While touring across Europe in the early 70s, the Beach Boys rolled in to their date in Holland several hours behind schedule. Arriving at dawn for a concert scheduled the previous evening, the band was amazed to discover not only that the entire crowd was still in attendance, but that they cheered louder for the band’s new material than their 60s hits. So when the time came to choose a destination other than California for recording their new LP, the choice was easy. Picking up where 1971’s Surf’s Up left off, Holland is a densely orchestrated and painstakingly recorded album by a band in the twilight of their career. Sadly, Brian Wilson’s impact here is limited -- his only contributions are the album’s opening and closing tracks, as well as the completely bizarre storybook EP Mt. Vernon and Fairway, included with first pressings of the LP and included here as bonus tracks. Thankfully, the rest of the band really steps up to make this a highlight of the band’s otherwise spotty mid 70s output. For those who've enjoyed Pacific Ocean Blue and Bamboo, Holland will be a real treat.
Showing posts with label Drugs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drugs. Show all posts
Friday
Beach Boys
Holland - 1973
While touring across Europe in the early 70s, the Beach Boys rolled in to their date in Holland several hours behind schedule. Arriving at dawn for a concert scheduled the previous evening, the band was amazed to discover not only that the entire crowd was still in attendance, but that they cheered louder for the band’s new material than their 60s hits. So when the time came to choose a destination other than California for recording their new LP, the choice was easy. Picking up where 1971’s Surf’s Up left off, Holland is a densely orchestrated and painstakingly recorded album by a band in the twilight of their career. Sadly, Brian Wilson’s impact here is limited -- his only contributions are the album’s opening and closing tracks, as well as the completely bizarre storybook EP Mt. Vernon and Fairway, included with first pressings of the LP and included here as bonus tracks. Thankfully, the rest of the band really steps up to make this a highlight of the band’s otherwise spotty mid 70s output. For those who've enjoyed Pacific Ocean Blue and Bamboo, Holland will be a real treat.
While touring across Europe in the early 70s, the Beach Boys rolled in to their date in Holland several hours behind schedule. Arriving at dawn for a concert scheduled the previous evening, the band was amazed to discover not only that the entire crowd was still in attendance, but that they cheered louder for the band’s new material than their 60s hits. So when the time came to choose a destination other than California for recording their new LP, the choice was easy. Picking up where 1971’s Surf’s Up left off, Holland is a densely orchestrated and painstakingly recorded album by a band in the twilight of their career. Sadly, Brian Wilson’s impact here is limited -- his only contributions are the album’s opening and closing tracks, as well as the completely bizarre storybook EP Mt. Vernon and Fairway, included with first pressings of the LP and included here as bonus tracks. Thankfully, the rest of the band really steps up to make this a highlight of the band’s otherwise spotty mid 70s output. For those who've enjoyed Pacific Ocean Blue and Bamboo, Holland will be a real treat.
Thursday
Rolling Stones
The Satanic Sessions, Volumes 1 & 2 - 1967
As time has worked to dull the pain of witnessing a band so desperately nipping at the heels of Sgt. Pepper, it has also allowed for a long overdue re-examination of the Rolling Stones' most misunderstood album. Aside from containing founding member Brian Jones' last worthwhile contributions as a Stone, Their Satanic Majesties Request also marked the last, and arguably the most significant shift for a band that would morph into the world's greatest over the course of its next three albums.
Far from the cohesive, back to basics Beggars Banquet that would follow, Satanic Majesties was wildly unfocused and plagued by general period-specific themes of outer space, togetherness and mind expansion. And through use of unconventional instruments, it has been extremely difficult to determine which member(s) of the band led the sessions. Thankfully, this 2-volume box alleviates these major flaws - the entirety of this 8-disc set is comprised of the basic instrumental tracks (not a drop of hippy drippy vocals), and the multiple takes and studio chatter illustrate the specific contributions of each member.
