Neapolitan

I thought about the idea for this journal for some time now. I am calling it Albums from Antiquity but it not exclusively about albums. And I am using "antiquity" from the idea that cars are "antiques" after 25 years. So this journal is basically about music released over 25 years ago. My listening habits usually change between genres, and eras. After listening to one type of music I have to switch. My love for older music has always been an interest of mine, and it's always something I go back to, it's my comfort zone. I understand maybe it's not for every one, and it's possible that appreciation for it is an acquired taste. So I start this journal with no expectations. I have a feeling it be totally irrelevant to the general Music Banter audience. I have some apprehension because that, yet something is compelling me to go ahead make this journal.

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Pet_Sounds

Subbed and anxiously awaiting updates.

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Everybody's dying just to get the disease

Neapolitan

Placeholder for

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Trollheart

Nice one, Mr N. If nothing else, it will certainly be different and remember, there was a thread called "Old timey music", so I bet at least Janszoon, Engine and others will be interested. So will I. Also looking forward to this.

PS Pet_Sounds, do you realise that the post above is number 1,234 of yours?

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Neapolitan

band: Apple
album title: an Apple a day ...
band members:

• Jeff Harrod – Bass
• Dave Brassington – Drums
• Robbo Ingram – Guitar
• Charlie Barber – Piano
• Dennis Regan – Vocals

personel: Producer – Caleb Quaye
tracklist:
1. Let's Take a Trip Down the Rhine
2. Doctor Rock
3. The Otherside
4. Mr. Jones
5. The Mayville Line
6. Queen of the Hearts Blues
7. Rock Me Baby
8. Buffalo Billycan
9. Photograph
10. Psycho Daisies
11. Sporting Life
12. Pretty Girl Love You
bonus tracks:
13. Let's Take a Trip Down the Rhine (single mix)
14. Buffalo Billycan (single mix)
15. Doctor Rock (single mix)
16. The Otherside (single mix)

Apple only released on album. They sound somewhere between The Beatles and Tomorrow. Every song has a style of its own. They can play the Blues as good as Savoy Brown as on "Rock Me Baby". They do Sgt Pepper type Psychedelia just throw in some blistering lead guitar somewhere that lies on a line between Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton and triangulate it with Steve Howe. And back it with a tight Rhythm section.

The most interesting song to me is "The Otherside" which seems like an anachronism. If I didn't know better I would guess the song was from the late 70s — if I heard the song not know when it was released. Being that it's a introspective and melancholy tune that would fit well along side songs released by bands e.g. The Motors or The Boomtown Rats during the late 70s.

[continued later ... ]

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Neapolitan

band: Fushia
album: Fushia
rating: epic ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ (5/5 stars)

tracklist:

1. Gone With The Mouse 4:01
2. A Tiny Book 8:03
3. Another Nail 6:57
4. Shoes And Ships 6:14
5. The Nothing Song 8:23
6. Me And My Kite 2:34
7. Just Anyone 3:33

band members:

• Tony Durant - acoustic & electric guitars, vocals
• Michael Day - bass
• Michael Gregory - drums, percussion
  • string section:
• Janet Rogers - violin, backing vocals
• Vanessa Hall-Smith - violin, backing vocals
• Madeleine Bland - cello, piano, harmonium, backing vocals

I love this album. Usually I get bored with albums and stop half way through, (I can even get bored with a three minute song) but with this album is so different. It's such easy listen. I feel compelled to listen to from beginning to end. Very much like how people say they so intrigued with a book they can't put it down. From beginning to end there is something going on, some build up, some change that keeps it interesting.

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Neapolitan

band name: Twin Engine
members:
Constantine Gusias - guitar, vocals
Randy Naylor - acoustic guitar, organ, vocals
album title: Twin Engine

1. Give My Love A Chance
2. My Life Gets Better Every Day
3. Secrets
4. Mistress Of The Morning
5. No Time Is Better Than Now
6. Darlin'
7. Flowered Wall
8. Can't Keep My Mind Off Of You
9. Gold Mine
10. When Will I Be Loved
11. The Time Is Now
12. Same Train

This is an album I found by chance on YouTube. It is one of those albums that was recorded and canned for whatever reason. It was recorded in 1971 and then released thirty-something years later in 2004.

