Walking Distance

Amazon.com
After 1997's Picnic, an uneven attempt to cross over to the rock side of the alternative-country divide, this Bandera, Texas, singer-songwriter returns to sounds and themes closer to home. Brimming with fiddle, mandolin, and slinky honky-tonk guitars, Keen's eighth album has the lyrical depth and humor of his best work. At the center is a four-song outlaw suite, beginning with Norman Blake's little-known gem "Billy Gray" and ending with the drifter's lament "Still Without You," in which Keen sings, "I climbed the mountains and I swept the plains / I crossed the border and I broke my chains / I walked the back roads till my shoes wore through / I'm still without you." And while the album closes with the bonus coda "Happy Holidays Y'All" (a hysterical sequel to his classic "Merry Christmas from the Family," presented in two giddy takes), Walking Distance finds Keen rediscovering the intense poetry of his Texas muse. --Roy Kasten

USA Today
[For Robert Earl Keen] the true wonders lie on the road. He captures those in a sound as fresh and wide-open as the wanderlust inhabiting songs like "Down That Dusty Trail" and "Travelin' Light."

Walking Distance,Robert Earl Keen,Arista,Alternative Country,Contemporary Folk,Country,Country-Folk,Folk,Pop,Popular Music,Progressive Country,Singer/Songwriter

Average customer rating: My first REK The REK album Nationally Keen's Best To Date Feel so good, feelin' good again....

Walking Distance Robert Earl Keen Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Country Folk | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Picnic A Bigger Piece of Sky Gringo Honeymoon The Party Never Ends West Textures ASIN: B00000DFSN Release Date: 1998-10-27

Tracks:

1. Down That Dusty Trail
2. Travelin Light
3. Feelin Good Again
4. That Buckin Song
5. I'll Be Here For You
6. Billy Gray
7. Theme: Road To No Return/Carolina
8. New Life In Old Mexico
9. Still Without You/Conclusion: Road To No Return
10. (Silent Track)
11. Happy Holidays Y'All/Bonus Track 1

Amazon.com

After 1997's Picnic, an uneven attempt to cross over to the rock side of the alternative-country divide, this Bandera, Texas, singer-songwriter returns to sounds and themes closer to home. Brimming with fiddle, mandolin, and slinky honky-tonk guitars, Keen's eighth album has the lyrical depth and humor of his best work. At the center is a four-song outlaw suite, beginning with Norman Blake's little-known gem "Billy Gray" and ending with the drifter's lament "Still Without You," in which Keen sings, "I climbed the mountains and I swept the plains / I crossed the border and I broke my chains / I walked the back roads till my shoes wore through / I'm still without you." And while the album closes with the bonus coda "Happy Holidays Y'All" (a hysterical sequel to his classic "Merry Christmas from the Family," presented in two giddy takes), Walking Distance finds Keen rediscovering the intense poetry of his Texas muse. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

My first REK.......2006-08-12

This was the first Robert Earl Keen CD I ever bought, out of curiousity knowing he co-wrote This Old Porch with Lyle. It hooked me so much that I have since bought all his CD's and been to a couple of his shows up here in the northwest. The only song I could do without is Happy Holidays, but it is what it is :) All the others are just plain great. I particularly love Feelin Good Again, which sounds to me like one man's version of paradise. I'll Be Here For You is also dead on. The trilogy at the end (not counting Track 11) is the only song trilogy I've ever liked and I absolutely love it. Wish I could hear him play the whole trilogy in concert sometime.

I'm not from Texas, but I sure like all the music that passes through Austin, and for me REK is the best of the best.

The REK album.......2006-01-14

I remember listening to this album while I was attending Texas A&M University. Since Keen is an Aggie himself, attending A&M lends itself to less than a discriminating taste for his music since - let's face it - it's hard not to cheer loudly for any performer who lets you cart your own keg of Keystone to his live show. Still, Keen is the primary reason I harbor delusions that the country music played in Texas is, unlike the drivel they peddle out of Nashville these days, still actual, honest-to-God country music, and for that I am profoundly grateful. Walking Distance is the best of the bunch from Keen, too, though I count several close friends (and fellow Aggies) who would undoutedly disagree with me. The Saturday night party calls for No. 2 Live Dinner, and the pre-live show shindig necessitates a playing of Gringo Honeymoon (if not Bigger Piece of Sky, if Keen is feeling nostalgic on the night you see him live), but pound-for-pound, give me Walking Distance for a f*ing ALBUM. I get the distinct impression (and it might just be this Texan's imagination) that this album is the result of the failure of Picnic (a good album in its own right, if not particularly memorable) to morph Mr. Keen into the country star it seems he's always dreamed of being (see, e.g., The Front Porch Song, the intro to Mariano off the second live disc, or the entire Picnic album for that matter).

