Let's Go To San Francisco
The Flower Pot Men
TELDEC 6.26179 AP
1985
This is a German compilation of various tracks attributed to the Flower Pot Men, which was a studio group concocted to record tracks by John Carter who had a significant career behind the scenes in the 1960s British pop music industry as a performer, producer and writer. Side one features the four original Flower Pot Men singles on Deram Records running in chronological order. Carter and his frequent partner Ken Lewis wrote "Let's Go To San Francisco" which was released in 1967. It was the band's only hit single and the song that attracted me to the group in the first place. I collect songs about my former hometown and this is a particularly good one although like so many songs about the summer of love it is loaded with hippie nonsense. Flowers do not grow high there (unless they mean a different kind of high) nor is there an abundance of sunshine. The lyrics may be silly, but the music is wonderful. It is more sunshine pop than psychedelic with soaring vocals and effervescent harmonies bolstered by an elaborate poppy arrangement. It sounds like Brian Wilson producing the Tokens. The song continues on the B-side of the single with a slightly moodier arrangement. Carter and Lewis along with Russell Alquist wrote the 1967 single "A Walk in the Sky" which is an obvious attempt to exploit the success of "Let's Go To San Francisco." It features a similar sunshine pop arrangement with mildly psychedelic lyrics. The song is not as engaging as its predecessor but it is fun and it has a surprisingly somber break in the middle that I find interesting but which probably sabotaged whatever chance it might have had to be a hit. Carter wrote the B-side "Am I Losing You" which is a more conventional love song that has an evocative arrangement that makes it sound like a lost outtake from "Pet Sounds." Carter, Lewis and Alquist wrote the band's 1968 single "You Can Never Be Wrong" which flopped but I think it is lovely. It has a chamber pop sound and another elaborate pop symphony style arrangement which sounds like the Zombies jamming with the Left Banke. It is one of my favorite tracks on the album. The B-side was "Man Without a Woman" by Carter and Alquist which is a much more sedate track. It is a bit sappy but it sounds pretty. Deram dumped Carter for the band's final single in 1969. "In a Moment of Madness" was written by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway and it sounds little like the band's previous work. It is straight ahead commercial pop that borders on bubble gum. It is pleasant enough if you like that sort of thing. The B-side, "Young Birds Fly," was written by Bill Swofford who as Oliver had a hit with his cover of "Good Morning Starshine." It was originally a single by the Cryan' Shames and this version is similar to theirs although less inspired. It sounds like the Association on a bad day. Side two is a hodge-podge of Carter tracks. "Journey's End" was written by Carter and his wife Gill Shakespeare (which is Carter's real last name) and first appeared as the B-side on a 1974 reissue of "Let's Go To San Francisco." The song was credited to the Flower Pot Men but I have no idea if they were really performing it. It doesn't sound much like the original band, it has more of a rocked up sound. It reminds me of the Moody Blues. "Mythological Sunday" was the B-side of a 1968 Deram single that the Flower Pot Men recorded under the name Friends because Deram had soured on the commercial appeal of the Flower Pot Men. It was written by Carter and Alquist. I think it is the most psychedelic track that they ever did although it also has a chamber pop flavor to it. It is one of my favorite cuts on the album. "Blow Away" was an unreleased Carter/Lewis track that is credited to the Flower Pot Men although it sounds unlike any of their officially released recordings. It sounds more like the Byrds on "The Notorious Byrd Brothers." It is a great slice of zonked out folk-rock that is easily the hardest rocking and most compelling track on the album. I can understand why Deram passed on it, but it is better than any of the official recordings except "Mythological Sunday." "Piccolo Man" was the A-side of the Friends single. It was written by Carter, Lewis and Alquist and it is pure bubble gum. It is easily my least favorite track. Carter and Lewis wrote "Let's Go Back to San Francisco" which was a sequel to their hit and sounds very similar to it, basically the song sounds so much like the original that it seems pointless. It was released as a single in 1981 under the name Beautiful People. Its B-side was "Silicon City" which was written by Carter and Shakespeare. It sounds nothing like the Flower Pot Men and a lot like the early 1970s Beach Boys. I'm very happy with this comp aside from the lack of discographical info. John Carter had an interesting career and deserves to be better known. The first three Flower Pot Men singles are delightful and the odds and sods on side two are appealing and eclectic. I can't claim that any of this is essential, but it makes me happy whenever I put it on and I'm very glad to have it. This particular record isn't easy to find, but Carter's work has been collected on a bunch of modern CD comps which are worth seeking out if you have a taste for sunshine pop. Recommended to Zombies fans who dig Brian Wilson.
