"Back From Rio" is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of The Byrds Roger McGuinn. It was released in January 1991, more than a decade after McGuinn's previous solo album, "Thunderbyrd". Roger McGuinn is still the king of melody, class, and folk-rock amalgams. "Back From Rio" is relevant, smart, crisply arranged, written, and recorded.
First, the songcraft is superb as befits an artist of McGuinn's status. "Somebody to Love", "King of the Hill", "Without Your Love", "The Trees Are All Gone" any of these could be a modern Byrds classic. (Byrds comparisons are inevitable, given that McGuinn provided that band with most of its spirit and musical signature) McGuinn's singing is assured and expressive, while retaining the shaky quality that's distinguished it since the verse to "Mr. Tambourine Man" blared out of radios back in the '60s. Now it's an engagingly shaky voice, endearing but also pregnant with narrative power. The album was issued following the release of the The Byrds box set and musically it leans on the sound of The Byrds thanks to McGuinn's ringing 12-string electric guitar and vocal contributions from ex-Byrds members David Crosby and Chris Hillman. Also prominent on the album are Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with Petty co-authoring and duetting with McGuinn on the album's lead single "King Of The Hill". In addition, several members of the Heartbreakers provide musical backing on a number of the album's tracks. Other prominent songwriters on the album besides McGuinn and his wife Camilla are Elvis Costello, Jules Shear and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.
01. "Someone to Love" (Roger McGuinn, Camilla McGuinn) - 3:32
02. "Car Phone" (Mike Campbell, R. McGuinn) - 4:33
03. "You Bowed Down" (Elvis Costello) - 3:52
04. "Suddenly Blue" (Scott Cutler, R. McGuinn, D. Morgan) - 3:49
05. "The Trees Are All Gone" (R. McGuinn, C. McGuinn) - 3:51
06. "King of The Hill" (duet with Tom Petty) (R. McGuinn, Tom Petty) - 5:27
07. "Without Your Love" (R. McGuinn, C. McGuinn) - 3:59
08. "The Time Has Come" (Scott Cutler, R. McGuinn) - 3:45
09. "Your Love Is a Gold Mine" (R. McGuinn, Dave Stewart) - 4:06
10. "If We Never Meet Again" (Jules Shear) - 4:28
Released: January 1991
Recorded at: Capitol Studios, Los Angeles
Genre: Country Rock
Length: 41:44
Label: Arista
Producer: David Cole, Roger McGuinn
Personnel
Roger McGuinn - lead vocals, background vocals, 12 string electric guitar, 12 string acoustic guitar
George Hawkins - bass guitar
John Jorgenson - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, saxophone, bass guitar, mandolin
Michael Thompson - electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Stan Lynch - drums, percussion
Mike Campbell - electric guitar, slide guitar, baritone guitar
Benmont Tench - organ, keyboards, Hammond B-3
David Cole - percussion, piano, acoustic guitar, MPC-60
Dan Higgins - saxophone
Tom Petty - lead vocals, background vocals
Elvis Costello - background vocals
Michael Penn - background vocals, 12 string acoustic guitar
David Crosby - vocals, background vocals
Chris Hillman - vocals, background vocals
J. Steven Soles - background vocals
Timothy B. Schmit - background vocals
Kimmy Robertson - telephone voice
Stan Ridgway - telephone voice
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