DWIGHT TWILLEY BAND – Twilley Don’t Mind – (Arista) – 1977

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Franko

Check my other comments on Dwight Twilley and power pop.

Twilley is perhaps the most central figure in the power pop genre and perhaps one of the most influential fusing Beatles melodies and Elvis rock n roll.

He takes the best of both worlds – The Beatles in their 64-65 heyday and Elvis in his 56-57 blitzkrieg. Both were at their unpretentious, simple best, playing straight ahead rock n roll. Twilley likewise keeps things simple, or seemingly so.

The lyrics, as I have said before in relation to power pop music, rarely move away from relationships in all it’s stages. Twilley manages, though, to put enough complexity into the songs to give them a new twist.  And, even when he is dealing with emotional turmoil the songs are, still, largely upbeat. Eddie Vedder could take lessons in writing from Twilley.
Best of all, and in true power pop fashion, he attaches the lyrics to a musical hook and then punches the songs out.

There is every bit as much exhilaration and the excitement of youth here as there is in punk. OK, it’s not angry but it does make you want to jump and sweat.

Power pop can be one of the easiest musical genres to play and write in. Played badly and without inspiration it is tiresome.  Twilley knows this and really does extend himself to make sure that every song exists on it’s own. He mixes the songs up and why shouldn’t he. He is drawing from both Elvis and The Beatles (here, a little more) for inspiration.

Sometimes you just want to sit and listen to something which is simple and yet fun. There is a special joy in a music that is this exhilarating.

You want to strut.

And dance.

Twilley’s long time collaborator , Phil Seymour (vocals, drums, bass) is also on this album. I believe he split after this one)

Tracks (best in italics)

  • Here She Come –  I nice unpretentious slab of melodic power pop that in some ways anticipates Cheap Trick.
  • Looking for the Magic – we know most power pop songs are about the various stages of love so the trick is to examine the emotion deeply (or as deeply as you can in two and half minutes) or to put in a hook so the song sticks in the mind. What starts out as a echo laden (a la Elvis) mid tempo power pop love song weaves it’s magic (sic) and becomes disarming. Tom Petty plays guest guitar on this one.
  • That I Remember –  an interesting song though not up with the others.
  • Rock & Roll 47 – some slight glam psychedelica and even ELO styled bombast on this one. Still quite catchy and a perfect example of why the music was lumped in with the new wave.
  • Trying to Find My Baby – nice vocals make for a  interesting tune.
  • Twilley Don’t Mind – well he should. To my ears one of the weaker tracks despite the name drop and the lead song off the album. More of a straight 70s song.
  • Sleeping – a excellent little 60s psychedelic ballad. Beautiful pop.
  • Chance to Get Away – a lot of wonderful jangle and this one. A familiar sound in power pop type numbers though Twilley doesn’t utilise it that often. I’m sure this song was ripped off my countless indie Australian bands in the 80s.
  • Invasion – hmmm, slight. A pity. Still. it’s better similar songs by others.

And …

Great fun…. I’m keeping it.

The only question that remains is why Big Star get all the power pop kudos.
 
Chart Action
 
US
Singles
—

Album
1977 The Billboard 200 #70

England
—
 
Sounds
 
Here She Come
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLk9ifX48g

Looking for the Magic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fi0avAxrlE
clip (with Tom Petty)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l24DFbedbJ0
audio attached

Dwight Twilley Band – Looking for the Magic

That I Remember
clip (with Tom Petty)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1wSEhjFWaE

Rock & Roll 47
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgvPzJg73HI

Trying to Find My Baby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dBKBKbZzfo

Twilley Don’t Mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYX_ufkoDBo

Sleeping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y5XDab1gjo

Chance to Get Away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSxnnA_fzL4
Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpU05HKaJug
 
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/twilley-dont-mind-mw0000204327
 
Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_Twilley
http://bapresley.com/silverthreads/links/dwighttwilley2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Seymour
 
Website
http://www.dwighttwilley.com/
 
Trivia
—
 

Posted in Power Pop | Tagged | Leave a comment

JOHNNY RIVERS – And I Know You Wanna Dance – (Imperial) – 1966

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Franko

I have commented on Rivers in the past on his 1966 album “Changes”. I noted there that I was a late convert to him.

This album here immediately preceded “Changes” and is the last album in the sound that made him famous.

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 liner notes on this album play down the change in the California music scene and affirm the clean cut, dance oriented, white, funky demographic.

The liner notes also say that “Johnny Rivers started the go-go generation”.

A big claim perhaps, but largely accurate. The Elvis Presley films from the early 1960s were all largely rock n roll go-go type music (at least on their upbeat numbers) but Rivers took that to another level and developed a sound and attitude which was high energy rock ‘n beat.

Given the importance of his live sound it is not surprisingly, a lot of his albums were recorded live (a novel concept at the time) and this album is in fact his fourth live album (from eight albums he had released to then)

Rivers made his career on his live sound and this is his fourth live album (or his 8th album proper). The sound is live though there is some post production – the rhythmic hand claps keeping the beat going. But that production adds to the live feel and it was quite trend setting. The Beach Boys did a studio version which was made to sound live ( Beach Boys’ Party -1965) whilst Lee Dresser, Trini Lopez and others did their own variations.

This is simple music but music that best embodies some of the spirit of rock n roll. It is easy to dismiss the music as you sit cross legged on the floor with your love beads but the reality is this music will get your head shaking, if not your body moving. It fits into that spot that Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels in Detroit, Bobby Fuller in Texas, Tommy James in Pittsburgh and Del Shannon in Michigan occupied: good, straight ahead rock n roll from a working band. The only variation by Rivers is he brought it to the ultra hip Sunset Strip supper crowd.

Surprisingly, Rivers, who could write songs, writes nothing here and concentrates on a lot of Motown soul. He wisely does not try to out-soul the soul singers and instead turns the songs on their head turning them into white pop rock tunes.

Personnel
• Chuck Day – Bass guitar, Guitar
• Mickey Jones – Drums
• Larry Knechtel – Organ
• Joe Osborn – Bass guitar, Guitar
• Johnny Rivers – Vocals, Electric guitar

Produced by Lou Adler and engineered by Bones Howe who are both legends and this sort of thing.

Tracks (best in italics)

  • The Snake – Oscar Brown, Jr. – A “groovy” song about a snake of a man who preys on women, made famous by Al Wilson, later, in 1968.
  • I Can’t Help Myself –   Holland/Dozier/Holland-m The Four Tops song from 1965 (#1). Another “groovy” song ( I expect most songs on this album to be “groovy”). The hand claps must be overdubs. The song still works despite it’s familiarity.
  • You Must Believe-   Curtis Mayfield – The Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions hit (#15) from 1964.
  • Uptight (Everything’s Alright)-   Stevie Wonder/Sylvia Moy/Henry Cosby – the 1966 hit (#3) for Stevie Wonder
  • Respect-   Otis Redding – Originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965 (#35 pop, #4 R&B). The song became a 1967 hit  (#1) and signature song for Aretha Franklin. The song seagueways  into the next song …
  • In The Midnight Hour-   Wilson Pickett/Steve Cropper – The Wilson Pickett 1965 hit (#1 R&B, #21 pop).
  • Secret Agent Man –   Steve Barri/P. F. Sloan – The song, first recorded by Johnny Rivers,  was used in the opening titles of the American broadcast of the British spy series Danger Man, which aired in the U.S. as "Secret Agent" from 1964 to 1966. A cracking song …as if Bond went rock.
  • Every Day I Have To Cry-   Arthur Alexander –  recorded first by Steve Alaimo in 1962 (#46) but also recorded by others including The McCoys (1965), and Ike and Tine Turner (1966)
  • You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’-   Mann/Spector/Weil – The1964 #1 from the Righteous Brothers (subsequently recorded by everyone)
  • Foolkiller–   Mose Allison – from jazzman Mose’s 1964 album. This perhaps works because the original isn’t that well known.
  • Run For Your Life–   Lennon/McCartney – the mainly Lennon song from the Beatles “Rubber Soul” (1965). Gary Lewis also covered it in 1966. A great song ( even with it’s line life from Elvis’ “Baby Lets Play House”)
  • You Dig-   Chuck Day/Mickey Jones – an original from his band. A slow, groovy go go blues (if there is such a thing). More of a glorified jam rather than a song.

And …

Too many soul covers but groovy…. I’m keeping it.

Now if I could only find a go-go club.
 
Chart Action
 
US
Singles
1966 Secret Agent Man, The Billboard Hot 100 # 3

Album
1966 #52

England
Singles
Album

Sounds
 
The Snake   
live clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7QRiKIc9vM

I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=461ix_wbwGY

Uptight (Everything’s Alright)   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSDS90D494U

Respect   
In The Midnight Hour   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AEUL4AlOQs

Secret Agent Man (From The CBS-TV Show "Secret Agent")   
live clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mPVMFj1lHI
live 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo3Wqf86N4w

Every Day I Have To Cry   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2oy2O51hnE

You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjg-uDmJoMs
 
Run For Your Life   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6xxKCEFun0
and attached below

Johnny Rivers – Run for Your Life


You Dig 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHyDfuSXEGk

Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwVOlLF9VGQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqfEQwrR5Wc
 
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/and-i-know-you-wanna-dance-mw0000839562 
 
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
—

 

Posted in Rock & Pop | Tagged | Leave a comment

DAVID CROSBY & GRAHAM NASH – Wind on the Water – (Polydor) – 1975

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Franko

Sometimes you get two voices that compliment each other well.

And that is the case here despite one being American and the other a Brit.

Not coincidentally, despite being from opposite sides of the Atlantic, both came from multi vocal pop or folk groups that traded on their harmonious vocals as much as they did on their instrumentation.  Crosby, one of the sweetest voices in The Byrds meets Graham Nash, one of the sweetest voices in The Hollies.

By 1975 this wasn’t new to them – they had been in Crosby Stills Nash and Young  and they had already done a joint album. Three more would follow after this one.

Despite the "duo" status by and large Crosby or Nash takes the lead while the other lends vocal support. Which is different to The Everly Brothers who tend to tackle songs on an equal pegging. This is more akin to Simon & Garfunkel in vocal arrangements though even there Simon & Garfunkel trade (on occasion) lead vocals during the course of the song.

This is not a criticism  I just point it out. In fact what we have is a good arrangement for artists who also put out solo albums. You get to write your own songs and then perform them with a trusted friend and musician.

Having said that, this is all well and good but if the music is drek then it is to no avail.

The music here is MOR rock with country overtones.

1975 was not necessarily a great year in pop and rock. Country Rock’s best years where behind it, everything was becoming slicker, and punk was around the corner.

With this staring them in the face it is perhaps surprising that Crosby & Nash have put together a persuasive (but not great) album.

There is some bite and idealism to some of the songs which you would expect from a pair of 60s stalwarts but what dominates is the sureness of the music.

OK, this album was probably, always going to be, a hit. Crosby Stills Nash & Young (together, individually and in various permeations)  had their loyal army of indiscriminate record buying drones but the album still holds up. There are some missteps but generally this is superior, err country rock with MOR rock overtones.

There is a gentle  lying on the beach (or maybe the bank of an inland lake) vibe going on. To laid back for rock n roll ears but lets face it , those ears need a rest every now and again. I should say there are some more strident rock songs ( the Nash ones) are perhaps the weakest.

You could do a lot worse than this.

The harmonies are sweet (as if they wouldn’t be) and the playing is excellent … Danny Kortchmar, David Lindley, Russ Kunkel,  James Taylor, Carole King, and Jackson Browne lend a hand.

Recorded in LA (naturally) and produced by Crosby & Nash.

Tracks (best in italics)

  • Carry Me – (David Crosby) – a excellent song. To be sure there are some precious lyrics but who cares.
  • Mama Lion – (Graham Nash) –  hmmm, pleasant, but ….
  • Bittersweet – (David Crosby) –  more precious lyrics but pretty heartfelt.
  • Take the Money and Run -(Graham Nash) – a tour de force for Nash. I’m not sure who is offering the money that the person runs off with. I assume the person is running off with the ex-lovers emotions. 
  • Naked in the Rain – (David Crosby, Graham Nash) – a gentle song which is very pastoral in feel though very personal in lyric.
  • Love Work Out – (Graham Nash) – a stridently obvious gentle thumper from Nash with slide guitar from David Lindley.
  • Low Down Payment – (David Crosby) – more strident music …it doesn’t convince.
  • Cowboy of Dreams – (Graham Nash) – now this one works … I like songs with "cowboy" in the title. What’s wrong with that, fuck ya. Not a perfect song but clearly Nash’s cowboy is a man of his word who wants his actions and life to be the measure of him. That’s my vision of a cowboy also,  regardless of  what the reality may be. Yup, I like song with "cowboy" in the title.
  • Homeward Through the Haze – (David Crosby) – heavy (by these standards) and not particularly memorable.
  • Fieldworker – (Graham Nash) – a great song, no doubt, drawing from the disharmony and protests or working (mainly Mexican) farm workers in California and Texas in the 70s. Levon Helm from The Band plays drums on this one.
  • To the Last Whale: Critical Mass/Wind on the Water – (David Crosby, Graham Nash) – starts of with a bit of faux Medieval harmony ( shades of the The Hollies circa 1967) before moving  to a moving elegy to the whale. String arrangements are by Crosby, Nash and the legendary Jimmie Haskell

