01. Minstrel Show 5:28
02. It's Not The Spotlight 3:56
03. Life's Fantasy 4:31
04. Dusty Country 4:40
05. She Was Such A Lady 4:08
06. I've Got To Use My Imagination 3:50
07. Soothe Me 4:13
08. Orange County Bus 3:19
09. Shady Hotel 2:45
10. Stormy Weather Cowboy 3:19
11. Big City Woman 3:55
12. Silver Moon 3:25
13. Hidden Track 3:51
While Barry Goldberg's recording career is largely hogged by tapes of jam
sessions dominated by blues cover versions, he was an excellent songwriter
and more than deserved the respectful treatment he got here from a production
team that consisted of none other than Bob Dylan and Jerry Wexler. This is a
collection of ten of Goldberg's original songs, including the title
"Imagination" that was a hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips. Goldberg may not
have the voice or the personality to have been a leading singer/songwriter
type, but his delivery certainly suits most of the numbers, such as the fun
"Big City Woman" and the intriguing "Shady Hotel." On other numbers, at least
Goldberg has the benefit of being able to say he wrote the songs, since there
is just no way he can compete with Gladys Knight vocally. His "It's Not the
Spotlight," on the other hand, is such a classic performance that the entire
issue of his vocal presence is unimportant. A large cast takes part in the
proceedings, including none of this artist's usual cohorts. A nice pastiche
of different roots genres takes place, no surprise considering the
involvement of Dylan, who can be heard contributing background vocals here
and there as well as a touch of percussion. A soulful rhythm section
featuring keyboardist Barry Beckett, bassist David Hood, and drummer Roger
Hawkins is on board, and is just what the material needs, but there are also
shades of country and old-timey courtesy of pickers such as banjoist Rule
Yarborough and fiddler Al Lester. On the whole, this is an unjustly neglected
album and a feather in Dylan's producer's hat, which he hardly ever wears
Try
Post je objavljen 26.07.2009. u 14:09 sati.