Le Parc
Tangerine Dream
Relativity Records EMC 8043
1985
I'm afraid it is time to acknowledge another obituary, in this case Edgar Froese, founder and leader of Tangerine Dream, who passed away back in January. During its heyday, I was completely oblivious to German electronic rock music, or krautrock as it is more commonly known. I may have seen some albums in records stores or rock encyclopedias but I certainly never heard any of it. That changed in 1977 when I saw the film "Sorcerer." I liked the film and loved the soundtrack which of course was written and performed by Tangerine Dream. I loved their name as well and kept my eyes open in the record store and over the course of the next decade I bought a few of their records. Nowadays I prefer Neu! and Can, but at the time I was impressed by their sound and the group expanded my musical horizons making me more open to people like Brian Eno and Terry Riley as well as synth pop in general. The band has a massive discography and I've only heard a small portion of it, in fact this is the most recent of their albums that I own and it is 30 years old. The band kept steadily recording right up until Froese's death. This is a concept album of sorts, all the tracks refer to parks around the world aside from the title track which references Los Angeles and the television show "Streethawk" which used the piece as its theme. However I can only detect a connection between the song titles and the music itself on a few of the tracks. The opening cut is "Bois de Boulogne (Paris)" which has a very 80s sound in its percussion and synth lines. It starts out perky and poppy like something you'd hear in a soft-core sex film but then it becomes more somber and dramatic with a synthesizer issuing lower register blasts sporadically. The song ends with a slow, ominous passage that sounds like another song entirely. "Central Park (New York)" has a lively percussion track with a disco feel to it upon which are overlaid some aggressive synth lines which aren't all that conducive to dancing but which are very dynamic. They remind me Vangelis' soundtrack to "Blade Runner." "Gaudi Park (Guell Garden Barcelona)" has a very basic, almost tribal percussion track upon which are laid down majestic synth patterns suggestive of "Chariots of Fire." The song becomes more rhythmically complex as it progresses and in its latter half is quite dense and energetic. "Tiergarten (Berlin)" opens with the sound of children playing and a melodic piano line which is bolstered by a synth doing string orchestra type background music. Eventually the drums kick in and more synths arrive and the song ends up sounding like a commercial. "Zen Garden (Ryoanji Temple Kyoto)" actually strives for a Japanese sound imitating traditional Japanese instruments and musical patterns. Katja Brauneis provides some wordless vocalizing which greatly enhances the song to my mind. I prefer the human voice over a synthesizer. This is my favorite track on the record. Side two opens with "Le Parc (L. A. - Streethawk)" which begans with the sound of a jet before launching into an uptempo highly structured tune. As I mentioned before, it was used as a television theme and it sounds like it, being very catchy and accessible. In contrast to the slickness of the previous cut, "Hyde Park (London)" starts out with a mechanical sounding abstract prelude before launching into a chunky riff driven song that is about as close as these guys come to rocking out on the record. This is another one of my favorite tracks. "The Cliffs of Sydney (Sydney)" sounds like more movie music. It has a driving percussion track upon which the boys play stirring synth riffs until the break where there is a languid, dreamy synth passage that is followed by more uptempo riffing that gradually peters out to a somnolent synth drone accompanying the sound of sea gulls and waves. "Yellowstone Park (Rocky Mountains)" oddly begins with a return to the sound of "Zen Garden" and what sounds like the synth equivalent of an orchestra tuning up before a relatively simple synth line begins accompanied by wordless vocalizing by Clare Torry. The drum pattern sounds like it is inspired by Native American music. Some of the synths seem to be imitating animal and bird noises. It reminds me of New Age music in its appropriation of nature and its contemplative feel. I don't listen to this album often, generally the kind of pleasures it offers I get from classical music which is more interesting and compelling. It lacks the drive and engagement of good synth pop as well. When I'm in the right mood it does hold my attention although I wish it didn't sound so 1980s, especially the drums. On the plus side it is consistently propulsive and richly textured. I admire Froese's remarkable career. He was extraordinarily prolific and committed to his vision, a true artist. I certainly will never own more than a fraction of his output, but I'm going to keep buying his records whenever I come across them. Recommended to fans of Vangelis and Giorgio Moroder's film soundtracks.
