Growing up in high school in the late 70's you couldn't escape it without hearing a Billy Joel song or two or three at any given hour. In some ways, he replaced Elton John around 1977 in terms of top ten songs and albums. But in the course of my life, Billy Joel was the least favorite of the late 70s.
Maybe it was that New York smugness that didn't appeal to me back then. Or perhaps the all time annoying Piano Man, his 1973 hit which introduced us to Joel and if it wasn't bad enough, we had to hear it every single night at DeSoda's right around closing time or any selected bar. For 30 years after that, I never cared much for Joel although I do admit he has always had a gift for melody and at one time boasted a great band backing him up, Liberty DeVito drove the band till a severe falling out ended his tenture in the band.
I still will not listen to Piano Man the song but I'm sure the album has other notables. However, Streetlife Serenade had the wonderful failed hit with The Entertainer and I found a pawnshop copy of the CD and it remains a underrated album. I also got a kick out of the instrumentals on that album too Root Beer Rag, Mexican Connection. Turnstiles, didn't do much for me sorry to say, Say Goodbye To Hollywood a classic but the rest just fell flat. Some call Turnstiles Billy's best but I just don't hear it myself.
The Stranger was Joel's beginning, the title track with the moody beginning, Scene From An Italian Restaurant are the standouts. Didn't care for Just The Way You Are in my youth but I have learn to appreciate it more but I enjoy She's Always A Woman more. Of course there's Only The Good Die Young. The Stranger, not as flawed as Turnstiles is a good period piece.
Billy began to experiment more and adding more rock and roll to 52nd Street, getting into punk rock with Big Shot which can sound a bit goofy. He had a big hit with My Life (overplayed on classic rock radio or KDAT) but my faves remain the title track, Zanzibar, Stiletto and to a lesser extent Rosalinda's Eyes.
When Joel decided to go all out rock and roll he made his finest album with Glass Houses an album that steeped itself into new wave with It's Still Rock And Roll To Me or Sometimes A Fantasy (for some reason the long version of that song with Joel rocking out even more so only got to see a DJ copy only release, I haven't seen it availble on any other best ofs although I could be wrong). The overplayed You May Be Right is straight ahead rock too but Joel returned to the ballads with All For Lenya but he never rocked harder on Closer To The Borderline to which KRNA actually played one night, back then they did do album cuts and not focus sorely on the hits.
Upon closer inspection or hearing Songs From The Attic was Billy's live album but instead of playing the classics and Piano Man, he went for the more obscure with She's Got A Way or Say Goodbye To Hollywood and fan faves such as Captain Jack and I Loved These Days.
But after that, I never paid much attention to his music although The Nylon Curtain had Allentown, Pressure and Goodnight Saigon on it and many folks consider that to be his best. An Innocent Man shows Billy's love of Doo wop and it shows with the Four Seasons tribute Uptown Girl or the Dion soundalike of The Longest Time. Or even apeing Springsteen on Christie Lee. Sure Billy may have ripped off Frankie Valli or Little Anthony or to me The Tymes, An Innocent Man may just be his most fun record. Storm Front I really never paid much attention to, Mick Jones from Foreigner had a hand on the album and Joel got raked over the coals over the name chucking of We Didn't Start The Fire. But a second listen on Storm Front shows that Joel altered his singing and most of the time it comes very strained and out of character. I can take Billy Joel the crooner but Billy Joel the screamer, no way. The Bridge had a nice duet with Ray Charles on Baby Grand, and his final studio album 1993's River Of Dreams better known for his ex wife's album cover than songs.
For me Greatest Hits 1 and 2 remain the best way to hear Joel if you want to hear the hits. For myself Glass Houses is the one that I turn to, with 52nd Street and The Stranger and Streetlite Serenade in that order. The more adventurous can seek out The Nylon Curtain and An Innocent Man.
Albums:
Cold Spring Harbor (Family 1971) NR
Piano Man (Columbia 1973) C
Streetlife Serenade (Columbia 1974) B
Turnstyles (Columbia 1976) C+
The Stranger (Columbia 1977) B
52nd Street (Columbia 1978) B+
Glass Houses (Columbia 1980) B+
Songs In The Attic (Columbia 1981) B
The Nylon Curtain (Columbia 1982) B+
An Innocent Man (Columbia 1983) B-
The Bridge (Columbia 1986) B
Storm Front (Columbia 1989) C+
River Of Time (Columbia 1993) C
Billy Joel's Greatest Hits 1 and 2 (Columbia 1986) B+
Billy Joel's Greatest Hits 3 (Columbia 1996) B-
Fantasies & Delusions-Composed By Billy Joel, Performed by Richard Joo (Sony Classical 2001) B-
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Pavlov's Dog
In the continuing saga of preserving the forgotten classic rock bands of the 70's I offer a couple more that had albums out, but are never played anymore.
