Tantamount To Treason Vol. 1 is Michael Nesmith's

Michael Nesmith

Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...

 fourth solo album during his post-Monkees career. Released in 1972, Tantamount To Treason Vol. 1 is the only album Michael Nesmith recorded and released with the Second National Band. An assumed sequel (Tantamount to Treason Vol. 2) was said to have been recorded but was never released. Even so, Nesmith has personally stated that a follow up 'never happened and all ruomors are false'.

The band on this release is credited as the Second National Band—the only remaining members from the original First National Band were Michael Nesmith

Michael Nesmith

Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...

 and O.J. "Red" Rhodes

Red Rhodes

Rhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters and many other groups. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's first solo albums in the early 1970s...

. The remaining members of the Second National Band were Michael Cohen on keyboards (who had played on Nesmith's previous LP Nevada Fighter

Nevada Fighter

Nevada Fighter is the third solo album by American singer-songwriter Michael Nesmith during his post-Monkees career. The album is also the third and final album with the First National Band. Released in 1971, it peaked at No...

), big-band drummer Jack Ranelli, and bassist Johnny Meeks (who had played lead guitar years before with Gene Vincent

Gene Vincent

Vincent Eugene Craddock , known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly...

).

The album is celebrated by Nesmith fans for its trippy, almost psychedelic feel. "Lazy Lady" has delay effects and white noise; "You Are My One" features guitar phasing and a long solo section; "In the Afternoon" and "Highway 99" include sound effects. Even the traditional "She Thinks I Still Care" features a phased steel guitar solo. Nesmith also does his own version of Bill Chadwick's "Talking to the Wall"; Chadwick's own version was recorded under Nesmith's aegis in the late 1960s.

Tantamount To Treason was re-released in 2000 along with Nevada Fighter

Nevada Fighter

Nevada Fighter is the third solo album by American singer-songwriter Michael Nesmith during his post-Monkees career. The album is also the third and final album with the First National Band. Released in 1971, it peaked at No...

by BMG International in 2000. The re-release includes three previously unreleased bonus tracks.

Beer Recipe

On the back cover of the LP, there is a recipe for the Papa Nes Home Brew:

INGREDIENTS:

1. BARLEY MALT ... ABOUT THREE POUNDS
2. WATER ... ABOUT FIVE GALLONS
3. HOPS ... ABOUT A CUP (Washington hops, if available)
4. CORN ... TO TASTE (PILGRIMS THREW IN ARTICHOKE)
5. RICE ... TO TASTE (It has to be processed rice)
6. BREWER'S YEAST ... ONE BLOCK (It must be fresh and non-flocculant*)

Track listing

All songs by Michael Nesmith except where noted.

1. "Mama Rocker" – 3:03
2. "Lazy Lady" – 2:55
3. "You Are My One" – 4:23
4. "In the Afternoon" – 6:01
5. "Highway 99 With Melange" (Michael Cohen) – 5:06
6. "Wax Minute" (Richard Stekol) – 4:38
7. "Bonaparte's Retreat
   Bonaparte's Retreat (Pee Wee King song)
   "Bonaparte's Retreat" is the title of a song written by American country music artist Pee Wee King. Various versions of the melody themes exist as traditional fiddle tunes dating back to before the turn of the 20th Century, and probably well before that. King's version was released as a single in...
   
   " (Pee Wee King
   Pee Wee King
   Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski , known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing "The Tennessee Waltz"....
   
   , Redd Stewart
   Redd Stewart
   Henry Ellis Stewart , better known as Redd Stewart, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist who co-wrote "The Tennessee Waltz" with Pee Wee King in 1948.-Biography:...
   
   ) – 4:36
8. "Talking to the Wall" (Bill Chadwick) – 2:57
9. "She Thinks I Still Care" (Steve Duffy, Dickey Lee Lipscomb) – 4:08

Personnel

• Michael Nesmith - six and 12-string electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
• Michael Cohen - keyboards & Moog synthesizer
• Johnny Meeks - bass
• Jack Ranelli - drums
• O.J. "Red" Rhodes
  Red Rhodes
  Rhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters and many other groups. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's first solo albums in the early 1970s...
  
   - pedal steel guitar
• José Feliciano
  José Feliciano
  José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
  
  - congas

Production notes

• Produced by Michael Nesmith
• Engineered by Peter Abbot
• Art direction by Acy Lehman
• Artwork by Wilson McLean
• Design by Frank Mulvey