Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Listen to this on road trip to Nashville
Thoughts before listening: Traditional bluegrass meets 70s country rock. I feel like on past listens this isn't as good as I want it to be. Review: So I think my disappointment on earlier listens may be related to wanting this to be some sort of jamgrass album. It's not that at all. This is just old timey traditional bluegrass that was played by a younger generation in the 70s. There are some older musicians on here as well and sometimes their stories are a bit distracting, but overall this is a very nice listen. Lots of timeless songs that I am glad to have an excuse to add to the playlist I'm building from this project. 4-stars
Lógicamente no incluye Mr. Bojangles ni An American Dream. Se trata de una ejemplar fusión de country, bluegrass, pop y rock & roll que como su título indica trata de cerrar la brecha entre la vieja guardia country de Nasville y las nuevas bandas de folk-country (The Byrds habían sentado cátedra con Sweetheart ot the rodeo y Gran Parsons -con los Flying Burrito Brothers o en solitario- era un faro que iluminaría el camino a seguir). Keep on the Sunny Side" es una delicia. Otros discos de 1972 Debuts de Steely Dan, Roxy Music, Paul Simon, Big Star, Neu¡, ¿Fela Kuti? y Lou Reed (además de su espléndido Transformer ) Discos expecionales como los de David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Todd Rundgren-Something/Anything?, Stevie Wonder – Talking Book y Music of my mind, Elton John-Honky Château, Nick Drake – Pink Moon, Yes – Close to the Edge, Miles Davis – On the Corner, Neil Young – Harvest, The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St, Curtis Mayfield – Super Fly, Raspberries- Fresh, Genesis – Foxtrot, Van Morrison - Saint Dominic's Preview, Deep Purple- Machine Head y Made in Japan, Joni MIttchell- For the roses, Tangerine Dream - Zeit, T Rex- The slider, Kevin Ayers- Whatevershebringswesing, la banda sonora The harder they come... una cosecha excelente.
No.
Really a unique listening experience
Just a great bluegrass album, it gets a little long and repetetive but the talent and music speaks for itself, Tennessee Stud and Will The Circle Be Unbroken are fantastic and this album brings back a lot of fond memories.
Loved the first disc of this! Would have been a 5 except the second disc is very repetitive. But everyone involved is phenomenally talented and how can you not love this bluegrass sound! Tennessee Stud is a great song!!
I feel like I don't know bluegrass enough to appreciate this... Naima seems to like it though
What in the county bears hell is this?? 2.4.
Cool idea. I would have liked it better if it was 1/3 of the length. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Jokes on you Album Generator, I love bluegrass! Over two hours of pickin and I loved every bit of it. The album can be viewed as a history lesson in bluegrass music. It’s loaded with a lot of the essential songs, and it features many of the prominent artists that helped to form the country and bluegrass genres.
As I've mentioned elsewhere on this journey, bluegrass and folk country makes me think of my grandpa. It's not a top genre for me, but I guess I've got a soft spot for it. However, I wouldn't sign up for a 2-hour-long experience of it. This came out as 3 LPs, originally? What an ambitious group. I liked the music, there was just too much of it! I liked Nashville Blues and Dark As a Dungeon. Good songs and they were early enough in the album that I can remember them.
One of the best parts of Will The Circle Be Unbroken is the banter between some of the songs. It's terrific. I think this album would be way better without most of the vocals and more solos by the instruments. I found myself engaged much more in the instrumentals than the songs with a singer. The songs are stifling the band.
I don't know a lot about bluegrass music, so can't say if it's a great album, as it sounded pretty standard to me. But they clearly thought it was good enough to be on this list. 3/5
Cool, I mean
Country fucking sucks
surprisingly didn’t mind this. i enjoyed the instrumental tracks the most. reminds me of home. definitely wish it were shorter though.
Souvent dansant et entraînant, presque toujours nostalgique. Comme une page d’histoire
Meh, there were others in this era that were definitely more worth listening to.
Holy blue grass, this is over 2 hours long. That's a lot of fiddlin' for anyone; we'll see how deep I get before sampling and skipping through.Five tracks is the answer to that. So, this is interesting work because the group intentionally created this to reach out to traditional country artists and listeners. It is quite different from the more familiar \"Fishing in the Dark\" track of my late-80's two-stepping days. Its fine, don't love it but respect the effort and adherence to old-school country as they intended.
Am I wrong? Is this album 42 songs long? It took me 3 days. Best 12 songs would have made a 4, but I'm not built for this.
Not for me.
I enjoy bluegrass probably more than most, and this is fantastic, but also didn’t need to be over 2 hours.
probably not for everyone, but i live in Colorado where there is just... so much bluegrass stuff. like, an inordinately large amount of people who love bluegrass, to the point where the only music festival in the state is a bluegrass festival. i'm used to hillbilly bullshit; hell, i welcome it. i think, personally, Will The Circle Be Unbroken is most useful as two things: 1. background music for cleaning the house/cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and 2. a historical document of a bunch of hippies fanboying out over legends in Appalachian folk music. did i feel an emotional journey by listening to 110 minutes of bluegrass classics? not really. instead, i felt this weird, sort of patchwork comfort from the affair. it reminds me of reading about the Great Depression for fun as a kid, or imagining myself as a cowboy wandering the plains with his gun and his horse, living off a diet of stogies and beans. maybe this feeling is anachronistic and built on ignored histories, but for a brief moment, this storybook fantasy would be nice to put myself in. hearing Randy Scruggs play Both Sides Now at the end does make me cry a bit, though. he's passing the torch.
2 hours is just far too long to listen to same genre and style of music. I broke it down and listened to each disc separately, but still found both a slog. A lot of the tracks are quite good on their own, but the cumulative experience leaves much to be desired. I respect the idea of collaborating with artists from a different era to bridge the gap between generations, but this was just too much be enjoyable.
Jesus this was far too long. I didn't mind the music itself, but I've got to mark this down on album length. Favourite song was Lonesome Fiddle Blues.
I liked it, it had a nice feel-good vibe, however, it was a bit long and had a few too many talky bits.
I just love this style of music. 4 star. No notes
What an unbelievable piece of music history this album is. Masters of their craft and originators of a music genre coming together to place a marker for future generations to follow backward when they begin their own exploration of country music history. The between-song conversations are reminiscent of the Elvis Sun Studio Sessions and really add a lot to the depth of this record. I just can't say enough about how great and rare this confluence of history and performance mastery is.
90 minutes overlong!
Good music, the only issue I found is that after 5 songs the sound feels kinda the same, not a bad stuff, but feels repeated, due to the style
i did not like it :c
Not really my favorite style of music but I can't deny thee talent here!
I don't know how anyone doesn't like bluegrass, especially the instrumental stuff. It's just so dang pleasant!! I enjoyed the fuck out of this. I saved a bunch of songs to my phone.
Not listening. I'm sure it has it's crowd
This album feels like a warm, easy conversation between generations. It moves with a gentle sway, like old friends playing together on a front porch. The blend of voices and instruments is soft, inviting, and full of tradition. It's a lot like something you’d expect from The Carter Family or maybe even a more relaxed Johnny Cash. There's a quiet comfort to it, like an afternoon spent with your favorite people.
Brit here so there is nothing nostalgic about this. It’s just country music, and too much of it.
