Pure Prairie League (1975) Runner - LOST 70s GEMS

1975's Two Lane Highway was a long awaited release from one of the most commercially successful of the second generation country rock bands, this Ohio outfit would lose their main singer songwriter and collaborator in Craig Fuller; the effective frontman and his singer of their hit Aimee. He was the Glenn Frey of the group, his lush countrified vocal tone, easygoing melodies and shimmering acoustic guitar laid the foundation and core of their respective band's early country rock sound; they may not have been the face of their very faceless bands but they fronted the hit singles more often or not.

A fine singer named Larry Goshorn stepped into Fuller's shoes for this release, the title track is a fantastic country rocker with a soaring chorus, slow build verses and a great mix of a bumping Rock n Roll pulse and smooth countrified pop balladry; the jazzy piano solo adds another layer of exuberance with a typically piercing pedal steel solo directly afterwards. Runner is another highlight, opening with a slowly descending flutter of pedal steel licks piled one on top of the other, the gentle vocal melody underscored by..well a score is excellent and their first real melodic cut that betters the Fuller era. Memories features an aching, tightly wound pedal steel line and a funky acoustic line doubled by some Piano extemporising, the gospel oohs also elevate the track which is standard, nostalgic paen with some lovely mandolin towards the end. 
Harvest has some Rush like distorted power chord slashes and some wiry solos, Sister's Keeper features some tremelo-ed arpeggio guitar figures that ripple like pond water under a yearning lead vocal in what is a straight country ballad spiced up with modern playing. Give us a Rise has some fanciful melody and shining Southern pop bounce, but it doesn't compare to the barnstorming closer Pickin to Beat the Devil with it's mix of dramatic slow verses full of depth to a rip roaring banjo driven chorus.