Orange Juice - "You Can't Hide Your Love Forever" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2014/1982 (Domino)

Orange Juice was a band from Scotland and was the leading light on the independent Scottish label Postcard.  First of all, no other group was cuter than Orange Juice.  The four young men were all pin-up material, and Edwyn Collins their 'perhaps' leader was striking in his pouty sensual lips and hair over one eye.   Their music was guitar driven but layered and extremely textural. It hints of the band Television, but to me, I hear two other groups influences on their first album "You Can't Hide Your Love Forever."   They are The Velvet Underground, and the other is The Feelies. 

To be specific The Velvets intimate third album, due to the intimacy of their sound, but also the beautiful guitar playing by Sterling Morrison and Lou Reed.  There is the conversational quality of Reed's lyrics that are very much part of Collins' writing as well.  Lou is direct, and Edwyn has a touch of Noel Coward commenting on a relationship in disaster or changed by circumstances.  With respect to The Feelies, and I'm specifically talking about their first album, I hear the interplay of the guitars that build up and then there's a melodic part that opens up the music in a fashion that is beautiful and feminine.  Which is an odd thing to say about a guitar band of all young guys, but there is a strong sense of not power, but the surge of melodies that come through like a sun breaking through the clouds. 

John Cale - "Helen of Troy" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2015/1975 (Wax Cathedral)

My favorite John Cale album from the Island Records era.  What I find appealing about his work, is more of his arrangement skills than his compositions.   For instance, I think Lou Reed is a better songwriter than Cale, but it's the talent of Cale to bring out the best in Lou Reed's songs.  That's the beauty of the early Velvet Underground recordings.  The same goes for his work with Tony Conrad as well.   This is not saying that Cale does not come up with wonderful songs, but for me, it's the way he puts the music together that I find his greatness.  

"Helen of Troy" is the third of the three Cale solo albums that were released on Island records, and it's the one where I feel he's working on a huge canvas for the first time on that label.  "Helen of Troy" is very a Cale sampler, and I mean that in a very good way.  You have the orchestrational Cale ("I Keep A Close Watch") and the gritty/electro "Engine" and the title song, but again, it is how the layers all the textures together that only a superb arranger can accomplish.  His version of The Modern Lovers (he produced their first and only album) of "Pablo Picasso" is pretty great.  That, and Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do" are the perfect bar band sound that only can be placed in a saloon run by David Lynch.   

Cale is an artist of great taste and skill. The fact that he produced The Stooges, Nico, Squeeze, Patti Smith and The Modern Lovers shows that he was either in the right place at the right time, but more likely he had the brilliant touch to know what's important.  A very sophisticated taste, and "Helen of Troy" is nothing but, an album of great style, grace, anger, and brilliant arrangements.  "My Maria" is a perfect example of all of his skills placed in one song.  Here on this album, you have the grit to latter-day Beach Boys harmonies.  This is the best!

The Velvet Underground - "1969" 2 x Vinyl, LP, U.S., 2017 (Republic Records)

In the glory days of the music world, there would be releases from record companies that have nothing to do with time or space.  Just product.  I by chance found this album "1969" by The Velvet Underground, and I have to imagine that it's a combination of the 1980's release of "VU" and "Another View" which is basically putting everything out under the Velvet's recorded catalog of the time.   Now, Universal music has put together these two albums as a double-album set on vinyl.   Three-sides are the Velvets with Doug Yule in the line-up, and side four is when John Cale was in the band.  Probably somewhere between White Light/White Heat and the Third album.  There are no liner notes explaining the reason for this album, so it's very much of a rush-released piece of product. "1969" is also a great compilation of Velvet Underground tracks that never made it to the final works (albums).  

The truth is The Velvet Underground couldn't do anything wrong from the years 1966 to 1970.  Lou Reed was on the top of his songwriting powers, and even throwaway songs like "Foggy Notion" are magnificent.    When I listen to these set of songs decades later, it strikes me how original his approach to pop/rock songwriting was at the time of these recordings.  For one, (both line-ups) the band was fantastic, with Moe Tucker's dynamic primitive drumming, with the combination of Lou and Sterling Morrison's guitars going in and out of their arrangements.  Then you have someone like Yule with his backup vocals, or Cale's viola riding on the rhythm, and you have this tremendous noise that's The Velvet Underground. 

There are no weak cuts on this four-sided package. All of it is essential if you are a Lou or Velvets fan.   The cover/packaging is boring but the sounds inside the package are going to take one to other worlds. 