This list is really making me despise the 70's. This is the only decade I get upset when I see an album I don't already know, because I know it's going to be some awful country folk album, or some bland singer singer writer easy listening music. These guys are technically skilled at what they are doing, but the problem is that I hate country and cannot stand their voices, and I am REALLY REALLY not in the mood for a 2 hour country album. This album is long enough, did we really need banter in between songs. I don't need to hear them tune or say "let's play this one real good this time". I hope they play good and are in tune every time, they don't need to reassure me. Another problem is that they really only have 1 melody, and 2 or 3 variants of the backing band. You could take the melody from any song and place it over any other song and no one would notice. Nowhere near enough variations or ideas to draw out this dreadful album. This album is torture. The only positive is that they can play instruments to an acceptable level. I made it through disc one, I am going to skim disc 2 and I'll listen to any song that sound noticeably different or unique. Surprise! there wasn't anything, but I can't believe they added a 2 minute track that's all dialog. I liked that there was a group of instrumental tracks, but they all sounded the same. Terrible album, they dragged 20 minutes worth of ideas to 2 hours and 10 minutes. They have 3 songs: fast fiddle, not as fast banjo, or slow finger picked guitar. I feel sorry for people who listened to this without skipping through (you are stronger than me). Time to clean my ears (Amplifier Worship has never sounded this good). Low 1.
I tried, but a country double album was more than I could take...only made it about halfway through the first album. Just not my thing.
Never heard the album before. There's a lot of great folk/country/bluegrass guest star musicians here. I enjoyed the music, but there is so much of it...it goes on and on. 3-star rating for the music as is, 4-star for what the album represents (an important connection between (1970s) modern country and the foundational artists that came before.
I mean, I'm a sucker for old short country songs. I'm not such a sucker for three rebel flags on the cover? Man, I don't have time to go down a rabbit hole on this - I don't support the South in the Civil War, hot take. But I do like a bunch of these songs. do with that what you will.
A very cool atmosphere on this record - it's as if they're just sat around, shooting the breeze until someone starts strumming. The casual, yet reverent, tone taken towards the country music elders who guest on this album adds to the proceedings. It's probably all a spoof, but man, this feels like what integrity sounds like.
From now on I'm going to ask my wife to call me the Tennessee Stud. I mean, I don't know how you rate an album like this negatively. It's a collection of timeless classics that defined the Country music genre. And it's proof that Nashville was, at least once upon a time, a great city for music. Y'all ever watch The Righteous Gemstones? That's a good show.
Down home country classics from the Nitty Gritty Ditty Committee.
OK, but too long. Could've skipped the talking parts...
Should be a crime to let someone listen to country for more than 2 hours
I'm all for some more bluegrass but damn this was long.
It is what it is.
To be fair, it's probably a great album. I just don't like the music.
Me: I am so sick of 70s rock music. 1001 Albums: let’s switch it up - here’s some 70s country music. Fuck this.
Nearly two hours of hillbilly music plus confederate flags on the album cover equals an absolute no from me.
120 минут? нет, спасибо ))
7.5/10 Some great old school (early 70s) country & western music. 2 hours is far too long for an album though so I only listened to half of it
Good at what it is, and enjoyed some of it but just too far into the country genre for my taste
Obviously too long, but you can’t really blame them. You’ve got like a dozen country legends in a room and I imagine it was tough to cull the output/say no to anyone. Still, this is a lot of fun and seems ti be a great showcase of the genre. That most of these were done in 1 or 2 takes is crazy. Lived the background chatter too.
Too long and a little too twangy for me.
Yes it's too long and there is a Confederate Flag on the cover which is gross, but the music is great. I loved the vocal harmonies and found the banjo playing especially well done. I like the concept behind this album too and how it highlights many classic country stars years after their hits stopped.
Such a pleasant listen for a Sunday morning.
Good fun but waaay too long
I did not expect to enjoy listening to over 2 hours of 70s country music. However it has been the best album so far in this journey!
Yes finally some bluegrass!!!
Like all the bluegrass stars of the time making cameos and playing some fun old-time bluegrass.
Overstuffed but good
Didn’t care for it.
Cool
A Smithsonian folkways style anthology of American folk music that's an effort to consolidate a cannon and reproduce the tradition over generations. So you get what today feels like fairly conservative curation and arrangements but performances for the ages. But that said, it did mark a break with the schmaltzy overblown Nashville country production of the 60s and a return to the stripped back & acoustic roostier roots of country (bluegrass & mountain music especially) that 70s artists like the Dead, CSNY, Gram Parsons were popularizing via their interest in the Lomax recordings project and folk songs, sounds, and instruments. Way too long, but it's more of an archival document than an album really.
Surprisingly kinda nice.
Always steered away from listening to this in my youth, hearing it now, wow, this is the real deal. Pure Americana. 5 stars
If you can never go to the Grand Ole Opry, just shut your eyes and listen to this album. It wasn’t what I expected and I feel fortunate that this album exists. It is a slice of life that I am not familiar with and it is something that I will listen to again. It’s the roots of all the country music we listen to today.
Fun band. I appreciate the full glimpse into the album making but it also makes for a very long listen if you are not in the mood for it.
Why is this so long? I would have loved it if it would have been an hour long but this is too much. Very sad because I actually liked it.
its a snap shot in time more of a collection of songs and covers than a real "album"
I grew up in the south and my dad played in a local bluegrass band, but nonetheless, I'm never going to love old timey country music. I try to keep my musical tastes out of my ratings, but I just don't like this enough to give it 5 stars. Good songs, great musicians, and musical influence, but I can't do it. 4 stars.
So this was the hardest album to get through so far. Holy fuck was this difficult. 2 whole goddam hours of country. I'm sure it means a lot for some buy for a 20 year old Australian cunt I'd get more out of watching paint dry.
Old timey gold. A valid entry on this list. But clearly more bluegrass than any sane person needs in one go.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an album that showcases the band’s exceptional skill and deep respect for traditional American music. The choice of songs is spot on, blending classic country, folk, and bluegrass tunes with impressive musicianship. The collaborations with legendary artists add authenticity and depth to the project. However, the album's biggest flaw is its length. At over two hours, it stretches on far too long, leaving you feeling fatigued long before the final track. While the quality of the music is undeniable, the sheer volume of content makes it feel more like a marathon than an enjoyable listening experience. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 0 STAND OUT TRACK - None
A great gathering of country stars celebrating the roots and deep tales of their music. There are a few too many tracks of chatter, which would not bear repeated listening, but the high points are wonderful
I liked it
An incredible introduction to old time, country and bluegrass music. This is a gateway to the original recordings (which you should definitely check out if you like this) and the studio interactions between the musicians are priceless as well. Essential.
Fuck me this whole thing is getting worse. A double album of Country and Bluegrass, sorry but I just can't do that. I won't do it. Fifty two in and there's only been about five that I'd be prepared to listen to again. Like one commenter said if nobody has ever mentioned one of theses albums in the last thirty years they shouldn't be on the list. And they can fuck off with that confederate flag.
Really enjoyed this, love me some bluegrass fiddle, banjo and harmonica. Nice arrangements and collaborations. I like the jam session feel as well. Rounding down due to the length. But this is quality stuff. 4.5/5
This one I’m rating out of straight nostalgia and legacy influence. I was raised on this record and their next even better ‘74 album “Stars and Stripes Forever.” It goes w/o saying that without this album, so many artists that followed would not exist. The fusion of folk/rock/grass was very much against the grain for the times. To most folks, on the surface, this music might seem basic, but in fact it’s quite high level. Especially on the instrumentals. What’s more interesting is this was the first time many of the collaborators/guests were meeting each other and the band for the first time. As a result, they just pushed play and recorded most of the songs in 1-2 takes. Only negative is it’s a bit too long (it was a triple LP upon release). Fun trivia side note: as an avid banjo player Steve Martin would routinely showcase with this band in the 70s because his manager was Bill McEuen (producer of this record) and brother of Dirt Band banjo player John McEuen.
Well this was just great. I wonder how much of a rarity this was in 1971? Because it doesn’t feel like it fits the era. Nowadays there’s a ton of posers trying to recreate stuff like this with no authenticity whatsoever. But I bet this was a welcome change of pace for some back then.
