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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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Siamese Dream (1993, 63.40) **½/T |
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| Cherub Rock Quiet Today Hummer Rocket Disarm Soma Geek U.S.A. |
Mayonaise Spaceboy Silverfuck Sweet Sweet Luna |
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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995, 121.41) **/T |
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| Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Tonight, Tonight Jellybelly Zero Here is No Why Bullet With Butterfly Wings To Forgive Fuck You (an Ode to No One) Love |
Cupid De Locke Galapogos Muzzle Porcelina of the Vast Oceans Take Me Down Where Boys Fear to Tread Bodies Thirty-Three In the Arms of Sleep 1979 |
Tales of a Scorched Earth Thru the Eyes of Ruby Stumbleine X.Y.U. We Only Come Out at Night Beautiful Lily (My One and Only) By Starlight Farewell and Goodnight |
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The Aeroplane Flies High (1996, 136.00) *½/T |
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| Bullet With Butterfly Wings ...Said Sadly You're All I've Got Tonight Clones (We're All) A Night Like This Destination (Unknown) Dreaming 1979 Ugly |
The Boy Cherry Believe Set the Ray to Jerry Zero God Mouths of Babes Tribute to Johnny Maquis in Spades |
Pennies Pastichio Medley Tonight, Tonight Meladori Magpie Rotten Apples Jupiter's Lament Medellia of the Gray Skies Blank |
Tonite Reprise Thirty-Three The Last Song The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right) Transformer The Bells My Blue Heaven |
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CDS (1997, 17.05) **½/TT½ The End is the Beginning is the End The Beginning is the End is the Beginning The Ethers Tragic The Guns of Love Disastrous |
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Adore (1998, 78.59) *½/T |
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| To Sheila Ava Adore Perfect Daphne Descends Once Upon a Time Tear Crestfallen Appels + Oranjes |
Pug The Tale of Dusty and Pistol Pete Annie-Dog Shame Behold! The Nightmare For Martha Blank Page |
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Machina: the Machines of God (2000, 72.58) *½/T |
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| The Everlasting Gaze Raindrops & Sunshowers Stand Inside Your Love I of the Mourning The Sacred and Profane Try, Try, Try Heavy Metal Machine This Time |
The Imploding Voice Glass and the Ghost Children Wound The Crying Tree of Mercury With Every Light Blue Skies Bring Tears Age of Innocence |
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I suppose my chief problem with the Smashing Pumpkins is one of pretentiousness; now, I realise that lays me open to multiple charges of hypocrisy, being a major prog fan, but I'm actually of the opinion that a good progressive band is rarely actually pretentious, because they are playing and writing within their limits. As for the Pumpkins... Exhibit A: album titles - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Machina: the Machines Of God (That is NOT a translation of 'deus ex machina'!). Exhibit B: song titles - Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Behold! The Night Mare; need I continue? I rest my case, M'lud.
Their second release, 1993's Siamese Dream is rather less wanky, being a sort-of grunge (remember that?) album, which apart from its rather self-important lyrics works well enough, although I can't honestly say it's my kind of thing. Mainman Billy Corgan has an extremely irritating voice, although he generally keeps it in check here, and I'm struck by how good drummer Jimmy Chamberlin is (listen to the intro to Silverfuck), which explains why he's done so much session work. The material doesn't really engage me, I'm afraid, though at least half the tracks work on the pure energy level, particularly in the drumming department. As far as Corgan's Mellotron usage goes, I've read that various tracks are full of the thing, but all I can hear is some fairly full-on strings (and flutes?) on Spaceboy, although both Disarm and Luna have either real or fake strings, too.
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Hmmm, hmmm and hmmm again. What on earth possessed Corgan to think that would be a good title? Ludicrously pretentious, it gives the impression that whoever came up with it isn't half as bright as he'd like to think he is, as does the later Machina: the Machines Of God. The album itself is fantastically overblown; think 'grunge Queen' and you might be getting close, although with not a trace of that band's legendary sense of humour. This impression is intensified by the titles for the individual discs: 'Dawn to Dusk' and 'Twilight to Starlight'. Even more hmmm. Its worst crime, though, in my book, is that a great deal of it is very dull and it's appallingly over-long. Millions of record-buyers would argue that point, but I found myself losing the will to live as I staggered onto the second disc (sadly not literally). I can't really find any highpoints, to be honest, although there are a handful of Mellotron tracks. The title track is easily the best of these, being a two-ish minute piano piece with some lovely 'Tron strings, but neither Cupid De Locke or Galapogos have particularly worthwhile use, with very average strings in both. There may be other 'Tron use on the album, but if so, it's well-buried, so don't go out of your way for this one. No, I mean it.
The Aeroplane Flies High is a five-CD EP set, consisting of the CD singles from Mellon Collie, and is absolutely interminable. There are some covers scattered amongst the original numbers, but nothing I know, so I can't knowledgably converse on the subject. What I do know is that the 23-minute Pastichio Medley is the sort of thing that has inspired mass murder, and most of the rest of the material is pretty awful, too. I thought I'd got away without having to review it, until The Last Song, which is a relatively reasonable acoustic number, with some nice 'Tron strings. Please don't buy this record.
The End Is The Beginning Is The End, is a non-album single used in one of the Batman films, grouped together with another three similar-sounding tracks on an EP, all with a very distinct 'soundtracky' feel to them, and a common musical motif running through all four tracks. the title track is notable for the thick, soupy Mellotron choirs on the intro and dotted throughout, and was that strings and flutes in the verse? The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning has more choirs, as does The Guns Of Love Disastrous, making this the band's premier 'Tron release, and probably just about the best thing they've done musically, too.
