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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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Caught in the Crossfire (1980, 42.04) **½/T |
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| Turn on the Radio Baby Come Back When Will You Realize? Cold is the Night Paper Talk Get Away Caught in the Crossfire Get What You Want |
I'll Be There Woman |
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Monkey Business, 1972-1997 [as John Wetton & Richard Palmer-James] (1998, 60.48) ***/T |
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| Flourish Too Much Monkey Business Confessions Easy Money The Night Watch (live) Woman (False Start) Untitled |
Rich Man Lie Cologne 1977 The Laughing Lake 1 The Good Ship Enterprise Book of Saturday (demo) Book of Saturday (live) The Glory of Winning Starless 1 |
The Laughing Lake 2 The Laughing Lake 3 The Laughing Lake 1977 Magazines Starless 2 Cologne 1977 Doctor Diamond 1997 Starless 1997 |
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Progfest '97 (1997, 21.03) ****/TT[John Wetton Band contribute]In the Dead of Night Rendezvous 6:02 Starless |
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Mellotrons used:
John Wetton really shouldn't need any introduction, having played with (deep breath) Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep and UK, and that was before the reprehensible Asia in the early '80s. Caught in the Crossfire can actually be seen as a precursor to said band, sadly, being a pretty commercial effort, Wetton having taken the poppier side of UK and run with it, certainly going by the Jobson-alike piano parts on some tracks. Actually, this is pretty duff, if I'm going to be honest (and when am I not?). Cheesy and 'commercial', but with few memorable songs, although I've got a nasty feeling opener Turn On The Radio could stick like glue. About the best moment here is Cold Is The Night, a reasonably atmospheric ballad with shitloads of Mellotron, with a flute part being replaced by choirs and overdubbed strings, although that's it for the album. Y'know, you really don't need to own a copy of this; I paid a fiver for it, and it was four quid too much - more fool me. This was probably the last time Wetton used a 'Tron, although he actually brought one along to Heep, who let him play it occasionally.
'94's Battle Lines and 2003's Rock of Faith both feature samples, leaving the only other solo Wetton 'Tron as Monkey Business, 1972-1997, credited jointly to him and lyricist Richard Palmer-James, who wrote the iconic lyrics to Mark 3 Crimso tracks like The Night Watch and Starless. Versions of both appear on the album, the former live in Brazil, '91, the latter in heavily edited form as a studio cut from '97. Many of the remaining tracks are brief snippets of studio and live work - the kind of stuff that's usually denoted as being 'for completists only', which is how 24 tracks fit onto a one-hour disc. Actually, Wetton completists really do need this, given that it contains versions of several tracks that (to my knowledge) aren't available anywhere else, not to mention a long-overdue studio take on Crimson's Doctor Diamond. Wetton plays Mellotron on The Good Ship Enterprise, recorded early '76 with Bill Bruford on drums, opening with cellos, before shifting into a lovely strings part under the double-tracked guitar solo. With only one 'Tron track, this archive release is probably about as essential as Caught in the Crossfire, although a better listen all round.
So; although Caught in the Crossfire's a waste of space, with one decent 'Tron track, Monkey Business is more worthwhile, entirely due to some of its material dating from the '70s, although it's on a par on the 'Tron front.
Incidentally, John played at Progfest '97 with a band including IQ's Martin Orford, who was persuaded to play a real Mellotron on the night. They get three tracks on the album, with (unsurprisingly) nothing on UK's In The Dead Of Night and Rendezvous 6:02, but the expected string part on a slightly truncated Starless. It doesn't seem likely that the rest of their set will appear at any stage in the near future, and I've no idea what else may be on it 'Tronwise, sadly.
See: Asia | Family | King Crimson | Roxy Music | Uriah Heep
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Psychedelic Wunderbaum (1998, 42.24) ***/TT½ |
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| Time Ago Extremist Cow Snowfish As-Speak-You-Are Young Feet Flush Kali Channel 7 Footsteps |
The Intrepid Traveller Track 10 |
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When are effectively Norwegian psychonaut Lars Pedersen's one-man band, allowing him to experiment to his heart's content. And experiment he does. Despite his work having little metal content, several of his album's are apparently revered on the Norwegian black metal scene for their overall darkness, although 1998's Psychedelic Wunderbaum (his/their seventh album) is better described as 'psychedelic cut-up' than dark per se. I won't pretend it's the easiest of listens, but who wants easy listening? Go and listen to James Last if that's your bag. In fact, since writing that, I've realised that Pedersen was a founding member of supposed Mellotron users The Last James, which is a strange piece of synchronicity, non?
Although Mellotron use has been rumoured on previous releases, this is the first one where it's actually credited (and heard, for that matter), with unusual cello use on opener Time Ago, 'stabbed' strings on Extremist Cow, high strings throughout As-Speak-You-Are and more normal ones on Young Feet Flush and Kali. So; a rather odd album with some reasonable Mellotron use amongst the weirdness (and occasionally contributing to it). Not an easy listen, but a potentially rewarding one.
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So We Are (1980, 41.58) ***½/TTTT½ReturnFreedom in Me Saturday'n Sunday Preball Your Love So We Are Gimme a Shine Gonna Be Wild Pioneers |
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So We Are was Whipping Post (presumably named for the Allmans song)'s second album, after their eponymous debut, and, unsurprisingly, has quite a blues influence running through it. In fact, I'd go as far as to call it a late-period blues/prog album, a style that fell out of favour in the UK in the early '70s. It's not a bad record, but lacks anything to make it particularly stand out, apart, of course, from its Mellotron work. C.B. Busser goes absolutely hell-for-leather with the thing; in fact, I can't detect any other keys on the album, which rescue it somewhat from blues/rock anonymity.