I dug it. Outside my norm. Will I go back to it? Prolly not. Higher than a 3 for musicianship and originality but not quite a 4 for me.
I'm all about country blue grass in certain moods/settings. I liked this quite a bit but simply way too long to listen front to back. If I'm going on vibes alone I'm inclined to give this a weak 4*. 3.5/5
I do enjoy this style of country but nothing stood out in particular. 3.5/5
Better than expected. 3.5
This was some good bootscootin’ hillbilly bluegrass. I enjoyed this album, it’s right on the cusp of 4 stars. They did justice to those old folk standards. I was quite moved by Randy Scruggs’ short acoustic cover of Both Sides Now. I’m inspired to check out volume 2 and 3 in this series.
Grazie al cielo l'ho ascoltato mesi fa. Non ricordo niente ma al tempo gli diedi 3 quindi ecco qua. A mai più
Love it, Love it, Love it!!
In order to maintain the integrity of this project, I have listened to over 2 hours (42 songs!) of bluegrass, interspersed with lots of studio chatter. I love ‘oh brother where art thou’ but this was a slog, and I’m left thinking of all the MAGA voting, tobacco chewing, tourist raping musicians that created this. A tiring 2.5/5
Normally 3/5 but DNF so it lost a star
Classic standards that sound fresh and vibrant.
This was so much like being in a pub with a band that I actually felt drunk towards the end. This is just about on the OK side of folk without becoming too corny, but I don't think I ever need to hear a banjo again.
devo essere onesta e ammettere di averne ascoltato solo metà perchè alla lunga è un po' ripetitivo, però sempre molto caruccio <3
Grazie al cielo l’ho ascoltato mesi fa. Non ricordo niente ma al tempo gli diedi 3 quindi ecco qua. A mai più
Does exactly what it says on the can. Typical country music, not for me. One.
I enjoyed this twice as much as I normally like Country Music so will give it twice the number of stars I usually give Country Music. Liked the instrumental songs most! Even the story telling between tracks was bearable.
Nashville must be destroyed and have salt ploughed into its land. It's possibly the most Nashville centred rubbish I've ever listened to, I mean 'the Grand Old Opry Song'? Centre of the world to these Hicks. It's the sound of a small group of people who have spent to long in one town for too many centuries. Not to put a too fine a point on my meaning, it reminds me of the last time I lwatched 'The Deliverence', I can almost picture the banjo solos being performed my in-bred freaks, even the spoken interludes can't dispel this image. Musically, it's not bad in places, but the concept behind the album was to try to reintegrate the old guard of Nashiville musicians into the then latest styles of Country. What's the matter with them? Are they stuck in a time loop? Can't they come up with innovations of their own? If they can't adapt then exterminate them. I couldn't bring myself to listen to all the songs all the way through as I couldn't see any benefit to it. Currently up to 'Sunny Side of the Mountain' and nothing has changed my opinion of the city of Nashville and it's inhabitants. The biggest irony is that one of my favourite bands, Spacemen 3 have recorded a cover of 'May the Circle be Unbroken', its a perfect example of the adapting and renewing in action, rather than this hideous stuck in a timewarp backwards step Dukes of Hazzard toilet. All things said, this could have been a good introduction to Country for a lot of people if it wasn't so bloody long, I could have actually enjoyed some of it as there is a lot of energy and passion and great playing on here 'Foggy Mountain Breakdown' (not on the original release) is a excellent example, but it's still back to 'The Deliverence' in my head. I want ro give it -100 stars for my prejudice and preconceptions, but also I want give it 2 for its musicianship. But 1 will have to do.
an absolutely delightful Encyclopedic Tome of bluegrass/country/appalachian standards and contemporary performers of such. certainly far more of this kind of music then most ppl will be willing to take at once but taking the first hour while playing animal crossing and the second while just lazing around was entirely pleasurable for me! rly starting to think i have a big proclivity towards bluegrass in general...wish it was more of an Albums Genre lol, but thats Authentic Folk Music for u ig. just nonstop great playing and time-tested material, and some rly wonderful silly/kindhearted/Old And Experienced studio banter on occasion that just make the whole thing feel even more living and titanic in scope
Not for me
Very pleasant. It is very long, but it's easy listening.
Over 2 hours for an album is wild behavior. I am 84 minutes into this and I've grown a full beard, a spittoon appeared on the ground next to me, and I am suddenly in a rocking chair on a warm porch somewhere in Appalachia.
2+ hours is an awful lot of bluegrass to ask someone to consume, but I must say i'm actually really enjoying this album though it did start to drag and get very same-y by disc 2. I probably should have broken this out over a few sessions.
All the bluegrass you will ever need to listen to. Get one bluegrass album, get this one. That’s it.
Uh? Joke? Doesn’t belong here…sorry
fire but not my kinda music
I swear all country/folk music from this time period sounds the same
Makes me want to sit on a porch and drink beer in my rocking chair.
My dad had this
This one was emotional & nostalgic. It reminds me of the music my grandparents would listen to and going to the Oklahoma Opry as a kid with my mom.
Once again, not for me. Music is fine, but I find the vocals and lyrics sooooo fake. Trying to sound like a cliche and succeeded.
Now this album is really great. The musicianship is incredible. But it is way too long and loses a star because of that.
Lovely bit of country.
Sounds US Civil War-ish. It's not bad by any means, but it's absolutely not my thing though I respect their talents. 6/10.
4.5/5 Some really special songs and performances on this massive collection of country music. Just a really enjoyable and relaxing listen, with so many talented musicians and songwriters featured. There are plenty of ok songs in the first half, but very few stinkers. Then the second half goes from strength to strength with amazingly consistent quality, finishing strongly. Grand Ole Opry Song 3.5/5 Keep On The Sunny Side 5/5 Nashville Blues 3.5/5 You Are My Flower 3/5 The Precious Jewel 2/5 (LEAST FAV) Dark As A Dungeon 5/5 (FAV) Tennessee Stud 4.5/5 Black Mountain Rag 3.5/5 Wreck On The Highway 2.5/5 The End Of The World 3/5 I Saw The Light 3/5 Sunny Side Of The Mountain 2.5/5 Nine Pound Hammer 3/5 Losin' You (Might Be The Best Thing Yet) 4.5/5 Honky Tonkin' 2.5/5 You Don't Know My Mind 4/5 My Walkin' Shoes 3/5 Lonesome Fiddle Blues 4/5 Cannonball Rag 4.5/5 Avalanche 4.5/5 Flint Hill Special 3/5 Togary Mountain 4.5/5 Earl's Breakdown 4.5/5 Orange Blossom Special 3.5/5 Wabash Cannonball 4.5/5 Lost Highway 5/5 Way Downtown 5/5 Down Yonder 4/5 Pins And Needles (In My Heart) 4.5/5 Honky Tonk Blues 4/5 Sailin' On To Hawaii 5/5 I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes 5/5 I Am A Pilgrim 4/5 Wildwood Flower 4/5 Soldier's Joy 3.5/5 Will The Circle Be Unbroken 4.5/5 Both Sides Now 5/5
Great encore cast and banjo.
