Bob Dylan - "Blood on the Tracks" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1975 (Columbia)

The great thing about Bob Dylan is that it's almost impossible to write or discuss him without losing the iconic stance he has on pop culture.  From day one it seems Dylan was made to be great, especially when he changed his name from Zimmerman to Dylan.  In my world, Dylan is very much the pop entertainer and more in tune to someone like David Bowie than the 1960s Folk Music scene. He used the landscape, like Bowie using whatever he read or saw, but the truth is, both characters made themselves up to be what they are - not only great songwriters but a theatrical presentation as well. 

"Blood on the Tracks" is often seen as a personal work by Dylan.  Perhaps due to his divorce or the after-effects of the separation that took place at the time of the recordings.  One can fish into the words of these songs for a clue, but I suspect that Dylan doesn't think in that manner.  A bad incident or day for him is a springboard of imagination and various narrations, and at the end of the day, Dylan wants to tell a tale that will be enjoyed, and therefore he's more of a music hall performer than a raw rock n' roll soul.  Dylan is not a journalist, but more of a short story writer, with an incredible amount of details in his narratives.  "Blood on the Tracks" as an album, can probably be made into a film, or a narrative novel. 

Oddly enough, it was only a week ago that I heard this album as a whole piece.  Before that, it is just what I heard on the radio, and there are favorite songs here: "Tangled Up in Blue," Simple Twist of Fate," and of course, "Idiot Wind." Listening to side one of "Blood on the Tracks" is similar to listening to a greatest hits album.  It's interesting to hear this work as an album, instead of separate songs.  All stand by themselves, but the mood that runs through the collection is consistent, and there is no 'loose' cannon here, it all fits like a well-designed puzzle. 

"Idiot Wind" stands out because it is so angry, or I should say the character in the song is angry, yet, the humor is very tongue-in-cheek.  One can think it's a song from a psycho killer.   On the other hand, it may be my favorite Dylan vocal.  The way Dylan sings he reminds me of Lotte Lenya, in a very Bertolt Brecht method of separating the listener from the emotion, and one hears the intelligence behind the words. The character is angry, but the song itself is not furious.  There is a distance between the character in the song and what he's singing about.  His technique makes the words sting, because of its setting.  Dylan looks at his songs like a scientist looking at an object in a test tube.  There is a strong sense of objectivity, and for the listener, it's a subjective experience, as well as presuming that the character in the song is causally commenting on the 'facts.'

A very melodic record, and oddly enough it reminds me of the softer material on the  Rolling Stones' "Aftermath."  Only in texture, not in the style of songwriting, but one could imagine the Stones doing a version of "Idiot Wind."  There's real beauty between Dylan's voice and the strumming of the guitar, and the minimalist organ.   It's beautifully recorded by engineer veteran Phil Ramone, which brings to mind Sinatra's great ballad albums he made for Capitol Records in the 1950s.   Dylan takes from the past, and he manages to twist it in the fashion of a Teddy Boy using Edwardian design to say something new.   A great album. 

Popera Cosmic - "Les Esclaves" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1969/2018 (Finders Keepers)

Going into the world of Popera Cosmic is like going into a strange foreign neighborhood without a proper map.  I want to say Popera Cosmic is a band, but it feels more like a theatrical experience than a rock band.  What I do know is that the music is arranged by William Sheller, a noted musician/songwriter in France, but unknown outside of French-speaking countries.  The producer (or 'artistic direction') is Jean Eckian, and the rock band is the French progressive rock group, Alice.  Beyond that, it's still a mystery to me.  Still, there is something wonderful about French psychedelic rock, in that when it's trippy, it's really a trip. 

The opening track "Les Esclaves" sounds like a free-form version of The Doors' "Hello, I love You."  "Batman" is what you think it is, but again, approached in a trippy manner that's all nuances and of course, like every song or piece on this album, a groover in the ultimate groove sense of the word.  In such a manner, it reminds me of Gil Evans working with Miles Davis,  that there are two separates thinking patterns at work.  Alice is doing what they are doing, but working in a conceptual model.  I keep thinking that this is a musical like "Hair" but somehow failed to make it big. Still, if one is into French arrangement music, for instance, Jean-Claude Vannier, or admire the conceptual albums of Serge Gainsbourg, one is going to find "Les Esclaves" a fascinating album. 

