Jim Croce Albums (10)
What The Critics Say
Shout! Factory's 2006 CD release of Have You Heard: Jim Croce Live is a companion piece to their 2003 DVD of the same name. That DVD collected 13 live television performances, taken from shows like The Old Grey Whistle Test, and Underground, all of which were quite rare, since there isn't much footage of Jim Croce live on television. Not only was the music rare, but it was also quite good, some of the best live material he recorded, so it made sense that Shout! Factory would spin it off into an audio-only release. And that's exactly what this CD is -- the audio portion of those 13 TV performances. The two photo-collage montages on the DVD -- set to "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" and "Time in a Bottle" -- have been cut, since they weren't live concert performances to begin with, and a version of "Hard Time Losing Man" recorded live at Harper College in Palatine, IL, is the one exclusive cut on this collection. None of these performances loses anything heard as a mere audio track, and the collection is sequenced nicely, flowing as if it were an actual concert. That said, this doesn't offer anything new: if you have the DVD, you have this music, so this may not be a necessary purchase. But for dedicated Croce fans looking to enjoy these performances as music only, this is a welcome release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Bombs over Puerto Rico'
Release Date 1/1/1996
Tracks 11
Label Bear Family
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What The Critics Say
Released after his early demise, The Faces I've Been was almost entirely recorded before Jim Croce made it big. But that's not to say that the songs here are sub-standard. Jim Croce displays his many talents in this set, be they covers of "This Land Is Your Land" and "Old Man River," or his own tunes such as "Which Way Are You Goin'" and "Stone Walls." A fine overview of a singer/-songwriter coming to grips with his talent. Good. ~ James Chrispell, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In his third album in just two years, Jim Croce continued to mine the success of his previous efforts. I Got a Name includes the title track and "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song," which sailed into the Top 20 alongside nine other songs rich in the singer/songwriter tradition. ~ James Chrispell, All Music Guide
'You Don't Mess Around with Jim'
Release Date 1/1/1971
Tracks 12
Label ABC
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Croce's debut ABC album was also his commercial breakthrough, topping the charts for five weeks, largely due to the comic, up-tempo title tune, a story song about competing pool hustlers, although Croce also reached the Top 20 with the change-of-pace ballad "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)." Just after his death, ABC issued the track "Time in a Bottle," and a newly ironic message propelled it to number one. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Jim & Ingrid Croce's duo album, which appeared years before Jim Croce's breakout 1972 hit "You Don't Mess Around With Jim," demonstrates that the later decision for Jim Croce to perform solo was a sound one. Together, the Croces singing in unison sound like a becalmed version of Ian & Sylvia on these gentle folk songs. Ingrid Croce, who takes several lead vocals and even sings by herself on "The Next Man That I Marry," has a passable but unremarkable voice, while Jim Croce often shows the casual style that would become so popular in the early '70s. This is particularly noticeable on "Another Day, Another Town" and "What the Hell," at least until Ingrid Croce joins in on the choruses. The material, much of it written by the Croces, is pleasant but ordinary; there are no hidden gems here. This album passed unnoticed when it was first released, only gaining attention in the wake of Jim Croce's hit recordings for ABC and his subsequent early death, which put a premium on all parts of his relatively small catalog. But it remains juvenilia or, to be more precise, a stylistic experiment that didn't really work before Croce hit upon the magic formula as a solo act. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Since he only left a precious few full-length albums behind, fans have always clamored for more recordings from the late/great Jim Croce. Probably one of the most sought-after items was an ultrarare album that Croce issued himself back in 1966, Facets. With 500 dollars in his pocket (a wedding gift from his parents), Croce recorded 11 tracks and pressed up 500 copies of the resulting album -- all of which were snapped up except for a handful. With the majority of Croce's fans never having the chance to hear these early tracks, the folks at Shout Factory have finally reissued this ultrarare recording (on CD for the very first time) -- as it's been expanded to a two-disc set, which includes seven collaborative tracks between Jim and his wife, Ingrid Croce, titled "Jim and Ingrid Too." Of course, Facets is aimed strictly at Croce's most ardent fans, but they won't be disappointed. Although Croce was still finding his own voice and style, such tracks as "Steel Rail Blues" show that the singer/guitarist was already on his way to greatness. On the second disc, the music resembles more of the acoustic/folk style that Croce would become aligned with during the early '70s, while Ingrid's vocals harmoniously coexist with Jim's, especially on such standouts as "Child of Midnight," "It's All Over, Mary Ann," and especially the delightful "Hard Times Be Over." ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
