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CD Description
Since his death at the age of 52 in 1997, the reputation and popularity of Townes Van Zandt has grown greater by the day. He left behind a musical legacy of beautifully crafted songs and a legion of ever growing grateful admirers. This deluxe 4-CD compact box set features all Van Zandt’s studio recordings released by the Poppy and Tomato labels during his most creative period, including the classic tracks ‘Pancho and Lefty’, ‘If I Needed You’ and the 1973 live set ‘Live At The Old Quarter’. Tracks: DISC ONE For The Sake Of The Song / Tecumseh Valley / Many A Fine Lady / Quicksilver Daydreams Of Maria / Waitin’ Around To Die / I’ll Be Here In The Morning / Sad Cinderella / The Velvet Voices / All Your Young Servants / Talkin’ Karate Blues / Sixteen Summers, Fifteen Falls / Be Here To Love Me / Kathleen / She Came And She Touched Me / Like A Summer Thursday / Our Mother The Mountain / Second Lover’s Song / St. John The Gambler / Tecumseh / Snake Mountain Blues / My Proud Mountains / Why She’s Acting This Way / DISC TWO For The Sake Of The Song / Columbine / Waitin’ Around To Die / Don’t Take It Too Bad / Colorado Girl / Lungs / I’ll Be Here In The Morning / Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel / (Quicksilver Daydreams Of) Maria / None But The Rain / F.F.V. / Delta Momma Blues / Only Him Or Me / Turnstyled, Junkpiled / Tower Song / Come Tomorrow / Brand New Companion / Where I Lead Me / Rake / Nothin’ / DISC THREE Two Hands / You Are Not Needed Now / Greensboro Woman / Highway Kind /. Standin’ / No Deal /To Live Is To Fly / When He Offers His Hand / Mr.Mudd And Mr.Gold / Blue Ridge Mountains / High, Low And In Between / No Lonesome Tune / Sad Cinderella / German Mustard (A Clapalong) / Don’t Let The Sunshine Fool Ya’ / Honky Tonkin’ / Snow Don’t Fall / Fraulein / Pancho And Lefty / If I Needed You / Silver Ships Of Andilar / Heavenly Houseboat Blues / DISC FOUR Loretta / No Place To Fall / Flyin’ Shoes / Who Do You Love / When She Don’t Need Me / Dollar Bill Blues / Rex’s Blues / Pueblo Waltz / Brother Flower / Snake Song / At My Window / Buckskin Stallion Blues / The Spider Song / Upon My Soul / Two Girls / Fraternity Blues / White Freight Liner Blues / Talking Thunderbird Blues / Nine Pound Hammer / Chauffeur’s Blues / Cocaine Blues / Only Him Or Me
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
63 of 64 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Townes Van Zandt has a lot of CDs available and not all of them are good. Be careful what you buy. Check out the reviews and track listings on Amazon first. In my opinion there are too many later CDs which are just repacked old songs with little or no new material. I love his music but I am not prepared to pay full album price for one or two songs. Therefore I was unsure where to start with his back catalogue then I found this boxset.
The box set is amazing value. You get Townes first 7 albums (and arguabley his best) plus a live CD for £14. All of these CDs contain Townes songwriting at its most prolific and his best. The first CD contains his first two albums and is possibly the weakest (but by no means weak) of the set. This is because of his first album which was overproduced and they added in some questionable backing arrangements to Townes' songs. This is particularly noticable on the classics like Waitin Round to Die and Tecumseh Valley. This does not ruin the songs but it is not the way the songs were meant to sound (compare the 1st version of Tecumseh Valley from his first album on CD1 to the second version also on CD1 but from his second album) and by all accounts Townes himself was not overly impressed with the sound of his first album.
For those unaware of Townes, his songs vary between country, folk and blues. My personal favorites are when Townes' songs are at their most dark, vulnerable, fragile and beautiful. However, he also does some good upbeat numbers, talking blues and humourous songs. Townes was a poet and as such expect to find most songs filled with beautiful and intelligent lyrics. He was not the greatest singer in the world but his voice fits perfectly to his own songs and I have not heard any better versions of his songs than his own.
Townes did re-record many of his best known songs on several of the albums here so there is some repitition but the songs are so strong that you cannot get fed up hearing them and there are also many hidden gems that I fail to understand how they are not better known (such as "Like a Summer Thursday" and "Snow Don't Fall").
I am reviewing this box set and not Mr Van Zandt as a whole but in my opinion the albums in this boxset are his best and are pure classics that you will come back to time and again and never tire of listening to. Townes was a very flawed character and as such his talent suffered. He was never as prolific again in his career but there are some decent later albums that contain mostly new material and I am now seeking them out.
Townes Van Zandt seems to instill a strong sense of loyalty and awe amongst those who appreciate his music. Will everyone like this? No of course not but his talent cannot be denied (I don't doubt Madonna's talent but her music just isn't my thing) and if you like (mostly acoustic) folk, country and blues then you should love Townes. Once you have discovered him you will want everyone else to hear and like his music as much as you do. I haven't and probably can't (in words) say just how much I love these songs. This is by far the best CD (for value and content) that I have ever bought.
