Long time GooseFans know that we just love America. Yes, these are the same old guys who sang Ventura Highway, Tin Man and the silly song about the Horse. But they're back in style. We initially were frightened when we heard that they had hooked up with younger rockers. But really...this is the best we've heard since the View from the Ground "come back". (of course, we still loved Human Nature...but that's a different review)
We saw Gerry and Dewey on David Letterman singing "Ride On". Boy did that make us think "another yucky CD". We Geese just aren't into the Dewey rock thing. We prefer the soft, Gerry-ballad-soul. And by the way...we were unpleased that David Letterman didn't take 5 mins to say hello and let Gerry and Dewey say hello. That appearance was just wap-bam-play-cut-to-commercial! 
Back to the album review...this is a two CD-er. First CD is the Here and Now, full album (no cheating here!). The second cd is a "recorded live" album. We'll tell you, it was nice to get a two-fer, but for real fans who have been to 4 live appearances and who own 3 concert DVDs and 3 audio only concert CDs, sorry...we didn't need another one! Check out Dewey's comment on their website...Ok, it was in the can already so what was the harm in releasing it? Yes...but it sure would have been nice to have a bit more commentary? Yes, we got little tidbits in other albums like "There are the nice and the not nice" and "You've got your Human and your Nature". But, we would have liked to have had REAL commentary. If you want REAL sit down, get to know the guys, check out the latest concert DVD "America In Concert Live at the Sydney Opera House".
So, we can tell you...don't buy this for the live album part. But if you want something a bit more modern America, we really love "One Chance" and "Look at Me Now" (of course, both Gerry-written, Gerry-approved). One Chance...a soft ballad with a beat. We think this could be a GREAT romantic movie song...find the right movie story line, then play this song approx 3/4 of the way through...after the breakup and before the happy ending. Come on...think top 10 on the Adult Contemporary (we haven't heard this out of Gerry in a LONG time...). The last song that felt like this was Peter Cetera's Glory of Love.
Look at Me Now - a very contempory feeling song, similar to Wednesday Morning or a more contemporary, toned down version our personal favorite Never Be Lonely. Probably not a top 10...but it's now on our favorite list. We'll go to another live concert (or buy even ONE more concert cd) if Gerry would sing Look at Me Now live!
We must admit to even liking Indian Summer, a Dewey creation. It has a slight rock feel, but with enough airy-ness to be entertaining to our GooseEars. Walk in the Woods...we can't identify it, but it has the feel of an older America song (we've heard so many, we just can't remember what this feels like...) It's a nice song...not a top 10, but smooth, very smooth. We definitely think that Walk in the Woods is a good airplane song...you know, those soft, mellow, calm the savage beast songs that could easily relax you and put you to sleep. Not out of boredom...just nice gentle feeling. 
We'll have to tell you the truth...we own all America albums. But we must say that this one is a definite buy! We really couldn't say that about a few of the other albums (cough, "Perspective", cough or how about "Encore More Greatest Hits", cough cough) Even though we didn't care for the live album, we must admit that the recording quality was far better than some of the other "live" CDs. The one thing that could have improved this one...play better songs...how about "Never Be Lonely", "Inspector Mills", "Love on the Vine", "Old Man Took" or "Seargent Darkness"???? Yes, those oldies, but goodies!!! We're just sick of the horse and the highway!!!
Despite the unnecessary horse and highway, we'll still give this album a rating of:
9 of 10 happy honks (if they had included a few better live songs, it could have been 10 happy honks)