Subject:JIMI HENDRIX LIVE @ LOS ANGELES FORUM From: .......@aol.com
Date: Sun, August 8, 2004 9:54 pm
Someone's gotta keep the flame of all this old rock and roll alive! …thanks for all the great reviews. You guys at AMG are doing us all a great service, keep up the great work!
Whenever I hear about a band or artist I've never heard before and want to know which album to check out first, allmusic.com is always my first stop.
Take care Joe,
Trevor Sutcliffe
Jeffland (artist) and Joe Viglione, New York 2004
Photo by the legendary Robert Barry Francos
1)Maps and Legends The Story of R.E.M.
Author John Hunter
2)Ringo Starr "Rewind Forward"
I like this new Ringo tune, very reminiscent of the Beatles, it would have been terrific on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack, indeed, it would have been one of the best songs on the album.
3)Present Schock: the Songs of Harriet Schock
https://www.facebook.com/GaryLynnFloyd/
Key Tracks: It Tears at Me, Warm Around the Edges, Mr. Green
Taking on the repertoire of an iconic songwriter is a daunting task --- we are talking about prior performances by Roberta Flack, Smokey Robinson and Syreeta, Johnny Mathis, Helen Reddy and Harriet Schock herself already played to - and in many cases very much loved - by the public which embraced them.
Veteran recording artist Gary Lynn Floyd brings ten Schock compositions to a different world on Present Schock: The Songs of Harriet Schock Produced by Cody Rea
It is most interesting to hear all from the male perspective where the only other full collection of material from this songwriter on an album by one artist is, of course, from songwriter/singer Harriet Schock.
Floyd is at his most powerful taking on "Mr. Green" and ends up totally owning this arrangement. It has energy, it has style, and does for this tune found on Schock's 2001's Live From Fairfax to Pasadena what a true revision does... Kim Carnes (in 1982) revamping the 1974 Jackie DeShannon/Donna Weiss country tune "Bette Davis Eyes," a good comparison for one. Harriet's rendition is a solo-Gospel/Country approach, and it is marvelous. Gary Lynn Floyd takes the composition and actually does what Mitch Ryder did for Lou Reed's "Rock and Roll" from the Velvet Underground's Loaded album. Don't be "shocked" - Reed wrote many a tender song and pop tune, though "Rock and Roll" - of course, was not a tender pop tune. Ryder, producer Bob Ezrin and guitarist Steve Hunter created what Reed called at that point in time the "best" cover ever of his material. (See my review of the Detroit album where it is found on this page.) Hear Harriet Schock's rendition here: Live: From Fairfax to Pasadena "The truth falls down on deaf man's ears /they don't what it means." Gary Lynn Lloyd takes it into his own purview and does what a tribute album needs to do, not copy a song but breathe it some new life, something different and exciting, to honor the songwriter. Think Linda Ronstadt embracing Mike Nesmith's "Different Drum."
Floyd works best on this release when he's empowered and you'll find that on "Worn Around the Edges" as well as "It Tears at Me."
A concern I have, and perhaps some frustration, is the re-write of "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady." Now Ms. Schock did write me to say " I rewrote the lyrics of "Lady" for a man to sing 20 years ago and am happy someone recorded it that way." I understand, but I still don't like the gender change. The song is about someone you love who turns out to be as soul-less as Michael Caine in the 1966 film Alfie. Floyd via Schock's re-write - brings the song empathy when the woman is in despair that the fellow she invested so much emotion in gets tired of even his own reflection. To those who appreciate the many renditions of "Lady" it's a bit of a jolt. "Alfie" feels no regret, he moves on to his next conquest. Kinda like Harriet's "Ok, You Win, I Give Up, You're Right, I'm Gone." The latter being almost an emotional sequel.
For some perspective, in 1999 or so some handsome cable guy was at the house and our roommate Jim wanted to make time with him. He comes into the living room and says to me "How can I talk to this gentleman when you're singing "Ain't No Way To Treat a Lady" at the piano loudly with the window open? Jim had a point...but, actually, it should have been a door opener for him with the dude. Why change genders? Think Carole King performing her own "Hey Girl" - originally a hit for Freddie Scott in 1963. King sings to another woman -as Cher did with her cover of pianist Jack Diéval's masterpiece, "The Way of Love." Is Cher singing to a gay boyfriend, or to another woman? "What will you do/when he sets you free, just the way that you/said goodbye to me." Carole King's performance is soul-stirring and pop/blues/soul, one of her best tracks ever. And proves my point that the Pearls album should have followed Tapestry, the timing would have been perfect. But, as usual, I digress.
So while Gary Lynn Floyd does an admirable job, and as stated above, he took on quite a task when so many well-loved artists have worked with Schock material, he gets kudos for bringing Harriet's music to the world with his veteran voice.
However, this critic has another point of view. I believe that the Gary Lynn Floyd performances would probably get more traction by developing a full tribute album and licensing this material to add to his own:
Johnny Mathis ("Ooh What We Do" https://harrietschock.com/songwriter/johnny-mathis-ooh-what-we-do/
Roberta Flack ("Happiness" https://harrietschock.com/songwriter/roberta-flack-happiness/ )
Smokey Robinson and Syreeta "First Time on a Ferris Wheel" https://youtu.be/av3_KE7ZKas
and Harriet with "Ok, You Win, I Give Up, You're Right, I'm Gone." https://youtu.be/Fptz6dCOjXM
In that setting Gary Lynn Floyd's addition to the catalogue - "Mr. Green," "Worn Around the Edges" and "It Tears at Me" with commentary from all involved, would potentially be a platform that benefits all, and could bring Gary's talents to a wider audience.
4) Pearls Carole King
Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King Review
by Joe Viglione
[-] https://www.allmusic.com/album/pearls-songs-of-goffin-and-king-mw0000181051Make no doubt about it, this is possibly Carole King's most important work since Tapestry, and why a similar album didn't follow Tapestry or its follow-up, Music, was a marketing blunder and a mystery. Missing here is Lou Adler's production, though King and her co-producer Mark Hallman are hardly inefficient. It's just that some songs get more attention than others. "Dancin' With Tears in My Eyes" opens the collection, a pleasant new addition to their repertoire, but next to "Locomotion," "One Fine Day," "Chains," and "Snow Queen," its purpose is more to bring the album full circle than to try to compete with these classics.