Pavlov's Dog
Great name and if their music was as great as their album covers they would be in the hall of fame. They hailed from St Louis and originally signed to ABC/Dunhill but was traded over to Columbia for Poco as the legend goes. Blue Oyster Cult producer Sandy Pearlman produced their two albums but the problem was David Surkamp's high octane vocals, which comes across as a blend of Geddy Lee and Tiny Tim. Bob Dorr from his program played a track of the Pampered Menial album and this song is a perfect excuse why they were not for everybody. At The Sound Of The Bell (1976) Pearlman and Murry Krugman toned down Surkamp's vocal but it didn't sell and Columbia dropped them soon afterward.
Nevertheless, David Surkamp has continued to record under the Pavlov's Dog banner and his last album Echo & Boo came out last year. Somewhat more mellow but was is amazing is how Surkamp's vocals haven't changed all the years, it's more controlled and more streamlined. Echo & Boo just might be the best Pavlov's Dog out there. And Surkamp can still give Geddy Lee a run for the money with those vocals.
Pavlov's Dog
Great name and if their music was as great as their album covers they would be in the hall of fame. They hailed from St Louis and originally signed to ABC/Dunhill but was traded over to Columbia for Poco as the legend goes. Blue Oyster Cult producer Sandy Pearlman produced their two albums but the problem was David Surkamp's high octane vocals, which comes across as a blend of Geddy Lee and Tiny Tim. Bob Dorr from his program played a track of the Pampered Menial album and this song is a perfect excuse why they were not for everybody. At The Sound Of The Bell (1976) Pearlman and Murry Krugman toned down Surkamp's vocal but it didn't sell and Columbia dropped them soon afterward.
Nevertheless, David Surkamp has continued to record under the Pavlov's Dog banner and his last album Echo & Boo came out last year. Somewhat more mellow but was is amazing is how Surkamp's vocals haven't changed all the years, it's more controlled and more streamlined. Echo & Boo just might be the best Pavlov's Dog out there. And Surkamp can still give Geddy Lee a run for the money with those vocals.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Emerson Lake & Palmer
Critics never liked them, the mainstream public looked at them as a cult band at best and Keith Emerson's Over The Top keyboard playing is the stuff of legends made. All were accomplished players in the bands before ELP. Greg Lake in King Crimson, Carl Palmer in Atomic Rooster or Crazy World Of Arthur Brown (That's him playing the drums on the hit Fire) and Keith Emerson playing in The Nice.
So when they got together to record their S/T album, they manage to score a hit with Lucky Man although in AM land they played it towards closing time before midnight. But I didn't discover ELP till my dad came home with a bunch of 8 tracks he got a garage sale and Taukus and Trilogy were the two 8 tracks that was in the collection. Even though their specialty was 10 to 20 minute epics, I actually enjoyed their throwaways more. Living Sin and The Sheriff from Trilogy, Are You Ready Eddie and Bitches Crystal from Taukus. The 20 minute side was a bit too boring for 12 year old ears but it's gotten better over the years. They got another classic rock hit with From The Beginning and later Karn No. 9 from Brain Salad Surgery the next year. Some consider that to be their best album.
Thoughout the years, ELP would tour, break up and tour again but the mid 70s wasn't too kind to them. Critics slag their Works Volume 1 and I haven't heard that one but Works Volume 2 was better since it was a single album and had better outtakes but Rolling Stone didn't give it a very good review either. Their worst album is Love Beach (1978) an album that even Greg Lake calls it uninspired and basically record label product. And with that ELP took a leave of absence. Lake went solo and made a couple decent albums for Chrysalis, Emerson toyed around in classical music and Carl Palmer joined up in Asia to which Greg Lake made a appearance in a 1982 show. Keith Emerson rejoined Lake with Cozy Powell for a 1985 album for Polydor and it has its moments but a couple years later Emerson and Palmer recruited Robert Berry for the ELP sounding 3 which made a album for Geffen and sounds more pop than prog rock and had a minor hit with Talkin' Bout.
Greg Lake rejoined them on the up and coming prog rock (later punk label go figure) Victory Records for Black Moon and while reviews of this was mixed it was a improvement over Love Beach although it sounds more like an extension of what 3 would have sounded if you replace Berry with Lake. By then Lake's vocals were a little bit more shot although not as bad as Stephen Stills has been in years. But Black Moon managed to get some airplay with the title track. In The Hot Seat I haven't heard, I did read a good review about it but perhaps the strangest thing about that album is that Keith Olsen produces it. Maybe I'll keep an eye open for it.
