Oh comely (Neutral Milk Hotel) (LP 3350 - 3351)

Neutral Milk Hotel  On Avery Island (CD, Merge Records, 1996) *** 

Neutral Milk Hotel  In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (CD, Merge Records, 1998) ***** 

Genre: Alt-rock

Places I remember: Fopp, HMV

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Two-Headed Boy (Aeroplane)

Gear costume: Holland 1945 (Aeroplane)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Neutral Milk Hotel is the brainchild of Jeff Mangum, and more of a solo project on the first album On Avery Island. While it's lo-fi and quite experimental there are hints of the glory to come with the second album (the one I bought first incidentally).

On Avery Island is mainly a collaboration between Mangum and friend/producer Robert Schneider. Critic Jason Ankeny sums up proceedings well - Throughout the record, Jeff Mangum's wheels threaten to fly off at any time -- his songs are cryptic and crazed, his ideas fast and furious, and together they force the home-recording concept out of the basement and into a brave new world.

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is Neutral Milk Hotel's second, and final, album. It's an inspired collection that just grows in stature with each playing. Jeff's delivery is more confident, and the sound is lusher than the first album.

A Pitchfork critic sums up my feelings towards this album well - It's an album people want to keep for themselves—sharing it with only those closest to them. The way it has become a quintessential cult album—widely loved as well as widely unknown—makes it easy to believe there's something special between you and it—that it's yours alone no matter how many people love it.

Where do they all belong? A unique bit of alt-rock.

Thanx for the ride (Michael Nesmith) (LP 3342 - 3349)

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band  Magnetic South (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1970) *****  

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band  Loose Salute (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1970) *****  

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band  Nevada Fighter (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1971) ***  

Michael Nesmith  And The Hits Just Keep On Comin' (Vinyl, 7a Records, 1972) *****  

Michael Nesmith  The Prison (Vinyl, Pacific Arts Records, 1972) *****  

Michael Nesmith  From A Radio Engine To The Photon Wing (Vinyl, Stetson Records, 1977) ***  

Michael Nesmith  Live At The Palais (Vinyl, Pacific Arts Records, 1978) **** 

Michael Nesmith  Infinite Rider On The Big Dogma (Vinyl, Pacific Arts Records, 1979) *** 

Genre: Country rock, country, pop 

Places I remember: A secondhand shop in Santa Monica (California); Real Groovy Records, Amoeba Records (Los Angeles), record fair, Spellbound Wax Company (Photon Wing), a Melbourne record shop (Live at The Palais).

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Joanne (Magnetic South) 

Gear costume: Rainmaker (Nevada Fighter), Two Different Roads, Different Drum (And The Hits...)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I have a deep admiration for Mike/Michael Nesmith (as a person and a musician) and The Monkees, of course. It was a fantastic night seeing him with Micky Dolenz with my close friends in Auckland a few years ago. What a songwriter. What a singer. What a great guy!

His solo career got off to an obscure start with an instrumental album in 1968 with an L.P. credited to The Wichita Train Whistle (which I don't have). His second album was a fresh start with The First National Band - Magnetic South. It's the one with Joanne.

Five of he eleven songs came from his time in The Monkees, but by this time he'd embraced country rock to spectacular effect. 'Red' Rhodes emerges as a star on his pedal steel and he'd be joining Nez for a fair while to come.

It's brilliant, relaxed, funny, and I even love his yodeling on Mama Nantucket!

Loose Salute was his second album of 1970. This is the one with Silver Moon and the retooled Listen To The Band. There's also a cover version of I Fall To Pieces that sounds like a Nez original.  

The country rock sound continues unabated on Loose Salute, although it's a rockier version than on Magnetic South. 

It's another complete stunner of an album. 'Red' Rhodes continues to deliver some brilliant pedal steel and Nez sings with complete confidence.

Nevada Fighter is the third and final album Nez recorded with The First National Band, but lineup changes during its recording mean it is augmented with session players. There are a lot of cover songs on side 2 - most notable being The Rainmaker - a song I've always loved by Harry Nilsson and Bill Martin.

I haven't yet found a copy of his next album Tantamount To Treason (1972) with The Second National Band, so next up is the sparkily titled And The Hits Just Keep On Comin' (ha ha), which is just Nesmith on guitar/vocals and Rhodes on pedal steel. It's a beautiful country rock record, with the sparse instrumentation meaning that the lyrics become more important (because they are clearly delineated yunnerstan). 

There are many highlights - Two Different Roads is a beautiful song and this is the one with Different Drum (a hit for Linda Ronstadt of course).

My copy, procured from Amoeba Records in Los Angeles, is a 50th anniversary edition on coloured vinyl and with four bonus tracks that are cool to have for a change - I'm generally not a fan of bonus tracks.

