GLENN YARBROUGH – and the Havenstock River Band – (Fable) – 1971

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Franko

For a folkie, Glenn Yarbrough albums turn up in reasonable frequency in op shops and that’s because he has had some mainstream success.

 

He success was largely due to the fact that he straddled the bridge between political and or personal folk and pop folk.

 

Clearly, if you are a folkie and you want a career, that works given that Yarbrough has released around 50 or so solo albums (as well as around 20 albums as a member of the successful pop folk act The Limeliters).

 

His solo albums include Christmas albums, albums of Broadway standards, gospel albums, sea shanty albums, country pop albums, traditional pop albums as well as straight folk albums.

 

He has written the odd song but more often than not he leans towards covers of traditional numbers or of contemporary folk singers, even the more “controversial” ones like Phil Ochs.

 

Obviously he keeps his ear to the ground.

 

In many ways, if he had a film career, he would be a latter day Burl Ives. Unlike Ives though Yarbrough sings in a smooth velvet tenor so perhaps, musically, he is to folk what Jim Reeves was to country.

 

In saying all this I’m not taking anything away from him.

 

What Yarbrough was, was ahead of his time, in combining folk and pop music. He, The Kingston Trio and his other band The Limeliters all spearheaded the folk boom with their pop folk hybrid. Admittedly that pop folk was soon discarded by hard core folkies but it nevertheless opened the door of opportunity (by making folk commercially viable) for all the folkies, personal and controversial, in the 60s, including Dylan, Phil Ochs and others.

 

Bio – allmusic: Glenn Yarbrough’s high, clear tenor has served him well throughout his long career as a singer (that’s him singing "Things go better with Coke" on all those commercials), and although it has been many years since he placed a song on the pop charts, he continues to have a large and loyal fan base. He was born on January 12, 1930, in Milwaukee, WI, where he began singing at church functions as a child. His entry into the world of folk music came while he was a student at St. Johns College in Annapolis, MD, in 1951, where a late-night singing session with his roommate, Jac Holzman (who would later found Elektra Records — Yarbrough would release a handful of records on the label) and a visiting Woody Guthrie would prove to be pivotal for Yarbrough. He bought a guitar the next day.

 

He’s still performing and recording.

 

This album, about midway through his career, sticks to the formula he established … smooth versions of recent folk standards. The only difference is, here, he performs with the Havenstock River Band – I have little on them and there appears to be at least one other band from around the same time with the same name,

 

Hollywood stalwart Jimmy Haskell arranges the strings.

 

The songs are a mixed bag from 71 era popular folk songwriters – Ron Davies, Bobby Scott and Danny Meehan being less well known but nevertheless recorded and established singers.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Friend of Jesus – (John Stewart ) – slick without the contemplative qualities of Stewart’s original. It’s bouncy enough though ….
  • Easy Now – (Bob Gibson) – nice.
  • Ease Your Pain– (Hoyt Axton) – country singer Axton in folky writing mould which he did on occasion. Pleasant. No grit, but a good song.
  • Where Will the Love Come From – (Dick Holler ) – quietly contemplative singer-songwriter song here given the emotive treatment. Dramatic but entertaining.
  • Put Your Hand in the Hand – (Gene MacLellan) – the big funky gospel hit …done by just about everyone in the 70s. It suits Yarbrough’s vocal.
  • Annie’s Going to Sing Her Song – (Tom Paxton) – A gentle nursery rhyme type of a song. Again, Yarbrough’s voice is a perfect fit.
  • Willoughby Grove -(Bobby Scott, Danny Meehan ) – lush
  • Silent Song Through the Land – (Ron Davies) – up tempo number with a gospel feel
  • Colorado Exile -(Jim Post) – a smooth reading on Posts wilderness existentialism.
  • Funky in the Country – (Bob Gibson) – certainly is …but only just. Can you fault any song with a kazoo? Or is it a comb?
  • Epistle -(Hoyt Axton) – a gently critical song on churchgoers …I think. It’s a little muddled but still it’s pretty good …

An’ to your marchin’ men in blue and silver,

Everyone for peace is just a lousy red.

You just can’t seem to figure out the reason:

The answer lies in what the shepherd said.

 

He said: "I’ll choose you one out of a thousand.

"Only two out of ten thousand more.

"And you shall stand as one again,

"On the sacred shores of the promise."

 

And …

 

Patchy …very patchy and perhaps a bit too slick. Yarbrough always works best when he has themed albums …. I think I will tape a couple of tracks and sell.

 

Chart Action

 

US

England

 

Nothing no where

 

Sounds

 

Epistle  

attached

Glenn Yarbrough – Epistle

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBfIaFr2Jfg (from the Steve McQueen film)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IyNp_oS1KU&feature=fvst

 

Limeliters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FakIaWVelE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKsox3mKgIU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hO4qvEtPZ4&feature=relmfu

 

Review

—

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/glenn-yarbrough-mn0000556320

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

 

Website

http://www.glennyarbroughsinger.com/

 

Trivia

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

THE ASTRONAUTS – Astronauts Orbit Kampus – (RCA) – 1964

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Franko

The Astronauts live at The Tulagi in Boulder, Colorado!

 

I don’t know if the guys went to University (orbit Kampus? In any event the “K” is prior to The Kinks going crazy with “K’s) though I suspect not as they were a working band.

 

In any event they didn’t have to travel far to “The Tulagi” in Boulder, Colorado as they were from Boulder, Colorado.

 

I don’t even know if this is recorded live – it wasn’t uncommon to make in-house live albums in the 60s and call them “live”. This was recorded February 27 – March 1, 1964 though.

 

What is clear is the Astronauts desire to put together a rocking, frantic party album. With that in mind they have recorded some old rock n roll favourites. Not surprisingly, they have gone back to the 50s for most of the tunes given there wasn’t as much straight ahead rock n roll coming out of the early 1960s.

 

This is music has no pretence and no subtlety. And that is precisely the enjoyment in it. It’s made for dancing and it’s ragged, rough and visceral.

 

Oddly in England at about the same time the same songs were being covered and it’s interesting to note that the versions here are more frantic, rough and primitive as much of this frat (come surf rock) was. Also within its grooves are the seeds of garage rock which was to explode in the US within the year …..

 

This is the Astronauts 4th (?) album in a year and they still smoke – the energy levels are high, and the covers, generally, are individual – that is they have played around with the originals to make them suit their sound rather than doing straight covers.

See my other entry for biographical information.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

  • Johnny B. Goode-(Chuck Berry)-   a smoking version of the Chuck Berry classic which actually plays around with the original version.
  • Be-Bop-A-Lula -(Tex Davis / Gene Vincent  ) –   a cover, nothing more nothing less.
  • Good Golly Miss Molly -(Robert "Bumps" Blackwell / John Marascalco) –   a smoking version of the Little Richard classic …this was done by many English rock acts but this version out does them all. Hints of (future) garage are creeping in.
  • Let the Good Times Roll -(Shirley Goodman / Leonard Lee) –  a cover.
  • Linda Lou -(Ray Sharpe) –   A stomper of the highest order with a great guitar break …
  • Bony Moronie -(Larry Williams) –   a cover.
  • Diddy Wah Diddy -(Bo Diddley / Willie Dixon) –   a excellent version – and it’s not even overshadowed by Captain Beefheart’s later cover version.
  • Roll over Beethoven -(Chuck Berry) –   wow….did the MC5 hear this before they did their cover of Chuck Berry’s “Back in the USA”? This is fast, white and all energy.
  • Shop Around – (Berry Gordy, Jr. / Smokey Robinson  ) –  hey, a band has got to eat…so you play what the audience wants to hear. What’s more egalitarian than that?  Here they do a early sould song from The Miracles (1960). The Astronauts have adapted the song to their sound.
  • Greenback Dollar -(Hoyt Axton / Kennard Ramsey) –   well on campus they would have been listeing to folk and The Kingston Trio’s Greenback Dollar ( also covered by many others) was a staple of the pop folk revival. As with all the other tunes the Astronauts have “garaged” up this folk staple.
  • Summertime -(George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward) –  
  • Sticks and Stones -(Titus Turner) – a cover 

And …

 

All covers and glorious in part …. I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

US

England

 

Nuttin, no where

 

Sounds

 

Linda Lou

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPsw1_83CQc

 

Bony Moronie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hEFDoZTSPs

 

Diddy Wah Diddy

attached

The Astronauts – Diddy Wah Diddy

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO_pOYfsJk4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlN_tOqy8sM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGH-VJarH8A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tDHSm-_BdM

 

Review

—

 

Bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Astronauts_(band)

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:h9fqxqr5ldae

 

The music is for dancing!

http://www.coloradomagazineonline.com/Music/The_Astronauts_Tulagi’s/The_Astronauts_Tulagi’s.htm

 

Website

—

 

Trivia

—

Posted in Garage, Surf and Frat | Tagged | 3 Comments

STEVE FORBERT – Steve Forbert – (Epic) – 1982

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Franko

Poor Steve Forbert.

He was burdened with the title “the new Dylan” when his first LP was released in 1978.

 

Forbert’s specific attributes for the “new Dylan” title were his Americana shaggy troubadour persona, conversational lyrics with sophisticated wordplay, electric folk sound, neck harmonica and his striking raspy vocals.

 

Fair ‘nuff then.

 

Even the sleeves of his earlier albums are vaguely Dylan-esque. The headshot on this particular album is not dissimilar in tone to the headshots for Dylan LPs" "Bob Dylan", "The Times They are a – Changing" or "Blonde on Blonde"

 

The truth is, he, like many others, was influenced by Dylan. That and his similar sounding voice gave a record label or marketing area enough to impose a “new Dylan” title.

 

But, that is a mighty big weight to carry, and one that does one a disservice.

 

Other “new Dylans” have included John Prine, Steve Goodman, Bruce Springsteen, Will Oldham, Donovan, Elliott Murphy, Billy Bragg, Jon Allen, Loudon Wainwright III and yes even Dylan’s son Jakob Dylan. There have been many less famous ones also.

 

The hype of being saddled with the “new Dylan” moniker has killed careers quicker than the occasional bad album.

 

The reason being, err, there is only one Bob Dylan.

 

Some have transcended the tag, others haven’t but Forbert’s particular problem at the time was an (apparently) relentless marketing pitch describing him as the “new Dylan”.

 

The way to transcend the tag is of course to keep on recording.

 

Forbert has.

 

The Dylanesque inspirations are still there but Forbert has shown himself to be quite individual and broad in his musical palette. He may have been influenced by Dylan but he also is, clearly, fond of the same source music as Dylan.

 

And anyway, maybe the “new Dylan” tag was a blessing initially because it got him noticed.

 

Fuck it …. it’s better to be called the “new Dylan”  that it is to be called the “new George Michael” or the “new Michael Jackson”

 

Bio from http://mswritersandmusicians.com/musicians/steve-forbert.html

 

Forbert was born in 1955 in Meridian, Mississippi, and grew up there. At the age of ten, Steve Forbert began playing the guitar and, as he said in a recent interview, "for me playing guitar means singing." Forbert comments that, during high school, he "gave up an interest in art work and drawing to move more into music". Later, Forbert attended junior college for a few years. He then got a job as a truck driver at White’s Auto Store, but lost it when the store went out of business. Forbert was a member of several different bands from 1965 to 1975. One such band was Puddin’ Head Wilson, which got its name from a Mark Twain story and which Forbert played with in 1972. However, his next step toward becoming a professional musician he took alone.

