The Good, The Bad & The Queen - "Merrie Land" Vinyl, LP, Album, 2018 (Studio 13)

Sad, but a very compelling work from Damon Albarn and the band 'The Good, The Bad & The Queen,' which also has the talents of Paul Simonon on strong bass, Simon Tong on guitar, and the extraordinary drummer Tony Allen.  "Merrie Land" is a very tight focus on the nature of England, and how it looks at its past but also dealing with a sense of loss with respect to Brexit.

 Albarn and company may be the first artist/band to comment on Brexit, and what it means to them as well as to British culture.  The song and title "Merrie Land" is ironic because it deals with the thought of nostalgia, but in fact, it's fantasy.   "Merrie Land" deals with England as a concept, as well as an illusion.  For some reason, whenever I hear or think of Brexit, I think of Jonathan Swift's book "Gulliver's Travels."  England is not only an island, but it thinks culturally like an island as well.  Part of the world, yet separated by water, and again in fantasy likes to think of itself as mental fort set aside by the thought of Britain first.  Nationalism is an ugly neighbor, and I suspect that Albarn and company are exploring the disillusion of a place and time.

Musically the album reminds me of Madness, who also sung of British characters, and maybe even a cousin to The Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society."  "Merrie Land" and "Village Green" deal with the concept of England that's partly cinematic but also being thrust to the present, and the feeling of insecurity that goes with change.  Michael Redgrave on the cover of the album is a perfect visual for the sounds inside the jacket, which is theatrical in a British music hall manner.

The band itself is restrained and working together to make mood that's dread, with a touch of The Specials' "Ghost Town" thrown in the mix.  Tony Visconti co-produced the album, and there are traces of the vibe from David Bowie's "Blackstar."  "Merrie Land" has great beauty, like all things sad.  I feel that there should be a Criterion DVD added to the package, as if "Merrie Land" was already a film or book.   It feels like a classic work, and I think people will listen to this album thinking what was the beginning of the Brexit years were like?   Art is giving an impression of a feeling or writing something down on the sand before the tide takes it away.

Scott Walker - "Scott Walker Sings Songs From His T.V. Series" Vinyl, Album, Stereo, 1969 (Philips)

A phenomenal, great album on many levels.  Scott Walker is one of the handful greats in contemporary music.  Which sounds like an overblown statement, but the fact is that he has the combination of intelligence, vocals, compositional skills, and vision that doesn't seem possible in a mere human being.  From his career in The Walker Brothers to the classic Scott solo albums, (from "Scott 1" to "Scott 4") to the artful albums of his later career, including his work with Sunn O))) is a remarkable musical (and perhaps) life journey.   "Scott Sing Songs From His T.V. Series, an album that Walker doesn't admire much, is in fact, at least in my opinion, just as important as his renowned masterpieces.  

The thought of Scott Walker having his own TV music series in the UK is mind-boggling in itself, but if he was following the steps of crooners like Jack Jones (a singer he admired) his selection of these songs on this album are by no means hack work.   The core Scott orchestration is in place with the production of John Franz (who did the classic early Scott solo albums) and the arrangements of Peter Knight.  Both men worked with Scott at his solo height in the 60s, and this is not a minor project for any of those involved.

The album is a selection of songs that are from stage shows and film themes.  I'm not familiar with a lot of the songs, but I do know "The Look of Love by Bacharach and David, "The Impossible Dream," and "Lost in the Stars."  None of the songs on this album is Scott phoning in his vocals. I sense he is front and center with the recordings.  I don't know if he was ordered by his management or record company to make such an album, but to my ears, this is an extraordinary artist tackling not exactly the Great American Songbook, but covering some old and contemporary songs at that moment and time in his career.  Frank Sinatra comes to mind, especially the first track on side one, "Well You Still Be Mine" but perhaps his role model on this particular cut was Jack Jones.  Jones I feel was an underrated singer and was often thought of as a middle-of-the-road artist, but I suspect he had more depth than that.  And Scott recognized his talent, but I feel he took that inspiration and moved it into another plane or landscape. 