I have another gap to fill (1973's Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stack) before my next album - The Prison. I have the vinyl album and inner sleeve but not the full packaging that went with it (a novella and a cover), so that's something I'm also looking for in my wanderings.

The Prison (a.k.a. The Prison: A Book with a Soundtrack) is the first part of a trilogy made up of a companion novella/album entitled The Garden (1994) and I believe there is a third installment titled The Ocean. I have neither of those albums but I'm keen to find them.

Although 'Red' Rhodes again appears, The Prison moves away from Nez's country rock sound. In fact, I struggle to hear the pedal steel, instead the album features some beautiful, at times lush, and jazzy, instrumentation that makes the songs float along as Nez sings very calmly about existential matters. I think it's a work of genius! Way better than Astral Weeks!

Next up is From A Radio Engine To A Photon Wing. Say what? Nez moves to a decidedly more poppy style for this cryptically titled album. This is the one with Rio. How typically Nesmith - to go from the deliberately non-hits The Prison (the whole album is like one song) to the pop masterpiece of Rio!

Live At The Palais was recorded in Australia, Melbourne to be precise. As the liner notes by Nez say, like capturing lightning in a bottle, "Live albums are tough". In this case he "just decided to pick a date at random and take what I got".

In this case - what he got was an excellent set of live versions of his songs. I don't even mind the silent gaps between songs! He returns to his country rock sound as he manages to include some terrific versions of his songs like Calico Girlfriend, Joanne, Silver Moon and Some Of Shelly's Blues.

The final album on my list is his studio follow up to Photon Wing - Infinite Rider On The Big Dogma. This is the one with Cruisin'.

It's a very different Nez who fronts up on Infinite Rider. More playful, more rocky, more eclectic, but the same dry wit is in evidence and the same ease of delivery. The man was a marvel!

Where do they all belong? So, a few missing pieces of the Nez puzzle to track down - hopefully when I least expect it I'll stumble upon them - that seems to be how I've found the ones I own.

Path of light (Nektar) (LP 3341)

Nektar  Remember The Future (Vinyl, Passport Records, 1974) ****  

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Tron Records (Hamilton)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Remember the future part 1

Gear costume: Remember the future part 2 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Formed in Germany by some ex-pat Brits, this is Nektar's most successful album, both critically and commercially.

It was their fourth album and another concept album to boot. You've gotta love the early seventies!

Both sides are taken up with the title track - a continuous piece of music with a number of subtitles. It unfurls in a beautiful way and rewards repeat listens - it goes past quickly. Before I know it I'm replaying side 1. 

Where do they all belong? A good to great prog album of 1973. That's high praise!

Simple man (Graham Nash) (LP 3338 - 3340)

Graham Nash  Songs For Beginners (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1971) ***  

Graham Nash  Wild Tales (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1973) ****  

Graham Nash  This Path Tonight (CD, Blue Castle Records, 2016) ****  

Genre: Pop rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Oh! Camil (The Winter Song), On the Line (Wild Tales)

Gear costume: I Used To Be A King (Songs For Beginners with Phil Lesh, Crosby and Garcia featuring); Beneath The Waves (This Path Tonight)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Compared to Crosby, Stills, and Young, I only have three solo albums by Nash - making him, on the surface, the weakest link. He does contribute mightily to Crosby/Nash and CSNY so that's a tad unfair, but you get what I mean, solo wise.

Songs For Beginners was his solo debut album. It showcases his talents well. His breakup with Joni is obvious throughout the album with several songs touching on the rawness of that experience. The introspective Nash is part and parcel of his approach - his subject matter is often himself, but he's self-pity free luckily.

Most critics favour Songs For Beginners over his other albums, but I'm a real fan of Wild Tales. Even though it features a similar cast of wider CSNY friends, it's a different sound on Wild Tales; a tougher sound thanks to David Lindley's guitar, more space given to Graham Nash's harmonica, a more upfront drum/bass sound and some better songs (IMHO). 

At times the moody approach even presages Neil's approach to Tonight's The Night. Take a listen to Hey You (looking at the Moon) and tell me it isn't so. Other highlights are the title song, And So It Goes, Oh! Camil (The Winter Song), On The Line...but really the whole album is a stunner.

The third album again has Nash in reflective/broody mood after another breakup - this time with Susan Nash - his wife of 38 years! The shots of him in the CD cover and booklet reveal a miserable looking guy - no smiles!

Thirty-eight years is something, and I have no idea of the circumstances (Susan's replacement was Amy Grantham - around half his age), but the optics are not good. The music is mostly sombre and his vocals now show his age, plus there is now self-pity. And I'll leave it at that.

Where do they all belong? The 2018 compilation (Over The Years...) combines the hits with a CD of demos and is interesting. It's certainly a good place to start. He will return when we get to The Hollies.

