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Perfecting Loneliness (2002, 67.42) **/T |
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| The Frequency You're the One I Want Cat Heaven Perfecting Loneliness Lucky Charm Wish List Psalm Autumn Walker |
Further North William Tell Override Disgrace Rocket Boy |
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Jets to Brazil were a New York-based sort of post-post-hardcore outfit, active from around 1997 to 2003. 'Post-post-hardcore'? A bit like a wussy Hüsker Dü without any of the good bits. Easy, eh? Going by their third and last album, 2002's Perfecting Loneliness, about the only thing they really seem to have perfected is the ability to play rock without any real passion, although they don't sink as far as the likes of Matchbox Twenty or Train, or about 500 other bands I could name if you tortured me for long enough. Speaking of things being long enough, not only is this album at least twenty minutes too long, with too many tracks, but almost all said tracks drag on far longer than necessary; practically nothing here's under four minutes, and closer Rocket Boy is stretched out to an unbelievable nine plus.
J. Robbins and Blake Schwarzenbach play Mellotron, with (mixed?) strings on the Hüsker Dü-ish You're The One I Want and Lucky Charm, which isn't Hüsker Dü-ish at all, just stultifyingly dull and (guess what) overlong, while a real cello turns up here and there (notably on Rocket Boy), just to confuse the issue. If this album was a four-track EP with edits of its best material, it might just about be palatable. As it is, it's dull as ditchwater and best avoided, although its 'Tron work is at least passable.
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0304 (2003, 53.16) **½/T½ |
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| Stand Run 2 U Intuition Leave the Lights on 2 Find U Fragile Heart Doin' Fine 2 Become 1 |
Haunted Sweet Temptation Yes U Can U & Me = Love America Becoming |
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Lullaby (2009, 58.22) **/0 |
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| Raven All The Animals Sweet Dreams For You Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Circle Song The Cowboy's Lament Day Dream Land Sov Gott (Sleep Well) |
Dreamer Forever And A Day (Always) Gloria Somewhere Over The Rainbow Angel Standing By Simple Gifts Brahms Lullaby |
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Sweet & Wild (2010, 39.22) *½/½ |
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| No Good In Goodbye I Love You Forever Fading What You Are Bad As It Gets Summer Home In Your Arms Stay Here Forever No More Heartaches |
One True Thing Ten Satisfied |
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Chamberlin/Mellotrons used:
Jewel Kilcher grew up in Alaska, moving down to California in her teens, slowly building a reputation as a young, serious singer-songwriter before being 'spotted'. After several successful albums of introspective material, for some bizarre reason (money? Fame?), she chose to hit the mainstream with 2003's 0304, promoting the album with a series of provocative videos, obviously attempting to appeal to the teeny crowd, although already in her late 20s. Huh? Except that her past keeps lurching through the sound, with her signature acoustic guitar on Run 2 U (note irritating Prince-style/txtspk titles), the banjo (!) on Fragile Heart and the accordion, for Chrissake, on Intuition. I can't work out at whom, exactly, this album is aimed; her old (very sizeable) fanbase aren't going to like it, and why would the younger crowd suddenly latch on to someone half a generation away from them? Anyway, almost the first sound on the album is Patrick Warren's (uncredited) Chamberlin flutes, although the later, credited use is mostly fairly minimal, with background strings on Leave The Lights On and Becoming and flutes on Fragile Heart, although the strings on Haunted are fairly upfront, with a nice 'slow-down' effect at the end.
If you're feeling generous, skipping between genres can be seen as 'a varied career', if you're not, it's 'opportunism'. Miss Kilcher's 2009 album, Lullaby, is opportunism. And yes, you read that right; it's released by Fisher Price, the toy people. Effectively an album of lullabies and songs sung in the same style, it's a pretty cheeso proposition all round, from the cutesy-cutesy picture on the sleeve to her breathy vocal style; someone really should've told her it heightens the weaknesses in her voice... The material is mostly fairly predictable, the ridiculously extended version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star probably being the lowpoint. Jason Freese allegedly plays Mellotron, but there's absolutely no sign of it on the album, all string parts sounding as real as you like.
Another year, another genre... Having married a professional cowboy (stop laughing), Jewel's gone all country on us, presumably in an attempt to rescue her stalled career. And yes, it's Not Very Good, to the point where words have actually failed me; I can think of nothing to say about this album, good or bad. Freese on Mellotron again, this time audibly, with flutes on Fading, although again, all strings are real.
So; I don't like these, you're not going to like these and there ain't enough Chamby/Mellotron to even be worth picking them up for a couple of quid/bucks/whatever. Avoid.
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Letherslade Farm (1970, 50.35) **/T |
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| Tap Dance (1) Weaver's Answer Interview (1) Je T'aime/If You Were the Only Girl in the World Interview (2) Can I Have This Dance? Interview (3) School Sketch |
Blow Blow Thou' Winter Wind Interview (4) Vicar's Sermon Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Tap Dance (2) Tap Dance (3) Agent Sketch Danny Interview (5) |
Northern Sketch (1) A Nitingale Sang in Berkeley Square Northern Sketch (2) Say Hello to Mrs Jones Northern Sketch (3) Interview (6) Diesel Blues |
Interview (7) Group Sketch Morning Interview (8) Seven Fishes Record Company Sketch Interview (9) Tap Dance (4) |
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Going by their debut, Letherslade Farm, I'd guess Jigsaw were already veterans of the cabaret scene by 1970, although I could be wrong. The album contains a ridiculous 32 tracks, most of them rather unfunny sketches or joke versions of known material, although Family's Weaver's Answer is atypical, being pretty much a straight cover. The album appears to be some kind of joke concept effort, its 'humour' not only forced, but incorporating all the usual -isms and -phobias you'd expect of the time, not least the recurring Tap Dance numbers, consisting of someone saying, "Anyone who can't tap dance must be queer" and the Agent Sketch's string of Jewish clichés. The handful of 'regular' songs tend to be fairly uninteresting (over eight minutes of Diesel Blues is unforgivable), although Morning isn't bad for what it is, ditto Seven Fishes.
Clive Scott's Mellotron (studio MkII, I'd guess) finally puts in an appearance on Say Hello To Mrs Jones, with a string part that barely sounds like a 'Tron, and I'm pretty sure that's Mellotron vibes on Seven Fishes, one of the record's handful of straighter tracks. Of course, the band finally found success in the mid-'70s, dressing in outrageous pink and silver costumes and making multiple Top of the Pops appearances with Sky High, before disappearing back into obscurity. That's the pop business for you, boys... Letherslade Farm was a fairly inauspicious start to their career, best described as a 'period piece', I think. Very little Mellotron, too, so I really couldn't recommend a purchase in the unlikely event that this ever sees a CD release.
