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Highlighting in album tracklistings denotes 'contains Mellotron'. On 'multi-part' tracks I've tried to indicate which parts contain 'Tron, although this isn't always possible.
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
The 'T' ('Tron, of course...) rating (0-5) is an only slightly more objective indicator of an album's Mellotronness.
By the way, if you know of any Mellotron albums that aren't listed here, please look at my albums page first! Thanks.
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Mike Dickson Dido I Dik Dik Dillinger |
Dionne Brégent Discipline Dinosaur Jr Dissociatives |
Divæ Djam Karet Melanie Doane |
Allen Dobb Fritz Doddy Donovan |
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Six Consequences (2007, 66.31) ****/TTTTT |
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| Consequences (White) The Hammer Looks Back (for Milan) Consequences (Orange) Vulture Consequences (Violet) Stroke #2 Consequences (Ultramarine) Trois Gymnopedies I |
Trois Gymnopedies II Trois Gymnopedies III Consequences (Sienna) Codetalking Consequences (Black) Vortex |
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Domus (2007, 56.56) ***½/TT½Cranmillion (Elle est la Fée Verte)For a Brief Second Time Just Stood Still Metamorphosis I Metamorphosis II Metamorphosis III Metamorphosis IV Shutter on the Scene Serendip |
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Honfleur: The Music of Erik Satie (2008, 64.33) ****/TTT½ |
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| Gnossiennes No.1 Gnossiennes No.2 Gnossiennes No.3 Gnossiennes No.4 Gnossiennes No.5 Gnossiennes No.6 Trois Gymnopedies I Trois Gymnopedies II Trois Gymnopedies III |
Ogives No.1 Ogives No.2 Ogives No.3 Ogives No.4 Sarabandes No.1 Sarabandes No.2 Sarabandes No.3 Vexations |
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Mike Dickson is the British (OK, Scottish) member of international electronic/world/prog trio Systems Theory, and its sole Mellotron owner, not to mention 'official cynic' of Streetly Electronics, a.k.a. Martin Smith and John Bradley. These three albums were produced in a burst of creativity in the mid-2000s and made available for absolutely sod-all by Mike, so the least you can do is download them for yourself.
The earliest in the series, Six Consequences, is a mixture of works-in-progress for the fourth Systems Theory album, other bits'n'pieces and Mike's interpretations of Erik Satie's infamous Gymnopedies. The six Consequences tracks of the title are all exceedingly brief (30-odd seconds, on average), and grew out of Mike's idea for a series of short pieces to be worked on by all three members of Systems Theory, with the intention of joining them together when they were complete. As he couldn't find a way to make that work, he's used them as linking pieces here, although the abrupt beginnings to some of them (notably the first, Consequences (White)) can be slightly startling. The longer pieces veer between 'standard' electronic (you know, sounds like The Tangs) through to techno-influenced closer Vortex, with its distorted synths and weird percussion. The album's most unusual tracks have to be the Satie pieces, though. You think you don't know them? You do. They've been used in adverts and as TV background music since at least the '70s, cheapening them considerably in the process, but hey, that's the modern world, right? Mike's Mellotron-heavy arrangements for them are quite beautiful, proving that rearrangements of familiar pieces can sometimes make you listen to them with fresh ears.
Anyway, you want to know about the Mellotron, don't you? Mike owns an M400 with multiple tape frames, and uses it on every damn' track here, not just the 'standard' strings/flutes/choirs (although there's plenty of them to be heard), but chamber woodwinds, oboe, church organ, brass, cor anglais and several variants on familiar sounds, not to mention a couple of brief snippets of MkII accompaniments. Highlights are hard to pinpoint, although the choirs on Vortex are clear as a bell (nothing like my worn old tapes, then), and some of the woodwind parts, although quiet, are quite haunting.
