Review: Will & James Ragar - The Acoustic Album (BBE Music)

This album by Will & James Ragar is no pretender, it's the real deal of beautiful folky rock and you'll be so glad to be able to say, you are mine.

After their 'debut' on BBE with 'Forever/Bayou Paradis' (see review HERE) and 'The Baton Rouge EP' (see review HERE), who would have thought that there would be a 16 track double album to follow?

Will and James Ragar were born in Texas and Arkansas respectively and their 'Will and James Ragar One' album, recorded in 1980, was championed by Paul Hillery (he of Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours fame and note,  Volume 3 is coming out soon).

And this 'acoustic' album of songs from the late 70s to mid-90s is very much in Hillery's ball park as not only are they folky, funky and trippy - until now, almost unheard of.

Think of various incarnations/eras of Terry Callier, Crosby, Stills and Nash and Richie Havens that are craving to be The Allman Brothers as if they were a duo like Bert Jansch and John Renbourn.

And talking of guitar greats, we're told the recording was done with a Rainsong (Will) and a hand made S. Yairi (James) which apparently means the they could record both guitars and their vocals into layered harmonics; it certainly sounds that that the brothers have managed to capture their brotherly love and more as a musical duo; mention of Bourbon St. on the track 'Let's Pretend' having special resonance after recent events in New Orleans.

The album lets you drift away in purpose of relaxed excitement in an imagined lost past that's availabe today that BBE are to be congratulated for bringing this music to the masses and ifat Mr. Young does or doesn't end up going to Glastonbury this year, this is a more important release.

P.S. Whilst noting, this album is worlds apart from BBE's other album release this month, 'The Best Of Acona Records' (see review HERE soon) that's hailing from a similar period and is equally great.

Artist: Will & James Ragar 

Title: The Acoustic Album

Release date: 24th January, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE730

Format: 2XLP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Will & James Ragar - The Baton Rouge EP (BBE Music)

If you can remember back to the start of 2023, BBE introduced us to the brothers Will and James Ragar with their Southern Louisiana folk/jazz/blue eyed soul that was totally ignored in 1981 when orginally released: well they're back! 

Well, sort of, because if their 'Forever' / 'Bayou Paradise' (see review HERE) these earlier tracks were even more ignored.  Which was a shame for them but great for us now after nearly 50 years since they were written/produced.

You'll recall these sessions were recorded in Baton Rouge with an engineer who had worked with in the Allman Brothers, these tracks are like a 'deep' southern folky Supertramp/Little Feat' particularly 'Spill The Beans'.

Definitley one for fans of Paul Hillery's 'Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours' and 'Children Of The Setting Sun' series (see review HERE).  

Artist: Will & James Ragar 

Title: The Baton Rouge EP

Release date: 1st November, 2024

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE730EDG / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Will & James Ragar - Forever / Bayou Paradise (BBE Music)

If you're voted for Paul Hillary's 'Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours' compilation as 'Album of the 2022', get ready for something that's just as cool Southern Louisiana folk/jazz/blue eyed soul that was totally ignored in 1981 when orginally released on a 7".  

Recorded in Baton Rouge with an engineer who had worked with southern rock royalty in the Allman Brothers, this double A seems to be on schedule for some overdue attention.  

'Forever' is a glorious love song that gets a groove on with a uptempo Prophet synth (John Smart) solo.  It's a really shame that it fades out (well it was a 7", who's got the tapes for an extended 12" version?)

Flip for 'Bayou Paradise' that's a bit sugary by comparison;  like a very soft Lynyrd Skynyrd from the glades and swamps.  

The single is a warm up for the re-release of the brothers' album 'Will & James Ragar One' as a double album.  Can't wait on the strength of this.

Artist: Will & James Ragar 

Title: Forever / Bayou Paradise

Release date: 27th January, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE723SLP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp