Laura Nyro "Eli and the Thirteenth Confession" 1968

                My sister and I are the only two people I know that like Laura Nyro.  Her voice can take a little getting used to.  It’s like a bird tied to a string; it goes all over the place, and is constantly on the verge of breaking free and losing control.  I happen to think that is cool, but my wife does not.  I put this album on to make some notes, and the mood in the room instantly changed.  She puts up with a lot of crazy music in this house, but it was very clear that this was not a record that was going to be in rotation for very long.  I can get that.  She is not alone in this opinion, and that is fine with me.  She asked if I would please put the Bob Dylan back in the player, after I was done listening to “that girl with the ridiculous voice.”  How could you be upset with a woman who encourages you to listen to more Dylan?  She’s a keeper.

                I, however, love this record!  It just soars for me.  Laura does all of the lead vocals as well as the background vocals.  Having one person do all the vocals is like putting magnifying glass on the personality of the performer.  Instead of one over the top vocalist, you get 20.  My favorite song is “Sweet Eyed Blindness.”  In some parts, I am hearing at least 4 vocals intermingling.  The rhythm is also all over the place, and the beat changes tempo throughout the song.  The most important thing is how wonderfully happy the song feels.  The song is about drinking, and as a result gives the song a bit of a medicated happy feel.  How could you not sing along to this?

               “Poverty Train” is full of intrigue.  The song has a limping quality, with its starts and stops.  Laura and her piano are joined by light flutes, ringing vibes, buzzy fuzz guitar, and soft horns, but each instrument seems to be independent of the others.  They simply wander in and out of the song like confused children.  By the end, Laura and her piano are again alone. 

                This album came out in 1968, but I get sort of a mid 60’s/Motown/Brill Building feel to it.  This makes a lot of since because Laura was a songwriter who scored several hits with groups like The 5^th Dimension, Three Dog Night, and The Blood, Sweat and Tears.  I happen to prefer her version of “Eli’s Comin’” over Three Dog Night’s.  I feel like the vocals mesh far better in her recording than the hit version.  The song also works much better from the perspective of a woman than a man.  I find it hard to believe that a man, especially like Chuck Negron, would sing about watching out for a heartbreaker.  “Stone Soul Picnic” on the other hand lacks the bold production of the The 5^th Dimension’s version.  Laura’s version, however let’s you focus on how wonderful the melody really is.  It’s very good, but far less lush. 

“Farmer Joe” absolutely knocks my socks off every time I hear it.  The piano is thick, guttural, and as satisfying as butter on a biscuit.  Laura must have been pretty happy the day she found that groove.  The lyrics are simple and repetitive and easy to sing along to.  Also, pay attention to the section where she sings “run, run like a son of a gun.”  The note she sings when she says “gun,” is so out of key, but just so right.  Who does that? Why pick that strange note?  Because she pulls it off; that’s why.  Sometimes you just do things because others haven’t.  I am glad she did. 

                Did I say I like to sing to this record?  Well, I should make an exception for “The Confession.”  It is a lovely melody and the finger picked acoustic guitar really percolates the song, but…and I do mean but…I am not sure this song was meant for me to sing along to.  Groove on these lyrics:

Super summer sugar croppin'
In the mornin'
Do your shoppin' baby
Love my love thing
Super ride inside my love thing

You may leave the fair
But you'll be back I swear

And

Oh I hate my winsome lover
Tell him I've had others
At my breast
But tell him he held my heart
And only now am I a virgin
I confess

Love my love thing
Love is surely gospel

This is 1968 we’re talkin’ about here, and “Super ride inside my love thing,” is so far past anything you will hear from this era.  This is especially true for a woman.  This was ground breaking music and credit should be given where credit is due.  Even though I, as a man, am uncomfortable singing along with it, “The Confession” should be viewed as the major statement it is.  Sometimes songs push the boundaries of sound or harmony, but this one was a great step forward for lyrics. 

Tones:  Everything sounds pretty close mic’d except for the strings, which sound like they were recorded in a massive studio with only room microphones. 

Cover Note:  It’s a very basic cover.  I guess the stark black cover is notable because of how non psychedelic it is for 1968.  I get kind of a singer/songwriter vibe from it.  Also, I have seen this used quite a few times, and each time the cover has had a massive amount of ring wear.  Roxy & Elsewhere by Frank Zappa is the same way.  I guess some records were just printed poorly compared to others.