Mike describes his follow-up, Domus, as 'sparse and restrained', in which he is absolutely correct. The album is based around its four centre-piece tracks, Philip Glass' Metamorphosis I-IV, and Dickson's own material is, quite knowingly, influenced by Glass, even if it turns out somewhat differently. Maybe surprisingly, it isn't until Metamorphosis IV that you can actually tell they're Glass pieces, although whether that's down to the original composition of the first three parts or Dickson's arrangements is unknown. Overall, this is far more laid-back than Six Consequences, although that was always going to be the case. In keeping with Mike's minimalist approach, there's far less Mellotron here than on its predecessor. Very clear choirs on the three highlighted parts of Metamorphosis, and far more muted ones on opener Cranmillion (Elle Est La Fée Verte), making a very marked difference from the multiple parts and sounds on Six Consequences.
A mere few months later, and Dickson's at it again; Honfleur: The Music of Erik Satie is Mike's interpretations of, er, Satie, this time a whole album's-worth, reiterating the Trois Gymnopedies from Six Consequences for the sake of completeness. Do they work, rearranged? 'Course they do; music this simple (which isn't to say it isn't complex - work that one out) lends itself to reinterpretation perfectly, probably due to the spaces left in the original scores. Now, I won't pretend I know all these works well, or indeed at all in some cases, which may be to my advantage as a reviewer; since I'm sure Mike has recorded only the notes on the score, the genius lies in the instrumental combinations used, although, of course, he's not the first to orchestrate Satie, as Debussy got there slightly earlier. All tracks work well, although the highlight for me is the grandiose Ogives No.2, which I'm sure Mike will be horrified to read put me in Prog Heaven for a few minutes (watch him remove the track from his website pronto). By and large, more subtle 'Tron use here, with faint (and very Genesis) choirs on Ogives No.1, although the strings and choirs on No.2 are vast, contributing to its status as Thompson's Favourite Track. Apart from the previously-reviewed Gymnopedies, Mike's other 'Tron use here seems to be fairly background strings and choir, leaving Six Consequences as his undisputed Mellotron Album. So far...
Since Mike's giving these away, you'd be foolish not to take him up on his offer, as they're excellent both musically and Mellotronically, not to mention a plethora of other instruments Mike seems to have mastered, including celeste, harp and various percussives. Normally I'd say 'buy', but in this case it's... Download! Incidentally, the reason these reviews are here and not on the Unreleased page is that, er, they're not actually unreleased per se. They might be downloads, but as long as Mike chooses to keep them on his site, they'll stay here.
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No Angel (1999, 52.00) ***/T |
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| Here with Me Hunter Don't Think of Me My Lover's Gone All You Want Thankyou Honestly OK Slide |
Isobel I'm No Angel My Life Take My Hand |
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Vaguely interesting fact about Dido Armstrong: she's the sister of Rollo Armstrong (what was it with names in that family?) of Faithless, and she was 'discovered' after singing backing vocals on their Sunday 8pm opus. Almost certainly entirely uninteresting fact about Dido Armstrong: she went to school with my sister, and the 'mockney' accent she affects in interviews is entirely fake; on the scale of 'common' to 'dead posh', she's an awful lot nearer the latter than the former. So there you go.
I can't pretend I'm over-keen on this sort of stuff, to be brutally honest. I've got (overwhelmingly female) friends who love it to bits, but to my ears No Angel is simply thirty-somethings dinner party music; this generation's Carly Simon, if you like. Many of the songs explore the theme of lost love, which probably explains much of the album's popularity, so that'll be dinner parties and bedsitters then. The oh-so-modern programming will date it horribly within a few years, but then if Ms. Armstrong plays her cards right (and has a helping hand from Lady Luck), she'll have moved into different areas by then, and can re-record the best material acoustically, or something. Dido's voice is reasonably strong, and unusually high in the mix, with little reverb, giving an intimate feel that I'm sure has helped her rise to prominence (twelve million and counting, isn't it?). I am being slightly unfair, though. Or am I? My Lover's Gone has a genuinely desolate feel to it, until it's spoiled by more of that bloody programmed percussion. Why? Just leave the damn' songs alone, for God's sake...