His version of the great Kurt Weill/Maxwell Anderson song "Lost in the Stars" is exquisite.  For me, I think of Scott as making sound sculptures.   The melodies are important, and maybe even the words are even more essential, but the way he performs his songs I can see it being a visual interpretation of his sounds.   I think his later work is very much in the sculpture mode, but I think he had this idea ever since The Walker Brothers and it just became more profound in his early solo albums.  Although "Scott Sings Songs" seems to be a work that is not part of his overall big picture, I feel it is part of the bridge between his early and later years.  To remove this album from his catalog is like removing "Rubber Soul" and not seeing the jump from "Beatles for Sale" to "Revolver."  This is an essential album by a major artist. It swings hard (in that Jack Jones/Sinatra mode) but also the ballads are crooned so perfectly that he puts others of his generation to shame.  At this time, Scott Walker was very much a songwriter.  So, in the sense of Bowie's "Pin-Ups" or Bryan Ferry's "These Foolish Things" this is a work that is commenting on the nature of popular music, and re-thinking it as not as a business plan, but more as of an artist.  Scott Walker rules. 

The Mandrake Memorial -"The Mandrake Memorial" Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, 1968 (Poppy)

For the past month or so, I have been reading the publication "Flashback" which comes out of the UK, and it's a magazine totally devoted to bands that fell through the cracks in the years 1968 through 1975.  Total music nerd material, and in one of the issues there is a 30-page article on a group called The Mandrake Memorial.   Failure has always been an attraction to me, especially when it comes to artists/bands that almost make it, yet fail.   I found a copy of their first album "The Mandrake Memorial" online and purchased it.  A gem of an album.

The music reminds me of Jack Bruce's work in Cream, with the vocals, but with the added touch of The Doors here and there.  A sitar comes in once in awhile in the mix, and of course, the album yells out 'it's 1968.'  One of the unique sounds that come out of The Mandrake Memorial is their keyboards.  Ofen a harpsichord, but their keyboardist, Michael Kac, was in electronics, and re-wired the instruments, in a manner of Brian Eno.  Their harpsichord sound is loud and aggressive, not played in a 'baroque' manner at all.  

The album is co-produced by Tony Bongiovi, and I gather this is his first production on an album.  He later produced Talking Heads and The Ramones.   The composition of all ten songs are by the band, and they have a dreamy approach, but the lyrics are very much of that era.  Still, I really like this record. 

Gérard Manset - "Rien À Raconter" Vinyl, LP, Album, France, 1976 (EMI)

There is a thrill of discovering an artist that no one in the English language talks or knows about, and I suspect that Gérard Manset is such a songwriter/arranger/singer.   I can find very little information on Manset in English, and according to Discogs, he has at least 23 albums under his name.  From 1968 to this year, 2018.  I have heard his music I think through a drunk period on the Internet, and going through YouTube for music discoveries.   In my collection, I have two albums by Manset, including "Rein À Raconter" (Nothing to Tell).  

Generally speaking, and what I have heard, Manset's songs are all in French (duh!) and feature massive orchestrations, but usually with a loud electric guitar in the mix.  There's nothing pastoral about his sound, both his voice and instrumentation is forceful and not knowing what the songs are about, makes me (or the listener) get an emotional reaction.  I sense anger, and a typical album by him is at the very least eight songs.   So, there's room for the music to build up to tension or a release of some sort. In other words, his music is sexy.  

What impressed me the most is his melody writing, but also his arrangements which is masterful, and more intuned to classical than somewhat a 'wall of sound.'   Manset shares an intensity with Jack Nitzsche, but he doesn't work on a big canvas like Nitzsche.  The music or album sounds like a man alone dealing with a demon or two.  Manset does the production as well as the writing and arrangements, so he's very much a solo artist in that sense.   The sounds that stand out is his vocal delivery which reminds me a bit of Jacques Brel in its intensity, and the sound of his electric guitar against the grain of the lush strings.   A remarkable artist, who I gather is popular in France, due that his releases are on large record labels, and for sure needs to get more attention from the English speaking world.  

The Quick - "Mondo Deco" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2009/1976 (Radio Heartbeat)

My introduction to The Quick came about due to the writer (and filmmaker, among other things) Dennis Cooper, who in his magazine of the 1970s, "Little Caeser," raved about this band and their debut album "Mondo Deco."   Whenever Dennis recommends a writer, film, or music, one should pay attention.  On the other hand, due to my nature, I pretty much ignored The Quick when they existed, and only became interested in them this past four weeks.  I tracked down their album, purchased it, and find myself loving the music.