"One Fine Day," the song the Chiffons brought Top Five, was the hit, going Top 15 from this set 17 years later. The reworking of the Freddie Scott/Bobby Vee/Donny Osmond hit "Hey Girl" is breathtaking. Here King is backed by lush production and a bluesy vocal that surpasses anything else on this record, as well as much of what was on the charts at this time. Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King is the set the artist's longtime fans craved when Tapestry made her more than a household name. This album deserves its place right next to Tapestry.
5)Mitch Ryder DETROIT
The disc is chock full of excitement, Steve Hunter's guitarwork makes everything come to life, framed perfectly by Harry Phillips' elemental keyboards and Bob Ezrin's powerful production. Why bassist W.R.Cooke is allowed to do the lead vocal on the shuffling - almost doo wop "Box Of Roses" is the mystery. We all came to this party to hear Mitch belt 'em out. And Ryder screams throughout, "Is It You(Or Is It Me" gets that howl as does this immortal cover of Lou Reed's "Rock 'n' Roll". Re-designed with snarling Steve Hunter guitar licks (inspired by Leslie West) and tons of pounding anticipation the song was the underground hit from this now-classic album, and just perfect for the voice of William Levise, Jr., that organ supplementing Hunter's exploding guitar work, Mitch Ryder's orgasmic vocal howling over a gargantuan rearrangement of a Velvet Underground tune released a year earlier. But there's more to the album than the excitement generated by the 45 RPM of the Lou Reed cover - Ron Davies "It Ain't Easy" boasted renditions by many, from Long John Baldry to Bowie on his Ziggy Stardust album, and, of course, the title track of a Three Dog Night LP. But Mitch gives the song some real definition. The original vinyl had four songs on each side, the reconstructed compact disc and cassette changed the order a bit to make room for about five minutes of a stunning version of The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter". Reissue coordinator Andy
Detroit https://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-hunter-mn0000032823/biography
Steve "The Deacon" Hunter was born in 1948 in Decatur, Illinois, starting his professional career as a member of Mitch Ryder's Detroit in 1971, his guitar sound redesigning the Lou Reed classic "Rock & Roll," creating a cult hit and giving Ryder an underground cachet that the '60s blue-eyed soul singer would utilize decades after the group's self-titled Paramount album Detroit was released. One of Hunter's earliest musical recollections was sitting on his dad's lap while his father worked the pedals on a pump organ owned by young Steve's grandparents, playing the keyboard and working out melodies the lad had heard. This was before he went to kindergarten. Even at a young age he could tell if tempos were off or if people were singing off-key. For Hunter, music was always there, always a part of him -- a big old Zenith console radio/turntable would keep the future guitarist transfixed, the patterns on the labels he calls "sort of the first music video."
At the age of 12 he discovered artists who began shaping his understanding and appreciation for the guitar. The Ventures and Chet Atkins had a huge influence on him, as did Duane Eddy, those influences changing as he got more into the instrument and performers like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton started making their appearances on the world stage. He learned several Ventures tunes as well as Duane Eddy's work, but it was the versatility of Chet Atkins and his distinctive style that amazed Hunter. "That became a very important thing to me. Also, I loved his touch on the guitar. The notes coming out of the guitar always sounded like velvet. I think he was the consummate musician." Hunter's first band to play in front of an audience was his high-school group the Weejuns, the name coming from a loafer type of shoe. From there it was to a rock and soul group in Decatur called the Light Brigade, the Hammond B-3 player being Ron Stockert, eventually of the Grammy-winning band Rufus & Chaka Khan. One of Hunter's favorite early groups, the Light Brigade, played quite a few five-set-a-night gigs -- a great learning experience for him. He started taking lap steel guitar lessons when he was eight and got into "regular" guitar at 12 or so. The lap steel training went on for about five years, though he picked up the rest of his guitar knowledge all on his own. Hunter listened and learned from a lot of records, including blues albums from artists like B.B. King, Albert King, and Michael Bloomfield.
Get Out the Vote: Live at the Hill Auditorium -- April 1, 1972
Eventual Ted Nugent bassist John Sauter, a friend of Hunter's, was playing with Mitch Ryder while Hunter was on the road with the Light Brigade. The group Detroit was looking for a guitar player and Sauter thought Hunter should come up to the city for the audition. Grabbing his guitar, he drove the seven hours to Detroit from Decatur. The rehearsal was in an old abandoned and condemned building in downtown Detroit on Cass Avenue, perhaps the old offices of Creem magazine, as publisher Barry Cramer was the group's original manager. When Hunter walked into the rehearsal room a Marshall half-stack awaited him -- and this was the first time he had ever seen one. The group jammed on Cream tunes, and Hunter of course got the gig, while concluding that the other players were awesome. As key as this epiphany was, another component that would figure into his huge success was meeting producer extraordinaire Bob Ezrin. Hunter and Ezrin took an immediate liking to one another, Hunter appreciating the way Ezrin put music together. The Detroit with Mitch Ryder band toured, their April 1, 1972, "Get Out the Vote" political performance on a bill with the Spencer Davis Group remaining an important moment in their history. By this time, activist John Sinclair had taken over management of the group from Cramer, Sinclair's eight-page liner notes for the CD Get Out the Vote: Live at the Hill Auditorium April 1, 1972 provided much insight.
7)Dalia Davis Live in Medford, MA at
the Condon Shell, Thursday August 10, 2023
8)Steve Dennis Live August 9 2023 at the Horseshoe Lounge, N. Reading, MA
9)Jeffland
http://visualjeffland.blogspot.com/2015/12/jefffland-12-third-cd-this-one-from.html
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https://youtu.be/XFaHhshEcGk
10) Hummingbird Syndicate
11) The Naticks
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https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=2925302050894788
12) “For You”
by Sharon Katz & the Peace Train
Melodic Afro Pop with a range of influences and contributions from some of Sharon’s long-time friends.
New Music video, "What Can We Do/Sizokwenzenjani," recorded in South Africa, Mexico and the USA, including an appearance by South African choir, Thee Legacy, produced by Sibongiseni Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo fame. Read more and watch & listen to it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sszgkPxsDZw
New Album Release: “For You”
by Sharon Katz & the Peace Train
Global in Sound, Musicians and Message
Take everything you love about South African rhythms and choirs; mix in some Cuban magic; add a dose of Philly jazz; tackle issues of love, loss, and adversity; and you get the latest album from global activists Sharon Katz & The Peace Train.
The gorgeously layered tracks were recorded in South Africa, Mexico and the USA, including an appearance by South African choir, Thee Legacy, produced by Sibongiseni Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo fame. You’ll do a double take when you hear the vocals and think LBM’s lead singer, the late Joseph Shabalala, has come back to add his voice to “What Can We Do/ Sizokwenzenjani.” Sharon and Joseph started working together in South Africa in 1992 - and Ladysmith Black Mambazo traveled aboard Sharon’s original journey of The Peace Train in 1993 when Sibongiseni was still a youth - so it truly is a legacy track.
