The Return of the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen

The Return of the Red Baron

The Royal Guardsmen

Laurie LLP2039 

1967

I first encountered The Royal Guardsmen in my teenage aunt's record collection when I was a kid.  She was a Peanuts fanatic and I think she had at least three of their albums in her tiny collection of records.  I liked Peanuts too, but I was too shy to ask her to play one of them for me.  Eventually I heard "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" on an oldies radio station and I liked it.  Not so much however that I made any effort to track down that album.  However being a passionate crate digger it was only a matter of time before I stumbled across a copy of it and I decided to indulge my childhood passion.  The record was okay, mostly novelty songs and bubble gum with a few rock songs sprinkled in the mix.  I figured I was done with The Royal Guardsmen after that but then I came across "The Return of the Red Baron" which intrigued me with its covers of The Yardbirds, The Byrds and The Spencer Davis Group.  I also dug the cover picture of the group so I bought it.  It was a good choice.  Trapped inside the commercial bubble gum group there was a real rock band trying to break out.  The album opens with "Airplane Song (My Airplane)" which was written by Michael Murphey of "Wildfire" fame and Owens Castleman.  It was released as a single and almost cracked the top 40.  It is basically a bubble gum song, but I find it  charming.  It is followed by a cover of "I'm a Man" that blatantly and quite creditably imitates the version by The Yardbirds right down to Jeff Beck's manic guitar solo.  It definitively shows that the band had some impressive chops.  I read in an interview that the band used to cover Cream and Jimi Hendrix in their live shows and I totally believe they could do it.  "Any Wednesday" was written by Charlie Souza and was a flop single.  I actually like it better than any of their hit singles.  It is ebullient sunshine pop with nice harmonies that pushes all my buttons.  It is one of my favorite tracks on the album.  "Shot Down" is fortunately not another Snoopy song, but rather a punchy rocker by Dick Holler and John McCullough.  It reminds me of Paul Revere and the Raiders particularly in its raucous atmosphere.  "I'm Not Gonna Stay" was written by Alice Heller and is a melodic soft rock song reminiscent of The Association.  It is a bit sappy, but I dig the the harmonies.  Side one concludes with an instrumental version of The Byrds' "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N Roll Star" which sounds so much like the original that it seems kind of pointless although I enjoy it anyway, particularly the guitar work.  Side two opens with their hit single "The Return of the Red Baron" which is a shameless retread of "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron."  If you liked the first one you will probably like this one too although it is not quite as catchy.  "Gimme Some Lovin'" is of course the Steve Winwood song that was a big hit for The Spencer Davis Group.  It sounds pretty much like the original except that lead singer Barry Winslow can't come close to matching Winwood's soulful vocal.  "Om" was written by guitarist Tom Richards and organist Billy Taylor of the group and is a psychedelic instrumental driven by a hypnotic bass riff with some trippy guitar noodling on top of it.  It is another one of my favorite tracks. "Searchin' for the Good Times" was written by prolific songwriter Bob Stone.  It is a bit bubble gummy but it has some garage flavor and compelling raga flourishes.  It reminds me of the Monkees.  "I Need You Girl" unfortunately is pure bubble gum written by the master of the genre Artie Resnick and his wife Kris.  It easily the weakest song on the album after the title track.  The band saves the best song for last, Barry Winslow's "Leaving Me" which is pure fuzzed out garage bliss.  It really makes me regret that the band didn't have more creative freedom and support.  This is such a fine record that I'm sure the band had the potential to be a more significant group.  Perhaps not in the same league as The Standells, The Electric Prunes and The Chocolate Watchband, but probably at least as good as The Count Five, The Leaves or The Shadows of Knight all of whom have received more attention and respect than these guys ever managed.  I guess this falls a little short of being some lost garage classic, but it comes pretty close.  I would not hesitate to suggest it to any one interested in the genre or the period.  Recommended to fans of Paul Revere and the Raiders.

Come the Day/Georgy Girl - The Seekers

Come the Day

The Seekers

Columbia SX 6093

1966

Georgy Girl

The Seekers

Capitol ST 2431

1967

"Come the Day" is my favorite of the Seekers albums.  I first acquired the American release version entitled "Georgy Girl" configured to capitalize on the success of that hit single.  When I came across a copy of the mono British version I didn't hesitate to buy it even though it is very similar.  It features my favorite picture of the group on the cover, a sweet little statement of purpose by them on the back cover and one extra song since the penny-pinchers at Capitol insisted on limiting nearly every album they released to 11 songs.  I know I should have gotten rid of the Capitol version but the stereo mix sounds nice and the record has sentimental value for me and frankly I just love the album too much to part with even a duplicate copy.  Nonetheless "Come the Day" is the definitive version for me.  It represents the group's attempt to embrace contemporary pop music and move beyond the folk-pop that dominated their first four albums.  It opens with group member Bruce Woodley's rousing "Come the Day" which is my favorite of the songs he wrote for the group.  It has wonderful aspirational lyrics and a driving vocal by Judith Durham with strong harmonies by the lads.  I listened to it over and over when I got the record and I still love it to death.  It always makes my spirit soar even though I've probably heard it a hundred times and if I could only have one song by the Seekers this would be my pick.  The boneheads at Capitol (I'm looking at you Bill Miller) moved it to side two of "Georgy Girl."  Tom Springfield (brother of Dusty and producer of the album) wrote the charming "Island of Dreams."  It has a pleasing group vocal.  Next up they take a crack at Tom Paxton's much covered "The Last Thing on My Mind."  My favorite version is Sandy Denny's and this doesn't come close to that.  It is way too genteel for me but it sounds lovely nonetheless.  "All Over the World" was written by Françoise Hardy and recorded by her in both French and English versions.  Durham's version is very pretty but it lacks the tenderness and feeling that both of Hardy's versions feature.  The Seekers embrace folk-rock with a cover of "Red Rubber Ball" which of course was a big hit for the Cyrkle.  The song was written by Woodley and Paul Simon and although I've heard Simon be dismissive of the song it reminds me a lot of his early work.  The Seekers' version is not as vivacious as the hit version, but it sounds pretty dynamic for them and even features percussion for extra oomph.  Side one concludes with Bob Gibson and Hamilton Camp's "Well, Well, Well" which sounds like a throwback to the group's earlier records being pretty much straight folk-pop.  In fact they recorded another version of it in 1964 for "Hide and Seekers."  The 1964 version is folkier, this version has a little more instrumentation most notably a piano and modest percussion and it is also a few seconds shorter but it is hardly much of an improvement and in truth I prefer the more heartfelt vocal on the 1964 version.  I'm baffled about why they included it even though it is a contemporary song, it sounds like a traditional one.  Perhaps they were dissatisfied with the 1964 version for some reason that eludes me.  Side two opens with "Georgy Girl" which was the groups biggest hit.  It is the song that made me fall in love with the group when I heard the song on the radio when I was a little kid.  It was my favorite song for awhile and I still love it all these years later.  It was written by Tom Springfield and Jim Dale for the film of the same name and is a straight pop song with orchestration and a rhythm section.  Durham has a sparkling vocal with supportive harmonies by the guys.  For me it is a true ear worm.  It is followed by a solo turn by Durham on the Beatles' "Yesterday" which is also a straight pop song.  It is orchestrated and solemnly sung by Durham.  I love her voice so it works for me but I have to admit that among the gazillion covers of this song it is pretty mundane.  It is followed by the song that Capitol chose to remove from their version of this album, "I Wish You Could Be Here" which is another Woodley collaboration with Paul Simon.  I do not consider the song expendable and if I was forced to omit one of the songs it would have been "Well, Well, Well."  Although it is arguably the weakest of the three songs they wrote together (the other one is "Cloudy" which Simon deigned to record himself for "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme") I still feel it has a lot of merit.  It is an atmospheric song with introspective lyrics which is orchestrated and sounds very appealing.  The Cyrkle recorded it the following year on "Neon" in an unsuccessful attempt to repeat the success of "Red Rubber Ball."  I prefer the Seekers version myself.  It is followed by a cover of Pete Seeger's Bible adaptation "Turn, Turn, Turn" which of course was a folk-rock classic for the Byrds.  The Seekers opted not to copy the rock approach of the Byrds, although the song does feature a session drummer.  Their version is more chamber pop than folk-rock and Durham's vocal is rather stiff but I still like it.  It is followed by perhaps the most unlikely song on the album, Doug Kershaw's Cajun classic "Louisiana Man."  There were numerous pop, rock and country covers of the song in the 1960s and this version is pretty subdued if not pedestrian but it still appeals to me because of the group's impeccable vocal craftsmanship.  The album concludes with a cover of John Phillips' "California Dreamin'" which was a tremendous hit for the Mamas and the Papas.  That is by far my favorite version of the song which I have loved since I was a child when I heard it on my father's copy of "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears."  The Seekers' version doesn't come close to matching the passionate vocal and evocative arrangement of the Mamas and the Papas' version but it is the closest this album comes to genuine folk-rock and is mostly successful aside from the lead vocal.  Durham can emote when she wants to but her natural style is to be reserved which just doesn't work for this song.  Nonetheless I would listen to her sing just about anything and this is a song I love so it works for me.  I realize I'm too big a fan to be objective about this album which is probably not as great as I think it is.  The Seekers push a lot of my buttons and I'm very pleased with the song selection here.  I like their folk albums as well, but this album speaks more directly to my sensibilities and I find it endlessly listenable.  Recommended to fans of mid-1960s Peter, Paul and Mary.