ELP is noted for their albums to be reissued over and over and after started out on Atlantic, Victory, Rhino and Shout Factory they have taken their catalog over to Razor & Tie for a fifth time. I don't think you need to replace them if you have the Victory remasters, the sound is still pretty good (The Atlantic CDs are a bit more muddier sounding). With Shout Factory, ELP did reissue some of classic concerts that they did, the best was the 1972 Live At Mar Y Sol Festival 1972 with a wild version of Rondo to conclude things but also a killer lead off with Hoedown, the Aaron Copeland number originally on Trilogy and the preferred version of the 20 minute Taukus driven by Palmer's amazing drumming. With seven songs closing at 78 minutes it probably too long for the ADD crowd but this shows ELP was at top at their game. For studio albums, the first four remain their highlight, I'd go with Trilogy myself in terms of being familiar with it. Works Volume 2 showing their influences and what got them there and even though some of the stuff is strange you can at least sit through it better than Works Volume 1. And Love Beach still remains a fucking mess 35 years after the fact. At least Black Moon has enough going for it that you can listen to the whole thing. The jury is still out on In The Hot Seat.
As for best ofs, no shortage of them although I'm thinking that the Razor & Tie is probably the better deal of the fact they stuck Peter Gunn on there. The Shout Factory 2 Essential ELP goes all the way up to Black Moon but they leave Love Beach and In The Hot Seat to their own devices. But then again if you really think about it, the 1985 record with Cozy Powell and later recordings shows them more in terms of MOR than prog rock. and opinions vary. I still can't get into Love Beach but at least Black Moon or In The Hot Seat I can.
Buyer Beware, most of the ELP albums are out of print and sell for ridculously high prices via Amazon. With Razor & Tie, they'll return the classic albums back into print for a few years before moving on to another label. But the lesser albums still can be found for under 3 bucks if you look hard enough. Or really looking for something to listen to outside of Lucky Man or Karn 9.
So when they got together to record their S/T album, they manage to score a hit with Lucky Man although in AM land they played it towards closing time before midnight. But I didn't discover ELP till my dad came home with a bunch of 8 tracks he got a garage sale and Taukus and Trilogy were the two 8 tracks that was in the collection. Even though their specialty was 10 to 20 minute epics, I actually enjoyed their throwaways more. Living Sin and The Sheriff from Trilogy, Are You Ready Eddie and Bitches Crystal from Taukus. The 20 minute side was a bit too boring for 12 year old ears but it's gotten better over the years. They got another classic rock hit with From The Beginning and later Karn No. 9 from Brain Salad Surgery the next year. Some consider that to be their best album.
Thoughout the years, ELP would tour, break up and tour again but the mid 70s wasn't too kind to them. Critics slag their Works Volume 1 and I haven't heard that one but Works Volume 2 was better since it was a single album and had better outtakes but Rolling Stone didn't give it a very good review either. Their worst album is Love Beach (1978) an album that even Greg Lake calls it uninspired and basically record label product. And with that ELP took a leave of absence. Lake went solo and made a couple decent albums for Chrysalis, Emerson toyed around in classical music and Carl Palmer joined up in Asia to which Greg Lake made a appearance in a 1982 show. Keith Emerson rejoined Lake with Cozy Powell for a 1985 album for Polydor and it has its moments but a couple years later Emerson and Palmer recruited Robert Berry for the ELP sounding 3 which made a album for Geffen and sounds more pop than prog rock and had a minor hit with Talkin' Bout.
Greg Lake rejoined them on the up and coming prog rock (later punk label go figure) Victory Records for Black Moon and while reviews of this was mixed it was a improvement over Love Beach although it sounds more like an extension of what 3 would have sounded if you replace Berry with Lake. By then Lake's vocals were a little bit more shot although not as bad as Stephen Stills has been in years. But Black Moon managed to get some airplay with the title track. In The Hot Seat I haven't heard, I did read a good review about it but perhaps the strangest thing about that album is that Keith Olsen produces it. Maybe I'll keep an eye open for it.
