The later Phil Ochs at his best

Review Score: (10/10)
Phil Ochs lived in the shadow of his mentor Bob Dylan. I believe that as a folk-protest singer, he exceeded him, though never got the name recognition. While others spoke to the "movement" of the 60s and 70s from the edges, Phil spoke to its heart, and especially the political left, those who were not into drugs but into politics instead. He released 3 good folk albums, "All the News That's Fit To Sing", "I Ain't Marching Any More", and "Phil Ochs in Concert". This album, plus "Pleasures of the Harbor" and "Rehearsals for Retirement" represented Ochs in his foray into rock, following his mentor Bob Dylan. It is by far the best of the three, as Ochs remains true to his folk roots in this one, whereas in the others he tries unsuccessfully to be "artsy". (Releases after "Rehearsals for Retirement" are mostly old material). The best song on this album is "When In Rome" where he compares the US to the Roman Empire. I believe this comparison is still valid today, as the US is an overextended power. For those new to Phil Ochs I would recommend this CD plus "Phil Ochs in Concert" and the Cctober 2001 UK release of his first two albums ("All the News That's Fit To Sing / I Ain't Marching Any More") as a 2 CD set. Skip the others, they are a waste of your hard earned money.

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