And …

Good, not great, but a worthwhile addition to my country rock section (I don’t have a MOR rock with country overtones section) ….  it certainly is easy on the ear. I’m keeping it.
 
Chart Action
 
US
Singles
1975 Carry Me The Billboard Hot 100 #52

Album
1975 Wind On The Water The Billboard 200 #6

England
Singles
—

Album
—
 
Sounds
 
Carry Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdSDMNx5Y8
live recentlyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guU1odrfgT4

Mama Lion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SahSPXnvaJ0

Bittersweet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfLWHTo-AXU

Take the Money and Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d16qRoUWMgg

Naked in the Rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgxnja6ZEhQ

Love Work Out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5NXJGeaYuQ

Low Down Payment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj-SkPDVlmw

Cowboy of Dreams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea5tArHF5NE

Homeward Through the Haze
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CTWHTcUypk

Fieldworker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX0mt2vV-lI
mp3 attached

Crosby & Nash – Fieldworker


To the Last Whale: Critical Mass/Wind on the Water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoek1e8t2K4
live recently
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qTE-YL61dw

Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfycUkxbnlk 
 
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/wind-on-the-water-mw0000673638 
 
Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/crosby-nash-mn0000846357 
 
Website
http://www.davidcrosby.com/
http://www.grahamnash.com/ 
 
Trivia
—


 

Posted in Country Rock, Soft Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

DR HOOK – Pleasure & Pain – (Capitol) – 1978

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Franko

Dr Hook.

How do I end up here?

Answer: A couple of  Stones Green Ginger Wines with ice whilst reading my friends blog which has frequent suitably rustic themes (http://thegoatthatwrote.net/ ). I apologise to him in advance for linking him to Dr Hook.

I have commented on another Dr Hook not so long ago so refer to that for biographical details and general observations by me. Suffice it to say, as I had said before, that I have Dr Hooks Greatest Hits which I bought, as an early teen or pre teen, when it came out.

I played it all the time.

I stopped.

I have rarely played it since.

Dr Hook were never country rock but they certainly were pop with country overtones. By the mid 70s they had realised that if you toned down the rustic influences even further you would reach a wider audience. And why not? There was so much music going on in the 70s but disco and dance pop music was by far the most successful.

It made sense for Dr Hook to increase the MOR romantic slow dance songs in their music.

You know the songs I’m talking about. After shaking your booty to up-tempo disco songs and getting all hot and sweaty whilst "lady bumping" your girl the MOR slow pop dance song comes on. It’s sexy and romantic and you can rub your crotch right up against your chick so she can feel your pulsating manhood. You know there is no more than four layers of material, though as little as two on occasion, between your sexual organs.  You need that slow grind music to best arouse yourself in this mutual hetero frottage. Of course it helps if the music is full of sweet sounds and delicate lyrics. No one wants to be thought of as a slut out there on the dance floor.

Ultimately you will go home alone to beat off, but that’s another story.

Equally, and ultimately also, that’s why punk came around. …to release those youthful energies in, I would say, a more dignified manner.

Of course this music wasn’t really aimed at teenagers but at the "older" crowd or white collar workers (who were surrounded by secretaries). Those people would continue to  bump and grind and "disco duck" well into the 1980s.

Again, that’s another story.

My ranting and raving though is partially based on hearsay …. I wasn’t "clubbing" in the 70s so I do not know what went on. What I do know is that this type of music isn’t dead. It mutated, and it’s descendants have created many mini boners on many dance floors up to and including today. That I have seen.

MOR romantic pop …is there anything worse?

Well yes, there is.

But, I wont go into that now.

I will say that with the right amount of alcohol, a well written MOR romantic pop song works in that kind of laid back, I couldn’t be bothered to turn off the stereo, way.

Dr Hook (eventually) tapped into this sound.

I went the long way to make this point in this comment but I had another Stones Green Giner Wine in the process.

The trouble is Dr Hook were inconsistent. They had Shel Silverstein writing for them, which was great, but clearly if you use this album as an example he had his ups and downs also.

This album is pure schmaltz with only a couple of marginal catchy songs.

I hate to use this lame obvious joke on the title, but, you could say this album is more pain than pleasure.

Needless to say the album did well and spawned a number of hit singles.

Tracks (best in italics)

  • Sharing The Night Together – (Ava Aldridge, Eddie Struzick ) – pure MOR pop with a very (very, very) slight country feel. Catchy. And if you don’t think the song is catchy then you are wrong, fuck you, it was a hit.
  • Sweetest Of All – (Shel Silverstein ) – filler. An odd loser by the normally good Silverstein.
  • Storms Never Last  – (Jessi Colter ) – Jessi Colter did better with this, though she recorded it later. It’s a chicks song.
  • I Don’t Want To Be Alone Tonight – (Shel Silverstein ) – slight but catchy
  • Knowing She’s There  – (Dennis Locorriere, Shel Silverstein ) – another one catchy but oh so saccharine.
  • Clyde – (J.J. Cale )- naff but reasonably entertaining song from JJ Cale.
  • When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman  – (Even Stevens ) – ahh, the err gold? Catchy but total schmaltz. Catchy, and I can see any number of punters dancing to this under the disco ball. I’m sure this is an aphrodisiac on the chicks …well, at least some of them. Mouth these words to her under the disco ball while doing a gentle funk:

 When you’re in love with a beautiful woman
 It’s hard .
 When you’re in love with a beautiful woman
 You know it’s hard .
 Everybody wants her
 Everybody loves her
 Everybody wants to take your baby home .
 When you’re in love with a beautiful woman
 You watch your friends
 When you’re in love with a beautiful woman
 It never ends .

