Vanilla Fudge - "Vanilla Fudge" Vinyl, Album, LP, 1967 (ATCO)

A very popular album when I was a young teenager.  I think every other teenager in Topanga Canyon and the San Fernando Valley had a copy of Vanilla Fudge.  I didn't hate them but was very suspicious of them.  For one, it didn't seem that they wrote any of their songs and there is also an icky aspect to them, that I couldn't put my finger on.  On the other hand, I did have admiration for the album cover art.  It seems like a French cartoon, then an album cover for a NY band.  So, very much in my youth, although my friends had this album, I avoided it like it was the plague.  It struck me as being too straight, and almost Squaresville.  Not until I was in my mid-60s did I purchased a used version of this childhood product. 

What drew me to Vanilla Fudge is Shadow Morton.  I have always loved his work with the remarkable Shangri-Las and he produced the second New York Dolls album, which I like a lot.  So, therefore, and since he produced the Vanilla Fudge, there must be some worth to this album. The way it's packaged it seems to be a statement by Mortan than Vanilla Fudge.  For whom by the way, also had the worse name for a band ever in my existence. Still, side-one is like a novella, in that each song or track fits into the next one.  The Zombies "She's Not There," merges into Sonny Bono's "Bang Bang," which done by The Fudge seems to be the ultimate Existential moment. 

It dawned on me by the time I finished hearing this album, that it is a masterpiece, and somehow through my snobbish youth, I totally missed the drama that is built in this recording.  Heavy on the beat and the organ, this is not garage rock, but almost an operatic practice in doing pop music. In my youth I didn't get it (although everyone else around me got it); this is music that truly reflects the San Fernando Valley in 1967. 

Buffalo Springfield - "Buffalo Springfield" Vinyl, Mono, Album, 1967 (ATCO Records)

Buffalo Springfield had so many pluses that it eventually erased what's good about the band and left the drab, which turned into disappointment. The solid songs mostly by Steve Stills and Neil Young, as well as Richie Furay's contributions,  is almost too good. Their first album "Buffalo Springfield" is my favorite among the three releases. For one, here they were focused and produced by one team: Brian Stone and Charles Greene. Those two worked with Sonny & Cher, as well as other acts on the label ATCO. I also believed they were the managers of Springfield as well. Still, the consistency is important, but on the negative side, their production is wimpy. I suspect Buffalo Springfield on the stage were guitar lunatics, and due to the egos of Stills and Young, probably a battle of the bands, even though they were in the same group. That's the problem with their next two releases where the sense of a band falling apart, and becoming various solo recordings, made the music limp. There are highlights throughout their existence, but I have always had the feeling that they could have been better in the recording studio. It's a shame that Jack Nitzsche didn't produce or arrange all the songs. He would have been a perfect producer for this band.

Having Richie Furay singing most of the material was a good idea at the time. His voice is heavenly clear, and although Stills and Young do have a 'sound' in their distinctive vocals, they come nowhere to the technical excellence of Furay's approach to the vocal. Again, I find the recording of this album very thin, and the production doesn't serve the masterful playing of the band. I feel that they are too contained in the format that's the studio.  For 50 something years, this album has been in and out of my record collection. I finally found a vintage mono edition, and still, not satisfied with the sound. Almost there, and you can even taste it, but still a distance. 

Chris Andrews - "Yesterday Man" b/w "Too Bad You Don't Want Me" 45 rpm 7" Single, 1965 (Atco)

Chris Andrews is a bit of a mystery to me.  I first came upon his name when I look at the credits for Sandie Shaw songs during the early 1960s.  He wrote all her major hits, and I'm a fan of her work.  The second time I became aware of this songwriter's talent was when I heard Robert Wyatt's 1973 version of "Yesterday Man," which is one of my favorite Wyatt recordings.   Chris Andrews wrote that song as well, and I think it's the best I have heard of his songwriting.  

Wyatt's version is slow, mournful, with a touch of regret and of course, romantic angst.  Chris Andrews recorded his own version of the song in 1965 and of course, it's upbeat with a strong Ska rhythm going through it, but the chorus has that Sandie Shaw sound.  It's particular talent of Andrews to add a clatter of vocals that are busy and frantic at the same time.  I like his approach to his song.  If I have to choose between the two, it would be the Wyatt version, just because he can milk the pathos deeply and profoundly.  Yet there is something sinister in the happy-go-lucky Andrews conveying the fact that he is genuinely a Yesterday Man in some woman's life.  In other words, a great tune. 

Cream - "Goodbye" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1969 (ATCO Records)

Cream at its most magnificent and at its worse.  To get to the bad part of Cream, for me, it's their live recordings.  All on side one, "I'm So Glad" "Sitting on Top of The World" and "Politician."  Three fantastic songs, but overplayed and way too long.  When I hear recordings of Cream playing live, it seems like it's a miracle that they know when or how to end the song.  On the flip side, their studio recordings are tight, well-arranged, and always a trace of exotic touches, such as Jack Bruce's cello playing - and then there is his magnificent voice.  "Doing That Scrapyard Thing" is a brilliant Bruce and Peter Brown song.  A magnificent pop record.  The other surprise is Ginger Baker's song contributions.  "What A Bringdown" is also a snappy and great pop tune.  Clapton with the assistance of the mysterious George Harrison comes up with "Badge," of the better Eric songs. Still, it doesn't compare to the Bruce and Ginger contribution.  Eric is a technically great guitarist, but I always felt he was the one that could leave the band, and they can find someone better.  If they had Chris Spedding - now that would make the Cream engine go-go.   The studio sides also had the talent of  Felix Pappalardi, who had the light touch, but with the arrangements that were usually fantastic. 