Since I'm a lover of Sparks (the band, or Ron and Russell Mael), I was put off with the sound of The Quick being very close to the sound of the Mael brothers.  I remember feeling the same way about the band Japan sounding too much like Roxy Music.   Their similarities are there for sure, and obviously influenced by the parent bands, but both Japan and The Quick have their own vibe.  With respect to The Quick, and since I was semi-raised in the San Fernando Valley, I sense that region's aesthetic on the band.  Sparks are a hard band to pin down on the map, but The Quick is for sure are American, and there is nothing more American than a teenager in the Valley. 

The songwriter for the band is guitarist Steven Hufsteter, who on this album, has an understanding of what makes a song happen concerning melody and a catchy chorus.  I don't see how its possible for one not to hum "Hillary," or "No No Girl" while taking a shower or being moody in a bathtub.  The other highlight is "Anybody," which is catchy as heaven, and then it goes into this crazed Yardbirds-style rave-up that's magnificent.  Incredible drum sound, maracas, and chaos.  Yet contained in that catchy melody.   Hufsteter is also a great guitarist, and the arrangements tend to the sound of his guitars, the drums (Danny Benair) and voice of Danny Wilde.  And Billy Bizeau's Ron Mael like minimalism on the piano, and bassist Ian Ainsworth.  Also, I think there is a robust Cheap Trick influence on the band as well.   Earle Mankey produced the album, along with Kim Fowley (hmm) and Mankey who was a member of Halfnelson (Sparks) does give that early Sparks' sound to the mix.   An enjoyable album.  

The Seeds "Future" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2017/1967 (GNP Crescendo)

For whatever reason, I can never take The Seeds seriously.   There are garage bands, but The Seeds always seemed to be a satire of a garage band.  Mostly due to the stance of Sky Saxon and his full embracement of the Flower Power movement.   The first two Seeds albums were straight ahead 60s era garage rock that seemed simple, yet profound.  Throughout my life, I have felt The Seeds belong to the cinematic world of Roger Corman, or the "Something Weird" film distributor.  Which in theory,  sounds pretty good, but compared to a band like The Music Machine, I find The Seeds aesthetically not as important as the one black-gloved wonders.   I avoided The Seeds' third album "Future" like the plague due to the Flower Power motif, but alas, out of boredom, I purchased this album, and I find it fantastic. 

For one, I actually prefer the organ/electric piano of The Seeds, then the Doors, which has a similar line-up.   Jim Morrison is a college professor compared to Sky's lyrics, yet, even in the Roger Corman sense of an aesthetic, Sky may be the real 'deal.'  Straightforward in that Sky had a vision, but he seemed to be the damaged child in some Los Angeles version of a Charles Dickens novel.  The Seeds are Ruffins compared to the sophistication of The Doors.  Still "Painted Doll" is a beautiful and romantic melody, that's almost Iggy Pop in its poetry.  I also love the absurd "Flower Lady and Her Assistant," due that it's a song about a woman who sells flowers on the street, but yet, there's an assistant.  That strikes me as brilliant to add the assistant part.  

Daryl Hooper's keyboards are minimalist and hypnotic.  He's the glue that holds the band together, but for this album, they added various horns, sitar, gong, and most important, a harp.  One can call this album psychedelic, but never loses the pilot, and it's a highly arranged work, with beautiful orchestration.  With the additional instrumentation and the high concept of 'Flower Children,' The Seeds remain to be bratty, defiant, and classic garage rock (in that trashy manner), but with a bigger budget.  It reminds me a bit of The Rolling Stones' "Between the Buttons," in the similar vain in that a band kept their sound, but expanded that landscape with a broader theme.  The Seeds' "Future" is utopian but one can feel a bummer will take place around the corner.   The album as a whole has the classic Seeds sound, but there are also many exotic touches that fit into the groove that's Sky Saxon. 

Orange Juice "The Orange Juice (The Third Album)" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2013/1984 (Domino)

One, and not too far in the distant past there used to be bands that were both tuneful and literary.  Scotland's Orange Juice was one of those bands, and with leader Edwyn Collins' remarkable skills as a songwriter, but also a gentleman who appreciates pop music culture from the not-so-far past, at the time of this recording, which was in 1984.   Orange Juice brings up the idea of a crooning Al Green, or some other Memphis soul artist, as well as Neil Young in his electric guitar phrase.  The combination of those two make up the sound of Orange Juice, but of course, with a very post-punk attitude.