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My Name is Tom (1991/2006, 18.59/34.29) ****/0 (T) |
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| Warehouse the Wicked Black Aggie Persephone Again The Daily Planet My Name is Tom [CD reissue adds: Murder at the Luau I'm So Happy Today |
Off Track Eight Lancashire Lads The Best is Yet to Come] |
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Zenith (2000, 44.15) ***½/0 |
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| Letter to the Editor I'm With You Celebrity Interview When You're Pretty Tight Lips Fiddlesticks Girl on a Red Velvet Swing |
Whore Kiss Persephone Again If My Eyes Offend You Big Hand |
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L.A.-based powerpopsters The Jigsaw Seen have been around for twenty-odd years now, although 2000's masterful Zenith is, amazingly, only their second album (their third is due in 2010...). One a decade, chaps? Leaping back for a moment, 1991's My Name is Tom EP is stuffed with excellence (its closing title track is a minor modern psych classic), to the point where a cover of Love's The Daily Planet doesn't particularly stand out. Given that the original release was a) under twenty minutes long and b) long out of print, the sensible decision was taken to expand it to short album length for CD in 2006, taking its five tracks up to ten, four previously unreleased and one only available on an obscure compilation, none of which are too shabby. Top bonus? Possibly I'm So Happy Today, probably due to my approval of its psych credentials. Credited Mellotron from Tom Currier on two tracks, Off Track and Eight Lancashire Lads, entirely inaudible on both, although it is present on I'm So Happy Today, with a reasonable-if-inessential string part.
The aforementioned Zenith covers various powerpop micro-genres, not to mention material completely outside the zone (notably mournful closer Big Hand), top tracks including opener Letter To The Editor, the bonkers, vibes-driven When You're Pretty, complete with British toilet cleaner advert samples, Girl On A Red Velvet Swing (Rickenbacker 12-string! Yeah!) and the gentle If My Eyes Offend You. Dennis Davison and David Nolte both allegedly play Mellotron, but the nearest this gets is the flute line on Persephone Again, which actually sounds like anything but, so despite credits, I'm afraid I have to give this a big, fat '0', at least on the 'Tron front. A potentially great album, but not one for Mellotron fans.
Incidentally, 2002's compilation of tribute album tracks (not least 1995's Sing Hollies in Reverse) and general covers, Songs Mama Used to Sing and the following year's We Women single are also supposed to be Mellotron-friendly; reviews to follow when I get to hear them.
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Jumpin' the Gunne (1973, 38.46) ***/T½ |
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| I Wanna Love You To the Island Red Meat Getaway Before You Get Your Breakfast At the Spa Monkey Music Couldn't Love You Better |
High School Drool Neon City Turn the Boy Loose |
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Comprising ex-members of the underrated Spirit, it seems Jo Jo Gunne played a typically American mixture of straightforward rock'n'roll and some more interesting areas, not unlike lesser-known outfits such as Baxter or the wildly obscure Bronin-Hogman Band. Their second album, Jumpin' the Gunne, opens with the straight-ahead I Wanna Love You, before launching head-first into the progressively-inclined To The Island, diverting into a steel drum solo (!) on Getaway, although it has to be said, the bulk of its material is proto-arena rock.
Like many before and after him, Jay Ferguson plays mostly piano and organ on the album, although a clavinet makes itself audible on one track. His Mellotron crops up on three songs here, with a slightly unorthodox strings part on To The Island, while a few seconds of strings in Before You Get Your Breakfast are completely upstaged by one of those 'how do you play that thing that fast?' moments in At The Spa, although that would appear to be it.
Do you need this album? Not really for its 'Tron content, but if you go for that American early-'70s lightish-hard rock sound, you may wish to dabble.
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The Stranger (1977, 42.34) ***/½Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)The Stranger Just the Way You Are Scenes From an Italian Restaurant Vienna Only the Good Die Young She's Always a Woman Get it Right the First Time Everybody Has a Dream |
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It's funny to think that once upon a time, Billy Joel wasn't actually a byword for appallingly cheesy pop/AOR along the lines of the horrid Uptown Girl or the truly offensive We Didn't Start The Fire; no, Billy - just gleefully fanned the flames. The Stranger was his fifth album, and is, by and large, well-crafted singer-songwriter stuff; Joel certainly knows how to put a song together, even the rather cringeworthy Just The Way You Are has better lyrics than I'd remembered. I've surprised myself by not loathing his early work, although I can't see myself exactly playing it on a regular basis.
On what appears to be the only 'Tron track of his career, Joel (presumably) plays a Mellotron flute melody on She's Always A Woman, but it's fair to say that it doesn't especially make the track; I suspect a studio 'Tron that he used on a whim. So; don't go out of your way (big surprise there, then), but a lot less nasty than his later work. Incidentally, extra special low marks for rhyming 'Garden of Eden' with 'bleedin''.
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Discus Ursi (1998, 65.17) ***/TTT |
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| Discus Ursi's Prelude King of Gold Golden Discharge The Wish The Transmutation The Oracle The Dive Golden Riverbank Time Fracture |
Pegasus The Goddess and the Gold The Desert The Goddess and the Queen The Queens Father The Desert The Last Minstrel of Marble Discus Ursi's Rhapsody |
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Guitarist Björn Johansson is a compatriot of Swedish progster Pär Lindh, the pair having recorded a couple of couple of co-credited albums together, while Johansson played on the Pär Lindh Project's first album. 1998's Discus Ursi is credited to Johansson alone, although Lindh's stamp is all over the record in the form of his lush keyboard contributions, although Johansson's compositional style is a long way from Lindh's frequently Emersonian excesses. Saying that, chunks of Discus Ursi are distinctly neo-proggish, though without the pseudo-'commercial' edge that ruins so much second- and third-wave prog. The album's chief problem is a lack of truly memorable material, with several lengthy tracks padded out with guitar solos or noodling, failing to sound like the scored symphonic prog that it aims for. There are no end of good moments, but few, if any, really good whole pieces.
Lindh plays his ex-Anekdoten MkV Mellotron on the album, with strings and choir scattered across all but the album's brief intro piece, plus a flute melody on Pegasus. Unfortunately, although two of the longer (although not the longest) tracks are split into several parts, I've no way of knowing where one part ends and another begins, so the tracklisting above makes it look like there's rather less Mellotron on the album than is actually the case. I have to say, too, it really hasn't been recorded very well; the strings don't exactly leap out at you, while the choirs are very murky indeed, rather lessening their effect. As on Lindh's own albums, the Mellotron use here is rarely jaw-dropping, while the recording quality spoils it when it does appear, although it's still good to hear it used this much.
All in all, then, a passable progressive release, several notches above yer typical neo- effort, but several below the best that the genre's had to offer in the last couple of decades. It would've got a higher 'T' rating if the Mellotron had actually been recorded in the same building as the rest of the instruments, too. I'm sorry I can't be more positive about this album, but the good bits are, if not outweighed, then certainly held back by the mediocre ones.
See: Pär Lindh Project | Pär Lindh & Björn Johansson
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The Machine Stops (1972, 37.53) ***/T |
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| The Only Friend I Own When I Wake Up Old Compton Street Blues Time Has Told Me Famous Blue Raincoat Flying South Her Father Didn't Like Me Seasons Change |
The Great Kansas Hymn Why Not Admit Another Day |
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It wouldn't be strictly accurate to refer to Andrew John (Huddleston) as a 'singer/songwriter', as all but one of the songs on his sole album, 1972's The Machine Stops, are his interpretations of other people's material. No shame there; plenty of more familiar names have done the same. Once upon a time, hardly anyone wrote their own material; that's how Tin Pan Alley started, with professional songwriters servicing musicians (so to speak). Enough history that you already know; John delivers some very listenable versions of songs by Nick Drake (Time Has Told Me; at this point, Drake was far from a household name), Leonard Cohen (Famous Blue Raincoat, rather lacking the gravitas of the original), Al Stewart (the excellent Old Compton Street Blues) and Roy Harper (Another Day), amongst others. His one original, Why Not Admit, is a perfectly good song with a slight country feel, certainly no worse than many similar.
