Long Lost Friend: The Best of Dave Mason--Solid Survey of His 1970s Catalog
Written: Aug 05 '04 (Updated Aug 05 '04)
Product Rating:
Pros: A solid survey of Dave Mason's Columbia years
Cons: There's some record company cheese here.
The Bottom Line: Long Lost Friend: The Best of Dave Mason, puts his Columbia years in perspective, collecting his best singles and album tracks from seven albums released from 1973-1980.
MiDoyle's Full Review: The Best of Dave Mason: Long Lost Friend by Dave M...
Traffic, Jimi Hendrix, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, Derek and the Dominoes, Cass Elliot, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac
That’s just a few of the artists and groups that Dave Mason [b. 1944-] has been associated with, if only tangentially. Mason has had the kind of career that leaves one wondering if the term “artistic differences” was coined to describe his personality. He has joined groups, left them just as quickly, and engaged in protracted battles with both record companies and fellow musicians over contract squabbles, songwriting duties and artistic concerns. Alone Together, his stellar 1970 solo debut, is more than just an album title; it might just be a Freudian slip describing Mason’s mantra, if not his id.
A Dave Mason box set is not yet available so those looking for an introduction to his singular vision have to mix and match between Traffic compilations, guest appearances, and his solo works. One such collection, Long Lost Friend: The Best of Dave Mason, puts his Columbia years in perspective, collecting his best singles and album tracks from seven albums released from 1973-1980.
Prickly personality or whatever you call his artistic temperament, this collection goes a long way to illustrating the things Mason does so well: play guitar and sing about the human experience with conviction and honesty.
Tracks (Albums)
1. Baby...Please (It’s Like You Never Left)
2. Misty Morning Stranger (It’s Like You Never Left)
3. It's Like You Never Left (It’s Like You Never Left)
4. Show Me Some Affection (Dave Mason)
5. Every Woman (Dave Mason)
6. Bring it on Home to Me (Dave Mason)
7. You Can't Take it When You Go (Dave Mason)
8. Split Coconut (Split Coconut)
9. You Can Lose It (Split Coconut)
10. Long Lost Friend (Split Coconut)
11. We Just Disagree (Let It Flow)
12. So High (Rock Me Baby and Roll Me Away) (Let It Flow)
13. Let It Go, Let It Flow (Let It Flow)
14. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (Mariposa del Oro)
15. Don't it Make You Wonder (Mariposa del Oro)
16. Save Me (Old Crest on a New Wave)
17. Feelin' Alright (Certified Live)
18. Only You Know and I Know (Certified Live)
19. All Along the Watchtower (Certified Live)
Total: 72.15
Lowlights
The phrase “hit single” is an oxymoron. Mason has had the kind of career where he could have been content to be a “guitar god” and called it a day, collected his money, and retired somewhere warm. Instead, he’s taken the road of singer-songwriter and suffered through the ups and downs of the music industry, in search of hit for record company suits, and attempted to keep his sanity and his integrity intact. Consequently, there are some tunes here (notably Every Woman, Split Coconut, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, and Save Me that leave this listener with the impression that Mason did it because he had to. Save Me, in particular, is a strange tune, boasting backing vocals by Michael Jackson, that seems horribly out of context for someone like Mason to be involved in.
Though these songs have their moments, they also illustrate that when in search of the elusive “hit,” Mason may have engaged in detours into the cheesier recesses of his pop-centric mind looking for a tune that could find radio play. Mind you, his guitar playing saves these tunes from being totally irredeemable, but nonetheless, they serve as warnings that any artist can be affected by the lure of record company rewards built on the need for product to sell to a schlock-addicted public. It’s best to stay independent from the record company clutches if at all possible.
Highlights
The better tracks here Misty Morning Stranger, Show Me Some Affection, and Long Lost Friend illustrate Dave Mason’s terrific guitar playing, his facility with wordplay, and his ability to deliver sentiments with raw honesty and an engaging, adaptable style that connects with an audience. We Just Disagree remains a terrific slice of 1970s era balladry; still one of the better tales of relationship dissolution ever committed to vinyl.
Certified Live was a better concert offering (overshadowed by Frampton Comes Alive) of the 1970s and the three tracks included (Feelin' Alright, Only You Know and I Know, and All Along the Watchtower ) remain Mason concert staples.
Long Lost Friend: The Best of Dave Mason serves as a solid introduction to the 1970s era Dave Mason, the years of his most sustained solo success. Until the box set is released, this is probably one of the better Mason compilations available (three stars).
Currently Mason still tours fairly regularly, is involved with guitar design, and has been working on a new studio album (his first in 14 years or so).
Cat Rating Scale Freddie and Chester perk up occasionally as Mason's ability to write groove oriented melodies appeals to the feline sense of rhythm. Mixed paw response.
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