The Bee Gees
Band members Related acts
|
line up (-68)
- Barry Gibb -- vocals, guitar, backing vocals - Vince Melouney -- lead guitar, harmonica, vocals - Colin Petersen -- drums, percussion
- Joef Bridgford
-- drums (1971)
supporting musicians (1987) - Reb Beach -- guitar - Tony Beard -- drums - Sammy Figueria -- percussion - Bob Gay -- sax - Reggie Griffin -- guitar - Robbie Kondor -- keyboards - Rhett Lawrence -- keyboards - Will Lee -- bass - Arif Mardin -- synthesizer bass - Joe Mardin -- synthesizers - Marcus Miller -- bass - Nick Moroch -- guitar - Greg Philliganes -- keyboards - Brian Tench -- percussion programming -
|
- The Bloomfields (Maurice Gibb) - The Fut (Mauriece Gibb) - Barry Gibb
(solo efforts) - Humpy Bong
(Colin Petersen)
|
|
Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Idea Company: ATCO Catalog: SD-33-253 Year: 1969 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1256 Price: $10.00
|
Co-produced by Robert Stigwood and The Bee Gees, 1968's "Idea" served as the band's third American studio set. With the band having scored a top-10 US hit with the single 'I've Got To Get a Message To You', ATCO Records was anxious to get it's hands on more Bee Gees product. Luckily, in the wake to the release of their "Horizontal" LP, the band had gone back into the studios experienced an amazing streak of productivity, churning out dozens of songs in a matter of months. With so much material available it did not take a great deal of time to complete the dozen tunes that made it on to "Idea". Scores of other tunes including 'Chocolate Symphony', 'I Can Lift a Mountain', 'Completely Unoriginal', 'Come Some Christmas Eve Or Halloween', and 'The Band Will Meet Mr. Justice' were shelved. Propelled by the Gibbs' unique voices, the band's patented sound remained instantly identifiable, but this time out they seemed to have absorbed all sorts of American and English musical influences and were eager to stretch their creative wings. In addition to the band's penchant for tear jerker ballads, the album included stabs at country-tinged pop ('Kitty Can'), an impressive rocker ('Idea'), and some just plain strange material ('I've Decided to Join the Air Force' and 'Indian Gin & Whiskey Dry'. The results were even more impressive when you realized the band was in the midst of all sorts on internal conflicts (guitarist Vince Melouney would be gone within a year).
1.) Let There Me Love (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:32 'Let There Me Love' was an okay voice, though Barry's over-the-top performance was borderline irritating. Come to think of it Barry's voice is an acquired taste, though it becomes easier to take when it blends with Maurice and Robin. YouTube has a video of the band lip-synching the tune for Dutch television. Nice sideburns guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjLeqRgfnys rating: ** stars 2.) Kitty Can (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:35 Maybe because it was such a goofy tune, the bouncy, country-tinged 'Kitty Can' has always been a personal favorite. Actually, it was the weird percussive noises the brothers made that sold me on this one. Here's what Barry Gibb had to say about the song: "'Kitty Can' was written by Maurice and I, during a night with Maurice and Lulu at their place in London, the early apartment shared before they moved to Hampstead". That was [Mick] Jagger-influenced. In those days, of course, everything was either The [Rolling] Stones or The Beatles, and everybody wanted to be in that sort of zone. So I think that it was certainly influenced by that. 'The Earnest Of Being George' was also influenced by them. Sometimes, Vince Melouney, because he was a rocker at heart, would influence us. I remember Vince on 'Idea'. It was wanting to do something with more aggression, with more energy. That's my greatest memory of it, looking for something that was a little more angry and that just came out in the studio." YouTube has a fascinating clip of a Dutch television promotional clip for the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q56X9fkkoyg rating: **** stars 3.) The Summer of His Years (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:06 Supposedly written as a tribute to the late Brian Epstein, if you thought the opener 'Let There Me Love' was over-the-top, well you might what to stay away from the heavily orchestrated 'The Summer of His Years'. Robin sounded so grief stricken you were left to wonder if he was about to throw himself over a bridge. rating: ** stars 4.) Indian Gin & Whiskey Dry (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 1:55 Thought the lyrics are lost on my American sensibilities, ' Indian Gin & Whiskey Dry' was one of the album's better straight forward pop tunes. Always loved Maurice's growling bass line on this one. The video and sound quality is poor, but YouTube has a promotional video of the song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ46vuwH69A rating: **** stars 5.) Down To Earth (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:31 Hum, with a kind of pre-'Space Oddity' feel, I've always wondered if David Bowie took any inspiration from this spacey ballad ? rating: *** stars 6.) I've Got To Get a Message To You (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:59 The
UK and European version of the album included guitarist Vince Melouney's
'Such A Shame'.
