DAVID CASSIDY – Home is where the Heart Is – (RCA) – 1976

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Franko

 what Frank is listening to #27 – DAVID CASSIDY – Home is where the Heart Is – (RCA) – 1976 

 

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.

About half the tracks here were written by Cassidy and they are done in a sort of "world weary" teen pop star style if that isn't a contradictory group of words. Cassidy, I think, was at this stage still scarred (and scared) (and indeed wasn't touring to promote his albums) after a young 14 year old was crushed to death at one of his concerts in England.
 
It's hard to appreciate now how popular he was in the mid 70s in the US and especially Europe – but he was.
  
Side 1
The first side has 3 good pop tracks :

"Damned If This Aint Love" … seems to take the Bobby Darin refrain from the song "Change" …  "Damned if what you're feelin' isn't change" and put it in the context of a medium tempo pop song.

"January" – a very credible version (or reasonable facsimile) of the great "Pilot" song … not quite as good but not bad.

"Tomorrow" – this is the McCartney tune from his "Wild Life" (1971) album …  and you cant find a clearer example of the McCartney influence on Cassidy … he does a great Paul impersonation. (UK#12)

Side 2
is a bit more sluggish but "Goodbye Blues" is a pleasant jaunt and "Bedtime"is a suitable pop lament to end the album.
 
Because pop is basically what it was 50 years ago – it doesn't change much from era to era – Cassidy's music has dated better than others of the same era … qv: "Emerson Lake and Palmer", "Glitter Band" etc …
 
A few more wines and I might keep this LP … if I stop with the wines now I probably will tape a couple of tracks and ditch the album.
 
sound:
McCartney Jr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLlFaJnz33I (though he sounds hoarser here than on my LP)
 
website:
 
Elvis related trivia:
It's a little known fact that there were some David Cassidy LPs in Elvis' personal  collection … though it is generally assumed they belonged to Lisa Marie.
 
(originally posted: 16/08/2009)

 

 

 

 

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VALERIE CARTER -Wild Child – (CBS) – 1978

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Franko

what Frank is listening to #26 – VALERIE CARTER -Wild Child – (CBS) – 1978

Yes I am back from holidays and I bought some nifty $1 bargains … Al Martino and The Brothers Four stand out … and may be commented on in the future. 

In the meantime, in line with the great response (not) I have received to the "what Frank is listening to" emails here another exciting post …
 
I had not heard of Valerie Carter before, though from the look of the album I assumed she was a "singer songwriter", 70s style … secretly I was hoping she was a Carter Family offspring (but she isn't and if you don't know who the Carter Family are you should be ashamed). Valerie Carter is indeed a "singer songwriter", 70s style. No surprise really and even fewer surprises on the record. Carter has a good voice which explains why she has sung backing vocals for Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Linda Ronstadt, Christopher Cross, James Taylor (especially James Taylor)  and others … for a more detailed list of her credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Carter.
 
Carter was in the West Coast music scene from the early 70s, where she started with folk rock band "Howdy Moon" before going solo. This is her second album (she has about six albums) Unfortunately, that is part of the problem: straight West Coast pop … if only there was some country in the mix, or folk. Like I said Carter has a good voice but the production here is all very slick and bloodless … there is little ambience or "point" in the music.
 
The best tracks are "Lady in the Dark" which is almost catchy, "Blue Side" which really hi-lites her voice, and "Wild Child" an OK ballad.
 
sounds:
 
the title track
 
for masochists:
 
her web site ( though its not working at the moment – she hasn't paid her rent ?):
 
If you are keen to read more:
 
I'm selling this …
 
(originally posted 14/05/2009)

 

 

 

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NEIL LARSEN – High Gear – (A&M) – 1979

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Franko

 what Frank is listening to #25 – NEIL LARSEN – High Gear – (A&M) – 1979

larsen300x300.jpg picture by blogbydaslob

I suppose I bought this one because of the cover art and the back cover art (a picture of a late 50s pink corvette) – I thought Larsen might be some late 70s wannabe rockabilly type. Putting the record on brought a wave of nausea over me … the first track is a medium tempo song full of late 70s tinkly keyboards and totally inconsequential. No rock, let alone rockabilly. I didn't hold much hope for the rest of the record … you cant really go anywhere from that. That first song has to capture the mood of the album and usually does on most records (think about it).

