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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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All This & World War II (1976, 94.30) **/½ |
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| Ambrosia: Magical Mystery Tour Elton John: Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds Bee Gees: Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight Leo Sayer: I am the Walrus Bryan Ferry: She's Leaving Home Roy Wood: Lovely Rita Keith Moon: When I'm Sixty-Four Rod Stewart: Get Back Leo Sayer: Let it Be David Essex: Yesterday |
Jeff Lynne: With a Little Help From My Friends/Nowhere Man Lynsey De Paul: Because Bee Gees: She Came in Through the Bathroom Window Richard Cocciante: Michelle Four Seasons: We Can Work it Out Helen Reddy: The Fool on the Hill Frankie Laine: Maxwell's Silver Hammer Brothers Johnson: Hey Jude Roy Wood: Polythene Pam |
Bee Gees: Sun King Status Quo: Getting Better Leo Sayer: The Long and Winding Road Henry Gross: Help Peter Gabriel: Strawberry Fields Forever Frankie Valli: A Day in the Life Tina Turner: Come Together Wil Malone & Lou Reizner: You Never Give Me Your Money London Symphony Orchestra: The End |
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Chamberlin/Mellotron used:
All This & World War II (geddit? No? Never mind...) is the soundtrack to one of the more pointless films to come out of the '70s (or so I'm told - I've never seen it), apparently consisting of loads of World War II footage set to a soundtrack of Beatles covers. Um, why? Said covers were mostly recorded for the film, and are mostly pretty duff, lightweight versions with orchestral accompaniment, which does few of the tracks any favours. The artist selection is slightly odd, too; Richard Cocciante? Who he? Several flavour of the month types like David Essex and Leo Sayer, too, the latter with no less than three blandola contributions, as have the bloody Bee Gees, caught just as they entered their horrid disco phase.
In my youth, as a fanatical Status Quo fan (they were actually really good once - honest!), I actually bought this for their contribution, Getting Better, only to find that, despite presumably having been recorded recently, it actually sounded like their early cod-psych days; something of a disappointment. Now being older and wiser (?!), and having not played the bugger all the way through for many, many years, I'm more interested in hearing what Peter Gabriel did with Strawberry Fields Forever, or the barely-known-outside-the-States Ambrosia with Magical Mystery Tour (passable version, too much orchestra), but as with the Quo track, it's all pretty disappointing, to be honest.
I only played this again on spec, wondering if there might be any Mellotronic input, as you do - well, as I do. Sad fuck. Anyway, the only track that I know to have been recorded earlier ("Here's one I did earlier?"), Elton John's killer version of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (no, really) is smothered in 'Tron flutes and strings, but is easily otherwise available, while Ambrosia's aforementioned Magical Mystery Tour is largely orchestral, except at the end, where a few seconds of (presumably) Chamberlin strings (from Christopher North?) can be heard over some nicely high-in-the-mix Taurus pedals, providing the nearest this album gets to 'prog' (and it ain't that near).
Amazingly, this has just been released on (double) CD, but I can't honestly recommend it; almost every track is a dull, watered-down version of the original, with about the only even remotely interesting arrangement quirk being the odd bar of I Want You (She's So Heavy) thrown into The Four Seasons' otherwise super-bland We Can Work It Out. So; apart from Elt's track, there's about three seconds of probable Chamby strings here. Just don't.
See: Beatles | Ambrosia | Elton John | Bee Gees | Leo Sayer | Bryan Ferry | Peter Gabriel
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Baraka: Music From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1993, 47.55) ***/T |
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| Somei Satoh: Mantra Michael Stearns: Organics Inkuyo: Wipala Dead Can Dance: The Host of Seraphim Michael Stearns: Village Dance L. Subramaniam: Wandering Saint |
Anugama & Sebastiano: African Journey David Hykes/The Harmonic Choir: Rainbow Voice Michael Stearns: Monk With Bell Broken Vows/A Prayer Of Kala Rupa/An Daorach Bheag Finale End Credits |
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Baraka apparently bears similarity with Koyaanisqatsi, scored by Philip Glass, largely due to being directed by Ron Fricke, a cinematographer on that film. I haven't seen it, but its time-lapse techniques sound familiar, which isn't to say there isn't a lot more mileage to be had from them. Its score is suitably ethnic, largely written and recorded by ambient composer Michael Stearns, giving a reasonable idea of how the film might look, which makes it a successful soundtrack, I suppose. The mighty Dead Can Dance are also featured; now if ever a band should've used a Mellotron...
Mike Pinder (Moody Blues, of course) is credited with both Mellotron and Chamberlin on the soundtrack, although it's difficult to tell where they might be used. The strings on L. Subramaniam's Wandering Saint and Stearns' Finale are probably Chamby, but Mellotron? A mistake in the credits? That isn't why you'd want to hear this, anyway; it's more an album for soundtrack fans or those who like to listen to Western interpretations of various ethnic musics.
See: Mike Pinder
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Boogie Nights (1997, 50.40) ***/T |
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| John C. Reilly & Mark Wahlberg: Intro (Feel the Heat) The Emotions: Best of My Love The Chakachas: Jungle Fever Melanie: Brand New Key War: Spill the Wine |
Marvin Gaye: Got to Give it Up (Part 1) The Commodores: Machine Gun Walter Egan: Magnet and Steel McFadden & Whitehead: Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now |
Night Ranger: Sister Christian Electric Light Orchestra: Livin' Thing The Beach Boys: God Only Knows Michael Penn & Patrick Warren: The Big Top (Theme From Boogie Nights) |
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Boogie Nights was an excellent film; a Mark Wahlberg (Rock Star) vehicle, it lampooned the late '70s disco scene beautifully, in all its hedonistic, coked-up glory. The talented Michael Penn was brought in to soundtrack it, but for reasons unknown, most of his incidental music didn't make it to either of the soundtrack albums released, in favour of a bunch of contemporaneous hits (and the sublime God Only Knows, of course) that the producers hoped would sell the albums. Idiocy.
Anyway, the one piece that made the final cut was The Big Top (Theme From Boogie Nights), performed by Penn and Patrick Warren, consisting of several minutes of weird, vaguely circusy music, played on a wobbly organ and one or more Chamberlins, with plenty of flutes and strings, with a lengthy solo passage on the latter, plus what sounds like real brass. The second half of the near-ten minute track is taken up with Wahlberg messing about, as on the album's opener, Intro (Feel The Heat), playing and singing along with a record. I forget the scene, but it makes me want to see the film again.
So; one great Chamby tracks and a bunch of '70s and '80s mainstream pop/rock. I'd try to find the track online, if I were you.