No Angel's produced by a whole slew of different people, including Rick Nowels, who plays 'Chamberline' on two tracks. Notoriously difficult to spot, especially in a dense mix; I can definitely hear strings on Hunter, but I'm less sure whether the cellos and flutes on All You Want are Chamberlin or not. I suspect I'd find this album more palatable without all the irritating 'contemporary' production tricks, but I would appear to be in a minority on this one (again). If Dido ever chooses to re-record some of these songs more organically, I might feel inclined to give them a better listen. Until then...
Third semi-interesting fact about this album: I see a couple of tracks are co-written with a certain 'P. Gabriel'. I've now been assured that this is actually Belgian Pascal Gabriel, and nothing to do with the esteemed Peter (thanks, Kallie), which just goes to prove that I should do my research more thoroughly.
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Suite Per Una Donna Assolutamente Relativa (1972, 40.55) ***½/TT |
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| Donna Paesaggio Il Viso Il Cuore Intermezzo La Cattedrale dell'Amore Le Gambe Suite Relativa Monti e Valli |
I Sogni La Notte Sintesi |
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I Dik Dik are yet another of the legions of early-'70s progressive bands in Italy, many of who released just one or maybe two poorly-selling albums. Like many others, they came from the '60s beat scene, later descending back into commercialism, leaving (deep breath) Suite Per Una Donna Assolutamente Relativa as their sole progressive legacy. It appears to be a concept album, although I've no idea what the concept may actually be; whether the cleaning lady (Donna?) on the cover is involved can only be a matter for conjecture, until someone enlightens me. The music is the usual highly melodic, keyboard-driven prog, probably somewhere in the middle of the quality range, so 'good, without being outstanding'.
Difficult to say precisely, but I believe the Mellotron was played by longstanding keys man Mario Totaro (or Todaro?); sounds like a MkII, though it's hard to tell. Mostly, he used it for background strings, though there's a 'Tron flute intro on Il Cuore, and a more upfront strings part on La Cattedrale Dell'Amore, although it has to be said, some of the string parts sound more like a string section than a Mellotron.
Anyway, yet another entrant in the 'good early-'70s Italian prog' stakes, loosely comparable to Latte e Miele, say, rather than the further out-there antics of Osanna et al. Worth hearing, though the 'Tron work rarely rises above 'ordinary'.
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Don't Lie to the Band (1976, 44.38) ***/T½Two Time LoveTaxman It's Not All Mine Munchkin Men You Lied Robot Race Coming Home Bumpadidilly |
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I don't know if Dillinger suffered comparisons with the contemporaneous reggae singer, but I've always confused them with Derringer, although the names aren't that similar. Their eponymous debut album sounds like it could be quite interesting, featuring a side-long piece, but their second and last effort, Don't Lie to the Band, despite frequently being referred to as 'progressive', is a rather middling, straightforward rock album with only slight progressive leanings. The best tracks tend to be the longest (big surprise there), with top marks going to Munchkin Men, despite the rather unfortunate 'Munchkin chorus' that crops up halfway through, and Coming Home.
Vocalist/keys man Jacques Harrison adds Mellotron to a handful of tracks, with not especially forceful string parts on their cover of Spooky Tooth's Two Time Love, Munchkin Men and Coming Home, plus cellos on the latter. Overall, an OK album, but is 'OK' good enough? With so much great music out there, you probably don't need to put this too high on your 'wants' list. Incidentally, the band eventually morphed into hard rock crew The Hunt, although no members played on their 'Mellotron Album', Back on the Hunt.
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Deux (1977, 47.49) ****/T½ |
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| Ouverture Le Prohète: Suite Fraternelle Dans la Mémoire du Temps Évocation de Rê Léthargie Chant Fraternel Danse Françoyse Gratte-Ciel Polyphonique/Postlude Campus Transit-Express |
[CD adds: Nr.9 Zyklus - Für einen Schlagzeuger Fil de Terre] |
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Michel-Georges Brégent formed a duo with his brother, Jacques, in the early '70s, releasing one album, Poussières des Regrets, before teaming up with percussionist Vincent Dionne, releasing two albums, 1976's schizophrenic but brilliant Et le Troisième Jour (****) and the following year's Deux. Online reviewers seem to rate the former over the latter, which only goes to prove the old adage, 'horses for courses'; Et le Troisième Jour is nearer the avant-garde, while Deux is nearer to the progressive/electronic mainstream, such as it is. The near-side long Le Prohète: Suite Fraternelle is a beautiful piece, moving through several sections, combining keyboards and percussion in a quite unique way, making the duo difficult to compare to anybody else, while Campus and Transit-Express (also the name of a French fusion outfit of the time, so there may be a connection) are more energetic, with a jazz influence on the latter. The 2006 CD adds two bonus tracks, a Stockhausen percussion piece, Nr.9 Zyklus, and the truly excellent Fil De Terre, which both appear to predate the duo's debut, but are worth hearing.