07/15/24 S Tier—————————5 Keep On The Sunny Side Down Yonder A Tier—————————4 Grand Ole Opry Song You Are My Flower Precious Jewel Wreck on The Highway The End Of The World Losin You My Walkin Shoes Way Downtown B Tier—————————3 Black Mountain Rag Dark As A Dungeon Nashville Blues Tennessee Stud C Tier—————————2 D Tier—————————1
Will The Circle Be Unbroken by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Tuesday 7/16/24 9:04 S Tier————————— Grand Ole Opry Song I Saw The Light Lonesome Fiddle Blues Flint Hill Special Will The Circle Be Unbroken A Tier————————— Nashville Blues The Precious Jewel Tennessee Stud Black Mountain Rag Sunny Side Of The Mountain Nine Pound Hammer You Don’t Know My Mind My Walkin Shoes Avalanche Way Downtown Pins And Needles Sailin On To Hawaii B Tier————————— Keep On The Sunny Side You Are My Flower Dark As A Dungeon Wreck On The Highway In The End of The World Losing You Honky Tonkin Cannonball Rag Togary Mountain Earls Breakdown Orange Blossom Special Wabash Cannonball Lost Highway Down Yonder Honky Tonk Blues I Am A Pilgrim Wildwood Flower Soldiers Joy Both Sides Now Foggy Mountain Breakdown C Tier————————— Doc Watson and Merle Travis
I like aspects of bluegrass, like the vocal harmonies and some of the virtuoso strings. But the rhythms can be monotonous, especially on a long album like this. I liked some of the studio session banter in this recording, but eventually that got old too.
I don't know much about Bluegrass, but enjoy the sound. I'm the type of person who likes to have one or two albums of it in their collection, just to scratch that itch for time to time. This would fit that roll excellently.
I was one of those people who didn't even understand what bluegrass was until 'O Brother Where Art Thou,' and I was *all* in at the time - and continued to listen intermittently to artists from the genre over the years. So this was a fun listen. Made me want to start a jug band.
I enjoyed this listen quite a bit, at least with an intermission break included midway. I had forgotten how fun bluegrass music can be, and this album proved that by a mile and a half. Not all of the tracks stick, but I enjoyed the vibe of this album enough to stick the whole way through.
Would have been one hour long without all the tedious chat between the tunes. Some of these albums really test my decision to listen to every record on the list. I mean, how do you even make a miserable version of Keep on the Sunny Side?
It took me two weeks to finally press play on this album, and about three to four sittings to get through the whole thing. I won't even review the music, because that previous sentence is enough to gauge how much I enjoyed (tolerated? endured?) listening to this.
2 hours of country... this album might just be the first horsemen of the apocalypse
Actually kinda enjoyed listening to this. Could see me and some mates, with a six pack of good beer each, and staring into a fire for a night listening to this.
Bluegrass classic with impeccable musicianship. Rich voices, playful outtakes while recording intros, and mad skills instrumentalists. Kudos to the audio engineers…sound textured and authentic.
This is an amazing album -- so many foundational artists, so many classic songs. I am giving this five stars even though it doesn't exactly meet my standard criterion, because giving it fewer would be wrong.
Maybe it’s a bit cruel to give this 2 stars but it went on for wayyy too long
I had always known bluegrass music existed, but it was not until the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack that I really gave it a listen. That was also when I fell in love with Allison Kraus. I am not at all a fan of traditional country - with a few exceptions like Patsy Cline or Dolly Parton. I have never knowingly listened to a song by NGDB. I really enjoyed this album. The way they can burst into a song after a short chat and absolutely nail it is beyond impressive. And the harmonies are exceptional. Great band and great music.
I bet you're thinking - "oh dear, Will's going absolutely hate all these banjos and fiddles." But no, the Ken Burns documentary has paid dividends here in terms of me being able to appreciate this one as both the album and all the musicians on it were featured heavily in the series. There is some serious Country music royalty all over this. Seriously considering naming Will the Circle Be Unbroken as my funeral song. All the pre and post track talking and context setting is also pretty beautiful and a very lovely touch.
Much like the John Lee Hooker album on this list (The Healer) this one's more of a compilation of old-timey standards featuring country legends well past the height of their powers. And it's really long. That said, there's some great playing on this so it gets the 3-star "OK" rating from me. Much prefer listening to the originals tho (e.g. Decca Country Classics box set!).
Vittu miten pitkä
I do like some country music after all! Especially when it’s as straightforward, honest, and lovely as this. I preferred the more vocal first disc, as opposed to the more instrumental second disc, which surprised me, but I just felt the performances of all the guest singers were so strong. I don’t think the album is particularly helped by being so long, and having so many introductions and chat breaks between the songs, but I appreciate the attempt at the creation of a full document to highlight the life of the times when this was recorded.
Love this album! Great intro to Doc Watson, Carter family, Merle Travis, Earl Scruggs and other old school country luminaries.
(This is a repeat listening of this album for me, as I got this album early on out of the collection hat before I joined a group on this site, and I'll admit that it's not my first choice to listen to again (in part just because it's so damned long).) Caveats aside, this very rightfully belongs in the collection as a great selection and album, but at the same time I'm only sometimes in the right mood/frame of mind to really appreciate the old-time country style on this (incredibly long) album set, and almost never in a frame of mind to listen to it *again*, so it's a bit hard to list out my favorites. Nonetheless, it's hard to imagine what an experience this must have been, getting so many incredibly talented musicians to play and sing with them. And an unexpected treat to get a Joni Mitchell song/instrumental at the end. I'm a bit disappointed, though, that this is the only album in the collection by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, as I'm pretty sure it's not really representative of their not-olde-timey style. C'est la vie, I suppose.
For about 2 years this was the only album I listened to while driving. It was all I needed.
Good album, but man that’s a lot longer than expected. Really liked how it was a big summary of classic country and American folk. Sometimes their interpretations felt a bit corny however.
Howdy there fella! Come on and sit down by the fire, we just opened up a new bottle of moonshine and fiddle on my fiddle. Sing along and ride off into the sunset in the morning. Catchy country
Outstanding
This smells and sounds and looks like racism, 'Murica I guess.
I understand keeping a record of Americana but it is so long and the interstitials are so distracting. Also I had a roommate in college that would practice playing a banjo whenever he was drunk, so I have bad memories of this type of music. My kid danced to it in the car though, so I guess it's not a total waste...
Yeeehaw
No thanks... ugh shitty country music. Yeah, I'm not sitting through 2 hours of country rock.
Great Both Sides, Now instrumental.
Definitely a unique listening experience. Cool idea to invite all of these legends that inspired you and keeping some of the natural conversations before songs began. I forgive them a bit for the bloat when you wanna document all these different people but it still is tough to listen to it all in one sitting. I think it is a much better experience to listen to each disc separately. This would be a standard 3 based on the music alone. A few I’ll come back to but most I won’t. The unique structure of the album pushes it to a low 4 star. Rating: 3.6
Wild recording and playing on this
Good job this came up on a nice sunny day, its perfect for a long afternoon, but it really will be a long afternoon.
3.75 stars. I was really apprehensive when I saw that it was some old timey looking record from the 70s, and it's 2 hours long. However there's not a bad song on the album. It's a pleasant collection of honky tonk bluegrassy songs. Included are charming spoken introductions to some songs, a few of which are simply the band preparing to perform. There are also instrumental tracks that are just as enjoyable as the ones with vocals. "I Saw The Light" is probably my favorite song out of all 40ish on here. The album serves well as a piece to keep me company as it gently underscores whatever is going on. It is not a piece that really commands attention, because once I did, I remembered that the whole thing is TWO HOURS. Nice songs, but had many moments of "how many more songs are there??"
Way better than I imagined it would be. Musically talented and interesting blend of great bluegrass. 2 hours is too long though
surprisingly good, i liked it
just fun classic stuff
I did not expect a bluegrass album, which was a pleasant surprise. This double album was more fiddle than I needed in a sitting, but I just really appreciate a fiddle and banjo. The songs are your standard country fair, but performed well. I liked Tennessee Stud, The End of the World, and the Lonesome Fiddle Blues. Second album on the list to cover Will the Circle Be Unbroken, which was cool.
Alright country - not my jazz but maybe in repeat listens could be good.
So great hearing the chatter between Doc Watson and Merle Travis.
Bluegrass and country are genres I've only recently come to appreciate. It's interesting, then, to consider that this album's credit is first given to the "second wave" of artists, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, collaborating with the "first wave" of Bluegrass/Country/Americana artists. I loved listening to this, in spite of the banter between songs, which would surely get on my nerves in future listens.