See: Michael Penn
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City of Angels (1998, 72.08) ***/½ |
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| U2: If God Will Send His Angels Alanis Morissette: Uninvited Jimi Hendrix: Red House Paula Cole: Feelin' Love John Lee Hooker: Mama, You Got a Daughter |
Sarah McLachlan: Angel Goo Goo Dolls: Iris Peter Gabriel: I Grieve Jude: I Know Eric Clapton: Further on Up the Road |
Gabriel Yared: An Angel Falls Gabriel Yared: The Unfeeling Kiss Gabriel Yared: Spreading Wings Gabriel Yared: City of Angels |
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The City of Angels soundtrack is apparently revered in 'the biz' for the phenomenally successful marketing strategy used to sell what is, essentially, a various artists compilation. Two of its contributors, Alanis Morissette and the Goo Goo Dolls (of whom it has been said, who?) sold not only a great many copies of this, but also of their own records on the back of it, so big smiles all round. As far as we here are concerned, though, the only point of the album is the four tracks of Gabriel Yared's slushy incidental music tacked on the end as an afterthought, although the bulk of the album does actually contain a couple of worthwhile tracks, just for once.
Damir Prcic and Paul Kimble are both credited with Chamberlin, although I can't say there's an awful lot of it to be heard, with the only even possible parts being some distant choirs (sounding more like a Mellotron) on The Unfeeling Kiss and the title track. I know a Chamby can sound an awful lot like real strings, but the strings on these tracks sound exactly like real strings, to the point where that's quite clearly what they are. So; despite a few reasonable tracks, I can hardly recommend this, largely due to the practically non-existent Chamberlin.
See: Alanis Morissette | Sarah McLachlan | Peter Gabriel
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Donnie Darko (2002, 35.15) ***½/T |
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| Carpathian Ridge The Tangent Universe The Artifact and Living Middlesex Times Manipulated Living Philosophy of Time Travel Liquid Spear Waltz Gretchen Ross Burn it to the Ground |
Slipping Away Rosie Darko Cellar Door Ensurance Trap Waltz in the 4th Dimension Time Travel Did You Know Him? Mad World Mad World (alternate mix) |
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Donnie Darko is the kind of film that picks up fanatical fans, who dissect it to the nth degree, trying to fathom the plot's complexities. I haven't seen it (not a great film watcher, you may've noticed), so whether it would have the same effect on me is, as yet, unknown. The soundtrack is somewhat on the confusing side, as it's been released in two entirely different versions, one of the mainstream songs included in the film and one of the incidental music, which is the one that interests us here. It actually sounds like a soundtrack, which makes a nice change, with a series of suitably dark, short, instrumental pieces, ending with Gary Jules' by-now overly-familiar version of Tears for Fears' Mad World.
Responsibility for the soundtrack was handed to Michael Andrews, along with a minuscule budget, leading to him playing most of the instrumentation himself, including Mellotron, although I've no idea whether or not he used a real one. Anyway, we get flutes on The Artifact And Living and Rosie Darko, although it's possible it's hidden away elsewhere, too. Overall, then, an interesting, claustrophobic score; just chop the last two songs off for the perfect soundtrack experience.
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, 57.04) ***½/T½ |
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| Jon Brion: Theme Electric Light Orchestra: Mr Blue Sky Jon Brion: Collecting Things Polyphonic Spree: Light & Day Jon Brion: Bookstore Polyphonic Spree: It's the Sun Lata Mangeshkar: Wada Na Tod Jon Brion: Showtime |
Beck: Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes Jon Brion: Sidewalk Flight Don Nelson: Some Kinda Shuffle Jon Brion: Howard Makes it All Go Away Willowz: Something Jon Brion: Postcard Willowz: I Wonder |
Jon Brion: Peer Pressure A Dream Upon Waking The Strings That Tie to You Phone Call Don Nelson: Nola's Bounce Jon Brion: Down the Drain Row Drive in Main Title Spotless Mind Elephant Parade |
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The estimable Jon Brion was brought in to soundtrack Michel Gondry's excellent Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a film of considerable quirk. The first time I saw it I spent the first ten minutes moaning that 'it's just some crapola love story'. Then it got weird, despite Jim Carrey's starring role. Then again, remember The Truman Show? I've even seen this described as 'science fiction'; I suppose it does have vague SF elements to it, but it ain't exactly Star Trek...
Anyway, Brion's soundtrack includes several songs from old Hindi films, a couple each by The Polyphonic Spree (including ex-Tripping Daisy members), The Willowz and Don Nelson and ELO's creaky Mr Blue Sky, even though it doesn't appear in the final version of the film. One of its highlights, however, has to be Beck's version of The Korgis' sublime Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes (ex-Stackridge, fact fans); you really can't go wrong with a great song... Unsurprisingly, Brion gets some Chamberlin in there, with warbling flutes, pitchbent to a stop on Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes, solo female voice on A Dream Upon Waking and cranky flutes on The Strings That Tie To You, although it may well crop up elsewhere; you know how it is with Chambys... And is that an Optigan I hear on a few tracks?
Anyway, some interesting mood music mixed with some rather unnecessary contemporary stuff; typical modern soundtrack, then. Actually, most modern soundtracks skip the 'interesting mood music' bit altogether and just feature a run of shite pop and rock songs with only a tangential link to the film, if any at all, so we should be grateful that this one actually sounds like the film.
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Godzilla: The Album (1998, 59.12) ***/TT½ |
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| The Wallflowers: Heroes Puff Daddy/Jimmy Page: Come With Me Jamiroquai: Deeper Underground Rage Against the Machine: No Shelter Ben Folds Five: Air |
Days of the New: Running Knees Michael Penn: Macy Day Parade Fuel: Walk the Sky Foo Fighters: A320 Green Day: Brain Stew" (the Godzilla Remix) |
Silverchair: Untitled Fuzzbubble: Out There Joey DeLuxe: Undercover David Arnold: Opening Titles David Arnold: Looking for Clues |
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The American 1998 remake of Godzilla was a pretty stinky effort, all things considered; merely so-so CGI, poor storyline, iffy acting... The film eventually made a profit, but couldn't be considered a runaway success. Its soundtrack album is full of the usual dodgy remakes, although at least that's preferable to just re-running 'classics', I suppose. The best-known (and worst) is Puff Daddy (as he was known at the time)'s appalling Kashmir remake, titled Come With Me, featuring Jimmy Page on guitar; it's essentially an instrumental version of the track with the Puffster grunting some bollocks over the iconic riff for no obvious reason. It played over the end credits, as far as I can remember, also for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
Benmont Tench, from Tom Petty's band, plays Chamberlin on a few of the new recordings, presumably brought in to give some sort of sonic consistency to the project. Anyway, we get strings and cellos on The Wallflowers' Bowie cover, Heroes, Michael Penn's Macy Day Parade, the Foo Fighters' A320, plus flutes on Silverchair's imaginatively-titled Untitled, although it's possible there's more hidden away here and there.