Doin' The Bird - The Rivingtons

Doin' The Bird

The Rivingtons

Liberty LRP-3282

1963

Awhile back I had a hankering to hear some Johnny Rivers and while I was leafing through my collection of his albums I noticed this album adjacent to them on the shelf.  I was very surprised because I had no memory of ever buying it.  I don't even know why I would have bought it because I'm not a fan of the group and I've never really liked the only song of theirs that I know, "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow."  I'm guessing that I came across a cheap copy at the flea market and took a chance on it out of curiosity.  That's what happens when you have too many records and your memory is deteriorating.  It's not a bad problem to have, since it is like getting a new record all over again although it has also resulted in me buying records I already have.  My memory has gotten so bad that I have created an inventory of my records that I can store on my phone which has eliminated the problem for the most part.  Anyway I pulled this out and gave it a spin and was genuinely impressed by it.  I have little use for novelty records which I think is a term that is apt for "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" and its retread on this album "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow."  "Kickapoo Joy Juice" is also in this vein.  All three are driven by the nonsensical bass vocal riffs of Rocky Wilson Jr. and are inane in a mildly amusing manner.  The self-penned "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" is insanely catchy, a true ear worm that I can't really hate but which I can't really like either.  It created a new dance called "The Bird" which is depicted on the back cover of the album.  I tried it out and felt like an idiot.  "Mama-Oom-Mow-Wow" was also written by the group and shamelessly copies the hit but has a more fussy arrangement that is distracting.  The hit's simplicity was part of its stupid appeal.  "Kickapoo Joy Juice" lacks the deranged intensity of the other two songs which exposes the song's dumbness but I still enjoy the song for the most part.  The saving grace for all three songs is the quality of the vocals which rescues them from their idiocy.  Lead vocalist Carl White has a terrific voice reminiscent of Jackie Wilson and the group's harmonies are first rate.  Most of the remaining tracks are rhythm and blues bangers that they have applied their bass heavy formula to.  My favorites include a rocking cover of Billy Ward's "Have Mercy Mercy Baby" and their own jumping composition "Old Time Love" in which White sings his heart out.  The group can't come close to matching Little Richard's energy on "Long Tall Sally" and "Slippin' and Slidin'" but their versions are still quite stimulating.  They don't fare as well with "Unchain My Heart" which will always belong to Ray Charles and their version sounds tame by comparison.  Unchastened they also cover another song associated with Charles, "You Are My Sunshine" but this one is more successful.  It is a very passionate and dynamic performance and features one of White's strongest vocals.  The self-penned" Love Pill" gives Rocky a chance to sing a couple of verses himself and he doesn't come close to giving White any competition, but it is nonetheless an enjoyable track.  Their composition of "Happy Jack" is also fun.  Their self-penned "Standing in the Love Line" offers a respite from the goofiness of so much of the album offering a conventional rhythm and blues love song that shows the group can be compelling playing it straight too.  That is my biggest takeaway from this album.  It took a dumb gimmick to get this band a hit single, but they had the chops to be so much better.  I like their non-novelty songs so much that I feel sad that they were not more successful.  A group this good should have made a bunch of albums.  Maybe if their hit had come earlier, they might have, but coming in at the end of the doo-wop era blunted its impact as did the release of the Trashmen's even more idiotic cover of it "Surfin' Bird" later in the year.  For me this album is a happy surprise and I'm grateful I took a chance on it at some point in the past.  I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't appreciate its charms more at the time, but I guarantee I won't be forgetting I have it any time soon.  Recommended to fans of the Coasters.