Adore is more of the same (d'you get the feeling I'm just going through the motions here?), although the Mellotron makes an appearance or two. Tear is probably the album's best track, with a beautiful 'Tron string line that reminds me of Crack the Sky, for some unknown reason, then Pug has a few really ordinary string chords, although compared with the dirges that fill the bulk of the horrendously overlong album, it's quite good. Machina: the Machines of God is slightly more energetic, though no more listenable, although Glass And The Ghost Children (there's another one for Exhibit B) has some decent enough 'Tron flutes and strings. Some semi-buried strings on The Crying Tree Of Mercury, and that's it.
So... What the hell is it with this band? Why are they so inexplicably popular? If there's a whinier, moanier vocalist around than Billy Corgan, I've yet to hear them, and the vast majority of their material is irritating post-grunge nothingness, but millions wept into their beer when they split in 2000. Corgan's formed a new outfit, Zwan, but after a pain-filled hour-plus listening to their sole album (thankfully, I believe they've now split), I couldn't hear any Mellotron. As far as the 'Tron's concerned on the above, I'd say there's a short CD to be made of the stuff worth listening to, with a fair chunk of it being from the End is the Beginning EP; in other words, borrow the CDs and burn your own disc. Oh, and I don't believe there's any Mellotron on their first b-sides etc. collection, 1994's Pisces Iscariot (Exhibit A); right now, I really don't feel the need to borrow a copy for serious scrutiny, or in fact, any at all.
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All Mimsy Were the Borogoves (1994, 53.20) ****/TT½AliceFaerie Emerald Fancy Christopher's Journey (The Smell of) Interstellar Overdrive Witch's Hat Shrine |
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7" (1994) ****/T½ The Smell of Incense A Visit With Ashiya |
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Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber (1997, 49.54) ****½/TTTTT |
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| A Floral Treasury Overture The Song of the Winter Aconite Fairy The Song of the Nightshade Fairy The Song of the Queen of the Meadow Fairy Epilogue Columbine Confused |
A Word in Season From the Third Hemisphere Atlantis Kraken Slumber Kraken (Slight Return) |
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Until I heard them, I was under the impression that The Smell of Incense were 'just another Scandinavian prog band'. Not a bit of it. They mix'n'match influences from all over, but are most easily described as 'psychedelic', whatever you take that to mean. Some of the members had known each other since the mid-'70s, unbelievably, and after putting out various odd releases in the '80s as Famlende Forsøk, they put the SoI together in the mid-'80s with a remit to be as 'psychedelic' as possible, with the intention of recording an album of '60s psych classics.
Somewhere along the line, however, they started writing their own material, ending up with the compromise that is All Mimsy Were the Borogoves (Lewis Carroll's 'Jabberwocky', of course). Of the seven tracks on board, they ended up with three covers (The Kinks' Fancy, The Incredible String Band's Witch's Hat and a heavily customised version of Pink Floyd's Interstellar Overdrive), plus another three where they put their music to someone else's lyrics (Faerie Emerald, from Edmund Spenser's 'Faerie Queen', Christopher's Journey from A.A.Milne's 'Winnie the Pooh' and a late-'60s Peter Hammill poem, Shrine, previously not set to music).
The band obviously refuse to use any equipment produced later than, say, 1972, with the end result being a marvellously 'authentic' late-'60s album. Well, nearly. Mellotron choirs didn't exist until 1972, but who's arguing when they sound this good? Their only wholly 'in-house' number, Alice, has some very background 'Tron strings, but the flute melody and strings on Faerie Emerald are right at the front of the mix, with background choirs. More choirs on Christopher's Journey and Shrine, although Interstellar Overdrive is more of a trippy organ jam, different enough from the original to justify the band's collective co-writing credit. Incidentally, the 'Tron (it seems they own one) was played by 'Han Solo', one of several nom-de-plumes used by the band, for reasons best known to themselves.
The band have released a handful of singles, in various formats, all of which consist of covers of obscure psych classics. 1994 brought their version of the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band's The Smell of Incense (wondered where they'd got their name), backed with HMS Bounty's A Visit With Ashiya ('67 and '69 respectively). As I've heard neither track in its original version, comparisons are not so much pointless as impossible, but they both sound pretty damn' good here, with some 'Tron strings and a smattering of choirs on the 'b'.
They followed it, three years later, with Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber, which had shifted right up to, er, about 1973, taking on prog influences to add to the all-pervading psych. Their remit this time round, it seems, was to put music to the writings of various mystical writers, those being Mary Cicely Barker, Michael Moorcock, Lord Dunsany and Robert E. Howard. Opening track, A Floral Treasury, is 25 minutes long, working its way through several sections and feels, including a near-dance part (that's contemporary, not country...). The songs are all excellent, with killer hooks inserted all over the place, particularly on A Word In Season, so don't get the idea that this is just another pseudo-psych effort favouring style over substance. The Smell of Incense have both... Apart from the music, Through the Gates... is stuffed to the gills with Mellotron; not only strings/flutes/choir, but an unidentified woodwind instrument, more than once, and what sounds like it may be one of the various 'orchestra' sounds near the beginning of the first track. They often use two sounds at once, but I've no idea what their Mellotronic setup is, so no news on how they reproduce(d) it all live. 'Trons not only by Han Solo, but Mickey Moog as well, this time.
