Always Take Me Back

1	They Always Take Me Back 3:50
2	Someone Give Me a Stone 3:58
3	Sitting on Top of the World 4:29
4	Long Distance Runaround / Mark Nubar 4:32
5	Blood 4:32
6	18 Years 4:44
7	Read On 4:31
8	In My Father's Field 3:46
9	Two Quarts Low 2:50
10	Call Me 3:15
11	Monroe's Mule 2:22
12	Love Alone 3:01
13	Mr. Banjo 2:17

Barnes & Noble

Though short-lived in the radio format arena, the Americana movement broke barriers between country, blues, bluegrass, and folk. One who has capitalized on this freer world is vocalist John Cowan, formerly of the progressive New Grass Revival band. Always Take Me Back, tightly produced by Wendy Waldman, erases so many genre boundaries that it defies classification. Cowan and his band rock out on the old blues standard “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” blend Bela Fleck and the Who in their interpretation of John Anderson’s “Long Distance Runaround,” and put rockabilly on speed for Richard Ford’s “Two Quarts Low.” Cowan’s amazing tenor voice is at its sweetest on his own material. On “Call Me” it's elastic and easy, with an occasional R&B growl thrown in for passion; for the family-ties tune “Blood” and the romantic “Love Alone," it's pure pop; then he returns to driving bluegrass for “Monroe’s Mule.” With this combination of styles, Always Take Me Back is headed straight into the hearts of the progressive folk audience. And bluegrass fans will be forgiving, because in his own way, and through most of the set’s instrumentation, Cowan stays true to his roots. Roberta Penn

All Music Guide

John Cowan's Always Take Me Back is layered with the slick sheen of production. The former New Grass Revival bassist/vocalist is in fine form vocally, though the material feels a little cluttered. The emotionally raw "18 Years," for example, is covered by a thick gloss. What should be snapping drums and penetrating acoustic guitars are filtered through a variety of shiny doublings. Cowan makes up for this somewhat with his wailiing, plaintive vocals. ~ Jesse Jarnow, All Music Guide

Billboard

A first-class effort all the way around. Ray Waddell