There is nothing quite like a Paul Revere and the Raiders album.
To a relatively recent convert to their music, like myself, each album is a revelation.
They have always worked a kind of musical juggling act between trying to create original music on one hand and trying to stay alive as a working band which by necessity means compromise, on the other.
To a minor band compromising ones sound or aping whatever sound is currently popular is a no brainer. But, to a band like The Raiders it becomes a more difficult problem.
The problem lies in the fact that they are talented, have ideas and have their own sound.
Their solution is to integrate the new sounds into their sound without radically departing from their original path.
As I said in another comment on them on this blog: "The key to their success was their commitment to upbeat rock 'n' roll whilst acknowledging change, and they weren't precious about it as evidenced by the fact that sometimes they were "influenced" by bands that post dated them. They did, as I have said, keep their original sound, but unlike a slavish imitator or someone just jumping the bandwagon. Also they did this even through line-up changes though Paul Revere (the keyboardist) and Mark Lindsay (the vocalist) were the nucleus of the group which was lucky as Revere knew where to take the group and Lindsay could sing anything".
I labour this point because the perceived wisdom is like this from wikipedia: "Under the guidance of producer Terry Melcher, the group relocated to Los Angeles and increasingly emulated the sounds of British Invasion bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five, and The Animals, albeit with an American, R&B feel"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Revere_%26_the_Raiders
The comments sound the same but there is a subtle distinction in there about how a band deals with new sounds.
And, that subtle distinction, I think, must fall in favour of The Raiders as being a great original band of the 1960s.
On this album the Raiders give more than the usual nod to the British Invasion and pop. It is perhaps a bit late in the piece but the sounds do not sound dated …and then, what is a year or two, even in the revolutionary 60s?
The other very obvious thing you pick up on is that this record is quite slick. The Raiders can be quite raunchy and rough when needed but they also had the knack for radio friendly (or rather TV friendly as they were a regular band on the US TV music show "Where the Action Is") sounds.
Mark Lindsay is a great rock vocalist…..he can be raunchy or slick or sometimes both.
Here, the west coast television / radio "groovy" quotient is on high.
But I freaking love those sounds.
Sadly, there isn't any Sunset Strip outside my door for me to capitalise on this grooviness.
For more bio and background check out my other Raiders comments on this blog.
Tracks (best in italics)
- Him or Me (What's It Gonna Be?) — great pop which hasn't lost it's garage roots, though there is quite a bit of British invasion in it. Is this is what English garage would have sounded like if it had existed?
- Reno — more of a garage song with tasty harmonica.
- Upon Your Leaving — a ballad.
- Mo'reen — great poppy rock which The Monkees would perfect
- Wanting You — a slow intense burn
- Gone – Movin' On — very groovy and quite seductive. Actually, it's a great song.
- I Had a Dream – (Isaac Hayes, Lindsay, Melcher, David Porter) — Isaac Hayes! Dave Porter was Hayes song writing partner at Stax records and they wrote many songs. Johnnie Taylor had a R&B hit with this in 1966. The song is a good one though it's southern soul roots are evident.
- Tighter — a swinging groovy songs with some trippy sound effects . Groovy man.
- Make It With Me — another slow burn and a good one.
- Ain't Nobody Who Can Do It Like Leslie Can — that's for sure. I'd like to meet this Leslie. Paul Revere sings on this (rather than lead vocalist Mark Lindsay). A humorous take off on Bob Dylan crossed with Sam the Sham and Benny Hill innuendo.
- I Hear a Voice — trippy and meaningful in a Donovan kind of way.
And …
This is one of the best Raiders albums. They were on a incredible roll at the time… I'm keeping it.
Chart Action
US
Singles
1967 Him Or Me – What's It Gonna Be? The Billboard Hot 100 #5
1967 I Had A Dream The Billboard Hot 100 #17
Album
1967 #25
England
Singles
Album
nothing at all.
Sounds
Him or Me (What's It Gonna Be?)
on TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRu5TDiHmEU
Gone – Movin' On
mp3
sorry about the crackle and pop – my copy is so so…
Paul Revere & The Raiders – Gone Movin' On
Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84L7wRSg2Vk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmv6lPfnocs
Review
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution!
http://www.allmusic.com/album/revolution!-mw0000190323
Bio
http://www.goldminemag.com/article/the-musical-revolution-of-paul-revere-the-raiders
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:h9fuxqugld6e~T1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Revere_And_The_Raiders
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/drake-levin-p98043/biography
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/terry-melcher-p19287/biography
Website
http://www.paulrevereandtheraiders.com/main.html
http://www.marklindsay.com/Welcome.html
http://www.myspace.com/paulrevereraiders
Trivia
- The album is produced like most of the others from this period by Terry Melcher.
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