Track listing
Show track credits
- A1 Ride Captain Ride 5:04
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Bill Tillmanarranger
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Bob Masonsynthesizer
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writer
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writer
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- A2 Life 4:22
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writer
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- A3 No Show 5:13
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writer, arranger
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Bob Masonsynthesizer
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- A4 I Was a Witness to a War 5:11
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arranger
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writer
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writer
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- A5 One Room Country Shack 2:24
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arranger, adaptation
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acoustic guitar, Dobro
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writer
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- B1 Applause 7:45
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Anthony J. Klatkaarranger
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writer
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- B2 Yesterday's Music 4:12
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writer
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arranger
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writer
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- B3 Naked Man 4:00
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arranger
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The Brooklyn Bath House Crewbacking vocals
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writer
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- B4 Got to Get You Into My Life 3:20
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arranger
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writer
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writer
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- B5 Takin' It Home 1:38
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arranger
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writer
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- Total length: 43:09
Rate/Catalog
Catalog
Set listening
Review
To rate, slide your finger across the stars from left to right.
7 Issues
- Release view [combined information for all issues]
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New City [p] 33 rpm
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New City Quadraphonic
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3 Reviews
Such was my love of B,S & T in the early seventies that I went out and purchased their first three albums, with my cash stripped pocket money. This later release. though, largely passed me by. In fact, I listened to it in its entirety for the first time earlier today, over forty years on from its release. Although not as ´surprisingly´excellent as its predecessors, there is enough good music played by a still excellent, focused group of musicians to keep the juices flowing.
The cover, towards the end of the record, of the Beatles´classic mid sixties album classic (TB$) was another, very welcome, surprise. The band never really branched out too far from their high quality basic sound so the risks were always worth taking and invariably very welcome. B, S & T are one of those bands that I might leave on the shelf for a few years, but then find it hard to put back once one of their records is on.
The cover, towards the end of the record, of the Beatles´classic mid sixties album classic (TB$) was another, very welcome, surprise. The band never really branched out too far from their high quality basic sound so the risks were always worth taking and invariably very welcome. B, S & T are one of those bands that I might leave on the shelf for a few years, but then find it hard to put back once one of their records is on.
Published
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The previous Blood, Sweat & Tears album, Mirror Image, had consisted of original material only and installed a notable soul influence within the band's musical scope. But that album was not a commercial success. So, next: hello covers, goodbye soul. And hello David Clayton-Thomas, whose easily recognisable voice had obviously been missed. New City fared much better than Mirror Image in the charts, but not as well as anything Blood, Sweat & Tears released before 1973, so the revival was a little more than marginal.
Naturally, New City is not bad at all. I like it more than such earlier BS&T albums as No Sweat, 3 and (yep) Child Is Father to the Man. But still it doesn't equal Mirror Image (or Blood, Sweat & Tears) to me. There are only three songs written by band members and only one of those is a vocal number. That one, "Yesterday's Music", is very good. Why on earth didn't they release more of those? Who forced them to do more covers? "I Was a Witness to a War", originally by Bobby Scott, challenges "Yesterday's Music" as a possible best track on this album. The version of "Got to Get You Into My Life" is quite nice, while Janis Ian's "Applause" feels relatively impressive but doesn't really sound good to me. Allen Toussaint was a favoured songwriter to cover those days, and "Life" sounds like basic Toussaint with a basic BS&T touch. I like "Ride Captain Ride" and "No Show" as well. Randy Newman's "Naked Man" is a hilarious, though confusing, moment.
I guess I will listen to New City now and then, as it is a nice listen. Now and then there is a going-through-the-motions feel, but even then, Blood, Sweat & Tears seem to get away with it rather nicely.
Edit: I actually like this one enough to rate it 4.0. But it still isn't worth Blood, Sweat & Tears, Mirror Image or B, S & T 4.
Naturally, New City is not bad at all. I like it more than such earlier BS&T albums as No Sweat, 3 and (yep) Child Is Father to the Man. But still it doesn't equal Mirror Image (or Blood, Sweat & Tears) to me. There are only three songs written by band members and only one of those is a vocal number. That one, "Yesterday's Music", is very good. Why on earth didn't they release more of those? Who forced them to do more covers? "I Was a Witness to a War", originally by Bobby Scott, challenges "Yesterday's Music" as a possible best track on this album. The version of "Got to Get You Into My Life" is quite nice, while Janis Ian's "Applause" feels relatively impressive but doesn't really sound good to me. Allen Toussaint was a favoured songwriter to cover those days, and "Life" sounds like basic Toussaint with a basic BS&T touch. I like "Ride Captain Ride" and "No Show" as well. Randy Newman's "Naked Man" is a hilarious, though confusing, moment.
I guess I will listen to New City now and then, as it is a nice listen. Now and then there is a going-through-the-motions feel, but even then, Blood, Sweat & Tears seem to get away with it rather nicely.
Edit: I actually like this one enough to rate it 4.0. But it still isn't worth Blood, Sweat & Tears, Mirror Image or B, S & T 4.
Published
Best remembered for it's covers of "Ride Captain, Ride" and "Got To Get You Into My Live" which actually means it's best forgotten.
Published
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Catalog
11 Feb 2024
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A1 Ride Captain Ride
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A2 Life
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A3
No Show
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A4 I Was a Witness to a War
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A5 One Room Country Shack
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B1 Applause
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B2 Yesterday's Music
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B3
Naked Man
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B4 Got to Get You Into My Life
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B5 Takin' It Home
15 Sep 2023
22 Aug 2023
16 Aug 2023
4 Jul 2023
4 Jul 2023
8 Apr 2023
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A1
Ride Captain Ride
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A2
Life
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A3
No Show
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A4
I Was a Witness to a War
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A5
One Room Country Shack
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B1
Applause
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B2
Yesterday's Music
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B3
Naked Man
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B4
Got to Get You Into My Life
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B5
Takin' It Home
2 Feb 2023
19 Dec 2022
29 Nov 2022
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1
Ride Captain Ride
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2
Life
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3
No Show
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4 I Was a Witnes to a War
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5
One Room Country Shack
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6 Applause
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7 Yesterday's Music
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8 Naked Man
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9
Got to Get You Into My Life
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10 Takin' It Home
20 Oct 2022
5 Oct 2022
24 Sep 2022
4 Aug 2022
18 Jul 2022