After doing a bit of online research, I've discovered that The Smell of Incense have actually produced a handful of singles/EPs, some split with other Scandinavian bands, some of which are even still available. However, I'm reluctant to splash out ten Euros for something that may not be up to the standard of these albums, and which may or may not contain Mellotron, but I'll try to track them down at some point for review. Sadly, the band seem to be lying dormant at the moment, but maybe they'll rear their pointy little heads again at some point, and grace us with more of their wonderfully retro psych grooves. Please? And while they're about it, maybe Borogoves could be reissued, and a compilation of their singles tracks would be nice, too.
Note: since writing the above, I've heard all of their single/compilation tracks (thanks, chaps!), and while all are excellent, the only 'Tronnic one is reviewed above. Expect a new album shortly...
See: Famlende Forsøk | Seid
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Ghost of a Smile [a.k.a. Gettin' Smile] (1982/97, recorded 1969, 20.49) ***/½EarthStep on Me Doin' Alright April Lady Blag Polar Bear |
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Smile's mini-album has a rather confused history. They were a London-based three-piece at the tail end of the '60s, who just happened to include one Brian May on guitar, and one Roger Taylor on drums, along with bassist/vocalist Tim Staffell. If the last name looks at all familiar to you, it'll probably be from the writing credits on the first Queen album, where he co-wrote Doin' Alright, also to be found here, although he also played with ex-Mott the Hoople Morgan Fisher's Morgan project. As far as anyone can work out, they only ever recorded six tracks, which remained unreleased until the early '80s, as Gettin' Smile, when a Japanese label stuck them out, presumably in a somewhat unauthorised manner (I actually saw a copy of this, and stupidly didn't buy it). It appeared again in '97, this time (of course) on CD as Ghost of a Smile; there appear to be two different versions, with the Dutch Pseudonym issue being relatively official, and the other (Italian?) one being a poor-sounding boot, although it adds both sides of Freddie Mercury's 'Larry Lurex' single from '73. Incidentally, don't bother with that particular rarity - I Can Hear Music is a poor version of the Beach Boys' song, and the b-side isn't much better.
So, what's it like? A bit of a mixed bag, actually; the proverbial 'curate's egg', even. Smile admit to being influenced by Cream, although this only shows up here on Blag, with the other songs presumably being rather unrepresentative of their live sound. Earth (b/w Step On Me) was actually a single, but it's hardly surprising it didn't exactly set the charts alight, although it's a decent enough song. Actually, the one reason you'd really want to get this is to see the roots of Queen; not only did they record Doin' Alright, but Step On Me has some signature May guitar harmonies, already in place even then, and Blag's obviously curtailed 'jam' section contains bits of what would end up as Brighton Rock, five years and three albums later. As for the Mellotron (very possibly played by May), there's a bit of background string work on Earth, but as great 'Tron work goes, it's deeply inessential, to be honest.
So; this is actually quite essential for fans of early Queen, if only to see from whence they came. The rest of you should probably pass swiftly by; this is no long-lost psych classic, although it does have its moments. Your decision, methinks.
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Apollo Smile (1991, 44.37) **/½ |
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| Thunderbox Dune Buggy I Want You to Love Me Love Comes Your Way Theme for All Nations Friends Hymn to the Sun Temple of Love |
Peace Theme (Reprise) Dune Buggy (Bonus Remix) |
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Paula Apollo Anne "Apollo Smile" Scharf is a singer who'd concentrated on film and SF convention work over the course of her career, sometimes billing herself as 'The Live Action Anime Girl'. Her eponymous 1991 debut is her first of three albums to date, consisting of rather mainstream pop/rock, with the accent on the 'pop', including Thunderbox, her contribution to Tom Cruise's 1990 effort, Days of Thunder. It's pretty disposable stuff, to be honest, although I can imagine the more committed AOR fan may find some merit in it. You, dear reader, probably won't.
Ronnie "Fingers" Jeffrey plays Mellotron, unusually for the time, with a rising string line in the reasonably rocky Love Comes Your Way, although I can't hear it anywhere else. Given that noted early 'Tron resurgence king Michael Beinhorn was involved in the project, I suppose it could be his machine we're hearing. Anyway, you really don't need to hear this for either the music or its minimal Mellotronic presence. And to her small but devoted online following, bemoaning her disappearance in recent years... Guys. Apollo was born in 1967. She turned forty in 2007. I hope this doesn't come across as sexist (it absolutely isn't meant to), but she probably retired from stage work to start a family. Sorry.
Exceptionally out-of-date fan site
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XO (1998, 44.46) ****½/T½ |
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| Sweet Adeline Tomorrow Tomorrow Waltz #2 (XO) Baby Britain Pitseleh Independence Day Bled White Waltz #1 |
Amity Oh Well, Okay Bottle Up and Explode! A Question Mark Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands I Didn't Understand |
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CDS (1999) ****/TTTT Baby Britain Some Song (alternate version) Bottle Up and Explode (early version) |
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Figure 8 (2000, 52.15) ****/TT |
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| Son of Sam Somebody That I Used to Know Junk Bond Trader Everything Reminds Me of Her Everything Means Nothing to Me LA In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach) Stupidity Tries |
Easy Way Out Wouldn't Mama Be Proud? Color Bars Happiness Pretty Mary K I Better Be Quiet Now Can't Make a Sound Bye |
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From a Basement on the Hill (2004, 57.54) ****/TT |
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| Coast to Coast Let's Get Lost Pretty (Ugly Before) Don't Go Down Strung Out Again Fond Farewell King's Crossing Ostriches & Chirping |
Twilight A Passing Feeling Last Hour Shooting Star Memory Lane Little One A Distorted Reality is Now a Necessity to be Free |
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Elliott Smith sits firmly in the 'intelligent pop/singer-songwriter' category. I think XO was his first 'produced' album, as against independent label low-budget efforts (which is no criticism), and features a full band on some tracks. The material is absolutely excellent, and in a more sympathetic musical climate Smith would undoubtedly be massive, but the current lowest common denominator approach means that he's unlikely to break through properly; why have quality when you can make do with quantity? He's obviously soaked up the best, most intelligent pop of the last 40 years (Beatles, Beach Boys, XTC et al.) and regurgitated what he's learnt in a highly pleasing fashion. The inimitable Jon Brion plays Chamberlin and vibes on a handful of tracks, with faint strings on Waltz #1 and more upfront ones on Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands, but the standout Chamby track is Bottle Up And Explode!, with a wonderful arranged string part. If anything, the demo version on the 'b-side' of the second issue of Baby Britain is even better, with Smith himself playing a cranky-sounding (presumably) Chamberlin.
