Head Over Heels / Rose of Cimarron

It was nice to get two albums on one CD. I hadn't replaced my LP's with CD's so now I have two albums on one CD. I think the sound was very good on them, although because of the location of my stereo and a very sick cat, I still haven't had a chance to listen to them the whole way through. I highly recommend this combination of songs. The band is tight and the music is true country-rock. As always, it is amazing to me that Poco weren't as popular as the Eagles but I think I've finally figured it out, at least to my satisfaction. Here's my take on it: Poco formed in 1968; the Eagles formed in 1971. Both groups played Country Rock and had multiple personnel changes but the two Eagles's founders, Glenn Frey and Don Henley, remained constants. That was the difference between the two groups. Frey's background was based in rock. After all, he left a great gig, playing backup for Bruce Springsteen, to investigate what was a new genre: country rock. Henley, from Texas, was more country-oriented, and I think he might have stayed that way had he never met Frey. Glenn Frey loved Poco; I've read that in two sources, that he said he'd love the Eagles to have as tight a sound. Nonetheless, Frey refused to let the Eagles become pigeon-holed as a Country Rock band and insisted on the group singing rock songs although they still had a country twinge; enough so that those songs would be featured both on the Country Charts and the Rock Charts. To my mind, Poco was more mellow; more country and had very few true rock songs, although I'm not familiar with all their works. That's just my theory. I also think that the other problem was in management. Poco songs, unless they were hits, were seldom played on the Boston FM stations I listened to in the late 60's and early 70's. Eagles songs were played, always with a joke made by ultra-cool "radio personalities" who thought they were too commercial. I don't speak of some of the first FM stations in Boston, who would never have played the Eagles or Poco, for that matter. The Eagles managers, especially Irving Asoff, really pushed the group hard getting them one show after another. Poco never had that kind of manager. Enough of a just-turned seventy lady who still loves her rock and roll and the Eagles and Poco. I highly recommend this combination of albums to anyone who loved good music from that wonderful span of musical history!

This compilation of Poco's "Head Over Heels" and "Rose of Cimarron" from 1975 and 1976 couldn't be any better. These are two of the very best country rock albums from the mid-1970's, and to have them both on the same CD is simply excellent. In my opinion, "Rose of Cimarron" is Poco's second best album (only Cantamos is slightly better) and "Head Over Heels" is right behind. The remastering on this BGO two-fer is superb and makes both recordings sound better than ever. I hesitated to buy this because I already owned the 1993 One Way Records re-issue of "Rose of Cimarron" and an earlier MCA version of "Head Over Heels," however I don't regret the purchase. Both of the older versions sound anemic compared to this remaster. The volume is pumped up and the bass is boosted without any loss of clarity. I just can't imagine it sounding any better.

Poco's 2-fer "Head Over Heels", (1975), and "Rose Of Cimarron", (1976), are totally different, one is kind of mediocre and the other is a stone cold classic. "HOH", (***), just doesn't take off, kind of a sluggish fill over all, as with "Rose", (*****), every song has a flow to it, as Rusty Young, Paul Cotton and Timothy Schmit write 10 wide ranging country-rock tracks. On "HOH", "Keep On Tryin'", gave them a top 50 hit, a very tame number, "Us", would be Rusty Young's lead vocal debut with Poco, nice organ work by Mark Harman. "Dallas", is a tune written by Donald Fagan and Walter Becker of Steely Dan fame, a solid string arrangement by Jimmie Haskell and Garth Hudson of The Band plays piano on "Makin' Love". Just not one of my favorite albums by Poco. Then a year later and out comes "Rose Of Cimarron", the title track is drop dead gorgeous, it will leave you singing the song for days after hearing it. Young's "Stealaway", is a 70's sounding popper, and would of fit perfectly on "Legend". "Just Like Me", this is as close as it got to sounding like The Eagles. The classic hoedown of "Company's Comin'/ Slow Poke", great harmonies, great fiddle by Al Garth and washboard by Milt Holland, just a fantastic fun number. The jangle of "Too Many Nights Too Long", Rusty's mandolin and the electric guitar of Paul Cotton make this one, another song that would fit on "Blue And Gray". "P.N.S. (When You Come Around)", the fiddle of Al Garth and Young's pedal Steel give this track a kick in the pants, great country tune. "Starin' At The Sky", Schmit's vocals keep this a light hearted affair, very upbeat and bouncy. "All Alone Together", could of been a country hit in 1976, but country didn't like rock back then, oh how time has changed. "Tulsa Turnaround", this toe tapper ends this truly great disc. "Indian Summer", would be next and Timothy Schmit would leave and go to The Eagles, but their sound would keep improving. Why this album "ROC", went nowhere is a crying shame, it should of been a top 10 album with 3 big hits! But that would come in 1978. These albums sound great compared to the ABC/MCA releases.

I simply enjoy the music Just lovely

Outstanding vocals though out great guitar lead and steel

Maravilloso cd y el tiempo de entrega increíble . Gracias

Excellent music at an affordable price !

These BGO Records 2-for Poco collections sound great. Even better, the playback volume between collections are consistent so making personal playlists between discs using Windows Media Player results in an even-volumed playback playlist (btw, WMP correctly identifies each track). This review of sound levels is for 3 collections: Seven/ Cantamos, Head Over Heels/ Rose of Cimarron, & Indian Summer/ Legend.