Freedom In Me sounds like nothing less than a prog version of Neil Young's incomparable Like A Hurricane, with 'Tron strings replacing the original's Stringman; Christ, they even use the same guitar tricks! Saturday'n Sunday has some distant choirs, more strings on Preball, brass on Your Love, then back to the choirs for the title track and Gimme A Shine. Strings on Gonna Be Wild, finishing with choirs again on Pioneers, making for a ridiculously Mellotron-heavy record, although little of the use is that outstanding. If you want to hear OTT 'Tron laid over blues/rock, though, this is going to become your favourite album.
See: C.B. Busser
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Pneumonia (2001, 53.34) ***/T |
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| Ballad of Carol Lynn Don't Wanna Know Why Jacksonville Skyline Reason to Lie Don't Be Sad Sit and Listen to the Rain Under Your Breath Mirror Mirror |
Paper Moon What The Devil Wanted Crazy About You My Hometown Easy Hearts Bar Lights |
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Whiskeytown were formed by ex-punk Ryan Adams (who gets very, very angry when he's confused with Bryan) in 1994, along with Caitlin Cary and others. Along with The Jayhawks and a handful of others, they can probably be said to have invented alt.country, mixing pre-Nashville schmaltz country with rock and even punk, reinventing the genre and actually making it at least semi-palatable to non-country fans. Pneumonia was their third and last album, released two years after the band's premature split, which probably contributed to that event. It's a good record, although I can't say I hear any classics, although I'm sure fans would disagree. Maybe the almost-powerpop of Don't Be Sad?
Now, no tape-replay instruments are actually credited on the album, but given various peoples' involvement, not to mention the evidence of my own ears, it seems likely that something was used, probably a Chamberlin, with strings on Don't Be Sad and flutes on Mirror Mirror, with a couple of vague possibles elsewhere. Played by...? Unknown, although Ethan Johns is a possibility, given his work on subsequent Adams albums. Anyway, given the lack of any actual credits here, it could be generic samples dirtied up until they sound like a tape-replay instrument. Who knows?
So; a decent enough record if you're into the style, but not enough (real?) tape-replay to make it worthwhile on that front.
See: Ryan Adams | Caitlin Cary
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How Lucky I am (1999, 43.56) */0 |
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| Everywhere I Turn Heaven Sent The Stayin' You're Still Beautiful to Me That Good Love Me Like You Mean it God Gave Me You Love Happens Just Like That |
Shari Ann Two in a Million How Lucky I am You'll Always Be Loved (By Me) |
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Bryan White is the kind of modern country singer who barely even counts as 'country'. His fourth album, How Lucky I am, is more 'adult contemporary' than Nashville, despite being recorded there; the only traditional touches are pedal steel and (admittedly well-played) fiddle. Some online reviewers are more charitable than others (I don't count his rabid fans on Amazon), saying things like 'the material's above average', to which all I have to say is: how low do you have to go to reach 'average'? This is utterly horrible, lowest common denominator schlock of the nastiest order, cheesier than the entire Pizza Hut chain, slicker than the Exxon Valdez, squeakier-clean than the Carpenters having a sleepover at the Osmond household. I mean, just look at his horrid, smug expression on the sleeve; would YOU buy a used concept from this man? I've tried manfully to a) listen to the album without skipping through tracks and b) find anything even remotely nice to say about any of it, but I've been defeated. Defeated by shite.
A gentleman named Taz Bentley is credited with Mellotron, but I'll be buggered if I can hear the sodding thing; it's probably buried away under the ubiquitous strings for a few seconds somewhere. Anyway, this is one of the most distressing albums to which I've had the displeasure to listen over the last several years, and I can only urge you to run, VERY FAST, in the opposite direction should White's name ever come up in conversation. Vile, vile, vile. I feel soiled. Apart from that, it's fine.
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Venusian Summer (1975, 38.56) ***½/½Chicken-Fried SteakAway Go Troubles Down the Drain The Venusian Summer Suite Pt. 1: Sirènes Pt. 2: Venusian Summer Prelude to Rainbow Delta Mating Drive Prince of the Sea |
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Lenny White shot to prominence at the tender age of twenty, in 1969, after drumming on Miles Davis' seminal Bitches Brew, going on to play with Return to Forever throughout the '70s. It's therefore hardly surprising that his first solo album, 1975's Venusian Summer, is a through-and-through fusion record, although it has its quieter moments, not least the ominous first part of The Venusian Summer Suite, Sirènes. The playing on the rest of the album is probably most accurately described as 'fiery', notably on Mating Drive, featuring some of the most ridiculously athletic bass playing this side of a, well, fusion bassists convention, I suppose, from the outstanding Doug Rauch.
Loads of White's mates play on the album, including no fewer than four different MiniMoog players, plus Onaje Allan Gumbs on Mellotron, amongst other things. Mind you, if you can spot where it might be, you're doing better than me; it might just be providing either strings or flutes in the deep background on Mating Drive, but not so's you'd really notice. Overall then, a superior fusion album, avoiding some of the genre's clichés whilst accentuating others, but in a good way. Maybe you have to be American to play this kind of stuff this well? Don't know, but fusion fans need this album a great deal more than Mellotron ones.
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Star is Just a Sun (2002, 44.34) ****/T½ |
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| Air Breathe Silly Malone Love is So Real Beauty King Star Riot Donau Movies |
Glow Atlantis |
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Although The White Birch have been reviewed on some progressive sites, they have more in common with the quieter end of, say, Radiohead, Low, or more obviously, Iceland's wonderful Sigur Rós (if ever a band could do with using a Mellotron...). Star is Just a Sun is apparently a major departure for the band, and is probably best described as melancholy; a far better word than 'miserable', which just makes me think of the likes of the Smiths. This is really quite gorgeous, actually, deserving a far wider audience than the one it doubtless has, although at least being on Glitterhouse should give the wider world a passing chance of becoming aware of their existence.