Smith followed up two years later with Figure 8, another collection of marvellous songs, and while I suspect it's probably as good as its predecessor, it almost certainly needs a good few plays for its charms to become as apparent as those of XO. No-one's credited with Chamberlin this time round, so I assume it's Smith himself playing it (I presume it's Chamby, anyway). As far as I can hear, there's major strings on Everything Means Nothing To Me, cellos on Easy Way Out, brass and strings on Wouldn't Mama Be Proud? and brass under real strings on Can't Make A Sound (hear that key click!), and I'm still not sure about the solo mandolin part at the end of Happiness. Anyway, possibly a better Chamby album than its predecessor, and the jury's still out on whether or not it's as good musically.
After his tragic suicide in late 2003, From a Basement on the Hill will probably be Smith's last album (er, DUH!), unless there are enough odds'n'sods in the vaults to make another one. Well, what can I say? More of the same, material easily as good as on its predecessor, why would you kill yourself if you were this talented? Stupid question, I know, but... Less Chamby than before, and what there is seems to be buried deeper in the mix, with the glaring exception of the totally-in-yer-face repeating string part on Twilight. Distant flutes on Pretty (Ugly Before) and Don't Go Down, and barely audible strings on Strung Out Again, and that's your lot.
So; three fantastic albums by an immensely talented and already sorely-missed man, with some reasonable Chamberlin use to boot. And Billy Corgan's still alive? R.I.P, Elliott.
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Blow Up (1991, 47.59) ***½/T |
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| Top of the Pops Too Much Passion Tell Me When Did Things Go So Wrong Evening Dress Get a Hold of My Heart Indigo Blues Now and Then Girl in Room 12 |
Anywhere You Are Over and Over Again It's Alright If You Want the Sun to Shine |
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The Smithereens Play Tommy (2009, 41.22) ****/T½ |
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| Overture It's a Boy Amazing Journey Sparks Eyesight to the Blind Christmas Acid Queen Pinball Wizard |
Go to the Mirror Tommy Can You Hear Me? Sensation I'm Free We're Not Gonna Take it/See Me Feel Me/Listening to You |
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The Smithereens apparently formed as far back as 1980, releasing their debut album the same year (didn't things move fast back then?). 1991's Blow Up is their sixth, mixing classic powerpop (Get A Hold Of My Heart) with an almost pre-grunge sensibility (Girl In Room 12) to rather good effect; a couple of tracks let the side down slightly, but the overall vibe is 'up'. Best track? Maybe joyous opener Top Of The Pops, Beatlesesque ballad Evening Dress or the rocking Girl In Room 12, but there's nothing here that'll upset the discerning listener. Michael Hamilton is credited with Mellotron, but given that all the album's strings seem to be real, the only obvious place you'll find it is the flutes on closer If You Want The Sun To Shine. 1991 was near the end of the Mellotron's 'wilderness years', so all power (pop) to The Smithereens for helping it regain some kind of prominence. Too early for easily-available samples, it's almost certainly real, too.
Eighteen years later... Fans complain that the band have almost given up writing new material, preferring to cover entire albums, starting with 2006's Meet the Smithereens, although if the results are as good as The Smithereens Play Tommy, who's complaining? It's basically a cut-down version of The Who's iconic double album, filtering out most of the lesser material (no Underture, though), played as if the band's lives depended on it. Maybe they did? Anyway, you'd have to be going it some to screw this up, and The Smithereens don't. What they do, you'll be unsurprised to hear, is add a little Mellotron to the proceedings (from Kurt Reil), with beautifully upfront string parts on Overture and See Me, Feel Me, making you wonder why Pete Townshend was always so anti- the instrument.
So; one good original album, one great 'repro', for want of a better term, with more Mellotron on the latter than the former. As with Kiwis Ragnarok's Dark Side-with-Mellotron live medley, ...Play Tommy is a great way to hear a non-'Tron band as they might have sounded with one. Buy.
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Wild Love (1995, 35.12) ***½/T½ |
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| Bathysphere Wild Love Sweet Smog Children Bathroom Floor The Emperor Limited Capacity It's Rough Sleepy Joe |
The Candle Be Hit Prince Alone in the Studio Goldfish Bowl |
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Smog are Bill Callahan's solo project; he's even been known to use the name himself. Starting as a low-fi almost Jandek soundalike, he's slowly shifted towards a more 'professional' sound, while keeping his unusual linear song structures and deadpan delivery. 1995's Wild Love is his fourth album 'proper', excluding four early cassette releases, still in his 'sparse' period, by the sound of it. It's difficult to pinpoint highlights when Callahan goes out of his way to sound almost unmusical; it's a valid approach, and I'd expect to be hauled across the coals for saying this by his fans, but it's not an easy listen for ears attuned to slightly more melodic songwriting. Lyrically, there appears to be a self-loathing component, notably on Be Hit, but this isn't an album by someone at ease with himself. But then, how many genuine artists are?