Lou Reed - "Street Hassle" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1978 (Arista)

My favorite solo Lou Reed album is "Street Hassle."   It's the one album for me where Lou portrays the 'public' Lou Reed that we know and sort of love.   I may be wrong, but I feel that this is the last solo record where Reed is portraying a character.  His albums afterward, are basically Reed looking at the world as a first-person narrative.  Almost like a journalist covering his landscape in a John Cheever mode, or at the location of the gates of hell.   For instance, when he wrote and record "Berlin" he never at that time been to that city.  So, in a sense, the solo Lou is very much of a world that he made up, and put himself in as a character. 

The Velvet Underground years are spotless.  Full-on Lou genius work.  The solo career is a hit and miss, but when he's great, he's really fantastic.  "Street Hassle" is interesting to me because he's playing with the sound of the studio or the live recording.  This is such a murky sounding record that if it is a 3D object it would be mud or a heavy dish of food.   Aurally I think of Lou digging from the bottom to the top to get air, and there is something very closed off like one is locked in the basement, and one is really trying to break a hole to get light/air.  

The songs themselves are fantastic.  "Real Good Time Together," I think is an old Velvet's era song, and if memory is serving me correctly (always doubtful) it was on a live Velvet's album.  Nevertheless here it's a minimal piece of music, that builds to a tension, that eventually breaks loose.  A lot of the songs are arranged in that fashion.  The album's set piece is "Street Hassle," which is in three parts, yet still very contained narrative and the music arrangement is very tight.  The strings arranged by Aram Schefrin is minimal minded, that has a touch of Philip Glass/Steve Reich intensity. There is also a Bruce Springsteen uncredited cameo as well. 

The other song that sticks out is "Dirt."  Very direct, angry, catchy and wonderful.   This is very much bad-ass Lou Reed in his prime.  It's interesting to note that Reed's partner-in-crime, both Iggy Pop and Bowie also released ("Low" and "Idiot") compressed sounding records around this time (1977/1978).  There is an aesthetic link between these three albums.   Not sure if they were aware, or it was something in the air at that time.  Still, "Street Hassle,' the album,  is a remarkable piece of work.  

Lewis Furey - "The Humours Of" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1976 (A&M)

Lewis Furey is one of those incredibly talented individuals that oddly enough fell through the cracks of acknowledgment and fame.  Although I believe he's known in France, where he lives, and made recordings in Paris, as well as directing and writing films.   "The Humours Of" is Furey's second album for A&M.  His first album "Lewis Furey" sounds like an off-Broadway collection of songs attached to a small theatre somewhere in the Village.   This album is not cinematic, but more of an expansive Broadway production, with an expensive production by Roy Thomas Baker. 

The early to mid-70s belong to Bowie, Eno, Roxy Music, and Lou/John Cale solo albums.  Furey quickly falls into the world of the Velvets, but only if Lou/Cale were writing songs for a huge Broadway show.   I bring these other artists up because Furey dwells into the urban landscape of decadence or street life.   His first two albums are interesting bookends at the time.  Just due that one had an intimate (the first album) approach, and the second is to wow the listener over.  "Rubber Gun Show" is a great opening song and leads to a very sexualized existence throughout the album.  And there is even a fantastic run-on groove on the end of side two.  The record will never end. 

John Cale - "Fear" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2015/1974 (Wax Cathedral)

When John Cale left Velvet Underground, I lost track of him. It wasn't until  1974 when he released his first album "Fear" on Island Records that I became aware of him again.  I did notice that Cale made solo albums before "Fear," but never paid much attention to them.  It may be that I was totally focused on Lou Reed, thinking that he was the Velvets in all name and practice.  That of course, is wrong, and due to my young teen years, almost forgivable.  "Fear" is great.  

In the years 1973/1974, for me, it was the glory time of Roxy Music and all of its outshoots.  Eno was making incredible albums, and I like all the solo work by Phil Manzanera and Andy MacKay as well. And of course, there were both Roxy and Bryan Ferry albums as well.  Fun times at the record shop.  Someone at Island had the grand idea to promote a Roxy world by adding Kevin Ayers, Nico, and of course, John Cale to their label.  Eno and Manzanera are listed as executive producers, which means to me that they pushed the label into signing Cale, but also a big part of the sound that is on this album.

