New Riders Of The Purple Sage

Hempsteader

Omnivore, 2024

8/10

Listen to Hempsteader

The American country rock outfit New Riders Of The Purple Sage were born out of the psychedelic scene of San Francisco in the late ‘60s. The tracks captured here are from 1976 at the Calderone Concert Hall in Hempsteadk New York, and illustrate the band in its prime via 18 live selections.

“Panama Red” opens the listen with playful and spirited interaction between the lively instruments and flowing group vocals, and “Little Old Lady” follows with swift guitar and yodeling for the raw, mountain-esque delivery.

Further into the set, “Ashes Of Love” is quite harmonic, where lively drumming and melodic guitar suit the gritty yet tuneful vocals, while “Whiskey” is dance floor ready, and shuffles with a nostalgic energy.

Closer to the end, some funk flavor enters the clever interpretation of “Hard To Handle”, and the crisp and twang friendly “Dead Flowers” invites a sing-along immediately and finishes with much throwback fun.

At their inception, New Riders Of The Purple Sage’s lineup featured several Grateful Dead members, and it’s no surprise that their live act was in high demand. The covers here by Delbert McClinton, Hazel Dickens and Jack Tempchin, plus others, are excellent, and the original tunes don’t disappoint either, as John Dawson (guitar, vocals), David Nelson (guitar vocals), Buddy Cage (pedal steel), Stephen Love (bass, vocals) and Spencer Dryden (drums) transport us to their progressive, flourishing ways.

Travels well with: Stephen Stills- Live At Berkeley 1971; David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band- Live At The Capitol Theatre

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