Brégent's Mellotron is fairly hard to spot, as the album's strings appear to be produced by something else, although I've no idea what. There are no string players credited, so maybe it's creative use of a string synth? Hard to say, unless it's extremely cunning synth programming (not an impossibility). Two parts of Le Prohète: Suite Fraternelle seem to feature the instrument, with cellos on Danse Françoyse and flutes on Gratte-Ciel Polyphonique, plus strings on side two's Campus, juxtaposed with a real string section, making me wonder about those 'Mellotron' cellos.
So; an inventive electronic/progressive album, most easily obtained alongside its predecessor on XXI-21's excellent 2-CD set, although hardly a 'Tron classic. Brégent made a second album with his brother in 1979, Pour Partir Ailleurs, also rumoured to contain 'Tron, although I haven't yet heard ProgQuébec's reissue. Sadly, he died in 1993, leaving Dionne to ensure that their work made it to CD, finally finding a worldwide audience in the process.
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Green Mind (1991, 41.33) ***½/TWagonPuke + Cry Flying Cloud How'd You Pin That One on Me Water Muck Thumb Green Mind Blowing it/I Live for That Look |
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Without a Sound (1994, 45.58) ***/½ |
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| Feel The Pain I Don't Think So Yeah Right Outta Hand Grab it Even You Mind Glow Get Out of This |
On the Brink Seemed Like the Thing to Do Over Your Shoulder |
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Green Mind was Dinosaur Jr's first album after the major schism within the band, with bassist Lou Barlow now history, and drummer Murph only making a minor contribution to the record. It was also their first for a major, but you could hardly accuse them of selling out as it kicks off with the furious Feel The Pain, mixing pop and punk in a way wholly different to then-new acts such as Green Day or The Offspring, but strangely rather akin to Hüsker Dü, already several years gone. Mellotron credited on two tracks, from Sean Slade, although whatever might be on Water is completely inaudible. Thumb is another matter, however... It opens with an unaccompanied 'Tron flute part, which then keeps up all the way through the song, mixed high enough to be clearly audible over the band. Marvellous!
'94's Without a Sound is, to my knowledge, Dinosaur's only other 'Tron record, and finds J. Mascis still channelling Neil Young. Not dissimilar to Green Mind, it's another set of melodic post-hardcore, although the then-prevalent grunge movement should have worked more to their advantage than it did. Its sole 'Tron track is the album's first ballad, Outta Hand, with some distant strings cropping up here and there, but it's far from essential, particularly when compared to Thumb.
So; if you're reading this, you probably already know what Dinosaur Jr sound like, and probably own these albums. For the rest of you, they're far more melodic than you might expect, but Green Mind's Thumb is the only 'Tron 'must have' here.
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Unfolded Like Staircase (1997, 64.54) ****½/TTT½ |
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| Canto IV (limbo) Crutches The Carrot The Silent Mirror Down the Hatch Crutches Into the Dream Descent Chock Full o'Guts |
Drawn and Quartered Clearing Stealing the Key Sum Music Turtles All the Way Down Before the Storm The Ocean The Storm Eden |
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The slightly cheekily-named Discipline's second album, Unfolded Like Staircase (it's a lyric quote, which doesn't make it any less odd) is an excellent piece of work, although the band seem to have gently slipped away since, sadly. It's a pot pourri of progressive styles, with the sax parts lending it a slightly Van der Graaf Generator air in places, and there's a constant King Crimson thing going on, although overall, it sounds more typically American than anything. Discipline were vocal/keyboard/sax/violin man Matthew Parmenter's band, so I've no idea how they managed to recreate this material live, although a more recent live album, Into the Dream... Discipline Live, proves that they could, and did.
