Welcome to Woody Creek

Product Description:
The new studio album from the Grammy award-winning Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is their first record of new material since 1999. Featuring "It's a New Day" and "Walkin' in the Sunshine," the band also puts a new spin on the Gram Parsons classic "She" and the Beatles classic "Get Back." The music on this album had its beginnings in the spring of 1996 when they convened for five days at Ibbyi'ses' record collection. We caught up with Norah Jones in New York City where she took some time to sit down and talk to us about the musical influences in her life--the songs she heard in the car when she was a kid, the importance of Ray Charles, and why she loves the sound of Levon Helm's voice.

Tracks:

Walkin' In The Sunshine
Forever Don't Last
Jealous Moon
It's Morning
Get Back
She
Safe Back Home
Party On The Mountain
Any Love But Our Love
It's A New Day
Old Time's Sake
Midnight At Woody Creek

Product Description

1. Walkin' In The Sunshine mp3
2. Forever Don't Last
3. Jealous Moon
4. It's Morning
5. Get Back
6. She
7. Safe Back Home
8. Party On The Mountain mp3
9. Any Love But Our Love
10. It's A New Day mp3
11. Old Time's Sake
12. Midnight At Woody Creek

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

NGDB guys "get back" to their roots .......2004-12-11

I first got interested in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's music after listening to their landmark Will The Circle Be Unbroken album. After seeing the guys in concert while attending college, I became a real fan of NGDB and haven't looked back since. Welcome To Woody Creek is the Dirt Band's first record of original music since Bang Bang Bang came out five years ago. Although I don't agree with a fellow reviewer's comment that Bang Bang Bang was a lackluster effort--I myself consider it a well-done record--I think this album is much better.

For one thing, as other reviewers have commented, the band members wrote most of the songs on this record. This is in contrast to Bang Bang Bang, where only one song, Jimmy Ibbotson's "The Monkey Song", came from a band member. Also, much of Welcome To Woody Creek was recorded at Ibbotson's own studio at his home in Aspen, Colorado. The record in this fan's opinion isn't a mere recording session, but it's five guys getting together to have a good time. Third, practically all the singing and playing on this record is done by the band members themselves--Ibbotson, Jeff Hanna, Bob Carpenter, Jimmie Fadden and John McEuen. Carpenter even sings lead on a couple of songs, something he hasn't done very much in recent years. The only guest artist is veteran pedal steel guitarist Dan Dugmore, who plays on the tender ballad "Any Love But Our Love". Finally, McEuen came back to NGDB in '02 after being out of the band for 15 years. I think John's return has definitely energized the Dirt Band; his banjo picking has a prominent place on this record and keeps NGDB's music from being mere fodder for radio stations.

There are a number of standout songs here. The band goes bluegrass on "It's Morning", "Safe Back Home", "Party On The Mountain", and the Beatles' classic tune "Get Back". To skeptics who criticize NGDB's bluegrassy arrangement of "Get Back", I say that the band made the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream" and Bruce Hornsby's "The Valley Road" into bluegrass tunes, and I think both songs came out well. "Walkin' In The Sunshine", "She", and "Old Time's Sake" are great love songs. "It's A New Day" and the aforementioned "It's Morning" are songs that make you want to get out of bed and shout. "Forever Don't Last", "Jealous Moon", and the aforementioned "Any Love But Our Love" deal with relationships gone bad for one reason or another. The closing instrumental "Midnight At Woody Creek", with McEuen on guitar and Fadden on harmonica, features some awesome musicianship from both NGDB members.

Welcome To Woody Creek, in short, is a solid performance by the Dirt Band. This record might not have a major hit single, but it's a well-done record whose music is reminiscent of NGDB's classic '70s music. The guys definitely "get back" to their roots(quoting the title of the Beatles song that was redone here) on this album.

A Welcome Return To Form.......2004-11-03

This is a welcome return to form after the relative disappointment of NGDB's last studio effort, the lackluster BANG BANG BANG, in 1999.

Several factors contribute to the overall success of this album. First, there is the full-time return of multi-instrumentalist John McEuen. His banjo playing keeps the band from slipping into the country "cookie cutter" mode that the band too often slipped into over the past two decades. In addition, they wrote most of their own material this time. All five band members wrote or co-wrote all but three tracks. Standouts are "Walkin' In the Sunshine," "Jealous Moon" and "It's Morning." [Covers include the Gram Parsons-Chris Ethridge "She" and a bluegrass remake of the Lennon-McCartney "Get Back."] Finally, the band was revitalized by "CIRCLE III." In fact, three of the songs on this album ("Any Love But Our Love," "Party on the Mountain" and "Old Time's Sake") come from the same 1996 sessions as "I Find Jesus" (which appeared on CIRCLE III).

For long time fans who treasured such releases as UNCLE CHARLIE & HIS DOG TEDDY and DREAM, this is a welcome addition to your NGDB collection. This is their best effort since 1994's ACOUSTIC and ranks up there with their classic 70s albums. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Everything is Good.......2004-10-24

Out of a Politically Divided Country with a hangover from negative ads I came across the NGDB's latest offering and found a breath of fresh air. The Woody Creek Sessions take us to another place, far from the polarized climate of 2004. Thank God!The music is uplifting, gentle and heartwarming. Just what America needs. With John back in the fold the band hits the mark with songs that make you feel like walking in the Sunshine again. Thanks boys for bringing back to me the happiness that had started to become hard to find. Next Time I pass through Woody Creek I'll stop by the Tavern and Raise a glass to your gift. See if you can get out to the Bluegrass Fest. in Westcliffe sometime. Everything is Good, knock on Wood!

Their best in years!.......2004-10-21

It's great to see The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band back on form. Not that their records over the last decade haven't been good...they have, and I enjoy them very, very much. But they always seemed a bit too "mainstream" to be ranked amongst the band's best work. I suspect it was due to major label interference preventing the genre hopping that made their music so amazing (something I strongly suspect also marred the recent "Circle 3 " record).

Not so "Welcome to Woody Creek!" The NGDB is back big time. I just hope their new label is able to give this CD the promotion and distribution it so richly deserves. Not a weak cut on the record! It's wonderful to hear the group doing their own songs again, too; not to mention, Bob Carpenter finally being allowed to sing a couple again! This is a GREAT CD by a legendary band; you won't be sorry you bought it.

Just another Dirt Band album....but that's good!!!!!.......2004-10-13

Yeah, unfortunately, this is just another Nitty Gritty Dirt Band cd, nothing earthshaking. But that's not a bad thing, the Dirt Band are one of the most consistant groups in Country Music History.

The thing that really differs on this cd is the fact that Bob Carpenter gets to sing lead on more than one song. His version of "She" is very well done. And also, their version of "Get Back" is one of the few Beatles covers that stands on it's own. It does't make you forget the Beatles version, but it doesn't sound like a copied version either.

In all, I wouldn't say the music here is similar to their cd, "Acoustic" but more like "Plain Dirt Fashion" or "Dream."

There is nothing bad about this album, you won't be upset if you get it. Personally, I am a huge fan of Jeff Hanna and would prefer that he took the lead on all of the songs, but I can live with this.

Music Album:

Music Album