The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

The Christmas Song

Nat King Cole

Capitol SW 1967

1962

This is probably my favorite Christmas album of all time, although there are many others that I prefer musically.  I like Cole fine (particularly during his jazz period) but he's far from my favorite crooner.  I love this record because my parents had it and it is the first Christmas record I remember listening to.  I have to admit that as a child I was not all that happy with it.  It doesn't have any of the kiddie Christmas songs I loved back then.  "Deck the Hall" was the only song on it I really liked.  Fortunately I'm not a kid anymore and I mostly can't stand those kiddie songs unless they've been rocked up.  I have not even thought about trying to acquire some of those children's albums I liked as a kid, but this one I was happy to track down.  I actually have two of them.  This is my original which I bought used, but it has a little wear so when Capitol reissued it I bought a new one just to have a perfect copy.  I listen to both however.  The new one sounds great, but I like the warmth of the old one as well even with its crackles and pops which reminds me of my parents' old copy which was pretty beat up by the time my sisters and I got done playing it to death every Christmas.  This album is a reissue of Cole's 1960 album "The Magic of Christmas" but with the substitution of Mel Tormé and Robert Wells' great classic "The Christmas Song" in place of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" which seems like a generous trade to me.  The reissue also has superior cover art.  Cole recorded the song multiple times in his career dating back to 1946 but this generally is regarded as the definitive version.  I have never roasted a chestnut but this song evokes the feeling of Christmas in me more than any other.  Ralph Carmichael's orchestral arrangement is relatively restrained and I would miss it if it wasn't there.  Cole's vocal is incredibly rich and warm and he also adds a nice piano solo in the break.  For me it is the perfect Christmas song and I never get tired of hearing it.  It is such a great song that the rest of the album pales in comparison but it is still mostly engaging.  "Deck the Hall" has a lot of energy and almost swings in spots.  "Adeste Fideles" is one of my favorite tracks although I could do without the chorus.  Cole sings it with authority even in the Latin part.  He sings "O Tannenbaum" in German which I prefer to the English version.  I've never liked the song much, but his voice makes it compelling for me.  I don't really like "O, Little Town of Bethlehem" either and Carmichael's sappy arrangement doesn't help any.  Cole sings it beautifully but I still find the song dreary.  The album bounces back with a lively version of "I Saw Three Ships," I even like the support of the chorus for once.  Side one concludes with "O Holy Night" which shows off Cole's vocal skills to great effect.  I've never been able to sing the song myself, but he handles it with ease although I do find the chorus obtrusive.  Side two opens with "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" which Cole's graceful vocal rescues from Carmichael's heavy-handed arrangement.  "A Cradle in Bethlehem" is the least famous Christmas song on the album and deservedly so.  I loathe it and off the top of my head I think this is the only recording of it that I have.  It is slow and devotional and no matter how prettily Cole sings it I'm never going to like it.  "Away in a Manger" is also devout and sappy, but I find it more palpable because it is a better song.  "Joy to the World" is appropriately jubilant and is one of my favorite tracks.  "The First Noel" suffers from a really heavy arrangement but Cole's vocal is fabulous, one of his best on the album.  I'm not a fan of the song but this is one of the best versions I know.  Carmichael redeems himself with a stirring arrangement of "Caroling, Caroling" which is an easy lay up for Cole.  This is another one of my favorite songs on the album.  It concludes with "Silent Night" which could have been written for Cole it suits him so well.  It is such a lovely and delicate performance, I find it much more moving than most versions of the song.  It brings the album to a tender and satisfying conclusion.  I react much differently to this album than I did when I was a kid especially since I'm now older than Cole was when he recorded it.  I really appreciate the feeling and depth that Cole brings to this music.  It is way too religious for my taste but I still love it although I would love it more with a few more secular carols.  It does have a pleasing consistency of tone and sound and if you are an adult and like Christmas I don't see how you won't like it.  I don't really like Christmas anymore myself and I still love this record.  Recommended to people whose idea of a nice Christmas is good company and a tasty cocktail.

The End... - Nico

The End...

Nico

Island ILPS 9311

1974

In a previous post I mentioned my fondness for Nico's 1967 solo debut "Chelsea Girl" even though it is not representative of her personal style.  I would say that "Chelsea Girl" is my favorite Nico album, but if I had to select the one that best represents her career, I would choose "The End..." which was her fourth studio album.  It is gloomy, enigmatic and bleak with minimalist accompaniment provided by Nico on harmonium and a bunch of instruments played by album producer John Cale with some assistance from Phil Manzanera on guitar and Brian Eno on synthesizer.  The album opens with "It Has Not Taken Long" which uses the imagery of a hunt to portray persecution and abuse I believe.  Nico solemnly intones the lyrics over a swirling harmonium drone bolstered by chimes and incongruously sweet background vocals by Vicki and Annagh Wood.  There is also a percussive heart beat sound that adds to the song's ominous tone.  "Secret Side" evokes rape and pillage with its tied up virgins and invading ships but I have no idea what she's trying to say besides conveying menace.  Nico's enthusiastic vocal sounds sinister, almost sadistic.  "You Forget to Answer" is reportedly about her ex-lover Jim Morrison although the lyrics just vaguely describe a communication failure.  The song has a richer musical accompaniment than most of the songs on the album with Manzanera's guitar flourishes and Cale's pounding piano runs very prominent.  Nico's vocal has more emotion than it normally does and I have to admit the song gives me chills.  I consider it one of her most powerful songs ever.  It leads into a cathartic blast of noise like a scream that links it to the drone that drives "Innocent and Vain."  The song has some violent imagery but I'm baffled by it.  Nico's mournful vocal sounds like it is being delivered at a funeral.  The song ends as it begins with blasts of noise that I presume are Eno's work.  The first side concludes with "Valley of the Kings" which has more violence depicting a vengeful warrior expecting death which I interpret as a metaphor for emotional conflict in a relationship.  The song continues the dolorous tone of the previous song as Nico croons like she is riding a boat into Valhalla.  Side two opens with some dissonant chords and then the drone of the harmonium kicks in on "We've Got the Gold" which is another song that puzzles me.  I'm sure the discussion of wealth and poverty has some poetic intent that is eluding me.  Nico delivers it coldly and the random clanks and twangs of the music gives it a mechanical, almost robotic sound.  It is followed by the least subtle song on the album, Nico's cover of the Doors' "The End."  It was the darkest moment on the Doors' debut album, but here it sounds almost comical next to Nico's doleful poetic dirges.  The Doors' version benefited from its hypnotic raga-rock soundtrack as well as Jim Morrison's charisma and over the top melodramatic delivery.  Nico naturally strips all that away.  The music is fragmented and dissonant.  Nico sings slowly and icily.  I assume she intended the song as some sort of tribute, but stripping the song of its theatrical allure just makes it sound silly.  It can't sustain the heaviness she brings to it.  Despite all that I find it fascinating and even fun in places, which is not an adjective one typically associates with Nico.  There is even a sort of Manzanera driven rave-up near the song's conclusion.  It is followed by "Das Lied der Deutschen," the German national anthem.  The song is introduced with funereal organ music and then Nico grimly sings the German lyrics.  Nico includes the verses that were associated with the Nazis' use of the song (the "Deutschland über alles" part) but that are omitted by modern performances.  I'm guessing this is more for shock value and nihilism than any fascist ideology on Nico's part although some of her associates have claimed she had Nazi sympathies.  It gives a suitably dark finish for an anguished album.  I didn't hear this album until many years after its release when dark punk and goth music were common place, but even then this album shocked me a little.  When I think back to the music of 1974 which I still unfortunately remember pretty well, this sounds like it came from another planet.  I can't think of another pop record from that era (assuming you accept that this is a pop record) that comes close to being so bleak and miserable.  I don't say that as a criticism, I do respect her commitment to her vision and I consider her to be a true artist even if I don't identify with her artistic sensibility at all.  Normally I would be dismayed that the lyrics are so abstruse, but Nico's art is so negative that in this case I'm grateful that she doesn't explicitly vent her spleen.  Her vagueness and poetic obscurity is part of her charm for me.  Her music is generally reserved and cold, but there is no escaping where her head is at.  She doesn't have to spell it out, its dismal presence is overwhelming on this album.  She was arguably the mother of gothic rock, although frankly most goths sound like sunshine pop compared to her.  I think this black hole of a record is a kind of masterpiece and that she created an album that approaches high art while still retaining a modicum of pop sensibility.  Recommended to depressed poets, it won't cheer you up but it might inspire you to vent your own spleen.

