The Brothers Four – 1970 (1970)
Artist: The Brothers Four
Title: 1970
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Fantasy
The Brothers Four know where the new “folk” material is at and they’ve taken to it in no uncertain terms. Included in their repertoire here are songs by Johnny Rivers, Country Joe McDonald, Gordon Lightfoot, Tim Hardin, Neil Diamond and Leonard Cohen, among others. For a change of pace, there’s the funny “Hippopotamus” by Flanders and Swann. (Billboard Magazine)
Track Listing
- Going Back To Big Sur
- Here I Go Again
- The Hippopotamus
- Affair On 8th Avenue
- November Snow
- Darlin’ Be Home Soon
- (The) Love Of The Common People
- I Will Be There
- Reason To Believe
- Glory Road
- Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye
Steve Allen featuring Gabor Szabo – Songs For Gentle People (1967)
Artist: Steve Allen featuring Gabor Szabo
Title: Songs For Gentle People
Year: 1967
Format: LP
Label: Dunhill
Brought To You By The Big “N”
Here, producer Bob Thiele concocted, perhaps, the least successful of his musical alliances. Thiele’s inspired pairings already included Ellington with Armstrong and Ellington with Coltrane.
He also arranged (around the same time) for Johnny Hodges to record with Lawrence Welk and would soon, more successfully, unite Allen with arranger Oliver Nelson. But Allen’s cocktail piano pop style stirred with Gabor Szabo’s edgier “in” sound seems like a miscalculation even in theory. Commercial intentions were no doubt considered, especially given many of the titles present and the brief running time of each.
SONGS FOR GENTLE PEOPLE fails, primarily, because Thiele shows his hand. There are at least two recordings here — a partially complete Steve Allen album and several outstanding Szabo leftovers.
Thiele has the guitarist drop in some doodles here and there over a series of Allen’s ‘summer of love’ recordings (“Here Comes Sgt. Pepper,” “So Nice,” “San Francisco,” “Something Stupid,” “Groovin’” and “59th Street Bridge”)
Despite pedestrian arrangements and Allen’s often cloying harpsichord, the guitarist seems game and shows how economically he can embellish a theme. As Szabo’s jagged sound waxes melodic, it becomes much missed when absent from such forgettable themes as “Here Comes Sgt. Pepper,” ” Something Stupid,” and “Green.”
Likewise, Allen seems dubbed on top of Szabo’s three utterly distinctive — and worthwhile — originals and, as a result, seems reduced to merely comping. At such stylistic odds with the rest of the material, these songs undoubtedly employ an alternative rhythm section (featuring Jimmy Stewart)
They certainly engage the listener in the way they open spaces for improvisation and hints of interaction lacking elsewhere on the record. “Fox” is an infectious melody built on a rhythmic electric-bass ostinato.
Allen surprises with a riveting harpsichord solo (suspended on well-used block chords). Szabo then spins a rousing, rolling cadenza into one of his hypnotic frenzies. (Allen added lyrics to this song, which produced a vocal version titled “Are You There” on Szabo’s WIND, SKY AND DIAMONDS album.).
“Flowers and Love,” though merely a vamp, is significant not only in spotlighting Gabor’s first recorded use of feedback, but Jimmy Stewart’s introduction provides what became the foundation for Szabo’s future presentations of his significant composition, “Mizrab.”
The 12-bar blues of “Flower Revolution” (Szabo probably had little to do with the “flower power” theme of these titles) lets the guitarist just have a good time and play. Even at tempos like this, Szabo’s melodicism is apparent.
His playing has a singing, almost story-like quality to it which becomes evident upon repeated listens. Allen’s support on piano is more aggressive and engaging here; yet his squeaky-clean approach is a bit forced.
A multitude of misjudgments will eradicate SONGS FOR GENTLE PEOPLE from ever achieving any sort of acknowledgment (not even producer Bob Thiele remembered it in 1995).
While both Steve Allen and Gabor Szabo have shown, elsewhere, talents history may endure, neither is considered significant enough in the final analysis to rate the resurrection of such doomed material.
As a result, rewarding Szabo performances like “Fox,” “Flowers and Love” and “Flower Revolution” endure a fate that keeps them unheard by many of Szabo’s admirers. (Doug Payne)
Track Listing
- Here Comes Sgt. Pepper
- So Nice
- San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)
- Something Stupid
- Groovin’
- Fox
- Keep Telling Me
- Flowers And Love
- 59th Street Bridge
- Green
- Flower Revolution
The Novells – That Did It! A Happening, Inc. (1968)
Artist: The Novells
Title: That Did It! A Happening, Inc.
