The Stone Poneys Featuring Linda Ronstadt / Evergreen, Vol. 2

Usually when you listen to a superstar's early group recordings you find an unremarkable curiosity piece. But that is not the case with Linda Ronstadt, whose albums with the Stone Poneys are all solid works worth collecting for their own sake. Linda and Robert Kimmel met in Tuscon and performed together in various groups with Kimmel moving to Los Angeles and Linda joining him soon afterward. They hung around the L.A. folk music scene meeting many talented performers and composers and eventually were signed to Capitol Records by Nick Venet (a producer mainly known for bringing the Beach Boys to Capitol, but who had worked with all the label's talent). By this point the group, originally five, had become a trio, and were playing clubs like L.A.'s Troubador.Signing the Stone Poneys was a real leap of faith for Venet, as there was not at that time a real market for what they were doing. He may have been most impressed with Linda's powerful voice and committed singing, and it's no secret the higher-ups of the label wanted to forget the other two and feature her as a solo act immediately. Venet knew better and retained them as a group, claiming rightly that she needed more experience. The two albums here were the result.The first album, "The Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt", released in the Fall of 1966, sold hardly any copies and made no impact whatsoever. It's one of those albums that can be appreciated much better years after its release than when it came out. Then, it was wildly out of sync with what was going on in music, an anachronistic LP that sounded more like 1963 than 1966, and in the 60's, that was a a huge difference. The Fall of '66 was one of the most exciting and creative times ever for pop music. The mass exodus of hugely talented people from the Folk scene combined with the explosive energy and receptive audience of Rock music since the Beatles had taken off ,combined to create a new pop scene not only in the specific form of Folk-Rock, but by this point opening up to influence from Classical music and Jazz as well.The Fall of '66 was Donovan's reincarnation as the Sunshine Superman, the Beatles' Eleanor Rigby being accompanied by a string quartet and then their releasing the amazingly experimental album, Revolver. It's Simon and Garfunkel reaching a new high in literacy with Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, and the Beach Boys releasing Good Vibrations. New performers included the Association, Jefferson Airplane, the Mamas & the Papas, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Cyrkle, Nancy Sinatra and yes, the Monkees. With all this going on, it's a wonder the first Stone Poneys album was ever released, and no wonder that it got ignored.But listened to outside its original context, it's a wonderful, tuneful acoustic folk album by a trio reminiscent, obviously, of Peter, Paul and Mary. They have a beautiful, mellow blend of voices especially on the opening track (Sweet Summer Blue and Gold) and on Bicycle Song, showing they were a real group who had worked out how to sing together beautifully. There are also a couple of solos by Linda ( Just a little Bit of Rain & Orion) that showed what a powerful singer she could be. This lady could sing. Like many people I bought it after Evergreen in 1967, but it now sounds timeless and fresh.Evergreen vol.2 is a real masterpiece album, one of the best of the mid Sixties, and contains their massive, always-on-oldies-radio hit, Different Drum. The album came out in the Fall of 1967, and the arrangements were considerably amped up by Nick Venet, who thought he heard a hit, with multiple guitars, drums, strings, harpsichord and even a sitar (in fact Evergreen is the only album that really used the sitar in an organic and not a gimmicky way). It sounded right with the times fitting in well on radio playlists with She's a Rainbow, Wear Your Love Like Heaven and even I Am the Walrus. It was a huge hit - don't let the fact it made it to #13 fool you. In those days a new group with a first hit broke out in radio markets gradually, thus having longevity but not top of the chart position (Even the Eagles first hit, Take It Easy, only made it to #12).The unusual thing about Evergreen vol.2 is that despite its containing one of the jauntiest, bounciest hits of the mid 60's, it is a rather somber album, with a great many songs dealing with aging and death.Even the two love songs are not exactly happy. Autumn Afternoon finds "something sad and foreboding about autumn' ,and Evergreen sounds more like a lament than a love ballad. After the existential joking of Toys of Time, "We're only the toys of time's great game", the album ends with the panic of aging " Death comes a'courtin' and you don't know what to do". But don't be put off by this. It's powerful, it's beautiful and it's an incredible album.The sound by Raven, a deluxe licensing label is lustrous and perfect as usual. The bonus tracks, from the third album, are well chosen, mostly featuring well known composers, though I would have somehow included Star and a Stone, a mystical, magical, visionary song that featured a large orchestra and a harp and summed up the Robert Kimmel-Stone Poneys concept of the group. The excellent liner notes are by Richie Untermeyer, one of the very best writers on rock music of the Sixties.As usual with these reissues, let me say get it now before the license is up. Capitol, which hardly keeps anything in print, had all three Stone Poneys albums out on CD in the mid 90's but of course took them out of print not long after. Now they go for big collector's prices when they even are available. You won't regret it.

