Search - Terry Reid :: River

Not Just A Great Rock Album But A Work Of Art

TUCO H. | Los Angeles, CA | 03/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No list of the greatest '70s rock albums can ever be complete without Terry Reid's "The River" & "Seeds Of Memory." I don't care how little they sold, these 2 albums are stone-cold classics, the best of their kind. "The River" is as good if not better than "Seeds." In the production department (by Eddie Offord of Yes & ELP fame) it sounds significantly crisper & warmer than "Seeds." The song "Dean" sounds absolutely incredible blasted out of even a stock 2005 Volvo S40 T5 sound system (keep the surround sound very low, put some mapleshade micro-smooth polish on the disc and you'll get even more LP-style warmth out of it). Reid's vocals are so powerful and soulful over that perfect bluesy groove and understated slide guitar, it will almost convince you that you're in an alternate universe listening to one of the biggest rock stars ever because the power of the music is so undeniable that it just floors everyone who hears it. It truly is an incredible testament to "the power of rock," whatever that was at its best, in the original model, taken to heights never dreamed of, following the famous example of "The Beatles" in the 1960s & early 70s. It destroys everything mediocre in its path & raises all who listen, with much love, mind you, to its own rarified stratosphere. It is mind-blowing without being arrogant, it is masculine without macho posturing, it achieves that balance perfectly. Lack of airplay and promotion is the only reason these albums didn't sell because they have rock-legend written all over them. Led Zeppelin with Reid would have been amazing. Very different for sure and maybe not as flamboyant and popular as Zep with Plant but the quality of the music would not have suffered (don't picture the famous LZ songs with Reid & try to compare it to Plant but imagine a completely different beast with legendary songs not yet written that were never to be). I have no problem whatsoever in comparing "The River" & "Seeds of Memory" to all the classic Led Zep albums. Just because Zep songs have been played a zillion times on the radio and Terry Reid songs from these 2 albums practially never, does not automatically mean Reid's songs have less staying power. For the perfect demonstration, listen to the track "Dream" which Reid sings in a mellow, quiet vocal over a spare samba-style acoustic guitar backing, giving new meaning to how deep & sensitive a perfect union of lyrics, music and performance skill can get without sounding overly soft or spiritually out of the rock aura in some James-Taylor-La-La-Land. Play that song ten times in a row and see if doesn't just keep getting better and better and better the more you play it. It is just pop-rock and yet even so, it is inexhaustibly, unfathomably deep, it is real emotion not some weak, lightweight counterfeit. Like "Fooling You" on "Seeds Of Memory," you literally cannot get sick of such perfect expressions of emotional complexity if you tried."

River flows again in U.S.

Flipper Campbell | Miami Florida | 01/31/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is the album the great singer/songwriter Terry Reid made after he moved from Britain to California. The jet lag shows. This is one of his weakest records, yet most Reid fans will find it oddly satisfying. This rerelease is the same mix as the Japanese import of a few years back, but the packaging and liner notes are improved. The record starts out promisingly enough, with "Dean," but then descends into what appears to be a series of demos. The final three tracks arrive just in time to redeem the effort. Four solid Terry Reid tracks make this disc worth my money, but others should be aware. Check out the wonderful records "Terry Reid," "Seed of Memory" and (if you can find it) "The Driver.""

Redefined the term "artistic integrity"

05/06/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"To rate this album with three stars based on the progression of other releases over the last 30 years is, alone, a remarkable tribute to the work. But, if you add perspective to the mix, and consider what was generally being produced in 1972 and the years thereafter ("Styks," "REO," etc. - - puh-leeze!), you have to give this baby 4+ stars. I bought the LP when it first appeared, mostly wondering what Reid had been up to since "Bang, Bang". I was not a devoted fan - - I didn't even own a Terry Reid LP before then. But, I had thought his first LP was interesting and different, and for $... (the price of an LP back then), I figured it was worth picking up this one. I was flat-out dumb-struck by the vocals! What impressed me even more was the courage it took for a "rock star" like Reid to branch out into accoustic ("unplugged"-type) blues- and jazz-influenced offerings. This decidedly un-commercial compilation showcases the artist's integrity and fearlessness. I still rank this as one of my favorite LPs of all-time, and heartily recommend it."