Those familiar with previous albums may need a tissue when listening to “Sister of the Soul/Siswami,” a tribute to Nonhlanhla Wanda who co-founded The Peace Train with Sharon is 1992 and tragically passed away this year. The Zulu choir, Afrika Mamas, adds its haunting harmonies to summon the ancestors and honor this beloved Sister.
“Think It Over” sounds like a pop dance track, and the intention is to make it popular to support marginalized groups anywhere in the world. This has been The Peace Train’s mission since its apartheid-busting origins and continues with its projects around the globe. Sparked by a situation involving the Trans community, it also addresses diversity, equity, and inclusion issues worldwide. Drawing on Sharon’s music therapy work with girls rescued from trafficking, “La Tristeza” champions the resiliency of those subjected to such atrocities.
On a lighter note, the bouncy rhythms of “Baja California” will make you feel like you’re swaying in sync with the Pacific Ocean and falling in love while traveling down the Baja peninsula of Mexico. Then the traditional medley of “Hamba Joba/ Moea Thulamele Hae” will have you on your feet dancing in true South African style.
Aptly titled For You, Sharon honors her faithful fan base in her message on this album: the extraordinary people I’ve met along my journey; the issues and challenges that have confronted us; and most importantly, the love and support we’ve shared.
Upcoming Release Parties include Joe’s at The Public Theater in NYC on September 5th; City Winery in Philadelphia on September 10th; South African Wine & Music Festival at Grayhaven Winery in Virginia on September 16th & 17th; The Bush Farmhouse in Black Mountain, NC on September 18th; Meredith College in Raleigh, NC on September 30th; and San Diego Folk Heritage on October 21st. For more information and tickets: SharonKatz.com
Available from Tando Rhythms Records and all your favorite streaming platforms on August 22, 2023.
13
JOE VIGLIONE LINER NOTES http://joeviglione.com/?page_id=392
Genya Ravan’s Urban Desire
The intentional and exquisite raw production of Genya Ravan’s Urban Desire explores the high voltage newly emerging in cities around the world during the cherished “New Wave” movement in rock. Ravan’s production of The Dead Boys “Sonic Reducer” in 1977 helped spearhead the revolution, a charge continued on this, her fifth solo disc after previous careers with the influential jazz/pop ensemble Ten Wheel Drive and the ground-breaking all-girl Goldie & The Gingerbreads before that.1978’s Urban Desire is part of an important trilogy of Ravan recordings, including it’s sequel – also on Hip-0 Select – 1979’s …And I Mean It and concluding with Ronnie Spector’s Siren from 1980 – as much a Genya Ravan record as it is Ronnie’s.Two Joe Droukas compositions, “Shadowboxing” and “The Sweetest One”, bring to mind The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers phase. In fact, “Shadowboxing” could nearly be considered the great lost track from the Stones 1972 masterpiece. The Droukas/Ravan team doesn’t stop there, though; for “The Knight Ain’t Long Enough” is more than a clever double-entendre, it creatively reflects Mott The Hoople during their wonderful Brain Capers period – the moment before Bowie got hold of them – and a style that La David emulated often. Genya also puts dynamics in sequencing the material; “Do It Just For Me” comes off a lot more subtly than the rocking disc-opener, “Jerry’s Pigeons.” Rock’s pioneering lady spins the songs like a disc jockey; “Shot In The Heart” – as with most of the record – adaptable for college or mainstream radio. The Lou Reed duet on “Aye Co’lorado” is just the prescription for anyone who wanted to demolish their stereo every time an Eagles song came on. And to Velvet Underground fans even further, Genya does a Gospel-meets-the-street version of John Cale’s superb “Darling I Need You.”
If you can envision Deep Purple asking one of the foxiest lead singers from the ’70s to come onstage to sing a Supremes tune, you’ll have a good idea of how “Back In My Arms Again” sounds with guitars ablaze. It brings to mind the idea of Diana Ross and Janis Joplin as vocalists in Genya’s dream-team version of The Supremes – but Janis can’t and Diana won’t, you’ll have to indulge in Urban Desire to fully comprehend life on the edge. Gavin Lurssen’s superb mastering will help you do just that.
Did You Know? Genya’s first-ever single featured Spencer Davis and Steve Winwood as backing musicians.
14Genya Ravan with Baby Review
by Joe Viglione [-] https://www.allmusic.com/album/genya-ravan-with-baby-mw0000844067
Genya Ravan released an album a year starting in 1969 with Ten Wheel Drive's Construction #1 on Polydor, up to the 1974 release of Goldie Zelkowitz on Janus, but created her most popular recordings on 20th Century Fox in 1978 and 1979 when she released the self-produced ...And I Mean It / Urban Desire one-two punch. Genya Ravan, her first solo disc which Columbia released after she left Ten Wheel Drive, was the catalyst for Ravan producing herself. Perhaps the most shocking thing about the record is that it is the only one she recorded for Columbia, a place that seemed like the perfect home for a woman with so many talents. Clive Davis originally wanted Richard Perry to produce, and it wasn't the fact that he was Ravan's first boyfriend that the idea was nixed, his pop work with Carly Simon was not what this artist is about. Larry Fallon former partner of producer Jimmy Miller and the guy behind "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)"for The Looking Glass (he had also put strings on an unreleased version of "Wild Horses" for Jimmy Miller and the Rolling Stones ) was brought in. But "Brandy" was more pop than "You're So Vain" if you think about it. To feel comfortable, Ravan asked for, and got, her original partners in Ten Wheel Drive, Aram Schefrin, and Michael Zager, and with the band Baby behind her, Goldie Zelkowitz made the first album of her career beyond Goldie & the Gingerbreads and Ten Wheel Drive. It is a pure document of her transition. This is the shift between the sounds of Ten Wheel Drive and what would follow on 1973's They Love Me, They Love Me Not and 1974's Goldie Zelkowitz. She takes Rod Stewart and the Faces superb and little recognized "Flying" and makes it her own, a tune she would continue to perform live in concert. Stephen Stills' "Sit Yourself Down" gets a total reworking, just as Gabriel Mekler would revamp Whipping Post with her in 1974, when Ten Wheel Drive was re-forming with Annie Sutton. It is an amazing thread of events, with players from both the Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin filtering through her recorded work, and where this album could have been Columbia Records replacing Janis Joplin with Genya Ravan, the singer opted to take her music into a realm where Diane Schuur would feel at home, rock influenced by jazz rather than high-powered blues rock. Indeed, the final track on side one, "Takuta Kalaba," is blended into "Turn on Your Love Lights," a song Janis Joplin did with the Grateful Dead if memory serves on one of the live tapes of theirs that has circulated over the years, so there was this thread, though the result is 180 degrees from where Joplin took it. Genya Ravan did not want to fill the Janis Joplin void for Mr. Davis -- she wanted to be herself. Clive told her, "You are either a rock singer or you're a jazz singer, but you cannot do both," and maybe for short-term marketing he had a point, but for longevity and vision, the Larry Fallon-produced "I'm in the Mood For Love" is exquisite. Fallon had come from a jazz band with Jimmy Miller, who coincidentally produced Genya Ravan's next album for his production company, released on ABC Dunhill. James Moody's saxophone solo is thrilling, and a real touch of class. The cabaret atmosphere seguing into the African drum sound of Michael Olatunji and his "Takuta Kalaba," which was released as a single in Europe. Brilliant material which would certainly stifle the Janis Joplin comparisons. The soulful rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on a Wire" was tracked long before Cohen was considered chic. Columbia released "What Kind of Man Are You" from this album on a 45 rpm with the non-LP A side of "Morning Glory," written by Michael Holmes, and produced by he and Dixon Van Winkle, making for five producers during these sessions! The single was the idea of Clive Davis, and it is beautiful, the style of music that Bette Midler was having success with at this point in time. Midler eventually covered Genya Ravan's "Stay With Me" for The Rose film and soundtrack, bringing things full circle. Genya Ravan is an album brimming with this creative woman's personality, talent, and amazing vocal prowess. "Morning Glory" should eventually find itself on a Sony/Legacy re-release of Genya Ravan, important music that is continuously contemporary because of the long-range vision of the artist.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/genya-ravan-with-baby-mw0000844067
15 Gabriel Gordon Gypsy Living
Gypsy Living Review
by Joe Viglione [-]
https://www.allmusic.com/album/gypsy-living-mw0000655124
"In this place between magic and memory" is just one excellent line from Gypsy Living, a refreshing and contemporary work from New York singer/guitarist Gabriel Gordon released on the German Trocadero label. Gypsy Living begins with "Watch the Sky," sounding like the product of some unholy marriage between Robert Cray and Tracy Chapman. The blues meeting modern-day pop works just fine, even better on "Easy With You," a joyful voice-over bubbling keyboards and guitars, and a hook that comes back from out of nowhere. "No one said it would be easy," concludes that hook. And it takes a moment to realize what the singer means: "No one said it would be easy with...you" -- the emphasis on the "you" -- no doubt one of those types people fall in love with who are both a dream and a difficulty. Great tune. The title track also exudes the charm Gordon effortlessly drops between the grooves. The journeyman vocalist, who has worked as part of Natalie Merchant's touring band, has professional players who have sterling resumés. The production reflects their travels and the reprise of the title track has lots of funky charm and exciting sounds, perhaps a pop nod to the Jimi Hendrix ensemble Band of Gypsys, since Hendrix is such a serious influence on Gordon -- the singer having worked at the guitar star's Electric Lady studio. "Home" is co-written by guitarist Joel Shearer and it closes out the album with a majestic elegance, an important work by an artist with lots of creative heart. Outside of "Home" and a tune co-written with bassist Andy Hess, "We're Moving," the entire album was penned by Gordon. It is adult rock that is glossy and accessible, but smart enough to pull back when it is about to get too slick. Good stuff with staying power.
Strawberry Statement Review by Joe Viglione [-]
https://www.allmusic.com/album/strawberry-statement-mw0000280317
The double-LP soundtrack to the film featuring Bruce Davison, Kim Darby, and James Coco is a coup for record executive Mike Curb, who composes the ultra-tacky liner notes, which contain the keyword "relevance." It's a compilation of songs by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Buffy Saint-Marie, and Thunderclap Newman, along with instrumentals by Ian Freebairn-Smith, a minor public-domain track by the Red Mountain Jug Band, and Karl Bohm & the Berlin Philharmonic to boot. Some copies of the album contain Graham Nash's "Our House" from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; on other copies the track was missing. Each of the album's four sides contains a different theme to Strawberry Statement with different titles; these are the instrumental tracks from Ian Freebairn-Smith. The music in between is incidental; the meat and potatoes here are the Neil Young and Crosby, Stills & Nash titles, along with Buffy Saint-Marie's great rendition of the Joni Mitchell classic "The Circle Game" and Pete Townshend's production of the exquisitely brilliant and timeless "Something in the Air" by Thunderclap Newman. It all fits perfectly in an anti-war protest film based on the book by James Kunen and, along with companion albums to the film Easy Rider and other trendy flicks, brought the rock & roll music soundtrack to a level beyond the cheesy Psych Out and Wild in the Streets collections of the '60s. You've heard most of this music before, but MGM and Curb found some luck by combining these powerful forces under one roof.
