The Flatlanders: Now It's Now Again

The Flatlanders are a legendary alternate country band made up of Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock. Back in 1972, the three singer-songwriters recorded an album in Odessa, TX, which was never issued, and, over the years, became a great "lost" album. This well-researched, slim volume helps unravel the mystery of the work in a thoroughly entertaining manner. The author is an expert on home-grown Texas music and here documents the many twists and turns detailing the lives and career moves of the bandmates from 1972 to the present. The album was unusual for the time and for country music in general, because it was largely acoustic, without the requisite Nashville rhythm section and arrangements. It also featured less-common instruments, including accordion and musical saw. Basically, the recording was three friends, someday to become famous (to differing degrees), who loved singing one another's songs. The camaraderie and harmonies were wonderful; it was a free-spirited, innocent musical vision of young men steeped in west Texas lore (all lived in Lubbock, home of the late, great Buddy Holly) that even touched on metaphysical themes and Buddhist concepts. Finally released in all its glory in 2012, the album received rave reviews, and the Flatlanders actually hit the big time in a sold-out Carnegie Hall concert.