Atlanta Rhythm Section - The Polydor Years (1974-80 us, amazing southern fried soulful rock, 2019 remaster and expanded 8 discs box set)

 

Born from the ashes of The Candymen and The Classics IV, Atlanta Rhythm Section began as the house band at Buddy Buie, J.R. Cobb, and Bill Lowery’s Studio One in Doraville, Georgia. Members had already performed on recordings by Al Kooper, Roy Orbison, B.J. Thomas, and even Liberace by the time they began rising to fame, fanning the southern rock flame.  Now, the band’s classic output – recorded from 1974 to 1980 – has been remastered and collected in a new box set: The Polydor Years, due this Friday, May 31 from Caroline International.

The Polydor Years is an 8-CD set that brings together many of their best-loved albums and biggest hits.  Inside you’ll find Third Annual Pipe Dream (1974), Dog Days (1975), Red Tape (1976), A Rock and Roll Alternative (1976), Champagne Jam (1978), Underdog (1979), Are You Ready? (1979) and The Boys From Doraville (1980). Their first two band efforts were recorded for Decca Records and therefore don’t feature here.

Over the course of their tenure with Polydor, the band morphed from a straight-ahead, down-home southern rock group, to a more laid-back sound that brought them their biggest hits – “So Into You” (No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, 1977), “Imaginary Lover” (also No. 7, 1978), “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” (No. 14, 1978), and their cover of the Classics IV’s “Spooky” (No. 17, 1979).  The latter had particular resonance as ARS originally rose out of the ashes of that group, with keyboardist Dean Daughtry and guitarist J.R. Cobb among the founding members.

Alongside the classic albums, The Polydor Years includes several rare single edits and mono mixes that represent the radio-friendly versions of their songs.  All the tracks in the set have been remastered by Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham and the albums come housed in a clamshell box with a booklet of liner notes and discographical annotations.  All told, it’s an attractive presentation of some classics from the ’70s rock era.

by Sam Stone, May 29, 2019 

Tracks

Disc 1 Third Annual Pipe Dream 1974

1. Doraville (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:30

2. Jesus Hearted People (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:51 

3. Close the Door (Paul Goddard, Ronnie Hammond) - 3:26

4. Blues in Maude's Flat (Grant Green) - 3:51

5. Join the Race (John Fristo) - 3:58

6. Angel (What in the World's Come Over Us) (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 5:12

7. Get Your Head Out of Your Heart (Ronnie Hammond, Robert Nix) - 2:33

8. The War Is Over (Barry Bailey, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 2:02

9. Help Yourself (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Nix) - 2:55

10.Who You Gonna Run To (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Nix) - 3:21 

11.Angel (What in the World's Come Over Us) (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:29 

12.Angel (What in the World's Come Over Us) (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:29

13.Doraville (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:16

14.Get Your Head Out of Your Heart (Ronnie Hammond, Robert Nix) - 2:31

Bonus Tracks 11-14

Disc 2 Dog Days 1975 1. Crazy (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:13 2. Boogie Smoogie (Barry Bailey, Buddy Buie, Robert Nix) - 8:15 3. Cuban Crisis (Perry Carlton Buie, James Cobb, Robert Nix) - 3:42 4. It Just Ain't Your Moon (Buddy Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Nix) - 4:59 5. Dog Days (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:38 6. Bless My Soul (James Cobb) - 3:53 7. Silent Treatment (Barry Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 5:23 8. All Night Rain (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Bob McRee, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:18 9. Crazy (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:11 Bonus Track 9

Disc 3 Red Tape 1976 1. Jukin (Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Nix, James Robert Wills) - 3:47 2. Mixed Emotions (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Nix) - 3:20 3. Shanghied (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 2:16 4. Police! Police! (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:13 5. Beautiful Dreamer (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:29 6. Oh, What a Feeling (Barry Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 2:40 7. Free Spirit (Perry Carlton Buie, Ronnie Hammond, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:38 8. Another Man's Woman (Barry Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 9:52 9. Free Spirit (Perry Carlton Buie, Ronnie Hammond, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:39 10.Jukin (Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Nix, James Robert Wills) - 3:45 Bonus Tracks 9-10

