For anyone who thought the four-disc The Capitol Years was overkill, along comes Bear Family with this superb ten-CD set (with a 108-page hardcover book). The fact that nine of these ten discs contain material intended for release over a period of just four years is an indicator of the demand for their music -- the Kingston Trio was the first popular act whose albums outsold their singles, and the result was 200 songs cut in just four years. That may be more Kingston Trio than most fans feel they need, but not more than can stand the test of listening. Running from early 1958 to early 1961, The Guard Years gives a fuller picture of the group's development than The Capitol Years, although the latter covers more territory. The trio's approach evolved from relatively unsophisticated enthusiasm into a close-knit ensemble, with exquisite harmonies and an overall sound constructed from careful layers of overdubs. With the advent of multi-track recording in late 1958 and early 1959, their sound blossoms, a phenomenon that is vividly presented on this set -- the trio was the first folk group to take advantage of the recording studio's ability to capture vocal and instrumental proficiency, and their music became infinitely more sophisticated in the process. Showing off the range of their repertory, they draw on influences from blues to Broadway, with detours into the work of Ray Charles and Uncle Dave Macon, as well as Woody Guthrie and Lee Hayes. There are 17 previously unissued live tracks from 1958-59, spread among four dozen concert numbers concluding with their 1959 Newport show, with corrected dates and performance orders. The box is daunting in its scope, as is the book, whose separate song histories are a welcome addition to the usual sessionography. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
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