America 1971 - America (2013 Audio Fidelity SACD) [FLAC@88.

2khz24bit]

Artist: America
Title: America
Format: SACD, Hybrid, Stereo, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Remastered
Producer: America, Ian Samwell, Jeff Dexter
Release Date: December 29, 1971, (October 15, 2013)
Recorded: 1971 at Trident and Morgan Studios, London, U.K.
SACD Mastering: Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering
Label: Audio Fidelity
Catalog: AFZ-167
Barcode: 7 80014 21672 6
ASIN: B00EPLVZ2C
Genre: Rock, Folk Rock, Folk, Acoustic
Duration: 46:16

America:

Wikipedia:
America is a rock band, formed in England in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Dewey
Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley. The trio first met as sons of U.S. Air Force
personnel stationed in London, where they began performing live. America achieved
significant popularity in the 1970s, and was famous for the trio's close vocal
harmonies and light acoustic folk sound. This popularity was confirmed by a string
of hit albums and singles, many of which found airplay on pop/soft rock stations.
The band came together shortly after the members' graduation from high school, and
a record deal with Warner Bros. Records followed. Their debut, a 1971 self-titled
album, produced the transatlantic hits "A Horse with No Name" and "I Need You";
Homecoming (1972) produced the single "Ventura Highway"; and Hat Trick (1973), a
modest success on the charts which fared poorly in sales, produced one minor hit
song "Muskrat Love". 1974's Holiday featured the hits "Tin Man" and "Lonely
People"; and 1975's Hearts generated the number one single "Sister Golden Hair"
alongside "Daisy Jane". History: America's Greatest Hits, a compilation of hit
singles, was released the same year and was certified multi-platinum in the United
States and Australia. Peek left the group in 1977 and their commercial fortunes
declined, despite a brief return to the top in 1982 with the single "You Can Do
Magic". Four decades into their career, the group continues to record material and
tour with regularity. Their 2007 album Here & Now was a collaboration with a new
generation of musicians who credited the band as an influence. America won a Grammy
for Best New Artist at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards. The group has also been
inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and has received a star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame.

America:

Wikipedia:
America is the eponymous debut album by America, released in 1971. It was initially
released without "A Horse with No Name", which was released as a single in late
1971. When "Horse" became a worldwide hit in early 1972, the album was re-released
with that track. The album went to No. 1 on the Billboard album chart in the United
States and stayed there for five weeks. It produced two hit singles; "A Horse with
No Name" spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart in 1972 (it
peaked at No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart), and "I Need You" hit No. 9 on the
Billboard singles chart and No. 7 on the AC chart. Several other songs received
radio airplay on FM stations playing album tracks, including "Sandman" (long-
rumored to be about the United States Navy VQ-2 air squadron formerly based in
Rota, Spain) and "Three Roses". The album was certified platinum by the RIAA for
sales in excess of one million units in the U.S.

AllMusic Review by David Cleary:

Americas debut album is a folk-pop classic, a stellar collection of memorable
songs that would prove influential on such acts as the Eagles and Dan Fogelberg.
Crosby, Stills & Nash are the groups obvious stylistic touchstone here, especially
in the vocal harmonies used (compare the thick chordal singing of Sandman and
Children to CS&Ns You Dont Have to Cry and Guinevere) and the prominent use
of active strummed acoustic guitar arrangements (contrast Riverside to CS&Ns
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes). Americas intricate interplay of acoustic guitar textures
is more ambitious than that of their influences, however. Performance quality is
usually good, though on occasion sloppily executed or out of tune (especially on
the openings to Donkey Jaw and I Never Found the Time). Lengthy instrumental
introductions (Donkey Jaw), middle improvisatory interludes (Here), and
closings (Clarice) are frequently encountered. Most of these selections boast
highly unusual and inventive chord progressions that work well without drawing
undue attention to themselves. Lyrics are sometimes trite (I need you/Like the
flower needs the rain) or obscure (He flies the sky/Like an eagle in the eye/Of a
hurricane thats abandoned), but the music more than makes up for any verse
problems; only the odd Pigeon Song seems an unsalvageable misstep. Sound quality
here has a covered, intimate feel that lends a ghostly aura to this release. Chart
hits from this album include the spectrally loping A Horse with No Name, the
squarishly tuneful I Need You, and the nervously dour Sandman. Other highlights
include the buoyantly charming Three Roses, the yearningly lovely Rainy Day,
and the quietly ringing Clarice. In spite of its flaws, this platter is very
highly recommended.

Tracklist:

01. Riverside - 3:02

02. Sandman - 5:03
03. Three Roses - 3:54
04. Children - 3:07
05. A Horse With No Name - 4:10
06. Here - 5:30
07. I Need You - 3:04
08. Rainy Day - 3:00
09. Never Found The Time - 3:50
10. Clarice - 4:00
11. Donkey Jaw - 5:17
12. Pigeon Song - 2:17

Personnel:

Dewey Bunnell lead and backing vocals, 6-string acoustic guitar (except on "Here"
and "Never Found the Time")
Gerry Beckley bass (except on "Three Roses" and "A Horse with No Name"), 6 and
12-string acoustic guitars (except on "Sandman", "I Need You" and "Pigeon Song"),
lead and backing vocals (except on "Pigeon Song"), electric guitar and chimes on
"Clarice", piano on "I Need You" and "Clarice"
Dan Peek 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars (except on "A Horse with No Name", "I
Need You", "Clarice" and "Pigeon Song"), lead and backing vocals (except on "Pigeon
Song"), electric guitar (on "Sandman", "Donkey Jaw" and "I Need You"), piano on
"Never Found the Time", bass on "A Horse with No Name" and "Three Roses"
Ray Cooper percussion
Dave Atwood drums on "Sandman", "Here", "I Need You" and "Donkey Jaw"
Kim Haworth drums on "A Horse with No Name"
David Lindley electric guitar on "Children", steel guitar on "Rainy Day"