It's difficult to pick standout tracks on one listen (you think I have the time for multiple plays of new albums?), but opening instrumental Air sets the scene nicely, with most of the album being in a similar vein, and only a couple having any percussion at all. The vocal work is reasonable, but I'd have been just as happy had the album been instrumental, although that wouldn't do the band's prospects any good, I suspect. Ola Fløttum plays the occasional Mellotron part, with sparse flutes towards the end of Donau Movies and what sounds like distant, heavily-reverbed choirs on Glow, leaving Breathe as the album's only real 'Tron track, with a flute part to die for.
So; very much recommended, particularly if you're in a mellow frame of mind (and no, that isn't a drug reference), although there's not an awful lot of Mellotronic involvement.
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Phylactery Factory (2008, 45.54) ***/½Destruction of the Art Deco HouseDreaming of the Plum Trees Calliope Home Town Hooray Lindberghs & Metal Birds A Beast Washed Ashore Napoleon at Waterloo Hung on a Thin Thread Vessels |
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White Hinterland are clearly the brainchild of Casey Dienel, whose strangely childlike, almost tuneless vocals pervade her first album under that name, 2008's Phylactery Factory. Try to imagine Joanna Newsom reinvented as an ethereal jazz spirit haunting New England (go on, try), and you might be getting close to their sound. I can't say it especially appeals to your esteemed reviewer (in fact, I find her voice highly irritating), but it's been critically lauded and is certainly a work of some intelligence and invention, so what do I know?
Dienel plays Mellotron, amongst other keys, with occasional flutes on Lindberghs & Metal Birds, although that would appear to be your lot. So; if you like the idea of slightly jazzy, downbeat singer-songwriter oddness, you may just go for Phylactery Factory, although I really can't recommend it on the Mellotron front.
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Style No. 6312 (2000, 39.26) **/T |
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| Appeals for Insertion Crashing the Clarion Devise Executes Etc. Call the Kiss Piss and Vinegar Adult Entertainment Crossing the Rubicon |
No Resolution Theory This is Not a Subsistence Existence South Guts and Black Stuff Style No. 6312 |
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I couldn't honestly tell you into which tiny sub-sub-subdivision of The Beast Called Rock White Octave fit. Emo? Indie? Post-grunge (whatever that might be)? Going by their first (of two) albums, 2000's Style No. 6312, they seem to be quite upset about something, and while I've no idea what, they go on about it for nearly forty minutes of shouty nonsense, so it must be getting to them fairly badly.
Drummer Robert P. Biggers Jr. plays Chamberlin, although the only thing that seems even slightly likely is the long, long sustained string chord that starts in Guts And Black Stuff, continuing into the title track. But it sustains for ever... This could be a) studio trickery (been there), b) samples or c) real strings. Who knows? Chamberlin's credited, so I'd like to think Chamberlin's present, but in this game, you never can tell... Can't say I recommend the album on any other grounds, either.
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Ignis Fatuus (1995, 66.41) ****½/TTTT½ |
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| Snowfall Lord of Night Song Ingenting The Withering of the Boughs Lines on an Autumnal Evening Now in These Fairy Lands Piletreet |
Till He Arrives Cryptomenysis Signs John Dee's Lament |
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Ex Tenebris (1998, 48.17) ****½/TTTT½Leaving the House of ThanatosThe Book of Love Soteriology Helen and Simon Magus Thirteen Days A Strange Procession... ...A Dance of Shadows |
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Sacrament (2000, 48.09) ****/TTAnamnesisPaper Moon The Crucible The Last Rose of Summer Gnostalgia The Reach |
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Storm Season (2004, 47.27) ****½/TTTT½Chemical SunsetSally Left Endless Science Soulburn Insomnia Storm Season Nightside of Eden |
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Signal to Noise (2006, 51.34) ****½/TTT½Night SurfSplinters Ghosts Joyride The Lingering The Dark Road Chrome Dawn Dusk City Ararat |
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Progfest '95 (1996, 17.09) ****/TT[White Willow contribute]Lord of Night Cryptomenysis |
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White Willow are one of the later entrants to the, er, 'New Wave of Scandinavian Prog', along with the (relatively) extremely successful Flower Kings. Whereas Änglagård's music could be described as 'wintry', on Ignis Fatuus, White Willow are more 'autumnal'; mostly gentle, folk-influenced progressive rock, with much use of acoustic instrumentation and female vocals. There's also a fair chunk of Mellotron, Moog and Taurus pedals thrown in among the (real) flutes and cellos, so, rather like '70s Italian proggers Celeste, they mix the old and the, er, not so old to excellent effect. While much of the album has a somewhat gloomy feel, there are also many upbeat moments, notably Now In These Fairy Lands, with its strummed acoustic guitar and organ interjections, while Song has a distinctly medieval feel to it, using what sounds like period instrumentation.
Jan Tariq Rahman's Mellotron use on the album is subtle and distinctive, mainly flutes and strings, with little bits of cello and choir here and there. There are both real flutes and cellos used, too, so the 'Tron flute single lines could be considered a little eccentric, but they work well, so who's complaining? The best description I can come up with for their Mellotron use is 'understated'; never over-used, but appearing often enough to stamp its personality on the album.
It took White Willow three years to come up with another album, Ex Tenebris, in which time the band had only become quieter (!). Still very autumnal, there's hardly any percussion at all, although its predecessor isn't exactly drum-heavy... Otherwise, the mix is similar to Ignis Fatuus, with more Mellotron strings, less cello and choir and even less electric instrumentation overall, the chief exception being lengthy closer ...A Dance Of Shadows. Incidentally, Änglagård's Mattias Olsson plays on the album, while his partner, Pineforest Crunch's Åsa Eklund sings on one track.
