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. 

Lewis Furey - "The Humours of :" CD, Album, Reissue, Japan, 1976/1990 (A&M)

This French Canadian (now living in Paris) is an amazing talent and songwriter.  I had the vinyl back in 1976 but lost it through the ages.  This is his second album and although the material is basically the same, the production by Roy Thomas Baker is huge.  Huge as in over-production, and treating the songs here as Broadway tunes.  The first album by Lewis Furey is quieter, yet theatrical, but in an off-Broadway manner or in a small theater.   

Furey reminds me a bit of John Cale's solo recordings with a mixture of early Lou Reed.  Furey's songs tend to have street life tattooed on his aesthetic, but with a Bertolt Brecht distance and one gets the feeling he's writing a narrative than saying something out of his personal life.  It's interesting that I found the first and second album in Tokyo in the 1990s  At the time it seems that A&M released all their 1970s titles into the CD format for the first time.  It was like going to Tower Records in the 70s.  

I love Furey's music.  Although I do have a problem with the production, it still is a fantastic album.   The way "Cop's Ballet" emerges into   "Rubber Gun Show" is a great opening for an album/CD.  The songs are all catchy, and again, I suspect Furey is writing a musical, although I don't feel there is a running narration, it still feels like a Broadway or big budget show.   CD is very difficult to find, but the vinyl comes up once in every little while.  Get it.