Dolly Parton Album: “All I Can Do/New Harvest...First Gathering”

Finally Dolly's back catalog is slowly getting re-issued on CD. The first of these 2fer's includes Dolly's 1976 and 1977 RCA albums. "All I Can Do" from 1976 was the first of her albums where she was beginning to break away from Porter Wagoner. The stand out tracks include the title track, "I'm A Drifter", "Shattered Image" and Emmylou Harris' "Boulder To Birmingham". 1977's "New Harvest...First Gathering" is one of Dolly's best. The album opens and closes with two songs that both begin very quietly and build to a rousing finish. The opener "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning" has been redone by Dolly twice since, but the original is the best performance of the song. The closing song is her haunting gospel number "There" one of Dolly's best songs. Also included is her tale of childhood banjo picker, "Applejack", her take on the Motown classic "My Girl" here retitled "My Love", She also covers the Jackie Wilson classic "Higher and Higher". The other two stand out tracks are "You Are" and the sad story of delusion, "Where Beauty Lives In Memory".

These have been a long time coming. Thanks to Stephen Munns for spearheading this project.

finally some of dolly's older stuff is being released on cd!!! to bad the uk had to do it first tho! but at least now we can get these albums on cd for the first time ever!!! you wont be disappointed with these at all! these were two of dollys best albums i think!! I love her older stuff as well as her newer stuff such as "Those were the days" cd. and the price of these double cds are really great!!!! two for the price of one!!!!!

These two albums reveal hints of Dolly's modernized country, as she ventured toward a pop sound. The combination works, making these two albums my absolute favorites. The spiritual "There" off of New Harvest, is worth the purchase in itself.

It's very good to see two more original Dolly Parton albums finally available on CD. Recorded in February 1976, "All I can do" was Dolly Parton's final country music album for RCA before she crossed over into the world of mainstream pop music. Produced by herself and Porter Wagoner, this album has an overall country-rock feel to it. Dominating electric lead-guitars and rich vocal harmonies from the Lea Jane Singers lend a sound reminiscent of early recordings by The Eagles. "Preacher Tom", the Emmylou Harris-penned "Boulder To Birmingham" and the title track also have a strong gospel flavour. As usual for Dolly Parton's country music albums, most of the songs are written by herself. Aside from the title track which hit #3 in the country music singles chart, other Dolly Parton classics on the album are "Hey, Lucky Lady" and "Shattered Image" - a song written in response to derogatory allegations about her in tabloid newspapers. "All I Can Do" is a lively and thoroughly enjoyable album and the finale in a series of 16 purely country music albums which were recorded by Dolly in RCA's "Nashville Sound" studios - albums that represent the absolute cream of her music. "New Harvest...First Gathering" was Dolly Parton's first crossover album and was released in 1977. Produced by herself and co-produced by Gregg Perry, the album wasn't the huge commercial success that she had hoped for, perhaps because it simply lacks the quality of its predecessor in the choice and arrangements of some of the songs and in its overall production. Nevertheless, the album has its highlights. Dolly clearly demonstrates that she hasn't abandoned her country roots with "Applejack" - a favorite with fans that she had previously performed live. Other highlights are "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning" which was released as a single, and the dreamy love-song favorite "You are" which in production quality is superior to most of the other tracks on the album. Apart from Smokey Robinson's "My Girl" and Otis Redding's "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" the songs are written by Dolly herself. Whilst "New Harvest...First Gathering" isn't one of Dolly Parton's best offerings, it does contain some nice songs which makes purchasing a copy of the album worthwhile. Dolly's ambition of broadening her appeal and bringing herself to the attention of the pop music world wasn't realised with this album but it would be later on in the same year with the international smash hit single and album "Here You Come Again".

This is excellent and combines Dolly's talent in country, gospel as well as her ability to do some catchy pop numbers. It has become one of my favourites. I discovered songs like 'There,' 'Where beauty lives in memory' and a cute one called 'Lucky Lady.' I rediscovered great songs such as 'I'm a drifter,' 'Light of a clear blue morning.' For Dolly fans, it is a must. If you are not specially a fan, you won't regret it.