Ian O'Hey plays Chamberlin, with a near-dissonant string part on Candles and a more 'standard' part running right through the lengthy Prince Alone In The Studio, accounting for the bulk of the album's rating. So; a difficult listen, but one that I would imagine pays off with repetition. I'm not sure if I'll ever really get it, but many people have and you may, too. One excellent Chamby track, for what it's worth.
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The "Cooling System" Sessions (1998, 40.34) ***/TTTPart 1Part 2 |
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At the risk of simply repeating the brief 'bio' of Azalia Snail to be found on loads of websites, she's an avant-garde musician who was an early low-fi innovator in the early '90s, having released a series of albums from then until now. 1998's The "Cooling System" Sessions seems to be a semi-official release (it isn't listed on her site's discography), with maybe as few as 99 CDs (or CD-Rs?) having been produced. There's a Sundial connection; mainman Gary Ramon appears to be involved somewhere down the line. Although it consists of several distinct tracks, a tracklisting seems to be a thing of nebulosity, so I'm afraid we'll have to make do with Parts 1 and 2.
It's a strange effort, with musical links to folk, indie, even prog in places, probably worth hearing for those who like a little experimentation in their diet. Snail and Alan Sparhawk both play Mellotron, with brass and vibes on Part 1 and cellos on Part 2, as far as I can ascertain, mostly used in a 'non standard' manner, which makes a nice change. Given that this isn't actually buyable, I'm sure you won't feel too bad about finding and downloading it if you like the sound of it. Sort-of interesting musically with some nice 'Tron work. Incidentally, I'm not sure there was ever an official sleeve design for it; I get the impression the above image was constructed by the blogger who originally posted the sessions.
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Mind Stroll (1975, 30.38) ***/T½Mind StrollWinter Take it Slow and Easy A Spell of Destruction Minuet in E Concerto for Two Handed Plectrum Madman |
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Decent biographical information on Greg Sneddon is hard to come by; suffice to say that he's still performing today, thirty years after the release of what I presume was his debut album, Mind Stroll. A keyboard player of some repute, Sneddon used a handful of other musicians on the album (not least a singer), playing multi-keys himself, although I'm afraid to say the end result's a little anodyne; the composition has its moments, but overall has far too much of a 'soft-rock' vibe about it. Full-on symph this is not. The two longer compositions, the title track and Madman are probably the best, but there's something lacking in this album; it doesn't even touch Aussie prog masters such as Sebastian Hardie or Aleph.
Ignore online references such as 'lots of Mellotron' with regard to this record; only two tracks I can hear, with polyphonic flutes on Winter and orchestrally-inclined strings on Take It Slow And Easy, which doth not a 'Tron album make. This now seems to be available on some dodgy far-eastern bootleg CD, but I really wouldn't pay over the odds for it, if I were you. Amusingly, after searching for it in three major Australian cities, I finally found a copy for A$15.00 in almost the last shop I went into in Perth which we'd almost overlooked, although I've since seen a copy going online for A$100. Possibly pay the former; do not pay the latter.
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Phoebe Snow (1974, 36.37) ***½/T½Good TimesHarpo's Blues Poetry Man Either or Both San Francisco Bay Blues I Don't Want the Night to End Take Your Children Home It Must Be Sunday No Show Tonight |
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Phoebe Snow (born Phoebe Ann Laub) changed her name to that of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's early 20th Century fictional advertising socialite, presumably due to its a) familiarity and b) catchiness. After doing the usual NYC round of Greenwich Village folk clubs, albeit some years after their heyday, she nailed a contract with Shelter Records, releasing her eponymous debut in 1974. It's a fairly typical mid-'70s singer-songwriter album to be honest, vaguely comparable to Judee Sill or Laura Nyro, although as a non-expert in the genre, I'm prepared to be corrected on that one. It spawned one huge hit, Poetry Man, which reached No.5 in the U.S. charts in 1975, although, sadly, it didn't lead to fame and fortune, partly due to Snow's genuinely heroic insistence on caring for her severely brain-damaged daughter herself, which impacted heavily on her career.
Despite track-by-track credits on the rear sleeve, there's no mention of a Mellotron anywhere, although it can be heard quite clearly on a few tracks, presumably played by album keyboardist Bob James. Poetry Man, I Don't Want The Night To End and It Must Be Sunday all feature pseudo-orchestral string parts, doubtless due more to budgetary restraints than any desire to actually have a Mellotron on the record, but let's not look a gift horse, OK?
Phoebe Snow, while not especially to my taste, is clearly a very good album of its type, and should probably be heard in preference to just about anything by Carly Simon et al. Its mix of jazz, blues and folk won't appeal to everybody, but singer-songwriter fans previously unaware of her talents should grab this forthwith. Not much Mellotron, and not really used in any meaningful way, but that's hardly the point really, is it? Incidentally, the CD version has a slew of bonus tracks, mostly demos, so it's unlikely there's any more 'Tron content.
A quick postscript to Snow's career (not, of course, that it's anywhere near over) is that her daughter, Valerie Rose, died in March 2007, aged 31. I'm not sure how many of us would've been able to do what Phoebe Snow has done, while keeping some sort of musical career going. It takes a lot to move a cynical old git like me, but Phoebe's story has done so.
