Clouds - Ladies And Gentlemen

Clouds - Ladies And Gentlemen (Ian Ellis/Billy Ritchie/Harry Hughes) del LP "Scrapbook", Island ILPS 9100 - 1969

Esta canción no estaba incluida en ninguno de los tres singles que Clouds editaron. Cerraba la cara uno de su primer LP. Y ya a los pocos segundos, se anuncia una de esas canciones especiales que tocan la fibra - no me preguntes cual. Elegante, bien provista de melodía, y con una orquestación al punto, ensancha el espiritu y dibuja una pequeña sonrisa escondida.

Clouds era un trío de Edinburgo - sin guitarra!, que además de los tres mencionados singles, editaron otros tantos LPs. "Scrapbook" es variopinto y con temas muy adecuados al pop como la mortalidad y las ambiciones fallidas. Un segundo álbum, "Up Above Our Heads", fué editado únicamente en USA. Tras "Watercolour Days", un LP con toques progresivos como mandaba la época, Clouds se disiparon en el aire. El organista, Billy Ritchie, parece ser que desapareció de la escena musical. Sus dos compañeros, el bajista Ian Ellis y el batería Harry hughes, lo intentaron un poco más. Tocaron con David Bowie en las maquetas para "Hunky Dory"... pero no fueron utilizadas. La vida es una tómbola.

Como reza la portada de "Scrapbook", "Riquezas en busca de un lugar al que pertenecer. Eso son los recuerdos, eso son las canciones."



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This song wasn't included on any of the three singles released by Clouds. It was closing side one of their first LP. And already after a few seconds, one of those very special songs is announced. Elegant, well provided with melody, and with an orchestration in the right measure, it broadens the spirit and draws a little hidden smile.

Clouds were a trio from Edinburgh - without a guitar!, which besides those already mentioned three singles, released as many LPs. "Scrapbook" is a diverse album, dealing with topics quite well related to pop as mortality and failed ambitions. A second one, "Up Above Our Heads", was released only in the U.S.A. After "Watercolour Days", an LP with progressive touches as times commanded, Clouds dissipated in the sky. It seems that organist Billy Ritchie quit the music scene for good. His two mates, bassist Ian Ellis and drumer Harry hughes, tried a little further on. They played with David Bowie on the "Hunky Dory" demo sessions... but they finally were not used. Life is a lottery.

As said on the "Scrapbook" cover, "Riches in search of a place to belong. Such are memories, such are songs."




http://rapidshare.com/files/359033045/Clouds_-_Ladies_And_Gentlemen.mp3

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Paul Revere & The Raiders - Your Love (Is The Only Love)

Paul Revere & The Raiders - Your Love (Is The Only Love) (Dennis Lambert / Brian Potter) Columbia 3-10126 - 1975

Cuando su último single oficial fué publicado, hacía casi unos diez años ya que Paul Revere & The Raiders habían dejado atrás su época dorada. La cara A del single en cuestión era una aguerrida versión del "Good Times" de The Easybeats, debídamente setentizada. En la cara B, casi a modo de despedida, aparecía esta sorpresa: Una multicolor canción que parece sacada del repertorio de algún grupo de northern soul de los 70. No en balde está compuesta por Dennis Lambert y Brian Potter, que ya habían escrito algunos grandes éxitos para The Four Tops, además de para The Grass Roots, Glen Campbell y muchos otros.

Pero, el público del Sonido Philadelphia no solía seguir a grupos de rock que andaban ya cuesta abajo. Los fans de The Raiders se habían hecho mayores y estaban por otros menesteres y, los pocos que quedaban, no se identificaban demasiado con los sonidos del soul de guante blanco. Además y después de todo, esto era tan sólo una cara B. Total, anonimato garantizado.

Probablemente, otro gallo habría cantado si la canción hubiera sido un single de The O'Jays o de The Spinners. Ya ves, también en la música, la apariencia, el nombre y el envoltorio parecen ser decisivos. Un gran canto del cisne.


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When their last official single was released, it was already about ten years ago that Paul Revere & The Raiders had left behind their peak and golden times. The A side of the single was a hard and duly seventized cover of "Good Times" by The Easybeats. On the B side, almost as some kind of goodbye, there was this suprise: A multicoloured song which seems more taken from the set list of some 70s northern soul group. Indeed, it was written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, who had already penned some great hits for The Four Tops, and also The Grass Roots, Glen Campbell and many others.

But, the Philadelphia Sound audience didn't use to follow rock bands on their way downhill. The old fans from the Raiders were already grown up and with their 9 to 5 lives and, those few left, wouldn't get too indentified with these white eyed soul sounds. Also and after all, this was only a B side. So, anonimity guaranteed.