Recorded Live at Woolwich Coronet
The Damned
Cleopatra CLP 2021
2007
I bought this over the internet and was surprised and more than a little dismayed to find that this album comes with the paper insert above and a clear plastic record sleeve to hold it and the album (on green vinyl.) You also get a patch and a little button, but I'd rather have a proper album sleeve, cheapskates. The album contains the band's July 11, 1985 performance at the Woolwich Coronet in London. Actually it has about half of the show, some of the missing tracks were released on the maxi-single of "Is It A Dream." At the time the band was in its goth phase touring behind "Phantasmagoria" but this album sounds more punky than goth. The band's line-up was Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Roman Jugg and Bryn Merrick with founding member Captain Sensible having recently departed for a solo career. The record abruptly opens with "The Shadow of Love" off "Phantasmagoria." The album has been edited to omit most of the applause and band banter between songs which I don't approve of. Sometimes even the ends of songs have been cut off. I prefer live albums to flow seamlessly. The Damned reach back to "The Black Album" for a high energy performance of "Wait For The Blackout." Next up is "Grimly Fiendish" from "Phantasmagoria." It was my favorite song on that album and the live version is quite lively and punchy with a strong vocal from Vanian. From "Strawberries" the band performs "Stranger on the Town." For once Vanian's introduction of the song to the audience is not cut out, but there is an irritating edit in the middle of it. This is my favorite cut on the album, the band kicks out the jams and it sounds like a live cut should sound, raw and exciting. The side ends with "Smash It Up" off "Machine Gun Etiquette" which is my favorite of all their songs. It retains the original mellow instrumental introduction section but I don't think it goes on as long as the studio version does before the rocked up part of the song kicks in. It is very high energy and raucous, another high point on the record. The B side opens with a cover of the Electric Prunes' "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" which Vanian dedicates to the opening act, the Fuzztones. The group increases the tempo of the song, making it more punk than psychedelic. I prefer the original but it is kind of fun. Another cover song follows with Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life" which is also speeded up a little. It isn't all that different than Pop's version but it lacks the infectious groove of the original. They return to "Machine Gun Etiquette" for "Love Song" with more noisy rocking out. The band's debut single "New Rose" is up next and it sounds pretty much like it did in 1976. The album concludes with "Disco Man" off the "Friday 13th EP" although the actual concert featured three more songs after it. One of the band members jokes that it is the last gig of the tour and the band is splitting up and then Vanian says they are going to do "Disco Man" in "the Val Doonican way" and indeed the first run through of the song's opening verse is horribly slow like some Vegas lounge act. Fortunately that is just a joke and the band shifts gears and delivers a high energy performance that ends the album strongly. I enjoy this record and despite the shoddy packaging I'm happy I have it. The sound quality is fairly good and the band's performance is exciting. Still I'm not sure I'd really recommend it. As a general rule live albums are only for devoted fans, casual fans ought to stick with the studio versions which in this case are uniformly superior to the live versions here. Recommended to fans of the Damned who think "Phantasmagoria" was too slow and moody.
