Roots

Though the Everlys had responded to the British Invasion with some terrific music, their albums never seemed to return them to their pre-Beatles acclaim. Fine efforts like "Beat and Soul" found the brothers applying their golden harmonies to contemporary songs, but with limited commercial success. In a last-ditch effort to reconnect the Everlys with contemporary pop audiences, producer (and future label head) Lenny Waronker looked to ride the country-rock wave by bringing Phil & Don back to their beginnings. The result is the most solid original album in the Everlys catalog.

This final studio effort for Warner Brothers bridges the divide between the Everlys' country roots, their rock 'n' roll fame and the then-burgeoning roots scene. The track list pulls together country and hillbilly classics from Merle Haggard, Jimmie Rodgers and Ray Price, and melds them with songs from then-contemporary writers Ron Elliott (whose own Beau Brummels were finishing up their own Warner swan-song, "Bradley's Barn") and Randy Newman. Waronker and Elliot (who wrote many of the arrangements) craft sounds that range from traditional acoustic set-ups to more contemporary electric country-rock. The clever inter-splicing of audio from the Everly family's early radio program gives the entire disc a terrifically homey feel. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]

The Everly Brothers' "Roots" is a lost American classic. Not only did The Everly Brothers influence groups like the Beatles and the Byrds, but this album, recorded in Los Angeles in 1968, was one of the very first country-rock albums, and influenced scores of country-rock artists such as the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Eagles, CSNY, Poco, and to an extent the Gratfeul Dead.

"Roots" showcases the Everlys in all their vocal glory, and should be purchased along with the Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo", Jerry Lee Lewis' "Another Place, Another Time", Elvis' 1968 comeback special, any Merle Haggard album, and the double-issue CD of Rick Nelson's "Bright Lights/Country Fever" (which was actually recorded in 1966 and 1967).

The Everlys clearly were soaking in the example of groups like Bob Dylan, the Byrds and Love, and those musical footprints are all over this album. First of all, it's a concept album, couched in the style of an old-time country radio show featuring Dad and Mom Everly, 15-year-old Don and 13-year-old Phil. Interspersed between short snippets of those mono recordings of the teenaged Everlys are 11 stereo recordings of the golden Everly vocals, surrounded by a gorgeous psychedelic soundscape, very much like the Byrds (who, incidentally, I'm coming to respect more and more by the day). Their cover of Jimmie Rodgers' "T For Texas", and the segue into an updating of their old hit "I Wonder If I Care As Much", is of fantastic production value.

Another favorite here is "Living Too Close To The Ground", which was written by Don and features him alone on voacls. Clearly, the guy was a big Love fan. Although it's a bit dated, the song is so heartfelt and so unlike anything the Everly Brothers had ever done before.

However, the Everlys did not succumb to musical trends on this album. Don and Phil's incredible two-part harmonies are never better, and they're doing songs by Jimmie Rodgers, Merle Haggard and Glen Campbell. The Everly Brothers melded country music and rock and roll into a remarkable brew on "Roots", spiced with psychedelic production touches here and there. It's phenomenal.

The album itself died on the charts, but this definitely qualifies as An Album To Come Back To. Hopefully, this album will continue to get the recognition it so deserves.

A splendid pulling together of the threads of Don & Phil's work to this point, with intriguing hints of what might have been to come. Framed by excellent renderings of two Merle Haggard prison songs ("Mama Tried" and "Sing Me Back Home"), a nod to their Cadence Work ("I Wonder If I Care As Much"), contemporary pop/rock(Randy Newman's "Illinois", Ron Elliot's "Turn Around"), their country/folk "roots" ("Shady Grove,"Jimmy Rogers'"T For Texas" and the tapes of their radio work) this is a thoroughly delightful set. Lenny Waronker, their Warner Brothers producer was also doing excellent work at the time with VanDyke Parks("Song Cycle"), the Beau Brummels ("Bradley's Barn") and Randy Newman. Comparable to the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" as the best album-length realization of what had been up til then a singles band.Roughly contemporary with a masterpiece of another order: "From Elvis In Memphis."