Omnivore's 2018 compilation The Asylum Years offers the two albums Chris Hillman recorded for the label in the mid-'70s: 1976's Slippin' Away and 1977's Clear Sailin'. These were the first two solo albums Hillman ever recorded, arriving on the heels of his stint with Stephen Stills' Manassas, a short-lived Byrds reunion in 1973, and a similarly brief supergroup with J.D. Souther and Richie Furay. Both of the albums share some aesthetic similarities with these post-Flying Burrito Brothers projects, capturing an increasingly polished take on roots music that starts to verge into the yacht rock arena. Of the two, Slippin' Away is a bit tougher, thanks to a Ron and Howard Albert production that gives plenty of space for a crew of pros -- including such all-stars as Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and Jim Gordon -- to lay down a foundation that underpins the softer moments. The balance flips on Clear Sailin', whose surfaces are slicker, a move that accentuates how Hillman and producer Jim Mason dabble in such '70s affectations as Caribbean rhythms. Far from being alienating, the period gloss of The Asylum Years is a bit of a selling point -- these are warm, cozy productions that offer comfort -- and if you can hear beyond the smooth touches, it's clear that Hillman made two records that served as a bridge between the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Desert Rose Band. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine