''Yer' Album'' is the debut studio album by American rock band
James Gang. The album was released in early 1969 on the Bluesway label. This is the James Gang's only album to feature their bassist Tom Kriss. He was replaced by Dale Peters for their next album. The album is the first to feature guitarist
Joe Walsh, who would later achieve success as a solo artist and with the
Eagles.
Of the eleven tracks featured, three are
covers —
Buffalo Springfield's "
Bluebird", "Lost Woman" by the
Yardbirds, and "Stop" by
Jerry Ragovoy
Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy (September 4, 1930 – July 13, 2011) was an American songwriter and record producer.
His best-known composition " Time Is on My Side" (written under the pseudonym of Norman Meade) was made famous by the Rolling Stones, alt ...
and
Mort Shuman, recorded a year earlier by
Howard Tate, as well as a version by
Al Kooper and
Mike Bloomfield for the ''
Super Session
''Super Session'' is an album by Al Kooper, with guitarists Mike Bloomfield on the first half and Stephen Stills on the second half of the album. Released by Columbia Records in 1968, it peaked at No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200 during a 37-week ...
'' album (albeit without vocals).
In the
locked groove at the end of side 1 of the LP version of the album (which is normally silent on most phonograph records), the spoken phrase "Turn me over" repeats in a loop, while the locked groove at the end of side 2 repeats the phrase "Play me again". Both phrases were spoken by Walsh. A 'producers note' in the gatefold warns listeners not to spoil these endings to friends who have turntables with automatic return. These messages are removed from CD pressings, but are included on the 8-Track & cassette tape versions.
Critical reception
Critic William Ruhlman wrote in
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
that "''Yer' Album'' contained much to suggest that the James Gang, in particular its guitarist, had a great future, even if it was more an album of performances than compositions."
Track listing
Personnel
James Gang
*
Joe Walsh – vocals, guitars, keyboards, piano
*
Tom Kriss – bass guitar, vocals
(tracks 10, 11),
vibraphone
The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist, ...
,
flute (credited with "good vibes" and "cheek flute")
*
Jim Fox – drums, vocals
(tracks 3, 10, 11), guitar
(track 1), piano
(track 4)
*
Bill Szymczyk – organ
(track 4), tambourine
(track 3), maracas
(track 7), vocals
(tracks (10, 11)
*
Jerry Ragavoy – piano
(track 11)
Production
*Bill Szymczyk – producer, engineer, photography
*James Gang, Bill Szymczyk, Bert de Coteaux – arrangers
*Denis Minervini – assistant engineer
*Henry Epstein – cover design
*Ladimir Jeric – cover art
References
{{Authority control
1969 debut albums
James Gang albums
BluesWay Records albums
Albums produced by Bill Szymczyk