[2018-03-30] Eric Andersen "The Essential Eric Andersen" 2CD set (Real Gone)

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Jan 30, 2018 3:46 pm

Description
Author of such nonpareil songs as “Thirsty Boots,” “Violets of Dawn,” “Close the Door Lightly When You Go,” and “Is It Really Love at All” among many others, Eric Andersen is one of the greatest singer-songwriters to emerge from the fabled Greenwich Village folk scene of the ‘60s. But the one thing missing from his catalog of recordings is a true, career-spanning anthology chronicling every phase of his multi-faceted career. Now, Real Gone Music, in association with Sony Legacy and the artist himself, presents The Essential Eric Andersen, a 2-CD, 33-track set that spans 45 years, 10 different labels, and 18 different albums in offering the de nitive look at his body of work. The highlights are too numerous to list but here are a few; the retrospective ttingly begins with two solo tracks from his 1965 debut Vanguard album Today Is the Highway before touching on such career standouts as his Blue River album (represented by four tunes including “Is It Really Love at All” and the title track with Joni Mitchell), its follow-up Stages ( ve songs including “Time Run Like a Freight Train” with Dan Fogelberg on background vocals), the tapes for which were lost for two decades before being found in the Columbia vaults, and even an unreleased track, a cover of Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” featuring David Bromberg on dobro. Disc two leads off with several tracks from Eric’s Arista recordings including live takes of “Thirsty Boots” and “Violets of Dawn,” and then features collaborations with fellow legends Lou Reed (“You Can’t Relive the Past”), Richard Thompson (“Hills of Tuscany”), and Rick Danko (“Keep This Love Alive” and “Driftin’ Away,” with the Danko, Fjeld and Andersen band), as well as other recent recordings made in Europe. The collection concludes by coming full circle with his earliest recording, a 1964 duet with Phil Ochs on “Plains of Nebrasky-O” recorded for Smithsonian-Folkways and released on The Best of Broadside collection, bringing Eric all the way back to his Greenwich Village roots. With notes by Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone, photos from Eric’s private collection, a pristine remastering job by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios in New York, and a timely release in anticipation of the release of a new documentary lm, The Songpoet, The Essential Eric Andersen isn’t just the essential work of a major gure in American music—it’s just plain essential.

Tracklist
[CD1]
1. Everything Ain't Been Said
2. Dusty Box Car Wall
3. (We Were) Foolish Like the Flowers
4. Dream to Rimbaud
5. Secrets
6. I Will Wait
7. Waves of Freedom
8. Mama Tried
9. Is It Really Love at All
10. Florentine
11. Blue River
12. Pearl's Goodtime Blues
13. Woman, She Was Gentle
14. Moonchild River Song
15. Time Run Like a Freight Train
16. Wild Crow Blues

[CD2]
1. The Blues Keep Fallin' Like the Rain
2. Thirsty Boots
3. Close the Door Lightly When You Go
4. Violets of Dawn
5. Messiah
6. Belgian Bar
7. Trouble in Paris
8. Hills of Tuscany
9. You Can't Relive the Past
10. Rain Falls Down in Amsterdam
11. Keep This Love Alive
12. Driftin' Away
13. Foghorn
14. Salt on Our Skin
15. Don't It Make You Wanna Sing the Blues
16. Under the Shadows
17. Plains of Nebraska-O

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079F9KHMH/?tag=imwan-20

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:17 am

Bump: Added the cover image to the first post.

Sony Legacy's Essential compilation series had mostly become digital-only releases in recent years, with Real Gone issuing a few of the titles on CD months later. It appears that Real Gone might now be taking over the Essential series entirely, which would be excellent news.

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

That's probably why I hadn't known of this.

Galley · **Joined:** 20 Apr 2010 **Posts:** 696

Linda wrote:

Bump: Added the cover image to the first post.

Sony Legacy's Essential compilation series had mostly become digital-only releases in recent years, with Real Gone issuing a few of the titles on CD months later. It appears that Real Gone might now be taking over the Essential series entirely, which would be excellent news.

That would be most welcome as the Real Gone issues had horrible artwork and titles.

Jason Michael · 30 May 2012

Galley wrote:

Linda wrote:

Bump: Added the cover image to the first post.

Sony Legacy's Essential compilation series had mostly become digital-only releases in recent years, with Real Gone issuing a few of the titles on CD months later. It appears that Real Gone might now be taking over the Essential series entirely, which would be excellent news.

That would be most welcome as the Real Gone issues had horrible artwork and titles.

You're glad that Real Gone has taken over the series because you don't like what Real Gone has done?

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

While I might have chosen a few different songs, for those into singer songwriters who haven't gotten into Andersen this looks like an excellent collection.

IMO, his most essential album is Blue River, but EA is one of the few who hasn't lost his songwriting ability with age. He did a live album a few years back on an indie that was excellent. This also has a few tracks that afaik were only on European vinyl (unless they're live or alternate recordings)

Galley · **Joined:** 20 Apr 2010 **Posts:** 696

Jason Michael wrote:

Galley wrote:

Linda wrote:

Bump: Added the cover image to the first post.

Sony Legacy's Essential compilation series had mostly become digital-only releases in recent years, with Real Gone issuing a few of the titles on CD months later. It appears that Real Gone might now be taking over the Essential series entirely, which would be excellent news.

That would be most welcome as the Real Gone issues had horrible artwork and titles.

You're glad that Real Gone has taken over the series because you don't like what Real Gone has done?

No, I was bemoaning the fact they they couldn't license the original artwork and titles.

Linda · **Posted:** Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:10 am

In anticipation of the 2CD set's release this coming Friday, the pre-order price has been reduced by more than $4, down to $15.69:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079F9KHMH/?tag=imwan-20

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

I have most of this, but if Sony does a 24 bit dl, I'm so there!

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

There is a hi-res edition, but it's only 44/24 for a whopping $28. And I didn't notice this earlier, but the idiots at Sony (or was it Real Gone?) left More Often Then Not off of this collection. My 2nd fav EA song after Blue River. Likely be waiting for a BIG sale on this one (I already have most of the cd's)

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

FYI: Most (possibly all) of the material that was first recorded for the Sony Stages release, but first released in re-recorded versions on the Arista Be True To You album is presented here in the Sony versions. Truthfully, I prefer several of the Arista versions; but since both albums are available separately, it isn't a huge deal.

I'm listening to a 16 bit (cd quality) official download & am enjoying it. There is a significant amount of material I am not familiar with. As the DL's usually come with no liner notes, I don't know if this material is true rarities or just stuff I missed. EA has a HUGE catalog.

With the 2 caveats (missing the Arista material & missing More Often Then Not from Blue River (which imo is unforgivable, :lol:

) I can highly recommend this. Once the price drops from $30 to $15 or so, I will get the 24 bit version.

[2018-03-30] Eric Andersen "The Essential Eric Andersen" 2CD set (Real Gone)

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