2000 brought a third White Willow album, Sacrament, although there appear to have been some lineup changes, with Jan Tariq Rahman no longer part of the organisation. Possibly as a result, there's far less 'Tron to be heard, although by and large, the music keeps up the standard set by their first two releases, although in places, it's noticeably heavier, with more guitar and drums than before. Opener Anamnesis is probably the best track, although there's some excellent classical guitar work on The Crucible. As far as the 'Tron's concerned (actually from guitarist Jacob Holm-Lupo), The Crucible and Gnostalgia have some ethereal choir work, while the strings are finally used (albeit briefly) on excellent closer The Reach. So, less of a Mellotron Album than its predecessors, but still a worthy release.
After another lengthy wait, 2004's Storm Season is a complete return to form for the band (not that there's anything wrong with its predecessor), consisting of a mixture of the gentler style they showcased on their first two releases and the heavier aspects of Sacrament. Unlike Sacrament, though, the album is stuffed with 'Tron, with new man Lars (Fredrik) Frøislie (also of Wobbler) getting some in on every track. The album opens with solo (real) flute, quickly replaced by a Mellotron flute arpeggio, followed by a choir part, setting the tone for the rest of the record. Plenty of strings, too, again sometimes alongside real ones, making this yet another essential purchase.
2006's Signal to Noise matches the quality of its predecessor, while possibly appealing more to the 'mainstream' prog crowd, getting a decent review in the UK's 'Classic Rock' mag (not the magazine of Rotherham's Classic Rock Society, before any of you complain), usually fairly clueless when commenting on the modern progressive scene. Excellent material across the board, with Joyride even managing to sound quite 'pop', while keeping up the quality. A fair bit of 'Tron from Mr.Frøislie again, with a brief string part on opener Night Surf, while Splinters features a polyphonic flute part and a great, Crimsonesque strings pitchbend later in the song. The weird little 'stabbed' string chords in Joyride work surprisingly well, and aren't completely obscured by key-click (a sign of a well-set up and maintained 'Tron), with cellos later in the song, while the album's first 'Tron choirs appear in The Lingering, along with some unusually background strings. The Dark Road contains probably the album's most upfront strings part, plus what sounds like a speedy 'Tron viola at the end, key-click intact, with almost solo flutes in Chrome Dawn, making for a subtly satisfying Mellotronic listen on a high-quality progressive release.
So; five excellent albums that grow on you with repeated listening, not to mention plenty of Mellotron (on all but Sacrament), with the potential to be considered classics. For all but the most neo- of progressive fans (shame on all of you!), these are pretty essential. Buy.
Incidentally, the band also contributed to Musea's Progfest '95 double disc celebration of that year's festival, with excellent versions of Lord Of Night and Cryptomenysis from their debut. Cello and choir parts on the former and a brief burst of strings on the latter are worth hearing, though rather lesser than on the studio versions. Amazingly, the band's appearance at NEARfest a few years later (not officially available) featured no Mellotron whatsoever, even in sampled form, leaving large gaps in their sound. Odd.
See: Wobbler | Opium Cartel
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White Wing (1975, 38.05) ***½/TTT |
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| Hansa (Cygnus) Patent Leather Slave Wait Till Tomorrow The White Ship Harbinger A Little Levity Tuzashottma |
Executive Privilege Hansa (Aquila) |
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White Wing were precursors to the (marginally) better-known Asia (vastly superior US version), and sound a great deal more 'mid-'70s', for the pretty fair reason that that's when they existed, I suppose. Rather than Asia's full-on frontal assault, White Wing played a rather sort of middling hard rock, with even the heaviest tracks (Patent Leather, A Little Levity) being slightly on the tame side in comparison, which isn't to say they were bad, just a bit generic. Actually, some of White Wing's best tracks are the quieter ones, not least opener Hansa (Cygnus) and its closing reprise, Hansa (Aquila), lush ballads stuffed full of Mellotron strings, making the former a slightly odd first track, though effective nonetheless.
Speaking of which, there's strings on three more tracks, played by guitarist Mike Coates, who reprised his dual role a few years later in Asia. All five of the album's relevant pieces feature it fairly prominently, although the 'Tron never gets quite as in-yer-face as on the first and last tracks. So; now this is readily available (albeit at Jap import prices, and probably unofficially), do you bother? Well, don't expect anything much like Asia, and you won't be too disappointed, although its 'Tron input is pretty reasonable. Good, but not outstanding.
See: Asia
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Eternal Nightcap (1997, 63.36) ***/T |
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| No Aphrodisiac Buy Now Pay Later (Charlie No.2) Love is Everywhere You Sound Like Louis Burdett Melbourne Where's the Enemy Charlie No.3 Life's a Beach |
Tangled Up in Blue Laugh in Their Faces Charlie No.1 Up Against the Wall Band on Every Corner (Hidden track) |
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I'm assured The Whitlams are a pretty cheerful bunch most of the time, but it seems Eternal Nightcap is largely about a friend of their who committed suicide the previous year; several of the tracks are about him, including the three 'Charlie' ones (thanks to Adrian for that info). A few tracks up the ante and the pace, including Love Is Everywhere and Up Against The Wall, but most of the album relies on an almost alt.country laid-back feel, not to mention the waltz-time folk of Band On Every Corner, although the rest of it's nearer the rock/pop mainstream than that.
Mellotron on one track only, Melbourne, with band leader Tim Freedman playing 'Strawberry Fields'-style flutes, mixed with real strings in places, although the 'Tron's well down in the mix. As a result, not a 'Tron album in any way, although Melbourne is worth hearing. Incidentally, this is one of those irritating albums that has several blank minutes before a hidden 'bonus' track, although unlike most similar efforts, this one has snippets of early takes of various tracks, with the guy who died (Stevie Plunder) talking dolefully about why he left the band superimposed over some of it.