Here, my first impressions wre correct. The rest of the first side is exactly the same. I am now writing contemporaneously – Dear God, I think I have bought a solo album by a session muso! And what's worse it's 1979 and recorded in Hollywood. Not a good time and place for mainstream music.
 
Time for some research – nothing on him on allmusic or wikipaedia – time to google…. found something… if you think I am going to summarise this for your convenience you are whacked … I need this out of my life, like now. Cut and paste it is:
 
Neil Larsen is a composer/keyboard player from Florida that has been successful in several  different fields. As a recording artist, he has recorded four solo albums, one of which was nominated for a Grammy. After teaming up with guitartist Buzz Feiten, they recorded two albums with their band Full Moon, and one with the Larsen-Feiten Band, which included the top ten single, "Who'll Be the Fool Tonight".  As a session musician, Neil Larsen has played on over 150 albums, including three with George Harrison, three with Kenny Loggins (and the single "Footloose"), Whitney Houston, Jimmy Cliff and 4 albums with Rickie Lee Jones, including the single, "Chuckie's in Love". His string and horn arragements are featured on albums by Gregg Allman and B.B. King among others.
  
Says it all …with a resume like that who needs someone bagging you ...Ok there are some exceptions in there. But follow the link if you want to know who he has played with: http://www.straightaheadrecords.com/sound/artists/larsen_ford.html I would say that 955 of the artists he has played with are awful. Its a case of "like flies to shit" I suppose.
 
This is hard work. I have nothing against instrumentals – and I will give everything a go – and I have a lot of instrumental albums (mainly from the 50s and 60s). I even have some Floyd Cramer piano tracks burnt somewhere. As for keyboards one of my favourite albums is "The Most Crazy Ram Ramirez" record live at Frank's Steakhouse (I always wanted a club called that) in Long Island (if I recollect correctly) … but that is whacked out 60s cheesy jazz from a Puerto Rican (I think). Similarly, muzak has its place too – I suppose. Mood and elevator music certainly does. But the stuff here (recorded in 1979) is like something out of a really bad 80s TV show or B grade "erotic thriller". So in that regard at least Larsen was ahead of his time …
 
On reading some more I find that Larsen does the music to "Boston Legal" … a good show but this is obviously Larsen's forte – background music.
 
Surprisingly the title track was nominated for a rock instrumental Grammy – must have been a poor year – then again it is only a Grammy. (ooooh its only a Grammy)
 
I don't think Id would be happy with this keyboard album … and he liked cheese. Actually on the 80s TV / movie soundtrack cheese level I can appreciate this record … seriously (close your eyes and you can actually see a bad show playing out in your minds eye).
 
Awful … I'll be selling this …and maybe someone will buy it.
 
sound:
look at the high ratings he gets on youtube – they even call it smooth jazz … Brubeck and Chet Baker are smooth jazz this isn't.
 
(originally posted: 11/05/2009)
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STRAPPS – Self Titled – (Harvest) – 1976

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Franko

 what Frank is listening to #24 – STRAPPS – Self Titled – (Harvest) – 1976

The art work on the front and back seemed to suggest this was hard rock. The band pic on the back indicated they were English … I may be stereotyping by race but what is it with the English and long hair in the 70s and 60s? They always look like thugs or skins who have decided to make a big fashion concession. Maybe England didn’t have any hair “product” in the 70s or any hair stylists working for any of the record labels?
 
