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This 24-song overview of Gene Clark's amazing career begins with "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better," from the first album of the group Clark co-founded, The Byrds, and ends appropriately with "Full Circle Song," another Clark-penned tune which is a fitting summation for a career which spanned a wide range of musical history. The 22 songs in between these two should be considered a sampler of the work of the influential, innovative, soulful singer-songwriter who had so much to do with the creation of folk-rock, jazz-rock, and country-rock. A perfect purchase for anyone wishing to sample Clark in many of the phases of his career.
The hit & miss career of the late Gene Clark has been documented, & this collection is testament to his talent. At one time, I think I had just about everything he'd committed to vinyl which bespeaks of my infatuation with the warmth & emotion of his voice. And more generally, he epitomised my fascination with that early 70s West Coast Country Rock; Jackson Browne's, 'Saturate', & 'For Everyman',The Eagle's, 'Desperado',The Burritos, New Riders, TJ Kaye, the Dead's,'American Beauty,. Clark's,'No Other', indeed, was a revelatory apex to this immersion. From its gorgeously excessive cover art, to the final cut, I was hooked. (To hold the cover of'Desperado'or The Band's self-titled second disc,in one hand & 'No Other' in the other made me wonder at the distance that country rock had covered so swiftly and about the attendant lifestyles it provided for its purveyors). Not enough of,'No Other' gets onto'American Dreamer'. Though what would make way for 2 or more tracks from it? Anything less than we have here would deprive us of the big picture of Clark's adventurousness. The same regrets might be extended to the low profile given to the Doug Dillard collaborations. But 'White Light' & 'No Other' apart, his albums were a pretty mixed bag.
this will be short. this is a great cd but for me, a dj once upon a time, it's worth the money just for the cut "here tonight" done with the flying burrito brothers. we used to play this frequently from the burrito brothers lp and when i saw it was on this disc i ponied up the bucks immediately.if you haven't heard this beautiful, sweet country love song with its pedal steel buy this and enjoy
Gene Clark's American Dreamer is a must have for any fan, and a thoughtful compilation that will satisfy any lover of well crafted words and music. The treasure here is in getting both previously unreleased material and material that is no longer in production. It is in the newly released material that I find the greatest joy and sorrow. The included version of "One In A Hundred" is a revalation. Gene Clark backed by Roger McGuinn's 12 string is a joy to behold and vastly superior to the version released on the "White Light" album. Thats not to say that the "White Light" version is bad because it is in fact very, very good. But there is a particular magic when Clark's voice and lyrics are paired with McGuinn's musicianship and production. One cannot help but wonder how other of Clark's songs would have sounded with Roger at his side. The CD is worth having for that one song alone. Thats the "what might have been". The "what was" is good enough to stand on its own. "She Don't Care About Time","Spanish Guitar" and the rest form a body of work that most people will find "what if" proof. As a fan I find myself second guessing some of the selections. Why two versions of "Full Circle" and so much from Dillard & Clark (but omitting "Kansas City Southern") and so little from the "No Other" album (namely omitting my personal favorite "The True One")? As compilations go the CD along with the liner notes are first rate. As a fan I can only hope that Gene's solo albums get put on CD or that Roger McGuinn or someone else has some more Clark & McGuinn demos in the vault.
This is a fine introduction to the songs of one-time Byrd Gene Clark - especially if you can't bring yourself to fork out for the 2-CD import FLYING HIGH. There are a few notable omissions: Dillard & Clark's "Polly" and "Why Not Your Baby"; and "The True One" from NO OTHER. But there's also some inspired inclusions: 2 wonderful tracks from 1970/1 with the reunited Byrds - "She's The Kind Of Girl" and "One In A Hundred"; "Here Tonight" recorded with The Flying Burrito Bros; and the masterpiece that is "Spanish Guitar". You'll end up coming back for more...
AN OVERVIEW OF AN IMPRESSIVE CAREER, March 7, 1999
Great introduction to Clark, February 22, 2000