Parmenter has confirmed that he used real 'Tron on the album, and it has to be said, he uses it with admirable taste and great restraint (there's next to none on Canto IV), although some of the more in-your-face parts include the end section of Crutches and the beginning of The Storm. I can't hear anything other than standard strings on the album, which seems slightly odd, as I'm sure the choirs would have worked in a few places, but that's obviously how he wanted it. I've heard a few people say they dislike this album, but unless you're totally stuck on '70s music from the '70s', I can't see how many progressive fans would have a problem with this. Highly recommended.
Incidentally, their first album, Push & Profit, contains a smattering of pseudo-'Tron that actually isn't at all, and is reviewed here.
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The Dissociatives (2004, 43.49) ***½/TTTTWe're Much Preferred CustomersSomewhere Down the Barrel Horror With Eyeballs Lifting the Veil From the Braille Forever and a Day Thinking in Reverse Paris, Circa 2007slash08 Young Man, Old Man (You Ain't Better Than the Rest) Aaängry Megaphone Man Sleep Well Tonight |
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The Dissociatives are a new Australian duo comprising Daniel Johns from the vastly popular Silverchair and Paul Mac, a late-period Silverchair collaborator and producer. Rather unsurprisingly, The Dissociatives sounds like a cross between Johns' 'guitar rock' (for want of a better phrase) and Mac's electronica input, making for a slightly schizophrenic, though not unpleasant record. It's actually quite eccentric in places, which has to be a good thing, as the entire music industry slowly suffocates under the weight of the identikit drivel it spews out at an unthinking public. Thinking In Reverse reminds me of the so-called 'new wave' from the end of the '70s, while Paris, Circa 2007slash08 (yes, it is spelt like that) is more like Air on steroids, but there isn't a single track here that offended me.
Whoever plays the Mellotron (presumably Mac) plays it well, and lots: the strings and flutes on Somewhere Down The Barrel are a warning shot across the bows, before the full-on, right at the front of the mix 'Tron on Horror With Eyeballs, not to mention the flute solo in Lifting The Veil From The Braille, and... Listen, this is loaded with Mellotron, which is far more than you'd ever normally expect of a new, 'pop' album. Result! And what's more, the key-click to be heard on many of the flute parts makes it almost certain that they're using a real machine, not copping out with the M-Tron or similar (modern prog outfits, TAKE NOTE!).
So; not exactly one for you progheads, but an interesting album, difficult to categorise. Loads of Mellotron, too, so if you're feeling adventurous... In the meantime, it appears that Silverchair haven't actually split up, so we can but hope that Johns and Mac decide to work together again in the future.
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Determinazione (1995, 62.47) ***/T |
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| E Con il Mattino Torneranno Gli Eroi Libero Robin Hood Gargantua Bestemmia Dio e Viene Trasformato nel Gigante di Pietra Posto a Guardia della Tana del Drago di Altomonte... Regina delle Fate Frammenti |
Determinazioni Oggettive? Determinazioni Suggestive! Vento Che Va Il Ritorno del Gigante Gentile Il Ritorno del Gigante Principessa Narda Il Tempio L'Ultima Battaglia Un Giorno, un Amico Addio Gigante |
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Divæ (or Divae) were a one-shot mid-'90s Italian progressive outfit who, although clearly influenced by various '70s bands, had trouble converting their influences into a whole album's-worth of strong material, sometimes slipping into duff neo-progisms. Given that Determinazione is over an hour long, they could easily have edited somewhat, ending up with a stronger record in the process, although the six-part, 12-minute closer Il Ritorno Del Gigante Gentile (the return of Gentle Giant...) is an unexpected treat, being probably the best thing here, even if it sounds nothing like Kerry and the boys. Opener E Con Il Mattino Torneranno Gli Eroi cheekily quotes from Grieg's Peer Gynt, and most tracks have at least something to recommend them, but overall, the album falls into an awkward '*** or ***½?' category, so I'll leave it where it is until/if it grows on me some more.