I for one, judging from the brilliance of Walking Distance, am glad he didn't make it. There are far too many country pop stars coming from Nashville these days. Lord knows they are stealing our artists who used to have something to sing about (Pat Green, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and Cory Morrow among them). At least to my mind, divine Providence smiled upon Mr. Keen in his failed attempt at stardom, considering that it directly resulted in Walking Distance.

Buy No. 2 Live Dinner if you know nothing about Mr. Keen - you will not be disappointed - it's his most accessible album, something of a Rubber Soul in ostrich boots and a black felt ten gallon hat. Buy Gringo Honeymoon, Bigger Piece of Sky and the Live Album (in that order) next, and you'll see why I have the audacity to compare him to the Beatles. (Thegroundbreaking nature of each is astounding - though the Beatles accomplished their revolution on a world stage, the revolution fronted by Mr. Keen is no less important to those who value the country music tradition of Jennings, Cash, Horton, Nelson, Guthrie and Williams.) But after that, buy Walking Distance (or steal it from a friend - however you can lay your hands on it) - it is the, pardon, Revolver of Texas country - the album that you will continue to put on for its own sake, not just from which to cherry-pick tracks for your next get-together (as you might from Gringo Honeymoon), but for when you put on an album when you're alone in the house, and what you want is a musical experience, dammit.

There are those of us who believe (despite our predilection for the occasional party) that this is what music is about at its core. For me, this feeling is encapsulated in Walking Distance. I hope that, at least for some of you, that same feeling can be found in the same album.

Nationally.......2005-09-10

This was REK's first Nationally released album, and while his sound has changed a little in this album from previous ones, fans are sure to still listen to this one repeatedly. "Feelin'g Good Again" is my favorite song on this disc, but there are so many others I find myself humming or singing at various times. Great for fans of REK, Texas Country, Jack Ingram, Pat Green, Charlie Robison, etc...

Keen's Best To Date.......2004-12-28

Walking Distance is REK's best release to date. From the opening of the rocking "Down That Dusty Trail" through the wonderful cover of Norman Blake's "Billy Gray", to the cinematic "Road to No Return/Carolina" and "New Life in Old Mexico", Keen finally takes his rightful place among the best songwriters in the Americana genre. This album both rocks with a kick as well as soothes with rich, haunting ballads. There's not a bad song in the bunch here. I've been a fan ever since I first heard the "Front Porch Song" some 16 years ago..... ("Robert Keen, Robert Keen, can ya come help me for a minute!", to paraphrase an inside joke from the song). Keen's current band is formidable, to say the least. Keen's guitarist, Rich Brotherton, is one of the most underrated sidemen working today. This is a must buy for all REK fans and is certainly more than a worthy introduction to one of America's most unique musical talents.

Feel so good, feelin' good again...........2004-09-26

I was turned on to Robert Earl Keen years ago by a friend from Houston who was flabbergasted that I did not know who he was -- and once I started listening to his music, so was I!!!! This is one of my all-time favorite CD's -- the kind you can just listen to over and over again and never take out of your CD player... I've had family members fall in love with it and steal it from me twice, so I will be buying it for a THIRD time now! To me, there are song on there that just tug at the heartstrings and are hearbreakingly honest and real, and some that are hilarious... I would recommend this album to any and all REK fans... and anyone who has been unfortunate as of yet to discover this Texas treasure!!!!