Flip Your Wig
Hüsker Dü
SST SST 055
1985
I went to the Bob Mould tribute show at Disney Hall last November and was really impressed. I was a fan of Hüsker Dü back in the 1980s but I never caught them live. I didn't follow Mould's solo career very closely and I was lukewarm about his next band Sugar. Hearing the full scope of his career at the show opened my eyes to the depth and quality of his work through the years. There is no denying the man has his own distinctive and instantly recognizable style. Half the show consisted of guest artists interpreting his work and then Mould took the stage and rocked the house, much of the time accompanied by Dave Grohl. The two of them played some of the most sizzling rock I've heard in a long time. At one point Grohl set his guitar down and sat at the drum kit. I was sitting fairly close to him and I could practically feel the concussive waves of sound reverberating from him pounding the skins, he is such a great drummer. Of course Grant Hart was a talented drummer too and though I have a new appreciation for Mould's solo work, it is his partnership with Hart in Hüsker Dü that still appeals to me the most. This was their final album for SST. It is not the best, but I still like it a lot. In Hüsker Dü I tend to prefer Hart's songs from a musical standpoint, they seem more dynamic and less formulaic and I prefer Mould's in terms of lyrics, his songs have a deeper vision and more creative use of language. I think Mould came up with the best song on this album, the classic "Makes No Sense At All." This was the only song from this album that he did at the tribute show. The song dissects a conceited acquaintance. With its mixture of a strong melody and a pounding beat, the loud, ringing guitar chords and the steady driving rhythm as well as Mould's raspy almost ragged vocals, it is an archetypal Mould song. I never get tired of it. Other Mould songs that I like on the album include "Flip Your Wig" which finds Mould trying to adjust to the band's growing fame. The contrapuntal vocal at the end is really exciting. "Games" is another good song in which Mould examines the price of trying to fit in and to accommodate other people's expectations at the cost of one's individuality. It blends a pop sensibility and a hard rock attack admirably. "Divide and Conquer" tackles themes of alienation, paranoia and social isolation. It is slower than hardcore, but its simple chord structure and relentless riffing remind me of Hüsker Dü's punk-rock roots. Mould's vocal is more urgent than is typical with him. "Hate Paper Doll" has a very catchy hook and relatively simple lyrics although I still have trouble figuring out what he's complaining about. I'm not sure what "Find Me" is about either, but it sounds like Mould had a real bad vacation. It is delivered at a slower tempo than most of the songs on the album, which I find refreshing and it gives him more room to showcase his guitar playing. "Private Plane" is also enigmatic but I guess that it is endorsing the power of imagination and self-reliance. Musically it rocks out fiercely and its soaring melody is exhilarating to listen to. Lots of great guitar work on this one as well. The album concludes with a couple of instrumentals by Mould, "The Wit and Wisdom" and "Don't Know Yet." The former is kind of prog-rock meets punk-rock, lots of crazed guitar soloing against a heavy bass riff. It doesn't really go anywhere, but it is kind of fun. The latter sounds more like a backing track waiting for some vocals, but I like the psychedelic guitar noodling. If I heard it isolated from the rest of the album I'd never guess it was Hüsker Dü. The instrumentals are decent enough but I think they weaken the finish of an otherwise strong album. Hart has fewer songs but they are among the album's best. Whereas Mould's songs seem consumed by angst, Hart embraces simple pleasures and expresses a lot of warmth. Hart's "Flexible Flyer" is my second favorite song on the album. It has wonderful lyrics about the magic of childhood and trying to retain that magic as you get older. It also has one of Hart's best pop melodies, it makes me happy when I hear it just like a sunshine pop song. "Keep Hanging On" is a charming romantic song. Despite its soothing portrait of domestic bliss, the song is a powerful rocker with a throat shredding, passionate vocal from Hart. This track is another highlight of the album. Hart's "Every Everything" is a simple love song, it seems trite compared to Mould's compositions, but it rocks out ferociously, it is a tremendously energetic song. Hart does have a couple of duds though. "Green Eyes" is another love song, but musically it is lackluster and monotonous. "The Baby Song" is pure self-indulgence and should have been left off the album. To my mind Hüsker Dü and the Replacements were the best hard rock bands of the 1980s. All of Hüsker Dü's mature albums are an essential part of rock history that every rock fan should own. I wish they had a longer run, but boy they sure did burn bright while they lasted. Recommended for people who are bored by the simplicity of hardcore punk but like the energy.