Overall, then, a halfway house between the 'old faves' type of soundtrack and the 'incidental music' variety, with several Chamberlin-heavy tracks, which isn't to say you'll necessarily want to listen to them. More tape-replay than expected, though.
See: Ben Folds | Michael Penn | Foo Fighters
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I ♥ Huckabees (2004, 43.29) ***½/TTT |
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| Monday Knock Yourself Out Strange Bath Cubes Didn't Think it Would Turn Out Bad Coincidences Over Our Heads |
You Learn Later Monday Ska Wouldn't Have it Any Other Way Huckabees Jingle (50's Version) Revolving Door JB's Blues |
True to Yourself Didn't Think it Would Turn Out Bad (String Quartet Version) Strangest Times Omni Get What it's About Monday (End Credits) |
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Ah, now this is a proper soundtrack, not just some excuse to stick a bunch of FM staples or, alternatively, new, 'hot' tracks together, in the pretence that you'll actually hear them in the film. I've never seen I ♥ Huckabees (listed as 'I Heart Huckabees' or 'I Love Huckabees', more often than not) and I've no idea if it's any good, but Jon Brion's soundtrack does all the things that soundtracks should do, being a collection of little musical vignettes, with the occasional song thrown in for good measure.
Jon Brion wrote and recorded the soundtrack and of course he gets his Chamberlin in all over the place; opener Monday features what sounds like a plethora of Chamby sounds, with oboe, violins, cellos and maybe others, with flutes on Knock Yourself Out, solo male voice on Cubes, strings on Later Monday, flutes on Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way and various combinations of flutes and strings on the other highlighted tracks, with Monday (End Credits) repeating the film/album opener's Chamby parts. Of course, chances are it's used on several other tracks, but given that the Chamberlin's the chameleon of the tape-replay world, who knows?
Overall, then, a welcome change from the usual so-called 'soundtrack' drivel, with some nice Chamberlin work to boot. All hail Jon Brion!
See: Jon Brion
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Jerry Maguire: Music From the Motion Picture (1996, 54.21) **½/T |
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| The Who: Magic Bus (live) His Name is Alive: Sitting Still Moving Still Staring Outlooking The Who: Gettin' in Tune Elvis Presley: Pocketful of Rainbows Neil Young: World on a String |
Nancy Wilson: We Meet Again (Theme From 'Jerry Maguire') Rickie Lee Jones: The Horses Bruce Springsteen: Secret Garden Paul McCartney: Singalong Junk |
Aimee Mann: Wise Up Paul McCartney: Momma Miss America Nancy Wilson: Sandy Bob Dylan: Shelter From the Storm (alternate) |
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I'll be upfront enough here to say that if a film stars Tom Cruise, it gets an immediate black mark from me; the sooner he and his nasty little cult disappear from view forever, the happier I'll be. Er, anyway... 1996's Jerry Maguire is one of seemingly millions of films in which he's starred; it seems to have something to do with sports agents, which sounds at least as exciting as watching wood warp. I dunno, maybe it's really exciting. It's got a surprisingly varied soundtrack, including several versions of the usual slop (Bruce Springsteen's tedious Secret Garden, Rickie Lee Jones' truly terrible The Horses) and a handful of real winners, including two by The Who (I think that's the Live at Leeds version of Magic Bus that opens the album), an otherwise-unavailable Aimee Mann track and two by Heart's Nancy Wilson, who's married to director Cameron Crowe.
Jon Brion's credited with Chamberlin, but given that the bulk of the soundtrack's pre-existing material and his long-running associateion with Aimee Mann, the only place I can hear it is on her Wise Up, with quite overt strings and flutes. Speaking of pre-existing material, Paul McCartney's Singalong Junk, from his 1970 debut, features the great man on his MkII Mellotron, too, although it shouldn't really count here.
So; a couple of exclusive tracks, including one Aimee one, complete with Chamberlin. Worth it? Only for the completist, really.
See: Heart | Bruce Springsteen | Paul McCartney | Aimee Mann | Jon Brion
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Kvinnan i det Låsta Rummet: Filmmusiken (1998, 52.14) ***½/TTTTT |
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| Kaninen Linneas Tema Slinger Stolt Skriet Kyssen Ögonblick av Lycka Klinga Kaninsymfoni Näcken |
Jakt Mötet Solvalla Ultrarapid Intrånget Exit Fotot Hästen Django Sterners Tema |
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Or 'Woman in a Locked Room', apparently. I've got no idea what the film's like, though I suspect it's decidedly arty, but the soundtrack is an intriguing smorgasbord of looped rhythms and more 'traditional' sounds, not least a Mellotron. And yes, it sounds quite cranky enough to be real. As you can see, it's on about half of the tracks, with highlights including Kaninen, the very upfront flutes on Linneas Tema and the flutes, strings and choir of Klinga, but almost every highlighted track is worth hearing. A couple of tracks make particularly interesting use of the instrument's mechanical idiosyncrasies, with some extremely wobbly, er, somethings at the beginning of Slinger and Intrånget, which is something you rarely hear; most players go out of their way to make it sound, well, you know, stable.
Most of Hans Åkerhjelm's 'Tron use is the ubiquitous strings, but there are flutes, choirs and cellos to be heard, too. This really is a low-key Mellotron Monster, although I had to think carefully before awarding it the full 'T' rating. Actually, Kvinnan i det Låsta Rummet is a damn' good soundtrack album, full stop, and is likely to appeal to anyone into the genre. Buy.
