Thursday, June 9, 2022

Cross Country - Cross Country (1973 us, wondrous melodic country sunny folk, 2009 edition)



Brooklyn-based Cross Country, it was actually a side-project of The Tokens, formed by brothers Mitch and Phil Margo, together with Jay Siegel, and backed by some great musicians. They released a lone, self-titled album in 1973, and it's quite nice. It's mostly harmonic Americana, similar in the vein of Simon & Garfunkel, Beach Boys and the lighter side of Crosby Stills and Nash.

The record is really lovely a little slice of early 70s rock, with requisite country, folk and pop overtones, with wonderful harmony work to boot. Most of the material was written by Mitch Margo except two songs, the Wilson Pickett's tune “In the Midnight Hour” (written by Steve Cropper and Pickett), and "Choir Boy" penned by Milo Sobel.

Mitch Margo died November 24th, 2017, of natural causes at his home in Studio City, California, at the age of 70. His brother Phil passed away at a hospital in Los Angeles, California, after suffering a stroke, on November 13, 2021, at the age of 79.
Tracks
1. Today - 2:42
2. Just A Thought - 3:18
3. Cross Country - 3:49
4. In The Midnight Hour (Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett) - 3:14
5. Things With Wings - 2:00
6. Extended Wings - 2:35
7. Tastes So Good To Me - 3:10
8. A Fall Song - 2:49
9. Choir Boy (Milo Sobel) - 3:20
10.A Ball Song - 2:50
11.A Smile Song - 4:28
All compositions by Mitchell Margo except where stated

Cross Country
*Mitchell Margo - Guitar, Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer, Percussion, Vocals
*Phil Margo - Percussion, Vocals
*Jay Siegel - Percussion, Vocals
With
*Hugh McCracken - Guitar
*Richard McGrath - Steel Guitar 
*Allan Schwartzberg - Drums
*Greg T. Walker - Bass
*Eric Weissberg - Fiddle, Mandolin, Pedal Steel Guitar
*Stu Woods - Bass 
*Jimmy Maeulen - Percussion
*Bob Mann - Guitar 
*Al Gorgoni - Guitar
*Kirk Hamilton - Bass
*Max Hollander - Strings
*Loren Korevec - Guitar 
*George Devens - Percussion
*Jerry Friedman - Guitar