PSR046

Various Artists
“Easy to be Free: The Songs of Rick Nelson”

Released June 6, 2006
Produced by Kevin Corrie, Neil DelParto, and Erin Wolfgang

About

20 tracks paying tribute to underrated Rock & Roll/Country Rock pioneer Rick Nelson. The LP includes a wide array of artists from friends to great singer/songwriter/bands. The set features exclusive tracks from The Voyces, Marshall Crenshaw, Linda Draper, Astropop 3, 1888, The Primary 5 (Paul Quinn of Teenage Fanclub), John Beland (Rick Nelson/The Flying Burrito Brothers, etc.), Nic Dalton (from The Lemonheads) and The Gloomchasers, Liz Durrett (Vic Chesnutt), Dolorean (Yep Roc Records), Jeffrey Foskett (The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson), Oed Ronne (from The Ocean Blue), Allen Clapp (from The Orange Peels), John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)/Jim Ratts and Runaway Express plus lots more! $1.60 of the sales of each CD supports CancerCare.

A tribute to one of popular music's unsung heroes. Rick Nelson proved to be an influence on the country rock movement of the late 60's and early 70's. The project initially had interest from bands as diverse as Los Angeles' The Tyde to acoustic music from the One AM Radio. Unfortunately those contributions never materialized but managed to compile a 20 track tribute to Rick Nelson from band members to todays shining stars. $1.60 of the sale of this cd is contributed to Cancer Care.

Reviews/Press Quotes

SMOTHER MAGAZINE / June 16, 2006

Twenty years ago country rock star Rick Nelson tragically died in a plane crash. Our friends at Virginia Beach’s indie label Planting Seeds Records have compiled this assembly of artists and musicians dedicated to recreating some of Nelson’s classics. A pioneer in the country rock genre, Nelson brought to the table a variety of styles and hooks that would later comprise much of today’s alt.country masterpieces. Stand out artists include Linda Draper, The Autumn Leaves, Marshall Crenshaw, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founding member John McEuen joins with Jim Ratts and Runaway Express to show off some stimulating banjo rock on “Believe What You Say”. Nice compilation that expresses a deserving memorial to a relatively unknown musical legend. -- J-Sin

Erasing Clouds / June 19, 2006

A drastic reinterpretation of someone else's song can be exciting, though also disastrous, but there's something refreshing about a tribute album that leaves the experiments for someone else. Easy to Be Free is a true tribute - a bunch of musicians who obviously love Rick Nelson's music singing and playing them straight-ahead, trying to capture some of the grace and spirit of them. It's a rock-solid, enjoyable album, with no major disasters and a fair share of renditions that show a genuine understanding of Nelson's gifts as a songwriter and performer, and yet are not so direct that they come off like cheap imitations. Instead the contributors' own musical personalities shine through, but so does Nelson's, at very moment. Including both songs Nelson wrote and songs he didn't, and capturing the varied stages of his career – as teen pop idol, as country-rock singer, etc. – the album kicks off with The Primary 5, Paul Quinn (ex-Teenage Fanclub)'s current band doing an energetic "One X One," followed by a nice and smooth "Poor Little Fool" from "The Voyces. Linda Draper's spellbinding "How Long" properly demonstrates the dreamy quality of Nelson's music. Astropop 3 keep their take on "Life" pure and simple, and benefit greatly for it. Micheal Barrett's "Nightime Lady" is hushed and romantic. Liz Durrett's "Try (To Fall in Love)" swoons in slow-motion, like her own songs, while capturing – as many of the songs do – the sensitive, introspective aspects to Nelson. The whole affair feels particularly attuned to why Nelson is a musician to pay attention to, yet it's also a completely listenable and rewarding collection. – dave heaton

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