So what's revealed here? 1) Keith Richard's guitar riffs form the structure of the majority of the album, 2) Nicky Hopkins' virtuosic keyboards make him virtually a 6th member of the band, 3) Brian Jones' Mellotron is its main psychedelic ingredient, and 4) "Jigsaw Puzzle" was originally recorded during these sessions. But that's just scratching the surface. If you're unfamiliar with the album, this set will be like entering a conversation halfway through, so get your hands on the original first. If it's already on your list of favorites, take a listen. The results are fascinating, but not for everyone. Full track list in comments.
As time has worked to dull the pain of witnessing a band so desperately nipping at the heels of Sgt. Pepper, it has also allowed for a long overdue re-examination of the Rolling Stones' most misunderstood album. Aside from containing founding member Brian Jones' last worthwhile contributions as a Stone, Their Satanic Majesties Request also marked the last, and arguably the most significant shift for a band that would morph into the world's greatest over the course of its next three albums.Far from the cohesive, back to basics Beggars Banquet that would follow, Satanic Majesties was wildly unfocused and plagued by general period-specific themes of outer space,
So what's revealed here? 1) Keith Richard's guitar riffs form the structure of the majority of the album, 2) Nicky Hopkins' virtuosic keyboards make him virtually a 6th member of the band, 3) Brian Jones' Mellotron is its main psychedelic ingredient, and 4) "Jigsaw Puzzle" was originally recorded during these sessions. But that's just scratching the surface. If you're unfamiliar with the album, this set will be like entering a conversation halfway through, so get your hands on the original first. If it's already on your list of favorites, take a listen. The results are fascinating, but not for everyone. Full track list in comments.
Tuesday
Funkadelic
Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan - 1971
Recorded at one of the worst possible times for any band to make a live recording, Funkadelic limped into the Meadowbrook Arena in September of '71 with a rhythm section that had been hired the day before. And while the result was not too far removed from the junk funk of the magnificent Maggot Brain LP which they'd released just two months previous, the engineer who taped the show was so repulsed that he stuffed the reels on a shelf where they sat for over twenty years. Not surprisingly, they've aged like a fine wine. The Funkadelic captured on this night is nowhere near the Parliament/Funkadelic machine that would turn out the slick disco funk within a couple of years, but rather a troupe of acid drenched misfits with a penchant for searing guitars, violent synths and an overwhelming passion for the ladies. The concert's spoken introduction reads like this "...Let your minds be lather-like. George chief cokehead is gonna sprinkle funk from one end of this pavillion to the other.".. Eddie Hazel's heavy fuzzed out riffs kick in against the thunder of drums, deep pools of reverb slap back from the arena's shell, and it's on. A full on funk assault. Bernie Worrell cooly reigns in the proceedings from the banks of total chaos with his characteristically uncharacteristic synth leads, and the overall impact is a marriage of an ultra funky Band of Gypsies and Sun Ra in a playful mood. Wow! An incredible document of a band at the peak of their creative prowess.
