John David Souther - Black Rose

John David Souther — Black Rose

A gem from the golden age of 1970s singer-songwriters

Part of the Acoustic Sounds 40 Series

Releasing 40 titles to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Acoustic Sounds!

Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab from the original analog master tape

180-gram 45 RPM double LP pressed at Quality Record Pressings

Housed in a Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold jacket

Black Rose stands as John David Souther's defining artistic statement — a lush, soulful record that bridges the California country-rock sound with elegant, jazz-inflected sophistication. 

Originally released in 1976 on Asylum Records, this was the moment Souther fully came into his own: a songwriter's songwriter, surrounded by the very best of L.A.'s musical elite. With appearances by Linda Ronstadt, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and David Crosby, Black Rose captures that intimate, sunlit West Coast magic like few albums of its time.

Sonically, Black Rose is a marvel — warm, organic, and deeply textured. The original analog recordings deliver that unmistakable '70s Asylum fidelity: silky vocals, airy acoustic guitars, and rhythm sections that feel both loose and immaculate. Every note glows with studio craftsmanship.

Souther mined themes of heartbreak and grace, love and loss, with precision on Black Rose. Songs such as "If You Have Crying Eyes," "Faithless Love," and the haunting title track embody a blend of vulnerability and effortless cool that defined the era.

Rich, timeless, and radiantly human — Black Rose by John David Souther is a masterpiece that still blooms with every play.

LP 1 Side A

1. Banging My Head Against The Moon

2. If You Have Crying Eyes

3. Your Turn Now

LP 1 Side B

1. Faithless Love

2. Baby Come Home

LP 2 Side A

1. Simple Man, Simple Dream

2. Silver Blue

3. Midnight Prowl

LP 2 Side B

1. Doors Swing Open

2. Black Rose

Customer Reviews (3.00 Stars) 1 person(s) rated this product.

Disappointed posted on 08/07/2026 3 Stars Reviewer: DCBRN Yes. JD Souther a great songwriter. But this sounds unfinished, as if the production stopped short. Studio work has the opportunity of refinement. Think Steely Dan. This seems at times like it doesn’t know quite what it wants to be. Is it folk, is it rock, is it songbook? When these influences come together it can be magical. But not on this record. Here it’s only clumsy. Among other things, it has this big overwrought bass with a percussive quality above strings and vocals, when an acoustic bass may have been the better choice. Or even an acoustic bass utilizing a bow. As it is, some of the production is out of proportion, lacking refinement. The overplayed Eagles sound nuanced by comparison. Black Rose is a product of the mid 70s, probably compromised by the production and business model of the day. Acoustic Sounds pressing is perfect.

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