 

In 1976, at age twenty-one, Forbert travelled to New York City by himself, taking with him his harmonica and his guitar. Living in a room at the YMCA on 23rd Street, working odd day jobs, and playing at night for spare change at Grand Central Station, Forbert began his career. On his way up, he graduated from busking to audition night to playing at clubs. Forbert opened regularly for bands like Talking Heads and musicians like John Cale, receiving praise from both critics and audiences. Finally getting a recording contract with Nemperor Records, Forbert began to release albums

 

Forbert’s first album, Alive on Arrival” (1978) was a corker. “Jackrabbit Slim” (1979) wasn’t as strong but was successful (#20 in the US) and carried his most well known song “Romeo’s Tune” (#11 US). “Little Stevie Orbit” (1980) didn’t do well and neither did this album, his fourth.

 

Those first two albums I played to death in the early to mid 80s. The third, not as much, and this one has sat in the pile of LPs behind me for quite some time.

 

I have a couple of his later albums and there has been a return to form, albeit low key. There is nothing flashy in them but they are compelling because Forbert is so secure in his musicality and is clearly enjoying the music as a job ride. Luckily, his music is, even when unsuccessful, consistently interesting.

 

Unfortunately, to the masses, he is a former “new Dylan” with one hit song. If he had come 10 years later he would have been revered as a roots rocker. If he had come 20 years later he would have been an alt country superstar. – either way fans of those genres should embrace him.

 

This album, though criticised, is quite eclectic and interesting. Forbert leans to singer songwriter electric folk rock with a splash of country but he also, clearly, loves 60s pop and soul. Here, that love is exemplified by a cover of  the Jackie DeShannon “When You Walk in the Room” as well as southern deep soul type sounds on some of his originals. It is to his credit that he manages to keep those songs contemporary (1982) without sounding cheap and artificial. The album also has some Springsteen-ish themes (circa 1975) and some (almost) straight contemporary country.

 

Does that mean that this album kicks goals?

 

Yes, but only in part.

 

The music is well crafted but not studied and there is a certain raggety-ness around the edges which is endearing. More often than not the lyrics and melodies are memorable but some of the instrumentation tends to the MOR and is quite bland – if the album were, perhaps, a little more rootsy or underground I think it would date better.

 

Also, Forbert’s Southern voice is quite an awkward instrument (like Dylan’s) but he uses it with such naked intimacy and with some quirky phrasing that it becomes an effective tool in putting across emotion in precise terms.

 

That, combined with his clear love and knowledge of his musical inspirations and his superior songwritingm, creates some good music.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • He’s Gotta Live up to His Shoes – A Springsteen-ish tale of strutting your way through the urban jungle
  • Ya Ya (Next to Me) – funky (horns and all) MOR Motown-ish type of number as if done by Springsteen (again). It’s enthusiastically done.
  • When You Walk in the Room  – I’m not sure if Forbert’s gravel voice suits this song but he sings it with such conviction, and it’s such a good song, that it works.
  • Listen to Me – a mid tempo MOR ballad with some perceptive lyrics about relationship disharmony.
  • Oh So Close (And Yet So Far Away)   – a country-ish lament about a lost love. What at first seems like country corn becomes country MOR magic which captures just the right emotional pitch. Not unlike a Mickey Newbury song. Excellent.

I stood listening to those chapel bells

Trying to tell myself it’s just as well

Watching you walking down the aisle that day

Oh so close and yet so far away

 

  • You’re Darn Right – a bouncy country rave up.
  • Prisoner of Stardom  – a MOR ballad about fame ….I don’t know who it’s about or if it is about anyone specifically.
  • On the Beach   – another Springsteen-ish song circa 1976 ….
  • Lost   – a slow southern soul ballad with lots of atmosphere. Again, clearly Forbert loves this music – it is part of his musical background – but it doesn’t really suit his voice. He does try hard though and it comes off better than it should.
  • It Takes a Whole Lotta Help (To Make It on Your Own) –  a country-ish rave up with an admittedly great title …
  • Beautiful Diana  – as good as any (and probably better) MOR ballad from the 80s. The lyric is gently subversive.