Disc 4 A Rock And Roll Alternative 1976 1. Sky High (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Ronnie Hammond, Robert Nix) - 5:17 2. Hitch-Hikers' Hero (Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:37 3. Don't Miss the Message (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:31 4. Georgia Rhythm (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:53 5. So Into You (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:22 6. Outside Woman Blues (Arthur Thomas Reynolds) - 4:52 7. Everybody Gotta Go (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:12 8. Neon Nites (Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:01 9. So Into You (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:16 10.So Into You (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:16 11.Neon Nites (Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 2:44 Bonus Tracks 9-11

Disc 5 Champagne Jam 1978 1. Large Time (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 2:56 2. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:09 3. Normal Love (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:25 4. Champagne Jam (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:33 5. Imaginary Lover (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 5:07 6. The Ballad of Lois Malone (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:33 7. The Great Escape (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:50 8. Evileen (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:34 9. Jam (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:33 10.Imaginary Lover (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:09 11.Imaginary Lover (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:09 12.I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:45 13.I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:43 Bonus Tracks 9-13

Disc 6 Underdog 1979 1. Do It or Die (Perry Carlton Buie, Ronnie Hammond, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 3:30 2. Born Ready (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Nix) - 3:59 3. I Hate the Blues/Let's Go Get Stoned (Nickolas Ashford, Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix, Valerie Simpson) - 7:14 4. Indigo Passion (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 3:57 5. While Time Is Left (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Nix) - 5:21 6. It's Only Music (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 5:38 7. Spooky (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Harry Middlebrooks, Mike Shapiro) - 5:01 8. My Song (Perry Carlton Buie, Ronnie Hammond) - 3:18 9. Indigo Passion (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 3:43 10.Large Time (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:17 11.Back Up Against the Wall (Buddy Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 3:13 12.Spooky (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Harry Middlebrooks, Mike Shapiro) - 3:49 Bonus Tracks 9-12

Disc 7 Are You Ready! 1979 1. Sky High (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Ronnie Hammond, Robert Nix) - 6:04 2. Champagne Jam (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 5:10 3. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 5:02 4. Large Time (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 3:28 5. Back Up Against the Wall (Buddy Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 4:08 6. Angel (What in the World's Come Over Us) (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 7:13 7. Conversation (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 3:59 8. Imaginary Lover (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 5:33 9. Doraville (Barry Joe Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 4:05 10.Another Man's Woman (Barry Bailey, Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 14:28 11.Georgia Rhythm (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr., Robert Lafayette Nix) - 5:42 12.So Into You (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix) - 7:40 13.Long Tall Sally (Alexander Blackwell, Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman) - 3:38

Disc 8 The Boys From Doraville 1980 1. Cocaine Charlie (Perry Carlton Buie, Ronnie Hammond) - 4:53 2. Next Year's Rock 'n' Roll (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry) - 5:24 3. I Ain't Much (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 4:25 4. Putting My Faith in Love (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 5:13 5. Rough at the Edges (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry) - 3:19 6. Silver Eagle (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 3:52 7. Pedestal (Perry Carlton Buie, Ronnie Hammond) - 2:49 8. Try My Love (Perry Carlton Buie, Ronnie Hammond) - 4:03 9. Strictly R 'n' R (Perry Carlton Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Lafayette Nix, Rob Walker) - 4:45 10.I Ain't Much (Perry Carlton Buie, James B. Cobb Jr.) - 3:58 Bonus Track 10 Atlanta Rhythm Section *Barry Bailey - Guitar *Buddy Buie - Vocals *J.R. Cobb - Guitar, Vocals *Dean Daughtry - Keyboards *Paul Goddard - Bass Guitar *Ronnie Hammond - Vocals, Vocals *Robert Nix - Percussion, Drums, Vocals *Roy Yeager- Percussion, Drums (Discs 7-8) 1975-76 Atlanta Rhythm Section - Dog Days / Red Tape (2005 remaster) 1979 Atlanta Rhythm Section - Are You Ready! (2012 remaster)

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