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Our Little Corner of the World: Music from Gilmore Girls (2002, 62.06) **½/½ |
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| Sam Phillips: Waltz #1 (Cue) Joey Ramone: What a Wonderful World Black Box Recorder: Child Psychology The Shins: Know Your Onion! The Free Design: I Found Love Elastica: Car Song John Lennon: Oh My Love Sam Phillips: Getting Married (Cue) |
Carole King/Louise Goffin: Where You Lead I Will Follow Pernice Brothers: Clear Spot P J Harvey: One Line XTC: I'm the Man Who Murdered Love Sam Phillips: Maybe Next Week (Cue) Big Star: Thirteen Björk: Human Behavior Slumber Party: I Don't Mind |
Sam Phillips: Tell Her What She Wants to Know Komeda: It's Alright, Baby Claudine Longet: God Only Knows Grant Lee Phillips: Smile Yoko Ono: O'Oh Sam Phillips: Rory and Lane (Cue) Ash: Girl From Mars Yo La Tengo: My Little Corner of the World |
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The Gilmore Girls is a US series that's totally passed me by, as in, I'd never even heard of it until I stumbled across a Chamberlin-related reference to its soundtrack album. It seems to be one of those feel-good shows that women of a certain age watch, maybe like The Golden Girls for the next generation down. Actually, I couldn't care less what it's about, as I'm quite certainly never going to bother catching a repeat; I mean, is this aimed at British, male, music-obsessives in their forties? Actually, the answer to that supposedly rhetorical question could well be 'yes'... Apparently, one of the show's plus points was its welcome insistence on featuring loads of lesser-known music and giving Sam Phillips the kind of regular work the far blander Vonda Shepard got on Ally McBeal a few years earlier. Quite why the producers chose to release an hour-long compilation of the show's music when fans have worked up multi-disc sets, I'm not at all sure, but I doubt whether the casual fan would buy said multi-disc sets, when all most people want is the highlights. And it's cheaper. OK, maybe I am sure.
Many of the above are previously-available, but quite a few were specially recorded, particularly Sam Phillips' contributions, most of which are brief cue tracks that barely feature her at all. It's good to hear classics like XTC's I'm the Man Who Murdered Love and Big Star's Thirteen on a mainstream compilation that will sell to people who would probably otherwise be unaware of them, while fans of several other acts featured here will be pleased to be able to get hold of exclusive tracks, making the set a bit of a winner, much to my surprise. Yeah, there's some dreck on it, but despite its overall blandness, I've heard considerably worse soundtrack albums, although I wouldn't actually take that as a recommendation, if I were you.
Patrick Warren does his usual Chamberlin thing, although I wouldn't say he overuses it; in fact, all I can hear are some strings on Carole King/Louise Goffin's mother/daughter duet on Where You Lead I Will Follow, the series' title music. It may be elsewhere on the disc, but you know how it is with Chamberlins... So; not worth it for the tape-replay, not really worth it for the music, definitely worth it if you're a fan of the series.
See: Sam Phillips | John Lennon | P J Harvey | XTC | Big Star | Grant Lee Phillips
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Phantasm (1979, 55.17) ****/TT½ |
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| Intro and Main Title Welcome to Morningside/Hand in Box Hearse Inferno Phantasmagoria/Silver Sphere Disco Tender Interlude Cemetery Spectres Spacegate to Infinity Jody at Morningside/On the Move Phantasm Atmosphere The Tall Man on Main Street |
Funeral Organ/Dwarf in Hearse Under the Car Mike on the Road Hearse Chase A Dwarf Named Buford Overturned Ice Cream Truck Mineshaft Chase Just a Dream? End of the Game (or is it?) |
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I've never seen Phantasm (horror films not being my thing), but hearing its soundtrack in isolation is as good as hearing Goblin's early Dario Argento OSTs. Suitably eerie music throughout, with a killer main theme, even if it does owe a smallish debt to Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (used, of course, in The Exorcist).
Don't know for certain who played the Mellotron on the soundtrack, not to mention the rest of the cool keys, although Malcolm Seagrave and Fred Myrow wrote the thing, so it could've been either/both of them. Although a 'definitive' edition has been released recently, I'm reviewing this from the 1991 Phantasm/Phantasm II version, although I've ignored the lesser II tracks. Basically, the album's 'Tron work is on the Main Title (choirs), then on the parts where the title theme reiterates, with a massive choir part on Phantasmagoria, flutes on The Tall Man On Main Street, choirs again on Mike On The Road, Mineshaft Chase and Just A Dream?
The definitive edition's tracklisting is slightly different, but I suspect that's the one you want to go for, and go for it you should; a damn' good soundtrack with some great keyboard work. Buy.
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Pleasantville (1998, 47.36) ***/T½ |
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| Fiona Apple: Across the Universe Robert & Johnny: Dream Girl Gene Vincent: Be-Bop-a-Lula Larry Williams: Lawdy Miss Clawdy Billy Ward & His Dominoes: Sixty Minute Man Dave Brubeck Quartet: Take Five |
Etta James: At Last Elvis Presley: (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear Buddy Holly & the Crickets: Rave on! Fiona Apple: Please Send Me Someone to Love Miles Davis: So What Randy Newman: Suite From Pleasantville |
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Pleasantville is a film that's passed me by so far, although after reading a plot summary, I'll admit it looks intriguing. Most of the action's set in a '50s TV show, with a soundtrack to match, although I note that the tracks used are probably more how we see the decade in hindsight than how it actually was. What, no crooners? And how did Billy Ward, not to mention his Dominoes, get away with the (relative) filth-fest of Sixty Minute Man? "...And fifteen minutes of blowing my top", indeed. You wouldn't have heard that on mainstream '50s radio... The album also features a handful of modern recordings amongst the historical stuff, including two by the inimitable Fiona Apple and Randy Newman's lengthy orchestral Suite From Pleasantville, which are, unsurprisingly, what concerns us here.
Patrick Warren and Jon Brion are both credited with Chamberlin, hardly surprising given that they were both concurrently working on Apple's second album, When the Pawn.... I've no idea who does what, of course, but there are shedloads of flutes and strings to be heard on both her contributions, her take on The Beatles' Across The Universe and Percy Mayfield's multiply-covered Please Send Me Someone To Love, the former being more 'listenable' to the modern ear than the latter, of course.
A soundtrack with a (minor) difference, then, thankfully, largely due to its recent-historical setting, making the usual re-run of '70s-to-'90s hits a no-no. Two reasonable Chamby tracks, although they don't really make it worth hearing for them alone, but Fiona Apple fans need to invest for her otherwise-unavailable material.
See: Fiona Apple | Jon Brion
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Shrek 2 (2004, 48.14) **½/½ |
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| Counting Crows: Accidentally in Love Frou Frou: Holding Out for a Hero Butterfly Boucher & David Bowie: Changes Dashboard Confessional: As Lovers Go Lipps Inc.: Funkytown |
Rich Price: I'm on My Way Eels: I Need Some Sleep Pete Yorn: Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've) Tom Waits: Little Drop of Poison Joseph Arthur: You're So True |
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: People Ain't No Good Jennifer Saunders: I Need a Hero Antonio Banderas & Eddie Murphy: Livin' la Vida Loca Jennifer Saunders: Holding Out for a Hero |
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The soundtrack to the immensely successful Shrek 2 was, itself, immensely successful, making it fortunate that it isn't all dreadful. In fact, parts of it are really quite good, notably The Eels' and Tom Waits' contributions, as you'd expect, although Counting Crows' Accidentally In Love (a major hit in its own right) is pretty gruesome, ditto both (!) versions of Bonnie Tyler's buttock-clenching Holding Out For A Hero. The usually terrible Pete Yorn surprises with a decent, thrashy acoustic take on The Buzzcocks' iconic Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've), although Joseph Arthur's You're So True is more typical, being almost instantly forgettable.