Thank U Very Much - The Scaffold

 

Thank U Very Much

The Scaffold

Bell Records 6018

1968

I'm baffled as to how this ever got released in the U.S. much less on a crassly commercial label like Bell.  Like most non-British people I was attracted to this group because trio member Mike McGear was Paul McCartney's brother.  He shared his brother's good looks and fondness for music hall tunes but not his pop genius.  Which is fine, because the band was basically a comedy group that dabbled in music.  I have their 1968 English debut album, "Live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall" which consists largely of poetry readings and comedy routines.  Bell cobbled this album out of the group's British singles, it has no British equivalent.  The title track was a big hit in England and I'm guessing Bell thought they could break it here as well but it never came near the top 40 here and I'm surprised it even made it as high as 69 on the Billboard chart.  The album opens with "Long Strong Black Pudding"which was the b-side of the group's second single released in 1966.  It is delivered acapella in the style of a Gregorian chant.  It is presumably intended to be humorous but I just find it annoying.  "Goodbat Nightman" was the a-side of the second single.  Mercifully it features musical accompaniment.  It is driven by a staccato riff that seems to be inspired by Neal Hefti's theme song for "Batman" which is fitting since the song is about the "Batman" character and borrows from the TV show's tropes.  It is one of my favorite tracks on the record.  "2 Days Monday" was the a-side of the Scaffold's debut single from 1966.  It is a music hall style song in the vein of a silly children's song working through the activities of a week delivered in a Cockney accent.  "3 Blind Jellyfish" was the flipside of the first single.  It is another silly children's song using the music of "Three Blind Mice."  "Thank U Very Much" was the group's third single released in 1967 and it made it into the top ten in England.  It was penned by Mike McGear in music hall style featuring silly lyrics and is very catchy, to the point of ear worm status.  I can hear why it became a hit but I also understand why it flopped here.  "Ide B the First" was the b-side.  Much like the a-side it is a music hall style song with silly lyrics, but is not nearly so memorable.  Side two opens with the band's fourth single "Do You Remember?" from 1968.  The piano that drives it is straight out of the music hall, although the song has some contemporary pop touches that I find appealing.  "Knees Up Mother Brown (Knees Down Mother Brown)" made its first appearance on this album.  It is built around the 19th Century pub song of the same title, but Roger McGough has built up a framing story about a disastrous Oxford graduation.  I find it more amusing than most of their stuff.  "1-2-3" was the band's fifth single released in 1968.  It is an inane bubblegum song that seems like a blatant attempt by McGear to repeat the success of "Thank U Very Much."  It does build to a kinetic climax which is the closest this record comes to rock and oddly peters out with a sitar which I presume is satirical rather than an attempt at hipness.  "Today" was the b-side of the fifth single.  I prefer it to the a-side even though it almost as dumb, but it has a jazzy flavor as well as some nice contemporary pop touches that show some of the McCartney pop smarts rubbed off on his brother.  It is one of my favorite cuts.  "Please Sorry" made its debut on this album.  It is another McGear retread of "Thank U Very Much" that mixes music hall with contemporary pop and a bunch of childish silly lyrics.  "Jelly Covered Cloud" also premiered on this album.  I believe it is a satire of psychedelia and although it doesn't jettison the music hall entirely it has some British psych-pop flavor.  It is one of my favorite tracks and gives the album a pleasant conclusion.  I'm not a big fan of these guys but they are definitely different and they mix music hall with contemporary pop about as well as anyone I've heard, although I'm not sure that is actually a good thing.  I frequently find their songs a little irritating, but they never bore me.  McGough was a bona fide intellectual and they all seem like clever lads which makes their penchant for childish nonsense lyrics surprising, but I assume it is an attempt at humor.  I generally don't find their comedy routines very funny and their songs even less, but I'm happy to have some of their albums.  Recommended to Bonzo Dog Band fans who hate rock.

Maybe Tomorrow - The Iveys

 

Maybe Tomorrow

The Iveys

Audio Clarity ACL 0056

1969

This is a Russian bootleg of Badfinger's debut album originally released in West Germany, Italy and Japan by Apple Records under their original name, the Iveys.  This version features a 2016 copyright for Universal Music, which used to operate in Russia, but I can't believe that this is an authorized release.  I have a couple of other albums put out by Audio Clarity and they are decently made although presumably none of them were generated from the original masters, but more likely from CDs.  I consider myself a passionate record collector but not a fanatic.  If I were a fanatic I would shell out the hefty price that original copies fetch (sometimes more than $1000 in collectible condition.)  It would not be a bad investment, a little over a decade ago you could get one for about $300 to $500 and it will likely keep going up.  Even though I have been a fan of the band since I was a child I've never seriously considered buying an original.  For most of my early life I couldn't afford it and now I just don't care enough to spend that much on a record, particularly when half of it appeared on the easy to find Badfinger album "Magic Christian Music" and even more particularly because I have it on a CD.  Logically I don't need it, but my record collecting is based more on passion than logic.  When I came across a reasonably priced version of this album, I couldn't resist it.  I have no regrets because it is a really good record and it deserved a wider release.  Apple really screwed these guys for reasons I don't understand but I'm inclined to blame Allen Klein.  Anyway I like having a decent facsimile of it on vinyl because that's the kind of nutty record collector I am.  The album opens with "See-Saw, Granpa" by Pete Ham.  It is a rollicking rocker with a power pop flavor and a hot guitar solo.  It was not included on "Magic Christian Music" but it is better than many of the songs on that album.  It gives this album an energetic opening.  Tom Evans wrote "Beautiful and Blue" which did make it onto "Magic Christian Music."  It is a stately ballad that sounds like a retread of the band's single "Maybe Tomorrow" but not nearly as memorable.  It is followed by Ron Griffiths' "Dear Angie" which was the band's second single.  Griffiths would be expelled from the band following "Magic Christian Music" but his sole songwriting contribution to the band is a quality one.  The song is a romantic ballad with a punchy arrangement but a mildly sultry feeling.  It reminds me of "Butterfly" era Hollies.  Mike Gibbins contributes "Think About the Good Times" which is a slight but fun song that reminds me of the Easybeats.  "Yesterday Ain't Coming Back" was written by Ham and Evans and it is another romantic ballad that sounds like Paul McCartney.  It benefits from an elaborate arrangement that makes it seem deeper and richer.  "Fisherman" is a folky tune by Evans.  This was last track on side one of the original pressing but on this version of the album the concluding song is Ham's "They're Knocking Down Our Home" which originally appeared near the end of side two.  It reminds me of Paul McCartney's music hall type songs.  I consider it the worst song on the album, but I guess the folks at Apple disagreed because they stuck it on "Magic Christian Music" as well.  Side two opens with Evans' "Maybe Tomorrow" which was the debut single by the Iveys.  It flopped but it is such a good song that I expect at least some of the blame must lie with the chaos and ineptitude at Apple.  It is one of my favorite Badfinger songs although I prefer the re-mixed version on "Magic Christian Music."  It is followed by Ham's punchy McCartneyesque rocker "Sali Bloo."  It features the guitar intro that is supposedly missing from the legitimate CD issue of this album although it does appear on my CD version of the album which is a bootleg.  I like the song very much and it provides some welcome energy but it was omitted from "Magic Christian Music" to that album's detriment.  Evans' "Angelique" was on the English version of "Magic Christian Music" but dropped from the American version.  It's a romantic ballad with chamber pop flourishes.  It borders on sappiness but I like it anyway.  Ham's "I'm in Love" did make it on to the record presumably because it is so poppy and commercial.  It was originally followed by "They're Knocking Down Our Home" which would be a rough stretch for me, so I'm not all that upset that the Russkies moved it to side one.  Instead we get the original album closer "I've Been Waiting" which is a terrific majestic song featuring dynamic guitar work in the instrumental break.  It is my second favorite song on the album after "Maybe Tomorrow" and I'm flabbergasted that it was not included on "Magic Christian Music."  It is doubly misfortunate that it was omitted because it showcases a heavy side to the band that seldom surfaced on their later albums.  It gives the original album a powerful finish.  There are a two bonus tracks at the end of this record.  Evans' "No Escaping Your Love" was the b-side of the Ivey's second single and it is a pleasant slice of bubble gum.  The second bonus track is Evans and Ham's "And Her Daddy's a Millionaire" which was the b-side to the "Maybe Tomorrow" single.  It is a very engaging power pop track that reminds me of the Kinks.  I like both songs but I wish the Russkies had stuck to the original album's format.  It is a a strong enough album that I resent them tampering with it.  Nonetheless I'm happy to have this album even though the songs that are also on "Magic Christian Music" sound better there.  This record sounds a little thin to me, almost tinny in places and other times it sounds muddy.  "Magic Christian Music" sounds cleaner and more defined in its sound.  Maybe this is attributable to Audio Clarity using inferior sources although people have complained about the sound on original pressings as well.  In any case I'm no audiophile so I'm content with this album but if the bean counters at Universal Music ever decide to do a proper re-mixed vinyl reissue of this album I will happily buy it.  I think you can argue that it is at least as good as "Magic Christian Music" (especially the truncated American version) and a significant album in its own right that deserves more respectful treatment.  Recommended to Bee Gees fans who wish they weren't so sappy.

