Australian reissue label Raven Records knows the good stuff with back catalog reissues of artists such as The Byrds, Guy Clark, Chet Atkins, David Allan Coe and Jerry Jeff Walker. Now they’ve collected four of John Prine’s finest albums, recorded for Atlantic Records in the early 1970’s.

Raven press release:

In combining four brilliant albums onto a great value Double CD, Angels from Montgomery: 4 Essential Albums 1971-1975 captures the prime recordings by revered American singer / songwriter John Prine. Prine is one of the most influential songwriters of his generation. On hearing Prine in 1971 a clearly impressed Kris Kristofferson said “John Prine is so good… we may have to break his thumbs!”. “If success can be measured by press clipping tonnage… and the die-hard respect of his peers, John Prine is a superstar” – David Fricke, Rolling Stone. “He’s one of the writers I’ve admired and used for inspiration for years” – Johnny Cash.

Recorded for Atlantic Records, the albums John Prine (1971), Diamonds in the Rough (1972), Sweet Revenge (1973) and Common Sense (1975) were literate works that combined everything from acoustic folk to rockabilly to straight-ahead country. His debut, John Prine, produced by Arif Mardin was a revelation when released and is now a collection of standards. The harrowing anti-drug tale ‘Sam Stone’ won much critical acclaim, while the Everly Brothers covered ‘Paradise’ and Joan Baez covered ‘Hello in There’. Diamonds in the Rough followed the same template while Sweet Revenge featured a set of rowdy country rock songs, including gems like ‘Please Don’t Bury Me’. With superb audio quality and detailed liner notes this outstanding four album set is a must for fans of classic singer / songwriter folk, country and rock.

TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
John Prine (1971)
1. Illegal Smile
2. Spanish Pipedream
3. Hello In There
4. Sam Stone
5. Paradise
6. Pretty Good
7. Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
8. Far From Me
9. Angel From Montgomery
10. Quiet Man
11. Donald And Lydia
12. Six O’clock News
13. Flashback Blues
Diamonds In The Rough (1972)
14. Everybody
15. The Torch Singer
16. Souvenirs
17. The Late John Garfield Blues
18. Sour Grapes
19. Billy The Bum
20. The Frying Pan
21. Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drunk After You
22. Take The Star Out Of The Window
23. The Great Compromise
24. Clocks And Spoons
25. Rocky Mountain Time
26. Diamonds In The Rough
DISC TWO
Sweet Revenge (1973)
1. Sweet Revenge
2. Please Don’t Bury Me
3. Christmas In Prison
4. Dear Abby
5. Blue Umbrella
6. Often Is A Word I Seldom Use
7. Onomatopoeia
8. Grandpa Was A Carpenter
9. The Accident (Things Could be Worse)
10. Mexican Home
11. A Good Time
12. Nine Pound Hammer
Common Sense (1975)
13. Middle Man
14. Common Sense
15. Come Back To Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard
16. Wedding Down In Funeralville
17. Way Down
18. My Own Best Friend
19. Forbidden Jimmy
20. Saddle In The Rain
21. That Close To You
22. He Was In Heaven Before He Died
23. You Never Can Tell