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- June 2007
- Rating: 10/10+
Whether youre a folk fan or not, this is esssential listening.
Its more of a jangle-strings driven thing than trad folk, so theres hugecrossover appeal. Having played it so much recently, its become one of myall-time favourites.
Baltimore born Robert Neale Lind aka Bob Lind, was an American folk singer-songwriterwho became a one hit wonder in the UK with hit Elusive Butterfly, whichpeaked at five in ’66. The other, Chicago-born Bernard Alfred Jack Nitzschewas originally an aspiring jazz saxophonist who eventually went on to becomePhil Spectors right hand man in the production room, who effectively createdthe Wall Of Sound.
So, their collaboartion was something of an enigma, a sort of accidentalmarriage of convenience, though Nitzshe did branch out working with mid-60sRolling Stones, contributing keyboard textures to their Paint It Black andRuby Tuesday, then later with Neil Young.
Here the pair come together to create another genre – orchestarted folk-rock.It works to perfection as it happens. They first met in Lenny Waronkersoffice in Metric Music Publishing in 1965. Waronker didnt think Linds musiccarried enough impact. Lind had just signed with Metric. Nitzsche was lookingfor material for some of the groups he was producing. The seed was sown. Lindplayed some tunes on acoustic guitar, with Nitzsche suitably impressed, thatwas it. Nitzsche became his producer.
For a songwriter who couldnt read music or even name the chords he played,Lind wrote some incredible music, aided by Nitsches immaculate productiontechiques. The nest results are creamy string drenched marvels which were aprecursor to the late ’60s/early ’70s simple country/folk exploits of Young,John Denver and peers.
The whopping 25-track listing has a dream-like quality where appropriate, principallydue to Nitzsches orchestration. There are moments, when it sounds dated, notthat it matters. Choosing a best of list is difficult, but as Im often compelledto, they are Mr.Zero, Drifters Sunrise, It Wasnt Just The Morning, Eleanor,I Cant Walk Roads Of Anger, due to their Byrds-like quality.
San Francisco Woman,The World Is… rise above the subtle melancholic, though never depressing,spirit.
Funnily enough, other than Elusive Butterfly itself, previously unreleaseddemos of Whose Is The Funeral and Bring It All Down, done inacoustic format, prove Lind could hack it on his own, and are amongst the mainhighlights, of which there are many.
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Elusive Butterfly
2. Mr.Zero
3. You Should Have Seen It
4. Counting
5. Drifters Sunrise
6. Unlock The Door
7. Truly Julies Blues (Ill Be There)
8. Dale Anne
9. The World Is Just A B-Movie
10. Cheryls Goin Home
11. It Wasnt Just The Morning
12. I Cant Walk Roads Of Anger
13. Go Ask Your Man
14. Oh Babe Take Me Home
15. West Virginia Summers Child
16. Eleanor
17. San Fransisco Woman
18. The World Is Just A B-Movie Meets Reno, Funtown, USA
19. A Nameless Request
20. Remember The Rain
21. I Just Let It Take Me
22. Weve Never Spoken
23. I Cant Walk Roads Of Anger
24. Whose Is The The Funeral
25. Bring It All Down
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.