what Frank is listening to #37 – MIKE SETTLE – Self Titled – (MCA) – 1971
I knew who Mike Settle was when I bought this … he was a member of Kenny Rogers and the First Edition (a excellent band – no shit … I bought one of their mild "country psych" albums way back when for $1 and thought it was great and would use it to spin people out by getting them to guess who was singing …very few people did way back then).
Any way I didn't realise (till I got on the net) that Settle had also been in the New Christy Minstrels – the most commercial and least political of all the folk bands coming out of the folk boom in the States in the late 50s / 60s. He was also associated with John Stewart (the great John Stewart formerly of The Kingston Trio) and Mason Williams (who is a semi out-there genius in the Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, Jack Nitzsche mould)
and he also did some songs for the excellent film "Vanishing Point" (1971) … I never knew / or noticed that …
The album has great production values: Produced by Bob Montgomery (singer, songwriter and producer – often associated with his friend Buddy Holly) … I also note that Jerry Carrigan played drums (drummer extraordinaire from the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section – and he played with Elvis – Elvis is Everywhere ! … one degree of separation?) as well as other legendary session musos on this LP… Kenny O'Dell (country songwriter), Fred Carter Jr (played bass on Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" etc), Tom Ghent (singer and songwriter for everyone in country).
This is Settle's only post First Edition solo album (he put out a couple during the folk boom – of which I have one "Pastures of Plenty"), and its not bad – in fact its really good … it is very much singer – songwriter music in the folk and country traditions but with a nice overlay of tasteful pop. Lyrically the album is of the "honest" and "plaintive" school … I can't help feeling that he's been influenced by Dion's adult breakthrough album "Dion" from 1968 otherwise known as the "Abraham Martin and John" album where he re-invents himself as a singer- songwriter of some great talent (I once saw Henry Rollins on one of his spoken word tours talking about meeting Dion and being sceptical of him and then talking to him and eventually singing his praises) … Settle also thematically (not in voice) sounds like Kris Kristofferson (though less booze obsessed and definitely less profane).
Though they had existed for decades the 1970s were the era of the singer-songwriter as a chart making force and they were thrown out at an amazing rate ( ow many people have been called the "new Dylan"?). As I have said before – anyone can write a song and sing it … but not everyone can make it worth listening to …. Settle can. The guy has written well over 150 songs and all sorts of people have had hits with his songs … and as it turns out he could have had a solo career (he had sung lead / joint lead on a number of First Edition tracks).
Best tracks:
- "Singing Lonely Songs (and Making Heartaches Rhyme)" – what a great title.
- "But You Know I Love You" – his song which Kenny Rogers had a hit with in the First Edition, and also solo … and Dolly Parton also had a hit with it, I think.
- "Loretta" – a really pretty love song.
- "Sometime Love Is Better When Its Gone" – another love song of deep regret.
Sound:
see attached
I'll keep this one.
Clips:
early folk Settle
The great First Edition track of "Just Dropped In" with Kenny Rogers and Settle:
