Audio CD review:
The Carter Family - Volume 2: 1935-1941

The Carter Family - Volume 2: 1935-1941

Band: The Carter Family Title: Volume 2: 1935-1941 Rating: Release Date: 08 April, 2003 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Glory To The Lamb 2: Behind Those Stone Walls 3: Sinking In The Lonesome Sea 4: He Took A White Rose From Her Hair 5: Can The Circle Be Unbroken (Bye And Bye) 6: Let's Be Lovers Again 7: Your Mother Still Prays (For You Jack) 8: Kissing Is A Crime 9: Don't Forget Me Little Darling 10: Sad And Lonesome Day 11: By The Touch Of Her Hand 12: East Virginia Blues No.2 13: My Old Virginia Home 14: My Virginia Rose Is Blooming 15: My Texas Girl 16: No Other's Bride I'll Be 17: Gathering Flowers From The Hillside 18: Gospel Ship 19: Little Black Train 20: Keep On The Sunny Side 21: River Of Jordan 22: Lonsesome Vally 23: God Gave Noah The Rainbow Sign 24: Single Girl, Married Girl 25: The Fate Of Dewey Lee 26: Wildwood Flower 27: Sea Of Galilee 28: Don't Forget This Song 29: My Clinch Mountain Home 30: The Storms Are On The Ocean 31: Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone 32: Broken Hearted Lover 33: Little Darling Pal Of Mine 34: The Homestead On The Farm 35: Cannon Ball Blues 36: Meet Me By The Moonlight Alone 37: On The Rock Where Moses Stood 38: Lulu Walls 39: I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes 40: Worried Man Blues 41: My Dixie Darling 42: Give Me Your Love And I'll Give You Mine 43: Are You Lonseome Tonight? 44: The Last Move For Me 45: The Wayworn Traveller 46: Just Another Broken Heart 47: When Silver Threads Are Gold Again 48: There's No One Like Mother To Me 49: In A Little Village Churchyard 50: Jealous Hearted Me 51: My Native Home 52: Sweet Heaven In My View 53: No Depression 54: Bonny Blue Eyes 55: My Honey Lou 56: In The Shadow Of The Eyes 57: Answer To Weeping Willow 58: You've Been A Friend To Me 59: Where The Silvery Colorado Wends It's Way 60: Lay My Head Beneath The Rose 61: The Broken Down Tramp 62: Lover's Lane 63: Hold Fast To The Right 64: Lord I'm In Your Care 65: Funny When You Feel That Way 66: In The Shadow Of Clinch Mountain 67: Hello Stranger 68: Never Let The Devil Get The Upper Hand Of You 69: When This Evening Sun Goes Down 70: Jim Blake's Message 71: Honey In The Rock 72: Look How This World Has Made A Change 73: The Little Girl That Played On My Knee 74: You Better Let That Liar Alone 75: Farewell Nellie 76: The Only Girl (I Ever Cared About) 77: Goodbye To The Plains 78: My Home's Across The Blue Ridge Mountains 79: Dark Haired True Lover 80: He Never Came Back 81: Happy In The Prison 82: Walking In The King's Highway 83: St. Regious Girl 84: Just A Few More Days 85: Bring Back My Boy 86: It Is Better Farther On 87: Charlie And Nellie 88: Cuban Soldier 89: The Heart That Was Broken For Me 90: You're Nothing More To Me 91: Stern Old Bachelor 92: Little Joe 93: Reckless Motorman 94: You Denied Your Love 95: Oh Take Me Back 96: You Are My Flower 97: Who's That Knocking At My Window 98: They Call Her Mother 99: Coal Miner's Blues 100: Young Freda Bolt 101: Little Poplar Log House On The Hill 102: The Dying Mother 103: Buddies In The Saddle 104: Heaven's Radio 105: Beautiful Home 106: There'll Be No Distinction There 107: Give Him One More As He Goes 108: Lonesome For You Darling 109: Blackie's Gunman 110: You've Got To Righten That Wrong 111: Meeting In The Air 112: My Home Among The Hills 113: Black Jack David 114: Look Away From The Cross 115: We Shall Rise 116: I Found You Among The Roses 117: Bear Creek Blues 118: I'll Never Forsake You 119: Beautiful Isle O'er The Sea 120: It's A Long Road To Travel Alone 121: Why Do You Cry, Little Darling 122: Lonesome Homesick Blues 123: Dark And Stormy Weather 124: In The Valley Of The Shenandoah 125: The Girl On The Greenbriar Shore 126: Something Got A Hold Of Me 127: Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room 128: Keep On The Firing Line 129: The Wave On The Sea 130: The Rambling Boy