I'm amazed at how well recorded and produced this music is. I obviously know that, at that time, there was a lot of great recorded equipment and studios, but this is not the type of music I felt would get that attention and time and effort. That being said, even though I do like a lot of Appalachian music and western/folk music, most of this music is not something that really inspired or spoke to me. I can see myself putting this on while working around the house - I definitely see the value and appeal. It's just not something that speaks to me, as I would rather listen to one of many other southern folk musicians I like.
Too long, instrumentals good though
Wow what a find - who knew a 2 hour album littered with conversations between country dogs, blue grass banjo picking, fiddle playing, country drawling and songs would resonate so well with me.
What a slog!
Wow that man really loved his horse. This was alot more fun than I expected it to be, but it far too bloody long
I love bluegrass, but this was too much bluegrass. I liked the interspersal of talking bits. That really amps up the realism (especially since bluegrass is such a community-driven genre). But yeah too long.
It’s not easy to rate this one as it’s not really an album but rather a compilation. As such, it’s a great testament on American music history. It’s full of great songs with amazing musicianship and there are times when it made me dance a big and fantasise about a simple life somewhere in the mountains. But as an album, it’s just damn too long. It took me a whole day to just get through to the end and I was so tired at the end I could hear the banjo in my head when I closed my ways to sleep. It would have been magnificent if it was condensed to like 45 mins and I would even consider a 5 since it’s so different than everything else and the production (including the short pieces of conversation) is perfect for the genre. But it gets tiring after you get through the second album and the third one is just you trying to survive. 3/5
Too much hillbilly for me.
Far too long
NICE
Nothing wrong with an occasional dash of bluegrass
it’s 2 hours of absolute LEGENDS playing together. impossible to not give this a 5
Not bad but way too long
I don't hate country, but it's tooooooo long
Listened to this by good fortune on the way to mountain view arkansas where they just kind of hang out and play this stuff on the town square most evenings. Kind of a greatest hits of bluegrass and classic nashville country with a lot of the original artists. Interesting shop talk interspersed - i dunno if that was on the preremastered album. Anyway its fun to hear but I don't think anyone would consider these the definitive versions of the songs. Both sides now is a nice touch, and stands out just cause it was composed by big joni and not a country standard.
Remember that old school parenting technique. Find your kid smoking. So you force them to smoke 50 cigarettes back to back to make them hate smoking. Only it doesn’t work. It makes them love it - you can’t understand why. In this case, the cigarettes are bluegrass, rootin’ and a tootin’ country music. The brand is this album. Relentless foot tapping music that makes you feel like you should hate it but after 2 hours you seem to have been brainwashed to quite enjoy it. 3.2
I do like Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, but this is a two hour compilation of other people's music with guest artists. How is this even considered a must listen?
This would be good if it wasn’t two hours long and the songs didn’t sound the same. There’s some ok songs anyway though.
Pass... ove 2 hours country... No thanks
I think that the title of the opening track, "Grand Ole Opry Song", says it all - this is an American country/country-folk/bluegrass album from 1972 with lots of banjos and fiddles, but it's not what we'd now think of as a C&W album, which is its saving grace.
2 hrs of country music!!! DnF
This album was really good, but should have been split into 3 albums it was way too long. DNF
Enjoyed some of Disc 2, which was more uptempo, instrumental pickin'. I enjoy that type of bluegrass, which is similar to jazz (in a way). The energy and the musicianship really holds my interest. The slower, more country stuff with vocals, like on most of the first disc, is what I do not enjoy. That really bores me. I recognize that Country & Western music was one of the building blocks of rock n roll (along with Rhythm & Blues and Gospel) and that this is a significant step in the genealogy of modern music. But it’s so. Goddamn. Boring. 2.5/5
Really enjoyed this - like stepping back in time, early a bluegrass band play outside the still.
Not my thing and waaaay too long, but y’know not bad. Also neat to hear the Devil Went Down to Georgie pre Charlie Daniels (2.5/5)
There's something special about a large group of talented musicians playing (mostly) traditional songs, and this album really delivers on that front. The conversational inserts help give it that "family" feel, which is present at most small-town concerts in this genre. It's a very good encapsulation of a specific piece of America. Favorite song? Probably the title track.
im sorry but who the fuck is putting this one and thinking "mm yeah thats the shit". maybe just maybe i wouldnt mind if it wasnt TWO HOURS LONG absolute day ruiner :( while i started doing this challenge to expand my music, this was not the one.... 0.8/5
Apparently I’m in the right mood for this. I’m really digging this so far. Keep on the sunny side is not resonating with me. Her voice just sounds off. End of the world was great. This version of I saw the light is amazing. This is a great album and a LOT of music.
Did not listen
Great music, and an interesting bridge between old and new. The fact it isn't touched up or really produced at all makes it that much more amazing.
this is such a boring country album there are so many better to options to choose from
3 there was some great songs sprinkled in and some amazing bluegrass playing but the album was way to long. By the end everything blended together and I got serious fatigue
That is a whole lot of fiddle and banjo, for sure, and such a discovery! I had a mistaken impression of the NGDB. There is No Brother Where Art Thou without this album. Hearing the intros and outros is such a treat. Mother Maybelle! And oh, Doc Watson.
Lord help me, I do NOT have the fortitude to listen to a two-hour bluegrass and country album interspersed with snippets from the recording sessions. Although I can appreciate the synthesis of styles and artists that Will the Circle Be Unbroken represents, it's just not my jam.
chill
It was nitty. It was gritty. It was put together by an exceptionally talented group of people.
LP
Just listened to Cowboy Carter with my daughter a few days before listening to this. Funny, this sounds nothing like that. This was a great view of country for a non-country person. I will never be a country fan, but I really enjoyed the time spent listening to this. There was a very real feel to it and the way it all comes together is just right.
I made it through disc 1🤷♂️
This list has helped me be more open to genres I have been very closed to in the past, country is most definitely one of those genres. I have had a few country albums I found tolerable, even one or two that I enjoyed. This is not one of those albums. This is exactly an example of why I hated country for so many years. And for some fucking reason it's two whole hours long. If you are ever torturing me for information, play this album and I'll talk pretty damn quickly.
2024-04-14...
There’s actually some good stuff here and the NGDB obviously have talent as musicians. However it’s got a good song to mediocre song (or worse) ratio like Use Your Illusion and has as much senseless chatter between songs as a 90s hip hop album. And it’s over two hours long.
Not bad but way too long, couldn't even finish disc 1
Brilliant
Oh - not mine
Hello? This album is longer than than 'The Silence of the Lambs.' I misread the Spotify description for this so badly that I read "42 songs" as "42 minutes." Imagine my surprise. But I love bluegrass and traditional country music and, you know, all that. So I'll strap in. Usually I can get annoyed with too much studio chatter--it can be indulgent--but hearing the musicians talk through their approach to these songs before they start playing is interesting and engaging to me this time around. I think it's the sincerity, and maybe knowing that these songs were recorded in either one or two takes. The musicianship on display here is astounding. It is a long collection, however, and I can't imagine sitting down to listen to this all again with intent and focus. But I would absolutely put it on in the background on a sunny day at the cabin. Highlights: Keep On The Sunny Side, Nashville Blues, Dark As A Dungeon, Tennessee Stud, Black Mountain Rag (😵💫), Nine Pound Hammer, My Walkin' Shoes, Cannonball Rag, Earl's Breakdown, I Am A Pilgrim, Will The Circle Be Unbroken (an all-timer)
I still have this album. It was my first intro to bluegrass and I love it still.