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God & a Girl (2008, 61.50) **/0 |
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| Cost of Being Free Faith Don't Fail Don't Look Down Behind the Scenes Holding on to Me Testify Not Through With You Beautiful |
Your Face In This Hour Traces of You Psalms Fake Day of the Lord |
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Joy Whitlock considers herself a 'prodigal', going by the biography on her website; preacher's daughter gone bad, before 'God caught up with her' at 21. Well, good for God, I say. Of course, untold numbers of people actually believe that 'He' is omnipotent (even if they can't spell it) and is actually able to pinpoint individuals and haul them up from the depths to which they've sunk. Yeah, whatever. Do none of them ever consider that it might have been THEMSELVES that did the 'hauling up'? Give yourselves some credit, people... The end result, in this case, is a Christian artist who, going by her first full-length album, 2008's God & a Girl, makes upbeat pop/rock CCM, which is at least preferable to the drippy 'oh God I LOVE you!' variety. There's still plenty of that in the lyric department, but at least the music is only 'modern pop/rock' awful, rather than 'typical CCM' awful. Is this an improvement? Slightly, yes, but only slightly.
Rick Steff plays Mellotron on Cost Of Being Free, which proves the worth of track-by-track credits, since if I didn't know, I wouldn't know, if you know what I mean. Is there anything in there at all? Anything? Why bother? I don't get it. Anyway, one of the less nasty CCM albums to which I've subjected myself recently, which shouldn't be taken as a recommendation in any way, shape or form.
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From Philly to Tablas (1977, 35.19) ***/TTTT |
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| Retreat Suite What Have You Seen Altitude Rain Swollen Highway Nine Day Sunflower Without Us Go Around Snows Edge |
Mexican Oil Oh Boy, I've Won The Contest At Last |
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As far as anyone knows, Stephen Whynott released just two LPs in the late '70s, 1977's From Philly to Tablas and the following year's Geography. He operated in the rather overwrought end of the folk-rock spectrum, sounding rather out of time in '77, although the US market seemed to support various supposedly 'outdated' styles past their alleged sell-by dates, probably due to the country's size. From Philly to Tablas was the only one to feature the Mellotron, and despite Whynott's emoting, it has its moments, not least its two longest tracks, Go Around and Snows Edge [sic], the former featuring a great solo Hammond part, and the latter some classy echoed Rhodes work, both from Dan Frye.
Frye also played Mellotron on several tracks, with flutes, cellos and strings in opener Retreat Suite, piercingly high strings on Rain Swollen Highway, cellos and strings on Without Us, flutes on Go Around... Seems like this is another unsuspected 'Tron-heavy album (plus real oboe), and is worth picking up for its 'Tronness, should you feel so inclined. I hear that although this has never been issued on CD, it sold surprisingly well at the time, all things considered, and isn't impossible to find for a few bucks. You may not warm to Whynott's dated material, but the Mellotron use here is excellent, so pick it up if you see it at a decent price.
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Titans Wheel (2002, 68.05) **/T½ |
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| Remains to Be Seen Subterranean Sunrise Titans Wheel Drive on Driver Bitesize Greatfield Win Your Love Drinks on the House |
Good Mornington Street The Lost Lizard King (Ababacab) To the Other Side Heaven in a Modern World That's the Way (Someone Chanted Evening) |
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Some Several Moons (2005, 60.54) **½/T½ |
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| (Intro) Chord Squad Sandpainting Bow Lane Kabul Grill Cloudy Dream Deep Pop (Before the Only One Comes) Squaw Valley Non-Event |
Tokyo Joe (One Roll From Paradise) Banging on the Ceiling Cacobe Bar Two-Step |
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I was warned that these two recent Wigwam albums bore little in common with their excellent '70s work, and my informant/supplier (hi, Johannes) wasn't wrong. Wigwam, led by Brit ex-pat Jim Pembroke, were a damn' good band in their day, and were one of the few progressive bands from a non-English speaking country to actually achieve some wider recognition. After splitting in the late '70s, they released Light Ages in 1993, then nothing until 2002's Titans Wheel [sic]. I'm afraid there's only one way to describe this album, particularly when you consider how good some of their original albums were: pseudo-commercial dreck. This is a very mainstream record indeed, although it's dated for when it appeared; maybe you can get away with this sort of thing in Finland? It would be generous to describe most of the songs as poor AOR with a blues influence; I certainly can't imagine the international audience taking this to their hearts, to be honest. As if another fault was needed, the album is overlong, with several tracks dragging on for two or three minutes longer than necessary, all assuming you considered them necessary in the first place. The most embarrassing part of an already poor album is Pembroke's jokey ending, where he merely sounds like a man out of time, referencing Sinatra and other singers from the era. Grim.
Finland's Mellotron player to the stars, Esa Kotilainen, adds 'Tron to a handful of tracks here. There's strings and 'Strawberry Fields' flutes on Remains To Be Seen, with more of the same on the title track and a neat descending/ascending string line on closer That's The Way (Someone Chanted Evening), although that's the only good thing about it, plus faint choir/strings/flute on Bitesize. It sounds like it could be Mellotron on one or two other tracks, but the uncredited flutes sound real, and the strings don't quite have that strained quality about them (is the quality of Mellotrons not strain'd? Sorry).
The reconstituted band followed up three years on with Some Several Moons, which manages to be better than its predecessor, although I wouldn't take that as any sort of recommendation. The horrible AORisms are largely absent, replaced by a more 'down home' feel on several tracks, which, while rather uninteresting, isn't actually offensive. The mostly-spoken Squaw Valley Non-Event is about the best track, showcasing Pekka Rechardt's guitar work nicely, but this isn't an album to which I can see myself returning very often. OK, ever. Kotilainen gets his 'Tron in again, with more of those 'Strawberry Fields' flutes in the background on Chord Squad, and a more straightforward part on Bow Lane, although the album's best 'Tron work is the layered flutes on Squaw Valley Non-Event (also featuring cellos). Background strings on Tokyo Joe (One Roll From Paradise), exceedingly faint flutes on Cloudy Dream, and that's yer lot.
