The Capitol Years

Artist: McGuinness Flint
Label: EMI
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 7243852766202
ASIN: B000007VCN

Release Date: 1997-10-23

Related Categories:

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

General

| Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock

| Pop | Styles | Music

Listmania:

British Folk

Tracks:

When I'm Dead & Gone
Lazy Afternoon
Bodang Buck
Mister Mister
Heritage
I'm Letting You Know
Let It Ride
Dream Darlin'dream
Who You Got to Love
International
Malt & Barley Blues
Rock On
Happy Birthday Ruthy Baby
Conversation
When I'm Alone with You
Fixer
Faith & Gravy
Klondike
Reader to Writer
Changes
Friends of Mine
Piper of Dreams
Jimmy's Song
Sparrow
Wham Bam
Back on the Road Again

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Customer Reviews:

Great lost double masterpiece from the early 1970's.......2006-12-01

Its great to see these 2 excellent releases available finally on CD and the fact they are both on a single CD makes it all the sweeter. It also includes the excellent single that was not on either CD originally. After listening to this CD at least a dozen times I'm perplexed as to how these were not huge hits. I think the first release is slightly superior to the second, but not by much.

Contrary to what an earlier reviewer stated, I think the one "hit" they had, "When I'm Dead and Gone" is a very good song and back in 1970 it was what inspired me to seek out the LP. That is just a minor point though because as you dig deeper into the CD you will find arguably at least a dozen songs that are better.

What to like? The songwriting throughout this CD is so much better than the average record being released at the time. I wouldn't describe this as heavy rock, more of a midtempo variety possibly best compared to the work The Band was producing around the same time. Just to name a few songs that 35 years later are timeless in their quality; Lazy Afternoon, Let It Ride, Bodang Buck, Malt and Barley Blues, Ruthie Baby, Faith and Gravy, Klondike and Fixer.

Anyone bored with the current state of rock music has a great opportunity here to pick up something that will sound as fresh as the day it was recorded. Sort of like finding a long, lost buried treasure. Some great liner notes round out the package. If you check this out I don't think you will be disappointed. Enjoy!

WONDERFUL!!!!.......2005-03-22

This music is a timeless distillation of English folk,contextualized by the musician's backgrounds and recorded by the deft touch of producer Glyn Johns. Without Gallagher and Lyle, these guys recorded the mythic Dylan collection "Lo and Behold"--another A+++++ outing. Don't miss this opportunity to hear a band of fellows at the absolute peak of their game. The 100 proof stuff contained here-in will make you jump,scream,holler and weep. And they meant every note of it-to their soul. It's just not done like this anymore.

Never give up.......2003-09-21

So it's only taken me 30 YEARS to find this music!!!!!! You see, I've cherished this poor quality recording off radio to cassette of "When I'm Dead and Gone" for 30 years. It was originally recorded on a reel to reel ,,,,then to cassette. I recopied it to try to preserve it. I thought about burning it to CD. I asked at every music store but nobody here had heard of McGuinness Flint! That's here in Oregon where I have lived most of this time. I had heard the song in Texas. I figured it was some local group that didn't make it. SUCH IGNORANCE!!!!!!! The tape I had made captured the radio announcer giving the name of the group.

Man, did I search and all without results. Then I noticed that the status quo had recorded it. I couldn't find that recording. Then I tried a title search here on Amazing.com. thanks guys. You're gonna give me at least a fleeting instant of being a happy young man again. Thanks.

English 70s music at its best.......2002-12-30

McGuinnes Flint made, in this constellation, only two albums (between 1970 and 1971), but to me they represent the English musical heritage in its strongest form.

Group was founded in London 1969; Tom McGuinness had once been in Manfred Mann and drummer Hughie Flint had a spell with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in the 60s, during when Eric Clapton was a member and became a guitar hero. Therefore, there is a core of british blues in McGuinness Flint's music. But what really makes them something else are the folky, innovative and introspective songs penned by the group's most important members, the Scottish singer-songwriter duo Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, who wrote almost everything of the band's material. And they were singers and multi-instrumentalists as well, with a range spanning from guitars and piano to more obscure things like ocarina, mandolin, banjo etc. Singer Dennis Coulson, with his harsh, loud and lamenting voice, completed the line up.

I first heard the second album, "Happy Birthday, Ruthy Baby", which I got hold on by accident (on vinyl). As with most brilliant albums, it took me a few listenings before I grasped and understood their special brand of music, but after that, it has become THE album in my collection of 70s music. It is absolutely splendid with its wide use of different instruments, its vocal harmonies and haunting compositions, very much in the mould of the Beatles in their later years (itýs no wonder why they after their debut album were hailed as "the new Beatles" by the critics). "Happy Birthday Ruthy Baby" is an album perfectly suited for rainy autumn afternoons, a mood that also can be tributed to the horn arrangements with overdubbed trombones and saxophones. The songs from "Happy Birthday, Ruthy Baby" are placed on the second half of this CD, while the first half contains the material from the eponymous debut album, which is equally brilliant, but more folky and acoustic than the second. (The cover picture on the CD "The Capitol Years" is taken from the album cover of the debut album.)In addition there are a few extra bonus tracks that doesnýt appear on the original albums -- sadly one of the more interesting songs from the debut album, "Brother Psyche", has, due to the restriction of the CD format, been left out.

Most people know the group from thir big hit "When I'm Dead and Gone", which is totally unbelieveble, because it is, with its sloppy, unpretentious manner and relatively weak melody, not at all representative for the groups more serious and creative sound, and -- to be honest -- quite a disastrous and overrated song. In contrast, their other hit song, "Malt and Barley Blues" (only released as a singel) is a much stronger tune. It is, however, with the orchestrated acoustic ballads, like "Klondike" and "International", they peek in musical quality (even though the lead vocals arenýt always spot on -- their only flaw).

McGuinnes Flint is, with their blend of acoustic folk, blues rock, jazz and ragtime influences and orchestrated ballads (ý la Paul McCartney-style), a fantastic musical experience. Unfortunetaly, they are to this day relatively unknown outside Britain and made only these two classic albums, the latter partly as a result of Gallagher and Lyle's departure from the group to move on as a succesful duo in thier own right, and partly due to the bandýs problems with handling their early success with the debut album. The follow-up "Happy Birthday Ruthy Baby" (1971) was, according to themselves, recorded under demanding circumstances and therefore not an album they there pleased with at all. It also failed to repeat the commercial success and critical acclaim of the first album -- though I myself think itýs an album of much higher standard and more carefully crafted arrangements and compostitions. It also had a brilliant and ironic cover, with a black-and-white photo of a lonely woman sitting in her kitchen on her birthday, knitting, waiting for the guests who probably never will show up.

The CD "Capitol Years" also contains a great booklet, with obscure pictures of the band as well as a longer article written by founder member Tom McGuinness, where he in his own words tell the story of the band. The CD-remixes of the songs are done with great care and hasnýt destroyed the warmth of the songs from the original vinyl recordings.

Anyhow, the recordings of McGuinnes Flint remains to me the most interesting music ever made in a recording studio. And the fact that all of the songs are produced by the legend Glyn Johns (who also produced The Band, Eagles and Manfred Mann, among others), garantee an experience besides the ordinary in music.

Just buy it!.......2001-01-14

Amazed to find this band listed! Can't wait to get hold of CD. Being trawling everywhere for their music. I can already hear When I'm Dead and Gone. Great writing duo and excellent tracks. Wish I still had my brothers vinyl copy! 25 years waiting is over!!

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