"Fear" is a very stark album, with the mix high on Cale's voice and minimal backing, in a sense it is never busy.  The right sounds at the right places.   When I listen to this album, I think of Procol Harum's great albums on A&M around the same time.  I can't say if they were an influence on Cale, or he admired them or not, but I hear Gary Brooker (the lead honcho in Harum) presence on "Fear."  The thing about Cale he comes with the baggage of the noisy aspect of the Velvets, or experimental/orchestration, but he is also a very much disciplined and well-crafted songwriter. "You Know More Than I Know," "Buffalo Ballet," and "Emily" are excellent songwriter type of songs. "Fear" and "Gun" is more of the sonic "kaboom" of Cale.  "Gun" especially, which I have to presume it's Eno making the guitar sounds through his various methods of genius tools at the time.   An inspiring album made in an exciting place with exciting musicians.  A highlight for Cale and the Eno/Manzanera world. 

Nico -"The Last Mile/I'm Not Sayin'" 7" 45 rpm single, vinyl, 1965 (Immediate)

Nico before The Velvet Underground is very much Nico.   The voice.  There is only one woman with a voice like that, and she with her "it" looks is pretty wonderful.   The A-Side is a song by Gordon Lightfoot, with production by the great Andrew Loog Oldham, with arrangement by David Whittaker.  Nico, on this record, and at that time, must have been a darker version of Marianne Faithful.   Or maybe that was in the thoughts of Oldham?  The b-side is much more of an interesting piece of recording.  Jimmy Page produced and co-wrote (with Oldham) "The Last Mile."  Just Page which sounds like a 12-string acoustic guitar and Nico's voice.   This would not be out of place in a future Nico album.  The beauty of Nico is whoever writes the songs, they lose that identity to Nico because her presence and voice are so prominent.    This is not the greatest Nico single/songs but for the completist a must-have.  Now, if I can get the Gainsbourg "Striptease" single by Nico - that will be something. 

Brian Eno - "The Ship" vinyl, LP, Album (Warp Records)

It seems I have spent my adult life with Brian Eno.  I have been buying albums from this artist over the years - some are masterpieces, some are OK, some are not-so-OK, and some that leave me just scratching my head.   In a nutshell, one of my favorite noisemakers.   Eno is not a genius, but he's smart, and his approach to throwing in the musical avant-garde ideas into the rock n' roll mix is brilliant.  Like any artist that has decades of work behind them, they falter here and there.  In my opinion, his recent works have regained his edge, which I thought he lost.  But alas, Eno is back!

"The Ship" is an exquisite almost ambient piece of music with vocals altered by electronics.  It's murky with the sound of a ship going down in the ocean.  It reminds me of Gavin Bryars' great piece of music "The Sinking of the Titanic" which in theory is relative to this work.  Eno was the first to record the Bryars piece for his Obscure record label.  What's interesting is that Eno mostly has made music for institutions, airports - but places that don't have a strong identity, and are neutral landscapes.  This album makes me think of location or place that is very specific in mind.  It's a ship that is sinking or lost.  You can't find this on a map, but one has a picture of it in their mind.   It's a lonely and sad album.   It ends up with some sort of light by his version of Lou Reed's (through his band The Velvet Underground) "I'm Set Free."  

The other key ingredient on the album is the use of strings.  I don't recall Eno ever using a string section, except for the b-side of his album "Discreet Music."   I would like to hear more recordings from him using orchestration. I think it's an area that he can explore more depth and sound textures.   On vinyl, it's a double album, and the essence of the work needs to be listened to from the beginning to the end.  There is a narrative that is in place, but not a story.  Just a mood that you need to experience in a format that doesn't jump around.  The emotional punch of the Lou Reed song is not strong if you don't play the other part of the recording first.  It is very much a composition.    Great.  

Angus MacLise "“New York Electronic, 1965” Vinyl, Sub Rosa

You have every album by The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, John Cale and even Moe Tucker, yet you haven’t yet purchased or heard Angus MacLise?  That’s a shame.  On the other hand, it’s not too late!   MacLise (1938-1979) was the first drummer for the Velvet Underground.   Not only the keeper of time/beats for that band, but also a composer, poet calligrapher, and occultist.   MacLise was an early member of the legendary Le Monte Young’s band, Theater of Eternal Music, which also had Marian Zazeela, Tony Conrad, Terry Riley, and future Velvet member, John Cale.  

MacLise is very much of a shadow figure in those days, due not only to being part of the Avant-Garde scene, but also according to Cale, he lived in his own time-zone, which he Cale commented as “living on the Angus calendar.” In other words, he wouldn’t show up for recordings or live gigs, and often disappeared for days.   The Velvets were offered a paying gig, and MacLise quit the band, claiming that was selling out.   And Moe Tucker replaced the drummer, and history was recorded.   

