Pure Prairie League: Greatest Hits

 (21 customer reviews)

Following the country-rock trail blazed by the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Poco and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Pure Prairie League threw its hat into the ring with its self-titled debut in March of 1972. It was full of wonderful songs like the steel guitar-driven "Tears" and the aching "It's All on Me." Despite positive critical praise, the album (and the single "Woman") failed to chart. Three months later the Eagles release their debut and chart no fewer than three singles. Convinced that the band is on the right track, co-founders Craig Fuller and George Powell would return to the studio with a revamped Pure Prairie League and turn out the best album of their career, Bustin' Out, seven months after their debut. [All but one song, "Leave My Heart Alone," are included here.] In addition to their signature song, "Amie," the album contained "Jazzman," "Early Morning Riser," "Boulder...Read more

Let's face it: The Pure Prairie league released only
two good albums, their first two.But the second of those was a true corker: "Bustin'
Out". The not-so-secret weapon that elevated those first albums
was singer/writer Craig Fuller. Once Fuller departed, following
the second album, Pure Prairie releases were dull and pedestrian
countrified bar-band stuff.This compilation wiseley draws primarily from those first
two worthwhile efforts and, as it includes all but a singlelackluster track from "Bustin' Out", basically replaces that
album as the must-own in the Pure Prairie League catalogue.
Along with almost all of "Bustin' Out" you get a the best
tracks from the first album, a pleasant non-LP b-side from the
same era, and a few tracks from later RCA albums that prove
to any doubters that it was all over once Craig Fuller left.Most anyone can start and end their Pure Prairie League
collection with this album...

The sound quality is the worst of any post-70's CD in my collection. I have CD's recorded in the forties that sound better than this! Either the master tape has been lost or someone won't part with it long enough for a digital transfer to be made. This sounds like a copy of a copy of a copy of the master, and made on poor equipment to boot. This, however, is our reality, like it or not, and if you're like me and you must own it "for better or worse", then you'll pull out your wallet and be happy with it because the individual CD's that this is culled from don't sound any better. (sigh)