I wasn’t expecting much, and though the album isn’t great, I was surprised … (mildly) pleasantly.  Allmusic defines them as a late glam band with a bit of Deep Purple (the drummer had played with Glover and Gillan from Deep Purple in the 60s – Glover co-produced this album) and a bit of Mott the Hoople thrown in. Here I would not disagree … there is a bit of Deep Purple in the “thumping” rock but there is much more “Mott the Hoople” and “glam rock” in here. The lead singer even sounds like Ian Hunter (from Mott) at times ... and also (oddly) a bit like Mark Knopfler on some tracks. There are also overt echoes of The Sweet, Alex Harvey, Mick Ronson, David Essex, The Sparks, and even Bowie on his straighter rock stuff. There, oddly, is also quite a bit of keyboard up front. As it turns out I like Deep Purple (who doesn’t have a copy of “Machine Head”?), some Mott the Hoople and all the other acts I just mentioned (in bits and pieces), hence the “surprised … (mildly) pleasantly”.
 
The trouble though is, it’s all fairly derivative.
 
For a first album, given the era , it could be a lot worse. The band were known in England and had a cult following in Japan but otherwise nosedived. I assume mainly because this is stuff that should have been come out in 1972 … 1976 was not a year for this type of music……punk (probably intentionally) killed them.
 
The band lasted for about two years and put out three LPs in that time …. before drummer Underwood went off to join the Ian Gillan Band … apparently the lead singer/guitarist, Ross Stagg, is Australian (he now works at a TAFE in NSW).
 
The lyrics are well dodgy with references to S&M, “faggots” etc and were probably meant to shock. It’s all very un-PC … and if you didn’t look at the credits it still wouldn’t take much to figure out all the lyrics were written by the Australian in the band … which may be worry …
 
from the net:
 
Ross Stagg, the lead singer and guitarist of Strapps, has a message (from November 2000) to share with all of the Strapps fans from yesterday and today…
 
“Unlike a lot of what you hear from certain bands these days I can honestly say that we meant every word we sang and every note that we sung and played – if you like this music – I am totally delighted because it was and is real – thank you for continuing to share what really meant and continues to mean so much to us”.
 
Best tracks:
 
  • “School Girl Funk” – sexist – no way – lol …. nothing like a good songwriter.
  • “Rock Critic” – more “great” lyrics – a hoot of a put down on rock critics.
  • “In Your Ear” – the most “tuneful” song – and the single.
  • “Suicide” – a seven minute epic ballad on the title subject … it’s great … why …cause its so bombastic … it makes Meatloaf look low-fi.
The album didn’t chart anywhere…
 
I think I’ll burn some tracks and flog it off …..
 
sounds:
see attached – School Girl Funk, Rock Critic
 
on the web:
 
lyrics to “School Girl Funk” – so you can sing along (or those more musical of you may want to cover the song)

I’ve got my black ‘J’ Holden Roadster waitin’ in the car park
Got a dozen bottles ‘o booze and a rug in the trunk
Got my wallet stuffed with money
an’ some brand new prophylactics
As I stalk this dirty dance hall for a bit of School Girl Funk

There’s a pack of ugly bastards standing in the corner
They’re goin’ thru the jive they’re gonna give to the girls
But I been eatin’ knuckle sandwich
and it ain’t the taste I’m after
Wanna get my laughin’ gear ’round some cutie’s little pearl

There goes young Eliz’beth, now she’s got her act together
She never hangs around with the faggots at the bar
She stumbles ’round dreamin’ ’bout the latest gangster movies Doin’ tricks for fat policemen if they let her hold their guns

chorus:

Sweatin’ Little Virgins, Urgin’, Urgin’ Let me be your Surgeon,
Urgin’, Urgin’ On! Sweatin’ Little Virgins, Urgin’, Urgin’ Let me be your Surgeon, Urgin’, Urgin’

I ain’t got no time for sweet-talk an’ I’m randy as a hornet
Ain’t got no time for bluffers or the kind that make you crawl
Got a flick-knife and a bike-chain and my trusty huntin’ rifle
I don’t need no pretty face to make the lovely ladies ball

I’ve got my black ‘J’ Holden Roadster waitin’ in the car park
Got a dozen bottles ‘o booze and a rug in the trunk
Got my wallet stuffed with money an’ some brand new prophylactics

Lyrics to “Rock Critic”

Dreaming in classrooms and humming a tune
He was a bright boy
with words but he hummed out of tune
– Oh! No.