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: Mothers
The Novells consisted of Bob Archer (guitar), Ed Benson (bass), Chip Moore (drums) and Terry Tibbets (keyboards). The LP was another Boyce & Hart project in conjunction with H. B. Barnum which has attained celebrity status in collectors circles, the album is a highly consistent mix of garage pop and fuzz driven garage rock.
There are some really awesome songs on this album like the opening track “Almost There”, and their cover of Otis Redding’s “Sitting On the Dock Of The Bay” is AMAZING, Tasty fuzz guitars on the track “Love” (a Lee Michaels cover) It is well worth exploring if you like that kinda fuzzy voice and guitar Psych. Sort of reminds me of a softer Orphan Egg. (J.J. Hildreth)
Track Listing
- Almost There
- Love
- Age Of Innocence
- Glass House
- Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay
- Pink Wallpaper
- Sunshine Of Your Love
- Tomorrow’s Yesterday
- Only You
- Can’t Ya See It
- Time To Show Her
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1970)
Artist: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Title: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Mercury
The Good, Bad And The Ugly were from Beaumont Texas and consisted of Joe Pipps (guitars-vocals), Bubba Goode (bass) and Kenny Yetman (drums). The album features some great Texas hard rock blues-rock band which was produced by Huey P. Meaux.
According to the liner notes, at the time the group approached Meaux to produce this album, they were known as the Next Exit and were playing gigs around the Beaumont and Port Arthur areas.
Yettes had previously involved with Jerry Lacroix and the Boogie Kings while Pipps had jammed with Johnny Winter who, according to Pipps, was very influencal in the making of this album, which was the result of him and Winters jamming while drinking Southern Comfort at Pipps house in Beaumont. (Howard Hales Broom)
Track Listing
- Dusty Moon
- Song Of A Hounddog Man
- Ugly Stick
- We’ll Make A Chain Of Love
- Take A Look At Your Friends
- Gypsy Lover
- Blues For Maggie
- I Was Born A Free Man
- For Telling Those Lies
- Don’t Mess Up A Good Thing
Dave Allen – Color Blind (1969)
Artist: Dave Allen
Title: Color Blind
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: International Artists
Everything about Dave Allen’s sole album is slightly off, from the somewhat defensive title (Allen is a blues guitarist who happens to be white) to the naff cover photo and lame graphics, all the way down to the fact that Color Blind is a completely straightforward slice of Texas blues-rock that happens to be on International Artists, the label that was otherwise home to the freaky likes of the 13th Floor Elevators, the Red Krayola, and Endle St. Cloud.
Color Blind may be many things — and foremost, it’s a surprisingly enjoyable slab of unpretentious Texas blues-rock, the sort of thing one might hear in a roadhouse in San Angelo on any given weekend — but freaky it ain’t. This has undoubtedly angered many psychedelic completists who finally tracked down this album in expectation of it sounding like God Bless the Red Krayola & All Who Sail With It and who summarily dismissed it as a result.
Listened to with open ears, however, Color Blind is really quite good, gathering up the best parts of Texas-style blues-rock while staying clear of pitfalls like excessively flashy solos, endless and plodding jams, or misogynistic lyrics. Tunes like “Poor Soul” and “Baby Please Don’t Try To Tell Me What To Do” are solid, rocking blues well worth seeking out by any fans of early Johnny Winter or the like. (Stewart Mason)
Track Listing
- Terp
- How Can You Be So Cold
- Baby Please Don’t Try To Tell Me What To Do
- Dave’s Blues
- Lord Have Mercy
- Goin’ Back To Houston
- Poor Soul
- Livin’ In A World Of Darkness
- Bone’s Home
- Midnight Hour Blues
- Goin’ To St. Louis
P.F. Sloan – Measure Of Pleasure (1968)
Artist: P.F. Sloan
Title: Measure Of Pleasure
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: Atco
“Eve of Destruction” as prophecy, maybe – who knows where the Time goes? We all grow up and young men do mature (mostly), so is “Measure for Pleasure” the work of a mature visionary? or is it something else instead? Sure, in “Measure for Pleasure” PF sings with greater freedom but if truth be told in it he simply doesn’t appear to have a lot to sing about? His voice, however, comes over as more into one’s face…. perhaps down to Tom Dowd’s magic? and the production is nothing short of wonderful. But visionary? No!
A link can be made between this and Dylan’s move from Protest and his later, apocalyptic ‘Time Out Of Mind’ phase……like Dylan, Sloan turned to the blues for a template to try free the muse.