Recorded at one of the worst possible times for any band to make a live recording, Funkadelic limped into the Meadowbrook Arena in September of '71 with a rhythm section that had been hired the day before. And while the result was not too far removed from the junk funk of the magnificent Maggot Brain LP which they'd released just two months previous, the engineer who taped the show was so repulsed that he stuffed the reels on a shelf where they sat for over twenty years. Not surprisingly, they've aged like a fine wine. The Funkadelic captured on this night is nowhere near the Parliament/Funkadelic machine that would turn out the slick disco funk within a couple of years, but rather a troupe of acid drenched misfits with a penchant for searing guitars, violent synths and an overwhelming passion for the ladies. The concert's spoken introduction reads like this "...Let your minds be lather-like. George chief cokehead is gonna sprinkle funk from one end of this pavillion to the other.".. Eddie Hazel's heavy fuzzed out riffs kick in against the thunder of drums, deep pools of reverb slap back from the arena's shell, and it's on. A full on funk assault. Bernie Worrell cooly reigns in the proceedings from the banks of total chaos with his characteristically uncharacteristic synth leads, and the overall impact is a marriage of an ultra funky Band of Gypsies and Sun Ra in a playful mood. Wow! An incredible document of a band at the peak of their creative prowess.Monday
Pink Floyd
The Complete Zabriskie Point Sessions - 1969
The six year span of Pink Floyd's career between Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Dark Side of the Moon is a meandering, often treacherous stretch of road. That's not to say that it didn't show some signs of promise, and here and there, occasional glimpses at the brilliance that was on the horizon. Commissioned to record ambient sections of soundtrack music for Michaelangelo Antonioni's film Zabriskie Point, the band took full advantage of their studio allowance to not only record a wealth of material that would signal a shift toward pastoral folk of Meddle and Obscured By Clouds, but to demo rough sketches of tunes that would turn up on Dark Side of the Moon a couple of years later. With the effects of their acid-drenched Syd Barrett period still lingering, it's not surprising that a few brief slices of self-indulgence pop up here and there, but overall The Complete Zabriskie Point Sessions is an exciting listen, if not a completely captivating one from end to end. Had the fat been trimmed and a few overdubs thrown on for good measure, these sessions would have resulted in their first great album of the post-Barrett Floyd. On it’s own terms, it’s still an essential document in tracing the evolution of one of psychedelic rock’s all-time greats.
The six year span of Pink Floyd's career between Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Dark Side of the Moon is a meandering, often treacherous stretch of road. That's not to say that it didn't show some signs of promise, and here and there, occasional glimpses at the brilliance that was on the horizon. Commissioned to record ambient sections of soundtrack music for Michaelangelo Antonioni's film Zabriskie Point, the band took full advantage of their studio allowance to not only record a wealth of material that would signal a shift toward pastoral folk of Meddle and Obscured By Clouds, but to demo rough sketches of tunes that would turn up on Dark Side of the Moon a couple of years later. With the effects of their acid-drenched Syd Barrett period still lingering, it's not surprising that a few brief slices of self-indulgence pop up here and there, but overall The Complete Zabriskie Point Sessions is an exciting listen, if not a completely captivating one from end to end. Had the fat been trimmed and a few overdubs thrown on for good measure, these sessions would have resulted in their first great album of the post-Barrett Floyd. On it’s own terms, it’s still an essential document in tracing the evolution of one of psychedelic rock’s all-time greats.Wednesday
Nilsson
The Point! - 1971
While the same could be said for any of his albums, The Point is easily a high water mark in the career of Harry Nilsson. Thematically brilliant, densely orchestrated and packed with more hooks than a meat locker, The Point! was commissioned as the soundtrack to an ABC television special in 1971 with a voice-over narration by Dustin Hoffman. In subsequent VHS and DVD reissues of the film, Ringo has taken the voice over reins, while Nilsson handles narration duties on the album itself. But even without the narrative, the album would hold up as a tremendous concept in the sharply focused lyrical and musical themes that pop up across the entire LP. Brief bits of one song will be reprised in another, the story's characters are referenced throughout and all of the songs share similar instrumentation, however every tune is a magnificently crafted pop gem in and of itself. Here, at the peak of his power as songwriter, lyricist and singer, not a soul in the world could match Nilsson's ability. The entire album is required listening, but "Me and My Arrow" is one of my all-time favorites and "Thing About Your Troubles" is absolute perfection.
Captain Beefheart
Grow Fins Vol. 1 (Early Demos & Live) - 1966-68
Even the Captain had to start somewhere, and not surprisingly, his "somewhere" was pretty out there for most folks. Rounding up tracks and traces from the early days of the Magic Band, Grow Fins Vol. 1 (the vinyl-only compilation of the Just Got Back From the City and Electricity discs in the fantastic Grow Fins box set) is a fine collection of demos that would pre-date the Safe as Milk LP, a full-length television performance from 1968 and a smattering of demos and live versions. Through its many incarnations, the Magic Band in turn, had many primes. With slide virtuoso Ry Cooder as a full on member of the band on many of these cuts, and Van Vliet searching for and ultimately finding his voice over the course of this set, this compilation is undoubtedly one of them. Highlights here are numerous, but my favorites include the 1967 demo of "Sure Nuff n Yes I Do" and "Electricity", presented here in two extraordinary live incarnations. As they say, if you got ears, you gotta listen.