I’ve had a real strange day to say the least. Sitting down and getting ready to put on a 2+ hour long country album was something I wasn’t sure I could handle or not. But remarkably, this brought a lot of comfort to me. It made me feel human. That’s a pretty crazy effect for music to have. Doesn’t mean it’s perfect though. Not really even close. In terms of country music, this is probably as true-blooded and close to country’s roots as it can get. It feels so authentic, and it’s the kind of country or bluegrass music I can fully get behind. This is also helped by the banter between band mates before and after many of the songs. There are some songs here and there that are fully devoted to just the group talking. And I love it. It’s just nice hearing them warming up and talking to each other. It sounds like the kind of life I would want. But this album is still very long. It borders in some places on feeling too long. This is the second longest album I’ve heard on the list, behind 69 Love Songs. But this album feels way more bearable than that. Besides that being nearly an hour longer, 69 Love Songs feels inherently more one-note than this album, even if instrumentally there is far less variety. Truthfully though these two records are about on par with one another. I just don’t think albums need to be this long. It causes me to burn out and get disinterested far quicker. I will always prefer a shorter album that is only as short as it is because that’s all the time they need. Rating: 5/10
Favourite tracks: grand ole opry song; Nashville blues; losing you might be the best thing yet; honky tonkin; I am a pilgrim
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is not for me. I will have to form a new circle with some other music.
I had never heard of this or was aware of this album. It seems like maybe the first real bluegrass revival in the 70s that got the hippies in to bluegrass. It's sweet that Roy Acuff, Doc Watson, and Earl Scruggs are playing on this. Super enjoyable record, and it's obvious that there is a care and joy in these sessions and what came out of it. Loved this record.
The music is good, the production is warm, and the instrumentation is excellent… but it’s over 2 hours long! By the time you reach the last quarter it has totally worn out its welcome.
Buckle up, buckaroos. This is 2+ hours of country. If you're into that sort of thing, it is likely quite good. If you're not, it's 2 + hours of country :|
This is my last album on the project, so I thought it was fitting that it seemed a gauntlet of a listen at first glance. Two hours later, however, I felt a fitting sense of denouement after so many tracks of lap steel, banjo picking, and twang – I fully get how people would hate listening to this whole thing if it's not your thing, but as a guitar player it was a delight to hear so many different voices, sub-styles, and country influences meld together into a fluid amalgamation. There's a bit of homogeneity, yes, but all the instrumentals here are perfectly executed and organic, flowing forth from a pure sense of camaraderie on behalf of the artists. Having visited the Opry on a trip to Nashville last year, I felt a deeper appreciation for the tapestry of Americana this era of country music represents - outside of jazz music, hot dogs, and hamburgers, this is one of our only pure American exports. These narratives of heartbreak and violence set to bright, twangy guitars are some of the most genuine artistic products produced in this country, and to get a two-hour sampler was at once both exhausting but refreshing. Happy to get a fitting LP to close the project, now I just have to fill the hole in my life the 1001 generator will leave behind!
just not quite a 3 star albs.
Overdose on bluegrass/ country-western.
Top notch country/bluegrass, although it is way too long and the talking should have been omitted.
Liked this one a lot more than I imaged I would. Can definitely see spinning this on a hot summer day, drinking a couple cold beers in the back yard. That said, it does over stay its welcome a tad being over two hours in length.
A lot of Americana-Bluegrass-Country music going on but surprisingly it was pleasant and fun and the 2 hrs went by faster than I thought it would. Favorite Tracks: I am a Pilgrim, Wildwood Flower, Honky Tonkin.
bello, ma ho ascoltato solo il primo lato perché troppo lungo. 3-4
Bluegrass that aims to harken back to the good old days of country. Never have I heard an album that is so fully-invested in displaying bluegrass in all it's greatness. The story goes that country music changed with the advent of rock and roll, with the rise of country rock and the Nashville sound becoming the more popular forms of the genre. In an attempt to recognize and appreciate the traditional country artists before the '70s, country rockers of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band connected with a plethora of guest musicians to play the old-time country classics: over 100 minutes worth. If you don't enjoy bluegrass then this album will be a tedious listen, but for me it was an absolute treat. A wide array of some of the finest traditional Appalachian folk music played by the best musicians of their field. Best of all, it's recorded and produced in such a crisp, wonderful way that gives every song the room it needs to breathe. I particularly enjoyed the occasional studio banter while the tape was still rolling; this makes the album feels more alive with the personality of musicians within it. It feels more like a historical document of culture than a simple musical album, but there is no shortage of music here. I love every song, I would praise them all. Does it need some trimming down? Perhaps, but I can easily forgive that for how rich and beautiful this record is. It has so much to offer, I feel lucky in this moment, grateful that music is meant to be shared, and it was shared with me over 50 years later.
4 stars
too much twang for me.
One of them boys shure can play the git-fiddle! (And for a long time, too.) Or was that the dobro? Disc 2 much better than disc one. Even the Beverly Hillbillies thought the album would be better as just one disc. It seems like one of the criteria to got on the 1001 list is to make an album that is just essay too long. (1.6*s)
This album is tolerable, it has some good harmonica, up-step banjo, and their voices are perfect for the genre. A more fitting album name would have been "This Circle is Never Broken" because it's like a run-on, never ending loop of knee-slaps. It's way too long and very repetitive. It's fine if you're a pilgrim, have a rag designated for cannonballs, and know anyone with "belle" at the end of their name. I didn't hate it but I wouldn't play it again.
Head on out to the barn yard and don't forget your spitoon for this one. I like the instrumentals but they do run on and sound the same in most songs. I found some of the namter between musicians amusing. Another unnecessarily loooong album. I beginning to think the creator of this list is choosing them to try and get as much of the artists materiel in one album.
It's a fine collection of country opry music with some decent quick hitter honky-tonk jams mixed in. I didn't mind this nearly as much as I expected. The main issue I have is don't need anywhere near 2 hours of this. If you put a couple of these songs in a vacuum they would be above a lot of the earlier 50s/60s stuff from this list. I'd probably listen to some of the instrumentals again if I didn't have to comb through 40 songs to get there. Unfortunately I have to knock down the rating a touch as I would much rather listen to 30 mins of romance ballads than 2 hours of this again. 1.35 stars
too long not listening
F off mate
A group of friends gathered in a recording studio with bluegrassy instruments, lots of liquor, and a bunch -maybe too many- stories to tell. Yes, they play really well; yes, they made a famous album for their genre; yes, the album has a laid-back, charming, and relaxed atmosphere, but man, it is more than two hours! I cannot stand that! too demanding for me, I am sorry.