I have loved "Up To My Neck In High Muddy Water" since I heard it as a single in 1968. It wasn't a big hit, and it only lived in my memory. Recently, I read Linda's great autobiography and I really wanted to hear this song again. I did buy her Greatest Hits Vol. I and II, but I still wanted this song. It is available on this CD, so I purchased it. And, it's a wonderful as it was in my memory. I was also pleasantly thrilled with the rest of this two album treat. While Linda's voice has always been amazing, I wasn't aware of the quality of music from The Stone Poney's (obviously, I knew of Different Drum). One of the first impressions that I had when I listened was how their harmonies were similar to Peter, Paul & Mary. And, I mean this as a very positive compliment. I also loved the songs that I discovered on these albums. This is an import, and the service was quick and the product was delivered in excellent condition.

It is great to see this back in print; I still have my scratched up vinyl copy from November, 1965 when Different Drum was one of the defining sounds of free form FM radio (and a terrific party dance record). The other knockout track is Back in the Street Again which I have been unable to find for years (funny it never made it onto any of Ronstadt's numerous greatest hits collections). Ordinarily, I would rate this four stars (there is some dross) but for a record of its time it was groundbreaking and I am delighted to see it back in print. Kudos to Raven Records from down under. They provide high quality access to artists who should not be out of print (check out the great Willy DeVille/Mink DeVille re-issues and compilations. They actually seem to be done by people who listen to, and actually dig what is good or unique about an artist). Anyway, this is more than worth your time and money.

It was a nice vintage listen, assuming you like folk and Linda Ronstadt. The Stone Poney's are decent, but I can kinda see why Ronstadt dropped them.

I have said a 100 times Linda Ronstadt is the premier female lead vocalist of modern times.Her professionalism is unparalleled in the industry,except Crystal Gayle.This is a very old, rare glimpse at her beginnings.It is sort of a country folk theme,so typical of the 60's.When I gave this 5 stars,I meant that it was 5 star for the time period.This work would not stack up to her newer stuff,The technology just ain't there.Her ADUEI FALSE HEART and HUMMING TO MYSELF keep her rated #1 and are works of tip of the top professionals.If you want to hear some classic Linda , pick up GET CLOSER.Thank you Amazon for bringing this one to my attention,I am a die hard fan and may be in love with her.

Would not have responded this way if I could have found an alternative. Downloaded Stone Pony's album Evergreen Vol. II. The download clipped the beginning of every album cut. How can this be fixed? I've downloaded other items before and never had this problem.UPDATE: Finally found a way to communicate with Amazon about this problem. A new path was created thru “My Music” so that I could clear the first download and repeat the process thru the new path. This approach solved the problem. Soooo, moved rating from 1 star to 3. Album itself is five stars, but believe the process must be reviewed for MP3 downloads as this is the only practical way to gain access to the album. Will be ordering vinyl version thru Discogs. Expensive, but about a tenth of the Amazon quoted vendors prices for VG++ to M- condition.

a real good CD. I like that this CD has the track Some of Shelly's Blues on it. that track is a little hard to find. also Different Drum was nice to find on the CD. the CD seems to be a good recording, and the tracks I know sound just like the original hits. I am sobber, if this has anything to do with my review. I do fail to understand what my Drunk or Sober has to do with my review, but I am man enough to respect another opinion, even if I don't always agree with it. I recomend this CD to anyone who is into the early Linda Rhonstadt in the Stone Poney Days.

Full of good old tunes.

Nice tracks, my favourite is Different Drum.

El grupo bien coordinado, incluyendo a Linda Ronstand como parte integral. Ya después derá solista. La armonía con las dos guitarras bien acopladas

若いリンダ・ロンシュタットの歌声を堪能できる2in1 CDです。1967年に3人組のバンド「ストーン・ポニーズ」のボーカルとしてデビューし、同年に発売された2枚のアルバムが収録されています。・The Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt・Evergreen Vol. 2リンダ・ロンシュタットをこれから聴き始めようという方には別のアルバムを推奨しますが、彼女の持ち味はこの時期から発揮されています。アメリカントラッドというジャンルが一番しっくりくるように思います。アルバムごとにいろんなジャンルを歌い上げる彼女ですが、2006年のアルバムを聴いてやはりベースはここなのだなと再認識した次第です。これからという方は、便利な5枚組CDセットが販売されていますから、まずはそちらを。 5CD ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES BOX SET5CD ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES BOX SET

excellent cd