Search - Meisner Swan & Rich :: Meisner Swan & Rich

FABULOUS ALBUM FROM 3 LEGENDS

T. Morgan | Wales | 01/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Reviewer: TUDUR MORGAN,MUSICIAN,WALESEX-EAGLE RANDY MEISNER,ELVIS HIT WRITER BILLY SWAN AND CHARLIE RICH,JR SON OF THE SILVER FOX-IT SOUNDS LIKE THE MAKING OF A GORGEOUS ALBUM OF GREAT SONGS,SUBLIME VOCALS AND IMPRESSIVE MUSICIANSHIP -AND IT REALLY IS!
TEN SONGS,MANY OF THEM TOO SHORT-BUT AT LEAST THE REPEAT BUTTON ON ANY CD PLAYER WILL BE ON OVERLOAD;ABSOLUTELY ENCHANTING VOCALS FROM 3 GREAT SINGERS AND A SUBTLE PACKAGE BOTH IN PRODUCTION AND DELIVERY FROM A GREATLY UNDERRATED TRIO WITH THE BARE MINIMUM OF ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS NAMELY PEDAL STEEL AND LEAD GUITAR WIZZARD VERN MONNETT,DRUMMERS JOHN MOLO (& MITCHELL DELEVIE ON WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD),PIANIST DAVID MORGAN ON THE SAME SONG-ALL OTHER KEYS BY CHARLIE RICH,JR WHO ALSO WROTE 6 OF THE SONGS,CO WROTE 2 WITH BILLY SWAN AND SANG LEAD VOCALS ON MANY OF THE TRACKS,TOO.
THIS UNASSUMING BUT STUNNING TRIO ARE IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS RICE,RICE,HILLMAN AND PEDERSEN AND POCO AND MANY OTHER TRUE GREATS OF COUNTRY ROCK.STANDOUT TRACKS ARE VOCALIST/BASSIST RANDY MEISNER'S EXQUISITE MY HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED,VOCALIST/RHYTHM GUITARIST BILLY SWAN'S ENCHANTING MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME IN MY HEART (HE "CAN HELP" ANYBODY INCLUDING MERCEDES BENZ & ELVIS WITH A GREAT TUNE) AND CHARLIE JR'S (IT'S LIKE I) NEVER HAD A BROKEN HEART.
THEY PUT ALL THE YOUNG NASHVILLE WANNABES TO SHAME AND DESERVE RICHES & RESPECT.
MAY MEISNER,SWAN & RICH BE MASSIVE!"

Great Singing, Nice Harmonies, Nothing Out of the Ordinary

Alan Rockman | Upland, California | 10/19/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Therein lies the problem. (Another good question: Is this a recent album, or a 2002 issue of one recorded over 10 years ago, and if so, are these guys still together as I wouldn't mind seeing them live)Granted, this is a solid album, no frills, and as another reviewer put it, kind of like the Beatles meeting the Eagles. "You Look Like Someone I Could Love" and Randy Meisner's poignant vocal on the Charlie Rich Jr. composition "It's Like A Never Had A Broken Heart" bear this statement out.The Rockabilly influences of Rich and of Billy "I Can Help" Swan outweigh the classic country rock of Meisner, and with the great vocals of Meisner limited to but two songs, hmmmm, even as good as those songs are. Meisner deserves much more exposure - he and Bernie Leadon were the Eagles as much as Glenn Frey and Don Henley are...There's also a lack of both guitar punch here - the album could have used a Leadon or a John Beland on guitar and a Jay Dee Maness or Mike Rhinestone on pedal steel. It is Charlie Rich Jr.'s honky-tonk and boogie-woogie piano that predominates.
Rich also does the majority of the lead vocals - and he is a fine vocalist very much in the style of his father. I recommend "Pretty Baby" the opening track, the boogie-woogie of "Who's Gonna Love You Baby" and the bittersweet closing track, "Where the Rubber Hits the Road" where all three show off their harmonious style.Indeed, bittersweet is appropo to describe this album. The vocals are wonderful, but not enough Meisner or Swan, the dedication is there, and the songs commercial - but not commercial enough for today's Nashville, which values style over substance. A Nashville that would sooner perk up over an overrated Garth Brooks or the pop inclinations of a Faith Hill over seasoned veterans like Randy Meisner, Billy Swan and Charlie Rich Jr. A shame really, but that's the sad reality of it all."

Muddy, Mushy, Mediocre, but worth every dollar

Mooster | P-ville, California USA | 04/21/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone else notice the release date was 9/11/01? What's up with that?Honestly, it reminds me of an unpolished, late 70's love song album. However, I can't hear enough of Randy's voice laced over a good tune. Being 40, I tend to relate to My How Things Have Changed and Randy's lead provides relational emotion. In contrast, Who's Gonna Love You Baby sounds like a dozen other good riddance songs and doesn't have any relevance to this aging man. Never Had a Broken Heart, another tune led by Meisner, tends to be more believable with lyrics like, "she took years off my life", resolved with "but you gave me forever, when you became my wife." I have to say I really like the last tune, Where the Rubber Meets the Road. The three giants blend their voices into a beautiful harmony about moving on. A true road warrior song you have to put on while shifting into 5th on your way to your next destination. Definitely worth the money, but could have left out a few of the tired love songs."