ELP is noted for their albums to be reissued over and over and after started out on Atlantic, Victory, Rhino and Shout Factory they have taken their catalog over to Razor & Tie for a fifth time. I don't think you need to replace them if you have the Victory remasters, the sound is still pretty good (The Atlantic CDs are a bit more muddier sounding). With Shout Factory, ELP did reissue some of classic concerts that they did, the best was the 1972 Live At Mar Y Sol Festival 1972 with a wild version of Rondo to conclude things but also a killer lead off with Hoedown, the Aaron Copeland number originally on Trilogy and the preferred version of the 20 minute Taukus driven by Palmer's amazing drumming. With seven songs closing at 78 minutes it probably too long for the ADD crowd but this shows ELP was at top at their game. For studio albums, the first four remain their highlight, I'd go with Trilogy myself in terms of being familiar with it. Works Volume 2 showing their influences and what got them there and even though some of the stuff is strange you can at least sit through it better than Works Volume 1. And Love Beach still remains a fucking mess 35 years after the fact. At least Black Moon has enough going for it that you can listen to the whole thing. The jury is still out on In The Hot Seat.
As for best ofs, no shortage of them although I'm thinking that the Razor & Tie is probably the better deal of the fact they stuck Peter Gunn on there. The Shout Factory 2 Essential ELP goes all the way up to Black Moon but they leave Love Beach and In The Hot Seat to their own devices. But then again if you really think about it, the 1985 record with Cozy Powell and later recordings shows them more in terms of MOR than prog rock. and opinions vary. I still can't get into Love Beach but at least Black Moon or In The Hot Seat I can.
Buyer Beware, most of the ELP albums are out of print and sell for ridculously high prices via Amazon. With Razor & Tie, they'll return the classic albums back into print for a few years before moving on to another label. But the lesser albums still can be found for under 3 bucks if you look hard enough. Or really looking for something to listen to outside of Lucky Man or Karn 9.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Atlantic Rejects-Bands of the 90s who was on Atlantic
Sorry folks I haven't been around to post much here. I've been doing double duty over at my regular site and basically took a year off between posts it seems.
This month's view takes a peak at some of the bands who recorded for Atlantic in the 1990s. Atlantic which used to be the best rhythm and blues label of the 50 and 60s became a known label for the rock and roll of Led Zeppelin, Yes, J.Geils Band, Crosby Stills & Nash and ATCO home of Cream, Bee Gees, Iron Butterfly, and Buffalo Springfield in the 60's and 70s but by the 1990s they were signing bands left and right and not really giving them the promtional push of the earlier bands that did make it big. But even back then Atlantic pick and choose who got more promo. For every Zep, there was Mott The Hoople who toiled for 4 albums. For every Ratt, there was Big Mouth and so on. For every Rush, there was Blue Rodeo. Sometimes fame happens for a select few and for the Atlantic/Atco artists of the 1990s it wasn't the glory days. For most most were one and done with the exception of a handful that recorded two.
The Gufs:
Made Two albums, the first album got some airplay here in the midwest as their type of emo shoegazer rock came from Milwaukee I think. Originally called Collide, it was renamed simply The Gufs and they had a minor hit with Crash Into Me and Let Her Go. Sold enough for Atlantic to commission another album, Holiday From You but The Gufs momentum was stopped by a certain band called Matchbox 20, whose debut surprised everybody and the PR department went with them and left The Gufs hanging. And the album bombed.
The Gufs 1993 B+
Holiday From You 1995 C+
The Uninvited 1998
A band from California that made one album which sounded a lot like The Rainmakers taking on Weezer. In fact their song Talked To God has been playing in my head for 10 straight hours, potent earworm if you have heard the song but if you haven't you don't know what I'm talking about. In some ways a power pop album that was too jokey for the masses to get but it remains one of the more listenable albums that nobody ever heard of. Not to be confused with another band called The Uninvited that made a CD called Our Two Cents Worth.
The Melvins
Atlantic's grunge signing and I'm sure they didn't know what the hell they got when they signed these legendary grunge rockers from Washington State. Combined between 2 minute punk metal rockers and slow 6 minute sludgefests Houdini is silly fun, with some of the more dubious numbers produced by Kurt Cobain although the 10 minute album closer puts everybody to sleep just about. Shirley Temple Black's daughter played bass on Houdini but she was kicked out on the next album Stoner Witch which continues the mayhem although Joe Barresi's adds more balance to the so called songs. Not as fun as Houdini. Stag, the 3rd album shows Atlantic moving The Melvins over to Mammoth for those dudes to deal with The Melvins, not much to recommend off that album. The Melvins would return back to their own label and continue to play it their way.
Houdini 1992 B+
Stoner Witch 1993 B-
Stag 1996 C+
Mighty Joe Plum-The Happiest Dogs 1997
I guess you can call them alternative although they had more in common with The Spin Doctors or Sister Hazel. Lead singer sounded a bit like John Popper and they did get a hit with Live Through This (15 Stories). Follow up singles failed and they were never heard from again.
