DAVID BLUE – Stories – (Asylum) – 1971

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Franko

David Blue has secured a footnote in musical history by virtue of the fact that he was a contemporary and friend of Bob Dylan.

 

It seems that Blue wasn’t a hanger on or imitator. He was the same age, moved in the same Greenwich Village Folk Circles, had similar inspirations, and had a similar outlook.

 

By all accounts Dylan seemed to like having him in his inner circle and hung out with him before and after he (Dylan) found fame. Dylan, later in the 70s, even played harmonica on one of Blue’s LPs.

 

Having said that, commentators will say that Blue’s musical philosophy and demeanour were very close to Dylan’s, if not imitative of him. That’s not entirely fair. Blue has his own voice but Dylan’s shining star shone brightly and touched all those around him, both near and far. It is not surprising that Blue may have been inspired by Dylan in music and style.

 

This LP (his fourth) is perhaps Blue’s least Dylan sounding album (of the ones I have heard) but there are tracks which could be Dylan outtakes. Granted, Blue’s baritone is cleaner than Dylan’s rasp and his lyrics generally aren’t as biting or incisive but the similarities are as clear as day.

 

Given the similarities, then, and the generally high level Blue was working at, it is surprising that Blue didn’t have more success than he did.

 

This surprised Blue as much as anyone else.

 

The whole allmusic entry on him is: “Born in Providence, Rhode Island (1941) as S. David Cohen (a name he returned to for one of his albums), David Blue was a member of the folk singer/songwriter community of Greenwich Village in the ’60s and a close friend of Bob Dylan (he recounts this period of his life in Dylan’s movie Renaldo & Clara). Blue made several albums for Elektra, Reprise, and Asylum in the ’60s and ’70s, and is best remembered for his songs "I Like to Sleep Late in the Morning" and "Wanted Man" (recorded by the Eagles). He died at age 41 of a heart attack while jogging in Greenwich Village’s Washington Square Park in December 1982”.

 

I think part of the problem is the problem with all the Dylan “sound-alikes” of the time or all those subsequently labelled with the “new Dylan” title. How many dozens have there been? The problem is that all the “new / next Dylan’s” are likened to him on the basis of voice or wordplay, or usually both. What they all lack, is something that Dylan is rarely given credit for …the music. Dylan uses melodies and music to give an emotional punch to his words just as any Brill building pop writer would. That is sometimes lost on his disciples and something they rarely address in their work.

 

Still, Blue’s music is superior than others of it’s ilk and it is curious that he hasn’t been rediscovered by the tastemakers. Certainly no cult has developed around him like the one around Nick Drake. Like wise his albums haven’t been rediscovered like those of Paul Siebel and whilst he was alive he didn’t have the hip credibility of Leonard Cohen (no relation). He remains one of those obscure artists that obscurists and Dylan obsessives enjoy. .

 

This album has Blue backing off from Dylan a little …at times he sounds a little like Leonard Cohen. Regardless, his style is quite fluid and quite lyrical.

 

Much is made of his sad lyrics and his songs certainly are downbeat but never depressive, negative or faux. Blue is quietly contemplative and calls it as he  sees it but he does not judge. There is a humanity in his music which certainly was at odds with general jubilation of the 60s and 70s.

 

The album is helped by, amongst others, excellent backing from Russ Kunkel on drums, Ry Cooder on slide guitar, Pete Jolly on accordion, Rita Coolidge on backing vocals and Jack Nitzsche arranging the strings.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Looking for a Friend – like a serious version of a James Taylor song. Blue’s song is about friendship and the loneliness when friends are nowhere to be found. Perfect 70s disillusionment.
  • Sister Rose – going home …to a home never known away from the suicides and broken people ….
  • Another One Like Me – Dylan with some Ry Cooder slide ….
  • House of Changing Faces -excellent song about drugs and things.
  • Marianne – a beautiful Dylanesque song with gentle accordion from jazz pianist Pete Jolly. Perhaps this is song is a response to Leonard Cohen’s “Marianne” or perhaps it’s about the same girl?

I loved Marianne in the winter

In the loft of her favorite lover

She was growing older

The winter nights were cold

She told me I’m frightened

I said yes I know.

 

Her eyes held me to her

They burned with such a fire

For the saints on the walls

Holy candles in the halls

For those who had left her

I held her and cried.

 

Oh, Marianne you are beautiful

To be this friend

To a stranger who

Leaves you only to fall

Do not cry you have helped me

I will not say goodbye.

 

  • Fire in the Morning – a bloke not having a good day, in a cold restaurant, alone, avoiding the company of friends …. tells a girl he loves her but he hasn’t much to offer  …. now he’s a catch!
  • Come on John – written by Blue but recorded by Helen Reddy. A downbeat song about drug addiction. Similar to Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man”. Searing.
  • The Blues (All Night Long) – Ry Cooder on slide guitar. A gentle white country folk blues. Ruminative but not particularly memorable.

And …

 

Not perfect but a very good album with more highs than lows and a couple of great tracks.. I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

Nothing no where

 

Sounds

Looking for a Friend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgJHnZ8hwd8

 

Another One Like Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz46zmWqddY&feature=related

 

House of Changing Faces

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O48Dgq9TeoM&feature=related

and attached

David Blue – The House of Changing Faces

 

Marianne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37MYQwyg_1g

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiHM0hotkPo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlhlmEdZ7pU

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/stories-r105620

 

Bio

http://folk.uio.no/alfs/illustrated_bio.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Blue_(musician)

 

Website

http://folk.uio.no/alfs/blue.html

 

Trivia

  • on the cover of "The Basement Tapes" by Bob Dylan & The Band, David (wearing a trench coat and bowler hat) is the guy sitting on the floor next to Rick Danko
  • David Blue (also a sometime actor) had a large role in Dylan’s film "Renaldo & Clara" (1978) as sort of a narrator.
  • Apparently, the Joni Mitchell song "Blue" is written about him and also (apparently) Bob Dylan’s "It’s All Over Now Baby Blue," may also be about him.
  • http://www.bobdylanroots.com/blue.html

ERIC ANDERSEN:

David Blue was always on the streets. He had more fucking stories than anyone else. He was also a real pothead. Phil Ochs would dabble in it but was very paranoid; so David would score for Phil and end up stealing the pot from him. But Phil was so paranoid he would keep giving David more money and David would keep taking more pot.

 

MARC ELIOT:

At the beginning, no one in the "in” crowd liked David, except for Phil Ochs. Phil thought he was a tremendous performer and songwriter. Later on, people started coming around to his music. David’s music was all romantic. Phil’s was all political. In fact, David. Phil, and Dylan were an interesting threesome when it came to writing about women. David would write about women who most people didn’t know — the exotics; Dylan wrote about the universals; and Phil didn’t write about them at all. David was a character. He would be offended if someone told him he looked like Dylan, yet he looked like that on purpose….

 

JAKE JACOBS:

Someone once said David Blue was a Bob Dylan clone. If Dylan changed his hairstyle, David would change his hairstyle. If Dylan would wear a white shirt buttoned to the top, then David would too… David used to spend hours in front of the mirror just getting ready to go out. He was very vain. I learned a lot from him about songwriting, singing, guitar playing, and the scene. He was the muse. He was the Greek chorus.

