Disc of the day
The Feelies - The Good Earth
Good-natured powerpop gets two-thumbs-up from MOJO messageboarder.
Features Disc of the day
John Phllips
John the Wolfking Of L.A.
(Dunhill, 1970)
Mamas & The Papas’ nabob explores the murky side of his California dream…
Here in the UK the days have turned cold, the nights are drawing in and the season is ripe for the sonic warmth and psychic chill of Papa John’s solo debut. The evangelist of the a free and easy life under vibrant, Californian skies, by 1969 Phillips had found himself at the centre of a new, dangerous vortex, propelled by high-grade pharmaceuticals and an assortment of LA nasties. Written within the confines of his cavernous Bel Air mansion – frequented by The Manson Family barely two years before – Wolfking would become one of the first albums to sift through the shards of the hippie ideal and look into the cold, black eyes of what lay in wait – namely, Drum’s junkie scum on the prowl (“Some robbers they don't need no knives or guns babe / They come get you where you are / Somebody's come and stole my blackbird drum, baby / You know they took them from my car”). Doors are locked, curtains closed and a sense of foreboding lurks beneath the searching pedal-steel, lulling acoustic guitars, soulful harmonies and church-tinged pianos, and the album’s defining moment – a confession of surrender from this high priest of the US counter-culture – arrives amid the gentle folk wanderings of Topanga Canyon: “Oh Mary, I'm in deep waters / And it's way, way over my head / Everyone thought I was smarter / Than to be this dead”. The burnt-out languor of the ’70s singer-songwriter wave starts here.
Ross Bennett
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 6:00 AM GMT 20/11/2008
Further Listening
Love - The Blue Thumb Recordings (Hip-O-Select/Universal, 2007)
The Mamas And The Papas – If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears (Dunhill, 1966)
Gram Parsons – Grievous Angel (Reprise, 1974)
Previous Disc of the day
-
The Feelies - The Good Earth
Good-natured powerpop gets two-thumbs-up from MOJO messageboarder.
6:00 AM GMT 02/07/2009
-
Nic Jones - Game Set Match
Hatchet-direct performances by the lost voice of English folk. "Anyone for tennis?" asks MOJO messag
6:00 AM GMT 02/07/2009
-
Dan Penn - Nobody's Fool
One of soul's greatest songwriters steps into the limelight...
6:00 AM GMT 01/07/2009
-
Dinosaur Jr - Where You Been
Mid-period Dinos. Unfashionable but oh so lovable.
6:00 AM GMT 26/06/2009
-
Keith Moon - Two Sides Of The Moon
Who drummer bares posterior in words and music.
6:00 AM GMT 24/06/2009
-
Chico Hamilton Quintet/Elmer Bernstein - Sweet Smell Of Success
Double noir delights from jazz and orchestral giants!
6:00 AM GMT 23/06/2009
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A pedant writes. Isn't he singing about his black Pearl drums? Pearl being drum makers.
Posted by Wang Chung at 4:44 PM GMT 20/11/2008 Report Abuse
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