Despite a couple of 'is it/isn't it' tape-replay moments, notably the strings on The Eels' I Need Some Sleep, the only credited Mellotron is Counting Crows' Charlie Gillingham's minor string part on Accidentally In Love, which barely counts. So; another album full of songs from the film rather than the actual music (yawn). No, it's not terrible, but no, it's not worth hearing, either.
See: Counting Crows
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A-Reefer-Derci!: Recorded Live at the Reefer Cabaret, Melbourne (1976, 69.09) ***/½ |
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| Renée Geyer Band: It's a Man's Man's World Split Enz: Amy Lovey Dovey Time for a Change Ayers Rock: Boogie Woogie Waltz Gimme Shelter Ariel: I Can't Say What I Mean Rock'n'Roll Scars |
Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band: Roll That Reefer The Prefect Out in the Suburbs Skyhooks: Revolution Smut Saturday Night |
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A-Reefer-Derci! (ho ho), subtitled 'Recorded Live at the Reefer Cabaret, Melbourne', does exactly what it says on the tin; it's a record (literally) of the last two nights of Melbourne's infamous Reefer Cabaret nights in December '75. The Reefer Cabaret shifted venue a few times, it seems, and the police (amazingly) turned a blind eye to the, er, 'recreational activities' to be found within. Going by the sleevenotes, half the club's problems were caused by various organisers/MCs being too stoned to actually function in any significant way, although they seem to have put on some great nights anyway.
Six bands are included on this set, several of which fall into the typically Aussie good time/jamming category, with Ariel finding themselves the halfway stage between Ayers Rock's lengthy jams and the Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band's jug-band style (the Antipodean Mungo Jerry?). The Renee Geyer Band are introduced by a very stoned young South African lady with an impenetrable accent, and perform a version of James Brown's It's A Man's Man's World, for some reason, and the biggest band at the time and the night's surprise guests, the Skyhooks (Iron Maiden's Women In Uniform, anyone?) are actually... rather boring? Not sure where their reputation comes from, anyway.
The only relevant band here are, of course, the wondrous Split Enz, limited to a paltry three songs, which are supposed to be available on the impossible-to-find Oddz And Enz set, along with other rarities. Although they're all excellent, the only one of their contributions to concern us is Time For A Change, with a few Mellotron string notes under Eddie Rayner's string synth, making this rather unnecessary for the 'Tron fan, although a 'must-have' for Split Enz aficionados. And, um, please could we have their whole set? Assuming the tapes still exist, of course...
So; you're not going to find this very easily; I stumbled across a copy in a Melbourne second-hand shop, but only because I asked the staff for Split Enz stuff and was pointed in its general direction. Maybe someone will reissue Oddz And Enz properly one day, rather than as either a) part of an enormously expensive box-set or b) a rumour-only release that I couldn't track down in several dozen shops in most major cities across the Antipodes. To be honest, most of A-Reefer-Derci!'s contents have dated badly, but it's an interesting curio, although exceedingly minimal on the 'Tron front.
See: Split Enz
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BayProg: Progressive Rock From the San Francisco Bay Area (2002, 66.48) ****/T |
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| New Sun: Mammoth Trap: Presage Gravity Tree: Aim to Please Spirits Burning: Clear Audient v.2.5 Metaphor: When it All Comes Together Amy X, Neuburg & Men: Naked Puppets |
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum: Sleep is Wrong! Michael P.Dawson: The News in Farsi Puppet Show: Harold Cain Mind Furniture: The End of Days Monocaine: Another Man's Ditch Tesseract: On the Edge of an Eclipse |
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BayProg is an interesting idea, although I know it's been done before; collect together several bands from the same area, with the bonus here being that all the bands concerned fall into the same (fairly broad) stylistic area. Are there really a dozen prog outfits in the San Francisco/East Bay region? It would appear so, although they cover plenty of ground between them, to say the least. I only actually recognise four of the twelve names, three of whom I've previously heard, so full marks to the compilers for finding some lesser names to stick in with the big(ger) boys.
Of the bands I don't know, New Sun's intelligent prog-metal came as a nice surprise, compared to that sub-genre's usual lack of imagination, while Amy X, Neuburg & Men contribute a very odd track that somehow reminds me slightly of the Fibonaccis, albeit with more 'normal' vocals, and actually (just about) manage to out-weird Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Suffice to say, there isn't actually a bad track here, although a couple have trouble lifting themselves up from 'fairly average'.
Absolute, confirmed Mellotron on one track only, with Don Tillman's cellos and strings on Tesseract's On The Edge Of An Eclipse reminding me slightly of Larks' Tongues-era Crimson. However, although I can't confirm it, Mind Furniture, about whom I know nothing, have what sounds like quite authentic 'Tron on their The End Of Days, which I've highlighted, while Puppet Show's Harold Cain has what sounds more like samples (they're also in the albums list as 'unconfirmed' for their '98 release, Traumatized). A couple of vaguely-'Tronnish sounds towards the beginning of the album almost certainly aren't, and Metaphor don't even use samples this time round, so the final score is one definite, one possible and one unlikely.
I believe BayProg was only ever available with the Spring 2002 issue of Exposé magazine (no.24), so if you want this you'll have to buy the back-issue, assuming they still have copies in stock. It's worth a listen, although it seems several of the tracks are available on the relevant artists' albums, although a couple are demo versions. One definite otherwise-unavailable 'Tron track, anyway.
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City on a Hill: Sing Alleluia (2002, 44.14) *½/T |
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| Steve Hindalong et al.: All Creatures of Our God & King (Choral Prelude) Jennifer Knapp & Mac Powell: Sing Alleluia Bebo Norman et al.: Holy is Your Name Nichole Nordeman: You Are Holy Mac Powell & Fernando Ortega: Our Great God |
Derek Webb: Marvelous Light Jars of Clay: The Comforter Has Come Nichole Nordeman & FFH: Shine Your Light FFH: Hide Me in Your Heart |
Jennifer Knapp: Hallowed Derri Daugherty: Lift Up Your Hearts (Sursum Corda) Cliff Young et al.: Communion Steve Hindalong et al.: All Creatures of Our God & King (Choral Postlude) |
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City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time (2002, 40.42) **/½ |
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| Steve Hindalong: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Cliff Young et al.: It's Christmas Time Sixpence None the Richer: Silent Night Terry Taylor: Holy Emmanuel |
Caedmon's Call: Babe in the Straw Sara Groves: Child of Love Jars of Clay: Bethlehem Town Third Day et al.: Manger Throne |
Julie Miller & Derri Daugherty: Away in a Manger Out of Eden: Do You Hear What I Hear? Paul Colman Trio: In The Bleak Midwinter Michael Tait & Leigh Nash: O Holy Night |
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The City on a Hill series (four albums, I believe) seems to be a 'devotional songs' project, with various CCM alumni contributing. The end results are, as I'm sure you can imagine, the gloopiest, cheesiest Christian-fest possible, of practically zero interest to anyone who doesn't want a large helping of soft rock punctuated with God. I'm sure these sold loads in Christian-only shops (be warned: God strikes heathens dead on the threshold) and sod-all anywhere else. Pious drivel.