Beach Blanket Bingo - Donna Loren

Beach Blanket Bingo

Donna Loren

Capitol  T2323

1965

This is the sole 1960s album by actress-singer Donna Loren.  The album features songs from the soundtrack of the movie "Beach Blanket Bingo" which Loren appeared in although she only sings one of the songs in the film.  I occasionally see copies of this in record bins and often ones in collectible condition have a hefty price tag, which is hardly merited by the quality of the record.  I'm assuming cultists who dig the AIP beach party movies have driven up the price.  I liked the movies as a kid but even then I knew they were stupid and nowadays I find them practically unwatchable even as kitsch.  Nonetheless I was curious about the record and I have a thing for 1960s woman singers, so when I finally found a reasonably priced copy I bought one although frankly I still think I overpaid for it.  Most of the album was written by the songwriting team of Guy Hemric and Jerry Styner who cranked out a bunch of songs for movie soundtracks in the 1960s.  The exceptions are "Freeway" by Mike Curb and "Cycle Set" by hot rod song specialists Gary Usher and Roger Christian.  Loren doesn't sing on "Freeway" which is a rocked up surf/hot rod style instrumental.  "Cycle Set" is my favorite song on the record although it has a rock arrangement that is not really Loren's style.  It sounds a lot like the songs the duo wrote for the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean.  Loren sounds more comfortable warbling "I Think, You Think" which was done by Frankie and Annette in the movie.  It is an inane song with a childish melody that irritates me enormously.  "It Only Hurts When I Cry" was Loren's song in the film and it is my other favorite track.  It is a romantic ballad with a dramatic arrangement that lets her show off her pipes.  It reminds me of Dusty Springfield and Timi Yuro.  "These Are the Good Times" is a sappy song that Avalon did in the film.  Loren sings it better than him, but the song is too weak to be worthy of her emotional vocal.  "I'll Never Change Him" is pop fluff but it is enjoyable thanks to Loren's enthusiastic vocal.  "Fly Boy" is more pop fluff that Loren enlivens with a robust vocal.  "New Love" sounds like a Supremes song with the rhythm section replaced by Hollywood hacks.  It is pleasant enough but forgettable and the fussy arrangement distracts from Loren's vocal.  "I Am My Ideal" is basically a musical comedy song sung by Harvey Lembeck in the film.  It is hopeless but Loren gives it a game try that suggests had she been born a generation earlier she might have had a career in Hollywood musicals. "Beach Blanket Bingo" is the theme song from the film and it is both catchy and dumb.  Loren can't do much with it but it will probably appeal to fans of the film.  I make no claims about the worthiness of this album although considering the source material it is miraculous that it is actually listenable.  Maybe famed producer David Axelrod deserves some of the credit but I think it is mostly Loren's skill as a singer.  Even singing dreck, she is still compelling.  I wish she could have made a record worthy of her talent with quality songs in the vein of Jackie DeShannon or Sandie Shaw's material.  I think she could have done pop-soul stuff or even Bacharach-David and I think it is our loss that the Capitol bean-counters didn't give her better opportunities.  I don't actually recommend this record but if you find a cheap one and you like 1960s girl singers it is worth investigating, although there are a couple of CD comps of her 1960s music that would probably be a better investment.  I'm happy to have this though because Loren's voice was made for vinyl, and I play this more often than it deserves although I inevitably find myself wishing it was better.  Recommended to Lesley Gore fans.

Hardly Electronic - The Essex Green

Hardly Electronic

The Essex Green

Merge LC 29279

2018

Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s I was heavily into the Elephant 6 bands and this group was one of my big faves.  I used to listen to their "Everything is Green" CD all the time and would dearly love to see it reissued on vinyl someday.  They came to town on tour with another band I liked, the Ladybug Transistor (Jeff Baron and Sasha Bell were in both bands at the time.)  I got all excited but life intervened and I missed the show.  It bugged me for years and it only got worse when the Essex Green broke up.  Then 12 years after their final album, this album appeared and the band went on tour.  I finally got to see them at the Zebulon and it was worth the wait.  I had a great time and they sounded wonderful.  I was hoping they would keep going but then the pandemic hit and the band appears to be hibernating again.  If this is the end, it is a wonderful way to finish.  The album opens with the irresistible "Sloane Ranger" which I think is one of their best ever songs.  I'm not sure what is the connection to the British social stereotype mentioned in the title but it seems to be a paean to escape and freedom.  It features an exhilarating organ riff and a propulsive rhythmic drive that makes it very exciting.  I can't help bopping around when I listen to it.  I played it over and over when I got the album and it was the highlight of their show at the Zebulon for me.  "The 710" continues in a similar power pop vein.  It is sweetly sung by Bell as she describes a romantic adventure.  The chorus is extremely catchy and inviting.  "Don't Leave It in Our Hands" is the most remarkable song on the album and again one of the best things they've ever done.  It opens with a killer rhythm track upon which are layered multiple vocal lines and soaring harmonies.  The rousing chorus swells like the Arcade Fire at their best.  The lyrics are poetic and enigmatic but I interpret them as a warning against the alienating influence of social media and cellphones on the younger generation.  The lyrics are ominous but the music is  stirring, almost ecstatic.  A truly great song.  The tone shifts dramatically with the tender chamber pop of "In the Key of Me" which features introspective lyrics about a relationship that seem autobiographical.  The song is delicately crooned by Bell until the poppy middle section which sounds like radiant sunshine pop.  "Modern Rain" is more melodic chamber pop driven by electric piano and featuring lovely harmonies.  I think it is a song about creativity but I find it ambiguous. Side two opens with the upbeat "Catatonic" which has a sunshine pop sound and an ebullient vocal from Bell.  "Patsy Desmond" is a haunting moody song that recalls the singer's experiences with the title character.  The lyrics are poetic and evocative and I find the song very compelling.  There is another dramatic tone shift with "Bye Bye Crow" which is a jaunty country rocker.  "Another Story" dissects a female acquaintance with a classic pop sound that evokes the 1960s but still sounds modern in the classic Elephant 6 manner.  It really pushes my buttons with its punchy rhythm section and ringing riff.  The album concludes with "Bristol Sky" which has a folky flavor with chamber pop flourishes and more poetic and enigmatic lyrics.  It gives the album a gentle yet resonant finish.  I should note that the CD version of this album has 4 additional songs which I'm a little miffed about.  They are all good although the only one I really miss is "Smith & 9th" and if I were programming the vinyl I would have swapped it for "Bye Bye Crow."  I'm a big fan of Merge and appreciate them releasing this record but I don't think omitting those songs treats it or vinyl buffs fairly.  I don't like ranking albums, but I think this may be the best album the Essex Green have ever made.  It's maturity, lyrical depth and sonic richness impress me and I'm hoping I won't have to wait until 2030 to hear their next one.  Recommended to fans of early Belle and Sebastian. 