 

Posted in Folk Rock, Singer Songwriter | Tagged | Leave a comment

CARLY SIMON – Hello Big Man – (Warner Brothers) – 1983

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Franko

Question: Carly, what happened?

 

Answer: The 1980s.

 

Carly was one of the best of the many female singer songwriters to emerge from the 1970s. “You’re so Vain” is still one of the best break-up / get back at songs of the genre. But, by 1983 she was suffering the same fate as many of the other “old” acts who were trying to remain contemporary : terminal blandness, partially as a result of diminishing new ideas and partially a result of 1980s vapid production which was used on most mainstream acts.

 

The 80s didn’t really kick in until about 1983-84. Up till then the production was 1970s era sounds (and perhaps technology) updated to encompass the influence of the new wave. Technology, eventually, did catch up and mainstream music became slick, smooth and full of overwrought fake emotion or it’s flipside: insincere aloofness passing for late 20th century existentialism. Synths, reverbed gated snare drum sound, sexy saxes, a touch of mellow keyboard. I’m not sure what they were thinking. I know my ranting may sound like a croc of shit, but think about the mainstream 1983 to say 1993 …. Urrrgh. The only good music was coming from the indie, college and alternative scenes.

 

It’s a pity because Carly can still sing and she still can write a tune but this album is killed by the worst excesses of the 80s : the aforesaid (over) production and the inclusion of some white reggae (Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare would do anything). It may have made the music commercially viable in 1983 but time has not dated it well. Perhaps, and I have said this before, mainstream 80s production, dated pretty quickly anyway.

 

When things are turned down and Carly sings with little instrumentation (or rather, less instrumentation) or when she reverts to 70s era sounds, clearly never sure of the synth path she is on, the music is bearable. Those tracks would be better, however, if they weren’t so saccharine and it’s unfortunate that the up-tempo songs weren’t also 70s influenced.

 

The other problem is that, like all lyricists, Carly spends too much time on words and not on the music, which she leave to her producer (Mike Mainieri). This is a trap singer songwriters who dwell on lyrics fall into, and Dylan aside, because he knew better, pop music is about, err music.

 

As to be expected from Carly and her ilk all the songs deal with relationships from start to finish …romance, marriage, infidelity, break-up. Her songs are deeply confessional though and seem to relate, to real and direct events in her life and interestingly she doesn’t always take a pro female stand.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • You Know What to Do – The lyrics are interesting but the music is wholly uninspired. It sounds like many, many tracks of the same era. And it goes on too long.
  • Menemsha – mainstream weird. With interesting silly lyrics which are quite evocative and with a slight world music feel (perhaps it’s the title). Menemsha is a small fishing village, beach and harbour located in the town of Chilmark on the island of Martha‘s Vineyar, Massachusetts…where, I believe, Carly lives. 

I’d like to see him again

I remember when

We made love

On the jetty in the rain.

When the fishing boats would

Come back in

At the end of the day

He’d run up the hill to my cabin

With a swordfish and he’d say:

“Girl I want you all over again”

All over again

 

  • Damn, You Get to Me – filler
  • Is This Love? – a pointless version of the Bob Marley song.
  • Orpheus – filler
  • It Happens Everyday – a divorce song with a (very) slight early 60s white doo wop feel …
  • Such a Good Boy – a infidelity type song with a different slant…the narrator being the accomplice in infidelity. Interesting.
  • Hello Big Man – apparently a song about Carly’s parents meeting and falling in love. In the alternative reality of song her parents live happily ever after which apparently was not the case in real life. The song (and album title) refers to the reply that her mother gave to her father when they first met. Apparently he said "hello little woman"…she said "hello big man".
  • You Don’t Feel the Same – filler, about a love that’s over
  • Floundering – she certainly is. Flippant, yes, but accurate. A reggae flavour to this song about a girl looking for a solution (psychiatry, political activism, scientology etc etc) to her emotional malaise. Pity it’s not very good because the message in interesting.

And …

 

Tape a song or two and sell.

 

And, of course, she is “foxy”.  And I mean that in a post 20th century pro female empowerment way.

 

Maybe I could catch a swordfish?

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

1983  You Know What to Do  Adult Contemporary #36

1983  You Know What to Do  The Billboard Hot 100 #83

 

Album

1983  Hello Big Man  The Billboard 200 #69

 

England

Singles

Album

–

 

Sounds

 

You Know What to Do

Videoclip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1io_O29Y118

 

Menemsha

attached

Carly Simon – Menemsha

 

It Happens Everyday

Videoclip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX1GpwI4i9Q

Live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atomatd_uwo

a cover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDOGTQBnbo4

 

Hello Big Man

Videoclip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw5siUU_H3k

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6UAYGxiRwU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNBq2_9VKMY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOd1JJvwlM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaV-6qerkqI

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/hello-big-man-r17992

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/carly-simon-p5430

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carly_Simon

 

Website

http://www.carlysimon.com/

 

Trivia

  • wikipedia: Simon married fellow singer-songwriter James Taylor on November 3, 1972.[16] Simon and Taylor had two children, Sarah "Sally" Maria Taylor (born January 7, 1974) and Benjamin "Ben" Simon Taylor (born January 22, 1977), both of whom are musicians and political activists. Simon and Taylor divorced in 1983.

  • wikipedia: Simon has been close friends with James Taylor’s younger brother Livingston Taylor for over forty years. Livingston has said, "I love Carly and Carly loves me. She’s a ferocious advocate and supporter of my music." They have worked as a musical duo for some songs such as "Best of Friends", released in Livingston‘s 2006 album There You Are Again, and others earlier in their careers.

  • "You’re so Vain" – who is it about? Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger, or somebody else? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27re_So_Vain

 

Posted in Pop Rock, Singer Songwriter | Tagged | 2 Comments

FINGERPRINTZ – Beat Noir – (Virgin) – 1981

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Franko

This is Scottish new wave apparently.

 

I haven’t heard their earlier albums but this, their third and last album, is new wave but taking the genre as far as it can go without leaving it, and not in a good way.

 

Allmusic: Formed by Scottish-born singer/guitarist Jimmie O’Neill in 1978, the ‘Printz slowed down punk’s careening guitar rock, adding clever, rhythmic twists and turns, and offering up deftly written stories about lust, angst, and urban desolation.

 

The band has a positive critical reputation but this album is, to my ears, just hard to listen to.

 

I cringe whenever reggae enters onto punk, as it inevitably does in English punk, and as it does here. Why ? Possibly because English music is looking for it’s own authentic roots but the sounds just don’t gel well…together they are neither here nor there. How do you get both adrenaline (punk) and pot (reggae) to live harmoniously with each other?

 

On this album a funkier reggae back beat, heavy bass lines, horns and occasional slowed down disco beats all seem at odds with the angst, urban dislocation, paranoia and film noir themes.

 

“Beat Noir” probably is a good title for the album though, when you think about it.

 

I suppose it is post punk or art punk but ultimately a lot of it sounds like Yazoo for grown-ups  without the catchy tunes. If the album were a little happier and poppier it could pass for INXS.

 

Weird.