2002's Sing Alleluia was the second collection and is every bit as horrible as you can imagine, with only the occasional ray of light (ho ho) rising up from the deity-related musical murk. Contributors include Bebo Norman (aargh!), Derek Webb and Jars of Clay, on the remote offchance you're interested. Can't say I am. Mellotronist to the Christian community, Phil Madeira, plays Mellotron on Nichole Nordeman & FFH's Shine Your Light, with a decent enough flute part, but hardly enough to rescue this abomination of a record.
It's Christmas Time appeared later the same year and only gets a slightly higher rating due to vague nostalgia on my part for carol services attended as a child. The treatments are mostly appalling, but the strong tunes carry the least offensive versions. Caedmon's Call use Madeira again, on Chamby this time, with a string part on Babe In The Straw that could easily be real, forcing me to ask: what's the point?
Unless you're a God-botherer, you really, really don't need to even hear, never mind own these albums. I know my 'CCM is shite' reviews are starting to get a little predictable, but why can't more artists from the bizarre genre make music that doesn't make me want to vomit? I've heard a handful of 'just about listenables', but that's pretty poor going, isn't it? Anyway, avoid like the plague.
See: Caedmon's Call | Jars of Clay | Bebo Norman | Derek Webb
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The Colossus of Rhodes: The 7th Progressive Rock Wonder (2005, 156.28) ***½/TT |
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| Leviathan: A Thought is Always Free Greenwall: The Secret Passage Sinkadus: God of Silence Mad Crayon: Like the Wind I Will Come Back |
Velvet Desperados: Lords & Knights Revelation: A New Dawn |
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The Colossus of Rhodes: The 7th Progressive Rock Wonder is the third collaborative project between Colossus, The Finnish Progressive Music Association and Musea Records, where several bands are handed a remit and told to write a lengthy epic to fit, using only '70s equipment, or (note the 'or') reasonable facsimiles thereof. Contrived? You bet. I'm not saying you can't produce decent music this way, but the odds are surely against producing anything from the heart, as the bands concerned struggle to shoehorn their style into the format. In this particular case, six bands were asked to contribute, three of whom I've never even heard of before, although kudos to both organisations for encouraging new progressive talent in this way. The music is actually pretty decent, although every track is rather longer than it really needed to be, and I have absolutely no idea how any of them fits the concept of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, or indeed, the Colossus itself, despite the plot summaries on the Colossus website.
Of the six 'suites', Greenwall's The Secret Passage is the most adventurous, utilising male and female vocals singing in both Italian and English, and chopping drastically between styles, while still managing to write a (relatively) cohesive piece of music. Possibly the best piece of music here is from unknowns Velvet Desperados (the only Finnish band present) with Lords & Knights, despite its unnecessary blues section halfway through. As pointed out in several online reviews, Italy's Revelations (nothing to do with the dodgy late-'90s UK band) are unadventurous neo-prog, making a mockery of one reviewer's assertion that their (grotesquely overlong) track sounds like a Selling England... outtake. Er, hello? As far as Mellotron use goes, Sinkadus get plenty in on God Of Silence, probably real, as you can hear a note choke off at one point. I'm not so convinced by the strings on Mad Crayon's Like The Wind I Will Come Back, however lush they sound, and I'd say the strings and choir heard on Revelations' A New Dawn are almost certainly samples, although I'll leave them highlighted until/if I find out for certain.
So; another sprawling epic from Colossus/Musea. You may feel that this approach is legitimate, you may not; either way, there is some very good music here, plus a good deal that's trying really hard but not quite cutting it, largely due to the format's restrictions. Decent enough 'Tron use, at least some of which is probably real.
See: Sinkadus
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The Third Cyclops Sampler (1996, 72.22) ***½/TT |
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| Abbfinoosty: When the Sun Explodes (alternate) Anekdoten: Book of Hours (live) Cross: Heavenly (alternate) Fruitcake: Lost My Way |
Lands End: Breathing Deep Mastermind: Miles to Go Before I Sleep Mentaur: Chasing Time Sinkadus: Manuel (alternate) |
Sphere: Again Still: Loveless Vulgar Unicorn: Two Many Secrets (alternate) |
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Cyclops Sampler 5 (2002, 143.48) ***/½ |
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| Rob Andrews: Lake Vinuela 2 Flamborough Head: Limestone Rock Guardians Office: Dark Girl Henry Fool: Pills in the Afternoon Karda Estra: Projected Future Lands End: Coming Down in Sheets Manning: A Strange Place (live) |
Mostly Autumn: Prints in the Stone Noise From My Head Mysterkah: Red Daylight Nice Beaver: Culley on Bleaker Street Odyssice: Scream (live) Parallel or 90 Degrees: Blues for Leah Pineapple Thief: Variations on a Dream Pt 0 |
Saens: Escaping the Hands of God Pt 2 Sphere³: An Unusual January [Monkyfrog Mix] Transience: No Turning Back Now Tr3nity: Which Way Twelfth Night: Fact and Fiction Vulgar Unicorn: Gliders |
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The estimable Malcolm Parker's Cyclops label (affiliated to his GFT prog mail-order company) released their first label compilation, The Cyclops Sampler, in 1994, consisting mostly of tracks from their catalogue, with the odd alternate version or genuinely unreleased effort. The Second Sampler pushed the boat out further by featuring mainly exclusive tracks, as does the imaginatively-titled The Third Cyclops Sampler.
The quality of material here is variable, but that's pretty much what you'd expect from this type of album, with such a diverse collection of artists. Actually, saying that, there are no real stinkers, although the Cross track is a bit neo-, and Still's Loveless drones on for a while without really doing anything. Of the rest, Anekdoten's live Book Of Hours is a real treat, with Malcolm freely admitting, "We have bent the rules a little", as the band have never released anything else on the label, while Mastermind's Miles To Go Before I Sleep is far subtler than their usual fare, and Sphere's Again (the band were still waiting to add the ³) is excellent. The real standout track, though, is the then-new Sinkadus' gorgeous Manuel (no Spanish jokes, please), although this demo version later turned up on their Aurum Nostrum Version One.