You will get a root.

  • Dooley Jones – (Hazel Smith, Walter Carter)- sub par Tony Joe White, Jerry Reed rip off.
  • I Gave Her Comfort -(Dennis Locorriere, Shel Silverstein)- shoot me
  • All The Time In The World – (Even Stevens, Shel Silverstein)- shoot me again
  • You Make My Pants Want To Get Up And Dance – (Sam Weedman)- up-tempo, but still crap. Don’t shoot me, shoot the band. This is the type of stuff they could do in their sleep but better than this.

And …

Sorry, I’ll stick to the Greatest Hits (which I rarely play) ….  this is going….
 
Chart Action
 
US
Singles
1979 Sharing The Night Together The Billboard Hot 100 #6
1979 When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman Adult Contemporary #5
1979 When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman Country Singles #68
1979 When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman The Billboard Hot 100 #6
1978 Sharing The Night Together Country Singles #50

Album
1979 Country Albums #17
1979 The Billboard 200 #66

England
Singles
1978 Sharing The Night #6
1979 When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman #6
 
Album
1979 #47
 
Sounds
 
Sharing The Night Together
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_n_NgGWpR4

Sweetest Of All
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uv0qVlewFo

Storms Never Last
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVu9M7rU_aw

I Don’t Want To Be Alone Tonight
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAESvRugcA

Knowing She’s There 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgpqFnqUANE

When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman 
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxpYN-NK54Y
mp3 attached below

Dr Hook – When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman

Dooley Jones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqIn0bUJ8R4

All The Time In The World
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_rz0j6GLRY

You Make My Pants Want To Get Up And Dance
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfEmN-50el8

Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iYpboTjtoQ
 
Review
—
 
Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dr-hook-mn0000806645
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dr-hook-the-medicine-show-mn0000205575
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Hook
 
Website
http://www.doctorhook.com/
http://www.dennislocorriere.com/
http://www.sylviasmother.com/
 
Trivia
—
 

Posted in Country Rock, Soft Rock | Tagged | 2 Comments

SHAWN PHILLIPS – Contribution – (A&M) – 1970

Posted on December 23, 2012 by Franko

 

I’m a late convert to the joys of Shawn Phillips. 

Read my other comments on him on this blog.

Phillips tended to be associated with "hippie music" and I tended to avoid hippie music in my youth. And even now I cringe at the term and the thought.  The trouble is that to label Phillips as purely "hippie" would be unfair.

Sure, this album may be more "hippie" than some of the others but what Phillips was really was a cosmic psychedelic singer songwriter.

This is his first electric album and third album proper – he had put out a couple of straight acoustic folk albums in the mid 1960s – and the music is hippie, come psychedelic, come folk rock, come singer songwriter. It is  a little here and a little there so it perhaps is his transition album (from what I have heard) between the folk of old and the electric guitar based singer songwriter of the 1970s.

I should say most of Phillips albums are "gentle" with voice and instrumentation creating a otherworldly vibe though here the instrumentation, and especially the guitars, are not as prominent as his voice.

I like his voice.

A lot of people do not.

Phillips seems to be trying to use his voice as an instrument and sings, scats, whispers and double tracks through the album.

The album was apparently recorded in 1968 with Steve Winwood , Eric Clapton and others ( Phillips, a Texan, was living in London at the time) and released in 1970. I don’t know why the album was released at the time and I don’t know the need for the other guitarist as Phillips is an accomplished and recognized guitarist himself..

In any event the late 60s rootsy hippie vibe  was pretty much done by 1970. In 1968  however, Phillips, who wrote all the songs, would have been "cutting edge" (or is that "frayed  edge"?) as I can hear bits and pieces of Crosby Stills Nash and Young here , as well as a lot of Stephen Stills’ solo work and Tim Buckley. With Stills and Buckley he shares a leaning to quite literate, and literate referenced, songs.

What I like is the fact the songs float and are other worldly at times. To be sure if i put this on in front of my friends I would get "What is this shit". But, if you listen there is a lot going on.

The downside is that there is a lot of the late 60s hippie vibe here.

Tracks (best in italics)

  • Man Hole Covered Wagon – a wordy folk rock number which a vocal tour de force. It’s slightly pretentious but so ambitious that it’s forgivable. Oddly, despite Phillips more "respectable" non pop origins this could pass for a later Lou Christie number.
  • L Ballade – a Donovan like ballad but without a hook but quite haunting.
  • Not Quite Nonsense – a old tymey number which doesn’t try to sound authentic. Filler …but fun enough and it breaks up the more serious songs on the album.
  • No Question – very much of the time.

In the days of tomorrow
In the time of the passing years
I will look through my window
And my window will see my tears
And the green rocky hillsides
Are the shade of a lonely man
And the blue ever changing
Sea of gold lends a helping hand
In a minute there can be an hour
In a second there can be a day
And a thousand years may pass us by
And we will be that near, be that near
And the black gray night will fall around
This glasshouse that I’m in
And the day will break onto my bed
And I will see again, see again

  • Withered Roses – a long up-tempo mood piece.
  • For RFK JFK and MLK. – a song about three assassinated icons of the 60s. It’s not stridently political.
  • Lovely Lady – weird. Jethro Tull dancing pixies with piccolos territory here..
  • Screamer for Phlyses – Donovan-esque and catchy.

And …

Stick a flower in my ass and call me a hippie. This is quite good but I’m not sure how many times I will play it….. still, I’m I’m keeping it.
 