Enzo DiFrancesco was one of two keyboard players, not to mention the drummer, who chipped in as well, but DiFrancesco's the only one credited with Mellotron, although he didn't play it that much, with strings on Regina Delle Fate and Frammenti; the weak-as-water choirs that permeate the album sound like generic samples, and there are other string parts that could be 'Tron, though it seems unlikely. So; passable '90s prog, but excellent in comparison to some of the rubbish that Italy was throwing up at the time (Egoband, Theatre et al.); maybe I'm being a little harsh with my three stars? Not much 'Tron, anyway, so don't bother on that front. Oh, and if you're fussed, Lino Vairetti from Osanna and Gianni Leone from Il Balletto di Bronzo guest. Also oh, for what it's worth, track four is actually called (deep breath) Gargantua Bestemmia Dio E Viene Trasformato Nel Gigante Di Pietra Posto A Guardia Della Tana Del Drago Di Altomonte... Da Dove Il Suo Sguardo Scruta L'Orizzonte Per L'Eternità Sino Al Dorato Mare Di Sibari (!), and no, I've no idea what it means.
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The Devouring (1997, 71.13) ****/TT |
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| Night of the Mexican Goat Sucker Forbidden By Rule Lost, But Not Forgotten Lights Over Roswell Myth of a White Jesus The River of No Return Room 40 The Indian Problem |
The Pinzler Method Old Soldiers' Disease |
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New Dark Age (2001, 55.38) ****/T |
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| No Man's Land Eclipse of Faith Web of Medea Demon Train All Clear Raising Orpheus Kali's Indifference Alone With the River Man |
Going Home Eulogy |
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Djam Karet (pron. 'Jam Carray'), from California, formed at the beginning of the sterile '80s and immediately made their mark on a depressed progressive scene with their dynamic, forward-looking and inventive music. 1989's Reflections From the Firepool (****) was an early classic, while Suspension & Displacement (***½) ploughed a different furrow altogether, and Burning the Hard City (****) heads off at another tangent. All of which adds up to that rare thing (ironically, particularly within prog), an original, talented band with something new to say. I've never actually seen any pictures of the band's faces, although I'm sure plenty exist; they seem to prefer their witty take on anonymity (see below). There also seems to be some confusion as to the gender of guitarist Gayle Ellett, with a moronic 'writer' for UK mag Record Collector (who shall remain nameless, although his initials are T.J.) making idiotic sexist remarks about... a man. Dork.
As the band's career progressed, Ellett in particular began to take on more keyboard duties, often favouring analogue over digital, although the band refuse to allow themselves to become hidebound in this area (or any other as far as I can ascertain), playing whatever instruments are required by the piece in question. Never the most prolific outfit, The Devouring was only their third release of the '90s, and the first to feature Ellett on Mellotron, among many other devices acoustic, electric, analogue and digital. The album consists of ten lengthy compositions, all instrumental (did I mention the band are entirely instrumental?), full of involved guitar interplay, unusual instrumental juxtapositions and a healthy dose of real tunes (remember them?). It's difficult to pick out highlights on a first listen, although Forbidden By Rule is notable, and guest violinist Judy Garf on the no doubt ironic Lights Over Roswell certainly makes her mark.
Ellett restricts his (borrowed) Mellotron use to three tracks, although at least one other has an orchestral string pad that may just possibly have some 'Tron thrown into the mix. Forbidden By Rule and Lost, But Not Forgotten have fairly typical string parts, particularly strong on the latter, while closer Old Soldiers' Disease goes for strings, choir and flutes, mostly layered onto one short section of the piece.
