Jimmy O'Neill - Popular Car (1984)

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Jimmy O'Neill was guitarist/vocalist with Mose Jones on "Get Right" and "Mose Knows". He did not participate in the line-up that recorded the third album, "Blackbird". Instead he went on to play with fiddler Vassar Clements. And in 1984 he released a '45 which is presented to you here. As noted, this is from 1984 and it just screams 80's! Still, it's two very nice songs with amusing lyrics. And a Mose Jones rarity for sure. Side one has the track "Popular Car" and the flip side contains the track "City Music". Both are very poppy and quite catchy. Unfortunately Jimmy passed away in September of 2001.


This may also be a good opportunity to point out to you all that Mose Jones has just released a live CD, which features a show from 1974. You can order that from CDBaby. From the press release:
"The songs chosen for this CD were narrowed down from over 2 and half hours of recorded music that night - all original songs were from Mose Jones' 2 albums, "Get Right" 1973 and "Mose Knows" 1974, except for the Mose Allison song "Going to the City", which was combined with the extended jam the band had been performing and having fun with for years...This CD is totally live - no overdubs or post-production enhancements of any kind were used. The original 1/4" tape was found to be in Jimmy O'Neill's possession after his passing in 2001. The tape was baked, then transferred to digital (protools), pre-mastered, then re-mastered by Rodney Mills Master House.

Bryan Cole and Steve McRay, the two surviving members of the original band, and with the appreciative help of friends all along the way, have spent time and money and an undoubtedly labor of love attitude, to release this CD project - and now it has come to fruition. This CD is presented to you, to our old fans and our new fans and listeners, out of respect for Mose Jones and it's legacy, and our love for our two original members and band mates – Randy Lewis and Jimmy O’Neill (RIP)…We sincerely hope you will listen, enjoy, and appreciate this CD and project of love –"
So, go out and buy that. And in the meantime, enjoy Jimmy's single.

Mose Jones - Get Right (1974)

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And finally we get to listen to the first Mose Jones album "Get Right". It's a great quality rip, so thanks to whoever made this available. It's quite a lovely record. First released on Al Kooper's 'Sounds Of The South'-label, this record was launched with the label, along with Skynyrd's "Pronounced" album. An important part of Southern Rock history, cause this is when Southern Rock started to become the kind of music that we know and love so well. When it became a big thing. Unfortunately Mose Jones never made it big, but it is a nice album. I prefer it to the "Mose Knows" album. It's hippy-ish rock at times, but there's some passionate singing going on. I quite enjoyed myself, listening to this album. There's a real nice interview on the Liens Sweet Home Music site, which you can find here (thank you, Luc), in which former Mose Jones drummer Bryan Cole shares some sensible points of view. The song "Old Man trouble" features slide guitar by Lowell George, and is one of the better songs. Nothing bad about this. Kiwi Stumble Boogie...

Mose Jones - Blackbird (1978)

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Mose Jones. Their third album. Half the line-up changed and the music took a left turn. But not for the worse. Though very slick, this is pretty cool. Good musicianship, leaning towards Toto (as in its slickness) and the like, and better songs than Mose Knows. This has as much to do with Southern Rock as funky fusion. But tasty picking, southern alright, and finally getting the chance to get familiar with the Mose Jones legacy.
Apparently they recorded another album for RCA after this one. I'm praying that one will ever come up floating. And I still need the first one, 'Get Right'. Sounds Of The South?

Mose Jones - Mose Knows (1974)

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Ha ha. Knows, nose... Yeah right. Ha! Nice nose, though. Anyhoo, what we have here is another essential piece of the puzzle of the history of Southern Rock. From back when southern had merely a geographical meaning. And Southern Rock might as well have been so recognizable because in the South every genre got mixed. And that attracted people from all places, from Eric Clapton to Rod Stewart. To make great music with them southern guys.
That's when the label 'southern' really started have commercial meaning. And only then would the rest of the world learn. Slowly.
But in the early days Southern Rock was a lot less bound by rules. There was no genre or image then, these guys were just making music. Still, you could hear a familiar sound in all different types of bands. From Marshall Tucker to Blackfoot, from The Allmans to Barefoot Jerry, and from Charlie Daniels to Black Oak. Oh, and then there's the attitude. That too.
One of the first 'southern' labels to emerge after 'Capricorn' was 'Sounds Of The South'. Distributed by MCA, this label was set up by Al Kooper. He was the one who gave us Lynyrd Skynyrd. And they were recommended to him by a band he had already signed: Mose Jones.
This is Mose Jones second album, 'Mose Knows'. I'm really happy to finally get a chance to listen to this myself (thanks Tyrone), cause the Mose Jones albums are not that easy to find. I like the album, though I can see why Skynyrd made it and...
At times the sound is somewhat reminiscent to Marshall Tucker. So, it's all good vibes and mellow rocking. And it made me thirsty. Cheers!