Blameless-The Signs Are All There 1995
Atlantic signed a lotta band via satellite labels and this band came from via China Records, home of Dogs A'mour and Art Of Noise. Not much is known about Blameless although they did get a minor hit with Town Clowns which sounds like metal Outfield, another song has them sounding a bit like Pearl Jam and others sounding like Sting or the Beach Boys but Blameless although could adapt to any type of sound that they wanted they never forged a identity of themselves of a band. In the end, a good imitation of other bands but lacking their own originality.
Smile-Maquee 1995
This band came from Headhunter Records and their sound was desert metal pop. They owed a sound to Fu Manchu or Kyuss but never as heavy as either one. Best title of the 90s, Rock Anthem for the Retarded Teenage Hipster Population which should have been a hit. Rest of album sounds like Mudhoney meeting The Foo Fighters head on at a mudfest. Never heard their album Girl Crushes Boy.
This month's view takes a peak at some of the bands who recorded for Atlantic in the 1990s. Atlantic which used to be the best rhythm and blues label of the 50 and 60s became a known label for the rock and roll of Led Zeppelin, Yes, J.Geils Band, Crosby Stills & Nash and ATCO home of Cream, Bee Gees, Iron Butterfly, and Buffalo Springfield in the 60's and 70s but by the 1990s they were signing bands left and right and not really giving them the promtional push of the earlier bands that did make it big. But even back then Atlantic pick and choose who got more promo. For every Zep, there was Mott The Hoople who toiled for 4 albums. For every Ratt, there was Big Mouth and so on. For every Rush, there was Blue Rodeo. Sometimes fame happens for a select few and for the Atlantic/Atco artists of the 1990s it wasn't the glory days. For most most were one and done with the exception of a handful that recorded two.
The Gufs:
Made Two albums, the first album got some airplay here in the midwest as their type of emo shoegazer rock came from Milwaukee I think. Originally called Collide, it was renamed simply The Gufs and they had a minor hit with Crash Into Me and Let Her Go. Sold enough for Atlantic to commission another album, Holiday From You but The Gufs momentum was stopped by a certain band called Matchbox 20, whose debut surprised everybody and the PR department went with them and left The Gufs hanging. And the album bombed.
The Gufs 1993 B+
Holiday From You 1995 C+
The Uninvited 1998
A band from California that made one album which sounded a lot like The Rainmakers taking on Weezer. In fact their song Talked To God has been playing in my head for 10 straight hours, potent earworm if you have heard the song but if you haven't you don't know what I'm talking about. In some ways a power pop album that was too jokey for the masses to get but it remains one of the more listenable albums that nobody ever heard of. Not to be confused with another band called The Uninvited that made a CD called Our Two Cents Worth.
The Melvins
Atlantic's grunge signing and I'm sure they didn't know what the hell they got when they signed these legendary grunge rockers from Washington State. Combined between 2 minute punk metal rockers and slow 6 minute sludgefests Houdini is silly fun, with some of the more dubious numbers produced by Kurt Cobain although the 10 minute album closer puts everybody to sleep just about. Shirley Temple Black's daughter played bass on Houdini but she was kicked out on the next album Stoner Witch which continues the mayhem although Joe Barresi's adds more balance to the so called songs. Not as fun as Houdini. Stag, the 3rd album shows Atlantic moving The Melvins over to Mammoth for those dudes to deal with The Melvins, not much to recommend off that album. The Melvins would return back to their own label and continue to play it their way.
Houdini 1992 B+
Stoner Witch 1993 B-
Stag 1996 C+
Mighty Joe Plum-The Happiest Dogs 1997
I guess you can call them alternative although they had more in common with The Spin Doctors or Sister Hazel. Lead singer sounded a bit like John Popper and they did get a hit with Live Through This (15 Stories). Follow up singles failed and they were never heard from again.
Blameless-The Signs Are All There 1995
Atlantic signed a lotta band via satellite labels and this band came from via China Records, home of Dogs A'mour and Art Of Noise. Not much is known about Blameless although they did get a minor hit with Town Clowns which sounds like metal Outfield, another song has them sounding a bit like Pearl Jam and others sounding like Sting or the Beach Boys but Blameless although could adapt to any type of sound that they wanted they never forged a identity of themselves of a band. In the end, a good imitation of other bands but lacking their own originality.