Probably, it would have been a quite different thing if the song had been a single by The O'Jays or The Spinners. You see, also in music, appearance, name and envelope seem to be a decisive point. A great swan song.



http://rapidshare.com/files/354921888/Paul_Revere___The_Raiders_-_Your_Love.mp3

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Tir Na Nog - Two White Horses

Tir Na Nog - Two White Horses (Sonny Condell) Chrysalis LP CHR 1006 - 1972

En 1969, Sonny Condell y Leo O'Kelly se unieron en Dublin bajo el nombre de Tir Na Nog ("Tierra De La Eterna Juventud" en gaélico). Su primer LP se publicaba en 1971 y, tras dos discos más, la eterna juventud se transmutó en algo diferente y el duo pasó a dicen que mejor vida.

"Two White Horses" es la canción que cierra su segundo álbum, "A Tear And A Smile". Grande y pequeña al mismo tiempo. Seria y sonriente. Agridulce como la vida misma. Misteriosamente, ha permanecido intacta en mi memoria.



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In 1969, Sonny Condell and Leo O'Kelly got together in Dublin under the name Tir Na Nog ("Land Of Eternal Youth" in gaelic). Their first LP was released in 1971 and, after two more records, the eternal youth transmutated into something else and the duo passed into what they call a better life.

"Two White Horses" is the song closing their second album, "A Tear And A Smile". Big and small at the same time. Serious and smiling. Bittersweet as life itself. Misteriously, it has lingered untouched in my memory.



http://rapidshare.com/files/343803738/Tir_Na_Nog_-_Two_White_Horses.mp3

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The George Martin Orchestra - All Quiet On The Mersey Front / Chris Lamb & The Universals - Mysterious Land

The George Martin Orchestra - All Quiet On The Mersey Front (George Martin) Parlophone R 5222 - 1965

Chris Lamb & The Universals - Mysterious Land (Chris Lamb) Decca F 12176 - 1965

Las brumas de otra década se disipan estoicas, y bailan al son de melodías nocturnas y antiguas. Los extremos se tocan, como siempre, y como siempre nos dicen ténuemente que el viejo espejismo sigue candente, y olvidado por lo presente. Algunos reunen fuerzas para lanzar deseos al viento. Deseos de tierras misteriosas en el ropero y en la salita de estar.

Tranquilo, camarada extraño. Todo está tranquilo en el frente de nuestras viejas guerras, y otras paces humeantes se acercan suaves e insolentes. Salud y gloria a los corredores de fondo y a los degustadores secretos de canciones escondidas.



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The mists of another decade are stoically dissipating, and dance to the sounds of nocturnal ancient melodies. Extremes are touching each other, as usual, and as usual they're faintly telling us that the old mirage keeps on burning, and forgotten for being present. Some gather strengths to cast desires into the winds. Desires of mysterious lands in the wardrobe and in the living room.

Be calm, strange comrade. All is quiet on our old wars front, and some other smokey peaces are approaching smooth and insolent. Glory and greetings to the long race runners and to the secret tasters of hidden songs.




http://rapidshare.com/files/328475484/George_Martin_Orch_-_All_Quiet_On_The_Mersey_Front.mp3

http://rapidshare.com/files/328476547/Chris_Lamb_-_Mysterious_Land.mp3

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Matching Mole - O Caroline

Matching Mole - O Caroline (David Sinclair / Robert Wyatt) LP CBS 64850 - 1972

Esta canción me tuvo seriamente enganchado, en lo que al parecer fué otra vida. Hace unos días, buscando otra cosa, me topé de nuevo con ella y te la traigo para una mejor aclimatación al frio que ya casi llega.

"O Caroline" abría el primer LP de Matching Mole, el grupo que Robert Wyatt había formado después de dejar atrás a Soft Machine. Además de Phil Miller (recién salido de Delivery) y de Bill McCormick (de Quiet Sun), le acompañaba en esta nueva aventura, aunque por poco tiempo, David Sinclair, teclista de los imponentes Caravan y co-autor de esta pequeña gran maravilla. Tras un segundo álbum, ya sin David, y después del triste accidente que dejó a Robert anclado a una silla de ruedas de por vida, el grupo se disolvió. Aunque todos sus componentes persistieron en el noble vicio de la música. Especialmente Robert Wyatt, que sigue en ello en la actualidad.

En un principio, tenía la intención de poner el single, por cierto, el único de Matching Mole. Pero no he podido prescindir de la lisérgica introducción instrumental, que no aparece en el 7 pulgadas, y finalmente te he traído la versión del LP. La impagable voz de Robert Wyatt vuelve a atestiguar que nunca la frialdad de las estepas mentales fué tan cálida.


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This song got me seriously hooked, in what it seems was another life. A few days ago, looking for something else, I stumbled again with it and here I'm bringing it to you for a better acclimatization to that cold that's almost coming.

"O Caroline" was opening the first LP of Matching Mole, the band that Robert Wyatt put together after leaving behind the Soft Machine. Besides Phil Miller (just gone from Delivery) and Bill McCormick (from Quiet Sun), former organist from the epic Caravan and co-writer of this little great wonder, David Sinclair, was joining Robert in his new adventure, though it would be for a short time. After a second album, already without David, and after the sad incident which left Robert chained for life to a wheel chair, the band split. Though all of its members insisted in the noble vice of music. Specially Robert Wyatt, who's still at it nowadays.