"The Orange Juice" or sometimes known as "The Third Album" was the band's last full-length album.  And one that had only two members at the time of this recording, along with Collins there's the drummer Zeke Manyika.  "The Third Album" is produced by Dennis Bovell, who was known in the 1980s for his 'dub' production work for bands like The Slits and The Pop Group.   His work has always been dub music, but also the more experimental British bands and artists.  So, the fact that Edwyn and company are using Bowell's services is an interesting collaboration, since Orange Juice is basically a guitar-pop band, with a rather traditional manner.  Or are they?  Again, Edwyn Collins has a very Scottish white soul croon, but his lyrics are also very sophisticated in the tradition of Cole Porter and Lorenz Hart.  One can criticize his writing as being a tad post-modern in a sense his work is very much about the 'songwriting,' but he's equally skilled in putting a stunning melody along with his words.  When you add it all up, they are lovely songs about communication among lovers or a commentary on the world of Edwyn Collins.

Clearly, an artist who has a record collection, and its the love of music or certain types of pop songs that makes Orange Juice very enjoyable.  "The Orange Juice" is a solid work that is a tribute to the power of pop songs, but also an individual approach to the art as well.  

Fresh - "Fresh Out of Borstal" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1970 (RCA)

In my vinyl collection, I have many oddities, and without a doubt, Fresh's "Fresh Out of Borstal" is a weird album.   Fresh was a trio consisting of Kevin Francis, Robert Gorman, and Roger Chantler, and in appearance seem to come out of a harsh British prison 'Borstal.'  In actuality, Fresh is a concept put together by the great Simon Napier-Bell, who was the manager for Marc Bolan, The Yardbirds, Japan (the band), and Wham!  This is not really a rock n' roll album, but more of a musical that never got produced.  Not sure if this was meant to go beyond this album as a concept, but nevertheless, it is probably the first queer orientated pop/rock album released to the mass market.  

The songs were written by Ray Singer, who produced early Japan, Clive Sarstedt and the mastero himself, Napier-Bell.  Although the band is listed as a guitar/bass/drums trio, the fact there are a lot of instruments on the tracks, and at times, there is a Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed-era sound, mixed with the vibes of a musical such as "Hair."   The whole album is enjoyable, but the one classic cut is "And The Boys Lazed On The Verandah."  I remember hearing this song as a teenager and thinking only one word "Wow."   For whatever odd reason, KMET in Los Angeles would play this song time-to-time.   Still, there are great string arrangements that run through these songs, such as "You Made Me What I Am."  It's a Skinhead look, but the music is not in that vain whatsoever, or even close to the early aesthetics of Slade.  Quirky London West End theater (in theory) and something that would never be a great mass success.  But for those who love the British eccentricity in the pop music world, this album goes well with the great Lionel Bart (aesthetically speaking of course). 

Michael Nyman - "The Draughtsman's Contract" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1983 (DRG Records)

There are many great film composers and filmmaker match-up's that one can't possibly imagine one without the other.   On top of my list is the partnership between Peter Greenaway and British composer Michael Nyman.   The yin with the yang, who can easily be separated, but the combination of Greenaway's vivid narration/images with the addition of Nyman's hyper-version of baroque music is something to behold.  The other thing that makes my heart warm is the fact that Greenaway's films have a subversive talent of driving people mad who go see his movies.  Greenaway has two audiences - those who love his work, and those who can't stand his films.  With the additional twist of Nyman's relentless approach to form in the tight compositions by the composer, leaves one for gasping for air.   This is what I call art!

"The Draughtsman's Contract" is a film made by Greenaway, and it's an early collaboration between the filmmaker and Nyman.  Both have an interest in and vast knowledge of the past and use their medium for their works.  Nyman's music is a combination of minimalist strokes, but with a high sense of strong melody.  The rhythm of the work is just as important as the memorable melodies, and although the images by Greenaway really goes well with the composer's work, they also stand alone as music to listen to in a room with a well-stocked bar.

The one thing that stands out is that Nyman's work is very British.  I see him being very much influenced by Mozart, but equally the British composers such as Henry Purcell and William Byrd.  In a theatrical sense, he also belongs to William Shakespeare's theater, in that it can be bawdy and wonderfully entertaining.  What makes his music so unique is that he can have one foot in the minimalist camp, but the other is firmly placed in the world of Purcell and Byrd.  One of my favorite classical composers, and well worth to fall into the rabbit's hole for.  