Average customer rating: Varèse Sarabande à son meilleur! A copy in every household . . . A sampler feat. some of the greatest film scores in history. "the man behind Varese Sarabande ~ Robert Townson"

In Session: Film Music Celebration Robert Townson , Joel McNeely Jerry Goldsmith , and Royal Scottish National Orchestra Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Herrmann | Herrmann, Bernard | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Newman | Newman, Alfred | ( N ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Waxman | Waxman, Franz | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mancini | Mancini, Henry | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Film Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Star Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Star Trek | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration Music In Film (National Public Radio Milestones Of The Millennium) The Incredible Film Music Box The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores ASIN: B00005ABOI Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

1. 2001
2. Rebecca
3. Citizen Kane
4. That Hamilton Woman
5. Anna and the King of Siam
6. Captain From Castille
7. A Streetcar Named Desire
8. Viva Zapata!
9. The Trouble With Harry
10. Peyton Place
11. Vertigo
12. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
13. The Twilight Zone
14. Psycho
15. The 3 Worlds of Gulliver
16. Breakfast At Tiffany's
17. To Kill A Mockingbird
18. Marnie
19. Hamlet

Tracks:

1. The Agony and the Ecstasy
2. The Sand Pebbles
3. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
4. Born Free
5. Fahrenheit 451
6. Patton
7. Tora! Tora! Tora!
8. Jaws
9. Midway
10. Superman: The Movie
11. Star Trek: The Motion Picture
12. Somewhere In Time
13. Body Heat
14. Out of Africa
15. Platoon
16. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
17. Taras Bulba
18. Agony and the Ecstacy (Main Title) - Jerry Goldsmith, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
19. Sand Pebbles (Overture) - Jerry Goldsmith, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
20. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Moon and Main Title) - Jerry Goldsmith, National Philharmonic Orchestra
21. Playtime [Born Free Dub Mix II] - Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Frederic Talgorn
22. Road [From Fahrenheit 451] - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra
23. Patton (Entr'acte) - Jerry Goldsmith, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
24. Tora! Tora! Tora! (Main Title) - Jerry Goldsmith, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
25. Man Against Beast - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
26. Midway (Main Title and End Title) - Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Rick Wentworth
27. Superman The Movie (Love Theme) - John Debney, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
28. Enterprise [Star Trek: The Motion Picture] - Jerry Goldsmith, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
29. Somewhere in Time (Theme) - John Debney, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
30. Body Heat (Main Title) - The London Symphony Orchestra, Joel McNeely
31. Out of Africa (Main Title) - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
32. Platoon (Theme) - Georges Delerue
33. Shadows of the Empire (Xizor's Theme) [Star Wars] - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
34. Ride of the Cossacks [Taras Bulba] - Cliff Eidelman, Seattle Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Varèse Sarabande à son meilleur!.......2003-04-17

Robert Townson célèbre ici le 500ème cd à être édité par Varèse Sarabande en créant une compilation receuillant les nombreux réengistrements que Varèse Sarabande sut faire au travers des dernières années. Regroupant du matériel de Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Alex North et plusieurs autres, In Session propose un parcours éclectique au travers des années de compositions de chacune des bandes sonores présentées au sein de la compilation. Le voyage commence à avec la musique rejetée de 2001 d'Alex North, pour faire un parcours passant par Rebecca, Citizen Kane (Félicitons ici le FABULEUSE voix de la soprano Janice Watson et la direction impécable de Joel McNeely), Viva Zapata!, Psycho, The Sand Pebbles, Patton, Jaws, Platoon (Autre musique rejetée du regreté Georges Delerue, pastiche du célèbre Adagio pour cordes de Samuel Barber), Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Musique composée par Joel McNeely pour le livre se déroulant entre The Empire Stricke Back et The Return of the Jedi) pour finalement clore avec Tara's Bulba. Il s'agit ici d'une sélection très riche, des morceaux d'une durée appréciable et d'une direction et d'une sonorité incroyable. Il s'agit ici d'un merveilleux cadeau de Robert Townson et Varèse Sarabande (Label qui célèbre en 2003 son 25ème anniversaire. Surveillez aussi la compilation de Varèse Sarabande (4 cds pour le prix de un!) qui verra le jour le 22 avril 2003) et c'est une compilation que toute personne sensible à la musique doit posséder! Chapeau Varèse!

A copy in every household . . ........2003-02-09

This disc is so chock-full of classic scores from classic films that every movie-and-music lover should own a copy. Thanks to Robert Townson for producing this collection and the entire Varese film score catalog. My favorite tracks from this disc are "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"; "Star Trek: The Motion Picture"; and "Midway".

