Mother Lode (album)

Mother Lode
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1974
RecordedJim Messina's home ranch studio, Ojai, California
GenreRock
Length44:27
LabelColumbia
ProducerJim Messina
Loggins and Messina chronology
On Stage
(1974)
Mother Lode
(1974)
So Fine
(1975)

Mother Lode is the fourth studio album (fifth release overall) by singer-songwriter duo Loggins and Messina, released in late 1974. It was their final album with their original backing band, because multireedist and violinist Al Garth would soon leave the band, but multireedist Jon Clarke, bassist Larry Sims and drummer Merel Bregante remained, and saxophonist Don Roberts made his debut on this record. Future Toto keyboardist David Paich plays keyboards on this album while percussionist Milt Holland is augmented by Victor Feldman and the album was recorded on location at Jim Messina's California ranch. The Jim Messina composition "Keep Me in Mind" was sung by bassist Sims,[1] whom Messina praised for having a phenomenal voice in a 2009 interview with Loggins for KCTS-TV.[2]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]

Track listing

Side one

  1. "Growin'" (Kenny Loggins, Ronnie Wilkins) – 2:39 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)
  2. "Be Free" (Jim Messina) – 7:01 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
  3. "Changes" (Messina) – 3:53 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
  4. "Brighter Days" (Loggins, Dona Lyn George) – 3:42 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)
  5. "Time to Space" (Loggins, George) – 5:48 (lead singers: Kenny Loggins, Larry Sims)

Side two

  1. "Lately My Love" (Messina) – 3:32 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
  2. "Move On" (Messina) – 7:29 (lead singer: Jim Messina)
  3. "Get a Hold" (Loggins) – 3:37 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)
  4. "Keep Me in Mind" (Messina) – 3:38 (lead singer: Larry Sims)
  5. "Fever Dream" (Loggins, Maury Muehleisen) – 3:03 (lead singer: Kenny Loggins)

Personnel

Loggins and Messina band

Sidemen

Production

  • Producer – Jim Messina
  • Engineers – Corey Bailey, Alex Kazanegras and Jim Messina.
  • Technical Assistance – Lou Shatzer
  • Recorded on location at Jim Messina's Ranch, Ojai, California using Haji Sound.
  • Photography – Tyler Thornton
  • Color Prints – Ted Staidle
  • Art Direction and Design – Ron Coro
  • Personal Management – Schiffman and Larsen
  • Road Management – David Cieslak and Jim Recor

Charts

AlbumBillboard (United States)

Year Chart Position
1974 Pop Albums 8
1974 Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 89

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year Song Position
1975 Changes 84
1975 Growin' 52

References

  1. ^ "In Memoriam: Larry Sims". December 18, 2014.
  2. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Loggins and Messina | CONVERSATIONS AT KCTS 9. YouTube.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 180. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.