So; some of Wigwam's '70s work is very fine indeed, but neither of these albums is worth your time or money, sadly. Maybe their Finnish fanbase will buy anything with their name on the cover, but these records absolutely do not cut the mustard internationally. Some OK 'Tron work, but overall, avoid.
See: Esa Kotilainen
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Summer Teeth (1999) ***/TT½ |
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| Can't Stand it She's a Jar A Shot in the Arm We're Just Friends I'm Always in Love Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again) Pieholden Suite How to Fight Loneliness |
Via Chicago ELT My Darling When You Wake Up Feeling Old Summer Teeth In a Future Age |
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Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002, 51.56) ***/T |
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| I Am Trying to Break Your Heart Kamera Radio Cure War on War Jesus, Etc. Ashes of American Flags Heavy Metal Drummer I'm the Man Who Loves You |
Pot Kettle Black Poor Places Reservations |
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Sky Blue Sky (2007, 51.26) ***/T |
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| Either Way You Are My Face Impossible Germany Sky Blue Sky Side With the Seeds Shake it Off Please Be Patient With Me Hate it Here |
Leave Me (Like You Found Me) Walken What Light On and on and on |
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Wilco (the Album) (2009, 42.46) ***½/T½ |
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| Wilco (the Song) Deeper Down One Wing Bull Black Nova You and I You Never Know Country Disappeared Solitaire |
I'll Fight Sonny Feeling Everlasting Everything |
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Mellotrons/Chamberlins used:
Summer Teeth, as in 'some are teeth... and some aren't'. Boom boom. Wilco's third album continued the vaguely 'alt.country' feel of their first two, but with added Mellotron on a few tracks. Can't Stand It has some nice strings under the chorus from Jay Bennett, and both She's A Jar and ELT feature some decent pitch-bend work; no samples here... Like several other similar things I've heard, the Mellotron tracks tend to be the best on the record (biased? moi?!), and I found the rest of the album a little overrated. By the way, I've been (humorously) berated for not giving this a rave review, so I gave it another shot and have decided I may've been a little unfair. It doesn't really ring my bell, but Sparklehorse et al. fans may well be into this. Not great, but certainly not bad.
They belatedly followed it with 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, after lineup upheavals that had founder member Bennett moving on. Far more downbeat than its predecessor, it's a good album, but one I suspect the listener will have to work at, as it's far from readily accessible, but since when was that a bad thing? Obvious 'Tron on two tracks, presumably from Bennett, despite his general lack of involvement in the recording process, with an upfront strings part on Pot Kettle Black, and some muted cellos on lengthy closer Reservations.
It took the band another five years to come up with another tape-replay album, 2007's Sky Blue Sky. It's roughly comparable to their earlier work, although the alt.country quotient may be down slightly. Pat Sansone plays Chamberlin and Mellotron, with inaudible Chamby something on the title track, Mellotron strings on Side With The Seeds, and some other inaudible things on Hate It Here and Leave Me (Like You Found Me), making all of one audible tape-replay track. Hmmm.
2009's Wilco (the Album) is definitely a Wilco album, but maybe slightly better. Why? Difficult to define, but the songs just seem to grab me a little more, along with nice touches like the amusing George Harrison pedal steel quote from My Sweet Lord on You Never Know. No-one's credited with anything, as such, but that's probably Mellotron (as against a Chamberlin, that is) flutes on One Wing and a nice string part on Everlasting Everything.
So; four good albums in their field, though they're not going to be to everyone's tastes, with the first the better Mellotronic prospect. Incidentally, there's also 'Tron on one track of the band's second Billy Bragg collaboration, Mermaid Avenue Vol.II, though it's really not worth writing home about.
See: Jay Bennett & Edward Burch | Golden Smog | Billy Bragg & Wilco
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This Can't Be Life (1996, 45.40) **½/½ |
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| This Misery Spirit Coy Wake Up Sad Charm Want If Blue |
Different Childhood |
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Chamberlin used:
The Wild Colonials formed after Angela McCluskey moved to California from her native Scotland and teamed up with a group of like-minded musicians. Their schtick is faux-Irish roots-rock, although I don't believe there's a genuine Irishman/woman amongst their number. 1996's This Can't Be Life is their second album, filled with rather ordinary songs with an Irish feel to them, which is either going to make you say, "Hell, yeah!" (or similar) or... it isn't.
Jon Brion plays Chamberlin, although not so's you'd notice. Is that background flute on Coy? If it is, it's the nearest this dullsville album gets to any tape-replay content. I don't think I need to elaborate.
See: Angela McCluskey
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Heroine (1995, 43.28) **½/T |
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| I Don't Want to Think About it Careful Heroine Fall Invitation On My Own Debutante Aisle C |
Fine Everything That Rises Give it Up Everybody Loves You When You're Dead |
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Wild Strawberries are the Toronto-based married couple duo of Ken and Roberta Carter Harrison, who've been making albums, with varying commercial success, since the late '80s. The fact that they've played Lilith Fair probably tells you a good bit about how they sound; perfectly pleasant, but a bit wet, in a typically indie manner. Nice instrumentation in places (plenty of Wurly piano), although the '808 kit' credited on a few tracks wears one down pretty quickly.
Ken Harrison (also the duo's sole songwriter) plays inaudible Mellotron on I Don't Want To Think About It, while Fall has a very audible flute part, and Fine a lesser one. So; if Canadian female-fronted indie is your bag, go for it. As for the rest of us... Extra marks, though, for the wonderfully ironic 'fifties' domestic goddess' sleeve design, and the title of their latest album, Deformative Years.