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When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001, 47.34) *½/0 |
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| Never Gonna Fall in Love Again Ask Me How I am Making Enemies Black and Blue Last Ever Lone Gunman If I'd Found the Right Words to Say Batten Down the Hatch One Night is Not Enough |
Chased by... I Don't Know What On/Off An Olive Grove Facing the Sea When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up Make Love to Me Forever Firelight |
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Maybe surprisingly, Snow Patrol formed as far back as 1994, and while usually referred to as Scottish, are actually comprised of Northern Irish guys who were at university in Dundee at the time. They fit neatly into the Coldplay/Travis area of 'insipid indie', characterised by ineffectual vocals and rhythmically- and harmonically-poor music, all infused with a kind of low-level misery that's no doubt a hangover from the inexplicably massively influential Smiths. Oh dear, I seem to have come down on one side of the fence, haven't I? Again. That isn't to say that everything they do lacks energy; they frequently pick up the pace, but still manage to sound like complete wusses while doing so.
When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up is their second album and their last pre-major label release, and you can see why Polydor went for them. Dull, lifeless, stuffed full of fake 'emotion'... A surefire success in what passes for the UK's crummy music scene. I'm sure the label execs could already see the stadiums full of confused teenagers of the 'arty' variety sobbing into their plastic cups of piss-weak beer over Gary Lightbody's over-emoting voice and 'sensitive' lyrics, and that's just the boys. Believe me, AC/DC they are not.
"But what about the Mellotron?", I hear you cry. Well, both Lightbody and now ex-member Mark McClelland are credited with playing it, but I'll be buggered if I can hear where. An Olive Grove Facing The Sea, the title track and Firelight could all possibly have some secreted away, but then, they could be actual strings (there appear to be some on the album) or synths - who knows? Anyway, nothing obvious, so it gets a big fat zero on the 'Tronometer. It should probably get one for the music, too, but I've been generous and given it a whole *½; count yourself lucky, boys, it's more than it deserves.
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Made in Rock (1976, 36.57) ***/TSaturday Rae (Handrock)Just Tell Me This Bloody Town Mata Hari Oh Lord Tombstone Kiss Rock'n'Roller 16 Track Solid Ground |
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Solid Ground were a Swedish hard rock outfit who released their sole album, Made in Rock, in 1976, reissued in 1991. Was it worth it? Well, it's, y'know, okay, but haven't we heard it all a million times before? Yeah, I've heard worse, but it's pretty clichéd stuff, with terrible lyrics, although to be fair, they weren't writing in their native tongue. Mind you, "Rock is my life, rock is my wife", is either unrestrained genius or utter stupidity. Possibly both.
The album's best track is probably its longest, Solid Ground itself, which, coincidentally, also features its only Mellotron work (player unknown), with a repeating strings chord sequence under the lengthy guitar duet at the song's conclusion. Anyway, a passable effort, but you can see why this isn't lauded as a lost classic - or maybe it is? One so-so 'Tron track and some average hard rock; maybe not.
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Something or Other (1989, 47.40) ****/T |
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| Melt Back on Side With You Something You Can't Miss Know You Now Girl Soul How She Loves I Didn't Mean That Little Town Crier |
Sunshine's Glove Forever a Dream I'm Falling Down Another Happy Ending |
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Australians The Someloves are one of powerpop's best-hidden secrets; formed in Perth, WA, in the mid-80s, by ex-Stems and Lime Spiders members, they only released the one album, 1989's Something or Other. It's an absolute gem, although slightly churlish reviewers have pointed out its unoriginal aspects, being heavily influenced by the likes of Badfinger and Big Star. Top tracks include Melt, Know You Now and Forever A Dream, although there isn't a bad song here; of course, if 12-string Rickenbackers, lyrics about girls and, er, more girls and heavenly harmonies don't float your boat, then you're unlikely to go for it, however good I tell you it is.
Produced by Orange Humble Band member, R.E.M. producer and general all-round powerpop good guy Mitch Easter, the album is an early example (along with the second Crowded House album) of the Chamberlin Renaissance that kicked in properly in the early '90s. Played by Easter, it actually isn't all that visible on the record, with some background strings on Girl Soul, only really audible at the end of the song and a string part on How She Loves, although it's possible it's elsewhere, too; the background strings on opener Melt? Hard to say, with an instrument so notoriously shy.
So; a total must for powerpop fans. Less so for those wanting to spot the Chamberlin in its natural environment, although I suppose it could be argued that its natural environment is hidden away under anything else that happens to be in the mix. Anyway; a beautiful album, highly recommended, though not for the Chamby.
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Leaving Through the Window (2002, 67.00) **½/½ |
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| I Want to Save You Punk Rock Princess I Woke Up in a Car If You C Jordan The Astronaut Hurricane Cavanaugh Park Fall Straw Dog |
Good News Drunk Girl Not What it Seems You're Gone Globes & Maps [bonus tracks: Little Walking By] |
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The ironically-named Something Corporate seem to be classed as pop-punk in some circles, although they apparently prefer the ludicrous description 'piano rock', given that the piano isn't that prominent on their debut album 'proper', 2002's Leaving Through the Window. To be honest, they just sound like any other indie (US division) outfit to me, but what do I know? A few tracks up the energy levels a little, notably Hurricane, but the whole still resembles a (more) lightweight Green Day for most of its vastly overlong duration. So maybe it is 'punk'? Oh, and it features a string section on most tracks, just in case you were still harbouring any thoughts that they might challenge The Damned or the Pistols or something. Pah.
