz that evokes the feel of the late 1800's depicted on the album cover and liner notes (faithfully reproduced on the CD from the original album art and inner sleeve). "Native Son" is a Kenny Loggins song that is in a vein similar to the title cut on his future first solo album, "Celebrate Me Home". "Fox Fire" and "Wasting Out Time" also work quite well for me. And I have particular affection for "Peacemaker" from this album which Kenny Loggins also used as the opening song during his first solo concert tour after the "Celebrate Me Home" album came out (which I was fortunate enough to see).

As a big follower of horn bands (BS&T, Lighthouse, et al.), I always take note of the brass/reed section on an album. In this band on saxophone/reeds you have Jon Clarke and Vince Denham, both veterans of the Don Ellis Orchestra (Jon on "Live at Fillmore" and "Tears of Joy"; Vince on "Connection" and "Soaring"). That alone should tell you these dudes can play. One particular solo by (I believe) Jon comes in the Jim Messina piece, "Pretty Princess" which is about an extra-marital affair. The solo could be described as a musically graphic portrayal of a portion of that story (wink-wink, nod-nod, say-no-more.) This expressive solo knocks me out every time I listen to it. Recently (while watching the Loggins & Messina DVD "Live at the Hollywood Bowl") I was saddened to find out that Jon Clarke passed away in 2005 at a rather early age of 54. Peace, Jon.

While other Loggins & Messina fans may have their favorite albums, "Native Sons" remains mine. Listen. Enjoy.

the weakest link.......2006-03-22

as a longtime fan of loggins and messina i have to admit that this record is the weakest of the lot. by the time this album came out, i am sure loggins and messina were working on diferent agenda's. this is a tired album, no life and probably fulfilled their committment to columbia records. i would prefer to think of the energy of loggins and messina on the first two albums of theirs. don't get me wrong, their are some decent tracks on this album but nothing that rocks like vahevela or country song.

By far the BEST Loggins and Messina album ever!.......2005-06-26

This is by far the best work by Loggins and Messina. Several great songs (It's Alright, Pretty Princess, Fox Fire, Peacemaker) are both melodic and soulful. This is a definite "must by" by the duo. I rate it an A+

This album is great?.......2005-06-10

The question marks is because I'm wondering why others think so little of it?

Is it their best album, no, is it their worst... no way.

Is Mother Lode their best... likely, and this one comes in a close second (for me any ways) (Full Sail is up there as well, mostly Mother Lode stuff, but a fine alblum none the less.)

I might have to confess... I'm a real big fan of Loggins & Messina, and have all of their album's as a group as well as solo stuff.

I think they are much better then most folks got to hear. I'm not a big fan of "Your mama don't dance (except "Outside- from the Redwoods version" and feel folks need to listen to more of their music. Once they do, they too will be big fans, of this and the other albums they recorded.

In any case, Native Son is much more then a 2 1/2 star rating, buy it, listen to it, enjoy it.

Average customer rating:

Near-perfect AOR album

Native Sons
Strangeways
Manufacturer: Majestic Rock
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000E6EO4S
Release Date: 2006-03-27

Tracks:

Dance with Somebody
Only a Fool
So Far Away
Where Do We Go from Here
Goodnight L.A.
Empty Streets
Stand Up and Shout
Shake the Seven
Never Gonna Lose It
Face to Face
Stand Up and Shout [Live][*]
Breakin' Down the Barriers [Live][*]
Dance with Somebody [Live][*]
Never Gonna Lose It [Live][*]

Album Description

The second album from the Glasgow based AOR act STRANGEWAYS is rightly regarded, as the finest British release the genre has thus far seen and may even be the best that has ever come out of Europe! Terry Brock had made a very successful career out of singing backing vocals on some of the biggest albums of the period, including for Journey & Foreigner. This was his and the band's day in the sunshine. 'Native Sons' is little short of a masterpiece! Released here in a remastered form with expanded art work, sleeve notes from Classic Rock magazine's Dave Ling and with two previously unreleased bonus tracks, this is the best this album has ever looked or sounded. Majestic Rock. 2006