Chart Action
 
nothing

 
Sounds

Man Hole Covered Wagon
live 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB-5jG6a2mo

L Ballade
live 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeHkyBlHCHE

Not Quite Nonsense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDhO2JStsRI

No Question
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBw34dY07OQ

Withered Roses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ2DAWZkgfk

For RFK JFK and MLK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J4gnrKQ-EM

Lovely Lady
live 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsan-U4OLo

Screamer for Phlyses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsDfhbAyh5k
and attached MP3

Shawn Phillips – Screamer for Phlyses

Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kvb4LHq82M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRxKl0zz2tE

 
Review

http://stuckinthepast08.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/shawn-phillips-contribution-1970.html
http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/shawn-phillips-1970-contribution.html

Bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Phillips
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/shawn-phillips-mn0000016617
 
Website
http://www.shawnphillips.com/
http://shawnphillips.wordpress.com/

Trivia

  • "I roomed with Tim Hardin and played with him in the Greenwich Village folk scene for a while during the early ’60s"   http://shawnphillips.wordpress.com/famous-friends/
  • "I was invited a couple of times to Paul McCartney’s and George Harrison’s house. We were on a very friendly basis. Paul invited me to a session, and I ended up singing background vocals on “Lovely Rita Meter Maid”, and we saw each other socially many times after that, at the Moody Blues house, and various clubs around London. I gave George some basic lessons on sitar, before he ever actually met Ravi Shankar. It was basically the same with John and Ritchie (Ringo). Although, I never went to their houses". http://shawnphillips.wordpress.com/famous-friends/
  • ZZ Top are some of my friends. Me and Dusty used to play together in a club called “The Cellar” in Fort Worth, and Houston". http://shawnphillips.wordpress.com/famous-friends/
  • "John Denver and I went to the same high school, his real name was John Deutchendorf. We used to hang out together in Ft. Worth and often went out to the desert and played at campfire parties. We never had much contact after John became known".   http://shawnphillips.wordpress.com/famous-friends/
  • "I learned my first techniques on the sitar with Ravi Shankar". http://shawnphillips.wordpress.com/famous-friends/ 
  • On the theatrical production "Jesus Christ Superstar": Question: Dr. Music: In the early 60’s you were asked to play the lead in the original production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" but declined the offer because of your heavy recording and touring schedules at the time. Do you ever look back and wish you had accepted that role? Answer: Shawn Phillips: “I didn’t decline the role. Robert Stigwood discovered that he couldn’t get a finger into my business pie, as it were, (or anything else for that matter), so he fired me. In retrospect, Ted Neeley can’t get arrested today, because he IS Jesus Christ Superstar, and cannot be seen in any other light. So I’m quite happy the way things turned out.”  http://drmusic.org/Shawn_Phillips.html
  • In relation to this album "Shawn Phillips confirmed that Steve played on "For RFK JFK & MLK", along with Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, and Dave Mason (many thanks to Shawn and his manager Arlo Hennings, 9/1999)…. In his book Eric Clapton: The Complete Recording Sessions, 1963-1992 (1993), Marc Roberty credits Eric Clapton with guitar on "Man Hole Covered Wagon".  http://www.winwoodfans.com/cs/cssess04.htm

 

Posted in Psychedelic, Singer Songwriter | Tagged | Leave a comment

EMITT RHODES – Mirror – (Dunhill) – 1971

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Franko

 

Emitt is 21 years old here.

 It is amazing how fully realised his music is.

That’s not to say it isn’t derivative  but there are enough original ideas and inspiration to make him stand out.

Check my other comments for biographical detail about Rhodes.

Musically, it would be fair to say he was heavily influenced by the Beatles, specifically Paul McCartney.

Here, on his second album, there is both a pop operatic lushness and an angry punch coming through which is pure Nilsson. Granted, Nilsson was also influenced by The Beatles but Nilsson, a great individualist, took his inspirations and went off on crazy tangents.

Rhodes doesn’t commit himself to Nilsson’s path but he does travel somewhere between McCartney and Nilsson on this album.

It’s great to here him in rockier territory (both musically and thematically) and the songs are uniformly good.

Rhodes, who wrote all the songs (as he did on first album the year before…another album of older material was released by another label so you could call this his third album) never ventures outside the boundaries he has put in place. But, his music is that good within those boundaries that you would be a fool to care.

Rhodes also produces the album which was recorded at his home (in his mums garage). He also plays all the instruments (!) .

Music is a collaborative process apparently.

The only question that remains is: Emitt Rhodes, what happened?

Tracks (best in italics)

  • Birthday Lady – a aggressive pop song with some bitterness. Very Nilsson. With some forceful vocal dynamics, also reminiscent of Nilsson. Magnificent.
  • Better Side of Life – a beautiful ballad.
  • My Love Is Strong – a angry love song.
  • Side We Seldom Show – filler, pleasant though.
  • Mirror – a excellent uptempo Beatles-esque self examination with the inevitable mirror motif.
     
     I’ve been looking for safety, there’s none to be found
     I’ve been looking for safety, where there’s no safe ground
     The mirror always knows
  • Really Wanted You – this one has a genuine funk groove and moves away from McCarrtney et al and anticipates some of the power pop of The Rasberries etc. 
  • Medley: Bubble Gum the Blues / I’m a Cruiser – slightly silly filler …but, again, pleasant.
  • Love Will Stone You – a haunting mid tempo love song.
  • Golden Child of God – a beautiful song though slightly precious. A little John Lennon like also.
  • Take You Far Away – some nice psych pop touches

And …

Not as good as Rhodes first album but only by a hair …. magnificent, I’m keeping it. Actually, it may be as good as the first album …it’s too  close to call.
 
Chart Action
US

Album
1971 The Billboard 200 #182

England
—
 
Sounds
Birthday Lady
promo film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLYUJbvBFU4

Mirror

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

Really Wanted You
promo film 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypoMlWQ9xwU

mp3 below

 Emitt Rhodes – Mirror


Love Will Stone You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDA-ULQdABo
live

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

Golden Child of God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZqJW2f4Tgg

 

Others
 —
 
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/mirror-mw0000384145 
 
Bio
http://iamaphoney.blogspot.com.au/2009/02/emitt-rhodes.html

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/emitt-rhodes-p20157/biography

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

Website

http://www.emittrhodesmusic.net/

 
Trivia

  • perhaps here is an explanation for Rhodes dissappearance: burnout. "After three LPs the Emitt Rhodes story becomes half-legend, half cautionary tale.  The story goes the artist had trouble with his record label, which ultimately led to his dropping out of the music business altogether.  Numerous tales and explanations exist, but his wiki sums it up as the following: Rhodes’ contract with Dunhill Records called for “a new LP every six months (six albums over three years) – a schedule that was impossible for Rhodes to meet, due to writing all of the songs and recording each instrument and vocal individually by himself. Dunhill sued Rhodes for $250,000 and withheld royalties because of his failure to deliver albums on the timescale required by the contract. Emitt Rhodes took nearly a year to record, Mirror took nine months, and Farewell to Paradise took over a year.”http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/07/09/the-emitt-rhodes-recordings-1969-1973/
     

 

Posted in Power Pop, Sunshine Pop and Baroque | Tagged | Leave a comment

THE ASTRONAUTS – Travellin’ Men – (RCA) – 1967

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Franko

 

1967.    