"Philadelphie Story" is a remarkable and haunting ballad that comes out of nowhere on this album.  They don't make songs like this in the 21st-century.  It's lush but goes with this gorgeous orchestration with the lone female backup vocal that brings everything back to Earth.  "La Chanson du Liévre de Mars" is a mixture of Love era "Forever Changes" mixed with a slow build up of the chorus which is "Whee."   Recorded in 1969, this is very much an album of that era, but that's a great thing.  Listening to Popera Cosmic (they only made this one album) is to marvel the skills and visions of the arranger William Sheller.   It goes from camp to sweet melodies, and it's a bizarre mixture of what can be a soundtrack to a soft-porn film, or a big budgeted counter-cultural (French-style of course) musical.  My favorite album of the year. 

Serge Gainsbourg - "Théâtre des Capucines" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2018 (Jeanne Dielman)

A very important, and therefore a priceless document of Serge Gainsbourg's French nightclub performance in the year 1963.   Gainsbourg never had that awkward moment when he wasn't a genius.   Backed by a stand-up bass and an electric guitar, Gainsbourg covers his iconic 'jazz-like' songs, such as "Intoxicated Man," "Maxim's," and the ultimate ballad of all-time, "La Javanaise." In my opinion, there are better eras for Gainsbourg than others, and I think most of the listeners who live outside of France, probably prefer the Jane Birkin/Bardot recordings.  Which is understandable, because they are great songs, but I tend to fancy the jazz-era Serge.   I feel he was at the height of his songwriting skills, and he knew how to convey complex feelings into what seems to be like a love song.  In truth, he is expanding those emotions to express a world-view of the landscape that humorous, but also deadly serious at the same time. 

This was the tour before he released his album "Confidentiel," which this live album is a reflection of that official studio recording.  The sound is not that different due to the simple set-up of the guitar (Elek Bacsik), bass (Michel Gaudry), and voice.   Gainsbourg is not known as a great singer, but the truth is, he's unique, which makes him a superb vocalist, especially in the early years of his music career.   For me, this live album is like listening to The Beatles at the Cavern, or The Heartbreakers at CBGB's.  Not only is the band of great importance, but even more so, the theater or concert all.  Gainsbourg didn't tour much.  He did tour during the late 50s to early 1960s, and then again, in the 1980s.  One gathers that he preferred to be in the studio or composing than being in front of an audience.  Still, he never lost his iconic cool, and "Thêâtre des Capucines" captures an important moment in the Serge Gainsbourg world. 

Like the mysterious record label Doxy, Jeanne Dielman seems to be a European record label that specializes in re-issues of recordings that somehow fell between the cracks of copyright laws.  Therefore many of their releases are in limited editions.   I gather that the sound source came from digital or the medium of the CD.  Still, the packaging and sound are good.  

Erik Satie/Reinbert De Leeuw - "Vexations" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1983 (Philips)

Not the easiest piece of music by Erik Satie to find, especially on vinyl, still, this is one of the remarkable works that came out of the 19th-century.  Music historians think that Satie wrote"Vexations" in either 1893 or 1894, but no one knows for sure.  At times, seen as a joke, or at the least, exposing Satie's sense of humor.  The piece as it is written or notated is that the theme is played 840 times, which in theory, can last for 24-hours if one performed this work in a live setting.  John Cage did that and organized the first public performance of "Vexations" in 1963.

There are only a handful of recordings of "Vexations," and easier to find on CD. Perhaps that is the best medium because a CD can last for 80 minutes.  I have some of those recordings, but I'm a fan of Reinbert De Leeuw's recording of "Vexations" which lasts 26 minutes on each side of the album.  The music was recorded in 1975, and this edition of the LP was released in 1983.  I'm not sure about this, but I suspect that this may be the first recording of "Vexations."  It's a work of mystery, with no real notes from Satie, except that it should be played 840 times, and there is no mention or instructions beyond the score itself.

For me, "Vexations" is a haunting yet beautiful piece of music.  I love Satie's work, but I think "Vexations" is his masterpiece.   Simple, yes, but an exquisite melody that when played over and over again it puts me in a state where I can both think or concentrate on a work of writing (my main occupation) as well as drift off to the melody of "Vexations."   One can look at it as a Fluxus aesthetic, or a joke, but the truth is, this is remarkable music.   Sometimes a joke can expose the inner-beauty of a work of art.   