As for the compilation's Mellotron content... Both Sinkadus' and Anekdoten's tracks are loaded with the thing, although I don't think Sphere's Neil Durant had bought his machine then. Or am I wrong? Pretty sure those choirs are samples, anyway. Lands End's Breathing Deep is definitely samples, although they used the real thing on 1995's Terra Surranum, and that appears to be it.
Cyclops Sampler 4 takes something of a backwards step by including mostly previously-released material, but I'd imagine squeezing often expensively-recorded exclusive tracks out of bands already on a tight budget is akin to getting the proverbial blood out of a stone, so it's pretty impressive that Malcolm managed the feat twice. On the other hand, he announces in his Cyclops Sampler 5 sleevenotes that, "All the material (bar one track) is exclusive to this release", although many of these are remixes rather than genuinely new tracks. A (re)mixed bag, as always, with the dodgy neo- of Rob Andrews, Saens and the Lands End-related Transience and the fake-Celtic schlock of the horrible Mostly Autumn (why does anyone like this band? Oh, an attractive female vocalist) rubbing shoulders with the Moog Taurus-heavy Guardians Office, a Sphere³ remix and a previously-unheard version of Twelfth Night's seminal Fact & Fiction.
On the Mellotron front, the only (almost) definite is Henry Fool, although their album uses a mixture of real and samples, so it's impossible to say whether or not it's real here. Anyway, strings (phased and otherwise) and flutes on the non-album Pills In The Afternoon, which would fit quite nicely onto a second album, should they ever choose to make one. As for the sample users, Flamborough Head use strings and flutes on their really not bad Limestone Rock, Lands End use a brief burst of strings on Coming Down In Sheets, Pineapple Thief get the fake choirs in on Variations On A Dream Pt 0 and Transience put some strings onto No Turning Back Now.
As far as The Third Cyclops Sampler goes, Anekdoten fans need it for their blistering live track, and with several other otherwise unavailable tracks, it's worth picking up. Cyclops Sampler 5 lacks its predecessor's highlights, but has its moments, and given that Malcolm sells these cheap anyway.
See: Anekdoten | Lands End | Sinkadus | Sphere3 | Henry Fool | Pineapple Thief | Twelfth Night
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Dante's Inferno: the Divine Comedy, Part I (2008, 246.37) ***½/T |
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| Nuova Era: Lasciate Ogni Speranza Voi Ch'Entrate Yesterdays: Isteni Szinjatek - Divine Comedy Little Tragedies: Canto III Lady Lake: From the Quiet to the Air That Trembles Greenwall: Come Corpo Morto Cade Nemo: Inferno - Six Pieds Sous Terre Nexus: El Quarto Circulo - The Fourth Circle Atlantis1001: Back to Earth Trion & Flamborough Head: Daughters of Night Colossus Project: Inferno - Canto X Court: Anastasius Epitaph Willowglass: The Crossing |
Wicked Minds: Blood From the Trees Brighteye Brison: Capaneus Matthijs Herder: Brunetto Garmond: Canto XVI Ars Nova: Demon's Forest Il Castello di Atlante: Malebolge Groovector: Ainiaan Erhe Consorzio Acqua Potabile: La Danza dei Contrari Ozone Player: Inferno XXI Sinkadus: Stuck in Hell Viima: XXIII |
Notabene: La Profezia Entrance: Serpientes Advent: Canto XXVI - The Evil Counselors Contrappunto Project: Guido Da Montefeltro Armalite: Scisma Corte Aulica: Dissolvenza Raimundo Rodulfo: Falsedad y Castigo Ginluca de Rossi & Carlo Bordini: Blood From the Trees Tempano: The IX Circle - Traitors Nathan Mahl: The Comfort of Tears Simon Says: Becomes a Boy |
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Dante's Inferno: the Divine Comedy, Part I is the latest multi-artist, multi-disc concept effort from Colossus/Musea, featuring the usual problems with the seemingly endless series. One problem they've avoided this time round is the 'tracks must be around twenty minutes' one, thankfully, as its artificiality doesn't always make for the best music. The trouble with this set, as with most of its brethren, is that it's the equivalent of six forty-minute albums in one hit, which is a bit much. I mean, imagine ploughing through the Gabriel-era Genesis canon in one go, assimilating all that complex music and trying to make sense of it all over the course of a long evening. It's a bit like that.
The quality of the material is generally high, however, with no unpleasant neo-prog clunkers to spoil the flow (Little Tragedies' Canto III is especially dynamic), although the bulk of it's as derivative as most modern prog; I mean, how much more can there be left to say in even a genre where almost anything goes? Of course, the whole format of the series is that anything doesn't go, leaving the bulk of the material here sounding like exactly what it is: copies of '70s prog. Sometimes good copies, but copies nonetheless. Don't get me wrong; it's a very pleasant listen, warbling away in the background, but if I concentrate too hard on it, a sense of 'been there, done that' settles gently over me like an old duvet and I start wanting to hear something a little more innovative.
On an initial listen, you'd be forgiven for thinking that almost every track features the mighty 'Tron. However, I'm quite certain most of them are samples, so unless I'm much mistaken, the only real, tape'n'springs Mellotrons are provided by Matthijs Herder (of Oceana Company), with mucho flutes, strings and choirs all over his highly melodic contribution, Brunetto, plus heavy string and flute use by Sinkadus, although whether they're actually using a real machine (I don't believe they own one) is debatable. The rest of the artists who've definitely used a real 'Tron at some point (Lady Lake, Brighteye Brison and Simon Says) all appear to be using samples this time round, some better than others, some of the more impressive sample users being Willowglass (unsurprisingly) and Armalite, although none of the clones sound like the rubbish that we got in the latter half of the '90s.
I feel I've been a bit harsh here, but listening to this is like eating an entire packet of chocolate biscuits in one go, or watching your favourite trilogy of films one after another. Just too much. For future reference, if I'm going to tackle these vast, sprawling sets, I'll do them a disc at a time, at most; it's not so bad when the music's familiar, but this much new stuff can leave the listener with musical indigestion. Loads of Mellotron sounds, too, but I suspect very little real 'Tron.
