Charlie Burton - Rolling Stone Magazine 4.15.1971

Mike Nesmith? Well, hang onto your wool hat cats and kitties, because this album is good.

Mike Nesmith, you will remember, was one of the plastic Beatles, the Monkees, who can still be seen on Saturday morning TV, somewhere between The Archies and Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp. Besides being a Monkee, Mike was a composer of some talents. "Different Drum" was strong enough to bear the weight of Linda Ronstadt's entire career, and (though I've never been completely sure), Mike is often credited as composer of "Mary, Mary," first recorded by Paul Butterfield.

Well, no Monkeeshines here. Loose Salute shows that Mike is firmly planted in country-rock territory with his group, the First National Band, which features Red Rhodes on steel guitar, one of the better technicians of the instrument. The production is flawless (remember when Frank Zappa said that Monkees albums were put together better than most San Francisco acid-rock records?), the music is nice to listen to, and the boys all play their own instruments.

The album features a beautiful "hit single" that never was played on the radio, "Silver Moon," a flashy rendition of Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard's classic, "I Fall to Pieces," a catchy rocker, "Dedicated Friend," and some pretty acoustic folk songs, "Conversations" and "Thanx For the Ride." "Listen to the Band," which features Red Rhodes, deserves to become a country and western standard, and the rest is good Hollywood cowboy music, fun to dance to, or eat enchiladas to.

Mike's straightforward, no-bullshit vocals are a welcome change from the usual Byrds-y, constipated singing style generally preferred by country hippie bands, and the nine Nesmith originals on Loose Salute radiate, if not genius, then a good, solid versatility. The flavor of the songs go from country to Latin ("Tengo Amore,") to big band ("Hello Lady").

I have never considered myself a real Monkees fan, but I think Loose Salute by Mike Nesmith and the First National Band is one of the hippest country-rock albums in some time, certainly the most listenable. Mike Nesmith? Well, why the hell not?

Charlie Burton/Rolling Stone Magazine 4.15.1971