The 5th Dimension
Band members Related acts
|
line up 1 (-75) - Florence Larue -- vocals - Marilyn McCoo -- vocals - Lamont McLemore -- vocals - Billy Davis Jr. -- vocals - Ron Townson (RIP 2001) -- vocals
- Phyllis Battle -- vocals (1985-2002) - Van Jewel -- vocals (2002) - Florence Larue -- vocals - Marilyn McCoo -- vocals (-75, 1990) - Lamont McLemore -- vocals - Billy Davis Jr. -- vocals (-75, 1990) - Ron Townson (RIP 2001) -- vocals - Greg Walker (1990-) -- vocals - Willie Williams -- vocals (replaced Townson) (1998)
|
- Billy Davis
Jr. and Marilyn McCoo - Ron Townson (solo efforts)
|
Genre: psych Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: The Magic Garden Company: Soul City Catalog: SCS-92001 Year: 1967 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Country: Los Angeles, California Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened) Available: 1 Catalog ID: 4123 Price: $10.00
Genre: psych Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: The Magic Garden Company: Liberty Catalog: LBS 83098 Year: 1967 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Country: Los Angeles, California Comments: UK pressing Available: 1 Catalog ID: 4123a Price: $20.00
|
On the heels of their worldwide successes with "Up, Up and Away", The 5th Dimension's second album, 1967's "The Magic Garden" found them continuing their collaboration with producer/songwriter Jimmy Webb. With Webb responsible for eleven of the twelve tracks (the lone exception being a lousy cover of The Beatles' 'Ticket to Ride'), their sophomore LP was definitely different. While the group's unique MOR sunshine pop remained intact, this time around the emphasis wasn't on top-40 acceptance, rather apparently on making a big statement. Apparently written as a concept piece, the song cycle seemingly traced Webb's love affair with high school girlfriend Susan Horton. The plotline wasn't particularly challenging - basically initial meeting, falling in love, relationship ups and downs, and the end of the relationship ... Not sure how much of it was based on fact. I read an interview with Horton where she seemed to indicate the relationship was fairly one sided, but who knows. Full of lush orchestration and dreamy, if occasionally pompous and clunky lyrics (love tends to do that to you), the result was surprisingly impressive. While tracks such as 'Summer's Daughter', 'Dreams' and 'The Worst That Could Happen' (the latter subsequently a hit for The Brooklyn Bridge) were too MOR for the group's own good, but their harmonies remained unmatched and when they toughen up the sound on tracks such as the mildly psychedelic 'Orange Air' they were every bit as good as anyone in the business. One of the highlights from their extensive recording career.
"The Magic Garden" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Prologue (Jimmy Webb) - 1:24 rating: *** stars As mentioned, you'd be hard pressed to find an album with such a strong '60s vibe ... there was just something special in their blended voices. 2.) The Magic Garden (Jimmy Webb) - 2:48 rating: **** stars Showcasing the men, the title track found the group in full pop glory. Talk about dripping summer-of-love and the ending was too-die-for pretty ... 3.) Summer's Daughter (Jimmy Webb) - 3:03 rating: **** stars With Townson handling the lead vocals (the guy had a great voice, but usually found himseld left in the shadows), the breezy 'Summer's Daughter' found the album taking a detour into Burt Bacharach top-40 direction. The combination of harpsichord backing and those sunshine harmonies .... my, my, my. 4.) Dreams / Pax / Nepenthe (Jimmy Webb) - 3:24 rating: *** stars While the harmonies remained entrancing, the raga orchestration briefly steered 'Dreams / Pax /Nepenthe' off the tracks. 'Course this was 1967 so everyone seemingly had to embrace some facet of Eastern culture. 5.) Carpet Man (Jimmy Webb) - 3:16 rating: **** stars Opening up with a melody that sounded like it had been ripped off a Glenn Campbell LP, 'Carpet Man' was one of the most commercial tunes they ever recorded. With an electric sitar solo, how could you not love it. YouTube has a poor quality, black and white clip of the group clip-synching the song on The John Davidson TV show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5QZZE9GYmg The track was also tapped as the leadoff single:
- 1967's 'Carpet Man' b/w 'The Magic Garden' (Soul City catalog number SC-762) 6.) Ticket To Ride (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 4:00 rating: ** stars The album's lone cover tune, their slowed down, MOR supper club-ish version of 'Ticket To Ride' didn't seem to fit into the album. Apparently a leftover from the debut album, the record label seemingly included it to ensure there was a commercial song on the set. It sucked.
