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. 

Donovan - "Barabajagal" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1969 (Epic)

A very good, but not classic Donovan album.  "Barabajagal" is Donovan at his most hippie twee, with songs like "Happiness Runs" and "I Love My Shirt."  And even "Atlantis," still, there is really no such thing as a bad Donovan song or performance.  There is the image of Donovan as the universal folkie turned flower child, which is true.  On the flip of the other side of the coin is that Donovan is a brilliant stylist/singer who brings jazzy overtures to his melodies and arrangements.  Mickie Most produced the classic Donovan sides (like this album), but I'm never sure what Most brings to the sonic table to a Donovan session.  Most is/was comfortable working with the Jeff Beck Group (who back Donovan on two songs on this album) and Terry Reid at the time who had a "heavy" sound.  

One of my favorite Donovan songs is on this album, and it's "To Susan Waiting on the West Coast."   A tune about a soldier in Vietnam writing to his girl back home.   Simple narrative but Donovan can bring out the pathos with his overly British twee-Jazz, that works brilliantly with this song.  I'm also a fan of "Superlungs My Supergirl."  Terry Reid also did a fantastic cover of this song around the same time this album was released - again, the Mickie Most connection.   Beck and gang back Donovan on the title cut, and clearly the Beck aesthetic on guitar is very prominent on "Barabajagal."  He's riffing like crazy under the mix of rhythm and the backup singers.   Although not individually credited, I imagine Nicky Hopkins is on the album.  The piano playing is superb throughout the disc, and the only song besides the Beck group (none of the musicians besides Beck is clearly credited) is the song "Where Is She," with session great Alan Hawkshaw on piano.  The rest I think is Hopkins.  

In real time, I bought the Donovan albums when they originally released. This was the last Donovan album for me.  Perhaps due to the marketing of that time, or me moving on to my teenage years, I gave up on Donovan.  It wasn't until recently that I started to pick up on Donovan's great Epic albums to provide them with that serious re-listen.  I'm now a bigger fan of his work, looking back on material that is of course, charming, but also has elements and textures that was very much present in the late 1960s - the acceptance of music from other cultures.  In that sense, Donovan was or is a great traveler. 

Rolling Stones - "Beggars Banquet" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1968 (London)

I would think most people will think of "Beggars Banquet" as the classic Rolling Stones album, but to me, it's not as good as their previous albums.   "Sympathy for the Devil" is incredible, as well as "Street Fighting Man" (as a record, but as commentary?) and "Jig-Saw Puzzle" as well as "Salt of the Earth" are pretty fantastic as well.   This is the first album produced by Jimmy Miller after Andrew Loog Oldham left the Stones world.   A good solid record producer, but doesn't add the usual drama of a Stones recording, except for the opening epic "Sympathy for the Devil."  After that, I feel the Stones are mirroring their rhythm and blues angle, but not with the same conviction and passion of their early recordings.  Not a bad album by any means or imagination, but I wish there were a tad more of the Brian Jones magic within the grooves. Also lyrically, besides the songs I mentioned already, the rest of the tunes are slight with no great insight or observation sensibility.  On the other hand, Nicky Hopkins does fantastic piano throughout the album.