The New Riders of the Purple Sage: New Riders of the Purple Sage

The June 2003 CD repackaging of the first New Riders of the Purple Sage album includes a version of "The Weight" as an added track. Recorded at the Fillmore West August 7, 1971, it includes a stoned John Dawson vocal with Jerry Garcia dropping atmospheric steel guitar bombs all around.

Anyone who enjoyed the Grateful Dead's Workingman's Dead or American Beauty and wanted more, then or now, should get the New Riders of the Purple Sage's eponymous release and follow it with the Riders' next two albums. With Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart in tow, and Jefferson Airplane's Spencer Dryden playing what drums Hart didn't, plus Commander Cody at the piano, New Riders of the Purple Sage is some of the most spaced-out country-rock of the period. Even ignoring the big names working with John Dawson, David Nelson, and Dave Torbert, however, this is a good record, crossing swords with the Byrds, the Burrito Brothers, and even Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and holding its own. Maybe a few of the cuts (especially "Henry") are predictable at times, but mostly, New Riders of the Purple Sage was full of surprises then (the amazingly sweet, brittle guitars, in particular) and has tunes that have held up well: "Portland Woman," "Whatcha Gonna Do," "I Don't Know You," and "Louisiana Lady," not to mention the eight leisurely paced minutes of acid-country found in "Dirty Business." There are no added notes, but they'd hardly be vital -- the album is an open book. --Bruce Eder, All-Music Guide

Tracks

1. I Don't Know You (Dawson)
2. Whatcha Gonna Do? (Dawson)
3. Portland Woman (Dawson)
4. Henry (Dawson)
5. Dirty Business (Dawson)
6. Glendale Train (Dawson)
7. Garden of Eden (Dawson)
8. All I Ever Wanted (Dawson)
9. Last Lonely Eagle (Dawson)
10. Louisiana Lady (Dawson)
    Bonus tracks:
11. Down In The Boondocks (Live)
12. The Weight (Live)
13. Superman (Live)

The New Riders of the Purple Sage - New Riders of the Purple Sage - 1971 - Columbia KC-30888
CD re-release with live bonus tracks: Sony (2003)