Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash in Bloomington, MN

After hitting a groove with
And the Hits Just Keep on Comin'
, which
Michael Nesmith
recorded with just pedal steel guitarist
Red Rhodes
for accompaniment,
Nesmith
beefed his sound up again with a full band on
Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash
. But the previous album seems to have reminded
about the virtues of restraint, and while he had a six-piece band at his disposal this time out, the arrangements are tight and efficient, offering the warmth and immediacy of his
First National Band
sessions (and sometimes even beating them for subtle, understated swing).
, as always, is the star soloist here, but the rest of the band also shines, in particular the guitars of
Jay Lacy
and
Dr. Robert Warford
and the solid drumming of
Danny Lane
.
wrote one of his best and purest
country
songs for this set,
"Winonah,"
and offered up a solid remake of
the Monkees
obscurity
"Some of Shelly's Blues,"
while dipping into
bluegrass
for the lovely acoustic medley
"Back Porch and a Fruit Jar Full of Iced Tea."
was
's final album for
RCA Records
, and if it didn't fare especially well in the marketplace, from a musical standpoint he certainly left the House That Nipper Built on a high note -- it was hardly your standard '70s
country-rock
album. ~ Mark Deming