Four years on, New Dark Age is generally more laid-back than its predecessor, although the compositional standard seems to be as high. As with much instrumental music, of course, there are fewer 'handles' for the listener, so consequently, an album may have to be played a greater number of times for the music to sink in, which adds up to: I'll be able to give this a better review when I've played it a few more times. Less of Ellett's 'Tron work this time round (the 'Tron, incidentally, being lent by Syn-Phonic's Greg Walker, who I believe bought it from Arthur Brown's one-time keyboard player Victor Peraino), so apart from a string line which is more likely to be a combination of samples and analogue strings, all I can hear is string and choir parts on Going Home.
So; Djam Karet deserve your attention, although those looking for 'trad' prog may be disappointed; this is at least a million miles away from the horrors of generic prog-metal, but the band aren't afraid to use riffing guitars when the music requires them. I've now heard six of their albums, all different to each other, and I can recommend all of them, which says something. As far as these two go, The Devouring is probably marginally better, and definitely more of a 'Tron album than New Dark Age, but for what it's worth, I'd say, buy 'em both anyway. By the way, a small mention for Djam Karet's cover art; when so many bands settle for a cheap'n'nasty effort that cost about a fiver to sling together, they obviously go out of their way to make an effort. It really isn't that difficult.
n.b. 2003's A Night for Baku can be found on the Sampledelica! page. The band have now bought a real M400, and have used it on their latest effort, 2005's Recollection Harvest/Indian Summer - review forthcoming.
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Shakespearean Fish (1996, 41.47) **/½ |
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| Tell You Stories All of Sunday Never Doubt I Love Forgive Me Saltwater Till I Start to Believe Babe in the Woods My Sister Sings |
God So Loved Silly Me Shakespearean Fish |
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Shakespearean Fish was Canadian Melanie Doane's second album, and I think the one word that describes it to a T is: smooth. That doesn't have to be an insult, but it is in this case. This really is bloody dullsville; she's at the exceedingly sappy end of the singer-songwriter spectrum, with one of those voices that could so easily tip over into Shania bloody Twain territory, not to mention her anodyne, gutless songs. Bedsitter/wetter stuff, I think.
Well, that was a bit vicious, wasn't it? Sorry, but this sort of stuff really gets on my nerves, due to its complete adoption of one arm of the mainstream, although at least we're spared the 'sampled beats' you'll find on her more recent releases. Gack. Anyway, Mellotron on Saltwater from producer Rob Friedman, with some volume-pedalled chords that stop before they get anywhere, and a background flute part later in the song.
So; don't. Just don't. Just in case.
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Bottomland (2002, 39.19) ***/T |
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| Bottomland This Day Rocks to Pick Beer Bottle Chandelier Big Wide Open Jimmy Roy Like an Angel The Ballad of Willie Holmes |
Road Song for a Sailor Bellingham Rain |
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Allen Dobb couldn't be more different to countrywoman Melanie Doane (above) if he tried; rough, authentic acoustic blues-rock, with a voice that sounds like it's been there, come back, then done the round trip several more times for good measure. Bottomland was his second solo album after working in the duo Dobb and Dumela in the early '90s, and while I'm not about to call it my New Favourite Album, it's perfectly listenable, with songs that will doubtless grow on me should I ever find the time to give them the chance.
Two tracks of tape-replay, with Dave Kershaw playing (unusually) quiet Mellotron vibes on Like An Angel, and both Chamberlin and Mellotron on closer Bellingham Rain, one covering the cello, and one the strings, though I've no idea which is which. So; a decent album in its style, though steer clear if the sound of slightly countryish acoustic blues turns you off. Minor tape-replay, too, so don't bother on that account.
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The Feeling of Far (2004, 58.54) ****½/TTT½ |
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| Cynical Eye Amieveliano The Feeling of Far It's Only a Dream All the Best In the Tree Over You God is Hiding |
Nothing But Laughter The Lonely Path Cynical Eye (radio mix) It's Only a Dream (radio mix) |
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Mellotron used:
Fritz Doddy makes music for a living, but hasn't allowed the experience to affect his ability to produce a personal, heartfelt album in The Feeling of Far. All the right influences are present and correct; The Beatles, Big Star, Jellyfish even, all of which add up to a near-perfect album of 'intelligent pop', for want of a better phrase. Impeccably put together, the album is pretty much a 'how to' primer for anyone wishing to work in the field, although I suppose Fritz has an unfair advantage in his years of experience producing music for others. And this is a problem? The songwriting, playing and production are all spot-on, giving the impression of a big-production major label effort, rather than the completely homegrown artefact it actually is.