Good old Patrick Warren turns up and does his usual thing, i.e. Chamberlin on one track, in this case Globes & Maps. Now, given the album's ubiquitous string section, what's the point in getting someone to play an instrument that sounds almost exactly like strings? I know the Chamby can be alarmingly realistic, if sympathetically arranged and recorded, but I really don't think you'd know you weren't hearing real strings if it didn't say so. Pointless. Actually, that's a good description of the whole album: pointless.
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Somnambulist (1996, 55.40) ****/TTTTFrotusConqueror Worm Return of the Son of Civilization Globos Formas Para Mañana Pinocchio Multum in Parvo Prometheus' Lament Torquemado Unlearning Folds of Red |
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The Paranormal Humidor (2001, 54.30) ****/TTT½In the Mindwarp PavillionPathos of Least Resistance Destroy...She Said Infant Troy Built Helen Died and Gone Paranormal Humidor |
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Somnambulist are one of the growing number of new bands (many of them American) who have largely (though not entirely) rejected the advances made in keyboard technology since the '70s, while using more modern guitar tones than their predecessors, giving an interesting old/new hybrid sound. They mix'n'match pretty well, with all sorts of influences making themselves apparent (Genesis, Crimson and Van der Graaf spring to mind), while avoiding directly copying anyone's style; in fact, while not really sounding anything like them, Spock's Beard are in at least vaguely the same field. I'd imagine they'd appeal to almost anyone who's into '70s-styled prog, while probably not alienating the neo crowd either.
There's much Mellotron (from Jody Park) on Somnambulist, with only one track free of tape tyranny, mostly strings, often used quite sparingly and with considerable taste. Saying that, the string intros to both Frotus and Conqueror Worm leap right off the disc at you, and there's particularly heavy use on Prometheus' Lament. Actually, this is a superb album; another one where the first listen didn't really sink in, but subsequent plays have made its excellence apparent.
It took the band five years to come up with their second album, The Paranormal Humidor, leading many observers to think they'd split up. It's a worthy follow-up to their debut, with just a touch of neo-ism creeping in, notably on Troy Built Helen, though they redeem themselves with the gorgeous melody on Pathos Of Least Resistance (v.droll, chaps). Mellotron use largely as per Somnambulist, almost all strings, although I'm not totally 100% convinced it's real; some lengthy notes here and there, and is that portamento I hear creeping into the sound on the title track? Then again, an overdub trick with a mono synth would give the same impression, so I'll give 'em the benefit of the doubt.
Anyway, two fine albums and loads of (hopefully real) Mellotron. All prog fans need apply now.
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Wide Swing Tremolo (1998, 45.30) ***½/T |
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| Straightface Driving the View Jodel Medicine Hat Strands Flow Dead Man's Clothes Right on Through |
Chanty Carry You Down Question Streets That Time Walks Hanging Blue Side Blind Hope |
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Son Volt, formed by Jay Farrar, were the 'other' band to rise from the ashes of the lauded Uncle Tupelo, the first, of course, being Wilco. Wide Swing Tremolo is their third album, and the last made by their original lineup before Farrar reconvened them in 2004. Probably more 'trad' than Wilco, it's typical alt.country/Americana in many ways, although opener Straightface is almost hard rock, in a Neil Young kind of way, and the album's overall feel walks the fine line between rock and country. Yeah, we all know how awful mainstream Nashville country is, but this is a world away from that schlock, getting back to the music's roots and fusing them with psych and post-psych rock, making country acceptable for a generation brought up to hate it.
Farrar plays Chamberlin on one track, Carry You Down, though if you didn't know, you, er, wouldn't know. Ghostly flute lines wander through the sparse piece, but it's hardly groundbreaking use. All in all, this is a defining Americana release, although those with zero tolerance for anything even remotely country may wish to look elsewhere. Fairly minimal Chamby, too, given how many songs here might have benefitted from its inclusion. Oh well.
See: Jay Farrar | Wilco
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Aria (1972, 40.37) **½/½AriaVorrei Incontrarti La Mia Mente Un Fiume Tranquillo |
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I'm not at all sure how to describe Alan Sorrenti's music, at least on his debut album, Aria (which is a chiefly vocal work, unlike the hapless Glenn Danzig's instrumental Black Aria... Twat...). Mind you, I say 'vocal' only in the sense that there's a good deal of vocalisation on the album; I wouldn't go as far as to call it 'singing' per se. I wouldn't actually go as far as to call it a very pleasant noise, either, although I'm sure it has its aficionados; sadly, I am not among them. 'Screeching and wailing' would seem to be a reasonable description of his style; maybe he was being theatrical. Or something. Anyway, the music isn't too bad, all things considered, being a fairly laid-back kind of proto-prog thing, with the side-long title track being the best effort here, but Sorrenti's tortured tones actually made me switch the damn' thing off halfway through my second listen, which isn't a good sign.
On the bright side, there's a little Mellotron from Albert Prince, with a few string chords on Aria, and a brief burst of flutes on La Mia Mente, but we're not talking the most indispensable use ever, to be honest, and when you realise you have to listen to that voice to hear a few seconds of average 'Tron use, it's enough to make you, er, go somewhere else. So; bit of a let-down, really. Some of you may be able to handle Sorrenti's dulcet tones, but many of you won't. To be on the safe side, don't bother.