Bryan Ferry and his Orchestra - "Bitter-Sweet" Vinyl, LP, Album, 2018 (BMG)

This is the second album by Bryan Ferry where he goes through his song catalog and re-arranges his both, Roxy Music and solo songs into the era of early big band jazz. What sounds like a gimmick on paper, is actually one of Ferry's best album projects.  I would even argue that these recordings stand up, and even exceed some of his original recordings.   Half the album is instrumental, and once, Ferry's aging voice adds emotional overtures to the material.  It's beautifully sung and played by a large group of musicians.  Ferry has always been fascinated with the modern world, and that includes not only the present, future but also the past in such a 'moderne' mode or fashion.

On the surface, one can see this as a nostalgic love for an era that passes away, but for Ferry, I think it's a style of music that never left him.  He has always taken music as a historian, who tried to find new meaning within its framework.  "Bitter-Sweet" is an accurate title for the album (and also one of his great songs from Roxy Music) because the feeling of regret is very much felt. To say this album is romantic is like saying it's sunny in a cloudless day in Southern California.  Repeated listenings bring new rewards, and it is a gift that does keep on giving.   One, I always loved the sound of Roxy Music and most of Ferry's solo recordings, but now, I realize that he's a magnificent songwriter.  These arrangements are great because they are working from a great source, which of course are the songs themselves.

A big band but intimate music is coming from this group.  This is a sound where musicians are looking at each other eye-to-eye, with perhaps a conductor in the middle of the room.   As Ferry has one theme of his work, which is to locate the perfect romantic spot that is blissful and painful at the same time.   It's not about sexual conquest, but more of a situation where the pain of romance-lost is like a beautiful yet distant island.  Ferry is the one artist, who stands at the dock of the bay and looks out to this island, not that far off from a scene in F. Scott Fitzerald's 'The Last Gatsby."

Side one is more danceable or uptempo, but side two is a reflection that is sour, and three of its songs is from the debut Roxy Music album.  A classic, and which on the original recordings it is about the past as a concept, Ferry now re-frames these songs as actually a spirit from an era of the past.  It's similar to the last scene in "The Shining" where the caretaker Jack is placed in a photo of a party from the 1920s.  It's like the future is not really here.  Ferry's "Bitter-Sweet" is a brilliant album.   Just as great as the first Roxy album, and "For Your Pleasure."

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. 

Jackie Lomax - "Is This What You Want?" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1969 (Apple)

It seemed that a new world was opening up for The Beatles when they started their own record company Apple Records. One of the key releases from that label in 1969 is Jackie Lomax's "Is This What You Want?"  In the spirit of the times, like Leon Russell's first solo album, this is a record that had many big-named musicians playing along with Jackie, mostly due to its producer, George Harrison.   Who is also listed as arranger and wrote "Sour Milk Sea" for his old Liverpool pal.  Somewhere in the background, there's George, Paul, Ringo, Hal Blaine, Nicky Hopkins, Tony Newman, Klaus Voormann, Eric Clapton among others.  

Still, it's very much a Lomax album, due to his songwriting and voice.  He had a beautiful soulful voice, that's rich in quality and tailor-made for soul, but his work is very much crafted in the sense that it's a proper form of songwriting.  "Speak To Me," the opening cut, is very much Lomax pleading to a lover, and the Harrison production kicks in with the female backup vocals and almost a Spector like intensity.  The title song "Is This What You Want?" is my favorite piece here.  A perfect marriage of melody and Lomax's voice, which builds as the song becomes more intense.  

For an artist-run label, Apple was pretty good and had artists like Badfinger, James Taylor, Ronnie Spector, and of course Jackie Lomax.  It's a shame (or not) that Harrison didn't produce more artists.  His work with others I think are some of the strongest aspects of his talent. Lomax's album is a very solid work.  The famous names help, but in actuality, it's Jackie's presence that makes this album essential. 

