1974 debut on Elektra by this country rock sextet featuringJ.D. Souther, Chris Hillman (The Byrds, The Flying BurritoBrothers Band) and Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco).Originally released on Elektra, the album rea... more »ched #11 in theU.S. & features 10« less
1974 debut on Elektra by this country rock sextet featuringJ.D. Souther, Chris Hillman (The Byrds, The Flying BurritoBrothers Band) and Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco).Originally released on Elektra, the album reached #11 in theU.S. & features 10
"This album was a terrific debut for what should have been a long list to follow. The talent of all 6 members, 7 with Joe Lala on percussion was incredible. I have NEVER heard another voice in concert as full, pure, and powerful as Richie Furay's. Believe Me is a great tune for Furay as is Fallin in Love. Hillman's Safe at Home and Heavenly Fire show two side of Chris' talent , and Souther shines with Pretty Goodbye, Border Town and Deep, Dark & Dreamless. Listen to the harmonies on Heavenly Fire... WOW! In the vien of CSNY, Eagles, Poco and the Byrds. These guys could sing with the best of them. I saw them in '74 at the Capitol Theatre in passaic,nj. The played everything! SHF's, Byrds', Burritos', Poco's and JD's til they ran out of song they knew.WHAT a NIGHT! and Richie's voice....unmatched! Like the Band and The Allmans, the album doesn't quite give the listener the full power of how they sounded in person."
I Keep Going Back to This One
Brian Gigee | Pearland, TX United States | 12/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I moved south from Ohio to Texas at age 18 in 1972. It was a great time for music makers and music lovers. I've done both. Over the next 5 years I compiled 3 crates of records with everything from America to Z.Z. Topp. Out of all of those records, I find myself going back to this one over and over. If you are looking for harmonies, guitar licks, driving drums as well as sweet melodies to soothe the soul, this is a CD you'll find yourself going back to over and over again as well. "Heavenly Fire" will uplift you. "The Heartbreaker" will redeem you and "Rise and Fall" will help you greet another day. I have grieved for years that these guys only cut two albums. The music world deserved more."
Country Rock
Thomas Magnum | NJ, USA | 07/17/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Souther Hillman Furay Band was something of a country rock supergroup featuring J.D. Souther, best known for his association with The Eagles, Chris Hillman, an original member of The Byrds and Richie Furay from The Buffalo Springfield and Poco. Their debut album is in the musical styling of those bands as well as The Flying Burrito Brothers and Gram Parsons. "Fallin' In Love" is the first song and single from the album and their best number. It has a rolling riff with perfect pitch harmonies from the band. In fact it's the dead on harmonies that is the band's strong suit. Other standout tracks include the gorgeous "Border Town", "Safe At Home" and "Heavenly Fire". The band was short-lived as they released only one more album, Trouble In Paradise, and then disbanded."
For true blue Country Rock fans
Mitchell Howard | Havelock North, NZ | 12/23/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This album by Souther Hillman Furay band is a very good album although I think better music is available by all 3 on other projects. JD Southers contributions all pale beside Black Rose and Home by Dawn except Deep Dark and Dreamless, with its soaring harmonies and Pretty Goodbyes. Heartbreaker and Border town were too Tex/Mex - Rockabilly for the rest of the band and the album and just don`t seem to fit. Furay`s Believe Me is a standout, a never released Poco song. Fallin in Love is also a great tune by Richie. Hillman is the weak link, Safe at Home sounding exactly like some of his collaborations with McGuinn later in his career. Heavenly Fire and Rise and Fall are forgettable too. All in all I would look for Poco`s A Good Feeling to Know, the above mentioned Souther albums and Manassas albums before this. Having said that it does seem to creep onto my car CD player with monotonous regularity!?! and its my 2nd copy!?!"
Best buck i ever spent
Thomas M. Busby | melbourne, fl United States | 11/13/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I got this one way back in 75 or 76. Cost me a buck in the cutout bin. Ever since I remembered it over the years and then found it on CD here I think. It was as good as I remember. There are some really great tunes, a few clunkers but overall a great sentimental favorite. Drove my friends nuts putting this on when Kiss and Alice Cooper were all the rage. P.S I think it was really only a quarter, not a buck."