Christmas in the Heart - Bob Dylan

Christmas in the Heart

Bob Dylan

Columbia Records  88697 57323 1

2009

This was my go-to record this Christmas.  When it first came out I wondered if it was some kind of put-on.  However Dylan has demonstrated his admiration for pop standards and songcraft repeatedly over the past couple of decades so I'm pretty sure he is sincere.  Anyway whatever his intentions might have been, he delivers big time.  This is among my favorite Christmas albums of all time.  It is a perfect mix of religious and secular Christmas classics featuring pleasing arrangements that are mostly faithful to the traditional interpretations.  Admittedly time has not been kind to Dylan's voice which was pretty rough to start with, but I've learned to embrace his gravelly crooning and on this record it is particularly warm and engaging.  It gives freshness to songs I've heard too many times.  "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Winter Wonderland" are delivered with a conviction that I find mind boggling.  They sound great.  Even when a song challenges Dylan's range as with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "O' Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)" (Dylan sings the first verse in Latin!), "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (whoever thought Dylan would be covering Judy Garland!), "The First Noel" and "O' Little Town of Bethlehem" I still find the results charming particularly when his background singers help smooth some of Dylan's rough edges.  Songs that often annoy me like "Must Be Santa," "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "Little Drummer Boy" are enjoyable to me when Dylan croaks them out in his raspy voice.  The former is especially fun since Dylan gives it a high tempo raucous Cajun/Tejano flavored interpretation that is extremely dynamic.  It is one of my favorite tracks.  I also really like his piano driven "Silver Bells" which is full of feeling.  Much to my surprise, his version of "The Christmas Song" is also one of my favorites.  It features a wonderful low key arrangement and Dylan's vocal is utterly convincing.  It is almost good enough to make me forget about Nat "King" Cole.  His performance of that other Christmas chestnut "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is nearly as good.  Like any good Christmas album there are a couple of more obscure Christmas songs among the familiar classics.  "Christmas Island" was recorded by the Andrews Sisters back in the 1940s.  It is very appealing with a tropical arrangement and stellar support from the background singers.  The other unusual track is the brilliant "The Christmas Blues" which Dean Martin recorded in the 1950s.  The song is right in Dylan's wheelhouse and he doesn't miss.  It really sends me.  Martin might have the prettier version but Dylan's is more heartfelt.  I think that's the secret to this record.  I have lots of Christmas records by people who sing more beautifully than Dylan but hardly any of them approach him in sincerity and commitment.  I feel like Dylan really loves these songs and treats them with respect and affection.  On top of all that Dylan donated his royalties for this record to charities.  It was a real Christmas gift to all of us.  Recommended to Christmas fans who dig Tom Waits.

Nirvana Symphony - Toshiro Mayuzumi

Nirvana-Symphony

Toshiro Mayuzumi/NHK Symphony Orchestra with Chorus conducted by Wilhelm Schüchter

Time Records 58004

1962

I haven't done a post on any classical records although I do have a few hundred of them.  Mostly this is because I feel unqualified and have nothing I want to say about them.  I took a musical appreciation class in college and took music performance classes in grade school, but my formal musical knowledge is rudimentary at best.  There are some classical records I really love, but what am I going to say about Bach or Mozart that doesn't make me sound like an idiot?  I like and listen to all kinds of music now that I'm old, but I have always been a rock guy and that's never going to change.  That's how I approach all music, not so much in terms of "it has a good beat and you can dance to it," but rather as a visceral and emotional experience.  Classical music typically requires concentration and effort to fully appreciate whereas I'm generally just along for the ride.  Nonetheless I am going to take a crack at this record because it did make a big impression on me when I heard it.  I only became aware of this album last year when I read the memoir of Bob Dylan's former girlfriend Suze Rotolo.  She rhapsodized about the album which she heard in the early 1960s while she was dating Dylan.  Intrigued, I tracked down a copy of the album.  The Japanese version of the album has been reissued and is easy to find, but I opted for a vintage copy of the American edition because it features cover art by Yoko Ono.  I have to admit my listening experience was not as profound as the one Rotolo described in her book, but I'm not a spiritual guy.  I would say my experience was more akin to psychedelia than religion.  Mayuzumi composed the Symphony in 1957-1958 at which time he was also a prolific film composer (I am a fan of his modernist score for Mizoguchi's "Street of Shame.")  Modernism definitely informs this album, Mayuzumi even cites Schoenberg and Varèse in his liner notes.  I think film soundtrack music is also an influence, there is a program music aspect to parts of it.  However the work is most strongly influenced by traditional Japanese religious music, in particular Buddhist temple bells.  Mayuzumi went so far in his bell fascination to name his three movements "Campanology I, II and III."  "Campanology I" is titled "Suramgamah" which is the name of the Buddhist sutra sung by the chorus in the piece.  It begins slow and ominously like the soundtrack to an old horror film or a gloomy gothic romance.  The orchestra simulates the chiming of a temple bell and the music is heavy and atmospheric punctured by sharp instrumental spikes.  It has an other-worldly feel to it that is appropriate for a spiritual journey to Nirvana, although it might just as well be the soundtrack for a journey to hell since the music is so foreboding.  It gradually gives way to a more sedate passage with languorous bell chimes that announces the beginning of the sutra sung by a male chorus.  The music that accompanies the chorus consists largely of bell sounds and the sutra is soothing and mesmerizing.  Eventually the sutra abruptly shifts tone becoming more staccato and urgent boosted by slashing string notes and percussive effects ultimately becoming quite dramatic before petering away into "Campanology II" which is titled "Mahaprajnaparamita."   It is a short instrumental piece featuring sedate orchestral passages in a more Western modernist style punctuated by bits of bell type sounds.  It evolves into a drone (which I wished lasted longer) that rises to a crescendo to end the piece.  Side two opens with "Campanology III" titled "Finale" which begins with a Buddhist chant with minimal accompaniment once again typically bell-like.  The chant is polyphonic and hypnotic (Mayuzumi compares it to a Gregorian Chant in his liner notes which I think is apt.)  It is followed by a cacophonous orchestral flurry that simulates the ringing of multiple bells.  This section is extremely dynamic and powerful and I find it the most compelling music on the record particularly when the chorus joins in with the orchestra.  It gradually transitions to a more sedate passage of elongated string notes and the chorus slowly chanting producing a very pleasing drone sound.  The bell sounds return and the music swells building to a roaring climax that gradually ebbs away to the sound of chiming bells as the piece concludes.  I'm basically just crudely describing what I hear, but it is quite a musical journey.  I can easily understand why Rotolo was so taken by it.  When I listen to it late at night it does seem to have a magical almost transformative quality and I do find myself emotionally engaged by it in a manner that I rarely experience listening to modern classical music perhaps because of Mayuzumi's experience as a film composer.  I'm not a Buddhist nor am I religious, but when I was younger I read a bunch of books on Zen Buddhism so I do have some idea about what Mayuzumi's intentions are, but I think even someone who hears the word "Nirvana" and only thinks of Kurt Cobain would be engaged by this music.  As a dumb rock guy, I am not really doing this work justice, but I do believe it can be enjoyed the way rock fans enjoy progressive rock or even psychedelic rock.  It takes me on a trip.  Recommended to fans of Györgi Ligeti who dig Quicksilver Messenger Service.

