|
• All MCN Music Reviews
Pure Prairie League - Back on Track
There are some groups in the pantheon of modern music for whom change is almost a constant. With Pure Prairie League - they entered the consciousness of the general listening public when they busted out with the ever-infectious pick-fest known as "Amie" in 1972 via the Craig Fuller fronted version of the band and there's been no looking back ever since. A few years later in that decade they would introduce future country music superstar Vince Gill with the demanding and pleading ballad "Let Me Love You Tonight". So, as you can see PPL learned early on that success can be achieved despite a change in lineup and that knowledge has kept the band alive for more than a half century now.
Fast forward to the current day, founding father John David Call who expertly holds down the pedal steel chair just as he has done for the past five decades plus returns with a re-booted line-up and a fantastic new record Back on Track which marks their first release in nearly twenty years. Luckily for fans of the pioneering country rockers - the resulting 12-track record was very much worth the wait.
Expertly produced by veteran PPL bassist and bandleader Michael Reilly, Back on Track was recorded at Riverfront Recorders in Madison, Tennessee with additional recording at Twilight Zona Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee - all just a stone's throw from Nashville, Music City U.S.A.
Today's Pure Prairie League features founding member John David Call on pedal steel guitar; Scott Thompson on drums, percussion, and vocals; Randy Harper on keyboards and vocals; Jeffrey Zona on guitars and vocals; and Jared Camic on bass and vocals. Back On Track also boasts special guests Jenifer Wrinkle on fiddle; Jeff (Birdman) Kirk on alto sax; Mat Britain on steel drums and percussion; and Gary Burr, a PPL member in the mid-80s and late-90s, on vocals.
This quality cast of characters gets to work early and often quickly starting out with the upbeat and fast paced "The Beginning" that proves that they have not lost the golden touch that made them radio staples in their early years. The next stop on the journey is the picturesque pop-leanings of "Picture Perfect Life" that is nothing short of satisfying as it nods perfectly to their glorious past.
Later, we are reminded how PPL were also early pioneers of genre fluidity emerging as a captivating jam band with strong country leanings only to be over-shadowed later by the AM darling version of themselves. On Back on track, PPL moves toward the destination of powerful AOR, even veering near the realm of prog rock to find a sonic solution to a "Modern Problem". If that wasn't enough PPL can also lay claim to the title "southern rock kings" most notably on "Skipping Stones" and the title track, album closer "Back on Track" that revives a sense of jam with modern production values to bring this unexpected and exhilarating trip to a satisfying and full-circle conclusion for PPL and their fans.
Admittedly, we did not have being blown away by a modern PPL album on our bingo card when the week started. But, Back on Track this far down the line for Pure Prairie League is nothing short of pure perfection. So, grab your ticket and enjoy the ride. The country rock juggernaut that is PPL are back and ready to roll once again.
Related Links:
For more information on THIS REVIEW please visit the following links -
Review by Rockin' Rich Lynch |
Pure Prairie League
|