Buffalo Springfield - "Buffalo Springfield" 2 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, 1973 (Atco)

The one word that comes to my mind when I hear the name "Buffalo Springfield" is frustration.  This is a band that should have gone to a higher level of greatness, but I suspect ego got in the way of the direction to go upwards.   Still, they left three albums that are very good, but this compilation of those three records are the best introduction to the Buffalo Springfield world.  

The beauty of the band was the perfect set-up or relationship between the dueling lead guitars of Steve Stills and Neil Young, and Richie Furay's superb vocals and rhythm guitar.  With the soul/Stax drumming of Dewey Martin, and who I suspect is the real star of the group, Bruce Palmer on bass.  Part of the sadness I feel is that this is a band that lost an opportunity of making a permanent presence on the stage.  What I have seen from one clip of them playing live on TV, is incredible.   The tension between the players reminds me of the original set-up of Television with Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd.  All play guitars, but at times it seems that they were having a communication between themselves, and us listeners were allowed to listen in.    The fact that Stills/Young tried to do something with the Springfield, and then with the terrible CSNY, and then the Stills/Young album/tour, well, I guess they tried.  The fact is these were two different type of musicians/songwriters, and I think they genuinely needed each other, to make their work more consistent and robust.   I'm not a fan of solo Neil or solo Stills, but when they combine their talents in Buffalo Springfield, it was magnificent.  The sad thing is that there is no film footage of them on stage, and worse, no live recordings.   Just hearing the extended version of Stills' "Bluebird" is fantastic.   One of the great guitar rave-ups in recorded history!

The band playing together was equal, but again, I think their recordings are a hit and miss.  The first album, produced by Greene and Stone, miss the intensity of the songs and their performance.  Still, "Mr. Soul" and "For What's it's Worth" are amazing records.  The other secret weapon is Richie Furay, who is an incredible singer.   Both in harmony and lead vocals.   And there should have been a full-use of the genius Jack Nitzsche, for instance, he should have arranged the entire works of Buffalo Springfield, not only on the Neil stuff but all the other material as well.   After the first album, it became a situation where each band member produced his composition and so forth.   So in a sense, you have a series of solo recordings within the Buffalo Springfield landscape.   

Buffalo Springfield was a super band, but due to its character, it burned itself out before doing something incredible.   This double compilation album is pretty great.  Still, I feel that there was more work to be done.  The story is not over yet. 

Roxy Music - "Manifesto" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1979 (ATCO)

I think of Roxy Music in two stages.   Their first five albums are to me, the complete circle of that band.  After those five albums, the band kind of broke-up to focus on solo music.  Ferry at that time was still doing albums that were half original and the other half covers.  "In Your Mind" was the only Ferry album at that time where it was all original songs, written by Bryan.   Still, the truth is even the covers he did was a personal or even original statement by Ferry.   A cover is a cover unless it was done by Bryan Ferry and then it means something else.  "Manifesto" was the first Roxy Music album after they split up.  There's a four-year wait between "Siren" and "Manifesto."  There was a lot of activity in those four years by Ferry and company away from the Roxy Music world. What's interesting about this 'good' album is that it has nothing more to say. 

"Manifesto" is more about the craft of good songwriting and recording than inspiration. Emotionally, the songs sound post-depression has taken place.  It's interesting that this once radical band puts out an album in 1979, where there was a great landscape for the post-punk music world.  The title song "Manifesto" touches on that era music-wise but lyrically is rather dry.  

"Manifesto" is a very good album, but compared to the high standards of the first five Roxy albums, it's not that important of a work.  Still, commercially it did wonders for them through songs "Dance Away" and "Angel Eyes."  Those two are perfectly written pop, but sounds empty compared to something like "Virginia Plain."   For one, Ferry is now at this point writing very literal lyrics expressing sadness, romance, and so forth.   The surreal brutality of "Every Dream Home a Heartache" has been replaced by lyrics like :  

"Yesterday, when it seemed so cool

When I walked you home, kissed goodnight

I said, "It's love", you said, "Alright"

It's funny how, I could never cry

Until tonight, when you pass by

Hand in hand with another guy

You're dressed to kill and guess who's dying"

("Dance Away" Bryan Ferry)

Compared to something like: 

"Throw me a line I'm sinking fast

Clutching at straws can't make it

Havana sound we're trying 

hard edge the hipster jiving

Last picture shows down the drive-in

You're so sheer you're so chic

Teenage rebel of the week

Flavours of the mountain steamline

Midnight blue casino floors

Dance the cha-cha through till sunrise

Open up exclusive doors oh wow!

Just like flamingos look the same

So me and you, just we two got to search for something new"

(Virginia Plain" Bryan Ferry)

This is not bad Ferry writing, but a difference has taken place.  One can look at it as a maturity, but to me, I see it more of a convention or normalizing his world of writing.   The music also loses its innovative edge.  The arrangements are straightforward and to the point.  Still, the album is a delight on its own terms.  This is the first Roxy Music album that was self-produced by the band.  Manzanera is still a guitar demon on the album, and Mackay's Oboe and sax playing is textural and adds a lot to the mix.  The disappointment, especially if one is a long-term fan of Roxy Music that this could have been a better album.  At the same time, there is a seduction of Ferry's voice, which he can sing the alphabet if he wanted to,  and it can bring significant meaning to those letters.  That aspect of Ferry and company never fails.  Perhaps they looked at "Manifesto" as an experimentation to make a commercial album?   The technique is there, but not the spirit.