Resentful an’ mean they never asked him to jam
They cried “Oh not again, he’s such a thick ham”
– Oh! No

He liked the Beatles an’ he liked the Stones
And he could write lyrics but we called them poems
He hated our guts when we packed him off home

chorus:
I’m gonna make it as a Rock Critic
Gonna write in the papers
Gonna make you sick

Gonna tell all the kiddies that I think you suck!
An’ you’ll come crawling to me

I’m gonna make it as a Rock Critic
Gonna sling me some mud
Gonna make it stick

Gonna make you suffer for the things that the good Lord never gave me!

Discerning and able to tell you his views
He was succinct and distinct and a bore to his boots
– Oh! No

The young ladies mocked him and oh! what a joke
It seems they laughed up their sleeves
As they snorted his coke
– Oh! No

He followed fashion and he followed taste
and he practised daily, but it was a waste
He covered his satchel with pop stars and paste.

chorus:

A hit on the Dance floor a smash with the trash
His mother dressed him in style,
his daddie choked him with cash
– Oh! No

To be with the hip boys was his only wish
and you could see how it hurt when they gave him a miss
– Oh! No

He was a tough guy, yet, he was a squirt
In love with the D.J. he wore on his shirt
His singular talent was dishin’ the dirt

chorus

(originally posted 07/05/2009)

On Fri, Sep 19, 2025 at 2:47pm Ross Stagg, vocalist of Strapps, emailed me. With his consent I have included the text from his email. There is Strapps product out there …

I’m a real rock star now that a 5 album Strapps complete works box set has recently (2025) been released internationally.

Poor old Mick Underwood got dementia and died 3 years back. The copyright on the recordings reverted to the band eons ago so I can’t work out how they are suddenly on sale without us knowing? Or on Spotify etc

I know you’re not a Strapps fan but I know you’re a music fan and that’s more important by far.

Thanks for going to the trouble of writing your review

Cheers

Ross Stagg

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FIREFALL – Clouds Across the Sun – (Atlantic) – 1981

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Franko

what Frank is listening to #23 – FIREFALL – Clouds Across the Sun – (Atlantic) – 1981

clouds

I was expecting country rock – Firefall has links, via members, to The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds. This though is a later album (their 5th) and though there is some pleasant enough country rock the group have also been experimenting with other genres: stadium rock ("Be In Love"), borderline disco pop ("Staying With It"), Fleetwood Mac rock ("No Class"), faux hard rock ("Quite Like You"), and big emotive rock ballads ("Pick up the Pieces").

Unfortunately the attractiveness of the "country rock" sound as espoused by Gram Parsons and as played by groups like Firefall initially was diluted and then circumvented in a bid to win / keep audiences … the same thing happened to "Poco" and the "Pure Prairie League" … 'tis a pity. Here, they may have jumped on the "let's try to save our career" bandwagon, and did plod on for a couple more albums but this is truly wretched and isn't really about going out with dignity. Though to be honest I haven't heard a lot of their early stuff … maybe they were always wretched?

  

The best track is "Old Wing Mouth" which is actually a Jimmy Webb song (the great Jimmy Webb ! … who wrote all the magnificent hits for Glen Campbell and is no slouch himself).

 

sounds:

attached

 

it’s all a pretty sad downhill slide…. and they recently released another CD – a Beatles Tribute CD – now there's a novel idea – equally sad:

http://www.firefall.com/beatles_tribute_cd.asp

(Sort of like "Nunbait does Noiseworks" … by that I am not knocking the Beatles just pointing out the preposterousness of the idea …t here are many sensitive Beatles fans out there).