John plays Mellotron himself, with cello lines on Tony Bolton's When I Wake Up (that could almost be real) and Gerry Rafferty's Her Father Didn't Like Me, although I do wonder whether he couldn't find/afford a cellist, so just substituted the studio Mellotron. This isn't on CD and may never be, but a download has appeared on someone's site and no, it isn't immoral when something's commercially unavailable. Worth hearing for fans of early '70s Brit-folk, but not for Mellotron nuts. Incidentally, John is married to Danish artist/musician Lissa Sørensen, with whom he still plays and releases the occasional album.
Elton John (UK) see: |
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To the Sea (2010, 41.28) **/½ |
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| You and Your Heart To the Sea No Good With Faces At or With Me When I Look Up From the Clouds My Little Girl Turn Your Love |
The Upsetter Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology Pictures of People Taking Pictures Anything But the Truth Only the Ocean |
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Hawaiian Jack Johnson's career gained a leg-up from Philadelphian 'alternative hip-hop' crew G. Love & Special Sauce and Ben Harper, breaking through with 2006's Sing-a-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George soundtrack. His style is probably best described as acoustic pop, incorporating elements from indie, folk and classic singer-songwriter areas, which probably means he isn't going to appeal too strongly to most of you reading this. 2010's To the Sea is his fifth album, not (as far as I can ascertain) especially different to its four predecessors, which should make for another million-seller, if he's lucky. As the late lamented Douglas Adams once wrote, "Mostly harmless". But only mostly. Worst track? Probably From The Clouds, which made me feel violent.
Johnson plays the Mellotron himself, with a really quite real-sounding string line on Pictures Of People Taking Pictures, although whether that's flutes on No Good With Faces remains uncertain.
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Year of Mondays (1996, 51.43) ***½/T |
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| Where am I? One Way Out Way it Will Be/Too Far Another Side Circle Eclipse Left in the Dark Hold the Reins |
Say It's So Overdrive |
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Mike Johnson replaced Lou Barlow (later of Sebadoh) in Dinosaur Jr and has been making concurrent solo albums since 1994. '96's Year of Mondays is his second, mixing a careworn Americana with bursts of Neil Youngesque electric fury, notably on Say It's So and the lengthy, jammed-out Overdrive, although it's safe to say there are no bad tracks on the album, which makes a nice change.
Johnson plays Mellotron (Mascis'?) on Circle, with a string part running throughout the song, although that's it on the 'Tron front. Year of Mondays is a good, if not great album, likely to appeal to Americana and dinosaur Jr fans, although I wouldn't go too far out of your way for its Mellotron use.
See: Dinosaur Jr
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Murder of Tides (2002, 36.48) ***/T½ |
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| Murder of Tides (Westerlies) Commonly Linked The Riot Jack Phico Manitoba Karcher's Contacts Re-Run Pills River Koltolwash In a Motionless Way |
Tent of Total Mystery The Yellow Signals |
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Will Johnson is frontman of Centro-matic and South San Gabriel, not to mention a recent joinee of Monsters of Folk and collaborator with several other bands. 2002's Murder of Tides is his first solo album, a sparse, acoustic record, haunted by Johnson's melancholy songs, which are good, if not exactly Nick Drake (but then, who is?).
Scott Danborn plays Mellotron, with what sounds like an unholy combination of church organ, male choir and mandolins (!) on opener Murder Of Tides (Westerlies), a flute line on The Riot Jack and vibes on Re-Run Pills, although I'm not 100% sure how genuine it might be. Did he really find a machine with mandolin tapes? Not bad, then, but not classic, either, with a couple of decent 'Tron tracks.
See: South San Gabriel
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Fear Yourself (2003, 46.17) ***½/TT |
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| Now Syrup of Tears Mountain Top Love Enchanted Must Fish The Power of Love Forever Your Love |
Love Not Dead You Hurt Me Wish Living it for The Moment |
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If you're of an even remotely 'alt.' persuasion, you'll know Daniel Johnston; diagnosed as bipolar, he's spent time in mental hospitals, which doesn't seem to have harmed his slightly skewed career ambitions. He's been recording his strange, naïve little songs since his late teens, initially giving cassettes to people he met, eventually being signed to Atlantic, although they only actually released one of his albums. His career has had its highs and lows since (Kurt Cobain wearing one of his T-shirts didn't hurt), but his devoted following devours his sporadic releases and he has a coterie of high-profile fans and collaborators.
2003's Fear Yourself is something like his 17th studio album in 20-odd years. I get the impression it's a pretty Johnston release; sad songs, mostly dealing with love forsaken, sung in his cracked, heartfelt voice. He actually has a way with a melody; Syrup Of Tears is marvellous, although the quieter tracks featuring Johnston on school piano tend to work better than the more upbeat ones. This isn't for everyone, by any means, but the faithful will understand. As a newcomer to Johnston's work, I find it strangely affecting, although I can't see myself playing it that often.
Y'know, if I didn't have track-by-track credits, I might well be sitting here typing 'can't hear the Mellotron anywhere', it's so low in the mix. Alan Weatherhead plays Mellotron and/or Chamberlin on all highlighted tracks, with Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous on Mellotron here and there. Opener Now has Weatherhead on Chamberlin strings, although I've no idea what the Mellotron's doing, while the only possible Chamby sound on Syrup Of Tears is the cellos, with Mellotron cello on Love Enchanted and strings ('Tron or Chamby?) on Must. Finally, there's some properly audible strings (and reverbed-to-hell choir) on The Power Of Love, one of two tracks where Mark Linkous contributes 'Tron, although Weatherhead plays both 'Tron and Chamby, too. I don't know if the low-fi church bells at the beginning of Forever Your Love are Mellotron FX tapes or Linkous' Optigan, but the flutes and cellos are definitely 'Tron, again, from Linkous and Weatherhead.
So; an odd little album, but it's Daniel Johnston. What did you expect? Despite a half-dozen 'Tron/Chamby tracks, it isn't that apparent on most of them, but it's probably worth hearing anyway, if only to get a handle on where Johnston's coming from. Cautiously recommended.
See: Sparklehorse | The Late Great Daniel Johnston
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The Last Laugh (2009, 40.35) ***/T½ |
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| Worm's Head Jessie The Goat Go Walking Lucid JD Folk Blues The Last Laugh Under the Influence of Jaffa Cakes Jelly Belly |
Cake and July Chasing Ticking Crocodile Nothing is Ever as it Seems The Running Goblin The Bull Bites Back Yellow Teapot |
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Joker's Daughter are the duo of the Anglo/Greek Helena Costas and notorious US producer Danger Mouse (The Grey Album, Gnarls Barkley, millions of productions), making for an odd singer-songwriter/electronica mash-up that stands a good chance of falling between the cracks, being neither one thing nor the other. Actually, it's more a modern singer-songwriter album than an electronica one, with a refreshingly British bent (do they sell Jaffa Cakes anywhere else?), although most of its track are a little too similar to each other to really stand out.
