Search - Poco :: Running Horse

A Disappointment

Bridget | Plymouth, Mongolia | 09/19/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Before you, dear reader, start frothing at the mouth about the two stars (a generous two stars, I might add), I will say up front that I am big fan of Poco, and would buy anything Paul Cotton or Rusty Young put out solo or together. In December 1982, I went to a small club in San Francisco (I think it was The Warfield) to see Poco right after "Ghost Town" came out, clutching my copy in hopes of getting it signed by Paul & Rusty. I was rewarded for my efforts with a great show and a signed LP. So, I'm a fan! That said, I was very excited to hear that they were coming out with "Running Horse," but upon hearing it, was greatly disappointed.



"Running Horse" opens with the MOR ballad, "One Tear At A Time." This is where I became immediately concerned. As much as I love Rusty Young and his phenomenal guitar-playing, I cringed at the breathy and, dare I say it (sorry, Rusty), wimpy vocal style he is prone to use when he sings ballads. The song itself is unremarkable, neither great nor terrible, but the vocal makes me want to skip to the next track.



That next track, Paul Cotton's "Every Time I Hear That Train," is a highly listenable mid-tempo rocker; the kind at which Cotton excels. Now that he is pushing 60, Cotton's voice has mellowed like a fine wine and is as expressive as ever. A terrific track!



Next is "If Your Heart Needs A Hand." More "breathy" Rusty, but delivered in a slightly more palatable manner thanks to more backup vocals from the band. The song is somewhat better than the opening track, with an interesting beat and is pleasant listening.



"Never Loved... Never Hurt Like This" is the Poco debut of "new" band member Jack Sundrud, who has toured with the group for some time. Well, Paul & Rusty, the next time the tour bus stops at the side of the road so Jack can relieve himself, do yourselves and all of your fans a favor and pull away quickly and leave him behind! 'Never Choked... Never Gagged Like This' might be a better title for this song. This unremarkable, pedestrian ballad is better placed on a Tim McGraw album, or the record of some similar, purile Nashville hack that churns out sound-alike song after sound-alike song. If Sundrud is to remain part of the band, better he stand in the background, play his bass, and keep his mouth shut except to provide backup vocals. Ugh! Paul Cotton's praise of Sundrud's songwriting ability in the liner notes of "Running Horse" leaves this reviewer absolutely agog.



"Forever" has a beat that hints slightly at 1989's "Call It Love," from the original Poco lineup reunion album, "Legacy." "Forever" is, unfortunately, not up to that song's standard, and is at best a fair-to middling ballad, where we once again hear a breathy Rusty Young churn out another "getting VERY OLD" vocal performance. I often wonder whatever happened to Young's grittier vocal stylings from a song like 1980's "Made Of Stone" from the album "Under The Gun." He has a great voice, at least when he decides to get down and gritty. That "softer side" is much more palatable when taken in small doses. Unfortunately, on "Running Horse," we get far too large a dose.



"Never Get Enough" is more Sundrud-penned, Nashville drek. Enough said. Where's the remote so I can skip to the next track?



At this point, the listener suddenly realizes that Paul Cotton has not been heard from since the second track. However, this is understandable, as Cotton spent the majority of his recent songwriting output on 2000's terrific solo work, "Firebird." The listener hopes he is next after what has been heard to this point. Unfortunately, the next song is yet ANOTHER ballad, "If You Can't Stand To Lose," featuring Rusty Young on vocals. Ugh! Though the breathy delivery is somewhat muted on this song, it is so sickly sweet that, after having choked down so many ballads already on this album, the listener yearns for something to sink his teeth into.



Fortunately, Paul Cotton delivers that 'something'. He is heard from at long last, with "I Can Only Imagine." This mid-tempo rocker has more meat on it than al of the non-Cotton songs on this record up to this point. Smokey vocals and tasty guitar licks in Cotton's inimitable style make this song worth repeated listening.



