The Bottom Line
Pros
- America does what it does best
- Nice blend of old and new songs
- Good chemistry with young indie rock stars
Cons
- Inclusion of the silly, sappy "Muskrat Love"
Description
- Disc One - new performances of old songs
Disc Two - new material written by Beckley, Bunnell and guests. - Listen to "Ride On" featuring Ryan Adams, Ben Kweller and Adam Schlesinger
- Listen to Sister Golden Hair"
Guide Review - America - Here and Now
The record's producers, Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) and James Iha (ex-Smashing Pumpkins) do some welcome updating of the technical production of America's classics. Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell still deliver the same smooth harmony on both old and new songs that has always served as their trademark.
Guests Ben Kweller, Ryan Adams, My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Patrick Hallahan, and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws and Ira Elliot all belnd nicely. I consider it a plus that they adapted to America's style rather than America to theirs. The synergy is good.
The fact that it has been more than 20 years since America's last new release makes Here and Now especially welcome. It's nice to hear yet another example of a group who is still able to deliver as skillfully today as they were back when the world was young.