 

I don’t deny there is something here – I just don’t like it and it reminds me a lot of bands in Brisbane (at least) that embraced English post punk (and were played on the local community radio station 4ZZZ) and were very, very dull.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • The Beat Escape   - New Wave disco? Is it possible? Should it be allowed? A good example of the English making something trivial but arguably fun (disco), worse.
  • The Chase   - that chase went on forever or felt like it.
  • Catwalk   - Why, why do I do this to myself?
  • Changing  - hmpff.
  • Get Civilised   - Bad hairdresser music, for hairdressers from the 1980s.
  • Shadowed   - a dash of Blondie and a dash of Roxy Music with a sprinkle of Talking Heads which turns jazzy half way through. Novel and pretty good.
  • Touch Sense   - filler
  • Echohead – a tribal beat going through the song makes it a little interesting even though this is a variation on what Adam and the Ants had done the year previous.
  • Going, Going, Gone  - filler
  • Famous Last Words – some nice Ribot-esque guitar amongst the dance beats.

And …

 

Perhaps I was too flippant with this album but it was a hard slog for me. Clearly it’s not my cup of tea …. sell.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

1982  The Beat Escape  Dance Music/Club Play Singles #24

 

Album

–

 

England

Singles

Album

–

 

Sounds

The Beat Escape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXeW_QumPqM

  

The Chase  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdPTA0Ab7hc

 

Catwalk  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqnh7Isf5-Y&feature=relmfu

 

Changing 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roaZCXBh584&feature=relmfu

 

Get Civilised  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-78n5Z5a44&feature=relmfu

 

Shadowed

Video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAXWKilJUAI

and attached

Fingerprintz – Shadowed 

 

Touch Sense   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD25wzs98jw

 

Going, Going, Gone  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CwOxr_KxbM

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puB27JD6Hso

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoxHqQGnjSc

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/beat-noir-r37525

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/fingerprintz-p17511/biography

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprintz

 

Website

http://www.thesilencers.info/history.html

 

Trivia

  • Wikipedia: Before forming The Silencers, vocalist Jimme O’Neill and guitarist Cha Burns were active in London‘s new wave music scene. O’Neill wrote songs for Paul Young and Lene Lovich, while Burns played guitar in Adam Ant’s backing band during 1982-1984 together with Fingerprintz drummer Bogdan Wiczling. O’Neill, who, in the mid 1970s, had worked for a time as a clerical assistant in the Department of Health and Social Security, released a single for Oval Records in 1975, "Achin’ in My Heart"/"Cold on Me", under the name Jimme Shelter (a throwback to the song, "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones).
  • 2 of the guys went into the Silencers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silencers_(band)
Posted in Punk and New Wave | Tagged | 2 Comments

THE INNOCENTS – The Innocents – (Boardwalk) – 1982

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Franko

Is anyone out there? The loneliness of the long distance record listener ….

 

This album is powerpop disguised as New Wave and perhaps a little more New Wave than other powerpop bands who lean the same way. And this is surprising as the band look like a late 70s Californian Beach Boys covers band.

 

The Inncoents were fast tracked to (fleeting) fame when they were the subject of a television documentary about a struggling band going from the clubs to recording a album for a label. (maybe that’s where they got the band name from?…Innocents …get it?). This sudden (partial) success may have stifled their creativity or self perception somewhat. It’s hard to say – they play well enough and there are one or two ideas in there but like many of their contemporary “new wave” or “skinny tie” bands they really don’t have enough ideas for an entire album. Having said that, they could have been perfect singles bands.

 

Much is made of The Innocents “original” sound with quirky vocals and punchy delivery in the music. I’m not convinced. I think they are a pub rock band (or whatever the US equivalent is) with New Wave stylings. On top of that the vocals are not dissimilar to James Reyne vocals from the Australian band Australian Crawl. I suspect The Innocents weren’t looking at Australia – who was in 1982? – but the vocals (especially) and music (generally) bear more than a resemblance to Australian Crawl who had released two albums, by 1982, in Australia, and were incredibly popular. By the way, James Reyne had lifted his vocals from Stephen Cummings of The Sports, Australian most underrated powerpop band.

 

I leave questions of “influence” in trans pacific sound to music archaeologists who want to follow that up.

 

Despite some pandering to the mainstream and some smooth sounds the production is reasonably direct and “in your face”.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Stop Shooting up the Stars – Excellent song with a pulsating drum beat and the those quivering vocals I have referred to.
  • Directly From the Heart   - another good song
  • Hold My Hand   - the obligatory new wave ballad
  • Wild at Fifteen – Lame. The only thing remotely new wave here are the vocals. There are 70s era squealy guitars but thankfully they have been mixed back into the sound.
  • Twisted Kiss  - not too bad – a poppy number complete with faux hand claps. Some bad 70s era guitar starting to sneak in.
  • Sob Story  - a big new wave heartbreak ballad …the type of thing REM would perfect a few years down the track.
  • Without Time – new wave stylings. Tinkly keyboards
  • Comes the Night   - slow and dull
  • Backseat of My Car – catchy new wave.
  • You Gotta Cry – totally out of left field. A 50s era song which is more like Queen doing the 50s, though with less voltage. Still it’s good.

And …

 

The second side is a little bit of a let down. But those first two tracks on side one are great and there are some other less memorable though catchy songs over the album.

 

I may keep this but then again I may not. It’s not too bad but …

 

Chart Action

 

US

England

 

Nothing no where.

 

Sounds

 

Stop Shooting up the Stars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob0K816k6S4

and attached

Innocents – Stop Shooting Up The Stars 

 

Directly From the Heart  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qnGuf-QeBQ

 

Hold My Hand  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r3cw9RTnss

 

Others

–

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-innocents-r546298

http://scottrharding.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/lost-innocents.html

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-innocents-p485462

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/the-innocents

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Newman

http://fuckyeahthomasnewman.tumblr.com/

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/michael-hurt

http://www.michaelconvertino.blogspot.com.au/

 

Website

–

 

Trivia

  • I’m not sure what happened to the rest of the band but Thomas Newman "Newman has received a total of ten Academy Award nominations, although as of 2011, he has yet to win the award. He has however won a BAFTA, two Grammys and an Emmy, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe". (wikipedia). He started film composing in 1984 with  Reckless, Revenge of the Nerds and Grandview, U.S.A.  He went on to compose: Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988),The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Thee People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), Mad City (1997),American Beauty (1999),The Green Mile (1999),Erin Brockovich (2000), Road to Perdition (2002), Finding Nemo (2003),Jarhead (2005),The Good German (2006),The Adjustment Bureau (2011), The Iron Lady (2011).
  • Michael Hurt, the lead singer, looks to be Michael Convertino, another film composer who is prolific though less successful. His films include: Dance with Me (1998), Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995), Guarding Tess (1994), Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993), The Doctor (1991), Bull Durham (1988), Children of a Lesser God (1986) and Hollywood Vice Squad (1986).
  • Michael and Tommy wrote all of the songs on the album. See …rock music does pay off, err occasionally.

 

Posted in Power Pop, Punk and New Wave | Tagged | 2 Comments

JOHNNY BURNETTE – Sings – (Liberty) – 1960

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Franko

Of all the native Memphis singers to follow the Elvis tsunami out of Memphis Johnny Burnette probably had the most talent.

 

And he wasn’t even signed to Sun.

 

Johnny, like a lot of early rock n rollers has an interesting bio ….see links.

