Head Over Heels / Rose of Cimarron

It was nice to get two albums on one CD. I hadn't replaced my LP's with CD's so now I have two albums on one CD. I think the sound was very good on them, although because of the location of my stereo and a very sick cat, I still haven't had a chance to listen to them the whole way through. I highly recommend this combination of songs. The band is tight and the music is true country-rock. As always, it is amazing to me that Poco weren't as popular as the Eagles but I think I've finally figured it out, at least to my satisfaction.Here's my take on it: Poco formed in 1968; the Eagles formed in 1971. Both groups played Country Rock and had multiple personnel changes but the two Eagles's founders, Glenn Frey and Don Henley, remained constants. That was the difference between the two groups. Frey's background was based in rock. After all, he left a great gig, playing backup for Bruce Springsteen, to investigate what was a new genre: country rock. Henley, from Texas, was more country-oriented, and I think he might have stayed that way had he never met Frey.Glenn Frey loved Poco; I've read that in two sources, that he said he'd love the Eagles to have as tight a sound. Nonetheless, Frey refused to let the Eagles become pigeon-holed as a Country Rock band and insisted on the group singing rock songs although they still had a country twinge; enough so that those songs would be featured both on the Country Charts and the Rock Charts. To my mind, Poco was more mellow; more country and had very few true rock songs, although I'm not familiar with all their works.That's just my theory. I also think that the other problem was in management. Poco songs, unless they were hits, were seldom played on the Boston FM stations I listened to in the late 60's and early 70's. Eagles songs were played, always with a joke made by ultra-cool "radio personalities" who thought they were too commercial. I don't speak of some of the first FM stations in Boston, who would never have played the Eagles or Poco, for that matter. The Eagles managers, especially Irving Asoff, really pushed the group hard getting them one show after another. Poco never had that kind of manager.Enough of a just-turned seventy lady who still loves her rock and roll and the Eagles and Poco. I highly recommend this combination of albums to anyone who loved good music from that wonderful span of musical history!

Poco's 2-fer "Head Over Heels", (1975), and "Rose Of Cimarron", (1976), are totally different, one is kind of mediocre and the other is a stone cold classic. "HOH", (***), just doesn't take off, kind of a sluggish fill over all, as with "Rose", (*****), every song has a flow to it, as Rusty Young, Paul Cotton and Timothy Schmit write 10 wide ranging country-rock tracks.On "HOH", "Keep On Tryin'", gave them a top 50 hit, a very tame number, "Us", would be Rusty Young's lead vocal debut with Poco, nice organ work by Mark Harman. "Dallas", is a tune written by Donald Fagan and Walter Becker of Steely Dan fame, a solid string arrangement by Jimmie Haskell and Garth Hudson of The Band plays piano on "Makin' Love". Just not one of my favorite albums by Poco.Then a year later and out comes "Rose Of Cimarron", the title track is drop dead gorgeous, it will leave you singing the song for days after hearing it. Young's "Stealaway", is a 70's sounding popper, and would of fit perfectly on "Legend". "Just Like Me", this is as close as it got to sounding like The Eagles. The classic hoedown of "Company's Comin'/ Slow Poke", great harmonies, great fiddle by Al Garth and washboard by Milt Holland, just a fantastic fun number. The jangle of "Too Many Nights Too Long", Rusty's mandolin and the electric guitar of Paul Cotton make this one, another song that would fit on "Blue And Gray". "P.N.S. (When You Come Around)", the fiddle of Al Garth and Young's pedal Steel give this track a kick in the pants, great country tune. "Starin' At The Sky", Schmit's vocals keep this a light hearted affair, very upbeat and bouncy. "All Alone Together", could of been a country hit in 1976, but country didn't like rock back then, oh how time has changed. "Tulsa Turnaround", this toe tapper ends this truly great disc. "Indian Summer", would be next and Timothy Schmit would leave and go to The Eagles, but their sound would keep improving.Why this album "ROC", went nowhere is a crying shame, it should of been a top 10 album with 3 big hits! But that would come in 1978.These albums sound great compared to the ABC/MCA releases.

This compilation of Poco's "Head Over Heels" and "Rose of Cimarron" from 1975 and 1976 couldn't be any better. These are two of the very best country rock albums from the mid-1970's, and to have them both on the same CD is simply excellent. In my opinion, "Rose of Cimarron" is Poco's second best album (only Cantamos is slightly better) and "Head Over Heels" is right behind. The remastering on this BGO two-fer is superb and makes both recordings sound better than ever. I hesitated to buy this because I already owned the 1993 One Way Records re-issue of "Rose of Cimarron" and an earlier MCA version of "Head Over Heels," however I don't regret the purchase. Both of the older versions sound anemic compared to this remaster. The volume is pumped up and the bass is boosted without any loss of clarity. I just can't imagine it sounding any better.

These BGO Records 2-for Poco collections sound great. Even better, the playback volume between collections are consistent so making personal playlists between discs using Windows Media Player results in an even-volumed playback playlist (btw, WMP correctly identifies each track). This review of sound levels is for 3 collections: Seven/ Cantamos, Head Over Heels/ Rose of Cimarron, & Indian Summer/ Legend.

I have heard that many of Poco's original master tapes were lost in a fire - along with hundreds of other artists and this is probably proof. I had the vinyl back in the day and it sounded better than this CD. This one sounds muddy as can be. Not their fault but is frustrating if you expect anything close to quality sound. It's like listening to music with earplugs in. No highs - thin middle - boomy bass.

Excellent music at an affordable price !

Outstanding vocals though out great guitar lead and steel

My favourite one is "Cantamos", but, these two, are between of their selected discography. Head Over Heels is a little bit mellow but it keeps this frontier sound, and it finally sounds great. Rose of Cimarron is simply superb, one of their best. And the whole record is a example of how to made a very good work. Lovely attempt to sing in Spanish in "Too many night too long" 100% Recomended.

The two albums contained within this excellent twofer beautifully remastered by BGO records represent the last gasp of Poco as a fully signed up country rock unit before they proceeded down the soft-rock route to (relative) riches in the late 70's but leaving their original fanbase behind in the process. Both albums are excellent with only one or two relative duds per set, which is a pretty good strike rate in anyone's book with excellent songwriting, playing and singing (especially the glistening harmonies which put later contenders like Fleet Foxes to shame). At this stage Rusty Young's brilliant pedal steel playing was still an integral component to the Poco sound which really makes a difference and keeps at bay the impending drift to out-and-out AOR. In fact these two albums are a good bit better than their previous two albums on the Epic label (Seven & Cantomos) which had their moments but were a bit patchy. So if late 'classic-era' 70's country rock is your thing with superb harmony singing and ultra-melodic songwriting then get this set you'll not be disappointed.

I have always loved this album which includes 2 of my very favourite tracks of all time

No need to say much here - you like Poco?- get - the add on album from “ Rose” is a sleeper

Great