The Acoustic Album Will & James Ragar
Album info
Album-Release:
2024
HRA-Release:
24.01.2025
Album including Album cover
- 1 Jenny Please Hold On 03:53
- 2 Now 03:24
- 3 I Was Wrong 02:53
- 4 The High Goat Trail 07:24
- 5 Clouds Lift 03:21
- 6 Let's Pretend 04:08
- 7 Jaded 02:48
- 8 Love Will Carry On 02:10
- 9 Worlds Apart 05:02
- 10 Paper Tiger 03:57
- 11 Out With The Band 04:23
- 12 Strange Bird 04:23
- 13 Losing Time 03:43
- 14 The Silver Ring 06:58
- 15 Month Of May 03:51
- 16 Your Baby's Blue 04:09
Info for The Acoustic Album
Coming as part of a series of releases on BBE Music that have been curated by Paul Hillery, Will and James Ragar’s The Acoustic Album is another masterpiece of Americana and the brothers’ folk-soul sound that links to artists including Terry Callier, Crosby, Stills and Nash and Richie Havens. A sound that has a geographical spread from across the USA, and in the case of of James and Will develops a Southern Bayou breeze that drips with AOR, Country and Soul with echoes of Woodstock and Laurel Canyon.
Will and James Ragar were born in Texas and Arkansas respectively and their ‘Will and James Ragar One’ debut album, recorded in 1980, was the first to be re-issued on BBE Music. With the four track Baton Rouge EP now joined by the vinyl release of The Acoustic Album the label offers music fans an absolutely essential cannon of music that defines the genre.
The Acoustic Album features 16 tracks written between the late 70s and mid-90s and recorded as an album over one session through April of 2016 in Conway, Arkansas. With the brothers playing acoustic guitars (Will a Rainsong and James a hand made S. Yairi) this session allowed them to record dual guitar and their vocals into layered harmonics. The album becoming a series of songs that reflect and pertain to periods of transition in the lives of the brothers as individuals and as a musical duo.
Will Ragar, guitar, vocals
James Ragar, guitar, vocals
Paul Hillery
a heathen, conceivably, but not, we hope, an unenlightened one, is the man behind the acclaimed BBE release ‘We Are The Children Of The Sun‘ and curator at ‘Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours’. He has gained an online following thanks to a knack for unearthing rare and previously lost gems.
Paul has carried his record boxes to many a venue, playing alongside The Polyphonic Spree, Arthur Lee & Love, Bonnie Dobson, Spiritualized, 4 Hero, Happy Mondays, Simian, The Bees, Julian Cope, Courtney Pine and many, many more. He has also graced the turntables at Spiritland, Refuge, Festival No.6, Lunar Festival, Edinburgh Festival, Psychemagik’s Magik Forest, The Chill Out Tent, Moseley Folk, Stowaway Festival, We Are Love Festival, and countless more venues and events. He has supplied guest mixes for Apple Music and radio stations in the UK, France, Switzerland, South America, and the USA. His compilations have been played on BBC 6 Music and have featured in many best of the year charts.
He is gaining a reputation for his continued deep digging and archival of lost music and built long-standing relationships with artists with a mission to give them the exposure they deserve.
Reviews of ‘We Are The Children Of The Sun’ :
“One of the most emotionally uplifting and hazily beautiful compilations of recent years.” Andrew Male – MOJO Magazine
“(We Are The Children Of The Sun) is INCREDIBLE! Every single song. It was sublime.” Colleen Murphy – Balearic Breakfast / Classic Album Sundays
“Every now and again a compilation comes out that I wished I had compiled. This one falls into that category. Don’t even think about not giving this a listen, there aren’t enough superlatives to describe the pleasure I’m getting listening to this. Beautiful music and the utmost respect.” Zaf LoveVinyl
“It’s a stunningly deep dive into music that has been overlooked by all but the most relentless of diggers. And it is superb. It looks beautiful too, in a stunning gatefold sleeve. Just go and buy it.” Balearic Mike – Fascinating Rhythms / Claremont 56
“An exquisite selection of obscure private press folk funk and AOR lovingly hand picked and compiled by one of the most knowledgeable collectors in the field.” Kev Beadle – Mind Fluid / Focal Point
This album contains no booklet.