This is another absolute first. It's probably my first bluegrass record period. So when I saw that this thing was around 2 hours in length, I was a bit taken aback but still intrigued. "Grand Ole Opry Song" was a very enjoyable start to this album. I love the little chatter at the beginning of many of these songs. It's quite a funny-sounding song, it almost sounds like the manifestation of the stereotypes surrounding this type of music; with the yelped and twangy vocals and that finger-picked banjo. It's still quite enjoyable, I also enjoy the more mellow acoustic-driven follow-up "Keep On the Sunny Side" featuring Maybelle Carter. With an album this long, it's difficult to dissect it in its entirety but below I'll jot down some of my other favorite moments. - I love the instrumental track "Nashville Blues". There's something so relentlessly fiery about the performances here. Earl Scruggs' banjo playing is great here. It also made me realize how cool of an instrument the washboard is. This is probably my favorite song here. - I love Roy Acuff's deeper and almost slurred vocals on "The Precious Jewel". - I enjoy the storytelling on the song "The Tennessee Stud". I can't honestly begin to decipher what this story is even about, it seems to be a story about a cunning Tennessee man that's also being likened to a horse or something. No idea but it's certainly standout. - A song called "The End of the World" having such a bright instrumental is pretty funny but also unsettling. - After a series of slower tracks, the more upbeat, catchy, and immediate nature of "My Walkin' Shoes" is a nice change-up, nicely closing out the first disc. - It leads nicely to the first track of the second disc, "Lonesome Fiddle Blues" which is a highly enjoyable guitar and violin-backed instrumental track. "Cannonball Rag" is another short and sweet acoustic cut that sounds familiar, probably because it's a standard in this genre. In general, I liked the series of shorter instrumental cuts here. - "Honky Tonk Blues" is another one of the more immediate tracks, likely due to its shorter nature and simple yet prominent drum beat. - I love the main instrumental melody on "Wildwood Flower" at the beginning that gives off a tiny music box feel. This entire song is one of my favorites overall, there's something so hypnotic about the acoustic guitar here. Maybelle's vocals here are so subdued and a much-needed breather nearing the end of this album. I know this song is a cover of another song but it's still a really good cover. - The mournful title track (which is another cover) is another favorite of mine with the exchange between two vocalists detailing the passing of the protagonist's mother and how it's affected them. I love the mantra on the chorus and they bid their loved one farewell. - I love the soothing acoustic-driven closing instrumental track, fits nicely after the previous somber track. Lengthy records like this always give off this monolithic feeling to me and this album is no exception; it feels almost like a classic country epic. Yet, there is nothing conventionally "epic" about it; it's very laid back. It sounds like sizzling outside on an August afternoon, for better or worse, or maybe taking a walk in a smaller village. It certainly evokes a positive feeling in me and takes me to a happier and more simple place. The slew of guest vocalists and players also contributes to this compilation-esque attitude the album adapts. The diverse set of vocalists makes this feel like a collection of short stories, almost like you're taking a peek into the lives of many different men and women. Can't say every song here was incredible or anything and on the surface, a lot of the songs sound very similar. But I think that's fine and this is an album to be enjoyed in its entirety by soaking in all these textured instrumentals, anecdotal lyrics, and shiny twangy vocals. As a whole, it's pretty great but I can also see how some people would 100% despise everything about it.
Not really for me
Well, I guess the run of good albums had to end at some point. Will The Circle Be Unbroken was an absolutely miserable experience from start to finish. It feels like the band only had a few ideas and just decided to stretch them out into 42 songs for some reason that i will never find out. And some of the songs are just talking for long stretches of time (like come on, we don't want to hear that). There were some more tolerable songs in the album but even they can't save it from being absolutely horrible. I can only just pray the next album will be bettter. Best Song: Nashville Blues Worst Song: I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes
Holy shit it's long, but good. Didn't expect that Both Sides Now cover, not like the rest, but also great.
A million years long, but worth it.
Not the music i can listed to straight laced. That's great as a joke, reminiscing wist west era, cool for picturing movies like Back To The Future 3. Doubt i can listen to this in any other way.
A time capsule of 80s smooth r&b
Didn’t finish this… absolutely not my thing
Brilliant, glorious, wonderful. Roots, Americana, bluegrass, whatever you call it, it's so good. 12 stars.
Okay, so I listened to the wrong album first, The Circle Will Be Unbroken Volume II, and then tried listening to this. I really like blue grass, but this I did not enjoy. Too much, too long, repetitious.
A great listen from beginning to end. It's a bit long and lacking in variation, but individually everything is strong
An album that you don't expect to be standable for those not really into the genre, but is overall an easy, albeit tedious, listen with moments of quality sprinkled into something that is just too long for its own good. The best parts were when they were all talking because it was far more interesting than the equivalent of your grandma going through the hymn book on her piano while you sit there, uninterested, but too afraid to leave. At first I liked the instrumental tracks the most, but putting as many in a row as they did left it feeling tired and repetitive. Again, easy listen, but not worth the time spent.
Yee’haw Country for 2 hours. Thats it, that’s the album.
Gewoon goede country muziek, heerlijk pure opnames, met blijkbaar een sterrenensemble aan country musici.
Digging the banjo and slide guitar. But it’s just SO country….
That was a helluva lot of bluegrass. I can see it was very influential and includes a lot of certified legends, but it's slightly lost on me. Enjoyable enough, way too long and I don't know what else to say.
If you make it past 10 seconds you’re a better man than me!
Solid and easy to listen to bluegrass. Enjoyed.
Over 2 hours of hurdy-durdy tweedle twangy country??? NO. After the first hour I got the point, thanks. These guys are so niche it hurts. They're fine enough musicians, and they're doing their own thing not hurting anybody, but I simply don't have the required personality or constitution to enjoy this music. Hard pass. Sidenote: did people just not know how to edit a track back then?? A huge musical pet peeve of mine is "skits" or "candid" behind-the-scenes chatter during the recording process becoming part of the song. It is so fucking stupid to do that. I don't need to hear how you're gunna make the record, or hear a lecture on how to record the tracks from some old hillbilly in the 70's. They think this is charming and listeners want it, but we DON'T. "Oh we'll have so much fun feeling like we're part of the recording process. Yayy!" NO. Nobody wants that, just sing your fucking song and get a usable recording of it.
- Initially concerned because this album is over two hours of country. - While it is not what I would usually listen to, I have to respect the improvised nature of it all (which was apparently accurate), the craft on display, and the blending of generations. - Personally found "Nashville Blues" and "Tennessee Stud" to be fun, but the best track was probably "Dark As A Dungeon." - Did I mention it is long? Found myself ready to tap out in the second half.
Great banjo and really talented group of musicians.
Folk endurance album. Dark as a dungeon 👍
Big fan of Earl Scruggs. I like this music but not for this long. Really good musicianship but need to be in the mood for it.
I didn't hate the music, which is why it gets 2 instead of 1 star. The music was good, actually. Liked what I heard more than I expected. But two hours? As an album, it fails for me. It is too much for what it is.
Welp, I had some stuff written, but my browser took a shit. This is a long ride through country bluegrass (~110 min) and for the most part I found it to be enjoyable. Reading a bit on the production history, confirms what I suspected; this was cut very raw (1-2 takes per track) and they had a long running tape to capture studio banter. The banter serve as intros to many tracks, making for a personal feeling album. The songs vary widely, and to be honest, I had this on in the background for 90% so I didn't take specific notes. Only standouts I recall were Tennessee Stud, Nashville Blues, and the first 3 songs or so of the second disc. Will I go back for more, probably not, but I do have a soft spot in my heart for quality bluegrass. Lot to love here, but it runs too long for my taste. If we had a half scale this would be a 3.5. Gonna round down because I don't expect to come back.
Great music, but didn't necessarily need 2 hours of it. However, of all albums to be 2 hours, this one I welcome most as it is very easy listening and makes the work day go by a bit faster. Probably a 3.5, but I'm gonna round down for length and homogeneity
That was some mighty fine banjo pluckin and guitar strummin. Don't know if I needed 2 hours of it, but nonetheless it was quite enjoyable.
Oh boy I am one song in and will not like 2 hours of this. The 3rd song is cool cuz it has no vocals straight finger pickin banjo. Nothing constitutes making this album 2 hours long. I feel like I should be out in the fields with a piece of strawgrass in my mouth to really appreciate it. While I am not and it's taken me 3 days to listen to this I'm between a 1 and 2. Going 2 because I can at least appreciate some of the elements of the bluegrass/folk and the raw construction of it.
Great bluegrass
Kinda goofy
Big picture clean soloist
I am breaking the circle.
Enjoyed the variety of artists and the sound
Seems iconic. But not an album I would listen to over and over.
I appreciate the collaboration on this old school bluegrass album.
Wow thank you for this wonderful trip.
tam country
2 hours of country wow. A little odd at times.