Danger Mouse and Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) both play Mellotron, although how authentic it might be is another matter; I get the impression that some of Linkous' credits are actually samples. Anyway, we get background strings and a choppy choir part on Lucid, high choirs on Cake And July and a high-in-the-mix flute part, backed by strings, on Chasing Ticking Crocodile, the flutes, in particular, sounding real. So; seems to be good at what it does, so let's hope Danger Mouse's name helps to sell an album competing in an already overcrowded market. Passable 'Tron use, too, for what it's worth.
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"Guigui" (1978, 39.04) **/½ |
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| My Woman is Gone La Famille Paty Paty En V'la du Slow en V'la Chanson pour les Gens Qui Sont Loin Un Chausson Aux Pommes La Drogue M'a Mis la Main d'ssus, J'Suis Foutu |
Guigui Rose La Porte de Vanves Clodo Clodo Golden Gate C'est une Idée en l'Air |
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Michel Jonasz (French, of Hungarian parentage) began his career in the '60s, but only became successful in his own right in the mid-'70s. 1978's "Guigui" starts off as if it's going to be a typical soul/pop album (Gallic division), quickly shifting into other styles, including chanson (En V'La Du Slow En V'La, the title track) and La Drogue M'a Mis La Main D'ssus, J'Suis Foutu's good old-fashioned rock'n'roll. It's slightly unfair to judge this album by modern, non-French standards; it was made to order, after a fashion and does the job it set out to do perfectly well.
Georges Rodi and Michel Coeuriot both play Mellotron, with a striking flute part on La Famille and background, er, something Mellotronic (string section? Brass?) on En V'La Du Slow En V'La; hardly anything you can't live without, to be honest. To reiterate, while it might be unfair to judge this album by my standards, it's difficult not to and my standards say it's a bit of a dud, with one so-so 'Tron track. Maybe not, then.
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Not Too Late (2007, 45.23) ***/T |
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| Wish I Could Sinkin' Soon The Sun Doesn't Like You Until the End Not My Friend Thinking About You Broken My Dear Country |
Wake Me Up Be My Somebody Little Room Rosie's Lullaby Not Too Late |
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There can't be (m)any readers of this site who haven't run into (Geethali) Norah Jones (Shankar) somewhere along the line; she's become pretty ubiquitous the last few years, hardly ever off the telly, it seems. You'll all know that she's the illegitimate (what an appalling concept) daughter of Ravi Shankar, from his '70s wild years, so it's hardly surprising that she's so prodigiously talented, whether or not you actually like what she does. Personally, I find her music well on the wrong side of the 'bland/not bland' divide, which is probably why it's so popular, but what do I know? Most of my favourite artists struggle to sell any records at all, apart from, er, Led Zeppelin and, er, a few others. Anyway, the album combines various facets of her style, with mainstream balladry (Wish I Could, the title track), the jazz that she's known for (Sinkin' Soon) and even country (Wake Me Up).
On the tape-replay front, Paul Bryan plays a nice Chamberlin string line on The Sun Doesn't Like You, while Norah provides Mellotron strings on the title track, subdued enough that you're not quite sure whether they're 'Tron or not. Overall, this is only going to appeal to those with fairly mainstream tastes, I'd say, although if you appreciate great voices, regardless of musical style, you may well go for it. Passable tape-replay, but nothing outstanding.
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Praise & Blame (2010, 38.07) ****/½ |
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| What Good am I? Lord Help Did Trouble Me Strange Things Burning Hell If I Give My Soul Don't Knock Nobody's Fault But Mine |
Didn't it Rain Ain't No Grave Run on |
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Betcha never expected to see me review anything by 'Jones the voice', eh? Nor me, friends, nor me... Tom Jones has spent so long as a parody of himself, it's easy to forget that he's a brilliant singer, earning him his 'British Elvis' sobriquet, unfortunately including his decades in the Light Entertainment graveyard, despite occasional forays into contemporary pop (notably his 1988 duet on Prince's Kiss with The Art of Noise). After 2008's 24 Hours, Jones completes his rehabilitation with 2010's Praise & Blame, where he 'does a Johnny', tackling carefully-chosen material with the verve of the fabulous Rick Rubin-helmed Johnny Cash American Recordings series.
So what do we get? A haunted, ethereal take on a late-period Dylan number from Oh Mercy, What Good Am I? and a blistering version of Jessie Mae Hemphill's Lord Help, while John Lee Hooker's Burning Hell just rocks. Nobody's Fault But Mine goes back to its 'trad.arr.' origins, neatly bypassing Led Zep's 'Page/Plant' version, the rest of the material largely going either the 'ethereal' or the 'rockabilly' routes. Producer Ethan Johns plays Mellotron on Did Trouble Me, although the only thing it even might be is oboes, double-tracking the credited harmonium. I originally thought it might be the background strings on Ain't No Grave (a second Zeppelin quote, using the same source as their In My Time Of Dying), although those could, frankly, have been produced by almost anything. OK, not a clavinet.
All in all, if you have any interest in rock's roots, you stand a decent chance of enjoying Praise & Blame, possibly helped by its short vinyl length (look! Under forty minutes!), giving it no chance to wear out its welcome. I've always had a sneaking respect for Jones, despite the knicker-throwing years, so I'm extremely happy to hear him produce something of genuine worth, even if its Mellotronic input is low-to-nonexistent. Hey, at least it's credited, giving me the opportunity to review this excellent album.
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No Alternative (1972, 43.21) ***½/TTTTNo AlternativeHeaven Mind of the Century 1958 Pollution Ricochet |
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Keeping Up... (1973, 40.13) ****/TTTTMasqueradeSunset and Evening Star Preview Questions and Answers Critique (With Exceptions) Duet Song Children |
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Growing (1973, 39.03) ***½/T½Can You Get That TogetherWaltz for Yesterday Know Who Your Friends Are Growing Hard Road Jonesy |
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Sudden Prayers Make God Jump... (2003, recorded 1974, 35.47) ****/TTTDark RoomRunning Bad Dreams The Lights Have Changed Old Gentleman's Relief Anthem |
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Jonesy were put together by John (Evan-) Jones after he released a solo singer/songwriter-type album for German label BASF with keyboard player Jamie Kaleth. No Alternative is a little dated for '72, being a bluesy prog album, nearer to the 'proto-prog' of Gracious! or Cressida than the market leaders of the day. It's by no means a bad album, but is very much of its time, failing to transcend the decades the way their best contemporaries have. Kaleth only plays pianos and Mellotron, so there's a good bit of it to be heard; all six tracks, in fact. Plenty of brass and strings; I'm told they had an M400, but I'm sure I can hear the Mark II brass/strings mix. Maybe not. Anyway, 'Tronnic highlights include the occasional strings pitchbend/swells on Mind Of The Century and the string work on Pollution. Keep an ear out for Kaleth's 'choppy' chords, where he tries to play the thing more like a organ. Key-click warning, key-click warning...
After some lineup changes, they quickly followed-up with Keeping Up..., with veteran hornsman Alan Bown firmly ensconced as a full member. It's an immediate improvement on its predecessor, with considerably more adventurous material, although a vastly improved production may have helped. There's an excellent string arrangement alongside 'Tron strings and flutes on Masquerade, with more of the same on Sunset And Evening Star and a killer string part on Questions And Answers. I keep finding myself thinking 'King Crimson' as I listen to this album; several tracks have some of that Islands weirdness, or Poseidon 'Tron-epic feel to them, particularly the imaginatively-titled Song. Children finishes the album off in grand style, with more Crimsonisms and 'Tron brass alongside the real thing. Recommended.
