Book A Trip 2
Book A Trip 2: More Psych Pop Sounds of Capitol Records
New Sounds – a division of Cherry Red
Just when you think that there are no more musical secrets left to discover in the age of digital streaming in the web marketplace, along comes ‘New Sounds’ a division of ‘Cherry Red Records’ to set the 45rpm record straight. Steve Stanley who established ‘New Sounds’ claims that ‘we are dedicated to exploring the untrodden sonic avenues of the creatively fertile West Coast music scene and beyond’. If music of the ‘Sunshine Pop’ and ‘Popsike’ variety is up your street than look no further than ‘Book A Trip 2: More Psych Pop Sounds of Capitol Records’.
The second installment of the ‘Book A Trip’ series sees ‘New Sounds’ make another daring raid on the vaults of ‘Capitol Records’. This is an essential collection of 24 ‘Popsike’ obscurities of which many are only seeing the light of day for the first time on CD. This particular compilation is clearly a labour of love for Steve Stanley and it is not only the music that has been lovingly unearthed for the listener. The liner notes on this album are a revelation for all wannabe musicologists, as they fill in lots of missing gaps of late 1960s musical history.
What is fascinating about this compilation is not just the 24 songs chosen by Stanley but his thorough research on each and every artist on this album. After reading the liner notes it was hard to disagree with the notion that ‘Capitol Records’ is considered by many to be the undisputed home of ‘Pop’. The liner notes reveal lots of names that went on to considerable fame and acclaim with bigger musical acts. For example, Michael Lloyd was a member of the brilliant ‘West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band’, and subsequently went on to produce well over 70 albums encompassing a broad range of musical styles, including everything from Pop, Rock, Country, Jazz, and Gospel as well as film and television scores.
The music on ‘Book A Trip 2’ will sound familiar to those well versed in the sounds of late 60s America and Britain, and the songs encompass broadly speaking the often whimsical and sometimes ‘Twee’ nature of ‘Psych Pop’ in this period. This is encapsulated perfectly by the slightly bittersweet ‘Baroque Pop’ of ‘Portobello Road’. This Cat Stevens penned song was demoed by Stevens and Kim Fowley, and became the B-side to Stevens debut single. Fowley subsequently passed this song on to Capitol Records’ producer Nick Venet who put the track to one side until a 14-year-old Ellie Janov (and daughter of ‘Primal Scream’ therapist Arthur Janov) was discovered and signed by ‘Capitol Records’. Venet was impressed enough with her vocals to let her record it, and the result is a beautiful Anglo sounding ‘Baroque Pop’ Gem and sadly her one and only single.
‘When Diana Paints The Picture’ is another lost ‘Baroque Pop’ track that is reminiscent of late 60s British ‘Pop Psych’ that was done to brilliant effect by bands like ‘The Zombies’ and ‘Nirvana’. This is a lovely and nostalgic sounding song with seductive dreamy vocal harmonies lamenting a true love story that involved the co-writer Tom Payne and his brief relationship with a girl called Diana. Harry Nilsson’s ‘Don’t Leave Me’ is another song of heartbreak covered by the four-piece ‘Griffin’, and is one of the highlights on this album. Obvious comparisons between the two songs will leave the listener with the somewhat difficult decision of which version they prefer. ‘Griffin’s’ version is slightly more up-tempo and the impressive vocal arrangements just about give this version the edge for this particular listener.
There are several other highlights on this compilation and if you are a fan of the unwieldy but brilliantly named ‘West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band’, then you will be excited to hear a pair of singles by their side project ‘The Laughing Wind’. Kim Fowley produced both of these tracks and you will be forgiven for thinking that having Fowley on production duties that this was indeed a match made in musical heaven. Well not quite as ‘Good To Be Around’ is a slightly plodding ballad with nice vocal harmonies but is over shadowed by the far superior ‘Don’t Take Very Much To See Tomorrow’. This is a bright and breezy ‘Folk Rock’ song, with a Byrdsesque jangly guitar and would fit seamlessly on WCPAEB ‘Volume 1’.
‘The Surf Symphony’s’ attention grabbing ‘That Bluebird Of Summer’ will have most of you running to pull ‘The Beach Boys’ symphonic masterpiece ‘Pet Sounds’ off the shelf. This track reminded me of ‘Let’s Stay Here For A While’ and surely Brian Wilson must have played some part in the arrangements. However, Wilson was nowhere to be seen and arrangement duties fell to Jan Rubini, Mike Rubini and Vic Briggs. . There is a connection to the ‘The Beach Boys’ however, which came in the form of ‘The Wrecking Crew’ a team of L.A musicians who played anonymously on some of the most iconic records that we have been lucky enough to ever hear, including ‘Pet Sounds’ and the magnificent ‘Good Vibrations’. ‘That Bluebird Of Summer’ is beautifully arranged and orchestral and although not necessarily a ‘Psych’ track, it blends effortlessly in this particular compilation.