Album Details

The Second Album from the Glasgow Based Aor Act Strangeways is Rightly Regarded, as the Finest British Release the Genre Has Thus Far Seen and May Even Be the Best that Has Ever Come Out of Europe! Terry Brock Had Made a Very Successful Career Out of Singing Backing Vocals on Some of the Biggest Albums of the Period, Including for Journey and Foreigner. This was his and the Band's Day in the Sunshine. 'native Sons' is Little Short of a Masterpiece! Released Here in a Remastered Form with Expanded Art Work, Sleeve Notes from Classic Rock Magazine's Dave Ling and with Two Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks, this is the Best this Album Has Ever Looked Or Sounded.

Customer Reviews:

Near-perfect AOR album.......2006-12-20

What a difference the right singer makes. Strangeways' 1986 debut album was decent enough, but the band struck gold when they replaced outgoing vocalist Tony Liddell with Terry Brock, who sang for the Steve Morse and provided background vocals to the biggest AOR acts like Journey and Foreigner.

Brock's debut with Strangeways was 1987's Native Sons. His vocal style is like Steve Perry's with a bit of a David Glen Eisley "rock" edge, and is absolutely perfect for the kind of Journey/Foreigner/Toto/Giuffria/FM AOR that the Scotland-based band serves up. Native Sons draws the best elements from all of the era's best AOR/arena rock bands, and while it may not be all that original, it is still a fantastic album that can hold its own against any of that era's better known AOR albums. Native Sons is full of great guitar work, lots of keyboards, solid songwriting, and above all Terry Brock's powerful vocal performance.

If you're a fan of that larger than life 80's AOR/arena rock sound, Native Sons is all but guaranteed to put a big smile on your face. And if you were a Strangeways fan back in the day, you should love the reissued version of Native Sons.

NOTE: Majestic Rock (fast becoming my new favorite reissue label) reissued Native Sons in 2006. The album features much-needed digital remastering and four live bonus tracks - Stand Up and Shout, Breakin' Down the Barriers, Dance With Somebody, Never Gonna Lose It. For some reason, Amazon only lists two bonus tracks, and the wrong ones at that.

Average customer rating:

It's a Great Record! Don't Order it!
MUSIC TO SLAM DANCE AND CHEW SNUFF TO
+1/2 -- The best EP and album never recorded by Gram Parsons
Gets you back to the source
One Of The Great Lost LPs Of The '80s

Native Sons
The Long Ryders
Manufacturer: Frontier Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003SSX
Release Date: 1993-09-06

Tracks:

Final Wild Son
Still Get By
Ivory Tower
Run Dusty Run
(Sweet) Mental Revenge
Fair Game
Tell It To The Judge On Sunday
Wreck Of The 809
Too Close To The Light
Never Got To Meet The Mom
I Had A Dream

Amazon.com

Los Angeles's Long Ryders were unabashed in revering their musical ancestors. The front cover of the country-rock quartet's debut album aped the planned photo for Buffalo Springfield's unreleased Stampede, and the group dressed in the same sort of sheepskin jackets and Nudie vests as Neil Young and Gram Parsons wore back in their heydays. They even asked ex-Byrd Gene Clark to sing with them. (Lead Ryder Sid Griffin would take his love of rock history even further by writing the first book on the life of the late country-rock pioneer Parsons. He's now a widely published music writer.) Given all that, it's easy to write the Long Ryders off as just another in a series of early- to mid-'80s West Coast groups going through a momentary "paisley revival." But the group's first two releases--an EP called 10-5-60 and their debut long-player, Native Sons--show that this was a band that could often take borrowed influences to new and exciting places, fusing punk energy and southern-rock populism with the secondhand West Coast milieu. "Tell It to the Judge on Sunday" and "Never Got to Meet the Mom," in particular, were songs strong and vibrant enough to brighten up any Springfield album. --Don Harrison

Album Description

Native Sons was the first full-length album by the Long Ryders and the one that established their eclectic mixture of Byrds/Clash/Flying Burrito Brothers' influences. 1984 release. Frontier.