Price paid:  I have the CD reissue, but I did buy a vinyl copy for my sister.  It was in the $4.00-$6.00 range, which is a fair price.  The bonus tracks on the CD are also very good. 

Bottom line:  If someone was interested in 60’s music and had never heard a thing, I would probably tell them to start with the Beatles, then move to the Beach Boys, then The Stones, then The Kinks and so forth.  A logical progression of appreciation would then develop and their life would gradually improve until they exploded from pure joy.  This album and Laura’s others would probably not fit into the first 50-100 records I would suggest to a 60’s music novice.  However, after some of the more obvious choices are covered, this would be a great suggestion.  It certainly won’t disappoint any long time lover of 60’s music. 

Bill Evans Trio "Everybody Digs Bill Evans" 1958

It took me some time to realize how amazing Bill Evans was.  Sometimes music hits you over the head, but sometimes it just gets slipped under your pillow.  Bill Evans always seemed like a fragile character to me and I pick up a lot of that from the music.  He can also really swing though.

 Bill was the king of impressionist harmony, which will only mean something to you if you are a musician.  You may have heard of impressionist painters. Well, whenever I look at their paintings, I always enjoy their hazy quality.  The clarity is gone therefore I am forced to focus on other aspects.  Well, what they do with painting, Bill does with harmony.  To do this, he stays away from the obviously pleasant (and familiar) sounding notes in a chord.  These would be the ones that make up about 98% of all written music.  Instead he plays notes that are close to the “good” notes, creating an impression of the chord.

 Think about it like this.  If you go outside on a sunny day and look up in the sky, the sun can hurt your eyes.  So what do you do?  You put you hand up to cover the sun, and try to decipher what you can.   You aren’t seeing an accurate representation of what the sky really looks like; you just get an impression.  You have lost the key element, so now you are forced to focus on the rest.  This is why Bill Evans’ music sounds the way it does.  I hope that makes sense.  Please do not translate that into, “Bill Evans was an impressionist painter who couldn’t see the sun, so he played wrong notes on the piano.”    

“Minority” starts off sounding pretty menacing for a jazz record.  They make me think of someone slipping through prison bars.  These jagged sounds are coming from the same guy who played the beautiful opening chords on Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” album.  The main melody is quite memorable and swings elegantly.  I really dig how Bill’s solo builds momentum.  It starts off slow and gets fancier as it progresses.  The more I listen to this, the more impressed I am by how planned out it seems.  Bill starts to trade solo breaks with drummer Philly Joe Jones and they taunt each other back and forth.  Some of Bill’s runs sound like mice running across the floor.  Very hip jazz mice. 

On the emotional flip side, you get “Young and Foolish” which is melancholy at its best.  If I had to be sad, this is the kind of sad I would want to be.  Not the real thing, but an oozing, gray version of it.  Bill’s piano rolls like constant thunder clouds dimly pushing their way out of an old movie projector.  Just when I think that being gloomy is great, Bill hits some harsh dissonant notes that feel like pangs of guilt or loneliness.  It’s really quite emotional. 

          One thing I like about this record is the interesting sequencing of its songs.  The slightly eastern sounding “Epilogue” after “Night and Day” closes side one beautifully.  Bill has a way of letting strange chords ring out with an uncomfortable beauty.  They are like looking at a beautiful woman who scares the hell out of you.  The same little “Epilogue” pops up again at the end of the record. 

                Side two also contains what I consider to be the centerpiece of the record: “Peace Piece”.  Bill’s left hand plays a creamy repeated figure, and his right hand improvises.  The first half of the song is wonderfully calm and relaxing, like warm sheets on a cold day.  Conversely, the second half is much more challenging to relax to.  The notes feel like sharp little pebbles or drops of black ink on canvas.  The left hand keeps going though.  You may still be lying in those warm sheets, but you just got your heart handed to you by your lover.  My wife loves the first half of this song, but gets frustrated by the second half.  I think most people who are not into modern jazz would be too. 