 

get your Firefall T-shirts here:

http://www.firefall.com/merchandise.asp

live clip from1978 – but not a track off this album (I couldn't find anything).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mOUtxJDOV8

(originally posted: 04/05/2009)

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GARY LEWIS & THE PLAYBOYS – More Golden Greats – (Liberty) – 1968

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Franko

what Frank is listening to #22 – GARY LEWIS & THE PLAYBOYS – More Golden Greats – (Liberty) – 1968

OK, I originally listened to Gary Lewis only because I love his dad, Jerry Lewis. Now, after listening to some of his hits I can't understand why he was so generally dismissed by music critcs. There are probably a number of reasons but I suspect one may be because he was the offspring of someone famous, and didn't have to do the "hard yards"…. why this logic doesn't extend to the son of a diplomat singing left wing slogans, or a London school of economics dropout who cant get no satisfaction, probably reveals more about the critics than the artists.

The children of Hollywood offspring may have had it "easier" but they also had all the infrastructure of the West Coast music industry at their disposal anyway … and that, in part, is what makes Gary Lewis, Nancy Sinatra,  Dino Martin (son of Dean), Desi (son of Lucille Ball) from Dino Desi and Billy, Ricky Nelson (son of Ossie and Harriet Nelson), and the legendary Kim Fowley (son of character actor Douglas Fowley) sound so good.
 
Most of Gary's albums that I have heard follow the same pattern: one half originals (some written by him) and one half covers of recent(ish) hits. Regardless, whether original or cover, Lewis seemed to have hit after hit and I suspect that is beause the records are well recorded, tightly played, pop rock. Also, importantly there is  a consistent musical personality throughout all.
 
Look at this album: This is a compilation of hits, "More Golden Greats" – the first "Golden Greats" came out in 1966 (that one had all his really big hits – he had one #1 and another 9 top 10s in a 2 year period !)
 
The songs are written by:
 
Glen D Hardin (later Elvis pianist and a legendary session man)
Leon Russell (all round legend)
Ron Dante (later of the Archies)
Sonny Bono ( fresh from working with Phil Spector)
Jack Nitzsche ( rock maverick who possibly makes Spector look normal)
Don Nix ( southern white bluesman)
 
produced variously by legends:
Snuff Garrett
Leon Russell
(and Lewis himself.)
 
The tracks:
  • My Heart's Symphony:  #13 (1966) –  a big MOR medium paced ballad in the "Jay and the Americans" style
  • Where Will the Words Come From: #21 (1967) – pop rock
  • You Don't Have to Paint Me a Picture: #15 (1966)  – pop rock (with lotsa horns)
  • Sealed With a Kiss: #19 (1968) a hit for both Bobby Vinton and Bryan Hyland – this song is always good ….(maybe not always …. not the Jason Donovan version produced by Stock Aitken Waterman)
  • Ice Melts in the Sun: (1966) – pop rock
  • Needles and Pins:  (1966 ) -The Searchers hit written by Sonny Bono and Jack Nitzsche – another great song regardless of who does it.
  • You're Sixteen: (1966)  The Johnny Burnette hit – the rockabilly ballad classic- without any of the rough edges or regional accents.
  • Down on the Sloop John B: (1966)  The Beach Boys hit – a reasonable facsimile of the hit.
  • Girls in Love:  #39 (1967) – pop rock
  • The Loser (With a Broken Heart): #43 (1967) – pop rock
  • Jill: #52 (1967) – big ballad with slight trippy overtones (not unexpected – arranged by Jack Nitzsche)
  • Lies: – a very early Beatles-y track … though for 1966 about two years too late
Gary had a limited vocal range and was a bit gawky looking – like some sort of uber nerd but what he had was sass and good backing. He does what he does best, allows his voice to be pushed into the background or chorused with backing vocals or a multitude of instruments. The result is a romantic, lush pop rock with lyrics that are very mid-60s California – fun, sun, happy and optimistic.
 
Trivia: Gary was drafted into the army in1967 for 2 years, went to Vietnam in active combat and came back addicted to percodan (morphine).
 