Next up is "Shake It," a song who's title promises the up-tempo country rocker the listener is, by now, almost begging for. At first it seems to deliver with a nice up-tempo beat, that is until Jack Sundrud opens his mouth. Ugh! Mail this one to Toby Keith for his next album. This sounds like every other piece of crappy, modern Nashville-formula garbage. An absolute nightmare for a Poco fan, who is most likely to be someone who finds 21st Century "Country" music radio to be something that makes them want to drop in a 1969-1982 era Poco CD for some REAL Country Rock. With lyrics like "She's gonna dance, dance, dance/Like a Sufi in a trance," the sooner this song is over, the better! I mean, is he kidding? Additionally, the incredibly obscure reference to Sufi Islam is so phenomenally out of place on a Poco record, one wonders what anyone involved with the recording of this song was thinking. Just awful! Please get Sundrud OUT OF HERE!



Please, please please! Not ANOTHER ballad! NOOOOOOO! However, that's what Rusty Young gives us with "That's What Love Is All About." By now, The listener wonders whatever happened to more listenable Young ballads like "Here Comes That Girl, Again" (from 1981's Blue & Gray) or the king of all Young ballads, 1979's "Crazy Love." "That's What Love Is All About," is a nondescript ballad, replete with Young's breathy vocals that by now are making me want to gag on the sap that is flowing ever so freely on this record. Whither the Rusty Young of old?



The album ends on a moderately upbeat note with the title track, "Running Horse." It is an autobiographical Paul Cotton song about how, no matter the time that has gone by since his last appearance on a Poco record (1984's "Inamorata"), the band continues to be a part of his life. It is a positive ending to an overall disappointing effort.



Paul Cotton and Rusty Young both need to take a hard look at the next Poco project and get the band back on track. I believe they could release 3-4 or more musically satisfying albums if they took a look back at what Poco was about and try to recapture some of that feeling; a feeling that is sorely lacking on this long-overdue effort. Jack Sundrud needs to be told his songs are no longer welcome. They are not suited to Poco's style and are not even any good. What about the possibility of a guest shot from Tim Schmit, or even Richie Furay, as I understand happened at a DVD taping in Nashville this summer for an upcoming concert video if there are not enough songs to fill out a record? THAT would be amazing! C'mon, guys, we know you've still got it in there, somewhere, so let's hear it! Another reviewer said it well. You have become followers instaed of leaders. This is just not a good Poco record."

Poco, the Godfather returns

Mitchell Howard | Havelock North, NZ | 09/10/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is Poco`s first for 13 years since the Legacy album which featured the original band line up. This album features stalwarts Rusty Young, Paul Cotton (who replaced Jim Messina prior to the wheel being invented)and George Grantham the original singing drummer. The lineup is augmented by Jack Sundred who has been playing live with Poco for some time. The music is closer to the modern Nashville sound and this makes sense given that most of modern Nashville will have been inspired by the early Country Rock stars like Poco. The songs are as strong as ever with standouts being, I can only Imagine, Running Horse and Everytime I hear that train by Paul. The Running Horse vocal sounds very Glenn Frey like. Rusty chips in with a couple of love songs and Jack comes up with a couple one of which Shake It is very un-Poco like but a good foot stomping tune none the less. I think this album deserves to find a wider audience than what Poco would normally achieve, especially given the modern country sound. All in all I like it and believe the music continues on the great Poco tradition. Poco for Rock n Roll Hall of Fame."

I'm Betting on a horse thats running... just like before.

Steve Gittelman | Boulder, Colorado USA | 09/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The famous Poco Horse (crafted by the late actor Phil Hartman) rises again to take us on another wonderful ride. This CD contains top notch song writing by Rusty Young and Paul Cotton. Original drummer George Grantham is better than ever!
Best songs: Running Horse features Rusty's incredible steel guitar echoing Cottons visionary lyrics reminding us of the past and lending hope for the future. Never get enough, written by Jack Sundrud is excellent as is Cottons Everytime I hear that Train. For you country music fans, Thats what love is all about could be a number 1 hit if radio stations could break out of their playlists. Of course commercial success has always eluded Poco but certainly not because of the quality of their music. I give this CD 5 STARS! The Title Track is not only one of Poco's best songs ever but one of the best rock songs written in the past 35 years."