Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in CDs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on CDs
Johnny Rivers had a well-respected rock career going in the early 60s. In 1966, however, his style took on a new direction: folksy pop balladry (the only descriptive I can think of to call it!). 1966 saw his release Changes which contained the #1 hit Poor Side of Town plus many covers of standards from the day. This album was followed by Rewind and Realization, both of which were successful and both continued the new softer sound of Johnny Rivers. Arguably, these two albums plus the song Poor Side of Town comprise Rivers' greatest achievements. The melodies are beautiful; the creative and atmospheric setting is wonderful. I bought this CD because it had the two albums together in one. Why not just buy his greatest hits? Quite simply, some of the best songs in these two albums (such as Tunesmith [Rewind] and Going Back to Big Sur [Realization]) were never released as singles and therefore would rarely show up on a Greatest Hits album. Unfortunately these "filler" songs were imperative to me to have; not just "the hits".Finding these two albums together was a double stroke of luck for me. I especially like this product because the sound is crisp and the songs float in your memory just as they did during the 60s. Is there anything I dislike about the product? Yes, the fact that it took me so many years to find this affordable memory! Physically, musically, affordably -- there's nothing there to dislike.) This is a fine reproduction of two fantastic albums. I also mentioned "affordable". These albums are now mainly available only on auction and discount sites. Since the albums were seminal in Rivers' career, their "used" price is usually extravagant. Not this combination of the two! I highly recommend this combination album to anyone who loves mid-late 60's balladry. Rivers' albums were important influences in its development. You can't go wrong with these! Put on the disc, lower the lights, and let the music wash over you. You might even start singing along!Read full review
I would have given this an excellent rating but just cannot bring my self to rate something that someone else may not find excellent as excellent. Does that make sense---to me--this is excellent but maybe not for you. Ya see, you kinda had to be there at the time and place when this was all new to truly understand the smile it brings to my face whenever I listen to it again. For the uninitiated it is still Very very good. There were 2 different Johnny Rivers. 1) The rocker who kept the clubs bouncing to Maybelline and other Chuck Berry style rockers. 2) The sensitive folky who wrote and interpreted folk style music better than almost anyone in a more pop style vein. Johnny Rivers Number 2 is the guy who delivered these two superb recordings, and I had honestly forgotten how very good they were until I heard them again. I would have bought them both seperately, but lucked into this 2 disc perfect set. I remember back in the day that both Bob Dylan and Van Morrison had picked Rivers as their favorite "interpreter" and you can see why on "Positively 4th Street" heard here and on "into the Mystic" (unfortunately not on this set). Summer Rain was my favorite of all of his "radio hits" as it perfectly captured that summer of 1968 and what was going on in our lives then. His own composition "Going Back to Big Sur" may have had something to do with my moving there a few years later after visiting many times with the same feelings he described in the song (...and that girl). Another reason that I cannot mark this as excellent is because it was "so very much a part of the time." It's hard to have anyone not involved in the era to hear it with the same ears and sensibility. However, if you were of and about the times---pick this up--you will not be sorry. I am listening to it as I write this and it is taking me back about 40 years--and damn---I AM smiling!!!!Read full review
I have both of these albums on vinyl. I enjoyed them for many years and now can enjoy them for many more. Sound is great. Could never have put my vinyl on CD and gotten the same quality sound.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Listened to Johnny Rivers many years ago and was looking for the Realization album, getting the Rewind in with the deal was like a bonus.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Love my Jonny Rivers cd . The Quality is great and the songs are too. Takes me back to my 60 songs only better, due to the quality of vinyl records and cassettes. And it will last longer/
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New