Customer Reviews:

It's a Great Record! Don't Order it!.......2006-04-10

I'm awfully fond of Native Sons. It was the first full length from the Long Ryders, who were among the best of the rockers of the first era of "quote" bands ... bands that name-and-sound checked great music of their (our) youths in the 60's and 70's and made going to hear bar bands a kick again (like Dream Syndicate, True Believers, Rain Parade, the Fleshtones, and dozens of others). I liked this one so much, with its Byrds 12-string quotes, Gene Clark backing vocals, and general pal-y attitude, I bought it on CD. And Amazon sent me Native Sons, without 10-5-60 (the earlier Long Ryders EP that was supposed to be included on the CD I ordered). I sent it back to them and asked them to send me another, the correct CD this time. And they sent me Native Sons alone, without 10-5-60 on it, AGAIN. I gave up at that point. But they screwed up my order for this one TWICE. So be forewarned; there's more than one version of this CD around and Amazon's employees can't get it right.

MUSIC TO SLAM DANCE AND CHEW SNUFF TO.......2005-09-29

This CD compiles the first two Long Ryders albums 10-5-60 (which happens to be the date Elvis Presley joined the army), and Native Sons that were released in the early 80's. Much has been said about The Long Ryders being an early alt-country band, but these two albums have overall a more psychedelic garage rock sound to them. Granted, country influences are obvious in songs such as Sweet Mental Revenge (a Mel Tillis cover), and Born To Believe In You, but the overall sound is more like The Byrds playing Clash covers. One would be hard pressed to find anything Grand Ol Opry sounding on tunes like And She Rides or Too Close To The Light. Standout tracks are the blistering I Had A Dream, and the sublime Ivory Tower (Gene Clark from the Byrds guests on backup vocals).

The recordings, like all albums from this time period, have that God-Awfull 80's lets-put-gated-reverb-on-everything sound to them, however, the songs themselves are well written and thought out to make one forget such annoyance. If you dig other bands from this era such as The Replacements, I couldn't see anyone being dissatisfied with THe Ryders.

+1/2 -- The best EP and album never recorded by Gram Parsons.......2005-02-20

As part of the so-called Los Angeles paisley underground of the early '80s, The Long Ryders were hardly secretive about their influences. While the Bangles, Three O'Clock and Rain Parade were following more pop and psychedelic footsteps, the Long Ryders were pressing down the road charted by Gram Parsons, The Byrd, The Buffalo Springfield and others. The original issue of this CD combined their debut EP "10-5-60" and their first album, "Native Sons," along with a bonus recording of "The Trip." Current pressings of the CD, unfortunately, omit the EP and bonus track.

The EP laid out the band's brand of cosmic American music that included straight ahead rock 'n' roll, but with healthy doses of country, folk and power-pop. They were just as comfortable with drum-stomping guitar-riff driven rockers like "10-5-60" as they were with old-timey autoharp and pedal steel of "Born to Believe in You." The EP's highlight is the closer, "And She Rides," which neatly combines rock, country and hints of psychedelia all in one.

The follow-up LP hit many of the same high-points as the debut, but didn't maintain the consistency across all 11 tracks. Highlights include the bluesy country rock of "Final Wild Son" and the Chuck Berry meets the Beach Boys "Run Dusty Run." "Still Get By" shows the band to be consummate craftsmen of pop hooks, and throughout the rest of the album Sid Griffin and Stephen McCarthy break out pedal steel, banjo, mandolin and more. Ex-Byrd Gene Clark even drops in for vocals on "Ivory Tower."

