''Yer' Album'' is the debut studio album by American rock band

James Gang James Gang is an American rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. The band went through a variety of line-up changes until they recorded their first album as a power trio consisting of Joe Walsh (guitars, lead vocals), Tom Kriss (bass), and ...

. 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 Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, jus ...

. Of the eleven tracks featured, three are covers —

Buffalo Springfield Buffalo Springfield was a rock band formed in Los Angeles by Canadian musicians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin and American musicians Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. The group, widely known for the song " For What It's Worth", r ...

'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, al ...

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 database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

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 The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedles ...

(credited with "good vibes" and "cheek flute") * Jim Fox – drums, vocals (tracks 3, 10, 11), guitar (track 1), piano (track 4) *

Bill Szymczyk William Frank Szymczyk (; born February 13, 1943) is an American music producer and technical engineer best known for working with rock and blues musicians, most notably the Eagles in the 1970s. He produced many top albums and singles of the 1 ...

– organ (track 4), tambourine (track 3), maracas (track 7), vocals (tracks (10, 11) *

Jerry Ragavoy 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, ...

– 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