               

Tones:  This is a three piece jazz combo, so there is not a lot of tone variety.  You do, however, get some changes in texture that are quite charming.  “Oleo” starts with mostly bass and piano.  Halfway through, the drums crash in as Bill pays some chromatic bumblebee runs.  These guys must have been aware that three instruments can only create so much variety.  As a result, you get some fascinating interplay that generates patches of sound that very much hold my interest.

Cover Note:  This was an innovative cover back in the day.  Miles Davis, George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal, and Cannonball Adderley all sing Bill’s praises.  In 2014, it’s hard to be shocked by a cover like this, but I am sure it stood out back in 1958.  Seriously, if Miles Davis thinks you’re cool, there’s a pretty good chance you are.  I’d probably buy a sandwich if I thought Miles dug it. 

Price paid:  I have a vinyl reprint that I bought online for about $16.00.  I feel like finding old jazz is pretty hard to do.  Every time I look for old jazz stuff, it’s either scratched, or way out of my price range.  I don’t think this stuff was ever majorly popular to begin with, so copies are rare.  I have no problem buying a new reprint of an old album.  Besides, jazz on vinyl is a special thing. 

Bottom line:  You have to be sensitive to appreciate an album like this.  Sure, if you are a musician, you can dissect the complex harmonies and technical intricacies, but where does that leave you?  Musicians don’t push the boundaries of harmony just to push them.  They do it so they can convey new, deep, and hopefully insightful emotions.  The greatest part about this album is its ephemeral nature.  The Bill Evans Trio was certainly in the moment when they created this record, and what a great moment it must have been to be in.    

Todd Rundgren "Runt" 1970

If you are even a casual music lover, then you have more than likely heard plenty of Todd’s music.  He is one of those artists that had a smattering of hits, however it’s his full albums that are really where it’s at.  On many of his records, Todd does it all (literally and figuratively in many cases.) He has been known to play guitar, keyboards, bass, saxophone, and sing.  He also produces and engineers many of the records himself. 

                On his first record, “The Ballad of Todd Rundgren”, Todd plays many but not all of the instruments.  He is joined by a drummer, bass player, and a few horns, but everything else is straight up Todd.  Sometimes you can tell that the people who make “one man band” records are more or less guitar and piano players with less than amazing abilities on other instruments.  Todd seems to shine on every instrument he plays though.  The guitar tone on “Devil’s Bite” is not only a stellar riff, but has originality to its tone and presentation.  It’s like a dog barking underwater, but with a much thicker sound.  His vocals are also interesting.  I would say that Todd has a “nice” voice, but he really knows how to push it.  He is at the top of his shouting range and he must know it, because he certainly doesn’t blow it.  He just hits that perfect rock and roll point of exhaustion. 

                My mother has always been a big fan of Todd Rundgren, and as a result, “We Gotta Get You a Woman” has been played way too loud in the car with her over the years.  My mom is the kind of person who listens to music at appropriate levels…for rock and roll that is.  She likes to feel it, so that makes her a fun person to listen to Todd with.  “We Gotta Get You a Woman” was the hit on this record and it’s clear why.  It’s catchy as all get out, and really excels at the quiet verse/loud chorus arrangement.  The last line of the song is great too.  “And when we’re through with you, we’ll get me one too.”  I always love it when artists make it worth your while to listen to the very end of the song. 

                It is safe to say that my wife does not like Todd Rundgren (or “Todd R” as she calls him) at all.  Believe me, I’ve tried hard to get her into his music, but it just does nothing for her.  One time I even made her an unlabeled mix of instrumental songs, and included one of Todd’s.  I remember being at a stoplight and hearing her say as Todd’s song came on, “This is the only song on here I don’t like.”  As I have said before, my wife listens to a lot of really great music, so I give her a pass when she really doesn’t dig something.  It looks like Todd and I have a date with some headphones.

                Which is fine because I get to hear the double tracked guitars that sound like fireworks exploding, and the lead vocals (some are thick and bassy, and others supremely dry) that sound like they were meticulously recorded using different microphones on different songs.  There is a real eye (ear) for detail on this record.  For instance, the guitar solo on “Who’s That Man” comes in like a samurai sword slicing through a wild running animal; it’s hot, buttery, and visceral.  He’s clearly put some time into the lyrics as well.  Check out these lines from “Broke Down and Busted”:

You know that I would go anywhere

That I could go in my old wheelchair

But I wouldn’t get far ‘till it fell apart

I’m a broke down man with a busted heart.   

