John David Souther was among the first artists signed to David Geffen's Asylum Records imprint, joining the likes of other SoCal talents
Judee Sill,
Jackson Browne,
David Blue, and
the Eagles.
Souther's on-again/off-again collaborations with fellow Detroit, MI native
Glenn Frey began when the pair formed a folk duo called
the Longbranch Pennywhistle. Their sole outing is definitely worth finding as it boasted contributions from the likes of
James Burton (guitar),
Ry Cooder (guitar),
Doug Kershaw (fiddle),
Jim Gordon (drums),
Larry Knechtel (keyboards), and
Joe Osborn (bass). For
Souther's 1972 debut, the singer/songwriter enlists the aid of not only his one-time partner
Frey, but also a few other notable names consisting of
Ned Doheny (guitar),
Gib Guilbeau (fiddle), former
Things to Come member
Bryan Garofalo (bass), and soon-to-be-session musician extraordinaire
Gary Mallaber (drums). John David Souther (1972) bears the same earthy Southwestern textures that are inextricably linked to the roots of the country/rock subgenre. "The Fast One" commences with a midtempo rocker that bears the sonic stamp of
Guilbeau's unmistakable fiddling. "Run Like a Thief" follows with a prime example of
Souther's often underrated lyrical capacity. He draws upon sacred themes during "Jesus in 3/4 Time" with a feel that isn't too far removed from the
Gram Parsons-era
Byrds. "Kite Woman" is a love song for codependents, reiterating an understated craftsmanship within
Souther's wordplay as he reflects on one whose "got you strung-out somewhere down the line." "Some People Call It Music" is marked by some superlative string work from
Souther and
Doheny, with the former's harmonies practically predicting the compact, rural vocals that
the Eagles would adopt in fairly short order.
Joel Tepp (harmonica) -- whose recent résumé listed a guest shot on
Crazy Horse's Loose -- provides a few greasy harp licks to the blues-fuelled "White Wing." The palpable loneliness of "It's the Same" and the concluding "Lullaby" are countered by the rocker "How Long." Although the latter title was initially issued by
Souther as a single from this album, it resurfaced some 36 years later on
the Eagles' reunion studio platter
Long Road out of Eden (2007). It would become a Grammy award winner for them under the "Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" category. The nod reinforced an already prolific collaboration between
Souther and the combo, as he supplied several key LP cuts for them during the '70s, including co-writing "The Best of My Love," "New Kid in Town," and "Heartache Tonight." ~ Lindsay Planer