This is the final recorded gasp of The Astronauts.    

Despite trying to keep up with the times they had changed quickly. It was only 4 years earlier, in 1963, that their first album was released and they rose high on the garage, frat rock and surf music sound.  How quickly do musical tastes change ….or at least they did in the sixties.    

The Astronauts were a professional, working group. Despite being talented I suspect this was more of a job than an artistic calling. Of course, you can have both. But even if it wasn’t a "calling" does that lessen the music? No, but it means that sometimes when it’s just a job you are always following trends and then perhaps always one step behind.    

Many well known careers have been built on that.    

Hey, even The Beatles weren’t above following trends. The influence of the Beach Boys and The Band on their music, for instance, is yet to be fully recognized. Music is never created in a vacuum and even those at the top of their game can be influenced by others and can follow trends. The only difference with The Beatles is that they were credited with the trends they hopped on.    

Average bands don’t add anything to the originals. The Astronauts are way better than average but sometimes they aren’t inspired and in their four years since their first album they had released 10 albums (including this one), toured across the US and Japan, and generally tried to keep their heads above water.    

Give them a break.    

The Astronauts here are workmanlike doing mostly contemporary soul and pop hits. One of the singles was released in 1966 and I dare say, given the release dates for  most of the covers, the album was probably recorded in 1966. They do however add a jagged guitar here, a rough edge there. They do not "make the songs their own" but they do enough to make you sit up and say "that sounds different to the original, it sounds a little more rock n roll a little more like say, The Astronauts".  

Many bands don’t even reach that point in music.

Check my other comments on The Astronauts for biographical detail.        

Tracks (best in italics)  

  • In the Midnight Hour – (Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett) – Wilson Picketts soul smash (#21 1965). This is done well, it doesn’t top the original and doesn’t take it anywhere new.
  • She’s Just My Style – (Al Capps, Gary Lewis, Leon Russell)- The Gary Lewis hit (#3 1965)
  • Let’s Go Get Stoned – (Joseph Armstead, Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson) – The Ray Charles song (#31 1966) which the Astronauts do as a suitably bluesy pop tune.
  • Main Street– (James Griffin)- written by James Griffin , later of Bread, this was released as a single by Gary Lewis in 1968. This is superior pop.
  • The Birds and the Bees- (Barrington Stuart)- The #3 hit for Jewel Akens in 1965. Not as R&B as the original and a little duff.
  • Laugh, Laugh -(Ron Elliott)- The Beau Brummels smash (#15 1965). The Astronauts have toned the British Invasion sound (via San Francisco) of the original version. But only just. Still a great beat song.
  • Count Me In- (Glen D. Hardin)- Written by ex- Cricket and future Elvis pianist this was a hit for , again, Gary Lewis (#2 1965). A perfectly good version of a great song.
  • I Know You Rider-(trad)- The Astronauts update their sound on this one as they tackle the old country folk blues song associated with The Byrds and the Grateful Dead. The songs does not fit in with the rest of the album but the song is a good one.
  • In My Car-(Al Capps)- perfect lush MOR mid 1960s pop (with a nod to early 60s dramatic romantic pop). Nice. Written for or recorded first by The Astronauts(?)
  • Travelin’ Man-(Jerry Fuller)- a beautiful song. Associated with Rick Nelson (#1 1961)
  • Out of Limits-(Michael Z. Gordon)- The Marketts 1964 instrumental hit (#37) This song has been done by everyone but is perfectly suited to The Astronauts.
  • Better Things– (Bobby Russell) – an original (?) written for or recorded first by The Astronauts . Nice mid 60s pop. I wonder if Ray Davies from the Kinks lifted the title and theme to his song from this?

And …      

There were more "in" records to buy in 1967 than The Astronauts, but this is unpretentious rock …. I’m keeping it.
 
Chart Action  

nothing.
 
Sounds

Main Street
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEHe-bk7qcM

Count Me In
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqeqrz5qVys

Travelin’ Man
MP3 attached below  (one for regular reader, Mountain Goat)

The Astronauts – Travelin Men  

Better Things
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rU2kUScRWs

Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO_pOYfsJk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHbcU5ArqBQ
 
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/down-the-line-travelin-man-mw0000597089
 
Bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Astronauts_(band)
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-astronauts-mn0000753852#discography
 
Website
— 
 
Trivia  

  • wikipedia: "For a while, the same band – Fifield, Patterson, McLerian, Bretz and Jenkins – performed in the US under the name SunshineWard, who released one single, "Sally Go Around The Roses", in 1967. Patterson then left the band and music business, and Fifield and McLerran formed a new band, Hardwater, with Tony Murillo and Peter M. Wyant. In 1968, the band released two singles and an album, Hardwater, on Capitol Records, produced by David Axelrod. Fifield also had a role in assisting Axelrod and record engineer David Hassinger, who owned the rights to the group name of The Electric Prunes, to find a new group of musicians to take on that group’s name for their record, Mass in F Minor. Fifield contacted fellow Colorado musicians, Richard Whetstone, John Herron and Mark Kincaid, who then agreed to form one of the final line-ups of The Electric Prunes".

 

 

Posted in Garage, Surf and Frat, Rock & Pop | Tagged | 2 Comments

ROGER McGUINN – Thunderbyrd – (Columbia) – 1977

Posted on December 2, 2012 by Franko

A weird album for Roger McGuinn to put out.

There are only four original songs on this LP but McGuinn, in the folk tradition, has no problems about doing covers as long as they fit in with the concept.

The problem lies more with the fact that the album is neither here nor there. It never quite flies like a thunderbird or Thunderbyrd (sic).

Having said that I can say that anything by McGuinn is interesting.

If my comments above sound a little pithy all I can say is … it’s late.

In another comment I had this to say: McGuinn in a way had more vision that his contemporaries and always seemed to be pushing the envelope. That’s not to say everything is good because some of his solo stuff I have heard is patchy as is a lot of the later Byrds stuff. But these are aberrations, and ultimately, I’m not sure if you can achieve greatness without putting out crap, as long as the crap is a result of risk taking. To take chances and to fail is always preferable to smug safeness. No ?

And that certainly is the case here. McGuinn is taking chances though here they seem to based on commercial considerations. The experimentation of the first half of the 70s was gone and safe MOR adult country rock and singer songwriter were the norm. It comes as no surprise, then, that punk would break and make music edgy and challenging again.