 

Also, no doubt as a result of the time and place Burnette’s music has a similar structure and outlook to that of Elvis. Allmusic:  A contemporary of Elvis Presley in the Memphis scene of the mid-’50s, Johnny Burnette played a similar brand of fiery, spare wildman rockabilly. With his brother Dorsey (on bass) and guitarist Paul Burlison forming his Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio, he recorded a clutch of singles for Decca in 1956 and 1957 that achieved nothing more than regional success. Featuring the groundbreaking fuzzy tone of Burlison’s guitar, Johnny’s energetic vocals, and Dorsey’s slapping bass, these recordings — highlighted by the first rock & roll version of "Train Kept A-Rollin’" — compare well to the classic Sun rockabilly of the same era.

 

By the time of this recording Johnny had toned down his rockabilly and rock n roll impulses in the search for pop fame.

 

Rock n Roll was already going through a crisis of sorts. Between 1959 and 1960 rocks hard regional accents and jagged edges were smoothed out : perhaps it was a conspiracy or perhaps it was a series of natural occurring events all unfortunately occurring at the same time.

 

  • Elvis was drafted;
  • Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens were killed in a plane crash;
  • Chuck Berry went to jail;
  • Jerry Lee Lewis was banned;
  • Eddie Cochran was killed in a car crash;
  • Gene Vincent was substantially injured and disfigured in the same accident;
  • Johnny Cash turned to a more traditional country sound;
  • Bobby Darin turned to traditional pop;
  • Jack Scott was in the army;
  • Bill Haley, financially mismanaged, was broke;
  • Little Richard gave up rock n roll and turned to God (admittedly he vacillated back and forth).

Whatever the reason for the change, the traditional pop machine took over and a more pop flavoured rock n roll took control of the airwaves. That’s not to say this music was bad. From New York you had Dion and the Belmonts, out on the west coast you had Ricky Nelson (who Johnny Burnette wrote for) and down south you had Johnny Burnette and Roy Orbison. And in any event Elvis wasn’t adverse to pop and had that in his mix from his earliest recordings. He would come back from the army and release even more pop (and r&b, and pop operatics) culminating in the first great rock album of the 60s “Elvis is Back” (1960), which in some ways was a template for the music to come in that decade.

 

Unlike Elvis though, Burnette, like others, was seduced into or compelled to add strings and trad pop vocal choruses to his rock n roll music. There were two ways to approach the trend to softer rock music:

 

  • record it within a rock setting (which Elvis did), that is with small combos and rock musicians or sympathetic ones;
  • approach it from a traditional popular session as Burnette does here. ie : as if you were doing a paired down Dean Martin session.

Ultimately the sounds are different, slightly, but the former has stood the test of time better and is more well regarded. Either way, Burnette’s change in direction worked well for him and he had one top 10 and three top 20s in 1960/61.

 

Burnette’s trouble, however, was, always, his albums. He was more of a singles artist and found it difficult to put out a unpadded album.

 

But what carries everything is Burnette’s great vocals.

 

It is interesting to speculate on where he may have gone had he not been killed in a boating accident in 1964.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Little Boy Sad – Good word play. Captures the right amount of teen heartbreak that is needed to appeal to the teen girls.
  • Mona Lisa – the Nat King Cole song sped up.
  • I’m Still Dreamin’ – an excellent song and a sort of sequel to his “Dreamin” hit.
  • In the Chapel in the Moonlight – a good standard done well … though a little too sweet.  Dean Martin later covered this.
  • Red Sails in the Sunset – great song but here it is filler.
  • Big Big World – a excellent big dramatic ballad. There is syrupy backing but that does not detract to much from the song
  • Ballad of One-Eyed Jacks   - the sung western film theme song was incredibly popular in the 50s and 60s. The film cash-in song was also popular. These songs weren’t in the films but tend to outline the narrative or themes of the film. Think Pitney’s “Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, Claude King’s “The Comancheros” etc. This tune based on the Brando western is a good one.
  • The Treasure of Love- filler, very much of its era.
  • The Fool – a hit for rockabilly star Sanford Clark in 1955 and covered by Elvis in the 70s.
  • Blue Blue Morning – not too bad. Written by Gene Pitney.
  • Memories Are Made of This – Dean martin had done this song in the 50s. A cute, catchy song.
  • Pledge of Love- filler

And …

 

I love this era of music and this album despite it’s shortcomings has enough rock n pop to keep me entertained…. I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

1961  Big Big World  The Billboard Hot 100 #58

1961  Little Boy Sad  The Billboard Hot 100 #17

 

Album

– 

 

England

Singles

1961  Little Boy Sad  #12

 

Album

–

 

Sounds

 

Little Boy Sad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIRv8r1hwC4

 

Mona Lisa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8KcNS0C1VY

 

I’m Still Dreamin’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idG6Jgp7hAo

 

In the Chapel in the Moonlight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y6YOR5ruiY

 

Red Sails in the Sunset

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFs5TGgXEBQ

 

Big Big World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn8OXsJF3A4

 

Ballad of One-Eyed Jacks  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj28IAXqed4

and attached

Johnny Burnette – One Eyed Jacks

 

The Treasure of Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=599_IwbyYZQ

 

The Fool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuDdMdlZefA

 

Blue Blue Morning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsrb6Aj4qso

 

Memories Are Made of This

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVf5LApMmYc

 

Pledge of Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhCvSCiZdRY

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5GBk77Pb5o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD8siCNo7b4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufzRV3xspYA

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/johnny-burnette-sings-r31931

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-burnette-p61004

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Burnette

 

Website

–

 

Trivia

  • Johnny is the father of 1980s rockabilly singer Rocky Burnette.
  • "My brother Dorsey and I first got to know Elvis Presley when he went to Humes High and we went to the Catholic High… Elvis would tote his guitar on his back when he rode past on his motor-cycle on his way to school. He would see us and always wave". Johnny Burnette, 1961.

 

Posted in Rockabilly and Rock n Roll | Tagged | 2 Comments

DENNIS LAMBERT – Bags & Things – (Probe) – 1972

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Franko

I hate records where the track listing on the back doesn’t match the running order.

 

I had no knowledge about Lambert and maybe you don’t either, unless you are a Filipino. The guy is a bona fide pop superstar in the Philippines where this album was a best seller.

 

Though surprising, “foreign success” is not that unusual. Rodriguez has a substantial following in Australia and South Africa whilst he is unknown in the US. Likewise John Cougar had hits in Australia his pre Mellencamp days. Sometimes a artist just lucks out with a country.

 

Lambert had always been involved in music. From Allmusic: Songwriter and producer Dennis Lambert enjoyed a successful run working for the ABC-Dunhill label during the ’70s, where he and partner Brian Potter helmed hit records for the Four Tops, Dusty Springfield, and Glen Campbell, among others. Lambert began his career as something of a folkie, forming a poppy folk-rock duo with fellow singer/guitarist Craig Nuttycombe in Los Angeles in 1968. The first Lambert & Nuttycombe album, At Home, was released on A&M in 1970, and actually was recorded in the duo’s Sausalito, CA, living room. In the meantime, Lambert had formed a songwriting partnership with Brian Potter, with whom he signed a publishing deal with ABC-Dunhill in 1969. Lambert cut a solo album, Bags and Things, in 1972, and returned for a second and final Lambert & Nuttycombe album, As You Will, in 1973.