What a treat it was to hear Measure for Pleasure, though as it turned out, it is hardly an essential listen. It will, however, reward any of us with long enough memories of PF’s early daze, by supplying us a few jig-saw pieces of explanations, as to his transformation from Eve of Destruction to relative obscurity.
“One of a Kind” introduces us to Charlotte? who pops up now and again in this rather tame (lyrically) album. However, the track does introduce us to the very fine playing to be found throughout. Relying on Charlotte, or any one female as focus has dragged many an album into mediocrity, though Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks does prove that it doesn’t have to be so.
“New Design” intimates strongly that PF wants to break out of his early image? The supporting players (throughout) are spot-on, they nail everything, as if eager to get on with getting on and getting out of the building with a minimum of fuss.
“Good Luck” is a chunky stew, with the organ quietly majestic and PF’s acoustic guitar is simply gorgeous.
Some excellent vibes lead us into the blues-soul-stroller, “How Can I Be Sure”. Strong hints of fragile Hardin can be heard here. This is a 2am listen for sure, ably supported by the vibraphonist throughout.
“Star Gazin’” is a chucka boomba yeh of a train tune, with hints of Mona thrown in? It is hardly memorable, but worth a spin. The band certainly know their way round their charts.
“Miss Charlotte” is one of these songs to a woman that litter singer songwriters’ albums and when listening to it, I went through some voyeuristic thoughts – wondering what She really was like?
Half way into the listen one is made aware of the album’s ‘faults’ ie the barrenness of subject matter, (ho, but this easily outstrips Carl Wilson’s solo effort). Simply said, the music is first class, it’s the paucity of lyrics that drag the album into the territory of mediocrity?….. like woah…. surely life is more than “Stargazin’”, a lady and Champagne? Hey those three don’t look too bad as titles?
Wow! in comes “And the Boundaries Inbetween”. It steps up to the plate and delivers some meaningful lyrics set to a bossanova shuffling tune – hey PF hits a stand-out track here. Our troubadour wears his heart on his sleeve.
“Above and Beyond the Call of Duty” comes in on streams of consciousness…. the track sniffs of having been thought out from scribbles on a fag packet?…. this is a bit of a rough and tumble effort.
Yikes, Charlotte is back to close off PF’s efforts…. and it is such a pity that he comes over a bit limp here…..
All in all “Measure For Pleasure” is a bit of a rag bag of ideas, but it will reward the listener but in terms not appreciated in the Revolutionary year of 1968…. I recommend this as a listen…. especially to those PF Sloaners who have longed to hear this. (Reviewed by AYE AFLOAT)
Track Listing
- One Of A Kind
- New Design
- (What Did She Mean When She Said) Good Luck
- How Can I Be Sure
- Star Gazin’
- Miss Charlotte
- Champagne
- And The Boundaries Inbetween
- Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty
- Country Woman (Can You Dig It All Night)
Les Irresistibles – The Story Of Baxter Williams (1969)
Artist: Les Irresistibles
Title: The Story Of Baxter Williams
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: CBS Apollo
There’s not a great deal of biographical information out there on this short-lived outfit and what material is available is scrambled up, or simply wrong. As an example, they were American, not French as some references have. They didn’t start their careers in L. A. as The Beloved Ones and move to France, etc. So, for what it’s worth here’s my shot at getting it straight.
Lead guitarist Tom Arena, drummer Andy Cornelius, keyboardist Jim McMains, and his twin brother/rhythm guitarist Steve McMains met in 1967 while attending the American School of Paris.
The four shared a passion for rock and roll and started out playing parties and school dances. A couple of comments submitted with YouTube clips recall the band playing in the school cafeteria.
I’m not sure how, but the quartet somehow managed to attract the attention of CBS records which signed them to a recording contract. The fact the four were still in their teens (I think they were 17 at the time), made the signing amazing enough, but it was even more impressive when you realized they were signed in at a time when most things American were being shunned by a large segment of the French population.
Teamed with producer John Naikce, the band debuted with the 1968 single “My Year Is a Day” b/w “Baby I Need You Back Again” (CBS catalog number 3330).
The 45 attracted enough attention for CBS management to give the go ahead for an album. Teamed with producer Jean Eckian, in an amazing move CBS management apparently let the four teenagers have complete creative control of the project.
The result was 1968′s “The Story of Baxter Williams” – one of those concept albums that’s simply been lost in the midst of times. Arena and the McMains shared most of the writing credits with Frenchmen William Sheller contributed music to a couple of tracks.