The rule is, though, that you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

McGuinn has musical good taste based on a wide palette and musical brains in being able to distinguish between good and bad. If things don’t always go right for him musically, you can put that down to the almost inexplicable stew that a hit record, commercially and critically, is.

In the American music tradition he collaborated (as he had on many occasions) with lyricist Jacques Levy (who also collaborated with Dylan) but none of the songs here reach the heights of “Chestnut Mare”.

The album is played well. McGuinn was in good form coming of Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Review of 1976 and his band hit all the right notes. The album was produced by Don DeVito who produced Dylan’s “Desire” album ( perhaps that’s how McGuinn got his hands on the “Golden loom” track). DeVito also produced some other late 70s Dylan albums.

This, maybe prophetically, turned out to be McGuinn’s last solo album until 1990.


Tracks (best in italics)

  • All Night Long – (Peter Frampton, Gallagher) – a strange selection but McGuinn does put his own stamp on the song.
  • It’s Gone- (Jacques Levy, Roger McGuinn) – not a strong original but, again, McGuinn’s signature is unmistakeable and though it may not range with his best songs it is a fair facsimile.
  • Dixie Highway -(Levy, McGuinn) – Ho Hum, despite some good lyrics.
  • American Girl – (Tom Petty) – The magnificent Tom Petty song given a respectable and at times inspired reading. It’s funny hearing Roger covering Tom Petty who was ripping off the Byrds.
  • We Can Do It All Over Again -(Barry Goldberg, Mentor Williams) – like a Eagles cast off, and that is not a good thing.
  • Why Baby Why- (Darrell Edwards, George Jones) – The George Jones country song from 1955. Though Red Sovine and Webb Pierce, had a duet version of it that went to #1 in the country charts in 1956,  Hank Locklin hit  #9 country in 1961 and  Warren Smith and Shirley Collie went to #23 in 1961 also.
  • I’m Not Lonely Anymore– (Levy, McGuinn) – not up to even the best of the Byrds later country rock this song, but not too bad.
  • Golden Loom– (Bob Dylan) – a outtake from Dylan’s 1976 “Desire” LP sessions. His version wasn’t released until 1991. Very Dylan and very pleasing.
  • Russian Hill– (Levy, McGuinn) – a nicely evocative piece and the best of the McGuinn-Levy collaborations on this LP.

  Last night in the middle of a dream
  I started thinkin’ ’bout Russian Hill
  And Ferlinghetti with his Coney Island mind
  And you and me with some time to fill
 
  We ate in Chinatown, we rode the cable car
  We did what tourists always do
  But in the dream you were a movie star
  And I was someone too

And …

OK, this is not the greatest album but it is Roger McGuinn, but for the sake of completeness…. I’m keeping it.
 
Chart Action
 
Nothing no where
 
Sounds
 
Dixie Highway
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6Wt8f0gKho

American Girl
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UwY_2jxd2s

Why Baby Why
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUMj0Ik77hw

Golden Loom
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a05vtxZIHg
and attached below:

Roger McGuinn – Golden Loom 

Russian Hill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlvc-EmAr6E

Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj_Qpl0X9fA 
 
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/thunderbyrd-mw0000535059
 
 
Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/roger-mcguinn-p104158/biography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_McGuinn
 
Website
http://rogermcguinn.blogspot.com/
http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/mcguinn/index.html
 
 
Trivia
—

Posted in Country Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

ARLO GUTHRIE – One Night – (Warner Brothers) – 1978

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Franko

 

If you need proof that Arlo was something beyond the son of Woody or the disciple of Bob Dylan then listen to this album.

The album isn’t totally successful ,but, Arlo’s scope and vision clearly place him at the forefront of the folky singer songwriters.

In commenting on another of Arlo’s albums on this blog, I said

Whatever the philosophy it sounds a lot like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan (circa Dylan’s “Desire”, also from 1976 – I don’t know which came out first). But like I’ve said before when talking about Arlo: Bob was emulating Arlo’s dad, Woody. So, Arlo probably isn’t aping Bob but just applying genetics, at least vocally. Though, it is also fair to say, that Dylan’s influence cannot be underestimated.

Even with the twin influences of Woody and Bob, Arlo is a slave to neither and has his own voice and sensibilities. The same cannot be said for a multitude of others influenced by Dylan or Guthrie.

On another comment I had said:

Arlo loves folk, western folk, country folk, traditional folk, country folk, Americana and political protest songs. His love of regional music and his taste is partly what makes his albums so endearing.

On this album, which is a live album, Arlo dips into his usual material but then also throws in a Elvis Presley and a Beatles song  which manage to fit in perfectly ( The Beatles song is more successful).

Arlo is in largely a playful mood and I get the feeling that the set was meant to revolve around 17 minute spoken satire " The Story of Reuben Clamzo & His Strange Daughter in the Key of A". The "Story of Reuben" is of it’s time and place but the music around it transcends this and gives you a snapshot of the width and depth of American music (and Arlo’s knowledge of the same).

Part of the success of the album lies in his backing band, Shenandoah, who are adept musicians and equally playful and with a acute knowledge of the songs in their historical contexts.

Tracks (best in italics)

