No secret that Townes knew his way around a song pretty comfortably, and Flyin’ Shoes has got some of his finest on it (Rex’s Blues, No Place To Fall, Loretta).
But I can’t help being caught out by some of the band arrangements. Intricate backing vocals, pedal steel, electric piano etc. seems par for the course for 1970s folk/country records. Weirder yet are the occasional overdriven guitar moments or the wigged out psychedelic vocal effect of Dollar Bill Blues. Probably a case to be made that Townes’ songs were often drowned out by too many schmick studio players and ridiculous arrangements, but I reckon these ones only make the record better! - Mitch (Repressed Records)
But I can’t help being caught out by some of the band arrangements. Intricate backing vocals, pedal steel, electric piano etc. seems par for the course for 1970s folk/country records. Weirder yet are the occasional overdriven guitar moments or the wigged out psychedelic vocal effect of Dollar Bill Blues. Probably a case to be made that Townes’ songs were often drowned out by too many schmick studio players and ridiculous arrangements, but I reckon these ones only make the record better! - Mitch (Repressed Records)