The Kinks - "The Kink Kronikles" 2 x Vinyl, Compilation, 1972 (Reprise)

I have always loved The Kinks since I first heard their music in 1964, but it was in the late 60s and early 1970s where I became a fanatic fan.  Their album from 1968 "The Village Green Preservation Society" opened me up in an emotional manner that to this day was a unique experience for me.  I have heard people taking a walk and finding God in their lives, and correspondingly, this is what happened to me with respect to The Kinks.   Throughout the early 1970s, I went to see the band play at the Santa Monica Civic numerous times.  As a teenager, I was liberated at the thought of Ray Davies acting 'camp' in front of an audience, but also his sharp lyrical writing skills of telling a story, or observing a life that's quiet, yet full of emotional meaning.  "The Kink Kronikles" was heaven sent for the American fan because it added Kinks songs that were not available to the U.S. market at the time of its release (1972).

For the first time, I heard songs "Deadend Street," "Autumn Almanac," and "Did You See His Name?"   I don't know how I missed these songs in the first place, but by late 1966 and early '67, the Kinks sort of disappeared in the U.S. marketplace.  "The Kinks Kronikles" is an excellent compilation of those years, and it shows the genius of Ray Davies but also the sound and vision of the band, as they focus on the little things in life that are significant in one's life.  "Lola" a song about gender confusion on the dance floor has enough detail in its story to be a novella.

More important this is an album for the Kink fanatic, and usually, this double-record was passed among other fans, in a secret society of lovers of this type of music.  John Mendelsohn's liner notes describe precisely what made the Kinks a fantastic force in one's life.  For those who are not familiar with the magic that is The Kinks, this is a magnificent collection that will wet your hunger for more.

Harry Hosono and the Yellow Magic Band - "Paraiso" LP, Vinyl, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, 2018/1978 (Light in the Attic)

Haruomi Hosono, is without a doubt, one of the most important musicians/record maker in Japan.  If I have to make a comparison with a Westerner, Van Dyke Parks comes to mind.  Hosono is a producer, songwriter, founding member of YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra) and very much a music historian.  Of course, there are other figures in Japanese pop music that are important, but Hosono is unique in that he has a perspective that is very much Japanese but also has an understanding about music from other cultures. Also, to note, he knows about outside music that influenced Japanese taste and contemporary culture.  In that sense, he's like Parks in that he knows his history and how to use it or comment on current culture by going back into the past and bringing back music, but in a different way or arrangement. 

To dwell into Hosono's world is difficult just due to the range of music he made in his career.  He went from traditional Japanese pop music to Hawaiian to rock to electro-pop, and ambient.   The unique aspect of Hosono is that each style he investigates he does so with expert knowledge and an organic manner in appreciating the different types of music. It doesn't seem to be on a 'fashionable' or surface level, but a deep appreciation of how music has traveled around the world.  It's interesting to note that Hosono uses the name Harry for these 'exotica' recordings. 

"Paraiso" is a fascinating album that bridges his interest in tropical/exotica music but entering into the electronic world by baby-steps.  Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi make their first appearance here with Hosono before they formed YMO.  So, the album is very much a journey, and it's not the destination that's important but the travel itself.  'Asatoya Yunta" is a traditional Okinawa song, but he also rips into "Fujiyama Mama," an American rockabilly song, which some may think is in rather bad taste, with respect to the bomb.  Nevertheless, with humor and wit, Hosono makes his own planet of music that connects from dot to dot.  A beautiful reissue from Light in the Attic, with a great interview in English with Hosono as an additional plus to the whole package. 

Ennio Morricone with Joan Baez - "Sacco & Vanzetti" OST, LP, Album, 1971 (RCA)

An incredible score by Ennio Morricone with substantial assistance from Joan Baez on the theme song "Here's To You" as well on Part 1,2, and 3 of "The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti."  This is an album that is both lush with full orchestration as well as electronics and effects, from various members of Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza, the free-form experimental band that consists of Morricone as well as a few of the musicians here Walter Bianchi, Gastone Chiarini with the vocal group I Contori Moderni arranged by Alessandroni.

I have never seen "Sacco & Vanzetti" so I can't comment on how the music is used in the film, but the album is very consistent with the music sung by Joan Baez (who also wrote the lyrics) and the experimental pieces.   I never heard Baez sing in such a modern or borderline avant-garde format, which reminds me of when Bryan Ferry or David Sylvian sings over electronic abstract mood music.  "The Electric Chair" with Sinket played by Walter Bianchi is a sound that one can imagine will go with the executioner's 'hot' chair.   There is a sense of sadness that runs through the album, and the relationship between the 'pop' "Here's To You" mixed in with something like "Electric Chair" is a startling exploration between the melody and ambient sounds.