At first, I had the intention of posting the single, by the way, the only one by Matching Mole. But I could not do without that lysergic instrumental opening, completely absent on the 7 inch, and finally I brought you the LP version. The otherworldly voice of Robert Wyatt testifies again that never the coldness of mental steppes was so warm.



http://rapidshare.com/files/314058566/Matching_Mole_-_O_Caroline.mp3

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The Creatures - String Along

The Creatures - String Along (Neil Levenson / Artie Kornfeld) CBS 202350 - 1966

Este otoño me estoy poniendo un poco blando. He tropezado con un par de canciones, más o menos de la misma época, que, sin parecerse exactamente, me transmiten la misma sensación, el mismo sentimiento. Dos encatadoras baladas beat, tiernas y fuertes a un tiempo.

La primera, "String Along", aparecía en la cara B del segundo single de The Creatures, grupo irlandés con una curiosa historia. Formados en Dublín en 1965, fueron "descubiertos" tocando en el legendario club de París, The Locomotive, por el productor del sello americano Columbia, Neil Levenson, quien los fichó al instante y se los llevó a New York a grabar unas cuantas canciones. Cuatro singles fueron el resultado de aquellas sesiones, y los tres primeros serían publicados también en Irlanda y en el Reino Unido. A pesar de que The Creatures fueron uno de los más importantes grupos beat de Irlanda, pocos resultados obtuvieron fuera de la isla y, a finales de 1967, pasaban a formar parte de la historia liquida del pop local. Posteriormente el bajista, Frank Boylan, pasó a formar parte del legendario grupo de folk progresivo Mellow Candle.

"String Along", compuesta por el productor Neil Levenson y por el reputado músico y autor Artie Kornfeld, tiene una calidez y una candidez discretamente enternecedoras y muy raramente localizadas en décadas recientes.

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This autumn I'm getting a little mellow. I've just stumbled with a couple of songs, of more or less same vintage, which, without being too similar, are transmitting me the very same sensation, the same feeling. Two charming beat ballads, tender and strong at the same time.

The first one, "String Along", appeared on the B side of The Creatures second single. They were a band with a curious story. Formed in Dublin in 1965, they were "discovered", playing in the legendary club in Paris, The Locomotive, by american Columbia label producer Neil Levenson who immediately signed the band and took them to New York to record a bunch of songs. Four singles were the result of those sessions and the first three of them were also released in Ireland and the U.K. In spite of The Creatures being one of the most important 60s irish beat groups, they couldn't achieve any big results outside the island and, in late 1967, they already were part of the liquid story of the local pop. Later, bass player Frank Boylan, was part of legendary progresive folk band Mellow Candle.

"String Along", written by producer Neil Levenson and famous musician and songsmith Artie Kornfelf, has a discreetly charming warmth and naivety, quite rarely spotted in recent decades.




http://rapidshare.com/files/305729442/The_Creatures_-_String_Along.mp3

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The Cymbaline - Where Did Love Go Wrong

The Cymbaline - Where Did Love Go Wrong (The Cymbaline) Mercury MF 961 - 1966

La segunda de esas canciones cálidas de las que te hablaba es "Where Did Love Go Wrong". Está escondida en el tercer single de un grupo de Ilford, Essex, The Cymbaline. Grabado en 1966 y editado en Enero de 1967.

Entre 1965 y 1969 editaron siete singles para tres sellos diferentes - Pye, Mercury y Philips - sin conseguir el preciado éxito mayoritario, a pesar de tocar en directo regularmente. Algunas de sus canciones - "Coming Home Baby", "Matrimonial Fears" o "Fire" - han sido incluídas, más o menos recientemente, en algunos de los clásicos recopilatorios de canciones perdidas del beat y la psicodelia de los 60.

Pero, por algún oscuro motivo, la ternura y la melodía pura siempre han parecido asustar a los autores de dichas recopilaciones y, en consecuencia, "Where Did Love Go Wrong" - escrita por el propio grupo - permanece en el limbo de las canciones nunca reeditadas.

Aqui está. Anónimamente grande y brillante.


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The second of those warm songs I was telling you about is "Where Did Love Go Wrong". It's hidden in the third single of a band from Ilford, Essex, The Cymbaline. Recorded in 1966 and released in January, 1967.

Between 1965 and 1969 they released seven singles for three different labels - Pye, Mercury and Philips - without having any big success, in spite of regularly playing live. Some of their songs - "Coming Home Baby", "Matrimonial Fears" or "Fire" - have been included, more or less recently, in some of those classic compilations of 60s beat and psych lost songs.

But, because of some dark reason, tenderness and pure melody have always seemed to scare the makers of those said compilations and, consequenlty, "Where Did Love Go Wrong" - written by the band themselves - remains in the limbo of never re-released songs.

Here it is. Anonymously great and shiny.




http://rapidshare.com/files/305728596/The_Cymbaline_-_Where_Did_Love_Go_Wrong.mp3

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