Hollywood Town Hall

by American Recordings

$11.98
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Average Rating: * * * * half star
Sales Rank:92030 (lower is better)
Price Used:$11.58
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Availability:
Release Date:2002-06-11
Label:American Recordings
UPC:731458693925
Binding:Audio CD
Published By:American Recordings
ASIN:B000068FY1
Category:Music

Tracks on Hollywood Town Hall by American Recordings

  1. Waiting For The Sun
  2. Crowded In The Wings
  3. Clouds
  4. Two Angels
  5. Take Me With You (When You Go)
  6. Sister Cry
  7. Settled Down Like Rain
  8. Wichita
  9. Nevada, California
  10. Martin's Song

Editorial Reviews and Product Descriptions

Album Description

Out of print in the U.S.! 1992 release, the third album overall, by the Americana-Pop/Roots-Rock outfit led by Mark Olson and Gary Louris. 10 tracks. Warner.
Amazon.com essential recording

The Jayhawks' breakthrough album is a roots rock classic. "Like folk music, but really loud," is how guitarist Gary Louris liked to describe the Jayhawks, but the reality is more complex--try the country-rock sound of the Flying Burrito Brothers, Neil Young, or the Band married to white-boy soul, bar band rawness, and a slight alternative edge. Hollywood Town Hall is a masterpiece of American songwriting, blending irresistible melodies, ringing guitars, and Louris and Olson's gorgeous harmonies with moody, imagery-rich lyrics. Best cuts: "Waiting for the Sun," "Take Me with You (When You Go)."
Amazon.com

Because the Jayhawks' lyrics are more interested in expressing a mournful mood than in evoking any specific emotion, and since their strengths are searing guitar solos and cathartic, Gram Parsons-influenced harmonies, it makes sense their best album would come when they teamed with a producer (George Drakoulias) who could make all that sorrowful noise come to life. Hollywood Town Hall is such a sonic marvel, in fact, that even the new version of the beautiful, if vague, "Two Angels" (repeated from their earlier album Blue Earth) sounds less a retread than a revelation. Though still obscure, like everything here it sounds breathtaking. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews

Could have been recorded in 1971 (compliment!) - Reviewed on 2008-07-28
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1 customer found this review helpful.

A belated review for an album I've had for many years, largely because I've just read all the reviews and I'm slightly surprised at some of the comparisons - particularly Gram Parsons, who I can't hear in there at all.

For me, the antecedents of this band are not so much the Byrds/Burritos,as Buffalo Springfield and their offshoots, particularly Neil Young and - the biggest soundalike of all - Poco. If someone had told me this was an unreleased Poco album recorded between "From The Inside" and "A Good Feelin' To Know" I'd have been tempted to believe them.

Anyway, it's excellent, and has stood the test of time.
An enduring classic - Reviewed on 2008-04-17
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3 customers found this review helpful.

I am not much of a music reviewer, but I just wanted to get my vote in. I have owned this album since it was released and I keep coming back to it. The songs are always fresh and leave me with a longing for other bands like the Jayhawks. If a band can create an album like this just once in their career, they have done a great job. I urge you to take a chance and buy this one, you won't regret it.
The Jayhawks - Pleasent Americana Roots Rock - Reviewed on 2007-06-04
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1 customer found this review not to be helpful.
I don't really remember how I got into this band since it is not really the type of stuff that I normally listen too, but somewhere along the line I picked up this and another one of their albums and still enjoy them quite a bit. I guess I would categorize the Jayhawks as American roots rock. There are elements of folk, country, and rock to be found in their material along with tight vocal harmonies the occasional blistering guitar solo. They are not a band that blew me away upon first listen, but over time I grew to enjoy what they do. Highlights of the disc include "Waiting For The Sun", "Two Angels", "Take Me With You When You Go", and "Nevada California". This is not an album I pull out often, and I have to be in the right mood, but I do enjoy it when I give it an occasional listen.
One of my few favorites... - Reviewed on 2006-12-21
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2 customers found this review helpful.

This is my favorite record of all time. It's like a story that takes you from chapter to chapter with such amazing songstyling and vocal harmonies, All I really want to say about it, is that you are really missing out if you do not experience Hollywood Town Hall. The stuff that they do now is also very good, but here you have them in their heyday with both Olson and Louris bouncing harmonies off eachother - amazingly beautiful. They Jays also defy being labeled, so in order to explain them to my friends, I say that they are like alt.country + roots rock + power pop + a little bluegrass and a little honkytonk thrown in there too. While still being dynamically beautiful. Just listen to it even though I sound like a raving lunatic, we give the best reccomendations anyhow.
the jayhawks are a great band - Reviewed on 2006-02-28
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1 customer found this review helpful.

it says it right on the the sticker they put on the cd "the jayhawks are an astonishingly(sp?) easy band to love." it is true. they are a great band they are my second favorite band right behind tom petty & the heartbreakers. i love this cd it is not their best(tomorrow the green grass and rainy day music are both better). but this album is still about as close to perfect as a band can get. the song "clouds" has one of my favorite opening lines of any song "the God of the rich ain't the God for the poor..." also the song "settled down like rain" is just fantastic and is probably my favorite song of all time. i am very suprised no one else has mentioned this song. they tend to single out "take me with you(when you go)", "waiting for the sun", and "nevada, california" which are all great songs but still not as good as "settled..." basically this album is great and i can't imagine anybody not enjoying it. it is a classic one of the best albums i own.
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