Even the Captain had to start somewhere, and not surprisingly, his "somewhere" was pretty out there for most folks. Rounding up tracks and traces from the early days of the Magic Band, Grow Fins Vol. 1 (the vinyl-only compilation of the Just Got Back From the City and Electricity discs in the fantastic Grow Fins box set) is a fine collection of demos that would pre-date the Safe as Milk LP, a full-length television performance from 1968 and a smattering of demos and live versions. Through its many incarnations, the Magic Band in turn, had many primes. With slide virtuoso Ry Cooder as a full on member of the band on many of these cuts, and Van Vliet searching for and ultimately finding his voice over the course of this set, this compilation is undoubtedly one of them. Highlights here are numerous, but my favorites include the 1967 demo of "Sure Nuff n Yes I Do" and "Electricity", presented here in two extraordinary live incarnations. As they say, if you got ears, you gotta listen.Beach Boys
Carl & The Passions - "So Tough!" - 1972
With nearly every one of their LPs throughout the decade being hailed as their "return to form" or "last great" album, it's very easy to dismiss a Beach Boys LP from the 1970s as an over-hyped dud. I know this, because I've done the very same thing, only discovering very recently that Carl & The Passions - "So Tough!" , while not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, is an album with a handful of extremely powerful songs, albeit one with an extremely lame title and cover art. Originally issued as a double LP with a reissued Pet Sounds ( ?? )
With nearly every one of their LPs throughout the decade being hailed as their "return to form" or "last great" album, it's very easy to dismiss a Beach Boys LP from the 1970s as an over-hyped dud. I know this, because I've done the very same thing, only discovering very recently that Carl & The Passions - "So Tough!" , while not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, is an album with a handful of extremely powerful songs, albeit one with an extremely lame title and cover art. Originally issued as a double LP with a reissued Thursday
Lee "Scratch" Perry & the Upsetters
Super Ape - 1976
Lee Perry's dub reggae cornerstone was released in Jamaica on his own Upsetter label in July of 76 under the title Scratch the Upsetter, and unleashed upon the rest of the world a month later as Super Ape, albeit with a different cover and track order. And while volumes could be written on the influence of Super Ape, the album itself is a dark, brooding exploration of skeletal harmonies and the sonic manipulation of Scratch in his absolute prime. Psychedelic doesn't even begin to describe this music. The peaks are numerous, but the narcotic waves of dub bass and dense orchestration create a hypnotic soundscape that functions most effectively in album length doses. As essential as it gets.
The follow-up to Super Ape, released two years later as The Return of Super Ape, carried the good fortune of being the final album recorded in Lee Perry's legendary Black Ark studio. Scratch himself allegedly burned it to the ground a year later in a ritual to cleanse the studio of the bad mojo that had permeated it in its later years. Although it serves as a nice companion piece, The Return of Super Ape is similar to its predecessor in name only, as it's more of an upbeat collection of bizzarre lyrical twists and wild experiments laced together with slinky dub grooves. Driven by the crack musicianship of the Upsetters, the instrumentation is less dense, and in turn, Scratch's surreal technical effects are pushed even further out front. As heady as it gets.
Lee Perry's dub reggae cornerstone was released in Jamaica on his own Upsetter label in July of 76 under the title Scratch the Upsetter, and unleashed upon the rest of the world a month later as Super Ape, albeit with a different cover and track order. And while volumes could be written on the influence of Super Ape, the album itself is a dark, brooding exploration of skeletal harmonies and the sonic manipulation of Scratch in his absolute prime. Psychedelic doesn't even begin to describe this music. The peaks are numerous, but the narcotic waves of dub bass and dense orchestration create a hypnotic soundscape that functions most effectively in album length doses. As essential as it gets.