Post army: his hit making period was over.
 
I like 60s pop … I'll keep this.
  
He still tours:
 
Sound:
 
other hits:
 
(originally posted: 03/05/2009)
Posted in Compilations, Pop Rock | Tagged | Leave a comment

MARTIN DENNY – The Enchanted Sea – (Liberty) – 1960

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Franko

  what Frank is listening to #21 – MARTIN DENNY – The Enchanted Sea – (Liberty) – 1960

I have quite a few Martin Denny albums (8 or so) so I like my "exotica".
 
I wont do a bio as its adequately covered here:
 
I will say that Denny was the "father of exotica"
 
To some this is "exotica", to others it is "lounge music", "popular", "muzak", "mood music", "background music", "easy listening" or "instrumentals" . These are all terms which can be applied, though those terms also define specific and distinct styles under the general banner of "lounge music". The term "exotica" is best applied to Denny as most of his career he spent in re-interpreting native (Polynesian, African, Hawaiian, Caribbean etc sounds) … it's not folk music as it is distinctly western with a hint of jazz but what Denny did was take the "mood" of those "exotic" sounds and fuse them in with his western upbringing. To enhance the effect (or mood)  he would use "strange" instruments or sound effects.
 
He started to go off the boil in the early 60s – that's not to say the music isn't worth hearing after that but rather its not as groundbreaking as his earlier LPs "Exotica", "Forbidden Island", "Primitiva", "Hypnotique", "Afro-Desia", or the magnificent  "Quiet Village". Those 60s albums were less experimental so I wasn't sure what I would get here given this is one on the cusp.
 
I am not disappointed … it's magnificent. Denny is a bit more gentle on this album than on the 50s albums but there is still an abundance of exotic effects and sounds under Denny's control so that each song ,regardless of composer, becomes part of the whole in mood. There are snatches of vocal, wind chimes, foghorns, bird calls, whistles, conch shell, trumpets etc. It was for this type of music that stereo was invented, or at least, this type of music first explored the possibilities of stereo.
 
Sit back with a drink (preferably a pina colada, or something with white rum) and you are transported to another time and another place … a small island in the Pacific, 1960. I can feel the wahinni fanning me now and I don't have a care in the world. Was life simpler then  I think not, though Denny was selling escapism then and that's what makes this so enjoyable now … we probably need this more than ever now ... Ray Davies would certainly agree.
 
Its' hard to pick individual tracks because as I have said they are meant to be heard as a whole. However, the Hoagy Carmichael tune " Stardust" always works on me … likewise Bobby Darin's big hit of 1960 "Beyond the Sea" (La Mer) also sends me back to a place I never knew (the Charles Trenet original French version from the 40s is also worth hearing). The pace is picked up with a weird retelling of "Sentimental Journey" which has crazy harpsichord and sound effects. And the title track "The Enchanted Sea" is a haunting mood piece making full use of all the exotica effects..
 
Denny's combo spawned two successful offshoots: Julius Wechter (of Baja Marimba Band fame) – a cheesier version of Herb Alpert if that is possible – and the legendary vibist Arthur Lyman (who left in 1957). Lyman ups the jazz quotient on his exotic records and really grooves. (also check out Les Baxter and Esquivel who work in the same area).
 
The single "Enchanted Sea" went to # 28 in 1959 (which was really Denny's year – the "Exotica" album went to #1 and the "Quiet Village" single hit #4) … though there was a national obsession for all thing Polynesian and tiki at the time (Hawaii has just become a State)… in any event the charts were certainly more interesting in those days.
 
And of course you gottta love the art work, which is actually how I got into this stuff back in the early 90s – I would buy LPs purely for the art work usually featuring scantily clad babes which I thought was a hoot. And then one day I put on a record and  …
 
website:
 
sounds:
 
his big hit (live):
 
This album is definitely a keeper and if you don't like it ya can all get fucked.
 