  • One Night – (Dave Bartholomew / Pearl King / Anita Steiman) – wow, a credible version of the Elvis song ( #4 1958) which isn’t as sexy or smouldering as Elvis’ version but does have the right bounce (and grind) about a night of sex. Smiley Lewis did the original of the song but Arlo sings the Elvis version here which has different (cleaned up) lyrics. (as an aside Elvis did the song with the original risqué lyrics bu that wasn’t released until 1983 – It was Elvis himself who rewrote "One night of sin is what I’m now paying for" into "One night with you is what I’m now praying for.").
  • I’ve Just Seen a Face – (John Lennon / Paul McCartney) – double wow – the Beatles done bluegrass. This is not the first time this has been done but it is a joy to hear and just goes to show how the Beatles pop was easily adapted to any number of styles – isn’t that what pop is all about?
  • Tennessee Stud – (Jimmie Driftwood) – a good version of Driftwood’s country folk song though Eddy Arnold had a straight country hit with it in the late 1950s (#5 Country 1959)
  • Anytime – (Herbert "Happy" Lawson) – The original dates back to 1921 and has been covered by everyone … http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anytime_(1921_song) . Arlo does a ragtime version of the song (which is probably how it was written). He did a studio version on his "Hobo’s Lullaby" album from 1972.
  • Little Beggarman – (Traditional) –  a folk traditional and done fairly straight though with electrical and western (drums) asides. Nice.
  • Buffalo Skinners – (Traditional) – a traditional  western folk song with more than a hint of Bob Dylan (Dylan did a "unreleased" version during the basement Tapes Sessions in 1967)
  • St. Louis Tickle – (Traditional)- a ragtime type tune done by blues folkie Dave Van Ronk and many others before him
  • The Story of Reuben Clamzo & His Strange Daughter in the Key of A – (Arlo Guthrie)-wtf. This Arlo monologue satire much like his "Alice’s Restaurant". The song is about (apparently) the Clamshell Alliance, a group opposed to nuclear power plant in the US. This song is humorous and has the "Clamshell alliance" as an organization of US citizens fighting off invasions of gigantic walking clams in Colonial America. His delivery is strangely like Richard Pryor. Very much of time and place.
  • Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream – (Ed McCurdy ) – OK the US wasn’t involved in an "official" wars in 1978 but …. a fitting end. McCurdy’s antiwar classic has been covered many times …..wikipedia: " His widely-covered anti-war classic, "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream," has been recorded in seventy-six languages (it was recently covered by Johnny Cash in 2002, Garth Brooks in 2005, and Serena Ryder in 2006). In November 1989, as Tom Brokaw stood on top of the Berlin Wall he directed his NBC-TV cameras towards the school children on the East German side of the Berlin Wall, to show the children singing "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" en masse as the wall was being dismantled".

And …

Not perfect but certainly above average and a very entertaining live album… I’m keeping it.
 
Chart Action
 
nothing no where
 
Sounds
One Night
song attached here

Arlo Guthrie – One Night

I’ve Just Seen a Face
live 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srR_lIkj3_8

Anytime
studio version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Livfq1JmrE4

Little Beggarman
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtxqN1z3iAA

Buffalo Skinners
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_mrIr96UWk

The Story of Reuben Clamzo & His Strange Daughter in the Key of A
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo9TxeqeDCE

Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream 
live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysH6-KJSy4M

Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRpj9mCl0qg&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g266Uwp6ZnI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi4F7hpR7z4 
 
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-night-mw0000674375 
 
Bio
http://allmusic.com/artist/arlo-guthrie-p1994/biography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlo_guthrie
 
Website
http://www.arlo.net/

 

 

Trivia
—

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

DAVID ESSEX – Hot Love – (Mercury) – 1980

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Franko

I have commented on a David Essex album in the past and I had this to say

 

I like David Essex. A dirty little secret? No !

 

Essex is one of the few contemporary artists I recollect liking in he 70s and his albums were remarkably easy to find in op shops in the 80s. I assume that is because they were bought by kids who out grew them quickly, which is a pity as most of his 70s albums have redeeming features and "Rock On"(1973), "David Essex" (1974) and "All the Fun of the Fair"(1975) are great. Some of the best stuff coming out of England in the 70s prior to punk. There I’ve said it.

 

That all remains true and I went on to say:

 

Mid 70s England was awash with Essex-mania. He was that popular.

 

Despite his teen idol status Essex had loftier ambitions. … he wrote most of his albums and displays quite a bit of cynicism (though sometimes obvious),darkness, and alienated detachment.  There is also a lot of melancholia, sentimentality, and "loss" in his songs. Also, many of the songs seem to refer thematically to the fall of the British Empire, or "Empire lost" possibly taking a leaf out of the Ray Davies songbook, given that the 70s in England was not the place to be writing ode to palm trees and sunshine type songs – strikes, unemployment, bombings, urban decay being the norm. But, musically, there is quite a bit of pop in there – so is it "lightly dark" music? Essex‘s voice is never really extended and it’s almost as if he is singing "in character" …..as if his own persona was a character like some sort of alienated Ziggy Stardust teen idol.

 

It is generally assumed that Essex was spent by the 1980s as punk and new wave had pushed him aside. This is true, though only partially. Essex had some English chart success but his career as a big seller was over. His albums from this period are all interesting and occasionally innovative even though they may not be all that successful. It is fair to say that his recording career during this period took a back seat to his film and stage careers but that only makes the music of this period more interesting.

 

This album comes from the period of transition between teen idol and committed obscurest.

 

Essex always had a reliance on the 50s in titles and musical imagery because Essex was always a sort of updated and displaced 50s rocker. Here, that exists but there are also nods to the new wave and new sounds.  Essex has managed to merge them all together within his big, full, Broadway like sound but, with mixed results. I think some of the songs would sound better if they were produced differently.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Hot Love – a 50s styled rocker with 70s glam overtones which is actually quite infectious.
  • I Luv Ya – another 50s styled song with glam overtones – the only difference is this is track is mid tempo. You could see Gene Vincent doing this.
  • Talking with Your Body – a slight new wave influence on this one
  • Zebra Kid – a bit of bouncy British show hall being introduced – which is very David Essex and David Bowie (his early 70s stuff). They both learnt from Ray Davies.
  • Heart on My Sleeve – a big Broadway type ballad with “heart on the sleeve” lyrics …quite good of its genre.
  • Reality – more new wave …and more that a little naff.
  • Rock N Roll Me – no rock n roll in this song. Horns and a slight (very) blue beat dominate.
  • Cold as Ice – hmmmm
  • Swim Against the Flow – dull
  • On My Bike – it would be tempting to same something smart here but the song isn’t too bad.

And …

 

The album starts off strong and then peters out …Maybe Essex (who writes all the songs) was running out of ideas or maybe he was in a rush, but the album doesn’t really work apart from some individual tracks. Still, for the sake of completeness, I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

Album

—

 

England

Singles

1980 Hot Love #57

 

Album

1980 #75

 

Sounds

Hot Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtZIC7PlXQI

 

I Luv Ya

Song attached here (slick on link)

David Essex – I Luv Ya

 

Heart on My Sleeve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TwtRRHyJdM

 

On My Bike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_g3ywgBGmg

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdTg9n0_Rsc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G2lqY3Nuk0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETERYRzwkq0&feature=fvwrel

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/hot-love-mw0001879456

 

Bio

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

 

Website

http://www.davidessex.com/

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-essex-mn0000645474

 

Trivia

–.

 

 

Posted in Glam, Rock & Pop | Tagged | 2 Comments