THE LOUVIN BROTHERS: TRAGIC SONGS OF LIFE * NM- ROUNDER RECORDS Product Description

LP Condition

NM-:  Very clean with no marks

Special Rounder Records pressing, USA

 

Cover Condition

EX: Light wear, old price sticker

Strong corners, seams & colors

 

Artists

The Louvin Brothers

 

Notes

Essential Americana 

AllMusic 5.0:  While Charlie and Ira Louvin could sing upbeat material when they were of a mind -- the lively "Cash on the Barrelhead" and "Pitfall" were among their hits -- happy songs didn't seem to come naturally to them, and when they were given the opportunity to make their first long-playing album in 1956, they opted to record a set of downbeat numbers called Tragic Songs of Life. The album ranks among the Louvin Brothers' finest recordings, a collection of numbers in the ballad tradition that span the dark end of the emotional spectrum from bittersweet nostalgia to heartbreak all the way into murder. While on the surface some of these songs may seem emotionally exaggerated, Charlie and Ira's harmonies, as clear and pure as a mountain stream, bring an honest and firmly grounded sensibility to tunes like "The Knoxville Girl," "Mary of the Wild Moor" and "My Brother's Will," and while "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight" and "Let Her Go, God Bless Her" are less bloody, the Louvins make these tales of broken hearts seem every bit as effecting. Accompanied only by Paul Yaldell on guitar and a nameless bassist and snare drummer, Ira's lead vocals and mandolin work on Tragic Songs of Life are outstanding, while Charlie's supportive guitar chords and splendid harmonies are equally impressive. It wouldn't be hard for an album like Tragic Songs of Life to seem either morbid or unintentionally comical, but the genius of the Louvin Brothers is that this music never makes a wrong step; instead, these are 12 stories of the inevitable tragedies that touch every life, and there's a compassion in their performances that's beautiful and profoundly moving. Quite simply, this is a landmark of traditional country music that remains powerful more than fifty years after it was recorded.

These are scans of the LP for sale

The scanner tends to over-emphasize ring wear and cover blemishes that are unobtrusive in plain sight. 

Record Grading

FineGroove uses eBay's standardized (drop-down) grading scale.  We primarily sight-grade LPs, but we play-grade LPs when we can. We welcome your feedback on our grading, particularly if you are dissatisfied with the LP.

Mint (M): LP is sealed or like-new; Cover is sealed or like-new

Near Mint (NM): LP is visually clean and will play without background sound.  Cover is clean & tight.

Excellent: LP will have superficial lines or sleeve scuffs and the LP may have a little background noise noticeable during quiet sections; Cover may have ring wear and tiny corner dings. EX is our grade for a VINYL & MUSIC LOVER ... some great deals here!

Very Good: LP will play without skipping but has background noise; Cover may have split seams, water and other physical damage - for rare LPs and retro vinyl lovers.

 

Return Policy

All items can be returned for a full refund including original shipping if you are dissatisfied with your LP.  

Please send us a note before you return an item. We will also refund return shipping costs if we made a mistake. 

Check our feedback and buy with confidence - If you love vinyl, FineGroove is your friend.

 

Shipping & Combined Shipping

FineGroove will consolidate purchases made within a five day period into a single box upon request - the ebay system does it automatically if you use their shopping cart - otherwise send us an email

USA orders: $4.00 for the first LP and 25 cents for additional LPs via media mail. Priority mail and tracking services can be added per your request.

International orders: $16 for the first LP and $5 per extra LP up to a four lb (1.8 kg) package; a package above this weight requires Priority shipping service. Please ask for a combined international shipping quote.

FineGroove uses all new, high quality shipping material!

inkfrog terapeak

inkFrog Analytics