After releasing the baroque-pop classic Triangle in 1967, The Beau Brummels shifted gears radically the following year when singer Sal Valentino, guitarist Ron Elliott and producer Lenny Waronker traveled to Nashville to explore the crossroads of country and rock. Working with some of Music City's hottest session players, the West Coast group recorded BRADLEY'S BARN, an album whose fusion of styles earned critical acclaim, but was too far ahead of the curve for the average rock fan to enjoy commercial success.

Rhino Handmade rediscovers this unheralded gem of early country-rock and gives it its due as a two-disc set that comes in a hardbound booklet with rare photos and lengthy sleeve notes by Alec Palao that feature commentary from Valentino, Elliott, Waronker, and lyricist Bob Durand. The collection includes the original Warner Bros. album remastered by Dan Hersch and Andrew Sandoval, 25 rare and unreleased tracks, and a 1968 radio interview with Valentino and Elliott.

Unlike the stripped down approach The Byrds employed on Sweetheart of the Rodeo (which was recorded around the same time), Waronker summoned a multilayered "guitar orchestra" for BRADLEY'S BARN, using it to explore Elliott's complex melodies, and create clean but intricate arrangements to showcase Valentino's velveteen voice. The band heard on most of BRADLEY'S BARN features Elliott, Valentino, keyboardist David Briggs, and bassist Norbert Putnam, plus guitarist Jerry Reed and drummer Kenny Buttrey, both of whom played with Bob Dylan during his Nashville years.

The first disc contains the newly remastered original album supplemented by several bonus tracks, including three previously unreleased songs: the alternate version of "I Love You Mama"; the 1967 demo for "Just A Little Bit Of Lovin'" recorded in Hollywood; and the stereo mix of the demo for "Black Crow."

Even more unissued recordings are revealed on the second disc, which features: alternate takes of "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" and "Lift Me"; an alternate mix of "Love Can Fall A Long Way Down"; an alternate demo of "Another"; the demo for "Confessions"; and a cover of the classic country weeper "Long Black Veil." The disc also contains several of Valentino's post-Brummels solo recordings including several singles from the era making their debut on CD as well as three more unreleased songs: an alternate version of "An Added Attraction (Come And See Me)" and the Johnny Cash covers "A Little At A Time" and "Home Of The Blues."

Along with the trove of unreleased material, BRADLEY'S BARN also contains seven outtakes from the album's sessions that were originally compiled by Rhino Handmade on Magic Hollow, the now sold out retrospective spanning The Beau Brummels' entire career released in 2005.

Valentino and Elliott get the last word, literally, on BRADLEY'S BARN, which concludes with an interview of the two that was originally broadcast on San Francisco's KMPX-FM in October 1968. The conversation, which occurred around the time of the album's release, has never been released.

UPC: 603497949564