what Frank is listening to #14 – CHRISTIE – Self Titled LP – (Pronit) – 1970
Surprisingly Christie had a #1 hit in the UK in 1970 and then disappeared . I had not heard the hit track before.
Their history is pretty well detailed here:
There seems to be a lot of material on the band … I suspect mainly because record collectors are obsessed with one hit wonder types.
What is surprising is how many of the songs on this LP sound like something else. The band plays proficiently enough and some of the songs are catchy but there is a feeling of deja vu to the whole album. You half expect the songs to be covers and it turns out none of them are. The recording itself is a tad under produced and tinny to my ears – though I have a Polish pressing of the LP (that may have something to do with it but I don't know)
To top it off it seems pretty clear that they were trying to tap into the Creedence Clearwater Revival sound … but they don't have a hook master like John Fogerty or the rhythm section CCR had …. CCR were a pretty impressive group of musicians. I read somewhere that Christie were being pushed as Britain's CCR, which is pretty ridiculous when you think about it given CCR Americana references …. as ridiculous as the British playing the blues ..or rock … ha …just kidding (maybe).
The only credible English country flavoured rock to my ears was probably Brinsley Schwartz, Nick Lowe and the legendary Ian Matthews Band … and for the record I think The Kinks "Muswell Hillbillies" to be the first English "Americana" LP (and one of the best, if not the best, British album of all time – to my ears – … yup, go fark yourselves, that's my opinion).
Anyway the best tracks on this LP are:
- Yellow River
- Gotta Be Free
- I've Got a Feeling
- Inside Looking Out
- San Bernadino
Worth a listen as it is very pleasant but you wont be surprised
sound:
and they are still around:
I'll tape a couple of tracks and flog it off.
(originally posted: 23/04/2009)