            To casual listeners, Todd is mostly known for his softer numbers, and there are a few of those on here.  “Believe in Me” is probably the prettiest song on the album.  I love how soft and tender his singing is on this one.  It really shows his versatility, especially compared to the more rockin’ songs. 

My favorite song on the record is the suite called “Baby Let’s Swing/The Last Thing You Said/Don’t Tie My Hands.”  The “Baby Let’s Swing” section is especially fun because it appears to be a tribute to Laura Nyro.  He emulates her style while also singing directly to her.  The “How I love to shuffle” part is a dead ringer for many of the songs on her “Eli and the Thirteenth Confession” record.  This is a huge thrill for me, being a huge fan of both Rundgren and Nyro.  I have never had the guts to play this song for my wife though.  In addition to her…let’s say ambivalence for Todd Rundgren, she also is put on edge by Laura Nyro’s music (especially her voice).  A combination of both styles may just send her over the edge.  Like I said, this is a headphones record in my house. 

Tones:  What the heck is that weird sound at the beginning of “I’m in the Clique”?  It sounds like electronic wind.  It also comes back in during the drum solo.  The horns on this song are also bouncy in a sort of Frank Zappa kind of way.  The song (if you want to call it that) “There are No Words” creates a strange effect with vocals and reverb alone.  If this song was a painting it would not be a John Singer Sargent landscape.  It would be more like a Mark Rothko color swath.  

Cover Note:  Todd is so young on the cover, and also skinny as a rail.  The word “Runt” written on the manuscript paper on the floor looks sharp too.  I also can’t resist calling his belt an “Alphabelt.”  Make sure you check out the back for a very flashy old school cartoon.

Price paid:  $2.00 at a record show.  My copy is a little banged up, but still sounds nice.  You should be able to find this because it did have a hit on it.  I have seen “Runt” and the follow up, “The Ballad of Todd Rundgren” a few times, so you should be able to pick it up for under $6.00. 

Bottom Line:  Todd’s records are amazing, but only if you are the type of person who thinks Todd’s records are amazing.  If you are into song craft, music production, blazing guitar, or layered vocals you may love this.  If you are into music, and into it deep, Todd Rundgren’s record catalogue is a diamond mine of delights.  “Runt” is where Todd’s solo career started, and would be a good place for you to start too.

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band "Magnetic South" 1970

           

  I like the Monkees as much as the next guy, but I am crazy about Mike Nesmith.  Every album he released is good, and most of them are great.  When I talk to people about country rock, Gram Parsons inevitably comes up.  I in no way want to negate the contribution (which is vast) that Gram made to country rock, but Mike Nesmith created an entirely different strain, that is in many ways far more appealing.  I know.  I know.  I have already upset you.  Please just hear me out. 

                Mike’s solo career technically started before he joined the Monkees, but it wasn’t until after the Monkees broke up that he got his footing.  His first solo album was an instrumental album that is quite good, but lacks his wonderful singing.  “Magnetic South” is his first proper record with the First National Band.  Everything on this album feels fresh and brings together the best aspects of 60’s pop and country music.  A better name for the genre would be 60’s country pop.  There is a fresh bounciness to the rhythms that melds cleanly with the wonderful gliding steel guitar playing of Red Rhodes.   

        

      “Calico Girlfriend” starts the album off with a bang.  To me, this is the quintessential Nesmith song, and the one I would pick if I could only play one of his tunes for somebody.  Mike’s deep, warm, double-tracked vocal sits atop a swift choppy snare and a steel guitar which arpeggiates some wonderful chords.  I have always been perplexed and intrigued by the slight volume drop at the 1:20 mark.  It feels like someone is talking to you, and then suddenly puts a blanket over their head before finishing their sentence.  It is a strange and wonderful feeling that sets the listener up perfectly for one of the most exciting moments on the record; the double-tracked octave steel guitar solo leaves me with a smile every time I hear it.  It feels like a rush of birds being set free at a wedding or other joyous occasion.   