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Space Flower (1990, 41.43) ***½/½ |
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| Melting Blue Delicious Butterfly Girl Tangerine Temple Immaculate Space Flower Chocolate Bubblegum I'm a Lighthouse Magic Hotel |
Vanilla Melange Sea of Tranquility |
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The Wild Swans came out of the same Liverpool scene as Echo & the Bunnymen and Julian Cope's Teardrop Explodes; in fact, mainman Paul Simpson is ex- of the latter band. Their '80s incarnation never fulfilled their initial promise, splitting up before recording an album, then reforming after various members found more success with the likes of The Lotus Eaters. Space Flower was their second (and last, at least in this form) album, following '88's Bringing Home the Ashes, and is best described as Scouse psych, along the lines of The Icicle Works, whose Ian McNabb actually guests on the record. It's one of those albums that will almost certainly grow on me should I ever give it enough plays to give it a chance; an initial listen highlights the title track and I'm A Lighthouse, but there's nothing genuinely bad here, and at 40-odd minutes, it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Now, this Mellotron business: Simpson is credited with playing one, that I've even seen described as his 'trademark'. Er, huh? While I'm grateful to my hobby for introducing me to this band, I'd never previously heard of him and was only vaguely aware of his band. I know it's credited, but the only thing here that sounds even slightly like a 'Tron is the strings on Magic Hotel, and I wouldn't actually put money on them being genuine. This is in pre-'Tron sample days, of course, but the 'Mellotron' could easily be some variety of string synth, or a combination of several string sounds. Impossible to tell, to be honest.
Anyway, a good album, with a full-on psych blowout in ten-minute plus closer Sea Of Tranquility, but not a 'Tron album by any stretch of the imagination. Incidentally, the band's record company (Arista) were so fuck-useless that they didn't even originally release this album in the band's home country; Sire finally released both albums as a set entitled Magnitude in 2007, which quickly disappeared, at which point US reissue label Wounded Bird picked them up. Once again, this is only available on import; plus ça change...
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Golden Daze (2007, 40.55) **½/T |
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| 421 (Everybody Loves You) Shake Shake Hard on Me It's Alright Now Way Down Low All Get Away Where Has Goodness Gone |
Someday We Can Fly Away Slow Down Please Don't Go Suzanna |
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I've seen Wildbirds' 2007 debut, Golden Daze, described as 'a timeless record', to which I can only say: Sir, you are deluding yourself. It's a thoroughly average, early 21st-century indie album, guitars thrashing away to no particular effect, although they stick in the odd exception to the Velvets-esque rule like All Get Away or Someday We Can Fly Away to attempt to relieve the boredom.
Matthew Reetz plays a Mellotron flute melody on Where Has Goodness Gone, but we're not talking the most essential use etc. etc. All in all, dull, little Mellotron, don't bother.
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The Green World (2000, 42.41) ***/½ |
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| Playing to the Firmament And a God Descended After All What Do You Love More Than Love Spring Street We Learned the Sea I Won't Be Your Yoko Ono Calling the Moon |
I Had No Right It Happens Every Day Another Mystery |
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My Better Self (2005, 49.56) ***/TT½ |
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| Teen for God I'll Miss You Till I Meet You Echoes Blue Light of the Flame Everybody Knows This is Nowhere Two Sides of the River Empire |
Comfortably Numb So Close to My Heart Beautiful Enemy Liar You Rise and Meet the Day The Hudson |
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Dorothy "Dar" Williams is usually described as 'pop/folk', which is probably as good a description as you're going to get. She's essentially a protégé of Joan Baez, who's also covered several of her songs, which probably gives you a good idea of where she's coming from. 2000's The Green World is her fourth full album of original material, and, while very worthy, isn't the kind of record that makes this reviewer's heart quicken. I hate myself for saying that, as Williams strikes me as the kind of person this world could do with more of, but her music's a bit lightweight, in my humble opinion; as so often, the message seems to be more important than the medium, which is generally left to fend for itself. There seems to be some confusion over whom, exactly, plays Mellotron on the album: Stewart Lerman's a definite, Steuart Smith's a possible and ex-Hooter Roby Hyman's a rank outsider. No big deal, anyway, as all you get are a brief string part on And A God Descended and possibly a few seconds of flute somewhere else, but we're not talking major 'Tron use here.
Five years on, and Dar releases another Mellotron album, 2005's My Better Self. The album sounds ever so slightly more muscular, although I've no idea whether or not this is deliberate. Dar covers a couple of classics this time round, with good versions of Neil Young's Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and, bizarrely, Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. In direct contrast to The Green World, although only one musician is credited with playing Mellotron (Julie Wolf), it's on several tracks, with strings on I'll Miss You Till I Meet You, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and (quietly, sadly) Comfortably Numb, flutes and strings on Blue Light Of The Flame and flutes on You Rise And Meet The Day and The Hudson, although none of it's that overt.
Overall, then, two albums at the pop end of the folk spectrum. Williams has a lovely voice, a far easier listen than Baez' shrill soprano, but too much of her material's a little too inconsequential for my tastes. On the Mellotron front, don't bother for The Green World, but My Better Self's rather, er, better.
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Mark Williams (1975, 36.19) **/T |
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| Gimme Little Sign Get on the Right Road Celebration Love the One You're With Let Love Come Between Us Disco Queen Sail on White Moon Ain't No Sunshine |
Wailing Wall Jimmy Loves Marianne Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life A Perfect Love |
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Mark Williams left his band, The Face, in 1973 for a solo career; the first evidence of this, 1975's Mark Williams, was apparently New Zealand's 'best selling pop/rock album of the '70s'. With the benefit of hindsight, it consists of soul-inflected mid-'70s pop, concentrating on slightly lesser-known cover versions, although Stephen Stills' Love The One You're With isn't exactly unknown. Other writers featured on the album include Todd Rundgren (Wailing Wall), the Easybeats' Vanda and Young (Yesterday Was Just The Beginning Of My Life) and Tony Ashton and Jon Lord (Celebration), all tackled in a bland, mainstream sort of way that probably wouldn't have turned anyone's head in Britain or the States, or possibly even Australia.