Magazine - "Real Life" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Spain, 2013/1978 (ViNiLiSSSiMO)

Out of the brilliance of the Buzzcocks came Howard Devoto and his band Magazine.  In the same nature as Eno leaving Roxy Music, all of a sudden as a fan one is spending more money on record releases by these two artists.  The same goes for Buzzcocks and Magazine.  Eno needed to move on from the Roxy Music /Bryan Ferry format, and do Devoto had to remove himself from The Buzzcocks world to make new music that is more orchestrational and borderline, theme music for various spy films that are never made.   Like Ferry, Devoto surrounded himself with incredible musicians/songwriters John McGeoch (the guitar hero of post-punk Scotland), Barry Adamson (who knows the importance of theme song to an imaginary film), Dave Formula, and Martin Jackson. 

"Real Life" is one of those albums that came into my life at the perfect time and place.  I heard its first record/single "Shot By Both Sides," and to me, it was more powerful than the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K."   The feeling that Devoto couldn't trust either side and the fact that he's surrounded gave the listener the sense of the dread of such cinematic works as "The Third Man."  Where all the sides are being played, and one is just part of the system that offers supply and consumes.  Still, a powerful song and performance that is one of the great 45 rpm single that uses that format as both restrictive and contained within its 7 inches. 

Magazine is very much the perfect vehicle for Devoto's creepy Kafka-like character within the noise made by the band.  Majestic, riff-orientated, with overtures to the Brecht/Weill world as well.  It's music that is a well-designed puzzle, which again reminds me of Roxy Music.   At the height of Punk, Devoto and company offered structure and somewhat an operatic approach to their songs.  Not big budget theater mind you, but opera for the gutter, where one is laying there and looking up at the stars, or at the very least, looking at the theater's (venue) ceiling.   "Real Life" suggests that listeners were perhaps living in a dream of their own, or someone else's reality.  Devoto like a surgeon, or at the very least, a gourmet chef, cut into the bone of the song, and delivers a meal that's perfect, but also full of after-taste approaches that linger on one's mouth, ears and eyes. 

There are classics on this album such as the above-mentioned song as well as "The Light Pours Out of Me" (too bad Sinatra never covered this song), but my other favorite besides "Shot By Both Sides" is "The Great Beautician in the Sky," which has a drunk Brecht quality that appeals to my sensibility. Indeed a remarkable album from a great band. 

Jefferson Airplane - "Surrealistic Pillow" Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, 1967 (RCA)

It's strange to me, but I have this compelling need to look back at the music that I ignored due to either hating the band or just didn't like the landscape where that band came from. In this case, I have a hard time getting into the San Francisco sound of the 1960s.   In my mind (and ears) it's Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow, and that's ground zero for everything I disliked about that city in that era.   It wasn't until the recent passing of Marty Balin that I decided to pick up a battered-up Mono version of this album.  In my head, I decided to question my tastes, and go onto an adventure, and this is one of the first of what I think many voyages I'll be making in the next few years. 

I always liked "White Rabbit," but never cared about the image of the Jefferson Airplane.  They seemed too self-important with respect to their hippie/folk/community thing they had going.  There appeared to be a 'one-for-me-one-for-all aspect of that scene that's a turn-off to me.  After Balin's passing I decided to leave my prejudices outside my listening room, and just get into the Mono edition of this album.

Without a doubt, and not putting down the talents of Grace Slick, I think Marty Balin was a remarkable vocalist.  The two songs, side-by-side on the first side, "Today" and "Comin Back To Me" is a phenomenal work of mood and angst.  Both sung by Balin and written or co-written by the singer as well.  Not only heartfelt but in a funny manner, it reminds me of a classic Johnnie Ray approach to the song.  A beautiful vocal and almost a spiritual aspect of romance that doesn't seem human, in the sense that is anchored on the ground.   These two cuts I keep going back again because I feel it's the heart of the album.  Then again, you have the upbeat "She Has Funny Cars" and "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds."  All, of course, are wonderful.  "Fantastic Plastic Lover" and other songs remind me a bit of the Rolling Stones' "Aftermath," which were both engineered by the great Dave Hassinger, and recorded at the RCA studios on Sunset Boulevard (not far from Amoeba Music). 

So, yes, I have entered to the other side.   Where I go from here, is anyone's guess.  Nevertheless, "Surrealistic Pillow, beyond "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" is a terrific trip. 

