Search - The Brothers Four :: Brothers Four in Person/Cross-Country Concert

The Brothers Four at their BEST!

F. Barton | Newport, WA USA | 12/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD, consisting of TWO live albums, is the BEST release we have of the most talented group of guys! Truly outstanding sound, and even more startling, is the amount of unreleased material these albums contain. EVERYTHING is new, and wonderful, and that's not an exaggeration. This group, whose popularity in Japan has never wained or been equalled, demonstrates all their abilities with perfection. There are a whopping 25 tracks, never before released. "Rock Island Line" "I Am A Roving Gambler" and "Winkin, Blinken and Nod" are standouts, but you can't pick even ten here. They are all great. You can hear the humor, so great and not overly done. In fact, this CD is not the least bit dated. It is every bit as fresh as when it was recorded. That is the mark of true talent, and of course, the Brothers Four. This CD will be one of your favorites. TRULY outstanding and many thanks to Collector's Choice music for releasing this on their own label. Their remastering is always tops, and this release is one of their very, very best."

A pair of complementary live albums from the Brothers Four

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 12/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD brings together two lives albums by the Brothers Four, the folk quartet that consisted of Bob Flick (upright bass, baritone, bass), John Paine (guitar, baritone), Mike Kirkland (guitar, banjo, tenor), and Dick Foley (guitar, baritone). They had met as undergraduates at the University of Washington in 1956 and began singing together in 1957, which was actually more than a year before the Kingston Trio recorded their first album (which should put an end to the idea that the Brothers Four were simply imitating the Kingston Trio but with one more member). "The Brothers Four in Person" is a 1962 effort that is one of the better live folk albums from that period. It was recorded at U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and captures the group's sound quite well. Among the choice tracks are an upbeat version of "The Midngiht Special," a medley of "Rock Island Line" and "This Train," their hit song "Greenfields," "I Am a Roving Gambler," and "San Miguel," which is actually George Gershwin's "Summertime." The Brothers Four also display their comedy stylings with the "Theme from Peter Gunn" and "Variations on an Old English Theme." "Cross-Country Concert" was recorded the following year and involves more topical commentary that the first live album, targeted at racial tensions in the South and the John Birch Society. This one was recorded at a series of concerts on various college campuses across the country. Consequently, the play list is a bit lighter this time around, including the Shel Silverstein song "Boa Constrictor." What you are not going to find on this album are any of the group's most recognizable hits (i.e., "Green Leaves of Summer," "Try to Remember"), but what you will find are gorgeous four-part harmonies on songs like "Wish I Was in Bowling Green," "Brady, Brady, Brady," "Winken, Blinken and Nod," and "The New 'Frankie and Johnny' Song." In addition to the humorous commentary throughout the show, the Brothers Four also have some fun with the entire folk revival movement in "A Symphonic Variation." I always thought the Smothers Brothers were rather unique in combining comedy and folk music, but apparently I was mistaken. All things considered if your choice is between listening to albums of folk music recorded in a studio or done before a live studio audience, these two albums would be votes for the latter. Along with the Kingston Trio and the Chad Mitchell Trio, the Brothers Four helped define the softer and more entertainment oriented branch of the folk music, in contrast to the more political and issue oriented branch embodied by Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan. I know I am not alone in enjoying both."