Reprinted from Green Man Review.
Poco was the first great country rock band, or the second (I can’t recall whether The Flying Burrito Brothers beat them to the punch or not). Both bands formed in 1968, both released their debut albums in ’69, and both lost the race to the top of the charts to The Eagles, who came later. Poco was a great band, combining good songwriting, stellar playing, harmonies, and a beat you could dance to. What was missing? Just people to buy their records. They also had a reputation as a superb live band. The liner notes to /DeLIVErin’, their third album, emphasized that fact.
Collectors’ Choice Music introduces a new LIVE division with a selection of releases by Hot Tuna, Johnny Winter, John Denver and Poco. Collectors’ Choice President Gordon Anderson explains, “After some 15 years of reissuing albums and compiling artists, we’re convinced that some of the biggest remaining veins of gold in the vaults are the live shows that a lot of labels recorded of their artists in their prime, particularly those who made their reputation with improvisational prowess and/or ever-changing set lists. These first four releases…certainly fit that description.” And this Poco album is a great place to start!
Recorded just after /DeLIVErin’ had made it to the Top 30, Poco played a private showcase at the CBS Records studio in Hollywood. Richie Furay recalls, “We just set up as we would have for a small club…[we didn't want to be] pigeon-holed into being a one-sound band.” They played new songs that would be included on their next album, From the Inside, and allowed new lead guitarist Paul Cotton (from the Illinois Speed Press) time to stretch his wings on some classics from their catalogue. The band consisted of Furay and Cotton (both of them on guitar and vocals), bassist Tim Schmidt (who would later leave to join the Eagles), pedal steel and dobro player Rusty Young, and drummer/vocalist George Grantham. Grantham and Young brought the country vibe, Furay and Cotton the rock ‘n’ roll, and Schmidt was a master of harmony. Together they were brilliant.
The recording is beautiful; the fact that is was done in a studio, in front of industry insiders, allows for a clean and crisp sound that captures the essence of their recorded work. The guitars are tough and rocking, the pedal steel lays down an organ sound, the drums steady. When they start singing “I Guess You Made It” there’s just no other band like Poco! They move effortlessly into “A Man Like Me,” “Ol’ Forgiver,” and “Hear That Music” with hardly a breath (except to introduce Paul Cotton). Then it’s a reach back to “Hurry Up” from the second album, the one with the oranges on it! You can’t help but dance and smile when you listen to Poco, there’s just so much positive energy that comes out of every note.
The song selection is a couple from Pickin Up the Pieces, just the one from Poco, five tunes from /DeLIVErin’ and seven tracks (out of ten) from From the Inside. The medley even references Furay’s days in Buffalo Springfield by including “A Child’s Claim to Fame”. But it’s not simply a troll through classics: they play everything with a sharpness that shows they were ready for the stage. The two nights following this recording were concerts at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. This was a dandy warm-up gig!
Each member of the group is featured on vocals, and they could sure all sing. And when they sing together…they had their own sound. That’s Poco, and this is them at their best. Put a smile on. Listen to some Poco.
(Collectors’ Choice LIVE, 2009)
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