David Fraser plays Mellotron on a couple of tracks, with flute and string lines on Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine and a rather maudlin string part on closer A Perfect Love, but as so often with this kind of album, nothing you can't do without. On the offchance you should happen to a) be in New Zealand or b) be a New Zealander, please avoid this album. It may be perfectly professional, but so are any number of tedious mainstream efforts; I think giving it two stars is rather generous, to be honest.
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Sing When You're Winning (2000) ½/½ |
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| Let Love Be Your Energy Better Man Rock DJ Supreme Kids If it's Hurting You Singing for the Lonely Love Calling Earth |
Knutsford City Limits Forever Texas By All Means Necessary The Road to Mandalay |
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Escapology [U.S. Version] (2002/03, 60.07) **½/0 |
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| Feel Monsoon Sexed Up Get a Little High Come Undone Something Beautiful Love Somebody Revolution |
How Peculiar One Fine Day Me and My Monkey Handsome Man Nan's Song How Peculiar (Reprise) |
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Intensive Care (2005, 53.04) **½/T |
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| Ghosts Tripping Make Me Pure Spread Your Wings Advertising Space Please Don't Die Your Gay Friend Sin Sin Sin |
Random Acts of Kindness The Trouble With Me A Place to Crash King of Bloke and Bird |
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After Robbie Williams left the massively successful Take That, he was widely expected to disappear into obscurity, but surprised all and sundry by becoming everyone's favourite Cheeky Chappie, notching up hit after tedious hit. The biggest, or at least the most ubiquitous of these was the irredeemable Millennium, which without the replayed 'sample' from the Bond soundtrack 'You Only Live Twice' wouldn't even have been a song. His popularity (almost exclusively with women of seemingly all ages) refuses to wane, however, mostly due to his saturnine good looks and 'rock star' persona.
I'd have liked to review Sing When You're Winning properly, but I found it impossible to get more than about 30 seconds into each track, due to their general awfulness. I gritted my teeth and sat out the whole of The Road To Mandalay, all for a few seconds of producer/songwriter Guy Chambers' 'Tron string line. Chambers, you should be ashamed of yourself. This is shit. So; don't buy this record. Appalling music, remedial singing, terrible songs, almost nonexistent Mellotron. Avoid like the plague. Unbelievably, Williams' hyper-inflated ego has allowed him to think he can take on Sinatra (!!) and record an album of big band standards, Swing When You're Winning (ho ho). He seems to have missed the essential point that Sinatra is one of popular music's great voices, if not the greatest. Oh well, that's egos for you...
Well well well; how times change... 'Robbie' (you know someone's a household name when they become synonymous with their Christian name) seems to've matured greatly in a pretty short period; something to do with getting the monkey off his back, maybe? Anyway, without sacrificing any popularity whatsoever, he's reinvented himself as an 'adult entertainer'; I'm not saying he's suddenly worthy of serious attention, but he's making respectable albums like 2002's Escapology, which, while largely dull, rarely actually offend. Escapology's actually quite confusing, given that there are two noticeably different albums of that title floating around; the standard UK release has no Mellotron, while the 'clean' (seemingly interchangeable with 'American') version does. There are three different tracks on the 2003 version, Get A Little High, One Fine Day and closer How Peculiar (Reprise), although why they make a difference is far from obvious; there are still several tracks with lyrics calculated to offend the Moral Majority, which don't seem any better than the three dropped ones. Strange. Anyway, Claire Worrall plays Mellotron, although I'll be buggered if I can tell where, so mark that down as a big, fat zero.
2005's Intensive Care carries on in the same vein, mixing medium-outrageous lyrics (opening couplet "Here I stand victorious/The only man who made you come") with more heartfelt stuff like the pedal steel-infused King Of Bloke And Bird. It certainly toys with mainstream drivel (A Place To Crash), but avoids that awful dance-influenced style that so many of his contemporaries seem to find it perfectly acceptable to foist on the general public. Jebin Bruni plays something unidentifiable on a Chamberlin on Spread Your Wings (what is it about this guy and Queen song titles?), but Claire Worrall's Mellotron strings on King Of Bloke And Bird cut through nicely throughout the track, which ends with a genuinely beautiful minute or so of solo lap steel.
So; a man improving himself, which has to be applauded; under no circumstances, however, even think about voluntarily hearing any of Williams' early work. Very nasty. For that matter, don't go too far out of your way for his recent albums, either; just because I'm saying 'it's a lot better' isn't to actually say 'it's any good'.
Official site (should you, for some bizarre reason, wish to go there)
See: Take That
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Buy My Record (1981, 11.54) ***/TBuy My RecordBlack Yard Frankfurt Time to Dance Again |
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Mellotron used:
Robert Williams is probably best known as Captain Beefheart's drummer on his last couple of albums, although he was also co-credited on Hugh Cornwell's Nosferatu. Unsurprisingly, his first fully solo release, 1981's Buy My Record EP, is a fairly peculiar effort, sounding not unlike Beefheart at his most disorganised, with pretty odd vocals, if we're being generous. Of course, it's meant to sound odd; you think it'd have got three stars otherwise?
Beefheart's co-conspirator, Eric Drew Feldman, plays Mellotron here, amongst other things, with faint string and brass interjections on Black Yard, though nowhere near as upfront as on Doc at the Radar Station. Overall, then, an odd little effort that I don't believe's available anyway, although I could be wrong. Not worth it for the Mellotron, whatever.
See: Captain Beefheart | Hugh Cornwell
