1976′s Slippin’ Away sits alongside 1998′s outstanding Like A Hurricane as the peak of Chris Hillman’s solo output. Joyous opener ‘Step On Out’ was later covered by the Oak Ridge Boys. Hillman cites ‘Falling Again’ as a favourite, while the catchy as hell ‘Take It On The Run’ should have been a country rock AM radio perennial.
The epic and haunting Stephen Stills song ‘Witching Hour’ had been in the Manassas repertoire, but that band’s version was not released until the 2009 collection Pieces. The laidback ‘Blue Morning’ is another stunner.
Throughout the album, Hillman sounds like a confident vocalist, even though he confesses in the sleeve notes that this wasn’t the case. Flying Burrito Brothers number ‘Down In The Churchyard’ is reworked here in an almost reggae-country style.
In a more traditional Burritos vein is ‘Midnight Again’, while Hillman returns to his bluegrass roots with album closer ‘Take Me In Your Lifeboat’. He’s aided throughout by a star-studded selection of guests, including Steve Cropper, Bernie Leadon, Timothy B. Schmit, Jim Gordon, Lee Sklar and Herb Pedersen.
by Jim Henderson
1. Step on Out (Chris Hillman, Peter Knobler) - 3:15
2. Slippin' Away - 3:27
3. Falling Again - 4:04
4. Take It on the Run - 3:25
5. Blue Morning - 3:51
6. Witching Hour (Stephen Stills) - 4:23
7. Down in the Churchyard (Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons) - 4:02
8. Love Is the Sweetest Amnesty (Danny Douma) - 3:43
9. Midnight Again - 3:35
10.(Take Me in Your) Lifeboat - 2:45
All songs by Chris Hillman except where stated
Musicians
*Chris Hillman - Electric, 12 String, Acoustic, Guitars, Mandolin, Vocals, Bass
*Byron Berline - Bass, Fiddle, Violin, Vocals
*Sam Broussard - Rhythm Guitar
*Steve Cropper - Rhythm, Electric, Guitars
*Donnie Dacus - Guitar, Slide Guitar
*Donald "Duck" Dunn - Bass
*Jim Fielder - Bass
*Flo And Eddie - Vocals
*Albhy Galuten - Arp Synthesizer, Synthesizer
*David Garibaldi - Drums
*Jim Gordon - Drums
*Ivory Joe Harris - Keyboards
*Paul Harris - Keyboards
*Howard Kaylan - Vocals
*Russ Kunkel - Drums
*Joe Lala - Handclapping, Percussion, Tambourine
*Bernie Leadon - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Richard Marx - Guitar, Vocals
*Herb Pedersen - Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Al Perkins - Electric, Pedal Steel, Rhythm, Guitars,
*Rick Roberts - Handclapping, Vocals
*Timothy B. Schmit - Vocals
*Leland Sklar - Bass
*George Terry - Guitar
*Mark Volman - Vocals
1964 The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Retro World double disc release with extra material)
1968 The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (two disc set remaster and expanded)
1972 Stephen Stills - Manassas (2006 HDCD)
1973 Stephen Stills And Manassas - Down the Road (Japan issue)
1973 Byrds - Byrds (2004 issue)
1979 McGuinn, Clark And Hillman - McGuinn, Clark And Hillman (2014 japan SHM remaster)
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