The Collectors - The Collectors

The Collectors

The Collectors

Warner Bros.  WS 1746

1968

This is the debut album by the Canadian band the Collectors who released two albums in the late 1960s before evolving into the better known band Chilliwack. I'm interested in Canadian pop music so I took note of this album in the bins, but it tends to be a bit pricey so I didn't splurge on it until I fell in love with the song "Lydia Purple" which I first heard on Giant Crab's "A Giant Crab Comes Forth."  I bought the album for that song alone, but fortunately the entire album is worthwhile.  The album opens with "What Is Love" which was self-penned by the group, like all the songs on the album aside from "Lydia Purple."  It is a slow moody song with a chamber pop flavor that speculates on the nature of love.  It gradually swells to a dramatic climax before returning to the slowness it started with. "She (Will-O-the-Wind)" is a trippy portrait of the title character.  It is driven by a raga like riff and features lovely vocals and a dynamic flute solo worthy of Ian Anderson.  It is one of my favorite tracks. "Howard Christman’s Older" is the most overtly psychedelic track on the album. It is a portrait of a child genius that is driven by swelling organ riffs and howling guitars. The song evokes the majestic sound of Vanilla Fudge without the bombast.   It is followed by the fabulous "Lydia Purple" by Don Dunn and Tony McCashen which is delivered in a wonderfully atmospheric chamber pop arrangement with strings and elaborate multi-part vocals.   I think one could make a case that the song is condescending to the point of cruelty in its portrait of the alienated and delusional main character, a poor man's "Eleanor Rigby," but I'm not the one to make that case because I love it to death.   I've heard several other versions of the song but this is easily the best one and I find it endlessly compelling.   I played it over and over when I got this album and it still sends me every time I play it.   If there was any justice the song would have been a hit and I consider it one of the best songs of its era.  Side one concludes with "One Act Play" which is a striking depiction of a deteriorating relationship.  The solemn chamber pop sound of the song serves it well and it builds in power to give side one a satisfying conclusion.   Side two is devoted to "What Love (Suite)."  I am generally not a fan of 20 minute rock songs unless they are jams, but this is a pretty solid one.   It is a return to the opening track of side one but elongated and more elaborate.   The song begins with a slow, chamber pop section similar to "What is Love" but with a strong middle-eastern flavor added that gives the lyrics mystical resonance.  Unfortunately the lyrics are not worthy of the exalted music as they explore the deficiencies of human love with half-baked philosophizing that make the Moody Blues sound like Plato.  Lyrics like "what the hell is fate, screw the world, it's raped" or "blood is masculine violence" make me think someone in the band was a big Jim Morrison fan.  To some extent the bad poetry is covered up by outstanding music that moves from chamber pop to psychedelic blasts of organ driven cacophony to a jazzy sax solo and even a groovy flute solo.   The song is melodramatic and pretentious but it holds my interest and I find the changes in texture stimulating. Nonetheless I often just play side one whenever I feel like listening to the Collectors.  I am fond of this record, but I feel like it is a near miss.  It is very ambitious but ultimately it comes up short of being a psychedelic classic.  I mostly blame "What Love (Suite)" for this because side one is uniformly excellent.  This album reminds me of Love's "Da Capo" which similarly had it's brilliant first side undermined by a self-indulgent suite on the second side.  However I am the sort of music fan who respects bands who take chances even if I don't like the results.  I listen to so many albums that I like when someone messes with the formula if only because it is something different.  I recommend this album to Doors fans with a healthy appetite for chamber pop.

