Monday, July 15, 2013

John St. Field - Control (1971 uk, beautiful acid psych folk rock)

 

Born in 1950 into a Romany (Roma) family, Jackie Leven spent his childhood and teenage years clearly marked out as an outsider in the clannish, insular world that was Fife, Scotland at that time. Although Scottish himself, neither of his parents were from the area - his father was an Irish Cockney, his mother was from a large Northumberland (Geordie) family, and adapting to existing cultural norms was a hard, if not formidable task for such incomers.
 
This seems to have formed the start of an independence of mind in the young Leven, hopelessly wayward at school (although outstanding at English and essay writing), with few friends, and those mostly considered 'oddball'. His attendance at school was woeful, but those truanting times spent alone in glens and hills and by rivers still form the basis of his songs' imagery to this day.
 
Things started to change in his early teens. His mother, unusually for the time and the place, was a lover of American black blues music, and although Jackie was used to coming in the door from school to the strains of 'I got the blues in the bottle, but the stopcork in my hand' by Lightnin' Hopkins, it was a source of fascination to school friends whose own homes resonated to the sound of Wooden Heart by Elvis Presley.
 
Soon he was playing in local bands - the first real electric scene at this time in this part of the world, but also playing his own blues songs in local folk clubs, such as the Elbow Room in Kirkcaldy, where he was encouraged by stalwarts of the scene like Archie Fisher and Hamish Imlach, and passing singers like Doris Henderson, with whom he played a few shows as guitarist.
 
However, such activity also brought him to the attention of local gangs, one in particular starting a baseless vendetta against him, and he was duly obliged to leave Fife, and indeed Scotland. This precipitated years of rootless wandering, sleeping rough, living hand to mouth, including a four month stint living in corners of the South Bank Centre, London, where he busked for a living. This was during the late sixties when there was much less of the (relatively) ready acceptance of street musicians that now exists in the capital.
 
He also lived variously in County Kerry, Ireland, Berlin and Madrid, where he had a record released, “Control” (1971) By John St Field (his stage name of the time) - now considered to be a psychedelic underground classic. He started to live in squatted accommodation in different locations in the UK where he began to encounter people with real and sometimes serious mental illness and psychic disorder. He often quotes the American poet Theodore Roethke's great line - 'for what is madness but nobility of soul at odds with circumstance?'.
JackieLeven
Tracks
1. Soft Lowland Tongue - 4:14
2. Ruins - 3:41
3. The Problem - 10:45
4. Dune Voices - 3:15
5. Raerona - 6:06
6. I'm Always A Prinlaws Boy - 4:13
7. Mansion Tension - 3:27
8. Dog Star - 5:19
9. Sleeping In Bracken - 1:24
Words and Music by Jackie Leven

Musicians
*John Haines - Drums
*Joe Kuccer - Flute, Baritone Sax
*Jackie Leven - Guitars, Keyboards, Bass, Vocals
*Phil Ryan - Organ, Moog
*Alex Atterson - Piano
*Jesse Ballard, Juliet Lawson - Vocals

Free Text

Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night (1973 uk, exceptional progressive rock, japan SHM extra tracks issue)



 After Waterloo Lily, Caravan returned with their most inspired recording since In the Land of the Grey and Pink. The splendidly titled For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night is several steps ahead in terms of fresh musical ideas that wholly incorporate the band's trademark humor within the otherwise serious and challenging sonic structures.

Two of the more dominant reasons for the change in Caravan's sound were the return of keyboardist Dave Sinclair and the addition of violist Peter Geoffrey Richardson. Die-hard fans gladly welcomed Sinclair back, however, Richardson was met with heckles from enthusiasts during live appearances. They were soon silenced as his place on For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night easily ranks among Caravan's watershed moments.

There are perhaps none better than the mesmerizing counterpoint melodies he weaves during the "L'Auberge Du Sanglier" suite. While not completely abandoning their jazz leanings, For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night is considerably focused back into the rock genre. Ironically, the album also features some rather elaborate orchestration. In context, it is quite effective in creating emphasis -- especially on the leadoff track "Memory Lain, Hugh," as well as the dreamy mid-tempo "The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again."

The remastered CD also includes five additional tracks. The first four are demos featuring the band without orchestra and with some notable differences, such as the distinct lead guitar opening to "Memory Lain, Hugh." "Derek's Long Thing" is another instrumental piece penned by keyboardist Derek Austin -- one of the two transitional Caravan members chosen to replace Steve Miller. A must-own for inclined parties.
by Lindsay Planer
Tracks
1. Memory Lain, Hugh/Headloss - 9:19
2. Hoedown - 3:10
3. Surprise, Surprise - 3:45
4. C'thlu Thlu - 6:10
5. The Dog, The Dog, He’s At It Again - 5:53
6. Be Alright/Chance Of A Lifetime - 6:38
7. L'auberge Du Sanglier/A Hunting We Shall Go/Pengola/Backwards/A Hunting We Shall Go (Reprise) (P. Hastings, John G. Perry, Mike Ratledge) - 9:46
8. Memory Lain, Hugh/Headloss - Us Mix - 9:18
9. No! - "Be Alright"/Waffle - "Chance Of A Lifetime" - 5:10
10.He Who Smelt It Dealt It - "Memory Lain, Hugh" - 4:43
11.Surprise, Surprise - 3:15
12.Derek's Long Thing (Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings) - 11:00
All compositions by Pye Hastings except where indicated

Caravan
*Pye Hastings – Singer, Vocals, Guitar
*Geoff Richardson – Viola
*David Sinclair – Organ, Piano, Electric Piano, Davoli Synthesizer, A.R.P. Synthesizer
*John G. Perry – Bass Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
*Richard Coughlan – Drums, Percussion, Timpani
Additional personnel
*Rupert Hine – A.R.P. Synthesizer
*Frank Ricotti – Congas
*Jimmy Hastings – Flute
*Paul Buckmaster – Electric Cello
*Tony Coe – Clarinet, Tenor Sax
*Pete King – Flute, Alto Sax
*Harry Klein – Clarinet, Baritone Sax
*Henry Lowther – Trumpet
*Jill Pryor – Voice
*Chris Pyne – Trombone
*Barry Robinson – Piccolo
*Tom Whittle – Clarinet, Tenor Sax
*Orchestra Arranged By John Bell And Martyn Ford, Conducted By Martyn Ford
the journey of Caravan
1968  Caravan (Japan SHM remaster)
1970  If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You (Japan SHM remaster)
1971  In The Land Of Grey And Pink (Japan SHM remaster)
1972  Waterloo Lily (Japan Mini LP)

Free Text
Text Host