 

Given his background, I would like to think that this is a great, long lost singer songwriter album.

 

It’s not.

 

This is pure MOR pop. But it is superior MOR pop, if there is such a thing.

 

Everything is lush, controlled and clean. The songs, though, have hooks and in their own way almost create a mood of romantic dislocation. Who knows, if Lambchop were more MOR and less indie (and were recording in the 70s) they may sound something like this.

 

I’d probably go and see Lambert is he was playing in the pub down the road.

 

The album was produced by the great Steve Barri with strings by Jimmie Haskell. All the songs were written by Lambert and Potter. Most of the songs on the LP were eventually covered by other artists: "Ashes to Ashes" (Fifth Dimension), "Somebody Found Her" (Adrissi Brothers), "Of All The Things" (Dusty Springfield), "I Didn’t Sing (In The New York Subway)" (Blue Swede), "Dream On" (Righteous Brothers, Oak Ridge Boys (#1 Country)). So, clearly, the album was a critical success if not a commercial one.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Bags & Things   - a big romantic ballad. Dramatic, with typically silly lyrics, and with any number of visual metaphors.
  • Ashes to Ashes   - a slightly jazzy (though MOR pop) lament about the passing of time through pop cultural references ….
  • Of All the Things   - a big schmaltzy romantic ballad ….with typically syrupy lyrics …

Of all the things I’ve ever done

Finding you will prove to be

The most important one

 

I would never trade the tears

The conversations no one hears

The learning how to walk

Before we run

…

 

So in this world of odds and ends

I’d rather have a part of you

Than all of my so-called friends

 

You have taught me how to feel

What is false and what is real

Of all the things I ever want to do

 

I think I’ll start and end with loving you

 

  • Somebody Found Her (Before I Lost Her)   - schmaltz
  • I Didn’t Sing (In the New York Subway)   - not to bad … there’s a little (late era) Blood Sweat & Tears in the sound. And that’s not a bad thing, and a welcome reprieve from the MOR ballads.
  • Cross My Mind   - big ballad schmaltz
  • Something to Remember You By   - schmaltz
  • So Little Time   - schmaltz …this makes Andy Williams look edgy ….
  • Rock & Roll Mood   - why are most songs that reference rock & roll in their titles, in themselves, not “rock & roll” songs?
  • Dream On   - another big mid tempo ballad ….catchy schmaltz.

And …

 

Hmm …. It’s not awful but it’s not for me (and I like a lot of schmaltz). Tape some and sell.

 

Chart Action

 

US

England

–

 

Sounds

 

Bags & Things  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-OQqhgJcnE

 

Ashes to Ashes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pixZKagsuQU&feature=related

  

Of All the Things   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFqSJSSlsN4&feature=related

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnSGnWab17I

 

Somebody Found Her (Before I Lost Her) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxkf_n_uJ3w

 

I Didn’t Sing (In the New York Subway)   

Attached

Dennis Lambert – I Didn’t Sing (in the New York subway)

 

So Little Time   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZVlCB-v4TQ

 

Dream On  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv2YN45b2TY

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zysF8uMxzNo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwJdhajmJ8U

http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/the-dennis-lambert-video-jukebox/

 

Review

–

 

Bio

 

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dennis-lambert-p96153/biography

http://www.bignoisenow.com/dennislambert.html

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/20740

 

Website

 

http://www.bignoisenow.com/dennislambert.html

 

Documentary

http://www.ofallthethingsmovie.com/

 

Trivia

 

  • Lambert is big in the Phillipines …after retireing from music and selling real estate in Flordia a Phillipino promoter convinced him to tour – a documentary was made: “Today, he’s a 60-year-old family man selling real estate in Florida. But it turns out his obscure 1972 solo album is huge – in the Philippines. A Filipino concert promoter has been begging Dennis to tour for decades, and in 2007 (35 years after the release of his album) he finally agreed. "Of All The Things" is a hilarious and touching pop/rock/country/R&B documentary that follows Dennis on his whirlwind tour as he rediscovers his passion for music – a two-week adventure that takes him from the comforts of Boca Raton, through the remote outer islands of the Philippines, to a sold-out show at Manila’s famous Araneta Coliseum for thousands of fans he never knew he had. Some lives deserve an encore.”  http://www.bignoisenow.com/dennislambert.html

  • Dennis Lambert co-wrote and/or co-produced the following hit songs:
    • - ‘Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got)’ — The Four Tops   (ABC/Dunhill)
    • - ‘Are You Man Enough’ — The Four Tops (ABC/Dunhill)
    • - ‘Baby Come Back’ — Player (RSO)
    • - ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ — Glen Campbell (Capitol)
    • - ‘One Tin Soldier’ — Coven (WB)
    • - ‘It Only Takes A Minute’ — Tavares (Capitol)
    • - ‘Nightshift’ — Commodores (Motown)
    • - ‘Don’t Pull Your Love’ — Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds   (ABC/Dunhill)
    • - ‘We Built This City’ — Starship (Grunt/RCA)
    • - ‘Keeper of the Castle’ — The Four Tops (ABC/Dunhill)
    • - ‘Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A.)’ — Glen Campbell   (Capitol)
    • - ‘Don’t Look Any Further’ — Dennis Edwards & Siedah Garrett   (Motown)
    • - ‘Do The Freddie’ — Freddie & the Dreamers (Mercury)
    • - ‘Remember What I Told You to Forget’ — Tavares (Capitol)
    • - ‘Dream On’ — Oak Ridge Boys (RCA)
    • - ‘Give A Little Love’ — Ziggy Marley (EMI)
    • - ‘Hit ‘Em Up’ — 2Pac (Deathrow/Interscope)
    • - ‘One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison)’ — The Four Tops  (ABC/Dunhill)
    • - ‘She’s Gone’ — Tavares (Capitol)
    • - ‘Two Divided By Love’ — Grassroots (ABC/Dunhill)
    • - ‘Pink Cadillac’ — Natalie Cole (EMI)

  • Steve Carell as Dennis Lambert in the Philippines?

http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/05/27/steve-carell-in-talks-to-play-pop-songwriter-dennis-lambert/

http://www.slashfilm.com/steve-carell-may-play-we-built-this-city-songwriter-dennis-lambert/

 

Posted in Singer Songwriter | Tagged | 1 Comment

MICHAEL DINNER – Tom Thumb The Dreamer – (Fantasy) – 1976

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Franko

Another 1970s singer songwriter.

 

Clearly there are a million stories out there that need telling.

 

Dinner put out two albums in the mid 70s, this being the second one. Apart from that there seems to be little information on him. He eventually went on to a successful career, though not in music. He ended up producing and directing in film and television and directed the great underrated “Catholic Boys” in 1985 and has gone on to direct episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Sons of Anarchy, Law & Order, Chicago Hope, Kidnapped etc

 

Dinner mixes his singer songwriter shtick up with California soft rock and a touch of country rock. And it works. Normally this type of stuff can date badly and bring on nausea but Dinner is clearly quite smart musically. There are also Caribbean influences (as you would expect from the Jimmy Buffet popular 70s), and soul (also to be expected).