Twin Engine are are singer/song writers Constantine Gusias and Randy Naylor. Looking up information on it I was surprise to find to see who's on the album. For studio musicians they have Clarence White, Chris Hillman and Sneaky Pete Kleinow. Sneaky Pete was a sessions musician for The Byrds and the recording artist he record with reads like a Who's Who. The Everly Brothers, Jackson Brown, Linda Ronstadt, Eagles, The Ventures et al. I really enjoyed the album before I knew all of that. But after learning that I felt I stumbled into a really great find. The guitar playing can be intricate and layered. The harmony style is very good, and lie somewhere between The Everly Brothers and The Byrds. In fact they do a cover of the EB, When Will I Be Loved.

This is an album to hear if you like The Byrds are into The Flying Burrito Brothers. The album is a missing puzzle piece to what else was done by the members of those bands.

The Time Is Now

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JGuy Grungeman

Gonna try this out. 1971 is one of my favorite years in music, anyway.

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I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.

Lisnaholic

Only just noticed that this journal exists! It seems like a great resource for discovering obscure albums from 40 or so years ago. So far, Fushia is the only name I recognize so I'm enjoying the exploration....

The Apple track you highlighted, The Outsider, has a wonderful, biting guitar running through it, as do other tracks, like Buffalo Billycan. And I'm glad you mentioned Rock Me Baby, my favourite so far. As the vocalist says, "Nice!"

I was listening to some Flying Burrito Brothers last weekend, so I was curious about Twin Engine, but a little disappointed by The Time Is Now, mainly on account of the vocals. Too much Everly Brothers and not enough Sneaky Pete imo. As for the Flying BBs themselves, I really like Hot Burrito#2, but can live without most of their material, tbh.

Anyway, I'm going to move on to some of the other intriguing-looking albums that you've covered here, so I hope you keep this journal going Neapolitan. Your reviews are concise, but very useful, especially your specific track picks.
Keep up the good work, and thanks.

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

Neapolitan

band:The Sugar Shoppe
album: The Sugar Shoppe
tracklist:

1. Skip-a-long Sam 3:00
2. The Attitude 2:18
3. Baby Baby 3:18
4. Take Me Away 2:59
5. Let The Truth Come Out 2:57
6. Follow Me (From "Camelot") 2:30
7. Poor Papa 2:24
8. Privilege (From The Film "Privilege") 3:08
9. Papa, Won't You Let Me Go To Town With You 3:30
10. The Candy Children Song 2:35
11. Hangin' Together 2:29

The first track is Skip-a-long Sam. "It's very jammy" as Donovan would say. He should know, he wrote the tune, and a great tune at that. Donovan is genius to write such a catchy song. Their approach is a bit different from his. He sings the original with a hypnotic voice with a syncopated delivery back by a drummer using brushes, a guitar player comping out Jazz chords, and piano player lightly tickling the ivory keys. In comparison the original is very minimalist. The Candy Shoppe pull out all the stops with a band. They add vibes, horns, and four part harmony. The ending is a bit oddly, the guy asks Sam "you've been trippin?" and she says "no, skippin" then they start to laugh, but a little too much, he begins to sound like Dr. Evil, from Austen Powers.

As a vocal group, there is an immediate connection with The Mamas & The Papas, and The 5th Dimension. They make up some of the best in Sunshone Pop. Where The Mamas and the Papas and The 5th Dimension were based in California (with some member coming from other parts of the country) The Sugar Shoppe were from Canada. Not sure if they had any success elsewhere. However one member from the group, Victor Garber, went on to a half decent acting career. He was in Sleepless in Seattle and Legally Blonde. He currently plays Dr. Martin Stein, a regular on Legends of Tomorrow and as a guest star on The Flash. Victor Garber - IMDb

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