The Youngbloods - Good And Dusty (Reissue) (1971/2003)

For their final pair of albums, the Youngbloods returned to a four-piece band with the addition of Michael Kane on bass as Jesse Colin Young moved to guitar (and saxophone!). Good and Dusty is a low-key, homey effort comprised largely of '50s and blues cover songs. Of the original compositions, "Hippie from Olema No. 5" is a dated rewrite of Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee," the title track is a brief jazz jam, and "Drifting and Drifting" is another stab at the blues. Only the closing "Light Shine" shows a glimmer of Young's songwriting skills; complemented by a modest sax arrangement, it stands head and shoulders above most of the album. The high point is the charming "Circus Face," performed with tasteful mandolin and French horn, which serves as a frustrating reminder of what the Youngbloods could accomplish with strong outside material.