 

The songs are all story songs, well written with something to say. What is most appealing is his demeanour and voice. He comes across a little like (and you can hear it) John Sebastian,

Jackson Browne or Elton John (at his least bombastic). His voice however has, to my ears, a noticeable Rick Nelson, circa “Garden Party” (ie: early 1970s), tone to it.

 

I Iove Rick Nelson in his “Dylan country” period,  so Dinner’s voice appeals …it’s a clean voice with a tinge of husk.

 

There is also good backing great musicians : Bill Champlin, Waddy Wachtel, Nigel Olsson.

 

The album does not trigger an emotional response but it is so easy on the ears that maybe that’s enough. That is, it sounds good and is so easy on the ears it is deceptive. Is there anything more there? Does there need to be anything more?

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Tom Thumb the Dreamer – Bouncy singer songwriter song transformed into an up tempo soft rock song with horns and backing vocals. Not too bad.
  • Julye – low key singer songwriter, much like Danny O’Keefe.
  • The Promised Land – not the Berry classic…sounds like Ricky Nelson from the early 70s
  • Thrown Out Of the Paradise Ballroom – Caribbean reggae calypso – normally I wouldn’t like this stuff but in small doses it is infectious …and it mentions John Wayne
  • The Swallow – reminiscent of Ricky Nelson circa “Garden Party”
  • Sitting in Limbo- (P. Bright, J. Chambers) – A Jimmy Cliff song.
  • Apple Annie – a country-ish tunes
  • Silver Bullets – more Ricky Nelson vocals and some nifty lyrics re drugs
  • Pale Fire – a long story song – very much like Danny O’Keefe but with lots of grandiose orchestration. 

And …

 

Hard to say whether I should keep this or not – there are some good tunes but how much of this stuff can one have? How many times will I listen to it? Maybe I will keep it…. but I’m not sure it will survive a future cull.

 

Chart Action

 

US

England

–

 

Sounds

 

Tom Thumb the Dreamer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaUKpIq49jM&feature=related

 

Julye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg1_Jnt9Zqw&feature=related

 

The Promised Land

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D9ItAMKBVA&feature=related

and attached

Michael Dinner – The Promised Land 

 

Thrown Out Of the Paradise Ballroom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH5OCrIl_ok&feature=related

 

The Swallow

Sitting in Limbo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53MBnY3NdvE&feature=related

 

Apple Annie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNPNNsobTII&feature=related

 

Silver Bullets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxSrBmBS1TA&feature=related

 

Pale Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU-nTF5OXH4

 

Others

 

Review

–

 

Bio

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dinner

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0227781/

 

http://waddywachtelinfo.com/MichaelDinner.html

 

Website

 

 –

 

Trivia

 

  • Not to be confused with the Swiss pan flutist, also Michael Dinner.

 

Posted in Singer Songwriter, Soft Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG – Waiting for Bonaparte – (WEA) – 1988

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Franko

The Men They Couldn’t Hang : On the evidence of this album it’s tempting to say something like, “but they should keep trying”.

 

Like the Oysterband and The Waterboys, The Men They Couldn’t Hang (“TMTCH”) mined English folk music and electrified it. To that end they are an English roots rock band. That sound can be traced back to the late 60s and early 70s with Fairport Convention, The Incredible String Band, Jethro Tull and others.

 

However, unlike those bands, TMTCH also mined Celtic, specifically Irish folk. Clearly they were trying to cash in on the success of The Pogues. Were any of them Irish? By their surnames it doesn’t seem so. Granted, music is about “sharing” and “cross fertilisation” but when TMTCH tackle Celtic rhythms the music is particularly disingenuous. But, to be fair to them, they also lifted from other non-English folk music.

 

The Celtic rip off was popular when Irish culture hit the mainstream in the 80s and 90s, In Australia we had “Roaring Jack”, the US had “The Dropkick Murphys’ and there were many others. Even Croatia had “Belfast Food”. All those bands ripped off some Celtic melodies and used the rhythm as a background to address domestic concerns and themes.

 

What makes the TMTCH version sound disingenuous is the antagonistic history between the Irish and the English ….my ears cannot separate historical events from the music.

 

Also, unlike their English counterparts (but much like their non-English compatriots) TMTCH also adopted The Pogues “folk punk” musical sound. They have not only electrified the faux folk tunes but given them a little snarl. And there is nothing wrong with that. The problem is,  though, that so much derivative inspiration doesn’t always allow for ones own talents to emerge.

 

Imitation is the sincerest from of flattery but in music it can leave a bad taste in the listener, especially when people are going to compare you to the original …and TMTCH were cleaner and devoid of any real anger or passion in their music (though they were more overt and obvious in their politics) . This comes off as folk punk pop, if there is any such a thing.

 

Regardless, at one point in my life I might have liked this – I say might because all of these bands came in the wake of The Pogues with their ethnic Celtic folk punk and that Celtic folk punk was particularly persuasive in it’s energy and lyricism. The music was also thematically littered with blue collar politics and examinations of the working life. This all appealed to me at one point of my life. Some of it still does.

 

All songs, bar one, are written by the band. The productions is crisp, clear and soulless in the 80s way.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • The Crest   - a Irish Celtic jig on this updated version of “Universal Soldier”. It’s nice to see the English stealing from the Irish instead of the Americans for a change. Otherwise a fine rabble rousing chant song.
  • Smugglers – a traditional song that sounds like a sea shanty from a Hollywood film … I like that.
  • Dover Lights   - a cynical view of home (here England). Interesting lyrics but it’s a pity the song is a little too dirge like.
  • Bounty Hunter  - a boppy Housemartins type of tune.
  • Island in the Rain   - filler and pretentious at that

I’ll go to bars we used to go to every day

To Tennyson’s statue carved in stone

It’s stayed the same throughout the passing of the years

But we were made of faithless flesh and bone

This time of year it rains on every empty beach

This time of year the summer souvenirs are gone

No slot machines, candy floss or novelties

Like love affairs picked up and lost along the prom

There’s only lovers walking in the rain

The way we did before another sea-son came

Ghosts, shadows, spirits of a dream

Or just players in a scene?

 

  • The Colours   - a fresh written song about English sailors, the sea, a mutiny and them throwing their lot in with Thomas Paine and the French.      
  • Midnight Train – a midnight train’s carrying something that is “poison from the ground”. Uranium perhaps?
  • Father’s Wrong – a disturbing though honest song about incestuous paedophilia as spoken by the aggressor.
  • Life of a Small Fry   - a song about an average man, “small fry” and his life where “he served no good”. Again, interesting lyrics but a poor delivery.
  • Mary’s Present- a boppy pop song about a broken love.  Mood and lyric don’t fit.

And …

 

An adequate substitute if someone has done off with your Pogues records …no one has done off with mine. I’m selling.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

Album

–

 

England

Singles

1988 The Colours #61 (their only English singles chart placing)

 

Album

1988 #41

 

Sounds

 

The Crest 

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FjNH_1ce-4]

 

Smugglers

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS2EJHNOrhs

and attached

Dover Lights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdbBGAQDsO0

 

Bounty Hunter 

Studio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXmEU_xOX28

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2zRXfIhI2Y

 

Island in the Rain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1sW2ZjXpuc

 

The Colours  

video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNKLBwAcP04

 

Others

–

 

Review

–

 

Bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Men_They_Couldn’t_Hang

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_punk

 

Website

http://www.tmtch.net/

 

Trivia

–

The Men They Couldn’t Hang – Smugglers

 

Posted in Folk Rock, Indie | Tagged | Leave a comment

JOHNNY RIVERS – Changes – (Imperial) – 1966

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Franko

I never had much time for Johnny Rivers in my youth. He always seemed neither here nor there as I thought he was a MOR act just playing some rock n roll.