Les Swingle Singers - "Getting Romantic" Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, 1965 (Philips)

My love for Michel Legrand led me to Les Swingle Singers, due that his sister Christiane Legrand is part of the ensemble.  Basically The (or Les) Swingle Singers are jazz scat singers, but mostly did classical compositions, and usually the very famous pieces such as Chopin's "Étude (Op.25 No. 2) and Beethoven's "Allegro (Sonate Op; 26) and so forth.  A mixture of tenor, bass, and alto vocals, with a backing of a stand-up bass and drums, gives a full-sound that is right in the middle of jazz and classical.  Too light to be jazz, and too low-brow for classical, it's the ultimate bachelor's pad music, yet the singing is unbelievable. 

As much as possible I try to follow the late great Christiane Legrand (1930-2011) as much as possible. It's her vocals on Procol Harum's "Fires (Which Burnt Brightly) off the classic "Grand Hotel" album that first got me started, and of course, when I found out the connection that Michel is her brother, I had to fulfill my collector's instinct.   She also has done work with her brother on some of the Jacques Demy soundtracks as well.   Still, for the beginner, I strongly recommend "Getting Romantic" which is a sampler of the more 'amour' melodies from Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Shubert. 

The Monkees -"Head" Vinyl, LP, OST, Reissue, Remastered, 1968/2011 (Rhino)

The Monkees shouldn't be brilliant, but somehow due to sonic magic, classic Brill Building songwriting, great character, fantastic TV show, and the songwriting/performing talents of Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Mickey Dolenz - they became this great oddity.  In theory, two musicians and two actors, which when the camera is turned off shouldn't be a band.  Yet, somehow they not only became a band, but a weird hybrid of showbiz, commercialism, and art.  In the long run, maybe they're more important than the other Fab Four, The Beatles.

When the show died down, The Monkees made a film called "Head" written by Jack Nicholson and directed by The Monkees TV producer, Bob Rafelson.   No "Head" there will probably be no "Easy Rider" or "Five Easy Pieces" or the career of Jack Nicholson as the iconic star.   What makes "Head" so unusual is that the film questions the nature of a 'manufactured band" and how that, becomes a genuine work of art.   Malcolm McLaren wanted to do his own version of The Monkees by having the Sex Pistols, but the truth is, The Monkees were even more radical than the Pistols/McLaren.  

Which comes to this unique and great original soundtrack album, "Head."  On the surface, it is only six Monkees' songs, plus spoken dialogue from the film, and incidental music from Ken Thorne.  Supervised by Nicholson in some mysterious sense, and mostly self-produced by the 'band,' except for the magnificent track "Porpoise Song" produced and co-written (with Carole King) Gerry Goffin. "Head" is just as radical as the film.  The album is psychedelic but obviously made by pop songwriting geniuses, such as King/Goffin and Harry Nilsson, as well as Tork and Nesmith.  This is probably the one album that is the death of the Brill Building aesthetic as well as the idea of an organic band at work.  On one level, it's a f**k you to the world, but also an entrance way to another world.  The Monkees were contained by their songwriters, the TV series, showbiz schedule, and here they needed to break free from the constraints of their society.  They do so, without a chance that they will ever come back to their commercial 'home.'   A remarkable album or document of a time that can only be 1968. 

Also on a personal note, I visited the set of "Head" with my father, Wallace Berman, when I was 15, and watched the Mickey Dolenz performance of "Can You Dig It."   It was odd for me to be there, watching my favorite TV stars being part of the spectacle that's movie-making. 

Pink Floyd - "Meddle" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1971 (Harvest)

Either by having too much time on my hands, or boredom or both, I have been like an ant leaving the anthill to find something beyond Syd Barrett's version of Pink Floyd. Which until this year, I knew nothing about, except the fact that Syd is brilliant, and Pink Floyd albums after Syd are shit.  This mind you is from the mind that truly believes that punk rock was zero one, and everything before that needs to flush down the toilet.  My extreme stance I realized now (after 40 something years) may be a tinge too harsh.   

Lately, I have been hitting the second-hand vinyl stores for Pink Floyd, and here is where I found "Meddle."   My conclusion is that after Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd really had problems focusing on a stance or platform to exist without Syd.  The truth is, they did exist and even became more successful after they lost their original songwriter and figure heard.  Although they have commented on Syd in various songs afterward, the fact is Pink Floyd not only became a different band but also with their backs to the wall, even became important. 