Return of the Super Ape - 1978
The follow-up to Super Ape, released two years later as The Return of Super Ape, carried the good fortune of being the final album recorded in Lee Perry's legendary Black Ark studio. Scratch himself allegedly burned it to the ground a year later in a ritual to cleanse the studio of the bad mojo that had permeated it in its later years. Although it serves as a nice companion piece, The Return of Super Ape is similar to its predecessor in name only, as it's more of an upbeat collection of bizzarre lyrical twists and wild experiments laced together with slinky dub grooves. Driven by the crack musicianship of the Upsetters, the instrumentation is less dense, and in turn, Scratch's surreal technical effects are pushed even further out front. As heady as it gets.Friday
The Beach Boys
20/20 - 1968
The Beach Boys' 20th and final LP under their original Capitol contract was one that felt much like the odds n' sods collection that it was at the time of its release. Thankfully, the passage of time has worked in the band's favor, and 20/20 is now looked upon fondly as the LP that forecasted the band's early 70s reinvention and the emergence of Carl and Dennis Wilson as the driving forces behind it. 20/20 is notable for containing a couple of tracks from the aborted SMiLe project (what was to be the album's opener "Our Prayer" and the bizarre "Cabin Essence") as well as "Never Learn Not to Love" a composition by none other than Charles Manson. Here's the lowdown, straight from Wikipedia:
Before the album commenced recording, Dennis had befriended a struggling musician named Charles Manson and decided to help him in the music industry by recording his song "Cease To Exist" for the Beach Boys, under the new title Never Learn Not to Love. Manson explicitly told Wilson that the words were not to be altered, though he could do what he liked with the music (in the event, the basic melody was largely unchanged). When "Never Learn Not to Love" was first released by the Beach Boys as a B-side in late 1968, and credited solely to Dennis Wilson - with altered lyrics and a new bridge - Manson threatened Wilson with murder. According to Brian's collaborator, Van Dyke Parks, when Manson once showed up to make good on his threat, Dennis beat him up.
All told, 20/20 is a fantastic, fun album. The highlights are numerous, but my favorites include the Phil Spector-penned "I Can Hear Music" wrapped in a warm blanket of sunny California, and Brian's prophetic "Time to Get Alone", his sole contribution to the album.
The Beach Boys' 20th and final LP under their original Capitol contract was one that felt much like the odds n' sods collection that it was at the time of its release. Thankfully, the passage of time has worked in the band's favor, and 20/20 is now looked upon fondly as the LP that forecasted the band's early 70s reinvention and the emergence of Carl and Dennis Wilson as the driving forces behind it. 20/20 is notable for containing a couple of tracks from the aborted SMiLe project (what was to be the album's opener "Our Prayer" and the bizarre "Cabin Essence") as well as "Never Learn Not to Love" a composition by none other than Charles Manson. Here's the lowdown, straight from Wikipedia:Before the album commenced recording, Dennis had befriended a struggling musician named Charles Manson and decided to help him in the music industry by recording his song "Cease To Exist" for the Beach Boys, under the new title Never Learn Not to Love. Manson explicitly told Wilson that the words were not to be altered, though he could do what he liked with the music (in the event, the basic melody was largely unchanged). When "Never Learn Not to Love" was first released by the Beach Boys as a B-side in late 1968, and credited solely to Dennis Wilson - with altered lyrics and a new bridge - Manson threatened Wilson with murder. According to Brian's collaborator, Van Dyke Parks, when Manson once showed up to make good on his threat, Dennis beat him up.
All told, 20/20 is a fantastic, fun album. The highlights are numerous, but my favorites include the Phil Spector-penned "I Can Hear Music" wrapped in a warm blanket of sunny California, and Brian's prophetic "Time to Get Alone", his sole contribution to the album.
