America - America (1971) [2013 Audio Fidelity SACD AFZ 167]

America - America (1971) [2013 Audio Fidelity SACD AFZ 167]

EAC Secure Rip | FLAC (Image + Cue + Log) - 291 MB |

Country Rock, Folk Rock | Audio Fidelity | AFZ 167 | 46:38 minutes | 5% WinRar Recovery |

CONTAINS CD LAYER ONLY

America is the eponymous debut album released by America. The album went to number 1 on the Billboard album chart in the US and stayed there for 5 weeks. It produced two hit singles, "A Horse with No Name" spent three weeks at number 1 on the Billboard singles chart in 1972, and "I Need You" hit number 9 on the Billboard singles chart. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA for sales in excess of 1 million units in the US.

America's debut album is a folk-pop classic, a stellar collection of memorable songs that would prove influential on such acts as the Eagles and Dan Fogelberg. Crosby, Stills & Nash are the group's obvious stylistic touchstone here, especially in the vocal harmonies used (compare the thick chordal singing of "Sandman" and "Children" to CS&N's "You Don't Have to Cry" and "Guinevere") and the prominent use of active strummed acoustic guitar arrangements (contrast "Riverside" to CS&N's "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"). America's intricate interplay of acoustic guitar textures is more ambitious than that of their influences, however. Performance quality is usually good, though on occasion sloppily executed or out of tune (especially on the openings to "Donkey Jaw" and "I Never Found the Time"). Lengthy instrumental introductions ("Donkey Jaw"), middle improvisatory interludes ("Here"), and closings ("Clarice") are frequently encountered. Most of these selections boast highly unusual and inventive chord progressions that work well without drawing undue attention to themselves. Lyrics are sometimes trite ("I need you/Like the flower needs the rain") or obscure ("He flies the sky/Like an eagle in the eye/Of a hurricane that's abandoned"), but the music more than makes up for any verse problems; only the odd "Pigeon Song" seems an unsalvageable misstep. Sound quality here has a covered, intimate feel that lends a ghostly aura to this release. Chart hits from this album include the spectrally loping "A Horse with No Name," the squarishly tuneful "I Need You," and the nervously dour "Sandman." Other highlights include the buoyantly charming "Three Roses," the yearningly lovely "Rainy Day," and the quietly ringing "Clarice." In spite of its flaws, this platter is very highly recommended.

Track Listing:

01. Riverside
02. Sandman
03. Three Roses
04. Children
05. A Horse With No Name
06. Here
07. I Need You
08. Rainy Day
09. Never Found The Time
10. Clarice
11. Donkey Jaw
12. Pigeon Song


Album Released: December 29, 1971
Audio Fidelity SACD Released: October 15, 2013

Mastered for this SACD by: Steve Hoffman at Stephan Marsh Mastering


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