 

I also found his nasal, whiney delivery a little annoying.

 

On the plus side it seemed that a lot of people who I quite liked, liked him. Also his albums were in abundance in op shops.

 

The more I listened the more worth I found in his music. I’m still not sure that  he will make the upper echelons of my favourites but what I have found, with the passage of time, is a singer who is very smart, knows his music, understands his historical context and can sing and excite when needed.

 

And that is enough … isnt it?

 

Johnny is always going to be up against it though. He won’t be as fondly remembered as the other 60s acts because he came a fraction to early and was playing the wrong sort of music. He won’t be praised by cultists either because he had too many hits and his sound wasn’t “dirty” or “scuzzy” enough. His music rocked but the sound was clean.

 

This is a pity because he fits perfectly, at least up till this album from 1966, the image of a rock n roll artist from the 50s rocking out in the 60s.

 

He is akin to Bobby Fuller of the Bobby Fuller Four or perhaps Lee Dresser and any number of other rockers from the late 50s and early 60s who tried to weather the attack of surf music, the British invasion and garage rock.

 

Johnny’s music is simple rock n roll – rhythmic, punchy, exciting and danceable. He rocks hard and fast but with a clean sound. In some ways he is a white R&B precursor to the R&B side of 70s powerpop.

 

Background, wikipedia: “Born John Henry Ramistella on November 7, 1942, in New York, his family moved to Baton Rouge, LA, in 1948, and it was there that his musical sensibilities were shaped. His father, who played the mandolin and guitar, introduced him to the guitar at an early age, and he proved a natural on the instrument. “

 

Rivers hit the big time when he, by accident and reluctantly apparently, agreed to perform on Sunset Strip in a stripped-down version of his rock and roll act, with just his electric guitar and a drummer, Eddie Rubin (so much for the White Stripes). The sound was electric and raw but still quite accessible pop and quite different to the pop sound coming out of the Beatles British invasion or the paint by number R&B British acts. The sound also caught on with the audiences, albeit urban sophisticated audiences…and the concept of the Live in LA album was influential in a minor way Trini Lopez, Lee Dressler did similar live in LA stripped down rock pop albums.

 

From allmusic: “The magnitude of Rivers’ accomplishment shouldn’t be underestimated — since early 1964, the American charts had been dominated almost exclusively by British rock acts, with American artists picking up the scraps that were leftover, and then along came this new white kid from Baton Rouge, playing ’50s-style rock & roll and R&B like he means it (and he did). The sales of the debut album were stunning for their time, rising to number 12 in a 45-week chart run on the strength of the single. In response, another live performance was released as Here We a Go-Go Again in late August of 1964. In the interim, his debut single was followed by Rivers’ version of "Maybelline," which got to number 12.”

 

The sound wasn’t authentic enough (despite Rivers Louisiana upbringing) for subsequent musicologists to “discover” him, but the sound was authentic enough, or more authentic than it was given credit for.

 

His music was totally out of step with the 60s but like Elvis movie music of the time ( which is another good comparison as Elvis frequented Rivers live shows when he was living in LA in the 60s …. and Johnny always had a lot of 50s rock n roll in his soul) he managed to have hits and successes.

 

By 1966 when this album had come out the times were changing. All the US pop stars of the early 60s (and those of the 50s), including Rivers, were finding it difficult to find an audience by 1966. The bar had been significantly moved by the Beach Boys, The Beatles and others.

 

Rivers response was this album.

 

This album is not so much a comeback but a change of direction. I can’t say if it came out of no where as I haven’t heard enough of his pre 1966 work but I can say that stylistically it is totally different to the albums immediately preceding it.

 

Again, Rivers isn’t going out on a limb musically – a lot of it is MOR pop rock, slickly produced by the great Lou Adler, with the cream of LAs musicians (Hal Blaine, Joe Osborn, Larry Knetchel, Tommy Tedesco, Bud Shank and Gary Coleman) in support.

 

This album doesn’t rock out and isn’t as rootsy as his earlier stuff. In fact the album is all ballads – and ballads which are quite MOR pop with sweet backing vocalists and strings. But it is heartfelt and varied and that is quite surprising because he is otherwise a mainstream artist.

 

But Johnny is going out on a limb by his standards and that is saying something.

 

The fact that he didn’t (yet) have to go out on that limb also says something.

 

Like much of Johnny’s earlier music he leans heavily on covers though, interestingly, the big hit (Poor Side of Town) was written by himself (Rivers started out as a writer but leant towards covers).

 

The covers are never less than interesting and Johnny has been very liberal with his cover versions changing the tempo and feel of the songs as it suits him, which makes the songs more interesting for us.

 

Here is a artist who had something to say and wanted to say it but said it in musical terms he was familiar with.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • By the Time I Get To Phoenix - the first appearance of this classic Jimmy Webb song, made immortal by Glen Campbell a few years later. If you thought Glen’s version was sweet this one with strings and backing vocals is pure ear candy. Still, it’s a great song, though I still prefer Glen’s version.
  • A Taste Of Honey -  pure MOR meets pop …..magnificent.
  • Days Of Wine and Roses – nice guitar playing – the gentle pop standard by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer.
  • California Dreamin’ – cellos and orchestra – dramatic and not unlike Eleanor Rigby. Still, its out there for a performer like Johnny. These are Californian musicians having fun. A beautiful song as done by the Mamas and the Papas this version is equally special and totally different.
  • Do You Wanna Dance? – the Mamas and the Papas subsequently cut this and used this arrangement. Again, a mind fuck – the frantic dance shouter is given a leisurely stroll and is equally endearing .
  • Cast Your Fate To the Wind – bouncy and catchy with some interesting lyrics…
  • Poor Side Of Town – a big hit written by Rivers and Adler. MOR backing voices and strings with lyrics that have a little bite when referring to social class distinctions …..I love when pop songs sneak in some social observations. This song harkens back to the Brill building days and the mini operas of Jay and the Americans and is accordingly well sung. This was Rivers only #1 – dooby doo oh wah shooby dooby indeed ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_Side_of_Town_(Johnny_Rivers_song)
  • If I Were a Carpenter – Tim Hardin’s great song which Bobby Darin did a great version of. Lyrically beautiful
  • Softly As I Leave You – the old standard – mostly associated with Sinatra, but tackled by everyone, though this is perhaps a lift from Darin …this version is not as emotionally devastated as either of those versions.
  • The Shadow Of Your Smile – another Darin lift and another MOR cosmopolitan MOR standard. Despite the fine arrangements I don’t think they work because Rivers doesn’t really have the voice for this material – it’s a bit to rustic.
  • Strangers In The Night – The Sinatra standard – again ….not too sure about this ….
  • Gettin’ Ready For Tomorrow – a gentle song full of optimism optimistic both personal and wider. Looking towards the future …yadda yadda

And …

 