Wednesday
The Beach Boys
Smiley Smile Sessions - 1967
Officially titled "Unsurpassed Masters Vol.18 (1967):The Alternate "Smiley Smile" Album", this collection anything but an "alternate album". Even the cover to this poorly titled bootleg (a shot of the band taking a playful romp in the surf) doesn't even fit, so I've decided to ditch both of them. In reality, what we have here is a fascinating look into the Beach Boys' recording process as they tried to rise from the ashes of their aborted Smile LP. Rather than the usual bootleg mix of alternate takes in muddied fidelity, you hear the songs literally being built before your ears, track by track, instrument by instrument, voice by voice. If you're not familiar with the Smiley Smile LP, fear not, this collection is akin to an instruction manual that breaks down the working methods of one of the greatest bands of all time. Those who already have every sloppy, silly psychedelic inch of Smiley Smile imprinted on their brains, will find a whole new way of loving it. Either way, get yourself a nice set of headphones and enjoy!
Officially titled "Unsurpassed Masters Vol.18 (1967):The Alternate "Smiley Smile" Album", this collection anything but an "alternate album". Even the cover to this poorly titled bootleg (a shot of the band taking a playful romp in the surf) doesn't even fit, so I've decided to ditch both of them. In reality, what we have here is a fascinating look into the Beach Boys' recording process as they tried to rise from the ashes of their aborted Smile LP. Rather than the usual bootleg mix of alternate takes in muddied fidelity, you hear the songs literally being built before your ears, track by track, instrument by instrument, voice by voice. If you're not familiar with the Smiley Smile LP, fear not, this collection is akin to an instruction manual that breaks down the working methods of one of the greatest bands of all time. Those who already have every sloppy, silly psychedelic inch of Smiley Smile imprinted on their brains, will find a whole new way of loving it. Either way, get yourself a nice set of headphones and enjoy!
Monday
The Monkees
Head - 1968
Quietly screaming "Hey Hey, We're Into Pot Too!", The Monkees' Head fell flat on its face when this giddy slice of stoned fun went completely over the top of the band's teenage audience. What a shame their marketing team didn't have the sense to see this coming a mile away. As a soundtrack to the equally confusing movie of the same name, Head is comprised of pointless snippets of hippy-drippy dialogue and some psychedelic gems that are well worth wading through the muck for. Highlights include the magnificent "Porpoise Song", the country-tinged "As We Go Along" and a take on Harry Nilsson's "Daddy's Song". Oddly short on actual songs, Head has, over time, helped to turn the notion of The Monkees as talentless clowns on its ... head. Enjoy.
Quietly screaming "Hey Hey, We're Into Pot Too!", The Monkees' Head fell flat on its face when this giddy slice of stoned fun went completely over the top of the band's teenage audience. What a shame their marketing team didn't have the sense to see this coming a mile away. As a soundtrack to the equally confusing movie of the same name, Head is comprised of pointless snippets of hippy-drippy dialogue and some psychedelic gems that are well worth wading through the muck for. Highlights include the magnificent "Porpoise Song", the country-tinged "As We Go Along" and a take on Harry Nilsson's "Daddy's Song". Oddly short on actual songs, Head has, over time, helped to turn the notion of The Monkees as talentless clowns on its ... head. Enjoy.Wednesday
David Crosby
If I Could Only Remember My Name...- 1971
I always hated David Crosby ... until I heard this record. At the height of CSNY's popularity, Crosby gathered a list of guest musicians that reads like a who's who of the early 70s California scene (Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, the Grateful Dead) and, not surprisingly, recorded an LP sounds like a loose jam session of friends that have played together for ages. The real treat is that despite the hedonistic nature of the musicians, not a single note feels out of place and everything is incredibly tight from end to end. Truly astounding, when you consider how bloated and sloppy this album could have sounded. Jim O'Rourke once likened this album to Wilco's A Ghost Is Born, in the way there's not an unnecessary note on either one. Go on, give it a listen.