Yardbirds '68 - The Yardbirds

Yardbirds '68

The Yardbirds

Jimmy Page  JPRLPBX3

2017

I appreciate the irony that, after many decades of blaming Jimmy Page for the suppression of Epic Records' album of the Yardbirds 1968 performance at the Anderson Theater in New York entitled "Live Yardbirds," I ended up buying a remastered version of the concert from the great man's own website.  I've always assumed that Page was embarrassed by it and perhaps even by his association with the band itself prior to his rise to superstardom with Led Zeppelin.  However this labor of love produced by Page himself shows otherwise.  It is a very lavish revision of the project with a wonderful booklet full of photos and memorabilia from Page's tenure in the Yardbirds as well as reminiscences from the three surviving band members, Page, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty.  Page's comments demonstrate his pride in the band's work and his respect for the other members of the group.  I was deeply touched reading the booklet.  Then there is the record itself which is a dramatic improvement over the original Epic album.  Naturally the absence of the overdubbed crowd noise and applause is a big improvement although I can understand why the clowns at Epic decided to add it, much of the time the band sounds like they are playing in an empty auditorium and Dreja mentions in the booklet that the attendance at the show was poor.  Dreja attributes that to Vanilla Fudge playing down the street the same night although anyone who would pass up a Yardbirds show for Vanilla Fudge ought to have their rock fandom card revoked.  Page and his technicians have also done wonders with the sound itself.  "Live Yardbirds" sounds pretty good for a 1960s live album, but it is still kind of tinny and murky.  The new version sounds astonishingly good, almost as though it was recorded last week.  There is much better separation between instruments and the drums, harmonica and vocals in particular sound much clearer to me.  It is truly a joy to hear it with such clarity.  It literally jumps right out of the speakers.  I find this particularly noticeable on "Dazed and Confused" which sounds so much better that I wondered if it was a different recording.  "Shapes of Things" and "I'm a Man" also sound greatly improved.  The new mix brings out the robustness of Keith Relf's vocals which I've never appreciated before.  I would say he benefits the most from the new release although curiously most of his stage patter has been edited out.  He was not a big talker but I find his comments rather charming on "Live Yardbirds."  I can't believe they were overdubs added by Epic so I'm guessing Page likes his live albums streamlined.  I do not approve but I love this new version so much that I'm not going to complain.  Page even deletes the bit before "Shapes of Things" where Relf calls him "Jimmy Magic Fingers, Grand Sorcerer of the Magic Guitar" so I know he's not being petty or self-serving.  Page has already earned my eternal gratitude by this point for making such a great sounding record of one of my all time favorite concerts, but he doesn't stop there.  There is a second record documenting the Yardbirds' final recording sessions from 1968 in New York City.  Four of these tracks appeared on the CD "Cumular Limit" back in 2000 but I believe the rest have never been released before.  They give a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been the group's best studio album if they could have hung in there a little longer.  My favorite track is the hard rocking "Avron Knows" pumped along by McCarty's crisp drumming and some ferocious guitar work from Page.  It reminds me of  "Think About It" and it demonstrates the power that band packed even in their final days.  "Spanish Blood" is a moody ballad with lovely acoustic guitar work from Page.  It sounds a bit like "Only the Red Rose" on "Little Games" although in this case Relf recites the lyrics rather than singing.  "Knowing That I'm Losing You" will be familiar to Led Zeppelin fans because it is an early version of "Tangerine" from "Led Zeppelin III" although this version has no lyrics.  "Taking a Hold On Me" is a punchy rocker driven by a solid riff from the Grand Sorcerer.  The band revisits "Drinking Muddy Water" which they had done previously for the "Little Games" album.  I never had a problem with the earlier version and I don't think this one is any great improvement although it does have a rawer feel to it that I like.  The Mort Shuman/Jerry Ragovoy song "My Baby" that was popularized by Garnet Mimms in 1966 was a part of the Yardbirds' stage act during the Page era as demonstrated by the Anderson Theater show.  The band does a studio version here, but I don't think Relf can match Mimms as a vocalist.  In any case I prefer the live version.  The record concludes with instrumental versions of "Avron Knows" and "Spanish Blood" that are basically superfluous although I like both songs enough that I'm happy to hear them again.  Listening to this second record, it is so full of creativity and vitality that you would never guess the band was on its last legs.  It would have been so nice if like the Zombies, they could have gone out with a bang.  Belatedly Jimmy Page has finally made that happen.  This final statement from the band is in many ways definitive.  I think most people feel that the Jeff Beck era of the band was their high point and I agree with that, but the albums from that era are not all that satisfying.  I think if I could only have one Yardbirds album I would select this one.  The live album has some of the most exciting and exhilarating performances the band ever recorded and now they exist in pristine condition.  The studio stuff is interesting and very appealing.  The whole package is assembled with love and care - a far cry from the crass approach Epic Records took in assembling their Yardbirds albums.  I salute you James Patrick Page, you've done a magnificent job in creating what is destined to remain one of my favorite albums.  Recommended to anyone who has ever listened to "Live Yardbirds" and wished they could have been there.  This is the next best thing.

Scarlet Ribbons - Carolyn Hester

 

Scarlet Ribbons

Carolyn Hester

Coral Records  CRL 57143

1958

This was Carolyn Hester's debut album.  Although it contains no production info, I've read that it was recorded by Norman Petty in his studio in Clovis, New Mexico and I think I recall seeing a copy of the album in the Petty museum in Clovis from my visit there several years ago.  I'm a big fan of Hester and I wanted this album for many years but it took me awhile to find a copy in collectible condition at a price I was happy with.  As is so often the case when I wait a long time to get a record, I built up a bunch of high expectations about it, so when I finally heard it I was disappointed that it was not what I was expecting.  It sounded languid and genteel to me with none of the energy, earthiness and emotional impact of her 1960s folk albums which are among my favorite of the genre.  I've come to appreciate its loveliness but it is not the album I usually reach for when I want to hear Hester.  It features arguably the least interesting set of songs on any Hester album I have heard with a heavy dose of commercial folk standards.  The album opens with the title track which is much more of a pop standard than a folk song.  It was written by Evelyn Danzig and Jack Segal in 1949.  Jo Stafford had a pop hit with it and then Harry Belafonte had a hit with a commercial folk interpretation which I assume was the inspiration for Hester's version.  I don't like the song much but Hester sings it beautifully.  "I Know Where I'm Going" is an old folk ballad of Scotch or Irish origin.  It is a love song expressing desire which Hester conveys effectively with her tender impassioned vocal which sounds surprising mature considering that she was only about 20 when she recorded it.  The album gets a welcome infusion of humor and liveliness with "The Texan Boys" which is a folk song collected by John Lomax.  It is also commonly listed as "The Texian Boys."  It describes the crude courting practices of the amorous lads of Texas and Hester delivers it with winning verve.  "Danny Boy" is the venerable Irish classic which we've all heard a gazillion times.  Hester certainly has the pipes to put the song over, but I find her version deficient in emotion.  "Ye Banks and Braes" is the 18th century song by Robert Burns also commonly known as "The Banks O'Doon" which is a lament about a false lover.  Hester's vocal is very pretty but again I find it lacking in feeling.  My favorite track on the album is "The Wreck of the Old Ninety-Seven" which is the country classic that has been covered by many artists.  I know it best from the Johnny Cash version which is my favorite although I also really like the Seekers' version as well.  It is a highly propulsive song with compelling lyrics.  I don't think Hester brings anything new to the song, but she sounds very engaged and I think it is one of the few songs on the album that resembles her work in the 1960s.  George Attwood's bass lines give the song some extra oomph.  Side two gets off to a rough start as Hester tackles "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" which is a traditional song that John Jacob Niles wrote a new tune for.  I first heard the song on "Joan Baez in Concert Part 1" where I didn't like it.  I have to admit I don't like Hester's version either.  I find it dull and lifeless.  The only version I like much is Nina Simone's performance of it. "The Riddle Song" is another much-covered folk song that I have little use for.  We called "I Gave My Love a Cherry" when we sang it in elementary school.  As you undoubtedly already know it consists of a bunch of odd riddles and their answers.  Hester sings it glacially slow which does let her shine as a vocalist, but aside from that I find the performance tedious and lethargic.  This is my least favorite track on the album.  The album comes back to life with the much faster paced "Lolly Too Dum" which is a silly folk song popularized by Burl Ives.  The song is too repetitious for my taste but I still find Hester's vocal spritely and appealing.  "Little Willie" is another childish folk song about courtship.  The song is a bit too cute for me, but I appreciate the lightness and humor it brings to the album.  "Hush-A-Bye" is a charming lullaby that is not the famous song of the same title that is also known as "All the Pretty Horses."  I've never heard this song before and like it better than its more famous counterpart.  The album concludes on a down note with "I Wonder as I Wander" which is a folk style hymn written by John Jacob Niles.  I generally have little use for folk hymns and this is no exception but Hester does deliver a powerful vocal that holds my interest even when the words do not.  Hester's debut shows a lot of promise.  She demonstrates her compelling vocal strength and prowess but the material is often either pedestrian or overly familiar and she sometimes struggles to invest it with sufficient feeling.  Her work in the 1960s was a lot more confident and much less stilted and genteel.  For that reason I'm a bit hesitant to recommend this album.  On the other hand Hester is one of my favorite singers and I'm happy to listen to anything she chooses to sing.  My only regret about buying it is that I waited so long to do it.  So if you are a Hester fan or a commercial folk music fan it is worth seeking out.  Recommended to fans of early Joan Baez.