Growing was more of a group-written album, which shows in its relative lack of direction, and it's often regarded as the weakest of the three. More Crimsonesque stuff, particularly the jazzy dissonance on their, er, 'theme song', Jonesy. Not that much of Kaleth's Mellotron this time round, with just regular strings on Can You Get That Together, and the rarely-heard Mellotron Hammond on Know Who Your Friends Are, but all the rest of the strings seem to be real ones, ditto the brass.
A fourth album was recorded in 1974, but the tapes were stolen and never recovered. When an Italian fan got in contact with Evan-Jones recently, after hearing a copy dubbed from a surviving cassette, he offered to release it. Sudden Prayers Make God Jump... (now, is that a modern Crimson title or what?) saw the light of day in 2003, and although Kaleth had left, Ken Elliott of Second Hand/Seventh Wave fame stepped in on 'Tron duties. The album's an immediate improvement on Growing, making it even more tragic that the masters were lost, although the mastering job that's been done here is excellent, all things considered. Elliott gets plenty of that 'Tron in, with major use in lengthy opener Dark Room and some upfront flutes and strings in Bad Dreams, amongst others.
So; what to recommend? Keeping Up... is definitely their best, but the other three are worth hearing (particularly Sudden Prayers), if not of quite the same quality, with No Alternative being the most straightforward, and Growing the weirdest. The first two are obviously the better 'Tron albums, so I think I have to say, start with Keeping Up..., then maybe move onto the others. Although it's by far the easiest way to find these albums, be careful of the Australian 'Progressive Line' issues. There's two CDs, No Alternative and Keeping Up..., with the first half of Growing after their second album and the second half on the first... The mastering is pretty awful, with all three albums varying in volume, a minuscule silent gap on Keeping Up..., and worse, what sounds like a few seconds missing at the beginning of Growing, and two listed tracks indexing as one. Sloppy. The Korean Si-Wan releases will be more expensive, but are probably better.
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Go Live (2010, 78.05) ***½/T½ |
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| Stars in Still Water Hengilás Icicle Sleeves Kolniður Tornado Sinking Friendships Saint Naive Go Do |
Boy Lilikoi Animal Arithmetic New Piano Song Around Us Sticks and Stones Grow Till Tall |
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Jón þór "Jónsi" Birgisson is, of course, vocalist and guitarist with Sigur Rós, Iceland's biggest musical export since Björk and (some of us might contentiously, er, contend) a rather more listenable one, to boot. He released Go in early 2010, toured the album and stuck out a live document of the tour, Go Live, all in the same year. Unsurprisingly, it sounds a lot like Sigur, although some techno-ish elements creep in here and there, not least what sounds like laptop glitch on Around Us. Jónsi's at his best, though, when doing that 'transcendent' thing that his band do so well, the best examples here probably being Kolniður, Saint Naive and parts of two or three other tracks, although acoustic opener Stars In Still Water makes a nice change from the usual.
Alex Somers plays Sigur's new M4000, with string section on Tornado, Go Do, Around Us and Sticks And Stones. What, they needed twenty-four sounds for this? In fairness, as I know the band wrestled for ages over their choice of tapes for their machine, we may actually be hearing two or three minor variations on a theme. Or we may not. Either way, Sigur fans are bound to like most, if not all of this release, although I wouldn't really recommend it on the Mellotron front.
See: Sigur Rós
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Different Moods of Me (1978, 36.45) ***/TT½Grey Rainy DaysJungle Dancin' Best Way I Can Discoland Junkie to My Music Nasty He Used to Be a Friend of Mine Different Moods of Me |
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War Stories (2007, 66.15) ***/½ |
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| Don't Let No One Get You Down Get That Feeling Baby Brother Interlude: Leroy Paint it Black Out of Sight Rock and Roll Days The World is a Ghetto |
Interlude: San Juanito Dub Get Down Third Stone From the Sun Interlude: Descarga Deliver the Word Teresa |
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Multi-instrumentalist Lonnie Jordan is not only a founding member of War (originally with ex-Animal Eric Burdon), but the only original member still playing with their current lineup. 1978's Different Moods of Me was his first solo album, featuring an impressive combination of styles, from the expected soul/funk of much of the album, through a couple of Santana-esque tracks, to the slightly unusual epic balladry of the closing title track (lashings of Hammond). Discoland is probably the oddest thing here, though, with a huge 'Sesame Street'-style kids' chorus, although not in standard 'cheeso' mode, thankfully. Jordan plays Chamberlin himself, with strings on opener Grey Rainy Days, strings and flutes on Best Way I Can and He Used To Be A Friend Of Mine and flutes on Discoland, mostly in 'orchestral replacement mode', to be honest.
Jordan only produced one more solo album, 1982's The Affair , before 2007's War Stories, which, unlike many similar, is a credit to its creator, being a very credible soul/funk/jazz/rock effort, not a million miles away from the parent band's work. More than countering the occasional dip (fusion-lite opener Don't Let No One Get You Down, sappy soul ballad Teresa), the highlights (his inspired reimagining of The Stones' Paint It Black, jazz/funk workout The World Is A Ghetto) boost the album's relevance to very acceptable levels. Sebastian Arocha Morton plays Mellotron, with a brief flute part opening Jordan's ripping version of Hendrix' Third Stone From The Sun, with nothing else obvious.
War and Santana fans will like large chunks of these albums, not to mention funketeers in general. They're not fully to Planet Mellotron's taste (although plenty of Chamby on Different Moods...), but what they do, they do well.
See: War
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Rats (1994, 44.26) ***/T½ |
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| Damaged Slave Pissin' Down High Road Easy Sun's Gonna Rise Head Ugly I'm Not |
Honey Wish Breakin' Give |
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Sarah "Sass" Jordan, although born in the UK, grew up in Canada, later moving to the States as her career stepped up a gear. 1994's Rats is her third album, fitting firmly into the 'raunch'n'roll' hard rock sub-set, in other words, a bit like Aerosmith in '70s mode. Guest players including Stevie Salas and Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, which probably gives you more idea of the album's sound. It's not... bad, it's just not that exciting, either, and either the mix is truly appalling, or the pressing's awful, with track volumes starting high, then plummeting as soon as the rest of the band join the guitar. Huh? Although it's a bit of a weepy ballad, Breakin' might just be the best track, avoiding the rock'n'roll clichés of the rest of the album.
Mellotron from Rei Atsumi (ex-Vow Wow), with strings on Sun's Gonna Rise (a hit in the States, I believe) and uncredited flutes and strings on Breakin', alongside real strings, but that's yer lot. So; run-of-the-mill rockin' stuff, with a decent, vaguely Janis-like singer and a little Mellotron. Don't go paying too much, now...
