|
|
|
|
||
|
 |
 |
Highlighting in album tracklistings denotes 'contains Mellotron'. On 'multi-part' tracks I've tried to indicate which parts contain 'Tron, although this isn't always possible.
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
The 'T' ('Tron, of course...) rating (0-5) is an only slightly more objective indicator of an album's Mellotronness.
By the way, if you know of any Mellotron albums that aren't listed here, please look at my albums page first! Thanks.
|
Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera Garbage |
Javier García Gardener |
Gargamel Mary Gauthier |
Marvin Gaye Howe Gelb |
 |
Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera (1967, 34.09/50.59) ***/TT |
||
| Intro Mother Writes Mary Jane I Was Cool Walter Sly Meets Bill Bailey Air Lookin' for a Happy Life Flames |
What's the Point of Leaving Long Nights of Summer Dream Starts Reactions of a Young Man Now She's Gone [CD adds: Flames Salisbury Plain |
Mary Jane Dreamy Volcano A Quick "B"] |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
David Terry, frontman of Five Proud Walkers, changed his name to Elmer Gantry after the Sinclair Lewis novel (or, more likely, the film version), his band simultaneously changing their name to Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera. After an initial single, they bashed out their sole album under this name in late '67. It's a strange mixture of the sort of soul the likes of Simon Dupree & the Big Sound had been pumping out for a while and a more-in-tune-with-the-times fuzzed-out psychedelia, making for a slightly schizophrenic record, especially when they combined the styles in the same song, as on Flames (a reworking of their debut single).
For some strange reason, after eight 'Tronless tracks, the Mellotron (unknown player) suddenly kicks in well into side two. What's The Point Of Leaving features some accordion (?) and flutes, with the flutes reappearing on the following track, Long Nights Of Summer, along with a full-on strings/brass part. I can't quite tell if there's anything on Dream Starts, but the original album's last two tracks, Reactions Of A Young Man and Now She's Gone both have muted, but perfectly audible string parts. The CD adds both sides of their three singles, adding the background flutes of Salisbury Plain to the list.
So; not so much not a classic of the genre, as not sure to which genre it belongs. Soul/psych? Hmmm. As with Simon Dupree, the best tracks tend to be the ones lying furthest from their roots, which (probably un-) coincidentally tend to also be the ones with the 'Tron content. One for psych completists, I think, although it has its moments, and it's not really worth it for that Mellotron. Oh, and after the band finally split, their rhythm section, Richard Hudson and John Ford went on to join The Strawbs.
See: The Strawbs | Hudson Ford
 |
Garbage (1995, 51.07) ****½/½ |
|
| Supervixen Queer Only Happy When it Rains As Heaven is Wide Not My Idea A Stroke of Luck Vow Stupid Girl |
Dog New Tricks My Lover's Box Fix Me Now Milk |
|
 |
Bleed Like Me (2005, 45.06) ****/T |
|
| Bad Boyfriend Run Baby Run Right Between the Eyes Why Do You Love Me Bleed Like Me Metal Heart Sex is Not the Enemy It's All Over But the Crying |
Boys Wanna Fight Why Don't You Come Over Happy Home |
|
Current availability:
Mellotrons used:
Run for the hills - it's another Nick Hewitt review.
This is a real oddity - I, Nick Hewitt, have been asked to review something that isn't Christian. Thank God I'm an atheist. Actually, there are a couple of reasons why Andy asked me to do this...
1) Andy doesn't have any Garbage in his collection, either literally or figuratively - and he told me to say that [no I didn't - Ed.]
2) Andy hates Garbage's debut album, but for a totally non-musical reason - he had a flat-mate who played it incessantly for months. Is that not so Mr. Thompson? [difficult to argue with this one... - Ed.]
While I, too, have been subjected to something similar (my school's 6th Form record player always had Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother or Taste's On the Boards at some point during the day), it hasn't affected today's subject of discussion.
Garbage started out as a casual jam session with producers Butch Vig (who had produced Nevermind by Nirvana), Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. Some time later, they decided to recruit a lead singer. They settled upon a girl from Edinburgh, Scotland, by name of Shirley Manson, who had been part of minor league outfits Angelfish and Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie, based in her hometown. The rest, as they say, is history.
Garbage invaded the airwaves sometime in 1995, with the release of the single Stupid Girl - a brilliant single that gave a good indication on the eponymous album that was to follow, which didn't disappoint. Well-written simple (in the uncomplicated sense of the word) songs given a hard, heavy, driving rock treatment that succeeds at most levels. Best tracks are A Stroke Of Luck (a haunting beauty), Stupid Girl and My Lover's Box, which has the longest, heaviest slide I have ever heard. As far as I'm concerned, this has to be one of the finest debuts ever from the best band to have emerged since about 1990 - bar none.
Mellotron is a bit tricky on this, as neither Andy nor myself are entirely sure IF there is any. There is something on Milk, but it's almost impossible to decide if it is 'Tron or samples of 'Tron. I'm certain that there are samples on Stupid Girl, as the chords last for more than 8 seconds. The credits on the CD insert don't help, as the 'Samples and Loops' ('played' by Steve Marker) refer to samples from tracks (e.g. they sampled Train In Vain by The Clash on Stupid Girl). Loops are also credited to Butch Vig, but that could mean anything. IF there is 'Tron, then it was almost certainly played by Duke Erikson.
Three years were to elapse before their 2nd album, Version 2.0 hit us, and it was another good 'un. They had got their style, they stuck with it - and quite right too. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. There was some criticism about the so-called difficult 2nd album, but I put this down to professional jealousy. Just listen to The Trick Is To Keep Breathing (which, I think, is about drug overdosing) and You Look So Fine and you'll see that they are in tremendous form. Definitely a **** album, albeit with no 'Tron.
beautifulgarbage (yes, that's how it's printed on the cover - it's just put my spell-checker into rehab) came out in 2001, and compared to what had gone before, it was a massive disappointment. The songs were poor and lacking in strength. The band appeared to be devoid of any good ideas and even resorted to duetting (on one track) with Chrissie Kerr (of the Pretenders). The only decent track is Nobody Loves You, which soars into the stratosphere, but the rest of it is utterly forgettable. I'd give it **, but that's rounded up to the nearest significant *. Again, there was no 'Tron on this, but I doubt if its presence would have taken it out of the toilet.
2005 saw the release of Bleed Like Me, and it's a, thankful, return to form. They must have realised how far they had retreated into mediocrity with beautiful... as they've gone back to the style of the first two albums. It roars along, with its blend of hard/serrated edged chain-saw guitars coupled with beautiful ballad-type material, which they handle with loving care. There are a few references to specific previous tracks, particularly off Version... but don't let that worry you. You sometimes have to take a step back to go two steps forward. There is no obvious stand out track, though Happy Home is probably the best, with a slight discordant edge to it.
Mellotron is credited to Duke Erikson, but there isn't a great deal to it. It's All Over But The Crying has a little background choirs during the choruses. It's a beautiful track, but there isn't enough 'Tron to make a lot of difference. Happy Home also has choirs, which come in rather late. Again, 'Tron is minimal, but is there, nonetheless. The CD insert specifically states... 'Mellotron and piano on 8 and 11' meaning that they're on It's All Over But The Crying and Happy Home, but I'm certain that they are on the title track as well. I would be obliged if someone could confirm - there's a slight suspicion on my part that it may be a string synth.
| Nick Hewitt |
 |
13 (2005, 47.31) **½/½ |
|
| Bajo y Piano La Rumba Me Gustaría Como Bailan La Música de Ayer He Venido Dinamita Algo Especial |
Llegó Chango Tú Secuencia Me Vuelvo Loco Sol |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
In case you're wondering how a solo artist can come from two different countries, Javier García was born and lived in Spain until he was thirteen, moving to the US via Ireland in his teens. After his highly successful eponymous 1997 debut, he went quiet for some years, returning in 2005 with 13, featuring a mix of Latin and modern pop styles, mostly sung in Spanish. This isn't, frankly, going to appeal to the average Planet Mellotron reader (haven't we heard this somewhere before?), but is perfectly good at what it does, keeping the energy levels up on most tracks, with impeccable musicianship throughout.
Ricardo Martinez plays Mellotron, with flutes and possible vibes (they're not otherwise credited) on Algo Especial, although that appears to be it. So; well-written, played, recorded etc., but otherwise pretty uninteresting, with one half-arsed 'Tron track. Maybe not.
 |
New Dawning Time (1999, 37.32) **½/T |
|
| Tamed New Dawning Time Backseat Shakedown Cruise Outside Looking in (You Wear the) Raincoat Canyon Quay |
End Up That Way Struggle With Sickness Come Again |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
A decade after the release of their sole album, 1999's New Dawning Time, Gardener are looking increasingly like a vanity project for the musicians concerned, Seaweed's Aaron Stauffer and Screaming Trees' Van Conner. It's apparently a fairly straight mix of the two bands' sounds which, for the uninitiated, means a kind of '90s American punk/indie thing, which may well appeal to many people, but doesn't grab this reviewer in any meaningful kind of way.