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Unspoiled Monsters (1996, 50.00) ***/T |
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| Untitled Sharks Capital My Stars Anything That Moves Kiss the Streets Sol 66 The Painter Tall Ships |
Mystery Summer Erlkönig |
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Sort Sol began in 1977 as Sods, the first Danish punk band. After several lineup and stylistic changes, they metamorphosed into their current form, releasing their eighth (in total) album, Unspoiled Monsters, in 1996. They don't easily fit into any category these days, probably having more in common with The Cure than anyone else, which isn't to say they sound particularly like them, more that they have some of the same influences. Steen Jørgensen's deep, gothlike tones dominate the album, but I detect more of a metal edge than The Cure would ever own up to, though not in a dreadful 'hair' kind of way, thankfully.
Wili Jönsson plays Mellotron on the album, with a reasonable flute part on Kiss The Streets, although if there's anything else it's well-hidden. Generally speaking, you're not going to buy this for its Mellotron content, and you're probably only going to buy it for the music if you're into a certain strain of post-punk, so I think I'm going to have to say: don't bother.
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Let Your Dim Light Shine (1995, 49.46) **½/½ |
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| Misery Shut Down To My Own Devices Hopes Up Promises Broken Bittersweetheart String of Pearls Crawl |
Caged Rat Eyes of a Child Just Like Anyone Tell Me When Nothing to Write Home About I Did My Best |
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Candy From a Stranger (1998, 45.18) ***/0 |
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| Creatures of Habit I Will Still Be Laughing Close See You Later No Time for Waiting Blood Into Wine Lies of Hate Draggin' the Lake |
New York Blackout The Game Cradle Chain |
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Minneapolis natives Soul Asylum had already peaked commercially by the time they released Let Your Dim Light Shine in '95, after '92's huge-selling Grave Dancers Union. I believe their earlier sound was more 'punk', in a Hüsker Dü kind of way, but I'm afraid this is no more than a lacklustre 'alt.rock' effort, more like an alternative to rock, to be honest. Joey Huffman plays organ, piano and Mellotron, with the latter only on closer I Did My Best, with a subtle flute part that enhances the song slightly, though not enough to make it especially worth hearing. Nothing to write home about indeed...
Three years on, Candy From a Stranger appeared, and while it manages to be less tedious than its predecessor, Jon Carin's credited Mellotron appears to be entirely inaudible, unless anyone out there has sharper hearing than my good self (distinctly possible). So; unless 'alt.rock' (aargh!) is your bag, go somewhere else. No, really. Oh, and I'd love to know why the rather risible Cult decided to use their name for a song title. Is it a quote from something?
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The Premiere (2006, 58.47) **/½ |
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| The Arrival I'm Here Whoa Whoa! Goodness Step Clap You Make Me We Don't Know I'm Grindin' |
Do My Thang You Can Money More I'm the Street Hey Young Man Hold on Hear My Cry All I Want |
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What happens when you combine two of my least favourite genres in one album? Soul P is that unholiest (ho ho) of genre mash-ups, a Christian rapper, although it doesn't seem to be that obvious from his 'rhymes', as I believe they're known. He found his way to the proverbial mythical deity through a dysfunctional childhood and several spells in chokey, 'giving his life to The Lord' a mere 24 hours after attending a Bible group, which has to make the sceptical reader wonder what was going on in the guy's head.
Anyway, 2006's The Premiere is, unsurprisingly, his debut album, and the one thing I can say in its favour is that the lyrics aren't about ho's (excuse the apostrophe - otherwise it's spelled hos, which looks ridiculous), bling and the like, which isn't to say it was a pleasant listening experience, being the usual collection of musically tedious efforts with him blathering on about something or other over the top. Funniest track? I'm The Street, with its heavenly choirs (a sampled one, by the sound of it) and a rap about how he Got God.
Jeff Roach plays Mellotron, unbelievably, with a few skronky-sounding string notes in the album's first proper track, I'm Here, but I don't hear it anywhere else, just the ubiquitous 'strings' with which Roach is also credited. You don't want to hear this, do you? Do you?
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Much Against Everyone's Advice (1999, 45.37) ***/T |
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| Conversation Intercom Saturday When Logics Die Much Against Everyone's Advice Overweight Karate Kid Proverbial Pants The Salty Knowledge of Tears Flying Without Wings |
More Than This Too Many DJ's Temptingly Yours Scream Funny |
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Soulwax's two chief members, brothers David and Stephen Dewaele, also operate as 2 Many DJs, which might give you some idea of where they're coming from. Their second album as Soulwax, 1999's Much Against Everyone's Advice, is an indie/electro crossover effort, which means, for the rest of us, noisy indie-pop overlaid with laptop electronica, which may or (more likely) may not be up your street. It seems to be perfectly good at what it does, and didn't have me reaching for the bucket, although I don't really feel qualified to pontificate at length on the music, you'll probably be pleased to hear.
Jason Falkner of Jellyfish and The Grays (not to mention Pugwash collaboration fame) plays Chamberlin here, though whether he carted one over to Belgium or they recorded in the States, I'm not sure. He also arranges the strings, so what's what can sometimes only be a matter for conjecture. Definite flutes on Proverbial Pants, but nothing else particularly obvious, which doesn't mean it isn't there.
The brothers have probably recorded more remixes of other people's tracks than produced their own, tackling names such as Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams and The Chemical Brothers, alongside their countrymen dEUS and Zita Swoon. I've no idea whether any of their remix work is even vaguely listenable for the non-dance scene fan, but Much Against Everyone's Advice has its moments, although overall, it tends to irritate, I'm afraid. One minor 'Tron track, so you're probably best off going elsewhere.