Darker Days
The Connells
Black Park BPR 001
1985
I was only vaguely aware of the Connells in the 1980s which is odd considering how much I loved jangle pop back then. I read about them in rock mags and probably heard a song or two on the radio, but I didn't become a fan until the 1990s and then purely by accident. A friend of mine worked on a film called "Bandwagon." It was directed by a guy who was a drummer in an early version of the Connells and the movie was based on his experiences with the band. The lead singer of the Connells, Doug MacMillan, had a prominent acting role in the film. My friend invited me to a screening of the film and I really loved it. I was so impressed by it that I started buying the Connells' records and fell pretty hard. This was their debut album and it is an impressive one. The group takes the jangly sound of folk-rock and marries it to power pop with irresistible results, track after track of catchy, propulsive pop bliss. The opening track, "Hats Off," is a subtle attack on Ronald Reagan. It never mentions him by name, it could apply to any likable dimwit stuck in the past. It is one of my favorite songs on the album. "Holding Pattern" is a more enigmatic song, it seems to be about confusion and inertia. "Seven" is also vague with dreamy lyrics about a relationship. "Unspoken Words" is an introspective song about perception and feeling. "Darker Days (Version)" is my favorite song on the album and classic Connells. With its driving beat and chiming guitars, MacMillan's emotional vocal and soaring background vocals, it takes hold of me and never lets go. It is a song about escape and indecision. "Much Easier" is another song of inertia and indecision, the lyrics on this album sum up the experience of being a confused young person so well that listening to this album makes me feel like I'm back in college again. "1934" sounds different than the other songs presumably because it is written by guitarist/keyboardist George Huntley and the other songs are all written by Michael Connell. I think it is about a prisoner awaiting his release in 1934. "Brighter Worlds" is another mysterious song with a theme of escape. The album finishes with the short instrumental "Dial It." This album is very much a product of its time. Aside from a couple of songs, the lyrical intent is hard to understand, the songs are vague but evocative, producing moods and impressions without revealing concrete meanings, typical of college rock in that era. It is not as surreal as R.E.M. but it works in a similar way. Lines stand out to me but overall the songs tend to disappear into a lyrical fog. I do like that though, I find it stimulating. Musically, it is delicious jangle pop, pure rock and roll cotton candy, light, sticky and sweet. The songwriting is a little weak, there is a sameness to much of the music. It sounds great while I'm listening, but most of it doesn't stay with me when the record is over. They would have more memorable songs on their later albums. Nonetheless it is a thoroughly enjoyable record, a very worthy debut album. Recommended for fans of Let's Active and Game Theory.
Magic Touch
Stanley Jordan
Blue Note BT 85101
1985
The other day I saw a "Clapton is God" t-shirt and snorted to myself derisively and thought about Stanley Jordan. Jordan is one of the most amazing guitarists I've ever heard. When I first heard this record I could not believe that Jordan wasn't double-tracking his parts, it didn't seem possible that anyone could produce so many notes with one guitar. Instead of the conventional guitar technique of fingering chords or notes with one hand while strumming or plucking with the other, Jordan plays with both hands hammering the strings with his fingers, in essence playing his guitar like a keyboard. The results are astonishing, a cascade of notes flows from his instrument, a one-man wall of sound. His epic cover of "Eleanor Rigby" is my favorite version of that McCartney chestnut and not just because it has no words. Jordan's playing opens up one of the stuffiest of Beatles songs and transforms it into a true magical mystery tour. He actually makes it rock without betraying the original melody or feel of the song. His cover of "Freddie Freeloader" by Miles Davis demonstrates that he can do the jazz thing equally well, it really swings and shows he can bebop with the best of them. His version of "Round Midnight" is less traditional and features some of his most virtuosic playing. There is some fine playing as well on his cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Angel" but I've never heard a Hendrix cover that is better than the original and this is no exception. Jordan has the technique but he can't match Hendrix's passion or imagination. Jordan has mastered the guitar but Hendrix pushed it where it had never gone before. I miss the distortion, the roar and the fire. I don't care much either for the Michael Jackson cover "The Lady In My Life" which sounds very 1980s. It is tasteful light funk sort of like George Benson, it was bad enough when MJ did it, this sounds like something you'd hear in a cocktail lounge. Jordan plays great but it still puts me to sleep. Jordan's own compositions aren't very memorable but the aptly titled "Fundance" and "Return Expedition" do offer plenty of opportunities for Jordan to show his skill and the latter tune features some really striking instrumental passages. You don't have to be a jazzbo to dig this record. If you have any interest in virtuoso guitar playing be it Eddie Van Halen or Wes Montgomery, Jordan will entertain you. Recommended for Jeff Beck fans who wish he played faster.
