Search - The Guess Who :: American Woman [EXTRA TRACKS] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Breakthrough

PHILIP S WOLF | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA | 08/07/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This 1970 release is the last record to feature the "Classic" line-up of: Cummings/Bachman/Kale & Peterson. Just as this album was entering the top of the charts, Randy Bachman would depart the band he helped form. But Randy went out of The Guess Who on top with: "American Woman", becoming the group's biggest selling album. With three hit singles included: {The title cut, "No Time" and "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature"} and fine album tracks; {"Talisman","8:15" and "Proper Stranger"}, the group here had all the ingredients for success.



With Randy's guitars and Burton's, vocals and piano, there is a bit of every bag included here. "Humpty's Blues" is a straight-out blooze workout for Burton to shout it out and leaves Randy lot's of space to solo. "Talisman" is Burton's poem/song that features a wonderful piano passage towards the end. "969" is a Randy Bachman instrumental track that shows Randy's jazzy side and features Burton on flute. "Proper Stranger" is a flat-out rocker like "Bus Rider", Randy plays some real crunchy guitars on this, it's a good find. But, there is a clunker on the album and it's called: "When Friends Fall Out" the tune is best left alone, it ain't so good.



After a quick epilogue of "American Woman" tacked on at the end, the original LP is over. The bonus track is called; "Got To Find Another Way" and it's O.K. but it's just O.K. and not the great missing Guess Who track, we were waiting for.



That's it, this record has some fine tracks, some average album cuts and some below-average material. It is the band's best record, but it is not a great record by the standards of 1970. Burton talks of each song in the liner notes, and all the lyrics are included. This is a fine upgrade of an already good record.

Three Stars !!!"

Classic Guess Who

JESSE R. MC Glown | Enterprise, AL | 08/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was the first Guess Who album I bought ( I remember balking over the 'outrageous' $3.99 I shelled out for the vinyl! ). I was subsequently horrified that this one didn't have "Share The Land" or "Hand Me Down World" on it (!)...just a bunch of "filler" material. Well, almost four decades have passed, and that "filler" material, much of which comprised what was originally side two of the LP, has mellowed like the finest wine! "American Woman" may not have as many designated hits as "Share The Land", but this is prime vintage Guess Who, folks. "Talisman" is simply gorgeous...it evokes the mood of sitting indoors on a rainy day. "When Friends Fall Out" should have been a hit! Ditto "Perfect Stranger". It's such a shame that a great many people will never hear the obscure gems on this album, simply because they were never given the official sanction of being on a Greatest Hits Album. For me, this one has always complemented "Share The Land": between these two albums, you've got most of the radio hits, as well as some killer "off the wall" material."

Unerrated

Anthony J. Fernandez | san francisco CA | 08/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this cd is underrated really good for me its the best of guess who and bto put together cool songs not on compitations very underrated"