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View Full Version : Dillard & Clark (and Bernie Leadon) appreciation thread



GettheLeadonOut!!
09-02-2010, 01:43 AM
Listening to "With Care from Someone" from Fantastic Expedition and thought this amazing little band needs an appreciation thread. Bernie's banjo and backing vox give me that peaceful easy feeling...

sodascouts
09-11-2010, 05:35 PM
I have to admit, the only album I have of Dillard & Clark is The Fantastic Expedition - but then again, this group is so short-lived that's half their catalog! Forgive me for focusing on Bernie's co-writes, but those are the ones I've listened to the most.

"She Darked the Sun" is one of the more well-known songs (relatively - thanks to Linda Ronstadt's version) but I have to say it's not a favorite of mine. The melody drags a bit. The best thing about it is the figurative language referred to in the title: "With the length of her mind, she darked the sun." An excellent lyric.

I absolutely love "Don't Come Rolling"! Fun, peppy, and catchy, with a jazzy melody that's as sassy as the lyrics. Terrific!

Their version of "Train Leaves Here This Morning" sounds a lot more world-weary, probably because of the vocal. The instrumentation is definitely more countrified. I like the Eagles' version better, but it's good.

"With Care from Someone" has a nice dramatic flair to it and interesting melodic shifts. One of my favorites from the album.

To me, it's an interesting coincidence that Joe Walsh would have a song called "The Radio Song" that could not be more different from Dillard & Clark's. It's funny - Dillard & Clark's sound is so old-school that the story of a guy driving a car from Memphis to Colorado listening to the radio while he thinks about his girl seems incongruous with it. I expect them to be riding horses. lol

The introspective "In the Plan" works well. I especially like the way it ends, when the instruments become gradually less prominent and the tune slows down for that final "Where do I fit in the plan?" Effective.

GettheLeadonOut!!
09-20-2010, 06:20 PM
Nice analysis ss. Fantastic Expedition is an amazing album and a must have for any Leadon fans. What I find interesting is that Bernie plays the majority of the banjo on the album instead of Doug Dillard who was sort of a mentor of Bernie's and, next to Earl Scruggs, is probably the greatest banjo player of all time. The other notable thing about the album is how heavily involved Bernie was in constructing the music with Dillard and Gene Clark (whose lyrics as usual are amazing). It's really just a great album to cool out to on a late afternoon.

And I would recommend their follow up, Through the Morning, Through the Night. Although, not as great as their first album, has some great moments (my favorite being Kansas City Southern). I believe Bernie plays on a few tracks although he quit the band (sound familiar?) during its recording.