And …

 

The album is a bit all over the place. It’s not the best Steve Forbert I have but it’s good enough to keep, so I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

1982 Ya Ya (Next To Me)  Mainstream Rock #54

 

Album

1982 Steve Forbert  The Billboard 200 #159

 

England

Singles

Album

—

 

Sounds

 

When You Walk in the Room  

Video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpo1zaMjnB8

 

Oh So Close (And Yet So Far Away)  

Attached

Oh So Close (and yet so far away) 

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE79UxDu7Xc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu_oTh04u3c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TwwoYXCexk

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/steve-forbert-mw0000850138

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-forbert-mn0000752673

http://beingtheremag.com/archives/content/0502/forbert.html

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

http://mswritersandmusicians.com/musicians/steve-forbert.html

 

Website

http://www.steveforbert.com/

 

Trivia

  • wikipedia: On the comparison to Dylan, Forbert said, "You can’t pay any attention to that. It was just a cliche back then, and it’s nothing I take seriously. I’m off the hook — I don’t have to be smarter than everybody else and know all the answers like Bob Dylan."
  • wikipedia: Forbert has a cameo appearance in Cyndi Lauper’s "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" video, playing her boyfriend.

 

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

STILLS-YOUNG BAND – Long May You Run – (Reprise) – 1976

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Franko

There was an incestuous scene that was called California country rock.

 

Good luck to anyone who wants to do a family tree.

 

David Crosby (ex Byrds), Stephen Stills (ex Buffalo Springfield) , Graham Nash (ex Hollies) were “Crosby Stills & Nash”. They added Neil Young (also ex Buffalo Springfield) and became “Crosby Stills Nash & Young”. Some formed other bands: Stephen Stills (Manassas with Chris Hillman of the Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers), Neil Young (Neil Young and Crazy Horse). They all recorded solo albums and did various couplets: “Crosby and Nash” and this Stills-Young Band.

 

If you add all the Byrds, Dillards, and Poco members to the various offshoots and side projects you will have what resembles a musical bowl of spaghetti linking all the bands together.

 

Stephen Stills and Neil Young had known each other for about ten years here and it is clear they are on the same wavelength but they don’t do a “group” album but rather a half ‘n’ half album with the same backing musicians. Neil does five songs and Stephen does four. They no doubt assisted each other as you would in a collaborative process but by the same token you can treat this album as two mini albums by Stills and Young individually.

 

Both Stills and Young have had many high points and quite a few low points in lengthy music careers. I’ve been in trouble before for saying I think Neil Young is overrated but I maintain that. That doesn’t mean I don’t think he is great it just means I don’t think he is as great as others think he is. Young has recorded a great body of work with many classics but he has put out his fair share of clunkers (that I wont hold against him because maybe a great artist needs to put out crap as well as gold because it shows a testing of the boundaries). The problem I have is that he sometimes has a fuzzy intellectual viewpoint and worse still seems quite willing to hop on a trend. By that I mean he isn’t all that innovative but rather he is a person who can pick up on a trend and perform compelling music within that trend. There is nothing wrong with that but I don’t think I would place him in the same league as Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons, or Roger McGuinn even though all of them (Dylan excepted) have had far less successful careers.

 

So, Neil despite his sometimes jagged and ragged sounds always played it a little safe. Does that mean his music is bad? Shit, no. He wrote many classics and put out some killer albums.

 

Stills, on the other hand, is inconsistent and his body of work is not as good as Neil’s overall but he has written some great tunes and is certainly quirky. He is quite willing to bring disparate styles of music into the one song (something which Neil doesn’t really do – he tends to play with different styles from album to album rather than within a song itself – there are exceptions) and attach obscure-ish lyrics to the same.

