Coming Home By 'Master Brakedown'
I can't say I was surprised to learn in the liner notes that after returning to civilization from rural-Alaska, Peter Stanley took up the decidedly un-Woody Guthrie-like profession of stockbrocker. That is typical of his generation, the people who experiment with alternative lifestyles the most are often the most productive and successful members of the establishment now. Stanley was a good stockbroker, although the job didn't set well with him. Playing and singing real folk music with his friends like on these two discs was closer to his heart, if not as lucrative. Presumably, because of his success with options, he's in a position to release a multi-volume retrospective boxed history of his musical endeavors. And that's a good thing because it allows us the option of hearing some real fine music! This is a loose collection of more or less familiar tunes from traditional standards to hits by Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and even Tom T. Hall. The flatpicking guitar never falters and if the voices do every so often and are a step ahead or behind the beat, that's okay because this here music is by and for actual human beings, which is more than can be said for today's preprogrammed disco synthesizer, soulless crap or horrid atonal caterwauling pummelling racket. This is sitting around the campfire material, but the harmonies are appealing and the instruments well played. The recording quality is another matter, but nobody claimed this was a studio production. It's a home recording by very gifted people. Artistically and aesthetically, I find this quite valid. And that's my final answer.
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