(side 2) 1.) Requiem: 820 Latham (Jimmy Webb) - 4:26 rating: **** stars Most folks don't believe it, but the fact of the matter is these guys (and gals) could sound quite soulful when given the right material (and when Billy Davis Jr handled the lead vocals). Yeah, this one was over-the-top in terms of lovelorn hopelessness, but it had an attractive, dark and disturbing melody that made it great. 2.) The Girls' Song (Jimmy Webb) - 4:09 rating: **** stars Marilyn McCoo had such an amazing voice ... she's one of those people who could probably sing a telephone book and make it sound good. Yeah, the song wasn't anything great, but with her handling lead vocals, who cared. 3.) The Worst That Could Happen (Jimmy Webb) - 2:37 rating: ** stars Written when Webb learned Horton had gone off and gotten a "quickie" marriage, 'The Worst That Could Happen' was one of Webb's most saccharine tunes, but also provided him with a massive hit - not with this version, but courtesy of The Brooklyn Bridge. This version's pretty lame. 4.) Orange Air (Jimmy Webb) - 2:38 rating: *** stars Webb's version of psychedelia ... cute and a nice display of their wonderful harmony vocals. 5.) Paper Cup (Jimmy Webb) - 2:48 rating: **** stars Not the most commercial tune on the album, but the song had a bouncy melody and fun, sing-along vibe which probably explains whey the song was release as the sophomore single. I've always wondered about the inspiration. My take was the song was based on the end of Webb's relationship with Horton - maybe he found solace in the bottle ...
- 1967's 'Paper Cup' b/w 'Poor Side of Town' (Soul City catalog number SC-760) YouTube has a clip of the group lip-synching the tune for some forgotten TV program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WL_8T5WHkU 6.) Epilogue (Jimmy Webb) - 0:56 rating; ** stars And the album closed out with a brief retrain of the opening melody.
|
|
Genre: pop Rating: ** (2 stars) Title: Reflections Company: Bell Catalog: 6065 Year: 1971 Grade (cover/record): VG / VG Country: California, USA Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear Available: 1 Catalog ID: 4123 Price: $3.00
|
To my ears, though
they didn't write their own material, in the battle of
late-1960s/early-1970s MOR pop, these guys were every bit as good as their
competitors. In terms of competitors, The Mamas and the Papas quickly come
to mind - for a comparison, check out their cover of The Beatles
"Ticket To Ride". Their performance and mannerisms bear an uncanny
resemblance to the former). Continuing their longstanding collaboration with
producer Bones Howe, 1971's "Reflections"
isn't what you'd call a major change in direction. Taking on a standard mix
of popular hits and lesser known selections, all eleven tracks are subjected
to Howes' extensive orchestration and the group's patented easy-going,
Southern California group harmonies. The results are certainly mixed,
ranging from engaging ("California Soul"), to hysterical inept
(check out their Up with People-styled smiley cover of Cream's
"Sunshine of Your Love") and nausia-inducing (the weirdest MOR
cover of Johnny Rivers' "Poor Side of Town" I've ever heard). A
minor seller, the set peaked at # 112. (Geez, I'd forgotten how attractive
LaRue and McCoo were - talk about a pair of hotties !!! Makes you wish hot
pants would come back into vogue.) 1.) California
Soul (Nicholas Ashford - Valerie Simpson) - 3:16 (side 2) 1.) Blowin' Away
(Laura Nyro) - 2:35
|
BACK TO BADCAT PAYMENT INFORMATION