All sorts of people guest, including Susan McKeown, herself an occasional 'Tron user; it seems that Fritz's entire family appear somewhere or other, including his dad shouting at him (!), and even his dog. Fritz plays his (very real) Mellotron on several tracks, sticking mainly to the familiar strings and flutes, although a couple of choir chords sneak in here and there. He resists the temptation to overuse it, too, unlike a few I could name, with a sizeable 'Tronless chunk around the middle of the record. Of particular note are the string intro and 'Strawberry Fields' flutes of Cynical Eye and the flutes on the title track, although all the 'Tron work is (along with just about everything else here) quite exemplary. My only gripe (and it's a very small one) is the wisdom of putting radio edits of two tracks on the end; as Fritz says in his liner notes, "I mixed this album to flow with minimal interruptions of silence and I think it's best enjoyed when listened to from beginning to end", which is slightly disrupted by the 'bonus' tracks. Oh well; hit the 'stop' button after track ten if you're that bothered.
Fritz actually gave me my copy of The Feeling of Far when we met up in London in earlyish 2005. He really is the nicest chap you can imagine, which has absolutely nothing to do with my review; he did say, "Be honest", and I have been. This really is an excellent piece of work, which I unequivocally recommend to anyone who appreciates good songwriting with a largish side-helping of Mellotron. No, really. Fritz even drinks British beer and does a passable London accent. What can I say? Buy.
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Cosmic Wheels (1973, 38.54) ***½/½ |
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| Cosmic Wheels Earth Sign Man Sleep Maria Magenta Wild Witch Lady The Music Makers The Intergalactic Laxative I Like You |
Only The Blues Appearances |
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Sutras (1996, 50.53) ****/TT |
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| Please Don't Bend Give it All Up Sleep Everlasting Sea High Your Love The Clear-Browed One The Way Deep Peace |
Nirvana Eldorado Be Mine Lady of the Lamp The Evernow Universe Am I The Garden |
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After a rather fallow, post-fame period, Donovan Leitch returned for one last real career peak with 1973's fairly cohesive Cosmic Wheels. The puerile The Intergalactic Laxative aside, the album holds together really rather well, and surely it's only a matter of time before someone covers the downtuned title track in a heavy stylee? Mellotron on one track only; Sleep, with what sounds like cellos, but it's all a bit background, to be honest. Played by 'Rabbit' Bundrick, incidentally, stupidly misspelled 'Bundick', which must've cheered him up no end. Mind you, the album also credits 'Cosy' Powell on drums, so there you go.
23 years later, Sutras was Don's first album in over a decade, and sadly didn't include any of the new material he previewed on his heroically lengthy '92 UK tour, including a genuinely brilliant song called Against Your Will. Anyway, it was produced by Def Jam supremo Rick Rubin, with guests including the inimitable Danny Thompson (Pentangle, Richard Thompson), the also inimitable Benmont Tench (Tom Petty) and the slightly less inimitable but more famous Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers), who played both Mellotron and Chamberlin. The beautiful Everlasting Sea has 'Tron flutes alongside real cellos, The Evernow has (presumably) 'Tron flutes in a more upfront role, while Universe Am I has (I think) 'Tron flutes and Chamby woodwind, alongside real cello again. Incidentally, interesting to note that both these albums contain a song called Sleep, which are completely different, despite Don's penchant for dodgy re-recordings of his hits.
I've had various people tell me that there's Mellotron to be heard on some of Donovan's early work, but I haven't yet spotted any, although Celeste from Sunshine Superman (****) had me fooled for a while. Should there be any positive sightings, I'll report back. As far as these two albums are concerned, to my ears, Sutras is definitely the better, both musically and Mellotronically, although Don's older fans would probably disagree. His best work was largely recorded in the late '60s, but as a late-period album from someone once very famous indeed, it's very much worth the effort.
