what Frank is listening to #91 – DAVID ACKLES – Five & Dime – (Columbia) – 1973
![[David+Ackles+-+Five+&+Dime.jpg]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4YTVtMhY-n0/SUPJyw_cdHI/AAAAAAAADQQ/T7_fk08yfkI/s1600/David+Ackles+-+Five+&+Dime.jpg)
I have Ackles' "American Gothic" (1972) which is generally regarded as his best album … and it certainly is a good 'un. Ackles is, simply put, magnificent. His small body of work contains some of the highlights of the "singer-songwriter" genre.
These grandiose statements of mine are not without qualifications though. If you like your music straight ahead, not to complicated, and more tune based rather than character or story based then give him a wide birth (don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with "straight ahead" and "uncomplicated" it just doesnt happen here). Likewise if you think John Lennon or Harry Chapin are the heights of 1970s singer-songwriters then steer clear. And, finally, if you don't like musical theatre you wont make it past the first song.
a brief bio from allmusic: "Born on February 20, 1937 (in Illinois) , he was working in vaudeville by age four and in the mid-'40s played a character named Tucky Worden in Columbia's Rusty the Dog film series. His co-star was Dwayne Hickman, who would later go on to play Dobie Gillis on television. He attended the University of Southern California and took a year to go to school in Edinburgh, where he studied literature. He eventually got a degree in film studies, though he was proficient in the theatre, ballet, and choreography. He held several odd jobs after school and was eventually hired as a songwriter by Elektra. He managed to parlay that assignment into a multi-record deal …"
He recorded 4 albums over a 5 year period between 1968 and 1973 and they sold nothing ("American Gothic" is the only record he had that charted – #167). Ackles died of lung cancer on March 2, 1999, at the age of 62. He is however (and had been) extremely influential on many (and many other minor) artists like Elvis Costello, Phil Collins, Bernie Taupin and Elton John. Don't let those names put you off …. I can see only the obvious story song aspects of Ackles in them – with the exception of Costello who seems hell bent on re-reading the "American Songbook" and maybe Bernie Taupin.
Ackles is of the singer-songwriter genre from the late 60s and early 70s. The genre is much heralded, though it should also be much maligned as anyone who puts pen to paper and plays a guitar or piano is considered a "singer-songwriter"… but most of them do not rise above a catchy hook and some lines that rhyme. Ackles however (especially on this LP) encroaches on musical theatre territory though, I hasten to add, he is from the "rock" paddock as opposed to the "popular" music field (Sinatra, Crosby, Mitchell et al), but he does blur the lines. I raise this because some people will listen to this album and say that it's not rock music. And its not, but then neither is "Stairway to Heaven", "Yesterday" or "Waterloo Sunset" but they are "rock ballads" (yes I cringed when I wrote "rock ballad" because there are so many negative connotations attached). There are many opinions on what's the difference between "rock" songs (especially rock ballads) and "popular songs". I like my wife's definition best (and she studied singing at the Conservatorium – though she would be the first to knock the pomposity of that statement) … she said the difference between rock singers and popular music singers is, in rock, the artist sings the words whereas in popular music they sing the notes. I add the qualification that the "music" is generally more important in popular music and the singer is another instrument albeit an important one if he or she is the draw card.
There were some singers in rock that crossed over both lines in that they sang the "notes" – Elvis, any of the Beach Boys, Roy Hamilton, Jackie Wilson etc but generally rock tends to be against the paramountcy of the singer as an "instrument". The singer becomes the front man in rock but he is not an "instrument" … and by implication not a musician. Which to my mind is rubbish. This sounds familiar doesn't it.
This sounds like a wank and I hate to labour this point but I'm just trying to get across that this album is in that grey area which blurs those lines. Ackles writes "popular" music but sings with a rock "voice", though I repeat he really blurs the lines.
OK … Ackles is way out in left field … his songs are quite complicated and generally lead to little character studies of whoever or whatever he is singing about. This tends to make them sound a lot like musical theatre (which Ackles retired to later). It would not be unfair to compare him to a pop rock version of Stephen Sondheim. In fact of all the singer songwriters still working within "rock/pop" he is the the closest I have heard to musical theatre (on this album at least). That said, the "musical rock theatre" genre was quite popular in the 60s and 70s as evidenced by "Hair", "Godspell" and many others but not "Jesus Christ Superstar" (which is rock opera (and awful at that)).