The Long Ryders would continue to record some fine discs, but nothing as cohesive and satisfying as this pair. The straight-up "Native Sons" reissue is very good, but it's the debut EP that makes it worthwhile to look for the original CD reissue.

Gets you back to the source.......2004-01-02

I own this on vinyl; the music stands up to repeated listenings and drives a useful phenomena. Take a listen to Track 5, Sweet Mental Revenge, and compare it to the other tracks. It is definitely different, in the bizzare lyrics (You'll walk the floor from door to door And pull out your peroxide hair) and highly charged guitars. You might recall that the Flying Burrito Brothers recorded this song, and kept it in the folk/rock repotoire-but something this nutty had to come from Nashville.

Mel Tillis, best known for his speech patterns, wrote and recorded this song in the 1960's. Took me about a year to find the original recording in the pre-internet days, but one can hear how Tillis made this song legendary, and the Long Ryders kept it alive. Excellent pedigree on this song with a salute to the Long Ryders for pulling it out of obscurity.

One Of The Great Lost LPs Of The '80s.......2003-09-03

For anyone who thought the '80s were hair bands and synthesizers, here's the rebuke. I bought this "album" on the strength of the psychedelic freakout that is "I Had A Dream". Upon further listening, I found an album that opened up my ears to the real promise of what country music could deliver. Yes, this is the beginnings of No Depression/Americana/Alt-Country. The Long Ryders, along with Jason and the Scorchers opened up the roads for acts like Wilco, Son Volt, Whiskeytown, Ol 97's and even Steve Earle, to trod down. AAMOF, this album is how you get from Gram Parsons/Sweetheart of the Rodeo-era Byrds to those aforementioned bands. If you need proof, check out "Ivory Tower". Personal faves are the aforementioned "I Had A Dream", "Ivory Tower", Never Got To Meet The Mom" and the stunning "Too Close To The Light". Definitely worth a listen. Eighteen years later and it still holds a special place in my collection.

Average customer rating:

Native Sons
Loggins & Messina
Manufacturer: Columbia/Legacy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000F9UDSA
Release Date: 2006-07-03

Tracks:

Sweet Marie
Pretty Princess
My Lady, My Love
When I Was a Child
Wasting Our Time
Peacemaker
It's Alright
Boogie Man
Fox Fire
Native Son

Album Description

Exclusive Japanese limited edition digitally remastered reissue of this 1976 album, packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. 10 tracks. CBS. 2006.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.

Average customer rating:

It's a Great Record! Don't Order it!
MUSIC TO SLAM DANCE AND CHEW SNUFF TO
+1/2 -- The best EP and album never recorded by Gram Parsons
Gets you back to the source
One Of The Great Lost LPs Of The '80s

Native Sons
The Long Ryders
Manufacturer: Frontier
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Jangle Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000DTZH
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Tracks:

Final Wild Son
Still Get By
Ivory Tower
Run Dusty Run
(Sweet) Mental Revenge
Fair Game
Tell It To The Judge On Sunday
Wreck Of The 809
Too Close To The Light
Never Got To Meet The Mom
I Had A Dream
Join My Gang
You Don't Know What's Right, You Don't Know What's Wrong
10-5-60
Born To Believe In You
The Trip
And She Rides

Amazon.com

Album Description

Native Sons was the first full-length album by the Long Ryders and the one that established their eclectic mixture of Byrds/Clash/Flying Burrito Brothers' influences. 1984 release. Frontier.

Customer Reviews:

It's a Great Record! Don't Order it!.......2006-04-10

MUSIC TO SLAM DANCE AND CHEW SNUFF TO.......2005-09-29

+1/2 -- The best EP and album never recorded by Gram Parsons.......2005-02-20

Gets you back to the source.......2004-01-02

One Of The Great Lost LPs Of The '80s.......2003-09-03

Average customer rating:

Fantastic!!!!!!

Sweet Seraphic Fire

Manufacturer: New World Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AA4L8W
Release Date: 2005-08-02

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