‘Book A Trip’ is only mildly lysergic, however the songs that make up this compilation are brilliantly constructed two and a half minute masterpieces. There are too many highlights on this album and to mention each and every one would lead to an essay of academic proportions, and probably bore everyone to tears. The songs are of their time and listening to this music will transport you to an age of supposed optimism and innocence. Steve Stanley must get a huge amount of credit for this album and his tantalizing liner notes have been an education in itself, and makes the purchase of this album an essential one. BUY HERE!
Passion Puppets
Passion Puppets: Beyond The Pale (Cherry Red Records)
The Passion Puppets see there only album ‘Beyond The Pale’ receives the full re-issue treatment thanks to Cherry Red Records. Cherry Red have taken this out of print album and re-mastered it from the original tapes with 8 bonus tracks, including B sides and extended versions of the singles ‘Like Dust’ and “Voices”. The band has also contributed rare photographs as well as extensive and candid interviews in the liner notes to this long over due reissue.
The Passion Puppets were a London band and were loosely based in Camden Town, and they caught the interest of Stiff Records co – founder Dave Robinson in 1983. Front man Ray Burmiston was friends with singer and Passion Puppets fan Kirsty MacColl, who gave a demo of the bands work to Dave Robinson’s assistant and he was piqued enough to come down and see the band rehearse. After playing a few songs including the catchy single ‘Like Dust”, Robinson’s enthusiasm for the Passion Puppets was such that he offered them a 5 album deal on the spot.
It could be argued that timing is everything, because Island records bought a 50% stake in Stiff at the end of 1983. In hindsight this seems a rather strange deal for Stiff considering that Island were having money troubles at the time, and could barely afford to pay for their share in Stiff. This deal signaled the demise of Stiff and the Passion Puppets. When Dave Robinson signed the Passion Puppets he put all his energy and focus into the band. However, by his own admission Dave Robinson had his head turned by Island and was unable to devote the time needed to help promote the Passion Puppets.
There were also differences of opinion on the direction the band should take musically. Saxophone player Matt Lipsey argued that Dave Robinson wanted to mould the band along the lines of Duran Duran, and this did not sit comfortably with all band members despite the face that they wanted recognition for their music. The band did not regard themselves as a New Romantic type of band, and there influences at the time were Echo and the Bunnymen, The Birthday Party. The Cure and The Smiths. The Passion Puppets saw themselves as more of an Indie guitar group, and despite being labelled a ‘Synth Pop’ band by some, there is not a Synth to be hear on ‘Beyond The Pale’.
Beyond The Pale somehow was unsuccessful in the U.K, and listening to it today this album does not sound out of place amongst other musical offerings by bands like Haircut 100 and Duran Duran. The most surprising thing about this album was how the 3 singles from it were not successful. The album starts off with title track ‘Beyond The Pale’, and after several listens and watching the subsequent video on You Tube, it is a wonder how this song somehow avoided the record buying public. It sits effortlessly amongst songs such as Haircut 100’s ‘Love Plus One’, and I can only really put it down to the lack of any promotional impetus by Stiff Records.
Far and away the most memorable moment on the album is the second song and single ‘Like Dust’. This Spaghetti Western influenced track has a really catchy Ennio Morricone guitar twang, and inconceivably this single missed out on being a hit in Britain. However, the single did get lots of radio time in the states and became something of a cult hit in Canada, and according to Ray Burmiston the band did not even know it. You sense that this was another opportunity missed, and despite album being distributed by MCA in the States it did not really take off over there. The lack of success in the U.K meant MCA were reluctant to invest in a band that did not have at least one hit single to its name.
The album continues in a similar vein and other standout tracks include the single ‘Voices’, ‘Terminal Culture’ and ‘Crush That Suspicious Thing’. It would be fair to say that not all the songs stand up to the quality of the 3 singles on the album, however, the Passion Puppets delivered a solid and consistent album, that has a defiantly 80s sound that should have seen them become at least a moderate success. ‘Beyond The Pale’ is a worthy purchase if only just to hear the 3 singles that somehow became near misses. BUY HERE!