Conner (originally a bassist) plays almost everything on the album, by the looks of it, including Mellotron, with very background strings on (You Wear The) Raincoat and a cranky solo cello on Quay, although that would appear to be it. Generally speaking, then, a rather dull album with only one even slightly decent 'Tron track. Go elsewhere, I think.
 |
Descending (2009, 47.02) ***½/TTT½DescendingPrevail Trap Labyrinth |
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
Gargamel (named for a Rabelais character, also the bad guy in The Smurfs...)'s first album, 2006's Watch for the Umbles, used Mellotron samples, making their second effort, 2009's Descending, the first to properly concern us here. It's a diverse record, which makes a change from most modern progsters, who tend to find a style and stick to it doggedly. The opening title track has a distinct 'Canterbury' feel to it, accentuated by using the same organ sound as Caravan, Prevail is more Änglagård and Labyrinth veers a little too closely to Van der Graaf for comfort, complete with raucous sax and (presumably) Tom Uglebakken's Hammillesque vocals. Where the album falls down is on the originality front; there's plenty of energy, some great key changes and even a jammed-out section in Labyrinth, but the overall feel is of a band still finding their way, and not because of their frequent stylistic shifts.
One of two keyboard players, Arne Tøn adds all the Mellotron work on the album, with strings on Prevail and choirs and strings on Trap and Labyrinth, with particularly heavy work on the latter. Even without the photos on the band's MySpace, it's quite clearly real, although I've no idea who they borrowed it from. Overall, then, a decent effort, if not outstanding, but still many leagues ahead of the hordes of Spock's Beard and (immeasurably worse) Dream Theater wannabees that infest the scene, so if you're not so worried by their on/off resemblance to some better-known outfits, you could do far worse than to pick this up.
 |
Between Daylight & Dark (2007, 50.18) ***/T |
|
| Snakebit Can't Find the Way Between the Daylight and the Dark Last of the Hobo Kings Before You Leave Please Same Road I Ain't Leaving |
Soft Place to Land Thanksgiving |
|
Current availability:
Chamberlin used:
Given that Mary Gauthier's from New Orleans, I'd have though her name was pronounced 'go-tee-ay', but it seems it's 'go-shay', presumably an Americanisation of French pronunciation. It seems her tragic beginnings have informed her whole career; given away by a mother she never knew, ran away from foster parents in her teens, finally tracked her birth mother down who wouldn't even meet her... Unsurprisingly, Gauthier's chosen method of communication is country, although it's thankfully nearer to American folk than the Nashville Horror, making her fifth album, 2007's Between Daylight & Dark, a very listenable proposition, in a bleak kind of way.
Patrick Warren on Chamberlin, again, with strings and flutes on Please, strings on Soft Place To Land and flutes on closer Thanksgiving, none of it that overt, sadly. Overall, a decent folk/country record, though listening to the lyrics more than I did might enhance it for you. Very little tape-replay, though, as so often; no point overdoing it, I suppose...
 |
What's Going On (1971, 35.42) ****/TWhat's Going onWhat's Happening Brother Flyin' High (in the Friendly Sky) Save the Children God is Love Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology) Right on Wholy Holy Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) |
Current availability:
Chamberlin used:
Marvin Gaye's What's Going On is regarded as one of those seminal albums after which nothing was ever quite the same again. Breaking free from the Motown 'hit factory' shackles, Gaye wrote an album of protest songs, entering areas new to soul and a million miles away from its public persona as light entertainment or dance music. Now, I'll be perfectly honest here and say that the album does very little for me personally, but I can see why it's rated so highly amongst fans and critics alike, even if I don't actually choose to own a copy.
You'll find plenty of erudite reviews of the album on the 'Net, so I'll concentrate on what I'm best at: Mellotrons. Or, in this case, Chamberlins. It's rumoured that Motown owned a Chamby, and it may be on loads of the label's recordings, but it seems impossible to verify this sort of information; after all, this music is about emotion, not technology. It would be nice to have some sort of confirmation, though... Most of What's Going On features the usual real strings, brass and backing vocals you'd expect, but Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) quite clearly has Chamby choir, although I think the strings are real. Why? Who knows, but it's very obviously not real voices, at least, I suppose they are, but once removed. So; don't buy the album for this reason, but if you want intelligent soul with a message, it doesn't come much better than this.
 |
The Listener (2003, 52.30) ***½/T |
|
| Glisten Felonious Jason's List Cowboy Boots Torque (Tango de la Tongue) Piango Lying There B 4 U (Do Do Do) |
The Nashville Sound Blood Orange Moons of Impulse Now I Lay Me Down Lemmy N Emmy |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
Giant Sand's mainman, Howe Gelb, released The Listener in the gap between Giant Sand's Too Many Spare Parts... and ...Is All Over the Map. While clearly the work of the same man, the album uses a slightly wider palette of influences than those by the parent band, although the overall effect is still of windblown Americana with a side-helping of loneliness and alienation. Its best tracks are difficult to ascertain without giving the album more time than I have, although Piango and Blood Orange stood out on an initial listen.
Somebody (Gelb?) plays Mellotron on Now I Lay Me Down, with a polyphonic flute part, followed by queasy, pitchbent strings that sound as real as any 'Tron has a right to in these days of casual sample use. Anyway, those of you who get where Giant Sand are coming from will almost certainly love The Listener, assuming they haven't already heard it. Don't bother for the 'Tron, but worth it on all other grounds.
See: Giant Sand
