Gordon Lightfoot: Sundown

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Buy Friday Music 50th Anniversry edition orange vinyl from Amazon.com (US)

Buy Friday Music audiophile vinyl from Amazon.com (US)

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NEW Limited Edition vinyl LP albums from Friday Music — First released in early September 2023. Sundown comes in two colors: Orange and Turquoise. Mastered impeccably by Joe Reagoso (Gordon Lightfoot/Linda Ronstadt) from the original Reprise Records tapes. While it is not 180 gram, this limited edition LP should have better sound than the original LP due to the use of audiophile techniques. And while digital versions are enjoyable and convenient, nothing beats analog sound on a good sound system or headphones. Here's the listing for the Orange one at Amazon: Sundown Orange @ Amazon.com. It's also available in turquoise: Sundown Turquoise @ Amazon. Both have been renamed to recognize the 50th Anniversary of the release of the album; they noticed before I did (shame on me).

Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown Gets Audiophile Treatment for Record Store Day 2014

Read about Audiophile Gordon Lightfoot Sundown
(Used copies may be available @ Amazon or other resale sites).

REVIEW: A Billboard Chart Number 1 Album - And Deservedly So

An extraordinary album, yet no one has reviewed it yet? And, down there at 12-13000 in sales ranking at Amazon? Why is everyone missing this wonderful album? Perhaps because no one has reviewed it yet? So I will put pen to paper (rather fingers to keyboard) and fix that today.

Sundown, originally released in 1974, was Lightfoot's most successful album on the billboard charts. It went to number 1, in the US and Canada simultaneously, and the single of the title song topped both charts at the same time too. A second song from the album, Carefree Highway, also charted well, reaching number 10 late that year. Then why aren't people buying this album? Is it because both of these songs (as well as a third song, Circle Of Steel) are on Gord's Gold too?

Well, if that is the reason, people are missing a lot of excellent music. The two hit songs are not the only great songs on the album; in fact, many Lightfoot fans would argue that they are not the best songs on the album. Probably more so than almost any other album, every song here is a classic, full of beautiful lyrics, haunting melodies, inventive guitar playing and arrangements, and exquisite vocals. (Of course to fully appreciate the guitar, you will have to look for the MFSL half-speed mastered album, on vinyl and out of print, but this CD will make a fine substitute and plays better in your car).

Most of the songs are personal songs, but interspersed are songs of the sea, wandering and social commentary, also familiar Lightfoot themes. My favorite songs, from the "other seven" are Somewhere USA, High And Dry (which is also on Gord's Gold Volume 2), Seven Island Suite, The Watchman's Gone (which, in addition to the two hits, he still performs in concert today) and The List. If you do have Gord's Gold, you are still getting seven additional Lightfoot treasures, plus the haunting "whole" that he achieves with all of his albums, rather than - as is so common - simply a collection of songs.

Altogether this disk is a 10; well, in the rating system at Amazon (1 to 5), a 5. Enjoy!

Originally written December, 1998

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