The Brothers Four - Sing of Our Times / Honey Wind Blows (2008)

This CD contains a pair of pivotal long-players from the Brothers Four. By 1964 Bob Flick (upright bass, baritone, bass), John Paine (guitar, baritone), Mike Kirkland (guitar, banjo, tenor), and Dick Foley (guitar, baritone) were members of one of the most successful folk vocal groups of the era and had likewise begun to established themselves internationally. While their All-American, nonconfrontational, good-time persona was part of the quartet's appeal, it was also the thing that kept them from becoming socially -- and arguably musically -- relevant during the mid-to-late '60s. Sing of Our Times (1964) and The Honey Wind Blows (1965) are definite reflections of the rapidly changing pop landscape. Especially notable is the obvious effect that it had not only on the song selection, but the actual arrangements as well. As the title would suggest, Sing of Our Times is a concerted attempt to gather concurrent material from within the burgeoning folk scenes -- such as Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" and "Long Ago, Far Away," Shel Silverstein's "Beans Taste Fine," and Bay Area one-man-band Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller's "Monkey and the Engineer." Among the less dated readings are "Seven Daffodils" and "Four Strong Winds." On the other hand, "Spring Hill Mine Disaster" lacks definition or distinguishing earmarks to discern it from most any other rendering. In the wake of the electric folk/rock, The Honey Wind Blows seems like an effort torn between the modernization of tunes such as "House of the Rising Sun" and the loose acoustic jangle incorporated into the cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man." However, when the incongruously chipper vocals kick in, all relevancy and credibility is essentially lost in light of the Byrds' definitive interpretation. Although a core audience remained for the Brothers Four, their innocuous vibe would quickly become replaced by amplified roots and rock from both sides of the Atlantic. In 2004, Collectors' Choice Music issued Sing of Our Times/The Honey Wind Blows on a two-on-one compact disc, making each available for the first time in decades.