The second side isn’t as good as the first but as a whole the album is certainly diverse but tied in with the arrangements and the committed vocals. If this album was by anyone else it would be a highly regarded album. Convincing and varied …I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

1966  Poor Side of Town  The Billboard Hot 100 1

 

Album

1967  Changes  The Billboard 200 # 33

 

England

Singles

–

Album

–

 

Sounds

By the Time I Get To Phoenix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJp-5aDZ0V0

 

A Taste Of Honey

Days Of Wine and Roses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE0B-ZGt0lM

 

California Dreamin’

video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7t66QbDCGI

and attached

Johnny Rivers – California Dreaming

 

Do You Wanna Dance?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSI_7O2bOME&feature=related

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5peSa2jTkUk&feature=related

 

Poor Side Of Town

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwVOlLF9VGQ&feature=related

 

If I Were a Carpenter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ8vvsB0ipU

 

Softly As I Leave You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV6-4WWPdGE&feature=related

 

The Shadow Of Your Smile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMjd1mGCL0U

 

Strangers In The Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3iLIaEoE1g

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iaR3WO71j4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRjSTpkF7lI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5R-_ZUf0wY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMKQgnT_fTY

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/changes-r16649/review

 

Bio

http://www.johnnyrivers.com/jr/images/one_sheet_bio.pdf

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-rivers-p118948/biography

 

Website

http://www.johnnyrivers.com/jr/index.php

 

Trivia

  • Did Johnny Rivers “burn” Elvis? http://www.elvis-history-blog.com/elvis-johnny-rivers.html
  • Johnny recorded an album of material including Elvis covers, at the Sun Studios in 1991 which were released on his 1998 album “ The Memphis Sun Recordings”.
  • Johnny, like a number of other US acts of the 60s (Gary Lewis, Jay & The Americans, Paul Revere and the Raiders etc), never had any hits in England.

 

Posted in Pop Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

THOMAS & RICHARD FROST – Self Titled – (MCA) – 1972

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Franko

For all of you musician friends of mine who think you have missed the boat and don’t know why – check out (below) the music bio to these guys.

 

These two brothers could not catch a wave, try as hard as they might.

 

They were in the right place, at the right time, with the right sound and the right amount of talent and inspiration, and yet their career was beset by my misadventure and mystery.

 

They recorded two albums for two different labels which may have propelled them into the big time but both albums weren’t released!

 

Some time later the music (most of it) was released, and lovers of the genre have been unanimous in their praise. I haven’t heard enough of it to make up my mind but clearly the guys had talent.

 

In the mid to late 1960s these Californian brothers, that formed the nucleus of various groups, were Anglophiles who had the smarts to incorporate some California sounds into their music. They released a number of catchy singles that showed much promise and led them to album contracts which I’ve said, weren’t released.

 

The shelving of albums killed of their initial enthusiasm, but in 1972 this album was released.

 

It disappeared.

 

The Frost brothers, from what I have heard, always had elements of sunshine pop (search this blog for definitions) in their music, so it was natural for them to stick to that sound. But what they have done here, and what is most interesting, is they have laid a level of country and folk on top of the sunshine pop.

 

By 1972 the market had changed significantly – folk rock had become influential in standard pop, whilst country rock and singer songwriter had ascended to chart making status. Accordingly, their sound was right for the times.

 

And, the music works on the ears. Perhaps, not surprisingly, because country and folk are all (or can be) harmony driven.

 

Country had invaded pop anyway and in some ways this album, on its face, is similar to some Bee Gees and Elton John of the time.

 

But, dig a little deeper into the sound and there is Tim Hardin, Shawn Phillips and Donovan (not surprisingly as he may have lifted from Shawn Phillips) all in the mix also.

 

This is a music that is lush and aurally relaxing, as is the best of sunshine pop, but at the same time it’s laid back, rootsy and quietly contemplative. A perfect music to lounge around to whilst sipping on a mint julep.

 

The brothers are on guitars with stellar support from:

 

  • Ben Benay (guitar virtuoso of surf instrumental band The Marketts) on electric guitar;
  • Larry Knechtel (session musician extraordinaire – Elvis, beach Boys Doors etc) on keyboards http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/08/you-may-not-know-larry-knechtel-but-you-definitely.html
  • Doug Fieger (later of the Knack!) on bass
  • Max Bennett (famous jazz bassist who also played with Elvis, The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Marvin Gaye etc) on bass;
  • the legendary Ron Tutt (Elvis’ drummer …and everyone else’s also)on drums;
  • Also Sammy Clayton (later of Little Feat) on congas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Clayton
  • Jay Miglioro ( normally a saxophonist who has played with the beach Boys, Sinatra, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker) on flute and horns by    Jim Horn (session and solo artist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Horn ), Jim Gordon (not sure if this is the well known drummer Jim Gordon moonlighting on another instrument or another Jim Gordon)  and Jay Migliori.

The record is produced by Joe Saraceno (who had worked with The Marketts and a lot of Californian 60s acts)

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Desert Island -  A gentle bouncy singer songwriter song with some nifty lyrics (occasionally reminiscent of Ray Davies)….

I dream of some day

A lazy life on a desert island

With lovely native girls

All round my bed

But instead

I’m ruled by this life

And a cold T.V. dinner

And all the monthly bills

Hanging over my head

 

Were there ever any truer lyrics?

 

  • Waving Me Goodbye  - a song of heartbreak and not dissimilar to Elton John in the early 70s (though less bombastic).  Beautiful
  • St. Petersburg    - a song about growing old(er) …nice flute work. How many times do you get to say that outside of a Jethro Tull review? In music I mean.
  • Fighting My Way    - not sure what this is about though the narrator could be “America” – how many songs name check Lieutenant Calley (The My Lai massacre)? A gentle psych flavoured song.
  • Don’t Lose Your Way -  a atmospheric ballad with moody electric guitar
  • Old Heartbreak   - an a slow country-ish song with an old school 50s rock n roll feel.
  • Don’t Cross My Heart  - another old school rock n roll type song but this one is, perhaps, filler.
  • The Way I Feel for You    - there should be sub genre of songs about trying to write songs ….
  • Close the Door Behind You  - Delaney and Bonnie like southern soul.
  • Got to Find the Light – a gentle country-ish mid tempo ballad .

And …

 

The music creates quite a beautiful cosmic groove with its mix of sunshine pop and country…. I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

Nothing no where

 

Sounds

 

Desert Island

Attached

Thomas & Richard Frost – Desert Island

  

Waving Me Goodbye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L7jBuydRlA

   

St. Petersburg   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYrE52wlzWA

 

Don’t Lose Your Way   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw-sM59US2I

 

Old Heartbreak   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maDtUK_qJmc&feature=related

 

Got to Find the Light

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVXoZ7jDmMI

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmiH-vPuwQU

 

Review

–

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/thomas-richard-frost-p535005/biography

 

Producer;

http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/joe_saraceno.htm

 

Website

–

 

Trivia

 

  • The brothers in their band Powder were the backing band for Sonny & Cher in 1968
  • Their earlier band Art Collective were the backing band for New Zealander Ray Columbus (of Ray Columbus and the Invaders fame) when he was based in California in the late 60s.

 

Posted in Country Rock, Singer Songwriter | Tagged | Leave a comment