From Amazon.com
The Sins Of Memphisto, Indeed
Album Rating: (4 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: Parts of this review have been used to review John Prine's "Great Days" album which is pound for pound the best compilation around but if you have extra dough get this one as well.
Over the last several months I have done more musically-oriented reviews that I had expected. One of the themes that have kept cropping up is that for some folk/blues-oriented musical artists like Bob Dylan my attachment was immediate, long time and on-going. For other artists like John Prine it has been more of a recently acquired taste. In fact, my first acquaintance with the work of John Prine, at least that I was aware of, was several years ago when I was requested to get a couple of his CDs for a friend for Christmas. Upon listening to those albums, including this compilation, we both agreed that the best bet was to return them and get something else. Go figure.
I had, obviously, heard Bonnie Raitt do his "Angel From Montgomery" long ago but I never associated his name with that song. Then a couple of years ago I happened to listen to his "Hello In There" and "Sam Stone". Anyone whose has been affected by the Vietnam War experience in any way will gasp after hearing "Sam Stone", a very personal take of the destructiveness of that war for many of those who fought it, found hard drugs and found the black hole as a result. If you want to hear a real anti-war song rather than something wistful like "Where have All The Flowers Gone?" and the like then listen to this one. Yes, this guy has something to say that I wanted to (and on some songs, needed to) hear.
This compilation represents a nice selction of his later work. Mr. Prine is a good guitar player, a very, very good wordsmith who has produced some poetic turns of phrases here that will have you thinking for a while. He also frankly, has the wry sense of humor (in the classical Greek sense of that word) of a man who has been pushed around by life, has pushed back; taken his beatings, dusted himself off and gotten back up again. You know, just the kind of guy that I, and I am sure other guys and gals of a certain age, very definitely can relate to.
So what is good here? Listen to "The Sins Of Memphisto", "Picture Show" Train" and "Jessus The Missing Years". The you will know what I mean by that remark about his wordsmanship mentioned above.
One of Prine's Best
Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: John Prine is one of my favorite artists. This album highlights his talent very well. It's been good to visit with him again.
John's Best
Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: This is John's best album, and that's saying a lot. All the other reviewers here are right. The only thing I would add would be a nod to the late Howie Epstein who produced this wonderful stuff (and "Lost Dogs" as well)........
Prime Time...
Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: This is one fantastic recording! A must-have for any J.P. fan or lover of great folk music. God Bless you John and thanks for all the good times!!!
so far from the valley of the unconcerned
Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: I am listening to John Prine's CD `The Missing Years' while waiting for my brown rice spinach pilaf to cook for lunch, Tuesday, March 6, 2007. The words of the songs are printed inside the CD case, but you won't get that from me. I have printed words and chords for entire John Prine albums from the internet, with three or four songs per page. There are plenty of words in a song like `It's A Big Old Goofy World,' but it has been years since I tried to memorize the words so I could sing a song the way it would be performed. Now I'm more impressed by words that jump out at me, like the lines in `The Sins of Memphisto':
Sally used to play with her hula hoops
Now she tells her problems to therapy groups
Grampa's on the front lawn staring at a rake
wondering if his marriage was a terrible mistake
I'm sitting on the front steps drinking Orange Crush
Wondering if it's possible for me to still blush
UH HUH OH YEAH.
I have plenty of favorite people playing on this CD: David Lindley, Howie Epstein, Benmont Tench, and Mike Campbell. Four of the names for the people singing background vocals are well known. `Jesus the Missing Years' is the song which shows the greatest imagination, but `Daddy's Little Pumpkin' has the most "fire burning, burning right behind your eyes" kind of sense. There is a great blues song on this CD, `Great Rain' written by John Prine and Mike Campbell, which is something I never expected from John Prine, which has enough greatness to easily picture:
I thought I heard you calling my name
I was standing by the river
talking to a young Mark Twain.
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