Smile-Maquee 1995
This band came from Headhunter Records and their sound was desert metal pop. They owed a sound to Fu Manchu or Kyuss but never as heavy as either one. Best title of the 90s, Rock Anthem for the Retarded Teenage Hipster Population which should have been a hit. Rest of album sounds like Mudhoney meeting The Foo Fighters head on at a mudfest. Never heard their album Girl Crushes Boy.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Lost Hits Of The Rock n Roll Era-Soul Brothers Six
Atlantic Records had plenty of soul acts that made big impacts on the charts back in the 60s. Notables such as Wilson Pickett, Clarence Carter, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding. But in my time a lot of less known would put out DJ copies of forgotten songs that only I remember. Don Hollinger's Cruel World (ATCO 6592), White soulster Billy Vera recorded a version of I've Been Loving You Too Long. And Patty LaBelle & The Bluebell gave us I Don't Want To Go On Without You.
One of the lesser knowns of the soul Atlantic era is The Soul Brothers Six, who released five good to great to classic singles. I don't believe they made an album for Atlantic which is a shame. Wikipedia calls their singles unimpressive which tends one to believe that whoever wrote that, never did listen or could get access to the singles.
Best known for Some Kind Of Wonderful (Atlantic 2406) (which Grand Funk Railroad took up to the charts in 1975), that song was their only chart appearance in their career. The next song You Better Check Yourself (Atlantic 2456) may be the best Motown song not done by Motown, the bass introduction reminds one of James Jamerson. It didn't get much airplay but in fact I didn't come across it till I found a decent copy of it at the old Marion Goodwill next to the old Mays Drugstore. The group was led by John Ellison who sounded a cross between Little Richard and Wilson Pickett. The call and response from the other guys makes this a lost classic and why it didn't break big remains a mystery.
The next two singles, Ellison went for a more soul ballad style and neither sold either, copies of the songs becoming part of those 10 for a dollar 45 box sets that K Mart used to sell. Arif Mardin Co Produced and arranged Charles Armstrong's I Can't Live Without You (Atlantic 2535) and the followup Thank You Baby For Loving Me (Atlantic 2592). Their final Atlantic offering, What You Got (Sure Is Good For Me) (Atlantic 2645) was written by Charles Armstrong and showing more of a harding rocking edge than previous efforts. The record didn't sell and the Soul Brothers Six got dropped and basically broke up. But John Ellison would recruit new faces and they moved over to Philadelphia: LA Of Soul Records for three more singles that were regional hits at best and actually more of a funk feel than the Motown R & B feel of the Atlantic singles.
However The Soul Brothers Six, lack of sales would benefits others. Duke And The Drivers had a bigger hit with What You Got in 1975 and also covered Check Yourself. And even though there has yet to be a official release of an actual SB6 retrospective (Some Kind Of Wonderful can be found on Sire's Sweet Soul Music 1992 and Check Yourself is on The Beat Goes On-Best Of Atlantic Dance Music on Kent/Ace UK). Most of their singles can be heard via You Tube.
PS There's a early version of Oh I Need You Yes I Do (Lyndell 747 circa 1965?) that gives one a feeling of Wilson Pickett leading the Miracles.
One of the lesser knowns of the soul Atlantic era is The Soul Brothers Six, who released five good to great to classic singles. I don't believe they made an album for Atlantic which is a shame. Wikipedia calls their singles unimpressive which tends one to believe that whoever wrote that, never did listen or could get access to the singles.
Best known for Some Kind Of Wonderful (Atlantic 2406) (which Grand Funk Railroad took up to the charts in 1975), that song was their only chart appearance in their career. The next song You Better Check Yourself (Atlantic 2456) may be the best Motown song not done by Motown, the bass introduction reminds one of James Jamerson. It didn't get much airplay but in fact I didn't come across it till I found a decent copy of it at the old Marion Goodwill next to the old Mays Drugstore. The group was led by John Ellison who sounded a cross between Little Richard and Wilson Pickett. The call and response from the other guys makes this a lost classic and why it didn't break big remains a mystery.
The next two singles, Ellison went for a more soul ballad style and neither sold either, copies of the songs becoming part of those 10 for a dollar 45 box sets that K Mart used to sell. Arif Mardin Co Produced and arranged Charles Armstrong's I Can't Live Without You (Atlantic 2535) and the followup Thank You Baby For Loving Me (Atlantic 2592). Their final Atlantic offering, What You Got (Sure Is Good For Me) (Atlantic 2645) was written by Charles Armstrong and showing more of a harding rocking edge than previous efforts. The record didn't sell and the Soul Brothers Six got dropped and basically broke up. But John Ellison would recruit new faces and they moved over to Philadelphia: LA Of Soul Records for three more singles that were regional hits at best and actually more of a funk feel than the Motown R & B feel of the Atlantic singles.