I always hated David Crosby ... until I heard this record. At the height of CSNY's popularity, Crosby gathered a list of guest musicians that reads like a who's who of the early 70s California scene (Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, the Grateful Dead) and, not surprisingly, recorded an LP sounds like a loose jam session of friends that have played together for ages. The real treat is that despite the hedonistic nature of the musicians, not a single note feels out of place and everything is incredibly tight from end to end. Truly astounding, when you consider how bloated and sloppy this album could have sounded. Jim O'Rourke once likened this album to Wilco's A Ghost Is Born, in the way there's not an unnecessary note on either one. Go on, give it a listen.Tuesday
Neil Young
Journey Through the Past - 1974
Along with Time Fades Away, Journey Through the Past is the other Neil Young album never to have been officially released on CD. Not to be confused with the well-known live acoustic bootleg of the same name, the album here is the soundtrack to Neil’s rare 1974 film experiment, and features a wildly eccentric collection of Harvest outtakes, CSNY live recordings, Buffalo Springfield TV performances, a gospel choir and organ music -- plus a Beach Boys number tossed in for good measure. More of a glimpse into the mind of Neil’s mad genius than an album proper, Journey Through the Past contains some really great material. Highlights include a 15 minute alternate take of "Words", a studio run-through of "Southern Man" and plenty of studio banter of Neil teaching the songs and vocal harmonies to his band. Awesome stuff from the man at the peak of his power.
Note: a good chunk of the material here has finally been officially released on Neil's Archives Volume 1. However, the soundtrack itself remains out of print.
Along with Time Fades Away, Journey Through the Past is the other Neil Young album never to have been officially released on CD. Not to be confused with the well-known live acoustic bootleg of the same name, the album here is the soundtrack to Neil’s rare 1974 film experiment, and features a wildly eccentric collection of Harvest outtakes, CSNY live recordings, Buffalo Springfield TV performances, a gospel choir and organ music -- plus a Beach Boys number tossed in for good measure. More of a glimpse into the mind of Neil’s mad genius than an album proper, Journey Through the Past contains some really great material. Highlights include a 15 minute alternate take of "Words", a studio run-through of "Southern Man" and plenty of studio banter of Neil teaching the songs and vocal harmonies to his band. Awesome stuff from the man at the peak of his power.Note: a good chunk of the material here has finally been officially released on Neil's Archives Volume 1. However, the soundtrack itself remains out of print.
Wednesday
Sly and the Family Stone
There's a Riot Goin' On - 1971
Somewhere following the massive success of Stand! and the comedown from Woodstock, Sly Stone lost it. Having released four albums in four years and subsequently achieving more adolation than he could have dreamed, the man holed himself up in his attic recording studio and began his descent into cocaine addition and the long journey towards creating the darkest record ever to reach #1 on the charts. Reeking of stoned decadence, Riot is a seductive brew of slurred vocals, leering electric pianos, messy guitars and primitive drum machines -- most of which were laid down by Sly himself. One of the explanations for the albums muddy production and warm blanket of tape hiss is that Sly would regularly invite groupies in to record background vocals, only to erase their tracks once they left in the morning. Despite the muck, this is one of the most carefully detailed albums ever recorded and a true joy to listen to through a set of headphones. Quite possibly my favorite record.
Somewhere following the massive success of Stand! and the comedown from Woodstock, Sly Stone lost it. Having released four albums in four years and subsequently achieving more adolation than he could have dreamed, the man holed himself up in his attic recording studio and began his descent into cocaine addition and the long journey towards creating the darkest record ever to reach #1 on the charts. Reeking of stoned decadence, Riot is a seductive brew of slurred vocals, leering electric pianos, messy guitars and primitive drum machines -- most of which were laid down by Sly himself. One of the explanations for the albums muddy production and warm blanket of tape hiss is that Sly would regularly invite groupies in to record background vocals, only to erase their tracks once they left in the morning. Despite the muck, this is one of the most carefully detailed albums ever recorded and a true joy to listen to through a set of headphones. Quite possibly my favorite record.
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