new riders of the purple sage thanksgiving

New Riders of the Purple Sage from the album Thanksgiving in New York City available on Omnivore Recordings (by Bryant Liggett)
While many of the bands from the San Francisco Psychedelic Rock era put toes in the waters of Classic Country, the New Riders of the Purple Sage did a gainer off the high dive, going deep into the waters of a Country musical pool, becoming a poster band for burgeoning Country Rock genre of the period. The marriage of Psychedelic Rock’n’Roll to Classic Country was a parent to the West Coast branded Cosmic Country, and Thanksgiving in New York City captures a 1972 show where NRPS lasso the style with a loose, laidback performance. A live offering that makes Country fans of diehard hippies and Rock fans out of their opposite equals in legions of Country music lovers.
Purists may piss on the muted sound quality, it is easy to pick up the vibe of the twangy groove. Gene Pitney’s “Hello Mary Lou” has a Country Funk style while “She’s No Angel” has a nu-grass feel, and “Take a Letter Maria” chugs and rumbles. “Long Black Veil” is a forever haunting, “Truck Drivin’ Man” is bouncy fun, and the New Riders take on The Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women” captures the Mick and Keith swagger in a number that is borderless and beautifully loose. On “Willie and the Hand Jive”, New Riders of the Purple Sage show their psychedelic selves by stretching the jam past the ten-minute mark, much of that time showcasing gutsy and rough around the edges guitar work.
Thanksgiving in New York City features guitar playing that is steeped in Blues, dirty, greasy Blues. The standout performance, however, is Buddy Cage. New Riders of the Purple Sage was Jerry Garcia’s place to play pedal steel, so Buddy Cage had celestial shoes to fill, and they are a perfect fit for his playing. The airy fills show up in all the right places while Buddy’s solos make the songs soar as the NRPS gives the tracks a country swing. (by Bryant Liggett)
 
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