See: Lady Lake | Trion | Willowglass | Brighteye Brison | Consorzio Acqua Potabile | Sinkadus | Simon Says
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...E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore (1998, 156.58) ****/T |
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| Eugenio Mucci: Intro Death SS: Ave Satani Tenebre: Where Dreams and Nightmares Collide Northwinds: Mask of Satan Malombra: Devils Akron: Il Mulino delle Donne di Pietra Al Festa: Candles in the Night Wounded Knee: Phenomena Presence: The Exorcist Iconae: Mater Tenebrarum |
Sun Dial: Theme From Psychomania God.Zilla: I Compagni di Baal A Piedi Nudi: La Casa dalle Finestre Che Ridono Standarte: Necropolis incl.Verso l'Ignoto Claudio Simonetti: LV-426 Ars Nova: Ainsel Lingam: Devo Ma Non Posso Helden Rune: Nocturnal Voices Humus: El Vampiro Morte Macabre: Irrealtà di Suoni |
Abiogenesi: Belfagor Il Segno del Comando: Macabro Suite Bevis Frond: Dead of Night Somnambulist: Laudenam Una Stagione all'Inferno: La Ballata di Carini The Black: Suspiria et... Nekropolis: The Curse of Tut-Anch-Amun Mottorismus: Klub 99 Maethelyah: Outro |
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...E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore is the excellent Black Widow label's 2-CD tribute to the whole Italian horror movie genre, with nearly 30 contributing artists, from the (relatively) well-known (Death SS, Sundial/Sun Dial, Bevis Frond) to "who they?" territory (Wounded Knee, Helden Rune, Nekropolis). Contributors have based their tracks on specific films (although most have steered clear of using music from the film), mostly Italian, although both the British and American genres are represented, too, with efforts such as Ken Russell's The Devils, Friedkin's overrated The Exorcist and Ridley Scott's Alien all honoured. Although most contributing artists are Italian, Arsnova (Japan), Sundial (UK) and Somnambulist (US) fly the flag for their respective countries, amongst others.
Unusually for a various artists project, the standard of music on ...E Tu Vivrai Nel Terrore is almost universally high, maybe because every band involved is 'pulling in the same direction', and the shared subject matter appears to be particularly inspirational. Highlights include Northwinds' almost NWOBHM-style hard rock epic, Mask Of Satan, Presence's The Exorcist, complete with samples from the film (a tactic avoided by most contributors) and A Piedi Nudi's La Casa Dalle Finestre Che Ridono. You'd be hard-pushed to find anything of unacceptably low quality anywhere in the set's 2½ hours, although The Black's Suspiria Et... is a little tedious, and the Bevis Frond's track, while perfectly good, is likely to be an acquired taste. And I haven't even mentioned the accompanying book... 80 A5 pages, with several essays on the subject in Italian and English, a detailed track-by-track run-through, including lineups and a resumé of each one's inspirational film, loads of pics, both artists and film stills...
Standarte are one of two credited Mellotron users here, with plenty of flutes, strings and choir on their track, Necropolis Incl.Verso l'Ignoto, while Swedes Morte Macabre's Irrealtà Di Suoni (also the bonus track on the vinyl version of their sole album, Symphonic Holocaust) features choirs and flutes from Niklas Berg (Anekdoten) and Reine Fiske (Landberk/Dungen); aren't those choirs heavily over-extended, chaps? I know you were using a real 'Tron, so I can only assume you used the technique I've also developed, where you take advantage of the fact that the male voices drop an octave ⅔ of the way up the keyboard, and you can effectively sustain the same note for ever? Anyway... Sundial's Theme From Psychomania has an uncredited cello part, though it's hard to tell whether or not it's 'Tron (given that they own one), and Abiogenesi's Belfagor has strings and choirs that sound like they're not only samples, but possibly not even of a Mellotron. Somnambulist (also 'Tron users, though whether real or not is unknown) are definitely using samples, and The Black's choirs sound more like generic samples than anything, so it seems it's just the two tracks.
So; a somewhat dour listen, especially if you sit through the whole thing in one go (I didn't), but with this much quality music on one double CD, you really can't go too far wrong. Most of the tracks seem to be otherwise unavailable, too, so if you do that hardcore prog fandom thing, I rather suspect you're in need of a copy of this set. Not much 'Tron, but that's not why you'd buy it. Excellent.
See: Sundial | Standarte | Morte Macabre | Il Segno del Comando | Bevis Frond | Somnambulist
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Giant for a Life: A Tribute to Gentle Giant (1997, 113.10) ***/½ |
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| Fonya: Talybont Sky Island: In a Glass House Advent: Experience/For Nobody French TV: Mister Class and Quality?/ Three Friends Raymond Benson: Think of Me With Kindness The Works: River |
Strange new Toys: Inside Out Page: Aspirations Louie Mastro: Cogs in Cogs Ivanhoe the Giant: Wreck Advent: BITB (Boys in the Band) Glass Haus: Just the Same Dan Barrett: Number One |
Zauber: A Reunion Evolution: I'm Turning Around Sven Herman: Peel the Paint Algebra: Funny Ways The Chocking Smokers Band: Nothing at All Louie Mastro: Acquiring the Taste Clarion: Talybont |
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Mellow Records' Gentle Giant tribute album, Giant for a Life, is something of a mixed bag, I have to say. Containing everything from attempts at note-perfect copies (most of them) to imaginative rearrangements (Raymond Benson's solo piano take on Think Of Me With Kindness, for example), there isn't an awful lot here that you'd really want to spend good money on acquiring, unless you just have to have every note ever associated with the band. Many of the artists appear to be one-off conglomerations, with both Sky Island and Glass Haus containing future members of the excellent Eccentric Orbit, although established outfits such as Italy's Zauber and Americans Fōnya and French TV contribute too. The best bits are where the artist does something with the material, so Advent's BITB (a variation on Giant's Boys In The Band) scores brownie points for a fresh arrangement, although the addition of unpleasant digital synths to other tracks by several offenders serves only to cheapen them, I'm afraid.
As far as the album's 'Tron content is concerned, US musician Louie Mastro and Italian one-offs the Chocking Smokers Band (?!), consisting of various Germinale and Standarte members are the only two users, although the Chocking Smokers chaps' use has to be considered suspect, as Germinale used samples on their albums, although Standarte owned an M400. Either way, it's effectively inaudible on their version of Nothing At All, as is Mastro's on Cogs In Cogs. Speaking of which, who ever let this guy near a microphone? Worst vocals on the album by a long way. However, there are some fairly obvious choirs on his peculiar take on Acquiring The Taste, making it the only overt 'Tron on the entire two-disc set.
So; a rather so-so tribute album (aren't they all?), with minimal Mellotron. About the best thing I can say about it is that it's apparently considerably better than the first Giant tribute, Giant Tracks, although to be fair, I haven't heard said record.
See: Gentle Giant | Eccentric Orbit | Standarte