 

It’s probably not right to compare the two but I find it not hard to given the songs are either Still songs or Young songs.

 

By 1976 Stills and Young had seen their solo record sales decline whilst former band members Crosby & Nash were dueting in the top 10. This was perhaps their attempt to tap into and replicate that success.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Long May You Run – (Young) – this is in Eagles territory but Neil at his slickest would never be as saccharine as the Eagles. Apparently it’s a nostalgic tribute to an old car. Pretty good.
  • Make Love to You  – (Stills) – not too bad but nothing new
  • Midnight on the Bay  – (Young) – slight
  • Black Coral  – (Stills) – a little precious as only Stephen Stills can be
  • Ocean Girl  – (Young) – a slight song that is quite memorable and you don’t know why (a Neil Young speciality?)
  • Let It Shine– (Young) –  another good tune
  • 12/8 Blues (All the Same)  – (Stills) – strained Stephen
  • Fontainebleau  – (Young) – another above par Young song with some interesting lyrics
  • Guardian Angel– (Stills) – it took to till the end and it’s a bit long but this Stills song is his best on the album. Some nice obtuse jazzy asides also

And …

 

Not too bad …. I’m keeping it.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

—

Album

1976 Long May You Run The Billboard 200 #26

 

England

Singles

—

Album

1976 Long May You Run  Top 40 #26

 

Sounds

Long May You Run

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMtZtFrvR3c

 

Make Love to You 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_YvslQN6GI

 

Midnight on the Bay 

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

 

Black Coral

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK0GggqgUq4&feature=related

 

Ocean Girl 

attached

Stills Young Band – Ocean Girl

Let It Shine 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPBAG8BEOP0&feature=related

 

12/8 Blues (All the Same) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgrYp3qHTWU&feature=fvwrel

 

Fontainebleau 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtROc0QiXrI

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo6K-mhKZRY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnOoNM0U6oc

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/long-may-you-run-r19150/review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/long-may-you-run-mw0000197512

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/stephen-stills-mn0000021744

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/neil-young-mn0000379125

 

a bit harsh , but …

http://starling.rinet.ru/music/young.htm

 

Website

http://www.stephenstills.com/flash.html

http://www.neilyoung.com/

 

Trivia

—

Posted in Country Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

DAVID CASSIDY – Cherish – (Bell) – 1972

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Franko

David Cassidy has become one of my guilty pleasures.  I loved the Partridge Family as a kid but I thought I had outgrown it when I became a teen.

 

I probably had but as the years passed I found myself listening to more and more David Cassidy.

 

Refer to my other posts for Cassidy bio details.

 

I have said this in regards to his career:

 

At the outset I will say I don't know why David Cassidy gets knocked as much as he does. The kids (of the time) certainly loved him, but, despite being a teen idol, his albums were thematically and lyrically quite adult. Musically he wasn't an innovator, but the songs are catchy enough. Cassidy also seems to understand his celebrity, and he was very, very popular. In terms of adulation Elvis and the Beatles werent that different … they also had millions of 13 year old girls fawning over them, and both, also, recorded a healthy dose of pop. That's not to say he is as good as Elvis or the Beatles but he deserves more investigation, and  respect, than that accorded to him.

 

When people are willing to concede anything to Cassidy they usually say the Partridge Family had a few good catchy tracks. And, this is true, but Cassidy solo, is still dismissed. This is unfortunate because at his best he is Paul McCartney Jr … he has a good pop sensibility, McCartneyesque phrasing, and his lyrics (whether he wrote them or not) are thoughtful enough to place him higher than his teen idol contemporaries. In many ways he seems to be mining the same ground as another underappreicated 70s pop idol, David Essex. And that's not a bad thing as Essex had quite a few great tracks.