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Departure (1980, 38.02) **½/½ |
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| Any Way You Want it Walks Like a Lady Someday Soon People and Places Precious Time Where Were You I'm Cryin' Line of Fire |
Departure Good Morning Girl Stay Awhile Homemade Love |
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Journey's sixth album, Departure, was their third since their early jazz-rock phase, although we're not exactly talking Mahavishnu, even then. 1978's Infinity was their first breakthrough AOR album with new singer Steve Perry, catapulting the band into the upper echelons of the US charts, even if other territories were slower to succumb to their charms. Basically, you either like this stuff or you don't; it's utterly ludicrous, but despite its cheesiness, I find it difficult to hate Journey unreservedly, although their awful ballads push me perilously close... The more listenable moments on the album are easily its longest track, People And Places and opener and major hit Any Way You Want It (containing NO double-entendres, amazingly), with several moments of pure cheese that are best skipped over.
Gregg Rolie, on his last album with the band before being replaced by ex-Babys man Jonathan Cain, only used the hired-in Mellotron on one track, with some background strings on Any Way You Want It. According to the liner notes on the Time³ box set, the instrument he used didn't work too well (no maintenance, as usual), but co-producer Geoff Workman got some useable stuff out of it, doubling it with Hammond, not to mention their usual massed backing vocals. Real strings on the last two tracks, so with one minor 'Tron track, don't even think about buying this for that reason. In fact, don't even think about buying this unless you're big on Radio Rock, or whatever you want to call it. Listen to the vastly superior New England instead.
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Closer (1980, 44.28) ****/TAtrocity ExhibitionIsolation Passover Colony A Means to an End Heart and Soul Twenty Four Hours The Eternal Decades |
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Joy Division first appeared at the height of punk in 1977 under the rather non-PC name of Warsaw, complete with Hitler Youth-inspired cover art. Tell you what, chaps, Nazi chic has never been cool, and no, I don't care what Lemmy says... Anyway, they soon dropped the more overtly fascistic trappings, although their new name was inspired by the officially-sanctioned corps of prostitutes used by the SS, so no change really... Many fans hold Joy Division up as 'some of the most depressing music ever', or somesuch, but with a few exceptions I feel this is mostly wishful thinking. However, their secret weapon was gravel-voiced vocalist Ian Curtis, a seriously depressed young man who sadly took his own life not long after the release of Closer. Even on the more upbeat songs, Curtis' vocals certainly produce feelings of despair, however, as do his lyrics. Their best-known song (and only real hit) Love Will Tear Us Apart, is definitely one of the most depressing chart singles ever, major key or no.
Closer was the band's second album, and last as an extant unit; its weird, claustrophobic sound doesn't make for easy listening, with Peter Hook's 'lead bass' and their unconventional drum patterns triggering the whole 'post-punk' movement. The cover is no less stark than the monochrome oddness of its predecessor, Unknown Pleasures (****), and is very recognisably in the 'house style' of their label, Factory, being a photo of the Appiani family tomb in the Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno in Genoa (thanks, Mike). The album has the occasional keyboard part dotted about (probably Bernard Sumner, a.k.a. Albrecht), mostly string synth, but strangely someone must've brought in a Mellotron at some point, as there's a clearly audible string line during album closer (sorry) Decades, under the string synth melody. The second time round the melody, it's all 'Tron, just in case there are any doubters out there.
After Curtis' death, Joy Division felt they couldn't carry on as they were, and regrouped as the massively successful New Order. It's rumoured that they've used Mellotron somewhere during their lengthy career (still going strong now), but I've yet to discover where. It certainly isn't their first major hit, Blue Monday; those choirs are early samples.
So; Closer: not a Mellotron classic, but an essential album for anyone interested in the UK punk/post-punk scene. Uneasy listening.
See: New Order
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Minne (1974, 44.04) ***/T½ |
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| Origo Minne Wunder Kan Din Guete/Monogam-Polygam Der Din Wip Alrerst Betrouc Cinctura Virginae Swer Gieht, Daz Minne Sunde Si/Abruptio Venus |
Almin Fröide Thermae Roter Mund Wie Du Dich Swachest Bacchanal Flos Lividus I Flos Lividus II |
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Minne was Joy Unlimited's fourth and last album, and is apparently their most laid-back effort, containing a mixture of styles, from the folkish (Minne Wunder Kan Din Guete/Monogam-Polygam, Der Din Wip Alrerst Betrouc) to brass-driven rock (Cinctura Virginae, Bacchanal), and even a track in a Gryphonesque medieval vein (Almin Fröide). Its diversity is probably its downfall, sad though it makes me to say so; the album lacks focus, with its disparate influences refusing to gel sufficiently to create a cohesive whole, sounding one minute like Wind, and the next, Van der Graaf Generator.
Roland Heck's Mellotron work only crops up on two tracks, with some nicely up-front strings on opener Origo and closer Flos Lividus II, bookending the album in a Mellotronic kind of way. This isn't a bad album, and should possibly have been rated higher, but its irritating habit of lurching from style to style makes it a slightly fractured listen, probably due to the band's failure to integrate their influences. Two nice 'Tron tracks, though.
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Three (1997, 38.09) ***/T |
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| What it's Worth She's Something Else The Doorway Ordinary Another Girl Love You Now Your Girlfriend Supervision |
Know it All Promises Anyone But You Sex Attack Record Collection Make Love to You Once More |
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The Joykiller were a Californian so-called 'punk' band, although going by their, er, third effort, Three, they might just qualify as 'pop/punk'. Just. It's not actually a bad album, closer to energetic powerpop than punk, with amusing lyrics sometimes making up for rather run-of-the-mill songs, not least Sex Attack (nice turnaround, guys).
Ronnie King plays Hammond, Mellotron and Kurzweil, the latter seemingly providing all the string sounds, leaving the Mellotron to handle flutes on Your Girlfriend, Anyone But You and Make Love To You, very clearly at the end of the latter. So; hardly a major Mellotron album, but then, hardly expected, either. Good at what it does, but don't expect much Mellotron action.
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Fijate Bien (2000, 47.42) **½/½ |
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| Ahi le Va Para Ser Eterno Volcan Podemos Hacernos Dano Destino Nada Fijate Bien Vulnerable |
Soñador Ficcion Para Que Me da Igual |
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Juan Esteban Aristizábal "Juanes" Vasquez is a Colombian musician who apparently used to play in a metal band, Ekhymosis, before splitting the group to start his more mainstream solo career. 2000's Fijate Bien is the first fruit of said career and it's... mainstream. Admittedly, mainstream Latin pop, which is generally more palatable than mainstream English-speaking pop, but its appeal palls after a few tracks, especially if you don't speak Spanish.
Anibal Kerpel is credited with Mellotron, although all I can hear are quiet flute parts on Destino and Nada, which don't exactly set the world alight. So; harmless but disposable South American pop with a smattering of Mellotron. Hmmm...
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L'Autrichienne (2008, 70.26) **½/½ |
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| Blackpowder Thermidor To Earth Deficit Champ de Mars Fall of the Bastille To the End Armada |
L'Autrichienne Behind Every Great Man October Birds of a Feather Traitors The Law of Suspects Noyade The Mountain |
Window (Where the Sea Falls Forever) Fleur de Lis Procession À la Guillotine Coma The Assembly |
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Jucifer are the husband/wife team of drummer Edgar Livengood and vocalist/guitarist Gazelle Amber Valentine, whose raison d'être seems to be to make the filthiest noise imaginable by as few people as possible. Their sixth full album, 2008's L'Autrichienne, is certainly metal; which variety/ies is another matter. Black, death and doom have all been cited, while some tracks eschew distortion altogether, going more for the 'quiet and threatening' approach. Is it any good? Not to my ears, no, but I'm sure genre fans lap this stuff up. The album's far too long, which doesn't help matters; I'm sure I'm missing the point, but surely a forty-minute version would be far more effective?
