Long Time Gone

Liner Note Author: Dave Sax.
Long Time Gone presents a couple dozen of the sides the York Brothers cut for King in the late '40s and early '50s, almost half of them previously unreleased. While the harmonizing duo had been recording since the late '30s, this period saw them incorporating some blues, boogie, and pop influences into their hillbilly sound, rather in the manner of another brother team on the King roster, the Delmore Brothers. Indeed, the pair sometimes sound like a somewhat more sedate version of the Delmores here with their close harmonies and R&B-influenced shuffle rhythms, though the Delmores were more exciting and original from every angle. It's hardly rockabilly-in-the-making, mind you, as steel guitar parts and fiddles ground it in country, while some accordion's on hand to give it a dated pop influence. Still, this is decent mid-20th century hillbilly that was fairly progressive for its time, its blend of country and R&B elements (as well as some electric guitar picking) faintly foreshadowing the birth of rock & roll. "Kill Her with Kindness" displays a wry humor ("kill her with kindness, don't ever use a gun"), but for the most part this is straightforward rootsy stuff, whether the yearning harmonies of "Long Time Gone" or the bluesy "Motor City Boogie," which is as earthy as the Yorks ever got. ~ Richie Unterberger