The Fifth Dimension were too sugary for my personal tastes, but they did record a few, heavenly arranged gems like this one. The indestructable theme of trying to phone a lover after he/she left is a wonderful bonus.
from Magic Garden, available on CD
12 Feb 03 ·konsu: Alright! I was gonna recommend this one too. This song illustrates perfectly the CA sound that Webb & Bacharach were crafting. Some people mistake this for a B.B. tune, and it's no wonder...
"Magic Garden" is a great album to seek out by this group, if you've been afraid before.I also like "Requiem : 820 Latham" & "Paper Cup". 18 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: I LOVE the "Magic Garden" album...I have it on vinyl, but I was fortunate enough to to get it on CD when it was released-it's now out of print. The album is a Jimmy Webb/Fifth Dimension classic. The only thing holding it back from perfection is a Las Vegas-y cover of the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" that sounds out of place with the other material, all of which was written by Webb. But that's OK, a lot of great albums have one duff track!
I like the Fifth Dimension's early material, "Magic Garden" is their second album, but I also like their first and third LP's. Unfortunately, in later years they became too "show-biz" sounding, which causes some people to overlook all of their material.
A great version of this Troggs song, which formed one side of Spiritualized's first single. It's a pretty straight cover version, but with a richer production and that probably soon to become hip again early 90s dance/indie crossover sound (wah wah guitars, funky drums). Actually, it has aged pretty well, and I still can't listen to it without singing out loud when I hear it 'I've been watchin' you; and a lovin' you in vain...'
from the single Anyway that you want me (Dedicated)
10 May 01 ·tinks: does that mean that it's almost time for a soup dragons revival?? hahahaha... 30 Jan 04 ·shaka_klaus: i heard another version of this one recently in a commercial on tv. don't remember which at the moment. spiritualized gives me goosespots. i saw them in 98 at a festival and they opened up with 'cop shoot cop', what can i say? amazing. this version is also a fav of mine. 30 Jan 04 ·delicado: I've been listening to the original Troggs version a lot recently. The Spiritualized version is a great cover - the same in many ways but also very different and intense. I think they're a good band; not everything they do is spot-on, but when a song by them is good, it's normally pretty mind-blowing. 31 Jan 04 ·shaka_klaus: i forgot to write that the version of the song in the commercial is sung by a female singer. 18 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: The female singer may have been Evie Sands, she sang the original, which was written by Chip Taylor. Chip is famous actor John Voight's brother. My favorite version of this tune is by the band American Breed from about 1967. Haven't heard the Troggs version yet.
A really lovely version of this song, which was more famously recorded by The Left Banke. The introduction nicely recalls the melody of The Association's 'Never my love'.
The instrumentation has a folk flavour, with a nice strummed acoustic guitar. The production is superb, with great, slightly distant sounding vocal harmonies and occasional sparkly percussion sounds. Overall, it's a sound not millions of miles away from groups like Spanky and Our Gang, but it has a melancholic edge to it that makes it more listenable to my ears. Something has happened to me over the last couple of years, and some of the more lightheartedly happy music I used to like appeals to me much less.
from Ascending (MGM MGM 4569) available on CD - The Very Best Of Orpheus (Varese)
25 Nov 03 ·executiveslacks: I had just finished recommending Belle & Sebastian's "Piazza, New York Catcher" when I came across this recommendation. They namecheck "Walk Away Renee" in "Piazza..."
I haven't heard this song, but now I want to hear it! 10 Dec 04 ·WayCool: Orpheus' version of "Walk Away Renee" is a classic example of how this group effortlessly applied their distinctive sound to material by other bands. I enjoyed the original version by The Left Banke but always thought the wimpy vocals could have used some testosterone. The Orpheus version is without fault and I'm totally puzzled why it failed to eclipse the original. 13 Dec 04 ·jeanette: I hear the legendary Pink Lady have also recorded a version - what a treat! Anyone heard? 11 Oct 06 ·delicado: Having heard several versions of this song (most recently, The Blades of Grass), I'd just like to reiterate that this for me is THE rendition of the song - I'm with WayCool on this one! 19 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: I have a 45 of this by the Four Tops...I like their version, it sounds very mature the way Levi Stubbs sings it, compared to the youthful innocence of the original! I have the Orpheus version and it's great, but I will always like the Left Banke original best...I wonder if anybody ever covered "Pretty Ballerina"?
Any North American readers may already be familiar with this haunting folk-rock number, as I believe it's a bit of an FM staple over there. For UK-based music fans such as myself, however, it's a bolt from the blue. Imagine a combination of The Mamas & The Papas and Jefferson Airplane at their spookiest, with shedloads of virtuoso violin and flanged percussion all the way through.
One more note: the self-titled album from which this song comes has an absolutely gorgeous cover (see http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000000DPF.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg), but the re-release is just white type on black - shame on Columbia.
from It's A Beautiful Day, available on CD
16 Jan 03 ·konsu: Unfortunately, nothing quite this good is an FM staple in the US. Their market is crowded with crap
mook-rock like Boston or Journey... Although I have
heard their stuff on more "educated" radio, like say
NPR or maybe college-based freeform playlists.
Great stuff! 17 Jan 03 ·G400 Custom: I love Journey and Boston as well... does this make me a mook? :-) 17 Jan 03 ·konsu: ;) Escape was one of my first records... I have no
shame! 19 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: This song got substantial airplay when I was a boy, back around 1970...I loved the melancholy sound that it has. I got the CD as a gift and it is pretty good, although "White Bird" is by far the best song on it.
This was one of the second generation San Francisco bands that came up after the Haight-Ashbury era.
Awesome reworking of the milqetoast Tommy James hit, using Sweet Inspirations-ish background singers, infectious bubbling percussion, rousing horns and some of the fuzziest guitar ever to appear on any Scottish person's record. An impeccable Miki Dallon production and a great example of British blue-eyed soul.
from I've Paid My Dues (Decca) available on CD - Indian Reservation/I've Paid My Dues (Edsel)
07 Dec 05 ·Swinging London: Very swinging indeed...never heard of Don...I'm gonna track him down though.
Very American 1969 sound...for a Scottish guy. 20 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: I thought he was English, not Scottish! Anyhow, I have
two 45s by him, "Indian Reservation" and "Lola". Of course, Paul Revere and the Raiders covered "Indian Reservation" and had a number one hit. Fardon isn't well known here in the U.S.
