Nino & April "All Strung Out" 1966

This has been one of my "go to" albums for a handful of years.  I put it on when I have overplayed the Beach Boys, but I want something similar. Sonically, it fits somewhere in between Phil Spector’s grandeur and the Beach Boys’ loveliness. I guess it makes sense because Nino Tempo worked as an arranger/session-man for Mr. Spector. Overall, this is very complex music with a lot of musical layers. I always got the feeling that this was a mature effort by musicians who were very serious about their craft and had something to prove. The production (mixed in mono) is quite tasty and the song selection is interesting, even ground breaking. 

Let’s talk about drug references, shall we?  The two songs advertised on the cover (All Strung Out and The Habit of Lovin’ You) are written in large type. Artists were trying to be more “hip” during the late 60’s, so maybe that was not an accident. The record shop owner who sold me this LP said that Nino wrote “All Strung Out” when a musician did not show up to a session one day. When asked where he was, the other musicians replied that he was “all strung out.” Nino took this phrase, and in typical 60’s fashion, wrote a song about a girl with it. In a lot of ways this song sounds like druggy version of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” It starts similarly with a bassy lead vocal, and explodes into a massive chorus. The chorus actually feels a bit like a head rush. Maybe that’s what he was going for. The album closer, “Habit of Lovin’ You,” sounds like a love letter to heroin. Whether this song was actually about heroin or not, it’s pretty unbelievable. If Nino felt this way about heroin, then it’s powerful. If he felt this way about a girl, then it’s a disturbingly beautiful metaphor.  Check out these lyrics. They're quite stirring. 

Baby, I don’t want to lose the taste of lovin’ you.

Baby, I’ve tried so hard to make it without you, but I always lose. 

I didn’t see the danger when I met you.

I thought I’d try your love and then forget you.

But I can’t kick the habit of lovin’ you, Baby.

I can’t kick the habit of needing you.

No, I can’t kick the habit of lovin’ you, Baby

I need your lovin’ to see me through. 

While I can’t say enough about how nice the production on this album is, the vocals are equally as wonderful. April really provides some interesting background vocals on “Help You to See”. After an amazing piano intro, April sings some lightly repeated lyrics that almost sound like she is coming into her part a little late. It’s a neat effect that almost sounds a little like echo (if the echo of a man’s voice sounded like a woman’s). The melody (when they sing “I’ve been running around, putting you down”) of this song has some really great bent notes as well. I just love how they slide into the word “running”.     

There is just so much good stuff to enjoy all over this record. The opener, “You’ll Be Needing Me Baby,” has that frantic right hand piano tapping that Brian Wilson so much favored, and a delightfully wandering melody. There is also an interesting folk-rock number written by Warren Zevon called “Follow Me”. It sounds like something that would have been on an early Turtles record. Nino & April were in fact label mates with the Turtles on White Whale, so that make sense. “Wings of Love” has a falsetto line that is a blatant rip-off of “When the Lion Sleeps” by the Tokens. You also get songs like “I Can’t Go on Living (Without You)” that is wonderfully restrained in its repetition. There is also some really nice tambourine playing in there too. I also love the little touch of vibraphone in the bridge as well. I guess the vibe player was just standing around smoking cigarettes up until that bridge, ‘cause I only hear him in that one part. Not the hardest day’s work, but I’m glad they called him in for the session. 

Tones:  Deep, dark, murky, thick reverb covers this record like a heavy blanket. I’m not a fan of the song “Sunny,” but I just love how well the reverb rings out on April’s voice. Herb Alpert did a version of this song on “The Brass are Comin’” that I really like as well. It’s occurring to me that perhaps I just don’t like the original version of this song. Liking two out of three versions ain’t that bad.    

Cover Note: Jeepers, don’t let your kids play on that staircase. I’m not even sure Nino and April should be up there. Can we get a railing on there or something? I certainly wouldn’t let my son play on that rotted out staircase with the world’s oldest collection of broken tiles and gross mortar underneath. Seriously, guys. We know you’re hip…just be safe!

Price Paid: This record was actually suggested to me by a local record salesman, based on my love of the Beach Boys. It was only $5.00, so I took a chance.  It is an original White Whale pressing (I just love that little whale drawing on the record) so that is always cool as well.  Never underestimate the power of a good suggestion from a record shop employee. I would have never heard of this otherwise and would have easily passed this by on my own. 

Bottom Line: I am always satisfied after listening to this record. The melodies stick in your head and the production is great.  There are songs on here that deserve to be heard more than they are. I could see some of them fitting nicely into an obscure 60’s compilation mix. As I said earlier, I keep coming back to this record over and over again. I guess I can’t quit the habit of loving this record.