Anyway, Amber plays grungy Mellotron brass and flutes on Armada, although whether or not they're real can only be a matter for conjecture. Some of you will like this, but I suspect more of you won't (bit of an untestable proposition, that); I didn't and with so little Mellotron, I can't seriously recommend this.
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Scorch (1970, 40.34) ***/TT½ |
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| John Brown's Body Rockin' Chair Beer Drinking Woman Medley: 49 Fingers Purple God Bossa Jump Cry-de-Cry Run for Your Life |
Cully Mississippi Turnpike Medley: Primrose Lady Scorch Private Holiday Camp |
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Judas Jump were apparently considered something of a supergroup at the time, with mainman/guitarist/keyboard player Andrew/Andy Bown and drummer Henry Spinetti being ex-The Herd (with Peter Frampton), while other members had played with various minor British '60s pop outfits, including Amen Corner. Their sound was that very of-its-time mixture of bar-room boogie, hard rock and prog (!), that hasn't really dated very well. Scorch was their sole album, and actually isn't at all bad, though their attempts at barrelhouse stuff (Beer Drinking Woman) or countryish material (Mississippi Turnpike) would probably, with hindsight, have been better left on the cutting-room floor, while the less said about the deeply parochial Private Holiday Camp the better.
Bown plays plenty of Mellotron (presumably MkII) on the album, to the point where sometimes you wonder if it's slightly overdone, although much of it is obviously an attempt to replicate string and brass sections, rather than using it for its own sound. Strings on John Brown's Body, then brass (alongside real sax), plus more strings on Rockin' Chair, with more of the same across the other highlighted tracks, with the most minor use being about three seconds of faint strings at the end of the first part of the second medley, Primrose Lady.
For some strange reason, the US issue appeared in 1972, after the band has split up, sensibly removing Private Holiday Camp. Anyway, a reasonable enough album, if rather unexciting, but with a fair bit of the ol' 'Tron, though more for proto-prog completists than the general listening public, I suspect. Oh, and if you weren't aware (assuming you care), Bown went on to become Status Quo's onstage keyboard player, before finally being accepted as a full band member many years later, well after they'd gone down the pan.
See: Andrew Bown
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Profiles in Clownhenge (1998, 52.33) ***½/T |
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| Prelude Ballad of Bud and Dan The Ugly American Everybody Loves Bob The Nemesis Waltz Earl's Breakdown Smaller Than Life The King of Reseda |
Horrible Guy Parade of the Damned Send in the Clowns A Perfect Day Just Another Girl Vision X-Mas in Clownhenge |
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Buddy Judge is one of the two less well-known members of The Grays, alongside Jason Falkner and the inimitable Jon Brion. His 1998 solo album, Profiles in Clownhenge (or, properly, Mr Spalding's Orchestral Devices Proudly Perform Buddy Judge's Full-Length Musical Compendium "Profiles in Clownhenge"), is a pretty odd effort all round, with Judge playing tuba on most (if not all) tracks, which makes for an, er, unusual lead instrument. Unsurprisingly, an oom-pah sound pervades the record, sounding like a slightly demented Victorian circus, fittingly, since the album's concept seems to be based around the idea of the proverbial Mr Spalding's steam-powered mechanical animal orchestra and its (and his) eventual demise. Weird? Yup, but far from unappealing, containing songs of the quality of Horrible Guy, A Perfect Day and Vision, although the cover of Send In The Clowns and various snippets of well-known tunes (including Christmas ones on X-Mas In Clownhenge) sometimes sit uncomfortably with Judge's own material.
I can't find any reference to anyone playing Mellotron (or Chamberlin) on the album, but that has to be tape-replay flutes and cellos on A Perfect Day (alongside what sounds like real strings), with possible other bits towards the end of the album. So; if a powerpop oom-pah (or possibly oom-pah powerpop) album sounds like it might be your bag, you've just discovered the leader in a genre of one. If you just like the idea of a quirky, intelligent pop album, you also can't go too far wrong, although its (probable) tape-replay use is too minimal to be worth it on that front alone.
See: The Grays
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Vietato ai Minori di 18 Anni? (1973, 44.00) ****/TT½SpecchioCome Vorrei Essere Uguale a te Il Ritorno del Signor K Via Larga Gil Vangelo? 40 Gradi No! |
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Vietato ai Minori di 18 Anni? is apparently Jumbo's second album containing Mellotron, although I haven't heard the first, DNA. In many ways, it's a typically Italian progressive album of the time, with experimental sections rubbing shoulders with more traditional melodic parts, covering a gamut of styles over its course. Hard to pick out highlights, but opener Specchio and Il Ritorno Del Signor K are particularly good.
Aldo Gargano plays Mellotron on two tracks: Gil is probably the album's most experimental piece, including vaguely dissonant 'Tron strings fading in and out of the mix, 40 Gradi is slightly more straightforward, with similar 'Tron use coming in fairly late in the song, while No! has even more strings, possibly doubled with cellos. Vietato... is a good album, if not actually a classic, although its 'Tron use is relatively limited. Buy anyway.
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Magazine (1998, 41.16) **½/½ |
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| Not Today Violent Dreams Come Out Clean Cathedrals All Those Days Are Gone Body Parts My Guitar B-13 |
Habit Say Goodnight Close Your Eyes |
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Jump, Little Children apparently started life in the early '90s as an American-Irish outfit, slowly allowing the former to take precedence over the latter, largely in the form of so-called 'alternative' rock. The end result, at least on their third (and only major-label) release, 1998's Magazine, is a rather unappealing combination of US indie and powerpop, veering towards the indie end of things. It's not a terrible album, but its few semi-decent songs (Cathedrals, the vaguely witty My Guitar) are largely overshadowed by the dreary and generic likes of Violent Dreams and Say Goodnight.
Mainman Jay Clifford is credited with Mellotron, along with string arrangements, meaning the only place the presumed M400 is even slightly audible is on Say Goodnight, with what I take to be strings under the real ones. Pointless. It could be elsewhere, too, but it really isn't the most audible instrument used on this record. Overall, then, a dullsville album from a dullsville band, with next to no obvious Mellotron. Just don't.
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Snork City (2004, 35.48) **½/T½ |
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| Kongen af Kartoffelvand Da Fjernvarmen Kom Kuk Kuk Mogen Og Karen C'est la Vie Du er Alt Jeg Har På Solstrålevej Snork City Blues |
Sotto Voce Please, Please, Please På den Anden Side |
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Christian Juncker worked his way through several Danish pop groups from the mid-'90s on, releasing his first full solo album, Snork City, in 2004. Basically, we're talking mainstream Danish-language pop here, from irritating opener Kongen Af Kartoffelvand to reflective closer På Den Anden Side. Best track? Probably the mostly acoustic Please, Please, Please, but that shouldn't be taken as a recommendation.
Unusually, Jakob Groth Bastiansen's favourite Mellotron sound is the cello, featured on every highlighted track above, plus strings on C'Est La Vie. Not the most of exciting of albums, then, but one with a high proportion of Mellotron cello use, which at least makes it stand out from the pack.