The box set is amazing value. You get Townes first 7 albums (and arguabley his best) plus a live CD for £14. All of these CDs contain Townes songwriting at its most prolific and his best. The first CD contains his first two albums and is possibly the weakest (but by no means weak) of the set. This is because of his first album which was overproduced and they added in some questionable backing arrangements to Townes' songs. This is particularly noticable on the classics like Waitin Round to Die and Tecumseh Valley. This does not ruin the songs but it is not the way the songs were meant to sound (compare the 1st version of Tecumseh Valley from his first album on CD1 to the second version also on CD1 but from his second album) and by all accounts Townes himself was not overly impressed with the sound of his first album.
For those unaware of Townes, his songs vary between country, folk and blues. My personal favorites are when Townes' songs are at their most dark, vulnerable, fragile and beautiful. However, he also does some good upbeat numbers, talking blues and humourous songs. Townes was a poet and as such expect to find most songs filled with beautiful and intelligent lyrics. He was not the greatest singer in the world but his voice fits perfectly to his own songs and I have not heard any better versions of his songs than his own.
Townes did re-record many of his best known songs on several of the albums here so there is some repitition but the songs are so strong that you cannot get fed up hearing them and there are also many hidden gems that I fail to understand how they are not better known (such as "Like a Summer Thursday" and "Snow Don't Fall").
I am reviewing this box set and not Mr Van Zandt as a whole but in my opinion the albums in this boxset are his best and are pure classics that you will come back to time and again and never tire of listening to. Townes was a very flawed character and as such his talent suffered. He was never as prolific again in his career but there are some decent later albums that contain mostly new material and I am now seeking them out.
Townes Van Zandt seems to instill a strong sense of loyalty and awe amongst those who appreciate his music. Will everyone like this? No of course not but his talent cannot be denied (I don't doubt Madonna's talent but her music just isn't my thing) and if you like (mostly acoustic) folk, country and blues then you should love Townes. Once you have discovered him you will want everyone else to hear and like his music as much as you do. I haven't and probably can't (in words) say just how much I love these songs. This is by far the best CD (for value and content) that I have ever bought.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This promises to be the re-release of the year. This was originally released by Charley back in 2001. This looks as though it will be the second release, repackaged version, with 4 separate discs in standard jewel cases. The original release was in a folder/book form of box set and according to the Amazon site it had extra tracks over the 4 jewel case release. Either way as value for money goes this cannot be beaten, nearly 90 tracks covering his creative peak - all his output on the Tomato and Poppy labels. In total you are getting 8 albums for just over a pound a piece - which is unbelievable value. And to top it off these are some of the greatest country songs and albums ever recorded. There is starkness to the songs and honesty that you will not find in 99.9% of what comes out of Nasville these days. He is a song writer on par with Hank Williams and there are very few artists who deserve to be spoken of in the same sentence as him. If you are a newcomer to Townes this is a perfect introduction at a perfect price, if you are a fan, its a chance to replace that worn vinyl and chance to revel in his mastery again.
Original ReleaseTexas Troubadour
2nd Release Texas Troubadour
This has been a collectors item for a few years now and its nice to see it back in print, and good that people dont have to pay over the odds for the collection - recommended totally!
Original ReleaseTexas Troubadour
2nd Release Texas Troubadour
This has been a collectors item for a few years now and its nice to see it back in print, and good that people dont have to pay over the odds for the collection - recommended totally!
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
An absolute MUST for anybody interested in furthering their love/knowledge of Americana music. If ever you've heard the name Townes Van Zandt mentioned and are feeling a hint curious about this songwriting marvel then go out and buy this. I bought it on a whim and have never looked back. And to quote Steve Earle "Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that."
The extensive liner notes booklet is a nice bonus too.
The extensive liner notes booklet is a nice bonus too.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Awesome discovery
Awesome discovery, bought them after watching a film on his life and can't believe I never heard it before, classic songwriting
Published 16 days ago by F. Jauregui
I Love it
A Wonderful collection of work.
Also, The booklet that comes with the collection is great if you want to know more about Townes and where his inspiration came from. Read more
Also, The booklet that comes with the collection is great if you want to know more about Townes and where his inspiration came from. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ellinore
compelled to review
You think you've heard it all before until this gem moves your soul to tears,with lyrical poetry,humour and depth that is unparalleled in this listeners ear. Read more
Published 20 months ago by lottie
An absolute Steal
This 4CD box set contains the first seven Townes Van Zandt albums. It also includes a small selection from the 'Old Quarter' live album.
Published 22 months ago by Ashley
All over Townes
Why do all my favourite singers have to die? Tim Buckley, Lowell George, David Ackles, Tim Hardin - the list goes on forever.
Talk about heartbreak. Read more
Talk about heartbreak. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2009 by GlynLuke
anthology of a songwriting genius
Townes van Zandt lived the life of a poet, on him guitar, a bottle of whiskey and other intoxicating substances which killed him way before time. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2009 by Cedric Daniels
What are you waiting for? Buy it!
This features all of Townes's early albums in one set. There's too many tracks here to mention, but each one is a gem! Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2008 by Mr. M. R. Pountney
Troubadour or not Troubadour
Most people outside of Texas and certainly the USA come to
Townes via a whole host of international recording artists
who know a good tune and a good lyric when they hear... Read more
Townes via a whole host of international recording artists
who know a good tune and a good lyric when they hear... Read more
Published on 27 Nov 2003 by Rochdale Cowboy
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