The Dirt Band

United Artists Records
1978

Shortly after compiling the retrospective Dirt, Silver & Gold, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was shrunk to a trio of Jeff Hanna, John McEuen, and Jimmie Fadden, who seized the opportunity to draft in new members and take a stab at the commercial country-rock of their Californian brethren. The Dirt Band is really good within its chosen milieu, stumbling only when it tries to hearken back to the group's nitty, gritty roots. The production is sleek and stylish, perfectly suiting mid-tempo songs like "In for the Night," "For a Little While," and "Whoa Babe" as well as softer ballads like "Wild Nights," "Escaping Reality," and the lovely "You Can't Stop Loving Me Now." These are all attributes that will not matter to those appalled that the band took this detour in the late '70s, but to those who like Californian soft rock, this, and its successor American Dream, are overlooked minor gems.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All-Music Guide