However The Soul Brothers Six, lack of sales would benefits others. Duke And The Drivers had a bigger hit with What You Got in 1975 and also covered Check Yourself. And even though there has yet to be a official release of an actual SB6 retrospective (Some Kind Of Wonderful can be found on Sire's Sweet Soul Music 1992 and Check Yourself is on The Beat Goes On-Best Of Atlantic Dance Music on Kent/Ace UK). Most of their singles can be heard via You Tube.
PS There's a early version of Oh I Need You Yes I Do (Lyndell 747 circa 1965?) that gives one a feeling of Wilson Pickett leading the Miracles.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Music Reviews of the Great 50th Birthday Bash.
LOBO-A Cowboy Afraid Of Horses (Big Tree 1975) In terms of singer songwriters Kent LaVoie should be up there with James Taylor or Dan Fogleberg but you don't hear him that much. This was his final album for Big Tree, which really doesn't sound much different than the previous. Rocks a little here, tries for the big folk statement on The War To End All Wars and falls flat on his face. Had a minor hit with Don't Tell Me Goodnight. B
Aldo Nova-(Portrait 1981) Mullet rock before Bon Jovi did it better, Nova was a pretty good guitar player and had a big hit with Fantasy but the rest of the album falls somewhere that Loverboy was doing at the time. The ballads foretell the coming of Richard Marx. Maybe Aldo was ahead of his time. B-
Dave Brubeck-The Last Set At Newport (Atlantic 1972) Sounds more like a jam session than jazz and his rhythm section of Jack Six and Alan Dawson might be even better than the better known Joe Morello and Eugene Wright, judging from what I have heard from the Atlantic sides. Another good version of Take Five and Gerry Mulligan does a wonderful job. But we all know Paul Desmond was the secret weapon and he's missing. The side long Blues At Newport and Open The Gates prove that Brubeck sense of time and melody remain second to none. A-
Let's Active-Every Dog Has Its Day (IRS 1988) Needing a bit more muscle, Mitch Easter turns to John Leckie (XTC, Be Bop Deluxe) for a better sound and gets it. Musically, it's pretty good and the title track turned out to be a minor hit. But Easter's vocals still remain a tuneless acquired taste. Sometimes I can over look that. B
Neil Young-Prairie Wind (Reprise 2005) I think this was the followup to Harvest than Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon was more likable and when Prairie Wind came out I call it perhaps his less interesting album in years. A 2nd listen a few years later proved that time has made this a bit more listenable and The Painter & Falling Off The Face Of The Earth remain the highlights. I guess I can forgive him for the goofy I Knew The King eh? Original Grade C+ Upgraded to B+
Ian Hunter-Live In London (Great American Music Co. 2009) Taken from a 2004 concert that has Mick Ralphs joining in on guitar it showcases sometimes sloppy and at times Hunter tosses off lyrics as an afterthought. He doesn't even attempt the high notes of Standing In My Light. Brian May and Joe Eliott pop in on the sloppy All The Way From Memphis. Two versions of All The Young Dudes, the best one is the acoustic. Overall: you had to be there. B-
David Bowie (Rebound 1997) The early years when he was on Deram/London and comes as a cross between Anthony Newley and Syd Barrett and not in a good way. Love You Till Tuesday flopped as an single. C
Willie Nelson-Who Will Buy My Memories The IRS Tapes (CMG 1992) Just Willie and his guitar, singing some of his old better known originals. Too bad Sony Music didn't reissue this as the Original Naked Willie a couple years ago. Not exactly I would play every day but it's a curio that best to hear a couple times. I think I perfer his version It's Not Supposed To Be This Way on this than the others. B+
The Judybats-Native Son (Sire/WB 1991) Spotty debut. Their best song was a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators She Lives In A Time Of Her Own to which their record label forced upon them to record for a Roky Erickson tribute album. They never did topped that. C+
Aldo Nova-(Portrait 1981) Mullet rock before Bon Jovi did it better, Nova was a pretty good guitar player and had a big hit with Fantasy but the rest of the album falls somewhere that Loverboy was doing at the time. The ballads foretell the coming of Richard Marx. Maybe Aldo was ahead of his time. B-
Dave Brubeck-The Last Set At Newport (Atlantic 1972) Sounds more like a jam session than jazz and his rhythm section of Jack Six and Alan Dawson might be even better than the better known Joe Morello and Eugene Wright, judging from what I have heard from the Atlantic sides. Another good version of Take Five and Gerry Mulligan does a wonderful job. But we all know Paul Desmond was the secret weapon and he's missing. The side long Blues At Newport and Open The Gates prove that Brubeck sense of time and melody remain second to none. A-
