From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing

This cryptically titled disc seamlessly takes Michael Nesmith from his firmly established southwestern Americana roots and into a much more pop-oriented setting, without compromising his signature laid-back delivery. The disc was cut in Nashville at the height of the disco era. As such, there are a few slightly rhythm-heavy tracks — including the album's signature piece and leadoff track "Rio" and "Love's First Kiss." However, rather than emphasizing a mindless and otherwise repetitive tempo, Nesmith tastefully incorporates the beats into his otherwise country-flavored rockers. As always, the lyrical content is impeccable and at the very least intriguing. The same is true of the sole cover tune — "Navajo Trail" — incorporating the lolloping country & western bassline with his trademark minor chord changes. The lyrical desolation is compounded by some ethereal sound effects that act as a sonic link from song to song — as if the listener is physically drifting from composition to composition. This technique was most likely a remnant from his previous effort, The Prison, which was a musical novella featuring text and tunes by Nez. The lovelorn ballad "Wisdom Has Its Way" is practically two decades ahead of its time, as the style is uncanny in the lyrical and musical likeness that would redefine Nesmith on his Tropical Campfires (1993) album. The tune is well-crafted and expansive enough musically that it could very well be interpreted as a slow acoustic ballad in addition to a fuller band version — as heard here. The two rockers on the album, the bluesy "We Are Awake" and the honky tonkin' "The Other Room," are somewhat disparate in musical approach, yet they are distinctly Nesmith, with clever metaphysical and witty double entendre-filled lyrics. These tracks pave the way for the decidedly upbeat and edgier Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma. This studio follow-up sheds the disco rhythms and features Nesmith with a full-blown rock band.