A sampler feat. some of the greatest film scores in history........2001-09-06

Words cannot convey what a collection like this means to a film music collector such as myself. Varese Saraband has been releasing quality film scores and music for the last 20 plus years. My vinyl and CD collections burst with so much great stuff from Varese. One day I was looking in the bins of my local record store and noticed this little gem of a collection. I looked at it and saw a virtual cornucopia of the great film score cues for only $ (and 2 discs). So I purchased it and opened it up. Much to my surprise, the booklet is chock full of information about each scoring session and pictures to boot. I also learned more about some of these wonderful pieces as well. Well thanks to Mr. Townson and this nice collection, I plan to purchase some of the recordings these cues were released on since I don't own classics like Viva Zapata, Alex North's 2001, Superman (not the Varese version, I do have the other release), and Patton. Guess I will have to save a few pennies, but it will be worth it. I recommend this collection to anybody who wants to discover and learn about the history of film music. I also think it's a great listen from the first song to the last on both discs. My compliments to Varese on a great collection of classics (and keeping it under $).

"the man behind Varese Sarabande ~ Robert Townson".......2001-04-06

The music that this label releases is without a doubt in a class by themselves, always perfection. Here we have the 500th CD release from ~ "The Man Behind The Music" ~ Mr. Robert Townson. So much care is taken with each album, that you feel you are witnessing the birth of a newborn baby, and that may be just what it is.

For those of us who buy each album ~ people who work to create them ~ the artwork ~ musicians ~ and a list of some of the most talented composers and conductors ~ John Barry, Elmer Bernstein, John Debney, Georges Delerue, Cliff Eidelman, Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herrmann, Michael Lang, Henry Mancini, Joel McNeely, Alfred Newman, Alex North, Miklos Rozsa, Dimitri Shostakovich, Frederic Talgorn, Franz Waxman, Rick Wentworth and John Williams ~ and as always the sound quality and performances by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and National Philharmonic Orchestra is dynamically flawless and simply superb.

This economically priced 2-CD-Set ~ pure film score sampling ~ is worth it's weight in gold. One should not have a favorite from this vast collection, but if asked ~ it would be "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" (1962) composer Elmer Bernstein took it to the limit and beyond, the story-line, cast and score was the perfect marriage.

A big, big thank you to ~ Matthew Joseph Peak (cover/session photography) ~ Jonathan Allen, Geoff Foster, Bernie Kirsh, Mike Ross, Mike Sheady and Al Swanson (recording engineers) ~ Rich Breen (mastering engineer) ~ and for the extensive 28 page liner-note booklet featuring "behind the scenes" memories of these past 500 albums, may we look forward to future classics on the next 500 CD's from producer...ROBERT TOWNSON!

Total Time: Disc One 71:20 on 19 Tracks & Disc Two 71:24 on 17 Tracks...Varese Sarabande 302 066 225 2...(2001)

Average customer rating:

Walking Distance Manufacturer: Break-Neck-Speed-Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CA33ES Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

1. Big Time
2. Get Away
3. Whose Side
4. Life in One Day
5. Reap What You Sow
6. Latest Interpretation
7. Stay
8. Gloria Down
9. My Mistake
10. Preachng to the Choir

Average customer rating:

Much Action Walking Distance Crush Kill Destroy Manufacturer: Makoto Recordings ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000066F4N Release Date: 2002-04-30

Tracks:

1. Cathedral
2. Worst Ever
3. Sharps
4. The List
5. Count The Empty Chairs

Average customer rating:

In Lamun's Terms Lamun Bros. Manufacturer: Walking Distance Entertainment ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000KMO2Q6

Product Description

12 tracks: dead end of a dirt road * lonesome cowboy * walking distance * cowboy comes around * i have you * say hello to heaven * down by the river * loving only you * one last night (in my arms) * i can see us * feeling this bad * i am love

Average customer rating:

Made in Taiwan Manufacturer: Onse Plate ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CA6TOE Release Date: 2004-10-26

Average customer rating:

Icelandic Songs, Vols. 1 & 2 Manufacturer: Bad Taste (Bayside) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B00005YHL9 Release Date: 2000-08-29

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