Customer Reviews Good value, but more than a casual fan needs... I found my set in a bargain bin for two-thirds of the listed price, so I am even luckier, but it is a good buy at this price if you really, really like the Carters. More than six hours of old-time mountain, country and Gospel songs, by the pioneer ensemble in all of country music history, and the sound quality is fine considering the age of the recording. The first two discs are generally wonderful, as is the fifth in the set. The middle two, covering the years 1936-40, however, will not be getting much repeat play in my home. The songs on those two CD's are largely undistinguished and the performances a bit lethargic. Although not as great a bargain, the single CD "Can the Circle Be Unbroken?" on Columbia, and the RCA Legends CD for the Country Music Hall of Fame feature about an hour each of truly great Carter performances, wonderfully remastered. If you are only casually interested in the early history of recorded Americana music, I'd buy those two releases (for about the same total price as these five discs. ) There is little duplication between those two choices as well. Although I was not totally captivated by all 129 tracks on this set, there are some obscure Gospel numbers which are wonderful to hear. I prefer the secular or romantic Carter tunes in general to the hymns, but some of the religious songs you can find here deserve new arrangements and a revival. On Disc One, my favorites are "Sinking in the Lonesome Sea" (aka "Golden Vanity") and "Gospel Ship. " On the second CD, covering 1935-36, I like "The Storms are on the Ocean" and "On the Rock Where Moses Stood" among a bunch of other greats. For Disc Three, my favorite was "Honey in the Rock" which stood out way ahead of the other 25 tracks. For the fourth disc, "Walking on the King's Highway" was my choice. The final disc, covering the original group's last sessions, has several fine songs: "Heaven's Radio" and "There'll Be No Distinction There" and "Black Jack David" are all neat, and so are "We Shall Rise" and "Keep on the Firing Line. " Despite my feeling that six hours of the Carters is more than I need, especially since I have two more hours on the single releases I mentioned above, if I found the other JSP five-disc set covering 1927-34, for the same price, I'd grab it. A Veritable Gold Mine, Dirt Cheap! I have been playing them non-stop for the past four days, and I am absolutely thrilled with both of them. As a Christmas present to myself, I purchased the two JSP boxed sets, The Carter Family, 1927-1934 and The Carter Family, Volume 2, 1935-1941. The RCA Victor sides were issued "complete" a few years ago by Rounder records. The Rounder releases are supposed to be re-mastered, yet they don't sound any better than the tracks presented in the JSP collections. And the JSP collections include complete information on the original recording dates, which the Rounder releases do not. Finally, one reviewer here observed that the sleeve notes for the JSP Box sets are minimal; that's true, but when compared to the Rounder releases, I find that the JSP releases actually proffer a bit more biographical information, and better details on the records. The first set (1927-1934) pretty much covers almost all of the original Victor sides; I have carefully compared the first set with the Rounder series (I have all nine titles in the Rounder releases) and I have only found two or three tracks that are missing from the JSP sets. This is The Carter Family, country music's first family, as they should be heard. Sara's singing is strong and clear; Maybelle's guitar playing is amazing, and A. P. 's harmonious accompaniment is wonderful. The early years are raw and unpolished, but that adds to their aesthetic artistry, and actually enhances their simple charm. But Volume 2, (1935-1941) is truly exciting for the bulk of material that has not been available of CD before. This box contains the balance of the RCA Victor sides not included in the first set, but also includes dozens of later recordings originally issued on the ARC and Decca labels (Decca owned both). These recordings are completely glorious, and floored me when I heard them (and I've been a fan of "roots" music for many years). The sound is amazing, and the performances, both in terms of instrumental skill and vocal harmony, are far more polished than the early Victor sides. Aside from an MCA (Decca) issue in the "Country Music Hall of Fame" Series and an issue from Sony Special Products on the Country Label, these songs have been totally neglected as CD issues. Between the two JSP sets, the material covered represents about 90% of the original Carter Family records that I am aware of, although there may be many more that are lost forever. This is not likely to be corrected anytime soon. Decca Records is notorious for neglecting to reissue historic recordings, which is a real shame. I wish I had a dollar for every artist I have on a Decca vinyl that has not seen a CD release. Decca has released many historic Jazz recordings on the "Decca Jazz" label, but aside from the Country Music Hall of Fame series (a limited anthology series) it has not seen fit to issue much of the classic country music rotting in its vaults. And there are probably thousands of wonderful popular music recordings in Decca's vaults that may never see the light of day on CD, either. Concurrent with these recordings, the Carter Family also spent years performing live concerts on "border radio". Many transcripts of these fine performances were made, and a few have been made available on obscure labels. But the JSP sets contain most of their studio sessions. For anyone who doesn't know, the original Carter Family practically invented country music. Sara and Maybelle, who were cousins, married the Carter brothers, A. P. and Ezra, and a musical family was born. They found their way to the 1927 "talent auditions" conducted by Ralph Peer, which also "discovered" Jimmie Rodgers, the Father of Country Music. I often say that if Jimmie Rodgers was the father, than the Carter Family were the mothers. The original group (Sara, Maybelle and Alvin Pleasant) split up in 1941, never to record together again (aside from the wonderful "Historic Reunion" album that Maybelle and Sara recorded in 1965). For many years, Maybelle continued to tour and record with her daughters, June Helen and Anita, under the name of the Carter Family. Of course, June later married Johnny Cash, who toured with June for years; this association helped keep interest in the Carter Family legacy alive for many years. I have to honestly say that I can't remember when I last enjoyed a boxed set so thoroughly. The simple, pure singing of the original Carter Family is truly wonderful. Their harmony is amazing, their playing incredible. One is always conscious while listening to them that these are self-taught musicians, yet their professionalism is obvious. As I write these words, my stereo is pouring forth their 1935 version of Are You Lonesome Tonight, a song that became a multi-million seller for Elvis Presley 25 years later. I prefer the Carter Family version. You may too. . Better Than Vol 1? This is essential music for understanding what Country music was in the 1930s. This box set is a continuation of the Carter Family Saga, and shows this group at the peak of musical power for this trio. The harmony vocals and driving rhythm of guitar and autoharp stand in sharp contrast with what is called Country music today. The sound quality is superb (at times, it sounds like a modern recording). . You can see a complete list of all The Carter Family discography, or go back to the The Carter Family tabs