Asylum (Naked City) (LP 3337)

Naked City  Radio (CDR, 1993) ***  

Genre: Alt-rock

Places I remember: Keegan gave me a copy.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Outsider (Thriller jazz, on YouTube)

Gear costume: Sunset Surfer  (On YouTube)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Ye gods - this one is a challenge and not for the faint of heart! I had a heavy cold on the day I relistened to this for the blog and it summed up what was in my head for sure.

First track (Asylum) is, on the surface, a cacophonous loosener - Captain Beefheart style - a potential warning. Then second track (Sunset Surfer) is a groovy surf instrumental.

As the album name implies - this comes across as if it was a radio station playing a range of hip songs - 19 in all. That idea sums up their eclectic approach on this record. Each song tackles a different genre - jazz, surf, R&B, death metal, funk, acid rock, and surrealism work together throughout those 19 songs. You need to embrace the bravery of that approach to make it through to the end.

The band includes John Zorn (alto sax), Fred Frith (bass) and Bill Frisell (guitar). They prove that they can play anything!

 

Ultimately, it's an exhilarating experience, if you give yourself to it.

Where do they all belong? A cool little set of weirdness.

Zen brain (Nada Surf) (LP 3330 - 3336)

Nada Surf  high/low (CD, Elektra Records, 1996) ***  

Nada Surf  The Proximity Effect (CD, Elektra Records, 1998) ** 

Nada Surf  Let Go (CD, Barsuk Records, 2002) **** 

Nada Surf  Let Go (CD, Barsuk Records, 2002) **** 

Nada Surf  Lucky (CD, Barsuk Records, 2008) **** 

Nada Surf  if i had a hi-fi (CD, Mardev Records, 2010) **** 

Nada Surf  Live In Brussels (CD, Mardev Records, 2010) **** 

Genre: Alt-rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records; Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi); HMV; Fopp.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: 80 Windows, Stalemate (Live in Brussels)

Gear costume: Inside of Love (Let Go) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: High/low was the debut album by this American alt-rock band, produced by The Cars' Ric Ocasek. He has pop smarts and he helps the guys produce an excellent opening salvo.

Nada Surf are: Matthew Caws (guitar/vocals), Daniel Lorca (bass) and Ira Elliot (drums). Caws and Lorca are the Lennon/McCartney of the band.

The songs on the mid nineties debut are punchy in a Weezer sort of way. Helps that I like Weezer as well! I actually prefer Nada Surf though, as they seem to be happy to play around with their sound and song structures more.

The Proximity Effect suffers a bit from second album syndrome. There's nothing wrong with it as such but the songs aren't as memorable as those on their debut and Fred Maher's production isn't as poppy as Ric's. It's fine as it goes but it doesn't make any advances on High/Low.

Third album, Let Go, has a more mannered sound and shows a few different looks that weren't visible on the previous two albums. It's the best of their first three albums, and even gained some traction via TV and commercials. It's a much more mellow affair and is a successful reset for the band.

Lucky is their fifth studio album, and although the album cover looks black, it isn't - just a very low horizon shot that is quite stunning when you tilt the cover a certain way.

It's a reward for those like me, who stuck with the band - it's a mature sound, a long way from High/Low and (especially) The Proximity Effect. It's a tad heavier than Let Go, but only a tad. The Nada Surf pop hooks remain from that earlier record.

If i had a hi-fi (all lower case) signals a slight sideways movement, in that it's an album of cover versions. Thanks to the mostly obscure songs, it's one of those cool cover albums that sounds like the band's own work. Until The Moody Blues' Question pops up, that is. No mistaking that one.

Final album in my list is the Live In Brussels set. It's great! An excellent setlist that takes in the full range of their career. They are obviously an excellent live band and Matthew's French is flawless!

There are plenty of highlights but Stalemate is superb with the band morphing into Love Will Tear Us Apart, and Popular (from their first album) is given a great punk pop polish.

Where do they all belong? Keen to get the missing albums - The Weight Is A Gift, Never Not Together and Moon Mirror. 

Ever since the world began (Gary Myrick and The Figures) (LP 3329)

Gary Myrick and The Figures  Gary Myrick and The Figures (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1980) ****  

Genre: Pop rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: She Talks In Stereo (the studio version isn't available on Spotify)

Gear costume: Model (ditto)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Side one of this album is perfect! Five superb songs that, effortlessly, have me bopping around the room. I can picture my downstairs workspace at 4 Ramelton Road as I listen to this.

While side two isn't as strong, they continue the infectious energy of the five on side one for the most part. I have no idea why they weren't huge. This album isn't even available on Spotify. Weird.

Where do they all belong? Perfectly sums up 1980! That's it for the M's. First up in the N's - Nada Surf.