Even though the lyrics and performances were all in English, the liner notes were in French so much of the plotline was lost on me. That said, judging by the back panel animation, the plot seemed to be the usual boy falls for girl (“Baxter’s First Step”) girl stomps on boy’s heart (“Slave To Freedom”) ; crestfallen boy gives up all hope (“Fade Away”) and with nothing to live for calls it quits (“Baxter’s Last Step”).
And then the plot became indecipherable to me… Baxter’s friends either learn a lesson from his death and start looking for love (“Gotta Find Another Girl”), or maybe Baxter was just contemplating suicide and didn’t follow-thru with it, in which case a new love saves him (“The Breakthrough”). Anyone out there with a better take on the storyline, drop me a line.
Musically, commercial tracks like “Baxter’s First Step” and “To Experience” made it pretty clear they’d been listening to plenty of Chad and Jeremy, Peter and Gordon, The Bee Gees and other mid-1960s British pop groups (yes I know the Gibbs were Australian). The performances were all pretty good, if occasionally a little lightweight. (Bad Cat)
Track Listing
- Baxter’s First Step
- Here She Comes
- Slave To Freedom
- My Year Is A Day
- Baxter’s Blues
- Fade Away
- Baxter Williams
- To Experience
- Lands Of Shadow
- Baxter’s Last Step
- Gotta Find Another Girl
- The Break Through
Buskers – Buskers (1970)
Artist: Buskers
Title: Buskers
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: RCA Victor
Another Simon Napier-Bell project for RCA Victor (see the Fresh “Out Of Borstal post of April 8, 2010). “Busking – to play without written arrangements often done on streets to make money from passers by.” (Hmm, sounds like Wild Man Fischer was a Busker).
Buskers in London often double daytime busking with nighttime gigs in bands and orchestras.
Some busk to work their way through music college-others have busked their whole lives. They do everything from tap-dancing and playing the spoons while while tied in a sack to playing jazz and blues in ten or twelve piece bands.
Centres of busking are Leicester Square, Piccadilly and Oxford Street, but in the summer many buskers go off to the south of France, Paris, Denmark, Sweden or the coastal resorts of Britain for a “summer season.” Amongst famous artists who started out as buskers are Peter Sarstedt, Don Partridge, Donovan, Chad & Jeremy. (Album Liner Notes)
Where to begin?. back off and flee from this.., begone, if you prefer Joni Mitchell & Co, playing in white-line L.A. California Hotel, however, enter herein and enjoy this, if you prefer, (like Joni did once upon a time) when she stepped out of her limousine and listened to the lad on the corner.. Who was playing real good for free?
In The Tymes of Psche n Psuch Daze, busking in GB was big time. and within the 13 tracks on offer, youll find many a sound to bend ones lugs?
Beginning a listen to Buskers is a bit like asking why did the Pretty Things have to go to DeWolfe, adopt an Electric Banana persona and pick up 50 quid each? The answer of course is the 50 quid seen glinting in the upturned guitar case.
No wonder Eric Burdon turned his back on his Newcastle Brown Ale, having bust a gut trying to work out where the dosh had gone? Enter managers who in the 60s continually ripped off their fledglings by urging them to simply play for the clothes on their backs (Small Faces etc.) .. SO, are these real buskers? One loves to think so? (Ha, ha, back then, I had to take many a RCA offerings from 1970-1972 with a whole big pinch of salt. that said, RCA 1970 was better than RCA 1971?)
If you are still reading this. and not reeling too much from the delightful Buskers user-friendly cover. oh boy and not a tooth in sight, then you will not be disappointed by slapping this onto your player pour yourself a less than over the top measure of your favourite tipple. grab yourself a box to bang on OR for those more musically endowed, a kazoo to rip and roar along with the goodies on offer here.
The tracks cover the whole gamut of GBs rich heritage of Music Hall, theres up tempo, down tempo, wistful ballads, street-scapes and more than the occasional chortle. (Ian Whitcomb and Chad n Jeremy got a living out of this by toning this down and going mainstream. Donovan too, by going more Cosmic etc).
You will also find yourself immersed in lots of Yankee goofy influenced material. theres jug-bandslap about rock-a-billy cow punching stuff, with whiffs of Tiny Tim for after-shock, however, the dominant theme to this album, is an off-the-wall carelessness expressed by Tin Pan Alley meeting a down-trodden hippy-hairy bunch at the dark end of the psyche-spectre street.
Our erstwhile musicians inhabit their version of Bonzo-Dog World, as they flex their musical muscles and to be frank. this album takes the piss out of the Music Establishment OR all those of us, who seek spiritual answers within our stars musings?
