Album Review: America – ‘Here & Now’

When this two-disc set came across the reviewing desk, I thought that it was a “best of” album. On closer inspection I found that it was a little of something new and a little of something old (though newly recorded). Though their voices have somewhat mellowed with age, it was good to hear both the old and the new of America.

Though their voices have somewhat mellowed with age, it was good to hear both the old and the new of America.Disc one contains twelve new tracks and disc two contains a live performance of America’s greatest hits. Before I get into that let’s talk a little about the band. America had its heyday back in the 1970s when “A Horse with No Name” galloped across the radio dial. The band consisted of Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek in those days. Peek would leave the group in 1977 and now Bunnell and Beckley make up America. These two would again score another hit in 1982 with “You Can Do Magic.” Now that we’re up to date, disc one contains 12 tracks of new material. The tracks are “Chasing the Rainbow,” “Indian Summer,” “One Chance,” “Golden,” “Always Love,” “Ride On,” “Love & Leaving,” “Look at me now,” “This Time,” “Work to Do,” “All I Think About is You,” and “Walk in the Woods.”

Disc two is a live performance taped at the XM Studios on October 23, 2005, which consists of the group’s greatest hits. The ones I recognized were “Ventura Highway,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People,” “Sister Golden Hair,” and “A Horse with No Name.” Oddly, “You Can Do Magic” was not amongst them. Neither was “The Last Unicorn,” which is one I always think of when I think of America. Though their voices have somewhat mellowed with age, it was good to hear both the old and the new of America. The album can be enjoyed by both the older and newer generations of America fans. ‘Here & Now’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information and a complete track listing.

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Rob G.Dec 24th, 2006 - 17:44:16

This album is like bookends of a great career. There are the classic hits on one end. Then, a batch of refreshing new numbers on the other end. Great groups like Smashing Pumpkns, Nada Surf, etc., can't help but enhance the patented America sound. Times I've met Gerry Beckley that he's as nice and as authentic as the sounds of the band itself. Time with America on the CD player is like great ol'friends dropping by for a visit. All I really want to say is thanks, guys!

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CaptDanJan 14th, 2007 - 01:37:58

Disc Two of this new 2-CD album ('Here & Now') is features live performances of each song from America's first greatest hits album - 'History' - and this was recorded at a special concert broadcast on XM Radio for a show called 'Then...Again...Live.' This is why later hits like 'You Can Do Magic' or the beautiful 'Last Unicorn' are not a part of this - they were not on the History album. By the way, the live version of Sandman is fantastic, a harder rocking version of the original that is the highlight of this disc for me.

Disc One features new material from Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley, as well as songs written or co-written by other great younger musicians. Artists like Ryan Adams, Nada Surf, My Morning Jacket, and more jumped on board to work with America, described by these new hip indie artists as one of the important bands influencing in their early musical formation. This album really retains the great organic acoustic sound and tight harmonies of America's best timeless hits of the Seventies.

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