But like Nilsson, Randy Newman, and Leon Redbone he also draws from the past and draws a unbroken line from it into contemporary music. The line he draws on here is the great tradition of American song writing from tin pan alley, Stephen Foster, Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie on down to Rod McKuen, Stephen Sondheim, and contemporaries like Loudon Wainwright III. He however isn't content with just tunes, as orchestration is essential to his song writing. There is very little James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Joni Mitchell in here. There is, however, Kurt Weill, Harry Nilsson, Tim Hardin, Jimmy Webb (there is quite a bit of Webb in there), Scott Walker (his voice is closest to Walker's I think), Leonard Cohen (but Ackles is better to my ears), Randy Newman as well as Ackles contemporary Los Angeles eccentrics Van Dyke Parks and Jack Nitzsche, and to a lesser extent early label mate Tim Buckley. This is melodic music but something altogether different to what was in the charts at the time.
It is undeniably American music.
"Five & Dime' (Ackles last album) was a concept album done in bits about ordinary life in the USA, like a series of random photographs of people in 1973. And given that there is a fair bit of olde worlde nostalgia the album really lends itself to a melancholy mood. The nostalgia is not surprising in 1973 :Vietnam was still raging, there was inflation, unemployment, urban decay, pollution, the 60s "dream" was over, crime was on the rise, promiscuity was accepted and institutionalised, as was the general "right here right now, rush rush" of modern living. Accordingly, many artists were turning back to simpler times and corresponding music. Ray Davies of The Kinks cast a backward glance towards the "Village Green Preservation Society" (which was an underground hit in the US – and sold less than nothing in the UK) but really hit his stride as a person not happy with the present on "Muswell Hillbillies", "Soap Opera", "Preservation Act 1" and any number of other albums from the early to mid-70s. Newman, Nilsson et al above were also doing the same.
The album is well played with all the instruments of a full orchestra, though used individually, in a combo type set up. Ackles also produced the album and seems to know what he was looking for.
The Tracks (they are all good)
- Everybody Has a Story – a apt way to start the album a song about what you are about to hear in the album (a la a MC) and very musical theatre …
- I've Been Loved – half musical theatre and half popular ballad like a cross between Stephen Sondheim and Rod McKuen. The lyrics are economical and vividly evocative.
- Jenna Saves – a devastating song about "Jenna Pearl" whoever she may be.
- Surf's Down – a surf music parody which I think fits in as it's about a surfer when he gets old. I'm sure Southern California was awash (pun intended) with them in the 70s … with backing vocals by Dean Torrance of Jan & Dean (ha!).
- Berry Tree – a up-tempo love ballad.
- One Good Woman's Man – Possibly the best song on the album. Again, very Sondheim and an incredibly moving lament … this is song writing! There is a touch of another piece of music, maybe a movie theme, in there, which I just can't put my finger on.
- Run Pony Run – not bad, though I have a nasty scratch on this track which gives me an annoying click for most of the song.
- Aberfan – a very emotional song and the odd one out on the album as its about a Welsh mining disaster in 1966 when 116 children died …
- House Above the Strand – a powerhouse pleading song of love and need:
Will you Come and live here with me
In my house above the Strand?
I'll have pomegranates ready
So they ripen in your hand.
A wank ? No way. I like pomegranates fuck you all.
- Photograph of You – another song of love lost.
- Such a Woman – slightly bombastic and the only "contemporary" pop song on the album. I could see Scott Walker doing this.
- Postcards – a fitting end to the album and to a career?
May I write you from time to time?
A picture postcard from the Five & Dime
Nothing fancy, just a simple line
I miss you
A picture postcard from the Five & Dime
Nothing fancy, just a simple line
I miss you
Despite the musical theatre (or maybe because of it) it is easy to trace a lot of this music down to Ray Davies (whose 70s output was largely rock musicals as opposed to rock operas), Robyn Hitchcock at his quietest, and even down to Springsteen around "Born to Run", Nick Cave, and Lambchop.
There is a lot of pain here along with the melancholia, but it's never self indulgent or self destructive … just world weary, with a touch of restrained optimism. Still, do not listen to this album if you are lovelorn and you have a bottle of wine handy.
There is a lot of pain here along with the melancholia, but it's never self indulgent or self destructive … just world weary, with a touch of restrained optimism. Still, do not listen to this album if you are lovelorn and you have a bottle of wine handy.
Ackles apparently regarded the message from Ecclesiastes as gospel (half pun intended) : "Who gathers knowledge gathers pain" and that pretty much sums up his music.
And …
I'm keeping this as this is a gem – but there never was any doubt.
Sounds
I've Been Loved
House Above the Strand
attached
Bio
Website
http://www.furious.com/perfect/davidackles2.html
(originally posted:23/09/2009)