                My wife was the one to point out that Mike not only sings on “Nine Times Blue,” but whispers the lines as well.  I gave this record to her, and it ended up staying in her car for weeks.  We seriously had a period in our lives when we pretty much only listened to Mike Nesmith for a while.  The drive time of many a surf trip was spent listening to this and it’s follow up “Loose Salute.”  It’s so wonderful when you find a record that you and your loved ones can enjoy together.  Mike Nesmith certainly brought us a lot of joy. 

                     “Little Red Rider” makes use of some interesting rhythm patterns that really aren’t very country at all.  There're actually pretty funky.  The bass also plays a catchy melody that lies back lazily.  Check out how the steel guitar plays a plucky palm muted figure in the background.  Until you hear the strange altered chord it plays on top of the groove, it sounds like something a regular guitar would play.  The last three chords of the song are pretty thick too.  They make me feel a like I have cough syrup head.     

                “Joanne” was the hit on the album, but has never been my favorite.  It does feature the famous major to minor chord change that Nesmith never stopped using.  If you are not a music person, listen to the chord change at 0:50.  The gentle softening of the sound is obtained by changing only one note in the chord.  If you think of chords like colors, changing from C to F to G would be like changing from Green to Blue to Red.  Changing from F to F minor (like Mike does right here) would be like changing from light Blue to dark Blue.  He does this at least once on every record he has made. 

                Other highlights on the record include my wife’s favorite “Mama Nantucket.”  This is the fastest and most rockin’ song on here. They lyrics are cryptic and it’s fun to try and figure out what the heck he is talking about. 

Oh, Bobby with a dollar,

He was sure he found the answer
But it might take a little time

Playing follow the leader
He was sure would be a winner
But I had other things on my mind

What?  It’s just weird and awesome.  I guess you could say the chorus is yodeled, but it’s not overt or in your face.  It sounds quite nice to me. 

                The closing track, “Beyond the Blue Horizon,” is probably the most psychedelic of the lot, but more so in planning than in tone.  It starts off with acoustic guitar, steel guitar, and farm sounds.  Mike teases the melody by singing very softly.  As the song builds, the organ and bass drum become more prominent.  It feels like you are drive up a mountain that the sun is about to pop over.  The song peaks with some thrilling singing by Mike.  After that, he lets you enjoy your sunny drive down the mountain as the song fades.  Listen as each instrument fades out one by one.   

Tones:  One of the most fun parts to this record is Red Rhodes’s steel guitar.  He seems to be from the Speedy West school of playing (as in, let’s make the steel guitar fun and exciting).  His tones are bright and shimmery, but it’s his ideas that are so fun.  In the fantastically short “First National Rag,” he creates a sound at the end that feels like a fountain bursting for the first time.  It’s explosively jubilant.  Mike’s guitar also has a wonderfully dry sound.  He was a big fan of Jimmy Rogers, so I am assuming that was what he was going for.

Cover Note:  I love embroidery in general, and this is no exception.  The cover pretty much sums up every adjective about the music inside: American, detailed, creative, and warm.  I also love the calming blue.

Price paid:  I seem to remember playing $8.00-$10.00 for this one.  Mine has a couple of skips on it, but is pretty clean otherwise.  I seldom see if for less than $15.00 (don’t pay more than that), and it is never in a bargain bin.  I got mine at a record show. 

Bottom line:  Like I said, my wife and I love Mike Nesmith.  I do feel like I have given this to a lot of people and told them how amazing the record is.  Funny thing is, I have never gotten amazing feedback from people on it.  Maybe it’s too country for my friends who like 60’s pop, and too pop for my friends who are into more country stuff.  I have actually stopped suggesting it to people as a result.  That is fine with me though.  I am just going to hang out with my wife and son, and keep this little lost classic in the family.    

Speedy West "Steel Guitar" 1960

                In both its pedal and non-pedal forms, steel guitar is one of my favorite instruments.  It’s a highly emotional instrument with very few limits.  While many instruments (such as horns) are limited to single notes, steel guitars can play single note melodies, double note harmonies, and full complex chords.  Notes can also be slid into, and volume and tone (thanks to electricity) can be altered to great effect.  Speedy West makes use of every sound imaginable from this amazing instrument.  He also creates sounds that are other worldly and downright weird.  If you are looking for a record that contains only pleasant background steel guitar playing, then “Steel Guitar” is not your record.  If you are looking for a record with playing that is fun, playful, strange, bombastic, innovative, and smile inducing, then “Steel Guitar” is your record. 