The years after Syd, before "The Other Side of the Moon" they sounded like they were making music for soft-porn European films. Which is not a bad thing, because here they took the time to focus on what they want to do after the Syd administration.  "Meddle" to me sounds like a bridge between the Syd years to something slicker in the Pink Floyd later years.   The truth is that they are comfortable making this type of music and what they do is done very well.  "Meddle" has great riffs, and is remarkable in some sort of Booker T. & The MGs groove, which may be something out of my imagination, but Pink Floyd does have a sense of funk and grit.  To me, when hearing "Meddle" it's not too far off from "Green Onions."  There is this almost 'musique concrete' aspect of their music, which is very much in the depth of their pop songs, but they clearly love the aspect of making works that are based on sound.   "Meddle" is a very good Pink Floyd album.  Beyond that, in any sense of direction or movement, this is a fantastic album.  There was life after Syd.  I'm surprised about coming to this conclusion. 

The Byrds -"Mr. Tambourine Man" Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, 1965 (Columbia)

I first heard this album when I was 10 or 11 years old.  Even as a child, and living in Los Angeles, one could not avoid The Byrds either on the radio, and it would have been odd if one didn't have a copy of "Mr. Tambourine Man" in their possession.   Still, even though I enjoyed this album, I never really loved it.  Over the years, I have lost my copy, but I keep seeing the record in its various formats for decades, and I wonder if I should re-entry this work, by purchasing it.   I was at Mono Records in Glendale/Eagle Rock, and without a thought, in my head, I picked up an used copy for $5, which is not an expensive ride to my distant past.

For decades I had a distant relationship to The Byrds.  Most, if not all of my friends think very highly of this band, but still, there is something off-putting, and I think it has to do with their musical relationship with Bob Dylan.   It sort of reminded me when someone like Pat Boone covered a rock n' roll classic.   It's water-down Dylan.   Or Dylan with a "better voice, and comfortable clothing.

On the other hand, the songwriting talents of The Byrds, especially Gene Clark is remarkable.   There is something about his voice that gets to the subject matter of a song, and he knows how to deliver the pathos to a listener.   Also noted, the old standard "We'll Meet Again" is not only a beautiful song but a perfect ending for an album.  I suspect this album is going to be on my mind throughout my life.  In that sense, it's a gift that keeps on giving.

David Sylvian -"Pop Song" 12" 45 RPM, Single, Vinyl, 1989 (Virgin)

"Pop Song"  creeps up on the listener, it's like watching a single fly on a window pane, moving around and not going anywhere.   It's a beautiful song/recording, due to David Sylvian's croon, which is an instrument in itself, where he sings of disappointment and resentment.  "Tell you I love you, like my favorite pop song."  "Pop Song" can be seen as a critique of the nature of commercial music or being in a position where one has to produce a product for the listener or the masses.  With jazz like piano riffs and the tension built in its rhythm, this is classic Sylvian.  

Donovan - "Donovan in Concert" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1968 (Epic)

When this album was released in 1968, I was 14, and I remember that I avoided this album with a vengeance.  Which is strange, because I was a huge fan of his Mickie Most produced albums.  But even in 1968, the hippy-dippy version of Donovan was a turn-off to me. I can enjoy the studio albums from 1966 to 1968, but a live album at the height of flower power, no thanks. 

Decades later, and at the age of 64, I'm finally listening to "Donovan in Concert."  It's a great album, because one, his vocals are superb, and two, his minimal band behind him is fantastic.  At least in this show, he didn't do his 'hits but instead focused on his deep cuts from his studio albums from that era. What we have here is a jazz-orientated background, with Donovan coming off not so much as flower power child, but a torch singer for the Aquarius age.  "Young Girl Blues" is backed by piano, a bowed-standup bass, and light, gentle percussion and flute.  Strangely, it sort of reminds me of Nina Simone, in that like that iconic singer, can tear into the song, take it apart, and then put it back together toward the end of the piece. 

Donovan at this point in his career had the teenage female who loved the gentle folk singer, with the Scottish accent.   Still, I'm amazed that I never picked up on the sophistication of his arrangements, which to me is not all down to Mickie Most, but Donovan's sensitivity to his material, and not down-playing the hit song aspect of the material.   There's a sexual aspect, that is smokey, but one can understand that the flowers are part of the seduction of his image and sound.  Lyrically he has a journalist quality in placing the landscape to the listener.  "Donovan in Concert" is for sure very much a snapshot of that era, but years or decades later, I'm now admiring his daring of making dream music that transforms one into space, more likely a private place, but one that's in your own head.