The Weirdos - "Destroy All Music" Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Green Vinyl, 2007 (Bomp)

Being a music fan in Los Angeles in the late 1970s was a lot of fun.  At the time we had DEVO, The Screamers, X, LAFMS, and a variety of other artists doing recordings and shows.  My favorite band was The Screamers, and perhaps because they are the most 'rare' of those bands, in that they never released a proper studio recording.  As a live show, they were as great as great can be.  Another band that I enjoyed live was The Weirdos.  I'm not sure of where they came from.  At one time I thought or heard that they were from Cal-Arts, but I'm not too sure about that.  They had a strong visual sensibility, not unlike The Screamers, but more rooted in the tradition of rock n' roll.  To me, they weren't really a "Punk" band, but a well-crafted band who could write songs, and this album clearly shows that aspect of their work/talent. 

"Destroy All Music" is a compilation of recordings that The Weirdos made in the late 1970s.  The first side consists of demos, and "Destroy All Music" EP, and side two is their fantastic "Who? What? When? Where? Why?" six-song 12" EP.   I like side one, but it's side two that shows off the strength of The Weirdos.  I suspect that they shared an aesthetic and love of music with the British band Clash, especially on their first album.  It's rootsy but with classic songwriting touches, I think mostly due to the talent and skill of Cliff Roman with the brothers Dix and John Denney.  The Weirdos are not as brilliant as The Screamers or DEVO (at their height in the mid-70s), but they can deliver a classic garage rock sound that is very much of that era.   "Who? What? When? Where? Why?" is very much wonderful in its recording, and it is a series of moments that showed promise and even perfection. 

Gérard Manset - "Le Train du Soir" Vinyl, LP, Album, France, 1981 (EMI)

I know almost nothing about Gérard Manset, except that he's French, songwriter, artist/photographer and made some remarkable music.   I discovered him during the heights of music being on the Internet, and one could download songs/albums on various collector's websites.  I made a note to myself that I should find myself a hard copy of Manset's "Le Train du Soir" as soon as possible. It took me five years, but I found a used vinyl copy in Paris, and I think it's a remarkable album. 

People find it hard to believe, but I don't know the French language except for specific words and a general over-all menu in a cafe.  Still, I have a life-long fascination with anything French, especially literature and cinema.  French pop music was a recent discovery, perhaps 20 years ago when I came upon Serge Gainsbourg. That opened up a whole avenue of artists for me to explore and purchase for the next decade or so.  Still, even in those terms, Gérard Manset is an unknown figure outside of the French-speaking world. 

I get the impression that he's very independent minded, and is skilled as an arranger and musician.  I know he has worked with massive orchestrations on previous and future albums from "Le Train du Soir."  What makes this record so good are the songs, and although they were recorded in 1981, it sounds very 70s to me.  It also reminds me of studio minded artists like Emit Rhoades or Nillson in that there's a great deal of songcraft that goes in his work.  This is without a doubt a rock album, but it is such an album that has music history attached to its presence. 

Not knowing the language thoroughly, I'm sure there is the context within the music that is beyond my knowledge, still, on a listening experience, it's an excellent way of spending 40 minutes or so. There are six songs, including the 12-minute length of "Marchand de Rêves (Dream Merchant)," which is a series of melodies that fit in the song itself.  My favorite cut on the album is "Les Loups (Wolves)" which is a perfect build-up of melody and passion.   I'm frustrated that there seems to be no information in English about this unique artist, but alas, give me time. 

Morrissey - "This is Morrissey" Vinyl, LP, Compilation, 2018 (Parlophone/Regal)

This is the Morrissey I love.   Not the guy who is giving opinions out like he's a Donald Trump, but the brilliant songwriter, performer, and quite aware of recorded music history.  "This is Morrissey" is a new compilation of music of his the late solo 1980s/early 1990s material.  Seeing this album, I know there are traces of the great wit/artist that is still with us.  As if one who either reads Discogs as a narrative or is a fan of Morrissey, there are a lot of compilations of his music out in the market.  On one level, and on a surface one at that, it seems he floods the market of releases perhaps for the financial stake in doing so.  Which may be true, but it is also the aesthetic of Morrissey to do a compilation album like this.