 

You may think the Elvis and Beatles references are a bit silly and they are when we speak of Cassidy in musical terms but in terms of fans, popularity and hysteria you would be hard pressed to find a bigger focal point for teen mania in the early to mid 70s than David Cassidy. (OK the mania surrounding him was smaller but it still was "mania")

 

The most interesting thing about this album is that it is really is a Partridge Family album done solo. The same pop hooks and sounds as well as the same personnel and many of the same writers (Tony Romeo, Wes Farrell, Bobby Hart etc) appear. None of this is surprising given this was Cassidy’s first solo LP and a hit formula was never, not going to be followed.

 

Cassidy would, over the next couple of albums, start to develop his own sound which is not to dissimilar from this musically but at least it is individual, distinct and more thoughtful. Thematically his music would move dramatically away from the love / lost love breakup songs here and deal with issues of fame, celebrity and love in a slightly more cynical way.

 

Cassidy, here, writes one song by himself and all the rest are written for him or are covers. The album is produced (again) by Wes Farrell and session musicians include: Hal Blaine on piano and Tommy Tedesco and Larry Carlton amongst others on guitars. Though not credited on the album apparently others Wrecking Crew sessionmen play also.

 

Tracks (best in italics)

 

  • Being Together – a big beat ballad about falling in love…..filler at the start of an album?
  • I Just Wanna Make You Happy – another big beat ballad about falling in love – this one better.
  • Could It Be Forever – filler
  • Blind Hope – romantic and disposable.
  • I Lost My Chance – romantic but not quite disposable
  • My First Night Alone Without You  –  the lonesome ballad.
  • We Could Never Be Friends ('Cause We've Been Lovers Too Long) – mainstream pop …but catchy. Not that different to The Archies.
  • Where Is the Morning – superior kiddie pop.
  • I Am a Clown – very maudlin but catchy and with the spoken intro it’s dramatic and silly, much like “Are you Lonesome Tonight” and it’s spoken section. That doesn’t mean it’s bad ….actually it’s quite good, as is “Are You Lonesome” ….
  • Cherish – another pure pop song and another good one. Well, it is the title tune after all ….
  • Ricky's Tune – a song by David about his dog and one of the best songs on the album – less pop and more west coast rock with country overtones ….think Crosby Stills and Nash.

And …

 

Not as good as the Cassidy albums that followed but OK early 70s lush west coast pop …. I'm keeping it…for completeness.

 

Chart Action

 

US

Singles

1971  Cherish  The Billboard Hot 100 #9

1972  Cherish  Adult Contemporary #1

1972  Could It Be Forever  The Billboard Hot 100 #37

 

Album

1972  Cherish  The Billboard 200 #15

 

England

Singles

1972  Could It Be Forever / Cherish #2

 

Album

1971  Cherish  #2

 

Sounds

Being Together

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

 

I Just Wanna Make You Happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MumquQrK6mo

 

Could It Be Forever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lwLbx1_ZmA

 

Blind Hope

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rgkBMs7rC0

 

I Lost My Chance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWxlrioMjx0

 

My First Night Alone Without You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-SmpLM-ss8

 

I Am a Clown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvJ3fKWiqvI

 

Cherish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTr3HUGkYmc

and attached:

David Cassidy – Cherish

 

Ricky's Tune

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfkF3QUZhjo

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

 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFwZqE7AS_s&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDNVb42yQh4&feature=related

 

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/cherish-r3446

 

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-cassidy-p5925

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

 

Website

http://www.davidcassidy.com/

http://davidcassidyfansite.com/HomePage.html

Discography:

http://www.angelfire.com/celeb/dcassidyfan/dcalbums.html

 

Trivia

—

 

Posted in Pop Rock, Rock & Pop | Tagged | 1 Comment

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 | 2 Comments

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 | 6 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

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England

Singles

1961  Little Boy Sad  #12

 

Album

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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

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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