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Review: 7a Records Michael Nesmith ‘Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash’ 50th Anniversary Edition
April 3, 2023 by fred.velez
Filed under Fred Velez, news feed
7a Records 50th Anniversary reissue of Michael Nesmith’s sixth and final RCA album ‘Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash’ marks a transitional period in Nesmith’s musical solo career. Though previously releasing a series of five artistically excellent albums starting with ‘Magnetic South’ to ‘And The Hits Just Keep On Comin’, their commercial success was less than satisfying. While other artists such as Gram Parsons, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have received recognition in the field of Country Rock, Nesmith who was one of the earliest pioneers of the genre, his well-crafted albums didn’t get the attention they deserved and floundered commercially. Despite career mishaps, Nesmith took things in philosophical stride while attempting to launch a new label Countryside through Electra Records, who among the artists signed were Garland Frady, Tom Holbrook, Steve Fromholz, J.G. Rafferty and Nez’s cosmic partner Red Rhodes. Despite the promising talents, Countryside Records eventually folded.
During this period Nesmith recorded ‘Ranch Stash’ to fulfill his contract with RCA Records, ending his association with the label where he garnered his greatest success as a member of The Monkees. Using the Countryside house band, Nesmith recorded and completed the album in an amazingly quick, expedient fashion of five days. As with his other recordings, the album contains several Nesmith originals, acoustic tunes like ‘Continuing’ and ‘Release’ which deal with the themes of lost love, are played with great expertise by Nez and the Countryside band that make the songs shimmer. Nesmith’s own version of ‘Some of Shelly’s Blues’ that had been previously recorded by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Linda Ronstadt, is a major highlight of this collection, his singing and the musicianship shows how the song should be done. The song ‘Winonah’ was co-written by Nesmith, Linda Hargrove and James Miner tells the heartbreakingly sad story of a woman and her battle with the bottle that would be a staple played at any honky tonk. The cover songs on ‘Ranch Stash’ include the beautifully played and sung ‘Born To Love You’, and the combination of ‘The F.F.V.’, a somber recitation of a railroad tragedy and ‘Uncle Pen’, a fun rollicking hoe down with the band really shining, are part of ‘Medley: The Back Porch And A Fruit Jar Full Of Iced Tea’. The original album ends on an optimistic note with ‘Prairie Lullaby’, a sweet song you can play as you put your kids to bed, a very charming way to cap off the musical preceedings. As he does with any song he covers, Nez puts his unique mark on them and makes them his own. 7a Records has added as a bonus track the alternate version of ‘Marie’s Theme’, recorded prior to the ethreal version that appears on ‘The Prison’, is presented here in a more countrified arrangement and was originally on the digital version of ‘Ranch Stash’ and the physical releases of ‘Different Drum: The Lost RCA Victor Recordings’.
The reissue has been released on 180g grey vinyl and the cd version contains a 36-page color booklet with many photos from the period with extensive and informative liner notes by Monkees manager and historian Andrew Sandoval.
While it may have been a commercial disappointment back in 1973, 7a Records reissue of ‘Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash’ is a handsomely produced package of what is consider one of Nesmith’s best albums which should be in the collection of any Nez and Monkees fan. This 50th anniversary commemorative release, coming close to two years since his sad passing, is a fitting tribute to Michael Nesmith and his music, which the album credits rightfully note, will live on forever.
Track Listing:
Side One
1. Continuing
2. Some Of Shelley’s Blues
3. Release
4. Winonah
Side Two
1. Born To Love You
2. Medley: The Back Porch And A Fruit Jar Full Of Iced Tea
a) The F.F.V.
b) Uncle Pen
3. Prairie Lullaby
Bonus Track:
4. Marie’s Theme (Alternate Version)
Deep Discount Link: https://www.deepdiscount.com/search?ar=Michael%20Nesmith%7C829427&mod=AP
Fred Velez, 2023.
Fred Velez is the author of the books ‘A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You: The Monkees From A Fan’s Perspective’ and ‘A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You 2: The Monkees From International Fan Perspectives’.
Fred Velez Book Links: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Bit-Me-You-Perspective/dp/1496112288/ref=sr_1_1?crid=162DCO2QD21MU&keywords=fred+velez&qid=1668888607&sprefix=fred+velez%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-1