The label, Regal is very old school compilation where they released music by an artist, and usually not expensive to purchase on a consumer front.  "This is Morrissey, just cost me under $20, and the selection of his music is excellent.  I'm not sure if Morrissey himself selected the songs/tracks or someone from his record label/management, but whoever did an excellent job.  The key tracks to purchase "This is Morrissey" is the Ron Mael/Russell  Mael remix of "Suedehead," which is really the bastard child of Sparks and Morrissey. It's already a beautiful song, but Ron and Russell give it another dimension, and in their mix, they make it into a Sparks piece - but still in spirit, very much of Morrissey.  It is one of the great re-mix recordings, just because it's not a DJ overshadowing the artist, but another artist's approach to something that is already fantastic. It is never meant to replace the original.  The other great song here is "Whatever Happens, I Love You," which initially was on another compilation album, and I'm not sure if it was ever released as a single, or b-side, but it is one of the Morrissey classics.  Beautiful production, and just a wonderful Alain Whyte collaboration with the singer. 

Morrissey's brilliance is not always just the music.  His witty appreciation for the practices of record labels from the 1960s and so forth is very much honored here with this release.  It's Morrissey looking back at his past, and his habitual record buying practices.  So yes, one may have these songs in different formats, but I feel Morrissey is sincere in that he wants to present these collections as an art object, or a work to be admired or thought of in such manner. Even the liner notes which are in French shows an absolute love for the medium.  And this is the Morrissey I love.  

Canned Heat - "On The Road Again" b/w "Time Was" 7" 45 rpm Single, 1968 (United Artists Records)

I spent my late childhood and teenage years in Topanga Canyon, and one of the bands that were attracted to that area of the world was Canned Heat.  On one level, a blues band that had a student like obsession with the blues and its culture.  Then again, a song like "On The Road Again," mainly written by founding member Alan (Al) Wilson, who wasn't usually their lead singer, and based on a blues song by Floyd Jones.  It's a stunning and extraordinary record.

For one, it's a very intimate and almost a quiet recording.  Wilson's vocals are closed mike and its eerie in its sound of loneliness and despair.  A happy-go-lucky its ain't.  The other unique aspect of the song is that there is something like a drone string instrument that runs through the entire song.  Researching the record, I found its a tambura, which is an instrument from Central Asia.  It seems that the original version by Floyd Jones also had a drone sounding instrument on his release as well.

Minimal arrangement plus the drone is an interesting relationship within the song, and also its depressive tone makes "On The Road Again" a very unique record of its time and place.  Alan Wilson died a few years later in Topanga Canyon, where they found his body in a sleeping bag by a tree outside his home.

Joe Cocker - "Marjorine" b/w "New Age of the Lily" 45 rpm Single, 1968 (A&M)

Joe Cocker, the Britsh rhythm n' blues singer, who is an iconic figure in the rock n' roll world of the late 1960s and early 1970s also made a classic pop record as well.   "Marjorine" was my favorite cut on Cocker's first album "With a Little Help From My Friends."  I bought the album because the cover photo of Cocker was cool, and as a teenager into the product, I also liked the fact that famous musicians played on this album.  The range of talent is amazing, and I remember listening to the album, to notice the difference between Jimmy Page and Albert Lee on "Marjorine."  Throughout the album, you had musicians such as Tony Visconti, Carol Kaye (grand studio bassist), B.J. Wilson & Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum,  Steve Winwood,  and my favorite rock n' roll drummer Clem Cattini.  How can this album fail?

"With A Little Help From My Friends" is one of the first 'superstar' players on one album, that marketed itself in a fashion, where one is aware of the backing musicians behind Cocker. Also, this first album has many great versions of incredible songs, and the choices that were made were wise and totally practical in Cocker's manner and voice.   Still, the one song that impressed me the most was "Marjorine" which is a song co-written by Cocker.  It stands out compared to the rest of the album, because for one it is an original song, in an album of mostly covers, and those songs I was already familiar with, especially "Bye Bye Blackbird" (classic American songbook material), and "Feeling Alright" by Dave Mason when he was in Traffic.  Still, "Marjorine" had its own power, in that it's a beautiful melody, but performed with vigor by Cocker's voice, and the duo guitars of Page and Lee. Beautifully produced by  Denny Cordell. It's shocking to me that this song was not a radio hit of the time of its released.  I'm thrilled that I found this 45 rpm single in Rockaway Records here in Silver Lake.