MacLise moved to Berkeley where he met and married Hetty McGee and they soon had a son, Ossian Kennard MacLise, who oddly enough was recognized as the reincarnation of a Tibetan Saint and became a Buddhist monk at the age of four.   This, of course, leads the family to Nepal.    Tragically, MacLise died in Katmandu at the age of 41.  A true adventurer on many accounts, and basically what we have left on this planet is various artworks, some writings, and the vinyl record album “New York Electronic, 1965.”  

1965 was the entrance for many amazing things happening in Manhattan.  The arts were exploding in different directions and in many mediums. Film, painting, poetry, literature was the ingredients put into the big bowl of soup.  Some artists took all the ingredients to make their own art, and MacLise was one of those artists who knew no wall or boundaries when it came to art making - or working in a laboratory of his own making - to record sounds.  With the assistance of John Cale and Tony Conrad, these insane artists came up with some pure magic.  The thing is, as you can gather, MacLise was not the most organized person on this boho planet Manhattan.  It took years for those who loved or in fascination with MacLise to find these tapes.   So, “Electronic, 1965” is very much an enjoyable document of a time, when things were really shaking in the creative landscape of New York City.

The essence of these recording, for me, is the adventure of exploring the unknown.  It has a relationship with what was happening in France, with respect to the Musique Concrete scene, but here, it is almost like a punk rock version of that world.  It’s music made by young men, who are enthralled with the world in front of them.   For me, listening to this album doesn’t represent 2016, but more of a beautiful snapshot of the past, when things were very new.  Artists like Jack Smith, Ron Rice were making independent 8mm/16mm films, and MacLise and company were supplying the soundtrack to these cinematic works.  

The sounds on this album are very organic.  Reels of tape speeding up/down, electronic blips, glass hitting against glass, percussion, feedback, gongs, ghost-like sounds, piano chords, string instruments, kitchen tools, various sci-fi sounds and what one would imagine would be the whole world of Angus MacLise.  At times, I imagine if one put their head under water, some of these sounds would be heard.  The echo and far-off aural delights that come and go on this album.  

Besides this album, there have been other recordings put out by various people.  Sub Rosa also put out a CD collection of his music, but now is out-of-print. Boo Hooray in New York City also have made vinyl editions of MacLise’s music.  He’s an important figure in New York underground world.  For one, he knew everyone who had the legendary touch during those years.  And he himself is a man of mystery.  We know when he was born and where he died, but the essence of him is very much like his music.  Hypnotic, ghost-like, and yet, a very positive presentation he left on this planet.   He rules the universe, even in death.  “New York Electronic, 1965, ” is a very essential recording.  Those who have an interest in the New York culture of the 60’s or have a deep interest in the avant-garde world of that time, must have this album.  Beyond that, for today, it is still as fresh as the sun arising.   

Tony Conrad/Faust "Outside the Dream Syndicate" (Caroline Records)

One of the remarkable albums that I own, is Tony Conrad and the German band Faust’s “Outside the Dream Syndicate.” Two separate pieces on the vinyl edition, a side one and a side two.  Both around 26 minutes long, and basically a long drone with a hypnotic drum and bass beat.

It’s a beautiful work as well as a great ‘groove’ music.  Tony Conrad was a composer, musician, filmmaker, video artist, and a man of great wit and charm.  His film “The Flicker” is the iconic minimalist work that still holds up on repeated viewings.  Like his film, Conrad took his aesthetics to sound/music, where he joined up with a young John Cale, LaMonte Young, Angus MacLise, and Marian Zazeela, in a music collective called “Theater of Eternal Music (pretty good description of their sound) better known sometimes as “The Dream Syndicate” (not to be confused to the 70s guitar-orientated band).

“Outside The Dream Syndicate” is very music that takes one to another plane or level.  Psychedelic of course, but also very level headed in its execution of sound, beat, and for me it is like a wave hitting the beach and then pulling back into the ocean.  Which makes it sound like a ‘new age’ ambient recording, but far from it.  It’s demanding music that one has to pay attention to.   Side one “"From the Side of Man and Womankind” is very structured, it is like holding energy in a tea cup and you got your hand covering the top.  You want to contain it in a small tight space.   Side two, "From the Side of the Machine, ” is more expansive and flowing.  There is more instrumentation on this track - specifically an electronic keyboard that backs Conrad’s violin, as a foundation, and the drums and bass adds a certain weightlessness.  A superb work, and clearly a classic album.