After years of thinking (quite selfishly) how tragic it was that Jeff Buckley only gave us two beautiful albums plus a few bits and pieces, I started to think that even though his old man died young as well, he released 9 albums and that there was almost certainly an untapped resource just asking for the tapping.
I've only got a couple so far (Goodbye and Hello, and Greetings from LA) but the similarities with Jeff are amazing. They both have this sort of (and I'm sure I'm not the first to use this term in reference to the Buckleys) 'sad beauty' about the melody and changes which just never fails to give me a lift. This song is a prime example of that.
from Goodbye and Hello
17 May 04 ·4givemyNglish: From Tim Buckley, i only knew the covers made by This Mortal Coil on their 3 LPs. I recently listened to the original versions of songs like Song to the Siren or I must Be Blind. Buckley had simply an awesome voice and that song you recommend is just beautiful.
This exquisite instrumental really takes me to another place. The exotic instrumentation, with vibes and great percussion, gives it an incredible atmosphere. To quote the CD's liner notes, 'it's as if you've walked into a grandiose movie setting'. Perhaps this dates me, but in fact when I hear this I find myself picturing some of the desert scenes in the movie Star Wars. I highly recommend the album.
The Hellers were a group of L.A. ad agency people making a pop record, and it shows in this slick opener to their only album. I love the mellow pacing, the otherworldly early synths, and the so-corny-they're-good group vocals. Overall, it comes off like a weird, wonderful hybrid of '60s AM radio promos and mildly psychedelic pop.
from ... Singers...Talkers...Players...Swingers... & Doers (Command)
05 Feb 02 ·bobbyspacetroup: That is a cool song. Very cool. The song I've really grown to love from this album is "The Mist Of Time." It makes me wish The Hellers had done more stuff outside of advertising music.
A great (neglected?) Bacharach & David song. There are three other versions by Rick Nelson & Joannie Sommers from the "On The Flipside" ABC TV special soundtrack. Though i like how it plays as a duet between Nelson and Sommers, Peggy March's vocals are ultimately the strongest. Hence, this is my favorite version. Hey, does anybody know of any other recordings of this song?
21 Jun 02 ·scrubbles: You're right, I love this little gem. Peggy March's voice is sexy, strong and way beyond her earlier girl groupy stuff. The arrangement is plush and understated, very "Bacharach". Thanks for writing about this.
Here's another early Burt Bacharach composition, this one from (or just a promotional piece for?) the William Wyler film "The Desperate Hours." I haven't seen the movie, but this song makes me want to. This song is steeped in a heavy film noir atmosphere -- with vibes and wailing sax -- that I love. Needless to say, this has a very different sound from the stuff Bacharach would become famous for a few years down the road.
