Paul Simon.
In his first solo album since the split of Simon & Garfunkel two years prior, Paul Simon answers any doubts on who the songwriting talent was in the duo. While Simon’s earlier work was largely folk orientated, this album sees a variety of influences from different genres, while retaining some of the essence of folk that launched Simon’s career. The opening track “Mother and Child Reunion”, has a Motown feel to it, while also incorporating the reggae sound from the recording location, Kingston. Some of the later tracks feature hallmarks of blues, but also add a touch of samba and Latin America to the ensemble. Simon’s lyrics on this album are at times brutally honest about his life; on “Congratulations” the pain and heartbreak of his failing marriage is apparent for all listeners to hear. Being Paul Simon though, he also throws in a bona fide pop song to appeal to the masses in “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”. Simon produces true art without Art.
Super Fly.
Not having seen the film for which this album serves as a soundtrack I couldn’t possibly compare the two, however having read a little about the blaxploitation flick there is a theme that reoccurs throughout both: the drug abuse plaguing the ghettos of America. Curtis Mayfield’s Super Fly is largely critical of drug dealers and warns of the dangers of drug use; “Freddie’s Dead” in particular is an uncompromising fable for wannabe junkies. On “Pusherman” however, Mayfield shifts the point of view to that of the dealers, and empathises somewhat, portraying them as victims as much as the people they supply to. While Mayfield is critical of drug abuse, he is understanding in that he realises it is a vicious cycle from which it is difficult to escape. The lyrics on Super Fly, “Little Child Runnin’ Wild” especially, also make reference to the poverty experienced by those living in the ghetto and, more generally, the inequality in society. The sound behind Mayfield’s lyrics is unmistakably 70s but with a slight twist: groovy, funky bass licks, a psychedelic electric guitar with a plenty of brass and string accompaniments; exemplified in the instrumental “Junkie Chase”, reminiscent of a 70s cop show theme. This album sure is funky, I ain’t no junkie.
Harvest.
My first experience of a Neil Young album begins with Harvest, the record that propelled Young to stardom and is generally considered to be his finest work. Harvest is by and large a collection of country rock ballads with story-like lyrics more synonymous with the folk rock genre. Young’s poetic lyrics on “The Needle and the Damage Done” warn heroin addicts against its use and the price they pay for it, based on Young’s own experiences with fellow musicians while, ultimately, foreshadowing the death of his Crazy Horse band mate Danny Whitten. On “A Man Needs a Maid” and “There’s a World”, the London Symphony Orchestra provide an accompaniment to Young’s vocals, giving a somewhat grandiose sound to the songs. While it could be interpreted as being pretentious on the part of Young, I prefer to sit on the more optimistic side and believe that Young was trying to redefine country rock music by pushing the boundaries of acceptability. Young successfully combines different genres on “Words (Between the Lines of Age” with the song having a more progressive rock vibe to it, which works wonderfully, in fact an entire album dedicated to this would be very interesting. Throughout Harvest, Young is backed by some of the most successful musicians of the time; not only his fellow supergroup band mates David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, but also Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor; giving the album an air of prestige. Are you ready for the country?
Pink Moon.
Nick Drake’s third and final album, released two years before his death at the age of 26, is a beautifully written and performed piece from a man who clearly struggled with mental health issues. Throughout the album, apart from a short piano riff on the title track, the only accompaniment to Drake’s raspy vocals is his acoustic guitar. While his hushed, intimate voice invite us to listen closer, his guitar pushes us away in a manner somewhat befitting of Drake’s personality: he’s shy and introverted yet lonely and longing for companionship. In a record so filled with melancholy, the songs total only 28 minutes, which comes as something of a relief; any longer and the anguish felt by Drake would become too great. That being said, it is impossible to listen to Pink Moon just once, each play unveils new qualities and every song is a masterpiece of the folk genre. For the full experience of this album play on a dark, rainy Saturday evening, preferably alone, sat next to a window as you contemplate your own existence.
Ege Bamyasi.
It’s difficult to know what to say about this album by CAN. While there are a few songs that fall into the category of “conventional”, much of the record is experimental to say the least, and very experimental to say the most. The opening track, “Pinch” wastes no time in setting the tone for the album, dominated by the drums with an eclectic accompaniment playing seemingly at random, while the vocals are reminiscent of a paralytic Lou Reed. The stand out song on Ege Bamyasi is the ten minute thirty two second psychotic breakdown, “Soup”. The quickening drums, the over distortion of the guitar, the screaming gibberish; the overall composition of the song results in something that is by no means enjoyable, yet it produces an emotional reaction in the listener, even if it is an anxiety attack that causes them to lay in a quiet room covered in a blanket for several hours to recover. “Vitamin C” is the most conventional song on the album since it contains a fairly standard song structure, making it an enjoyable break from the rest of the record that seems to want to fracture the listener’s mind, just because. This is definitely not for everyone, yet anybody can find something in this album that evokes something in them.
Back to the Culture 