Mitch Ryder DETROIT
The disc is chock full of excitement, Steve Hunter's guitarwork makes everything come to life, framed perfectly by Harry Phillips' elemental keyboards and Bob Ezrin's powerful production. Why bassist W.R.Cooke is allowed to do the lead vocal on the shuffling - almost doo wop "Box Of Roses" is the mystery. We all came to this party to hear Mitch belt 'em out. And Ryder screams throughout, "Is It You(Or Is It Me" gets that howl as does this immortal cover of Lou Reed's "Rock 'n' Roll". Re-designed with snarling Steve Hunter guitar licks (inspired by Leslie West) and tons of pounding anticipation the song was the underground hit from this now-classic album, and just perfect for the voice of William Levise, Jr., that organ supplementing Hunter's exploding guitar work, Mitch Ryder's orgasmic vocal howling over a gargantuan rearrangement of a Velvet Underground tune released a year earlier. But there's more to the album than the excitement generated by the 45 RPM of the Lou Reed cover - Ron Davies "It Ain't Easy" boasted renditions by many, from Long John Baldry to Bowie on his Ziggy Stardust album, and, of course, the title track of a Three Dog Night LP. But Mitch gives the song some real definition. The original vinyl had four songs on each side, the reconstructed compact disc and cassette changed the order a bit to make room for about five minutes of a stunning version of The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter". Reissue coordinator Andy
Mitch Ryder DETROIT
The disc is chock full of excitement, Steve Hunter's guitarwork makes everything come to life, framed perfectly by Harry Phillips' elemental keyboards and Bob Ezrin's powerful production. Why bassist W.R.Cooke is allowed to do the lead vocal on the shuffling - almost doo wop "Box Of Roses" is the mystery. We all came to this party to hear Mitch belt 'em out. And Ryder screams throughout, "Is It You(Or Is It Me" gets that howl as does this immortal cover of Lou Reed's "Rock 'n' Roll". Re-designed with snarling Steve Hunter guitar licks (inspired by Leslie West) and tons of pounding anticipation the song was the underground hit from this now-classic album, and just perfect for the voice of William Levise, Jr., that organ supplementing Hunter's exploding guitar work, Mitch Ryder's orgasmic vocal howling over a gargantuan rearrangement of a Velvet Underground tune released a year earlier. But there's more to the album than the excitement generated by the 45 RPM of the Lou Reed cover - Ron Davies "It Ain't Easy" boasted renditions by many, from Long John Baldry to Bowie on his Ziggy Stardust album, and, of course, the title track of a Three Dog Night LP. But Mitch gives the song some real definition. The original vinyl had four songs on each side, the reconstructed compact disc and cassette changed the order a bit to make room for about five minutes of a stunning version of The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter". Reissue coordinator Andy
Got Change for a Million? Review
by Joe Viglione
[-] https://www.allmusic.com/album/got-change-for-a-million--mw0000057257Mitch Ryder's Got Change for a Million?, released in 1981 in Germany on Line Records, continues the progression started on The Detroit-Memphis Experiment in 1969 and the subsequent Detroit album produced by Bob Ezrin. This is no-nonsense blues-tinged rock produced by Tom Conner along with Ryder. "That's Charm," clocking in at five-and-a-half minutes, is the longest track and indeed has charm. Although Ryder looks a bit haggard a mere 12 years after The Detroit-Memphis Experiment, his voice is intact and the tunes, all by Kim Levise and Ryder (aka William S. Levise, Jr.), have a concise poppy snap. "Red Scar Eyes" is a real departure, a moody piece with lyrics that go from introspection to downright deranged, a far cry from the efficient opening track "My Heart Belongs to Me." Included with the liner notes are the handwritten lyrics, from side one seen next to a full glass of beer, and from side two with a photo of a pen next to an empty glass. The earthy voice of Ryder found fame as an instrument for producer Bob Crewe and songs by Crewe, Burt Bacharach, Bill Medley, and others. Although side two's opening track "Bang Bang" fails, "Back at Work" and the reggae-flavored "Ich Bin Aus Amerika" succeed, showing Ryder's development from singer to singer/songwriter. The classic growl of this true, well-rounded journeyman is in fine shape on the exquisite "Bare Your Soul." "We're Gonna Win" opens with looping guitars and unique backing vocals, the band cooking behind Ryder's hard-driving voice. The album was recorded and mixed at Delta Sound Studio in Wilster, West Germany, except for the final two tracks, "Bare Your Soul" and "We're Gonna Win," which were tracked in Detroit. The album was "recorded and mixed without the aid of any reduction devices." Re-released on J-Bird Records in 1995, it's a good look at Mitch Ryder on his own.
Bread - Guitar Man review by Joe Viglione https://www.allmusic.com/album/guitar-man-mw0000074746
Guitar Man is a classy album from Bread which provided David Gates with reason enough to go solo. Just listen to "Aubrey" to hear how the producer/singer/songwriter could create a strong track with little or no help from his fellow musicians. On the other hand, two of his strongest songs, "Sweet Surrender" and "The Guitar Man," are totally products of a band in a groove. The three hits failed to break the Top Ten, though the title track came close, one notch away. It and the sublime "Sweet Surrender" both topped the adult contemporary charts in 1972, while "Aubrey" followed those two titles, going Top 15 itself in early 1973. It would be almost four years before the group would enter the charts for the final time at the end of 1976 with "Lost Without Your Love." That makes Guitar Man the final chapter of the band's first era, three of their 11 hits coming from this volume. The original LP cover featured beautiful off-pastel illustrations by Bob Ziering on rough cardboard without the slick gloss, impressive to the look and touch, while the music inside reflected the professionalism radio programmers and the audience expected to hear from this product. James Griffin and Rob Royer contribute an exceptional "Don't Tell Me No" with that Beatles influence which was part of the group's sound at its onset. But it was the title track and "Sweet Surrender" which were the perfect pop products conceived and delivered by this important act. Similar to the Carpenters number one adult contemporary hit "Goodbye to Love," Bread's "The Guitar Man" featured a blazing guitar outro; a truly smart and effective way to bring syrupy pop music to the attention of rock & roll fans. It was a song with enough bite that it wasn't an embarrassment for the guys to listen to, and was sweet enough to attract the gals. As good as the first track "Welcome to the Music" and closing title "Didn't Even Know Her Name" are as album tracks, the opening wah-wah, folk guitars, string movement, and vocal by David Gates are just so impressive on "The Guitar Man" that there is, musically, no comparison. This is the guy who wrote the Murmaids' number-three hit in 1963, "Popsicles and Icicles," and he certainly crafted a dreamy sound here; those keyboards Manfred Mann used so well in his version of Randy Newman's "Living Without You" match the guitars, combining for a breath of fresh air on early-70s radio. "Tecolote," on the other hand, like the James Griffin/David Gates number "Make It by Yourself" pale in comparison. They are competent album tracks, but they also show the difference between adequate and great. "Make It by Yourself" is a far cry from "Make It With You." Here the band sounds closer to Jonathan Edwards if he joined the group America, or Jon Hall's Orleans, not a bad direction for Bread and something they should have considered. No, it isn't as effective as their middle-of-the-road stuff, but it is superior to the decent material which ends up becoming filler. Had they skillfully balanced "Sweet Surrender with "Make It by Yourself," they could have rivaled the Eagles. That country-rock sound is where this group was heading before they imploded. Too bad, because having Larry Knetchel and David Gates on the same team could have brought more great sounds to radio. Regardless, Guitar Man is an album Bread can be proud of, one which begs the question what would have happened had they not taken so much time off from each other.
_______________________________________________________
Johnny Mathis The 12th of Never
Written by {$Jerry Livingston} and {$Paul Francis Webster}, {&"The
Twelfth Of Never"} was the fourth hit for {$Johnny Mathis}, his third
Top 10. {@Columbia} single #40993 is a mere two minutes and twenty-eight
seconds, the third track on {^Johnny's Greatest Hits} finding fame in
mid-October 1957. It opens with a simple
string harp plucking sound with {$Johnny Mathis} operatic voice booming
loud and clear, a guitar strum coming in on the third line.