(originally posted: 03/05/2009)  
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KANSAS – Audio-Visions – (Epic) – 1980

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Franko

 what Frank is listening to #20 – KANSAS – Audio-Visions – (Epic) – 1980

 

In a lot of ways "Kansas" embodies everything that was bad about the 1970s – part prog rock, part mainstream heartland rock, part stadium rock, pointless instrumental breaks, bombastic lyrics, meathead fans with artistic pretensions (no doubt) … in fact it would be funny (in a Spinal Tap sort of a way) if valuable resources weren't used to make this. English Prog Rock is bad enough but American prog rock has to be the pits, only beaten by prog rock from Canada. In fact, mostly anything from Canada around this time wallows in muck.

That's not to say that "Kansas" don't have any good tunes … they do (a few)  … but not on this album.
 
"Kansas" were formed in Topeka, Kansas in 1970  and through relentless touring built up a strong fan base. They were really only an album band, the singles never did that well. By their fourth album, in 1977, they had gone platinum as did every album up to and including this one, their eighth,  from 1980 (#26). It's an understatement to say they were popular.
 
The singles off this LP were:
Hold On #40
Got to Rock On #76
  
In any event it was music for the pretentious and self important and usually appreciated by, I assume, girlfriendless nerds  …  the musical equivalent of people who like the film, "2001: A Space Odyssey".
 
This type of stuff can be traced back to The Beatles but from the Beatles' small pretensions grew other bands with grander ambitions if limited ability – Moody Blues, post-Syd Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Genesis, Yes, Rush (Canadian), Marillion, Camel … you can accept and indeed expect these pretensions from the English but "Kansas" are a fucking band from … Kansas, for fucks sake.  What were they thinking?  You grow wheat in Kansas and it aint near any "art" centres … see below … in red is Kansas
 
File:Map of USA KS.svg
 
So I'm not sure how this band evolved, or hatched, but for a bunch of blokes from nowhere they hit paydirt (sic) so … good for them
 
Tracks – if I have to pick one: "Loner" has some frenzied playing and banal lyrics …
 
sound:
"Hold On"
"Loner"
"Got to Rock On"
 
Interestingly, two of the main members became born again Christians after this albums release …. another reason to dislike prog rock?. Oddly I found myself looking for some divine intervention whilst listening to this album.
 
The lyrics of "Hold On" make it clear where the songwriter was going
 

Look in the mirror and tell me
Just what you see
What have the years of your life
Taught you to be
Innocence dyin' in so many ways
Things that you dream of are lost
Lost in the haze

(Chorus)

Hold on, Baby Hold on
'Cause it's closer than you think
And you're standing on the brink
Hold on, Baby Hold on
'Cause there's something on the way
Your tomorrow's not the same as today

Don't you recall what you felt
When you weren't alone
Someone who stood by your side
A face you have known
Where do you run when it's too much to bear
Who do you turn to in need
When nobody's there

(Chorus)

Outside your door He is waiting
Waiting for you
Sooner or later you know
He's got to get through
No hesitation and no holding back
Let it all go and you'll know
You're on the right track

 

I aint keepin this record.

I can see Powderfinger going this way …

 

(originally posted: 02/05/2009) 
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THE ARCHIES – Jingle Jangle – (RCA) – 1969

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Franko

 what Frank is listening to #19 – THE ARCHIES – Jingle Jangle – (RCA) – 1969

At the outset I must admit I have always been a sucker for 1960s bubblegum. The late 60s wasn't all beads, flowers, acid and communes … there was also a truck load of pop … just look at the charts. Iggy may have been wailing away in Detroit like a one armed caveman in a fight with a woolly mammoth but in NYC sugar was being poured over pop music.
 
There were many hits from the Banana Splits, Kasenetz-Katz, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Ohio Express, Cowsills and other bubblegum bands though not all late 1960s pop is bubblegum of course. Bubblegum usually has a chorus of voices and harmonies with lyrics a little inane – but hey its freaking "bubblegum" – its meant to be light, happy and get your feet tapping … and it does, especially after a couple of pina coladas …or maybe whiskey sours.
 