                “Speedin’ West” starts things off with a vivacious beat and some fancy twin lead playing.  I would be interested in talking to Speedy to see what kind of emotion he was trying to express in this song.  There is a playful, cartoon jubilance that bounces straight off this song into your ears.  The solos are about as zany as you can get.  You might be fooled into thinking Speedy was just messing around if the things he came up with weren’t so difficult to play and express.  If you tried to convey what Speedy plays with only words and facial expressions, it would be extremely difficult.  Either that or people would think you are a delightful maniac. 

                There is a lumbering exotic vibe to “West of Samoa.”  A slippery low guitar, which descends like a boa constrictor down a tree, sets the tone.  In the background, birdcalls (an Exotica staple) are created by an electric guitar.  It’s only an approximation of a birdcall, which makes it sound that much stranger.  The main melody is a wonderful Hawaiian tune that drips with humidity.  It’s lazy, breezy, and calm.  Back and forth, the two parts of the song alternate between the dark and the daylight.  It’s the perfect mix of eeriness and beauty. 

                It is important to recognize the work of Jimmy Bryant, who plays guitar on this album as well.  Not doing so would be like not mentioning Art Garfunkel when you talk about Paul Simon, or Billy Strayhorn when you talk about Duke Ellington.  Speedy and Jimmy were musical partners and pushed each other on their respective instruments.  Jimmy incorporated a lot of Be-Bop into his country licks.  He was also the first guitarist to kill it on the Telecaster.  This guy absolutely rips, and his Telecaster really gave him as distinctive tone compared to other jazz and country players of the day.  Take a song like “Caffeine Patrol.”  Jimmy trades solos with Speedy, and starts with some lyrical and catchy playing that experiments with wide intervals between notes.  In his second break, he pulls out some straight up Charlie Parker Bop, that sounds like a line of freshly blown bubbles popping in succession.   

                Other highlights on this album include “This Ain’t the Blues,” which has Speedy creating some vocal like effects on the steel.  As I listen to this song, the sounds (which I love) remind me of my high school Spanish class (which I loathed.)  I remember my teacher showing us how to “roll our R’s” with our tongues.  Speedy actually creates a similar sound as he plays the melody.  “Stealin’ the Moonlight” is a slow moving beauty with some juicy triplets that keeps things interesting.  This is exactly the song you (as in me) would want to hear at 1:30 in the morning at a smoky bar.  Also, pay attention to Jimmy Bryant’s dazzling guitar lick at the very end of the song.

Tones:  Picture the craziest Psychedelic 60’s album cover you can imagine.  That is what Speedy’s playing sounds like to me.  He is able to create some of the most out there tones on the steel guitar that I have ever encountered.  Sometimes it sounds like a synthesizer, and sometimes it sounds like a squirt of water in the face. He also gets some great wah wah sounds by playing with his tone control.  It’s not all weird though; he can also rein it in and play sweetly and elegantly. 

Cover note:  Lots of steel guitars!  Did I mention I like the look of steel guitars as well?  They are so simple, sleek and clean.  I count at least 18 (some are just pieces though) on the cover.  I like the purple one to the left of Speedy’s head best. 

Price Paid:  $1 or $2 at a record show at the fairgrounds.  It did not have an inner sleeve, but it looked like it was in good condition (which it was.)  I had never heard of Speedy, I just knew I liked steel guitars, and his name sounded awesome (which it is.)  It is one of my great pleasures in life to be able to try new music on vinyl for small amounts of money.  Some are duds, but then you find fun stuff like this.  What a joy!

Bottom line.  Good for people who like Country, Jazz, Texas Swing, Hawaiian, Exotica, and novelty music.  It’s the kind of record that you can play for your family because it’s fun on a superficial level.  They can be diggin’ how fun it sounds, but you can be grooving on all the cool technical stuff Speedy and Jimmy play.  Not only that, you can point out all of the amazing musicianship to your buddies who are music lovers like you.  $3, $4, or $5 would be a nice asking price. One more thing, this is not a stereo recording.  It plays in glorious mono!