The strings and chorus then burst through on the break as if it were a
chorus. The chorus is
fused into the verse and seems to take some
sort of artistic/poetic license with the lyric. Wouldn't proper grammar
be "The Twelfth of Forever?" The singer saying he will love until never,
or the twelfth of never, or the thirteenth ofnever, is still a negative.
But why be a spoilsport and ruin the romance of it all,
"Twelfth Of Never" sounds pretty good and
has a nice ring to it.
This true standard found diverse cover versions recorded by many greats
including {$Elvis Presley}, {$Nina Simone}, {$The Bee Gees}, {$Petula
Clark}, {$Cher}, {$Glen Campbell}, {$The Chi Lites},{$The Ventures},
{$Olivia Newton-John}, {$Andy Williams}, {$Waylon Jennings} and many,
many others along with {$Ray Conniff} AND {$Percy Faith} on their own
without {$Mathis}. And though one artist has credibility in his older
age, in some weird sort of sacrilege a fifteen year old {$Donny Osmond}
went gold with his rendition in March of 1973, one position higher than
the {$Mathis} classic on the Top 40. Johnny was only 22 years of age
when this hit in 1957, but sounds much older, and played to that much
older crowd. The maturity in his voice is the difference between the
two hits and the two acts, {$Osmond} playing to the younger set,
{$Johnny Mathis} holding his own and more with established crooners
twice his
age and then some. Needless to say it is this
version which is the best loved.
Never Enough was the fourth album released by the Pousette-Dart Band under Capitol Records.
The title track of the fourth album from Jon Pousette-Dart’s band is actually a cover of Robin Lane & the Chartbusters’ “When Things Go Wrong,” reetitled “Never Enough,” but more than that, it’s a reworking with different lyrics. Lane’s 3-song EP on manager Mike Lembo’s Deli Platter Records was a phenomenon in the New England region in the late ’70s. This song was also the title track of her 1980 Warner Bros. debut recorded by Helen Reddy producer Joe Wissert. Pousette-Dart Band’s version reunites them with Norbert Putnam, who oversaw their first two Capitol discs. It is an extraordinary glimpse at how a great melody failed to make the Top 40, recorded differently by two important artists, who themselves failed to make the national Top 40 with any of their discs. – Review by Joe Viglione
The following is the tracklist from Never Enough:
Never Enough
Silver Stars
For Love
Cold Outside
Hallelujah I’m A Bum
Long Legs
The Loving One
We Never Give Up
Cheated
Gotta Get Far Away
by Joe Viglione https://www.allmusic.com/album/pousette-dart-band-3-mw0000843199
[-]
Out of the four albums released by the Pousette-Dart Band on Capitol, Pousette-Dart Band 3 may be the most satisfying. The only song that received as much attention as "Amnesia," the title track and minor hit off of their second album, or "For Love," the David Finnerty of the Road Apples tune from their fourth disc, was the cover of the Lieber/Stoller/Ben E. King 1961 hit "Stand by Me." It is a good version, and the songs on side one are the usual fare from Jon Pousette-Dart's group: top-notch country-rock. But it is side two that really is extraordinary. "Louisiana," "Too Blue to Be True," and "Mr. Saturday Night" work almost as a trilogy. They are deep, dark, and not as bouncy as Don Covay's "I Stayed Away Too Long" on side one. The beautiful, acoustic "Where Are You Going," which ends this half of the program, sets up the second side nicely, and lends for a seamless flow if listening on compact disc. Pousette-Dart's voice is flawless, as is his playing on "Where Are You Going," which ends suspended in mid-air. As with that tune, all the songs on the second side are written by Jon Pousette-Dart, and along with the sterling performance, this is his best songwriting of these releases on Capitol. "Louisiana" has tension, eerie production, immaculate instrumentation, and just a great vocal walking next to the guitars. While the Eagles and Hall & Oates were enjoying success at this point in time, along with the resurgence of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Pousette-Dart Band's mellow Buffalo Springfield style on this album really should have garnered a huge audience. "Too Blue to Be True" brings it up a bit, the band cooking with excitement and power. That power continues in the semi-funk of "Mr. Saturday Night," three powerful statements by this important artist that somehow got lost in the shuffle of the music industry. Jon Pousette-Dart's appearance at the Paradise Theater in Boston at the end of 2000 with Jon Hall of Orleans and Jonathan Edwards of Orphan was their first live appearance together as a trio, having previously only recorded "Why Can't We Be Friends," the War tune for Rounder. That performance magnified what one of those performers put in these grooves. "Lord's Song" starts to conclude the album in the same fashion as side one, Pousette-Dart's voice and acoustic guitar are combined with his plaintive expression, and this time the band in the background is solidified by co-producer Dave Appell's strings swelling, rising up before the group kicks in with precision. An album that truly deserves a better fate than obscurity.
by Joe Viglione
https://www.allmusic.com/album/never-enough-mw0000539294
[-]
The title track of the fourth album from Jon Pousette-Dart's band is actually a cover of Robin Lane & the Chartbusters' "When Things Go Wrong," reetitled "Never Enough," but more than that, it's a reworking with different lyrics. Lane's 3-song EP on manager Mike Lembo's Deli Platter Records was a phenomenon in the New England region in the late '70s. This song was also the title track of her 1980 Warner Bros. debut recorded by Helen Reddy producer Joe Wissert. Pousette-Dart Band's version reunites them with Norbert Putnam, who oversaw their first two Capitol discs. It is an extraordinary glimpse at how a great melody failed to make the Top 40, recorded differently by two important artists, who themselves failed to make the national Top 40 with any of their discs. Like their contemporary Andy Pratt, these performers contributed much to music and got little in return. The second track, "Silver Stars," is a wonderful instrumental by guitarist John Curtis, but the album's highlight is "For Love," a tune by David Finnerty, leader of Atlantic's the Joneses, who actually did hit the Top 40 in 1975 with a band called the Road Apples and their tune "Let's Live Together." Finnerty's "For Love," as performed by Jon Pousette-Dart, is so commercially viable for this point in time that it is a sin it got only minor airplay. It is as substantial as Orleans or Firefall, more creative and dynamic than what the Eagles were doing in the same format. The first and only Jon Pousette-Dart title on side one is "Cold Outside," which brings horns into the mix; it, and bassist John Troy's arrangement of the traditional "Hallelujah I'm A Bum," are country funkish numbers -- adequate, but not as strong as the first three tracks. Pousette-Dart's co-write "Long Legs" opens side two, but that honor should have gone to "The Loving One," a lilting pop tune by Pousette-Dart, with his gifted voice gliding over the keys and percussion. Marc Aramian's composition, "We Never Give Up," thankfully continues the tradition of pop that Pousette-Dart is so comfortable with. The band has a knack for adding polish to these strong hooks, more evidence that this fourth album was a real contender. With management by New England's legendary promoter Don Law, son of record producer Don Law, Sr., the group had the connections and the talent to really make their mark. "Cheated" is another poppy tune by the band leader, leaning a bit more toward the country side of the group that was their foundation, something they significantly embellished with funk and pop. That is most evident in the John Curtis original "Gotta Get Far Away," which ends the album. Jon Pousette-Dart performed at the Paradise Theater in Boston towards the end of 2000 with Jon Hall of Orleans and Jonathan Edwards of the group Orphan. It was their first appearance ever as a trio live -- promoting their cover of War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" released on Rounder Records that year. The performance highlighted how important the music on this album is, and that Jon Pousette-Dart is viable a couple of decades after creating this and the three other releases on Capitol.
