Although this album may have been a contractual obligation, there is no doubt that
Emitt Rhodes
did not take the task of recording
American Dream
lightly. After disbanding his first group,
the Merry-Go-Round
,
Rhodes
still owed
A&M Records
another album. Several new sessions were held, and along with a few old tracks such as the remarkable
"You're a Very Lovely Woman,"
they make up the body of this fine, if fragmented album.
"Mother Earth"
is without a doubt one of
'
McCartney
-influenced masterpieces, led by a strident 12-string acoustic guitar and a masterful lead vocal. For the first (and possibly only) time in his career,
utilized session musicians, but he used the very best. Awesome playing from
Hal Blaine
Larry Knechtel
Drake Levin
Joel Larson
, and others lift this track and others to a level of greatness. This album may be seen as a sort of a warm-up for
' brilliant, self-recorded
Dunhill
albums. ~ Matthew Greenwald