The Archies like most other bubblegum bands were a batch of faceless session musos put together by a manager (usually a mini svengali)  and then given some songs to record. Their success is largely dependent on whether the manager has his finger on the pulse of young middle America. The manager in this case was Don Kirshner – the man behind the creation of The Monkees as well the man behind the music publishing of Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, Cynthia Weill, Barry Man, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, Bobby Darin etc … "The Man with the Golden Ear" they called him apparently ….. and there were many hits, so you cant argue with success can you ? (though I draw the line at Stock, Aitken, Watermen in using success as a justification for existence).
 
The Archies here were the band in the popular kids cartoon "The Archie Show" … which as we all remember (I trust) was the adventures of Archie, Jughead, the cute blonde chick (I cant remember her name), et al, with songs every 10 minutes or so … much the same concept as The Monkees though the chance of fame (and roots) here is limited – as you are the voice of an animated character so no one knows who you are.
 
The producer Jeff Barry was another product of the Brill Building and also isn't a slouch – he wrote many hits ("Tell Laura I Love Her", "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Be My Baby", "River Deep Mountain High"), produced many hits for The Monkees, Neil Diamond and even demo-ed records for Elvis.
 
If you don't know what the Brill Building is….you should
 
Best tracks:
 
Side 1:
  • Jingle Jangle" was the single and a hit (and the chicks voices are Ron Dante singing in falsetto) – #10 in the US.
  • "Whopee Tie Ai A" is a nice country bubble gum stroll, the rest is pretty straightforward bubblegum.
Side 2 – is more "experimental bubblegum"!
  • "Get on the Line" has the peace and love lyrics of the era.
  • "You Know I Love You" is psychedelic-y.
  • "Sugar and Spice" – any song where "groovy" appears as well as references to "magic carpet rides" cant be all bad.
What holds everything together though is the lead vocalist Ron Dante (aka Carmine Granito from Staten Island) who is a bit of a legend. I had some of his singles and he sure can sing … solo or in the bubblegum band format. He had been the lead voice in "The Detergents" and "The Cuff Links" who both had hits.
 
Sound:

the single:
 
and a rare live appearance – doing "Sugar Sugar":
 
The band is a product of its times and I don't think pop really surpassed what was created in the 1960s (and early 1970s) and I think I will (might) keep this album.
 
It may be a good talking point at parties. Though, would you really want to go to a party where the host puts a Archies LP on the turntable?
 
(originally posted: 01/05/2009) 
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SAVOY BROWN – Raw Sienna – (Decca) – 1969

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Franko

 what Frank is listening to #18 – SAVOY BROWN – Raw Sienna – (Decca) – 1969

In all honesty I knew who Savoy Brown were but I hadn't heard much of their stuff.

Briefly, they were a blues based British rock band from the 1960s who apparently, because of constant touring, were more popular in the US than in England. I did a quick scan and 11 albums charted in the US but only 5 in the top 100 – and not very high up.  In the UK they only had 1 album chart, peaking at #50. On either side of the Atlantic they have never made an impact on the singles charts. But, more power to them , they are still going (albeit with very few original members) and have put out a string of albums … just goes to show you can have a career without hit albums and singles.
 
Lead singer Chris Youlden quit the band after this album (their 5th …. their 1st was only 3 years earlier) which is a pity as he has a good voice for the white electric blues. Ultimately though the rest of the band play well and all of the tracks on the album are solid …even the 7 minute plus instrumental jam works.  White boys blues (especially British white boy blues) doesn't really do it for me but this is certainly more interesting and better than say John Mayall or Clapton's solo stuff, to m ears.
  
They remind me very much of "The Blues Project" or some "Paul Butterfield Blues Band".
 
I cant help but like this album, though I don't know if I will keep it … into the maybe pile
 
Best tracks : 
  • A Hard Way to Go
  • That Same feeling – with a lot of horns
  • Needle and Spoon
sound:
 
Other:
 
(originally posted: 29/04/2009) 
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