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Magic Circles (2009, 26.14) ***½/T |
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| Barber Shop Revolver Big Black Mouth Sir Eugene Maddog Daisy Sketches of Sound Getting High Rolling Desperate |
Better Than You Living in the Park |
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The June are a current Italian psych outfit, in the full kaftans'n'sitars sense of the word. Name an early psych-era recording trick and The June will use it. Backwards guitar? Check. Kinks-ian harmony vocals? Check. Short, smart songs with great hooks? Check. To be perfectly honest, most of the songs sound pretty similar to one another, although ultra-psych opener Barber Shop lays the sitars on thickly enough to stand out from the crowd.
Chris, surname unknown, plays Mellotron, with fairly minor flute parts on Revolver and Daisy, assuming it's actually real. This is such a short record, many bands would label it an EP, but I believe The June are treating it as a full release. Short but sweet. Not much Mellotron, but that's not the reason you need to hear this.
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Battersea Power Station (1969, 38.20/78.20) ***/T |
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| Total War Circus Days Imagination My Ship Miss Lizzie So Embarrassed Freak in Playtime |
I'm Drowning White Light By the Tree [CD adds: Mr. Golden Trumpet Player Black Snake Woman Love Star Child |
Sink or Swim Circus Days (single version) White Light (demo) By the Tree (demo) Imagination (demo) Playtime (demo) Subway (Smokey Pokey World) (The Tickle) Good Evening (The Tickle)] |
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7" ( 1969) ***/T Star Child Sink or Swim |
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Junior's Eyes' chief claim to fame seems to be that most of the band played on David Bowie's first 'proper' album, Space Oddity, as did a session keyboard player who guested on their lone album, Rick Wakeman. A rather lesser one is that they have to be the inspiration behind the track of the same name from Ozzy Osbourne's last album with Black Sabbath, 1978's Never Say Die. Did the two bands share a bill in 1969? Perfectly possible, although they were from different areas of the country.
I've seen Battersea Power Station described as 'underrated', but I can't say I'm convinced, I'm afraid. It's not a bad album, but with far too many tracks like the meandering By The Tree, or the sub-Stray (although actually predating them) Playtime, it has difficulty justifying its tag as 'a lost psych classic' or somesuch. Side one's seven tracks form one linked sequence of songs, some of which work better than others, with Circus Days probably being the highlight, with the first few holding together fairly well, although they drift off a little by the end of the side.
Mellotron on one track, with Rick adding MkII strings to My Ship, although it's not the most essential use ever; certainly not a patch on the part Rick added to Space Oddity itself, but then, Tony Visconti wasn't producing here. However, although I'm not sure about recording dates, this could actually be Rick's very first recorded 'Tron track, making it of historical importance, at least. The recent Essential CD issue adds loads of bonus tracks, including both sides of all their three singles, including Star Child, complete with vague 'Tron string part, possibly played by Mr. Wakeman again.
Anyway, this isn't really any sort of lost classic, although it does have its moments; one for the hardened psych fan, I think.
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Black Refuge (2005, 19.21) **½/TBlack RefugeTurn to the Assassin Official Chugga-Chugga The Ghost of Tom Joad |
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Junip are a Swedish indie band, which is no better than being an indie band from anywhere else, to be honest. Their first release, 2005's Black Refuge EP, is an entirely average effort in the genre, its best track being their take on Springsteen's The Ghost Of Tom Joad, unsurprisingly, the rest of the material having more in common with any number of landfill indie outfits, names long-forgotten, if ever known.
Tobias Winterkorn plays Mellotron on Official, with what sounds like a choir/strings combination that may or may not have actually emanated from a real Mellotron. In other words, average release, one 'Tron track, assuming it's real. OK, I've heard worse, but it's just all so... unexciting.
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Rehearsals for Departure (1999, 36.39) ***½/T |
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| Ohio Tragedy Curbside Honey Baby Eyes for Windows Letters & Drawings Love the Same Saturday |
Tornado Rehearsals for Departure |
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Damien Jurado is a Posies associate who would, in a fair and reasonable world, be a household name. However, we live in an unfair and unreasonable world, where shysters like, oh God, I can't even remember their horrible names (although Daniel Powter springs to mind), become famous and sell loads of records, while genuine artists struggle. You could say, "But isn't that always the way?", but genuine talent sometimes shines through. Maybe that was in the past. Anyway, Rehearsals for Departure is Jurado's second album, full of wonderfully mournful vignettes like opener Ohio, Eyes For Windows or the title track; even on the rare occasions when it picks up the pace, it still sounds sad.
The Posies' Ken Stringfellow plays Mellotron (presumably his own band's rare MkV), with flutes on Letters & Drawings and a few notes on Saturday, although the strings on Love The Same are real. So; a worthwhile effort from someone struggling for recognition. You're unlikely to buy this for its Mellotron content, but do him and yourself a favour and buy this album.
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Iluzjon Cz.1 (2009, 53.18) **½/T½ |
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| Delirium A Mogło Być Tak Pięknie Iluzjon Dwoje Na Huśtawce Ostateczne Starcie Dziewczyna Przy Fortepianie Nie Umiem Już Kochać |
Osiem Minut Był Sobie Paź Panna z Bagien Kurtyzana |
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Beginning her career in a juvenile Polish pop group, Reni Jusis moved into the dance area when she was older, shifting into vaguely Saint Etienne realms by 2009's Iluzjon Cz.1. Before you ask, it's as dull as you'd imagine, full of brushed snares, tinkling Rhodes and a slightly louche air that really isn't going to appeal to anyone who doesn't think of themselves as even a little bit of a hipster. Polish division, of course.
Reni plays (real?) Mellotron herself, with 'Strawberry Fields' flutes on A Mogło Być Tak Pięknie, strings on Ostateczne Starcie, faint flutes towards the end of Nie Umiem Już Kochać and finally, more upfront flutes on Panna Z Bagien. Sorry, but I couldn't wait for this rather twee album to finish; perfectly good at what it does (and with a little Mellotron to boot), it bored me senseless. Next...
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Mort ou Vif (1976, 32.19) **/0Les Lunettes NoiresPapa s'Pique et Maman s'Shoote Faut Pas Rever Mort ou Vif L'Enfant Aux Cheveux Blancs Les Idees Molles Le Chanteur du Grande Cafe Le Dernier Rock and Roll |
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After a successful stint as a model in Germany in his late teens, the classically-trained Patrick Juvet moved to Paris, quickly establishing himself as a mainstream French pop star. For several years, he worked with an up-and-coming musician, composer Maurice Jarre's son Jean Michel, continuing the association after Jarre's rise to solo fame in '76. Juvet released his fifth album the same year, Mort ou Vif, recorded in LA; as you might expect, it's a mainstream mid-'70s pop/rock album, with a couple of warning signs that Juvet was about to move into disco, big time.
Juvet allegedly plays Mellotron himself, although there's nothing obvious to be heard, making me wonder why he bothered crediting it. Although some of this album's tracks are available on compilations, the original record seems never to've been issued on CD; a shame for M. Juvet's fans, less so for the rest of us. Anyway, with no apparent Mellotron, you really have no reason to hear this, unless the idea of unheard mainstream '70s pop appeals.
See: Jean Michel Jarre