SO, once youve entered the world of Buskers and after youve cast aside your prejudice, be prepared to be entertained and have your fancy tickled in ways you never imagined. The music on offer here is so close to the ground as to be as a carpet we can all walk on.
Forget Wild Man Fischer references, the musicians on show here are all top notch musos, but above all else they are entertainers, pure and simple…. and surely entertainment can ride high on the shoulders of psyche n psuch?
I defy anyone, who has stuck to their guns, held their nerve and allowed this album to flow through them, not to say, (at the very least) “Wow, that was some listen…hey what!!?? ” I simply say that ‘Buskers’ is full of ghostly whispers to be found within the huddled masses yearning for some lost treasured world of innocence.
Highly Recommended.
p. s. if anyone can find a more ‘out there’ version of “I Belong to Glasgow” then you’re a better researcher than me. (Reviewed by AYE AFLOAT)
Track Listing
- Intro: My Old Man/My Daddy Is A Millionaire
- Nina
- I Can’t Go On Living Without You
- I Belong To Glasgow
- Sylvester’s Last Voyage
- Bond Street Blues Medley: She’s Got It/Blue Suede Shoes
- Music, Music, Music
- Je Suis Tous Les Fenetres
- Cover My Bones
- Joey Friendship
- Buskers’ Interview
- Ballin’ The Jack
- If I Ruled The World
Brethren – Brethren (1970)
Artist: Brethren
Title: Brethren
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Tiffany
Here’s what we know about this short-lived ’70s New York-based entity
1.) The line up consisted of keyboardist Mike Garson, guitarist Tom Cosgrove, drummer Rick Marotta and bassist Stu Woods. 2.) They were one of the original (aka few) acts signed to Scepter’s short-lived Tiffany subsidiary. 3.) Their debut album was recorded in Hollywood’s Gold Star Studios.
1970′s “Brethren” teamed the band with producer Jay Senter. With three of the four members contributing material (Cosgrove was the mainstay composer), the album featured a mix of what a friend has labeled “white boy blues” (“Hitchin’ To Memphis” and “Everybody In The Congregation”) and country-rock numbers (a nice cover of James Taylor’s “Don’t Talk To Me Now” and “Mississippi Freighter”).
Cosgrove had a nice raspy voice, well suited to the up tempo material. He was also a capable guitarist (check out his sterling performance on the funky “Outside Love” and the meltdown instrumental “Success Brand Oil”). While much of the set recalled something out of the early ’70s Bobby Whitlock, or Delaney and Bonnie catalogs, nothing here was particularly original or commercial.
To our ears, the Gospel-influenced rocker “Provided For” provided the album’s highlight. The album’s also interesting for it’s bizarre mix of guests, The Blossoms (providing backing vocals), Dr. John and Poco’s Rusty Young. (Bad Cat)
Track Listing
- Midnight Train
- Don’t Talk Now
- Mississippi Freighter
- Success Brand Oil
- Hitchin’ To Memphis
- Everybody In The Congregation
- Provided For
- Outside Love
- Just To Be There
Brethren – Moment Of Truth (1971)
Artist: Brethren
Title: Moment Of Truth
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: Tiffany
“Moment Of Truth” is the second album released by Brethren, and moves easily between country-rock on the pop side of the Band and soul-rock similar to the Rascals, but the stress is generally light and lively, as Tom Cosgrove’s vocals provide most of the interest. Marretha Stewart & the Girls add depth with their soul background vocals.
The tracks on side one contain three covers including an eight minute plus version of Dr. John’s “Loop Garoo”, and a remake of Moogy Klingman’s “The Sun And The Moon”. Side two is all originals featuring some fine Cosgrove originals including “Lady On The Terrace” and “Rainy Day Lady”. Mike Garson chips in with the soulful “History Repeats Itself”.
Most notable about Brethren, besides the fact they were an excellent band, is that the four members went on to become in demand back-up musicians. Tom Cosgrove, (vocalist and guitarist) was in demand by many, including Al Kooper and Todd Rundgren.
Rick Marotta (drums), backed dozens of artists including John Lennon, while bass player Stu Woods went on to back up Jim Croce & Janis Ian, and keyboard player Mike Garson had quite a run with David Bowie among others. (Billboard Magazine)
Track Listing
- Loop Garoo
- Wesley
- The Sun And The Moon
- Freedom Blues
- Lady On The Terrace
- Move On
- Rainy Day Lady
- History Repeats Itself
- Blaze
