Conference mr1pst::music

    I've been a Kenny Loggins fan for years, but hesitated to pick up the
    new album, given his recent slew of soundtrack hits.  Is it possible
    that the same man wrote "House at Pooh Corner" and "Danger Zone?"  His
    previous album, "Back to Avalon," in my opinion, was a mess.  Ten or
    eleven songs - at least two from soundtracks - that didn't seem to
    belong in one place.  (Okay, the cover of "Tell Her" gets my toes
    tappin'.)
    
    But, I decided to give him one more chance.  I didn't love "Leap of
    Faith" instantly, but I could tell it had something that some of 
    his other more recent efforts didn't.  I'm not a music critic, so I
    can't describe what that something is, but this album has grown on me.
    There are some really good lyrics in "The Real Thing" and "Cody's
    Song."  The music itself is kind of folksy, something he hasn't tried
    for a while.
    
    It's not a perfect album.  In my opinion, the last two songs are
    throwaways.  One is a reprise of the first song ("Will of the Wind")
    played on the pan flute, and the other doesn't seem to fit, 
    stylewise.  "Conviction of the Heart" seems trite, despite the
    environmental message, and there's a noisy instrumental passage near
    the end of the title cut.
    
    I have a programmable CD player, so I can listen to the seven or eight
    songs that I really like.  Sure, this may break up the continuity that
    I'm sure he thinks he's conceived, but I think 1-3-8-5-7-10-6-4 is a 
    much better album.
    
    All in all, I'd say it's his best effort since 1982's "High Adventure,"
    and probably his second or third best album as a solo artist.
    
    Mike
    
    P.S.  I saw him at Berklee in November.  His band and backing vocals
          were unreal.  Great show, despite the Globe's overreaction to 
          his new introspection. 

    
    Re: .1  I'd have to agree with you on a number of counts... "Back to
    Avalon" was a waste of his time and my money, IMO.  And, certainly,
    there are a number of cuts on LoF that should be tossed out, most
    notably "Will of the Wind" and "Conviction of the Heart."
    
    While "Conviction..." is notable in that it was played at an Earth Day
    event, I just didn't get the significance to the entire theme of the
    album.  
    
    Some of the other cuts aren't so great, such as "Father's House," but
    "Leap of Faith," "The Real Thing," and "Now or Never" are works of art,
    save for the 'noisy solo' on "Leap..."
    
    I guess I've just always been taken by those people who have the
    courage to dredge up their deepest emotions and lay them out for others
    to see... you can really tell that this album was an outlet for him.
    Especially if you read the liner notes, you can't help but feel for him
    in some way.
    
    All in all, a much better piece of work than "Avalon" or _any_ of his
    soundtrack crap.
    
    Bob

    I heard the other day on local radio (Colorado) that Loggins & Messina
    were working on a reunion album and possible tour.  Anyone else hear 
    this?
    
    _stew-

    Ah HA! So that explains why I heard Angry Eyes the other day for the
    first time in, say, 15 years. It made me wonder what the heck Jim
    Messina has been doing with himself lately. I was fortunate enough to
    see L&M at the Springfield Civic Center around '77. It was a double bill
    and I was there doing a B3 rental for Boz Scaggs (who had a stellar band
    including both Pacarro bros). Not only were L&M nothing short of
    excellent but I saw them for FREE!

    have i got a double bill for you.
    when i first saw loggins and messina was summer
    of '72.  they were part of a double bill with
    mahavishnu orchestra!!
    
    L&M were great.  So was MO, but what a weird card ;-)

    Messina has done a coupla solo lps but nothing ever took from them.
    He and Richie Furay got the original Poco back together a couple of 
    years ago for their Legacy tour.  He's one hot guitarist/producer
    who I think hasn't gotten the credit he deserves. I understand that 
    he can be very hard to work with.  Can you imagine what it must have
    been like working with Neil Young & Stephen Stills in the Springfield?
    Yeow!
    
    _stew-

>He's one hot guitarist/producer
     
    Yeah, speaking of Masters of the Telecaster...

    New KL CD due August 17.  It's only been a year and a half since the
    last CD.  I wonder if it's new material, or some sort of compilation.
    
    Any news?
    
    Mike

    re: .8
    
    Nine months later, I'll answer my own note.  ;-)
    
    Last year's CD was a live recording of previous KL songs.  Next week,
    "Return to Pooh Corner" hits record stores.  Anybody know if it's new
    material?  I can't imagine they'd release two retrospective CDs in a
    row.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mike
    

Kenny Loggins was on a morning talk show this week that I happened to
see while waiting for my brakes to be fixed....

He said that he wrote the music to Return to Pooh Corner for kids and
adults. He says kids usually play their music over and over and over
again so he figured if his kids were going to play his new release
he better like it too.

He sang the original Pooh song on the show but it had a new verse I
have never heard and the verse "Winnie the Pooh didn't know what to do....."
was omitted.

    

    For those of you with CompuServe, Kenny is participating in the MIDIVEN
    forum.   That is, he is writing notes, answering questions, etc.
    
    Also, he will be hosting a live "conference" on-line on August 8th.
    You can directly ask him questions, etc.
    
    	db