Boaah Country?? Banjos?? Ahaha ich finds irgendwie maximal lustig. Finds krass das Lüüt so musik zu ihrem Lifestyle mached... Yeehaw undso 🤠 Jaaa aso so usnahmswiis chli country lauft scho xD Aber da Album isch ja über 2 Stund lang???? So zwei drei songs chani mir ja scho geh und macht au spass aber alles nachher chumi uf suizid gedanke 2.3/5
Sorry wtf WER macht es album wo über 2h gaht???? Oke de ahfang isch… intense aso bisch halt direkt ih dem dinn oder keis ahtaste nütt zack boom bang da bin ich Ok ich lieb banjo and I’m definitely getting my fair share of banjo mit dem album hahahaha Wait bin mer ned sicher öbs banjo oder Mandoline isch??? Keep ok the sunny side findi iwie cute??🥺
Han halt nöd s ganze gloset aber ha scho sehr gern bluegrass
Ich lieb country. erste song hani mässig spannend gfunde im zweite hemmer harmonies, wichtig. besser. You are my flower fangt schön ah. slide gitarre söön. Dark as a dungeon au huere schön. ich schrib nöd zu jedem song öpis da album isch zwei stund lang. black mountain rag SLAPPT find d konversatione vor de songs mega geil. nine pound hammer au geil. es isch zwor es vieeel z langs album aber d tracklist isch en sehr guet mix us langsame songs, schnelle bluegrass tracks, instrumentale und schöne mehrstimmige gsungene songs. han e sehr gueti ziit. macht bock zum wieder s billy strings album ganz durelose. flint hill special rennt eim fast devo aber sie COOKED. ok s isch scho fuuucking lang. aber wär glaub nöd d idee dasmers uf eimol durelost, hani au nöd gmacht. im thinking tonight of my.. isch huuere schön. both sides now isch worschinli ein vode beste songs ide letste 60 johr. fuck.
will the circle be unbroken (dütet dass uf ihre stammbaum hii?) chönnt au es metalcore album sii ouhyeah sind das jz 2h country?? mal luege öbis ushalte, find country funny aber weiss nöd öb für so lang grand ole opry song findi cute han halt würkli kei ahnig vo country hahahah MOTHER MAYBELLE CARTER TÖNT JA MEGA COOL ahhja cover: kinda hard, kinda racist; was gwicht ich meh?? you are my flower hani jz chli schlecht gfunde finds sehr cool ghörtmer die verschiedene sänger:inne vorem uufneh no öppis sege, git eim sochli es persönlichers gfühl? (und s gfühl dassmer im tüfste süde vode usa isch) tennessee stud hani cute gfunde ok jz chli schneller wreck on the highway hani bis jz s tollste lied gfunde honky tonkin tönt öppe so wies de titel verspricht ok also allgemein würdi es 3 geh -1 wills arschlang gaht und s mich jz ahfangt nerve +1 wills sehr e cooli idee isch und ichs rede dezwüsche mega funny find
A good album, I really enjoyed the country vibe. I liked Keep On The Sunny Side, Nashville Blues. Dark as a Dungeon.
I liked selected songs...bluegrass and the blues are awesome, but this is a long-ass album. Obviously talented musicians!
Das war schon heiß, hat Spaß gemacht
Old school bluegrass and it shows. I don’t mind a little bit of bluegrass here and there. I enjoy older country as it feels like there’s more heart and the stories are better, but a two hour album with half of it being instrumentals is a bit of a reach for my appeal. This may have been 3 stars if it was just the first album but it being a double album dropped it down for me. 4.4/10
Deserves 10 out of 5 the musical piece of history that it is. So glad this is preserved for us
4/5. I thought I was going to get annoyed with the length of this album but honestly, the little talks and tuning in between makes the songs feel more real and the live performance nature brings these songs down to earth. It feels like a fun evening outside, on a warmer than normal night, with your friends playing songs together. Yes, it is quite long but that is the only detriment. Upbeat, but also solemn, and fun throughout.
Enjoyed revisiting a classic.
2 Stunden "Yeehaw!"...
Some good songs, but too long 3/5
Not for me, but one bonus star for the Both Sides Now cover
Over 2 hours of mighty fine fiddely diddely doo-music. Now excuse me, I need to get back to the dark dreary mine, where it's dark as a dungeon; the sun never shines; the rain never falls; where the danger is double and the pleasures are few.
You’re kidding me, right? 2 hours of country music in one day? Nobody could survibe that? Except I did, and even though I crew awfully fed up during the album’s playing time, I can’t say I hated it. So much better than what passes for country music these days. Did I like it? No, but I appreciate it for its historical value and some quality music, and not least, musicians
Amazing old-timey, bluegrass tunes.
Country!! Vaya. Problem is that after the 3 song it all feels the same. Will the circle be unbroken es buena cancion. Apareció en la pelicula broken circle breakdown.
So many songs
Thick in the Bluegrass, simple powerful heartfelt.
This is classic Bluegrass at its Finest. For those folks who are music history buffs you need to understand that this music came from RURAL America, not big city….it moved slowly thru minstrel shows, religious revival la, family reunions and brought small communities together to create and celebrate what was happening in Their lives. Where it came from??it started out with roots in gospel, blues, folk, country music in the southern states and it moved to the Heartland of the Midwest where I grew up in Kansas. There is a National Bluegrass Festival in Winfield, KS every year and a Huge number of these individual musical artists also perform at the Yearly at the American Folk Alliance Festival in Kansas City which goes on for se real days…KC hosted the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band as did Lawrence, KS and other college towns in the 70’s and 80’s. I know Bluegrass is not everyone’s cup of tea but it started a movement during the early 1900’s !!
Eerlijk, best wel chille bangers 4
This type of hick yee-haw album has no place in a list of 1001 albums to hear before you die. It's worse than bad, a 5 year old child could do better twanging elastic bands. Life's to short to endure this type of torture.
I liked disc 2, with all the instrumentals, much more
Best Songs: Grand Ol' Opery Song, The Precious Jewel, The End of the World, Foggy Mountain Breakdown Listen Again: Yes
Uitgezet, kon het niet meer aan.
The instrumentals on disc 2 help redeem this. The End of the World (off disc 1) stands out, as well as Orange Blossom Special which flies along at breakneck pace. Overall it's way too country but there's some folksy stuff I like.
Great background music.
The concept is brilliant. Take the icons from hill country (bluegrass) of the 40s and 50s and put them in a 70s era recording studio with its capacity for making pristine and lush reproductions. The inclusion of the inter-track cross talk is brilliant. And I love it every time I start it. But bluegrass is like the 12 bar blues for me. The monotony starts to physically exhaust me about four / five songs in. I end up having the same experience listening to this album as I do in Renaissance art museums. I go from super excited to exhausted after about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through. (Are ALL of the paintings of Jesus and the saints?)
YeAh, not a fan
If I ever want to listen to some good folk country stuff I’ll come back to this one
I’m either missing the part of my brain or the frame of reference that would allow me to appreciate country music or bluegrass or Americana. 99% of it doesn’t resonate with me in the slightest. Because of this, I can’t tell what makes a good bluegrass record or if this is one of them. I know I’ve seen the cover before and from what I’ve read it’s heralded as one of the of the all time greats, but fuck me if it doesn’t sound like every other piece of bluegrass music I’ve ever heard. Does that make this a bad record? No, I just don’t get the appeal of bluegrass or country music. All it means is that this is an uninteresting record to me and doubly so because there are almost 40 tracks to listen to.
I like a bit of country/bluegrass. I don't like 2+ hours of it. Any quality is negated by the fact it goes on too long, sorry.
There might be some good songs on this album, but I can't remember any of them amongst the two hours and ten minutes of dross (no, I checked to make sure that I hadn't accidentally clicked on the deluxe edition link). It's quite basic bluegrass country stuff, with too many Jesus references, too much tweeness, and very little of interest. Oh, and it also has little skits in it, and sounds of them tuning up. Wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, 1/5.