Buen estado

Es ist schon interessant: mit "Poco" werden meist nur die Alben "Legend" ('78) und "Legacy" ('89) assoziiert, weil sie drei Top-Singles enthielten (Crazy Love, Heart Of The Night, Call It Love). Für mich sind die eigentlichen Poco-Alben die der Post-Richie Furay-Ära ab "Cantamos", meine Lieblingsalben sind "Head Over Heels", "Indian Summer" und "Ghost Town", weil sie hervorragend produziert sind und wunderbare Popsongs "aus der zweiten Reihe" enthalten - d.h. sie sind leider nie bekannt geworden wie z.B. die Eagles, womöglich, weil sie immer ihren Wurzeln von Rock und Country verhaftet blieben, aber sie haben großartige Songs geschrieben, einen mindestens genauso starken Chor, wie die Eagles und zu der Zeit drei talentierte Songwriter: Rusty Young, Paul Cotton und Timothy B. Schmit (den Poco später ebenso wie schon zuvor Randy Meisner leider an die Eagles verlor). Rusty Young und Timothy B. Schmit liefern immer butterzarte Gesänge bis in höchste Lagen, Paul Cottons knarziger, erdiger Bariton ergänzt das Klangspektrum hervorragend, George Grantham liefert gnadenlose Power in der Tenorlage - ein Hammergesangsquartett. "Keep On Tryin" aus Schmits Feder - einer der schönsten Songs mit Gitarre und vierstimmigem Chor, die ich kenne. Die Stimmen mischen sich bei Poco ohnehin immer zu einem Gänsehautsound, mit brillianten Gesangssätzen und den besten "Uh" und "Ah"-Chören, welche die Popmusik jemals gehört hat. Schöne Balladen wie "Let Me Turn Back To You", "Down In the Quarter" oder das von Steely Dan-Mitgliedern Donald Fagen und Walter Becker geschriebene "Dallas" wechseln sich ab mit gut gelaunten Stücken wie "Lovin Arms", "Sittin on a Fence" oder "I'll Be Back Again". Alles ist durchzogen mit Rusty Youngs stets brillianten Pedalsteeleinlagen, die bei "Georgia, Bind My Ties" auch mal zur Orgel mutiert, die Balladen sind mit schönen und geschmackvollen Streicherarrangements unterlegt und überhaupt ist "Georgia, Bind My Ties" ein besonderer Titel wegen dem Gitarrenriff von Paul Cotton. Vielleicht eines der besten Gitarrenriffs, das auf einer Fender Stratocaster gespielt wurde? Schade, das es kaum einer kennt. Mich elektrisiert es auch nach über 30 Jahren noch jedes Mal und ich fahre voll drauf ab. Die Gitarrenarbeit von Paul Cotton bereichert die Songs immer sehr, egal ob er eine Strat in der Hand wie bei "Flyin Solo" oder "Georgia Bind My Ties" hat oder die legendäre, auf den Vinylcovers stets erwähnte Gretsch "White Falcon", eine der Anwärtergitarren auf den Königsthron der Halbakustikgitarren ;-) - z.B. Wer die "Eagles" mag oder den Sound der "Little River Band", der wird hier auf jeden Fall fündig und entdeckt vielleicht eine neue Liebe? P.S. Nicht vergessen "Indian Summer" mit zu bestellen

Il CD è unico e contiene 2 album dei Poco con 21 tracce in totale, rispettivamente del 1975 Head over Heels e del 1976 Rose of Cimarron. I Poco si confermano tra i migliori interpreti del country rock , insieme ad Eagles e Boston. Rose of Cimarron , a mio parere , è uno dei loro album più belli , insieme a Crazy Eyes, Indian Summer e Legend. Per chi non conoscesse la loro musica, questo CD è sicuramente consigliato. Consegna rapida e professionale, come nello stile di Amazon

Great albums. The best country-folk-rock group period! Poco is a highly under rated group. Without them there would be no Eagles!

Cantamosリリース後、Epic RecordからABC Recordに移籍し、リリースしたのが ”Head Over Heels”、続くアルバムが”Rose Of Cimarron”。 Pocoの充実期を支えた4人になってリリースした”Seven”、”Cantamos”は若々しくハード な面も聴かせてくれましたが、この”Head Over Heels”からずいぶん練れた音になって きたという印象です。 ”Rose Of Cimarron”でそのサウンドはさらに成熟し、その後の”Indian Summer”で王道 のPocoサウンドが完成したという感じがします。 同時期に大活躍したWest Coastの雄EaglesがJoe Walshの加入から一気にロック色を 深め、プログレッシブな方向に進んでいったのに比較するとPocoはロック色を深めてはい てもストレートなカントリー色を残したロックを聴かせてくれ、それが爽やかで鮮烈な印象を 残してくれます。個人的にはどちらも大好きなサウンドですが、あっさりとした心地よさという 点ではPocoに軍配を上げます。 またTimothy B. Schmiitのせつない高音のボーカルとRusty Youngのこれも耳に残る甘い ボーカルの2枚看板は圧倒的な魅力です。 面白いところでは"Head Over Heels"ではSteely Danのファースト．シングルである「Dallas」 を取り上げています。「Dallas」はSteely Danのオリジナル．アルバムには収録されておらず、 レアな曲ですが、Pocoが取り上げても納得感のあるカントリーフレーヴァーな曲です。 この2枚のカップリングとこの後のIndian Summer、Legendは70～80年代のWest Coast Rock を代表できるアルバム群だと思います。