Let's Active-Every Dog Has Its Day (IRS 1988) Needing a bit more muscle, Mitch Easter turns to John Leckie (XTC, Be Bop Deluxe) for a better sound and gets it. Musically, it's pretty good and the title track turned out to be a minor hit. But Easter's vocals still remain a tuneless acquired taste. Sometimes I can over look that. B
Neil Young-Prairie Wind (Reprise 2005) I think this was the followup to Harvest than Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon was more likable and when Prairie Wind came out I call it perhaps his less interesting album in years. A 2nd listen a few years later proved that time has made this a bit more listenable and The Painter & Falling Off The Face Of The Earth remain the highlights. I guess I can forgive him for the goofy I Knew The King eh? Original Grade C+ Upgraded to B+
Ian Hunter-Live In London (Great American Music Co. 2009) Taken from a 2004 concert that has Mick Ralphs joining in on guitar it showcases sometimes sloppy and at times Hunter tosses off lyrics as an afterthought. He doesn't even attempt the high notes of Standing In My Light. Brian May and Joe Eliott pop in on the sloppy All The Way From Memphis. Two versions of All The Young Dudes, the best one is the acoustic. Overall: you had to be there. B-
David Bowie (Rebound 1997) The early years when he was on Deram/London and comes as a cross between Anthony Newley and Syd Barrett and not in a good way. Love You Till Tuesday flopped as an single. C
Willie Nelson-Who Will Buy My Memories The IRS Tapes (CMG 1992) Just Willie and his guitar, singing some of his old better known originals. Too bad Sony Music didn't reissue this as the Original Naked Willie a couple years ago. Not exactly I would play every day but it's a curio that best to hear a couple times. I think I perfer his version It's Not Supposed To Be This Way on this than the others. B+
The Judybats-Native Son (Sire/WB 1991) Spotty debut. Their best song was a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators She Lives In A Time Of Her Own to which their record label forced upon them to record for a Roky Erickson tribute album. They never did topped that. C+
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Ocean Blue
Band from Hershey Pennsylvania that for a short time was the darlings of the 120 minutes fame of MTV and alternative radio, back when alternative radio was that and not the watered down modern rock it is today. They sounded more of a cross of Echo & The Bunnymen (but only more melodic), The Smiths (without the Morrissey whine to go with Johnny Marr's cheese) and Psychedelic Furs around Talk Talk Talk. And a bit of Roxy Music Manifesto too.
All their albums, you may not remember unless you hear the songs, but when you do hear the songs you will find that they do sound pretty good twenty years beyond the fact. While some perfer the debut and Cerulean which is their Smith's tribute, I like the 1993 Beneath The Rhythm & Sound which gave them Crash, which aired a few times on MTV 120 Minutes before MTV decided to go reality TV and gave up on music.
Steve Lau left and the last two recordings showed more of a rock and less polished sound. The Ocean Blue moved from Sire/Reprise to Mercury for See The Ocean Blue, but before anything good happened Polygram got swallowed up by Universal and the band was set free again. Davy Jones Locker was reissued in 2001 on a independent label and it was more stripped down but it was a better listen.
Since then, there has been an EP to which I yet to hear and their website continues to say that the guys are working on their next album. Nevertheless, you can find their albums in the budget or clearance bins at thrift stores. They did work their influences quite well and all of their albums are worthwhile. I've heard they were excellent playing live.
Albums
The Ocean Blue 1990 B+
Cerulean 1991 B+
Beneath The Rhythm & Sound 1993 B+
See The Ocean Blue 1996 B+
Davy Jones Locker 2001 A-
All their albums, you may not remember unless you hear the songs, but when you do hear the songs you will find that they do sound pretty good twenty years beyond the fact. While some perfer the debut and Cerulean which is their Smith's tribute, I like the 1993 Beneath The Rhythm & Sound which gave them Crash, which aired a few times on MTV 120 Minutes before MTV decided to go reality TV and gave up on music.
Steve Lau left and the last two recordings showed more of a rock and less polished sound. The Ocean Blue moved from Sire/Reprise to Mercury for See The Ocean Blue, but before anything good happened Polygram got swallowed up by Universal and the band was set free again. Davy Jones Locker was reissued in 2001 on a independent label and it was more stripped down but it was a better listen.
Since then, there has been an EP to which I yet to hear and their website continues to say that the guys are working on their next album. Nevertheless, you can find their albums in the budget or clearance bins at thrift stores. They did work their influences quite well and all of their albums are worthwhile. I've heard they were excellent playing live.
Albums
The Ocean Blue 1990 B+
Cerulean 1991 B+
Beneath The Rhythm & Sound 1993 B+
See The Ocean Blue 1996 B+
Davy Jones Locker 2001 A-
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