''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
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
.
Of the eleven tracks featured, three are
covers —
Buffalo Springfield's "
Bluebird", "Lost Woman" by the
Yardbirds, and "Stop" by
Jerry Ragovoy 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'' album (albeit without vocals).
In the
locked groove
The overwhelming majority of records manufactured have been of certain sizes (7, 10, or 12 inches), playback speeds (33, 45, or 78 RPM), and appearance (round black discs). However, since the commercial adoption of the gramophone record (cal ...
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 Mus ...
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) (also credited with "good vibes" and "cheek flute")
*
Jim Fox – drums; vocals
(tracks 3, 10, 11), acoustic 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