Nick Bukuvalas
37)Three Spiders and a Bat
https://thesomervillenewsweekly.blog/2022/04/04/three-spidermen-and-a-bat/
a film discussion by Joe Viglione
The parking lot at the AMC in Burlington, MA was jammed. Finding a space was difficult and my thoughts started going to “will this be sold out?” It wasn’t, this week movie goers were looking to Channing Tatum’s Dog and other films as well. Got my ticket for the empty front row and enjoyed myself there.
I intentionally stayed away from The Batman
as the crowds have been huge. My goal with this review was to let
critics and the patrons have their way first, let my thoughts be a
“bird’s eye” view after the initial fanfare.
The word “detective” in relation to this film has been bandied about, so I looked on eBay and found a Detective Comics going for $4,000.00 ($3,999.00)
Detective Comics #89 The Promise Collection CGC 9.0 VF/NM WP DC Comics 1944
Robert Pattinson was also a concern. Watching his adequate performance in the first Twilight (2008,) fourteen years ago I didn’t feel his pretty-boy decent vampire display would transfer well to a dark knight. When hearing of his casting my first thoughts were, “Well, he’s not Michael Keaton or Ben Affleck, so it could’ve been worse.” Keaton has redeemed himself of late in Spiderman, older actors get into the groove – practice making perfect, you know? But Affleck should have directed, not starred in, and brought the Batman franchise back to Val Kilmer/George Klooney / Keaton levels.
The good news is that Pattinson makes an excellent Batman, Bruce Wayne not so much (Christian Bale set the high mark there, as Heath Ledger did with his Joker.) But the storyline here, and the acting by Colin Farell (such a wonderful Penguin,) John Turturro – far from Game Show – up there with Jack Palance for mob-boss finesse as Carmine Falcone – along with Andy Serkis as a ground-breaking Alfred (redemption from his less-than Darth Vader stint in Star Wars,) all give Pattinson a foundation to launch from – which he, actually, doesn’t even need.
_________________________________
This IS a
detective film, and with that bad-omen pitfall, HBO’s bust with
revamping Perry Mason, one did have concerns that the new generation
could very well crater a la Justice League. Put your fears aside, this
is a very, very good detective story, framed in dark film noir that,
heavens have mercy, stops before it fades into total black and white.
Though psychos abound, the story would have suffered had it attempted to
go near Hitchcock’s masterpiece. All the excessive force of the new
HBO Perry Mason is avoided, and what i call the “Three Spidermen and a Bat” approach is what we have here.
THREE SPIDERMEN AND A BAT
WITH Marvel/Disney bringing three Spidermen together all sorts of opportunities arise. Yes DC has Michael Keaton AND Ben Affleck as Batmen in The Flash end of 2022, with Keaton reprising his role again in Batgirl (2022) copping Marvel’s riffs, when Christian Bale would have been the big news. Where Marvel has the luxury of Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland all being stellar Spidermen, Bale and now Pattinson, have given command performances that movie-goers will appreciate for some time into the future.
A new, stylish Batman in his own universe away from Adam West, Christian Bale and Lewis Wilson’s initial 1943 first emergence as the Caped Crusader, is what Reeves and Pattinson have crafted. A true Dark Knight, darker than Christian Bale’s American Psycho bat. (p.s. Wilson, of course, being the father of Michael Wilson who is writing and producing 007, for those who like historic links.)
Lewis Wilson as the first Batman, 1943.
________________________________
We are talking 89 years, on the verge of 90, of a franchise that went from serial to television comedy. Batman and Robin in 1949 to the Adam West/Burt Ward film (1966) – I didn’t need Wikipedia, honest, to give you the chronology, which you can find here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_in_film
_________________________________
What took the air out of The Dark Knight Rises was the usually excellent Tom Hardy *(a wonderful Venom) couldn’t compete with the utter malice of Heath Ledger’s Joker (nor Ledger’s consummate performance; I don’t care that it is a comic book movie, Heath Ledger’s acting will be hard to touch by any actor or actress in any genre, it’s simply breath-taking and holds up to repeat views.) The Riddler here, if making comparisons, is over-the-top incredible, until he’s unmasked. Paul Danowithout the black wardrobe, has not the mania
of Frank Gorshin in the TV comedy. It’s the dual masks again – Riddler and Batman – that create the mystery…and the suspense. Dano, and the hastily-attached conclusion (think The Dark Knight with the two boats filled with potential victims which sank the momentum that had been built up) deflates what was an amazing “Perry Mason” story with much too much violence, but a terrific ensemble which present you the puzzling storyline.
Yes, this is a great Batman. But it will stay in the background with The Dark Knight Rises, failing to match Ledger and Bale’s tango in The Dark Knight, simply because the villain had it all, and let it disintegrate. Director Matt Reeves should have known better and kept Dano in Andy Serkis’ ape suit. (*for those not in the know, Alfred Pennyworth, the butler, is played by the actor who is Caesar from Planet of the Apes, Mr Serkis.)
38) Batman the Serial Review: Joe Viglione
http://joeviglione.com/?m=202105
http://kijujdv.blogspot.com/2013/06/buying-batman-and-robin-complete-1949.html
Batman and Robin: the Complete 1949 Movie Serial Collection Description.
