All Wood and Stones

by John Batdorf

Overview

John Batdorf (of Batdorf & Rodney semi-fame) and James Lee Stanley were second-string members of the mellow '70s cadre of California-based singer/songwriters. All Wood and Stones is their duet album of acoustic covers of classic Rolling Stones songs. No, this is not the setup for a new Christopher Guest mockumentary, even though it sort of sounds like it should be. Batdorf and Stanley are remarkably assured guitarists, and there's some exemplary fingerpicking throughout this album; furthermore, Batdorf in particular hasn't lost his vocal chops, favoring a slightly bluesy gruffness on his leads, and the arrangements are thoroughly tasteful throughout, with only a hint of hand percussion and fretless bass behind the guitars and voices. Still, the entire album is suffused with earnestness and baby-boomer nostalgia in a way that completely neutralizes the punky rebelliousness that was the Stones' stock-in-trade back when they actually mattered. (Their hearts are undoubtedly in the right place, but this coffeehouse version of "Satisfaction" is just...wrong.) Basically, anyone who saw A Mighty Wind will not be able to stop thinking of the Folksmen singing "Start Me Up" while listening to this album. ~ Stewart Mason

Product Details

Release Date:	03/08/2005
Label:	Beachwood Records
UPC:	0733086247020
Rank:	3672

Tracks

1. Paint It Black
2. Ruby Tuesday
3. Satisfaction
4. Under My Thumb
5. Let's Spend the Night Together
6. Mother's Little Helper
7. Back Street Girl
8. Last Time
9. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby?
10. 19th Nervous Breakdown
11. As Tears Go By

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Batdorf   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Vocals (Background)
James Lee Stanley   Primary Artist,Vocals (Background),Vocals,Guitar
Kenny Lyon   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Colin Cameron   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Laura Hall   Accordion
Laurence Juber   Guitar
Timothy B. Schmit   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Paul Barrere   Slide Guitar
Peter Tork   Guitar
Scott Breadman   Percussion

Technical Credits

John Batdorf   Audio Production,Arranger,Engineer,Producer
James Lee Stanley   Audio Production,Audio Engineer,Producer,Engineer,Arranger
Ron McMaster   Mastering
Keith Richards   Composer
Mick Jagger   Composer
Christopher Alan Campbell   Cover Photo