Where the 1943 Batman debut had a certain charm and a supremely despicable villain in J. Carroll Naish, this sequel misfires six years after the first 15 chapter serial and doesn't hold up as well as the original on DVD. The plot is a good one and despite some fine work by the B movie cast - Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon (he of Chick Carter, Detective fame) and Robert Lowery as the Batman (horror fans take note, Lowery was in The Mummy's Ghost and Revenge Of The Zombies ) director Spencer Gordon Bennet just can't seem to put it all together. Where the first film had the caped crusader and his boy wonder helping the police surreptitiously, they are fully cooperating with the Commissioner here, in his office and at his beck and call. The biggest problem is that their nemesis, The Wizard, is not as diabolical as a future Marvel Comics character of the same name (the leader of The Fantastic Four's powerful enemy, The Frightful Four), especially in light of the fact that The Joker was already an established villain in the comic book series and, had he been the antagonist instead of the Wizard, there would have been the opportunity for some fun elements absent in this outing. Actor Leonard Penn (also from producer Sam Katzman's aforementioned 1946 Chick Carter, Detective flick) just doesn't put any malice into his Wizard character, none of the relish needed to seep through the secretive wardrobe. Eric Wilton, as butler Alfred, gets to play Batman in a deception created by the dynamic duo, which gives him a footnote in movie trivia history, one could say. There are lots of mind games between The Wizard and Batman, a plot device that wears pretty thin, but there are also plenty of amusing electronic gadgets at The Wizard's disposal and a pretty cool Bat Cave to boot. On home video or DVD the chapters get tedious where the previous entry from 1943 could hold one's attention and, despite the addition of a sub-plot where The Wizard also becomes The Invisible Man, this quickie really feels like it was made to entertain in short bursts at a movie theater in the late 40s. Some critics liked Robert Lowery better than his predecessor, Lewis Wilson, in the dual roles of Bruce Wayne and Batman, however the actors from both serials do a fine job and get into the character better than Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney ever could in their attempts to play the superhero. It is actually quite sad that producer Katzman and director Bennet didn't realize the iconic figure they were dealing with because with a little extra effort the assembled cast and this decent script idea could have made for a very entertaining movie. It's too bad Michael G. Wilson, son of the original Batman, Lewis Wilson, and co-producer of Quantum of Solace, didn't watch this serial prior to the 2008 James Bond entry because the glaring error of not having a masterful villain is why both Quantum and this Batman And Robin have less sustain. The Dark Knight worked so well because Heath Ledger's Joker was every bit the equal of Christian Bale's Batman. ~ Joe Viglione, Rovi
39 Hal Holbrook guest stars for the late Raymond Burr as Attorney
40)Nedra Tally Ross of The Ronettes TOURED with Bobby Hebb and the Beatles on August 12, 1966!
Nedra Ross of The Ronettes toured with Bobby Hebb and the Beatles on August 12, 1966, 54 years ago today in Chicago…here’s my review of Nedra (don’t call her Diana) Ross! on AllMusic:
https://www.allmusic.com/album/full-circle-mw0000892548
AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione [-]
Full Circle is a difficult album by Nedra Ross, formerly of the Ronettes. On one hand, she gave up show business for the Lord, yet show business is the biggest selling point here — the information about Ross’ time with the legendary girl group, a reprint of an article from the November 1968 Ebony magazine, a photo of Ross with Ronette Estelle Bennett and Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison, a reprint of the “Be My Baby” disc label — all on the inner sleeve. If the Lord is displeased with the borderline deceptive advertising, He may be less pleased with the music inside, as Ross and her producer/husband Scott create an album with less inspiration than her God-given talents deserve. “Gonna Keep My Mind (Stayed on You” is a funky Chaka Khan-type tune with religious overtones. “Unchanging Love for You” is pretty enough, but there is something about the lyrics that make the song awkward. The Bible talks about praying in secret, and God may be more happy with an artist singing pop tunes that brought her fame than forced musical statements about Him — and fans would be more pleased not to have to endure the preaching. When Dan Peek left the group America for fame and fortune as a Christian artist, he was blatant about it. Christian rockers Stryper had celebrity on their mind, yet the former Nedra Talley says here that she recorded Full Circle to make a statement. The best statement this artist could make, the best use of her God-given gifts, would be a solid gospel album or the popular music she was blessed to sing. The title track on Full Circle, “Unchanging Love for You,” “I Know I Love You,” and “Lean on Me” are the best tracks here. (“Lean on Me” is not the Bill Withers tune; the hook is actually stronger, and the performance is superb.) It is too bad the rest of the album does not equal these performances. Backing vocals and horns swell under Ross’ expressive voice, creating some magnificence that is missing on most of Full Circle. https://www.allmusic.com/album/full-circle-mw0000892548
http://joeviglione.com/?p=1696
Hear Full Circle here: https://youtu.be/palAfVCU7mg
https://www.allmusic.com/album/full-circle-mw0000892548
AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione [-]
Full Circle is a difficult album by Nedra Ross, formerly of the Ronettes. On one hand, she gave up show business for the Lord, yet show business is the biggest selling point here — the information about Ross’ time with the legendary girl group, a reprint of an article from the November 1968 Ebony magazine, a photo of Ross with Ronette Estelle Bennett and Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison, a reprint of the “Be My Baby” disc label — all on the inner sleeve. If the Lord is displeased with the borderline deceptive advertising, He may be less pleased with the music inside, as Ross and her producer/husband Scott create an album with less inspiration than her God-given talents deserve. “Gonna Keep My Mind (Stayed on You” is a funky Chaka Khan-type tune with religious overtones. “Unchanging Love for You” is pretty enough, but there is something about the lyrics that make the song awkward. The Bible talks about praying in secret, and God may be more happy with an artist singing pop tunes that brought her fame than forced musical statements about Him — and fans would be more pleased not to have to endure the preaching. When Dan Peek left the group America for fame and fortune as a Christian artist, he was blatant about it. Christian rockers Stryper had celebrity on their mind, yet the former Nedra Talley says here that she recorded Full Circle to make a statement. The best statement this artist could make, the best use of her God-given gifts, would be a solid gospel album or the popular music she was blessed to sing. The title track on Full Circle, “Unchanging Love for You,” “I Know I Love You,” and “Lean on Me” are the best tracks here. (“Lean on Me” is not the Bill Withers tune; the hook is actually stronger, and the performance is superb.) It is too bad the rest of the album does not equal these performances. Backing vocals and horns swell under Ross’ expressive voice, creating some magnificence that is missing on most of Full Circle. https://www.allmusic.com/album/full-circle-mw0000892548
August 12, 1966 first night of the Bobby Hebb /Beatles / Ronettes / Cyrkle / The Remains tour in Chicago