Interested in squeezing as many sales as possible out of the LP, in the
States ATCO dropped the tune in favor of the band's earlier hit 'I've Got To
Get a Message To You.' I'll
simply say it was a classic Bee Gees tune and one of their biggest
hits. Personally I've always thought Melouney's country-rocker was
a better tune. Barry should be ashamed of the padded shoulders,
but YouTube has a nice clip of the band lip synching the tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBtnQzUvsbA
rating: **** stars (side 2) 1.) Idea (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:52 They didn't record a whole bunch of rockers which makes 'Idea' such an interesting effort. With Barry demonstrating he could actually sing in a lower register and Vince Melouney adding a touch of blazing lead guitar, this was a full speed ahead rocker that showed how good they could be when they moved away from the heartfelt ballads. For some reason the tune's always reminded me a bit of The Beatles' 'Hey Bulldog'. Recorded for a 1968 West German television show, YouTube has an interesting video of the song: It's worth noting the song features a different arrangement than the album release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdCzzHJDwfc rating: **** stars 2.) When the Swallows Fly (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:24 Crap, back to heartfelt ballad. Here's another clip from the Idea television special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKGDbcDYVIc rating: *** stars 3.) I've Decided to Join the Air Force (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:07 Speculation on my part, but ' I've Decided to Join the Air Force' sounded like they'd been listening to way too much "Magical Mystery Tour". Wonder if the Royal Air Force saw an increase in recruits when it came out ? Another promotional clip from the television special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30YeaQJ1d4E rating: *** stars 4.) I Started a Joke (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:04 Yes, yes, yes it was a massive hit for the band, but that doesn't mean it was good. In fact I'd argue this was the Gibbs at their most irritating; self-pitying, pompous, and ultimately kind of dull. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4chmOU5J9Gg rating: *** stars 5.) Kilburn Towers (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:13 Another ballad, though I'll give it a bit of credit for the nice acoustic guitars and pseudo-jazzy influences. rating: *** stars 6.) Swan Song (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:51 Recorded during the earlier "Horizontal" LP sessions, the ballad 'Swan Song' was shelved for later use. Too bad since the album really didn't need another slice of melodramatic heartache. What was with Barry's apparent infatuation with puffy pirate shirts ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1NrPRui87A rating: ** stars
The album spun off two US singles:
- 1968's 'I Started a Joke' b/w 'Killburn Towers' (ATCO catalog number 45-6603) - 1968's 'I've Got To Get a Message To You' b/w 'Kitty Can' (ATCO catalog number 45-6639) # 8 pop
Propelled by the hit singles the album Hit # 17 in the States.
Polydor catalog number 582 036 For hardcore fans, the English and European release sported a slightly different track listing. The European version included guitarist Melouney's rocker 'Such a Shame' which was dropped in favor of 'I've Got To Get a Message To You' on the US release. Shame about the US album cover. The Wolfgang Heilemann designed UK and European cover was far more enjoyable than the US release which featured a hideous Klaus Voorman black and white composite drawing of the five band members.
|
Genre: pop Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Odessa Company: ATCO Catalog: SD-2 702 Year: 1969 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: original faux velvet cover; double LP; gatefold sleeve; minor ring wear; original inner sleeves Available: 2 Catalog ID: 4489 Price: $30.00 Cost: $1.00
|
Talk about a troubled project. Apparently feeling themselves under heavy creative pressure to match the competition (notably The Beatles), in terms of musical sophistication, as well as feeling a need to underscore their credentials as more than pretty pop artists, the Gibb brothers set about recording their own concept album. Originally optimistically entitled "Masterpiece", then re-christened "The American Opera", work on the project was repeatedly interrupted by bickering among the brothers; chiefly between Barry and Robin. By the time 1969's "Odessa" was released, the original concept had largely been shelved in favor of a 17 track, double album collection which allowed each Gibb an opportunity to stretch out (shades of The Beatles' "White Album"). Like the former, the album was all over the musical spectrum. While there were plenty of trademarked mournful ballads ('You'll Never See My Face Again', 'Black Diamond', 'Melody Fair'. and 'Sound of Love' - the latter prominently showcasing Robin's irritating faltering falsetto, much of the material was relatively adventuresome, the trio taking stabs at a slew of different genres. 'Marley Purt Drive' sounded like the brothers had been listening to a great deal of The Band. 'Edison' featured a pseudo-psychedelic sound. 'Never Say Never Again' underscored the trio's knack for catchy pop, while 'Lamplight' came close to conventional rock - the song even sported a drum break! With the exception of the three extended instrumentals 'Seven Seas Symphony', 'The British Opera' and 'With All Nations' (which were clearly salvaged from the earlier concept album), there was surprisingly little fluff for a double album set. The collection also proved a big seller, hitting top-10 in England and # 20 in the States. (The LP was originally released with a lavish gatefold, red velvet-ish sleeve.)
"Odessa" track listing: 1.) Odessa (City on the Black Sea) (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 7:33 rating: ** stars Clocking in at over seven minutes, the title track 'Odessa (City on the Black Sea)' was a pretty strange piece of music. It started out with acoustic guitar and the Bee Gees version of Gregorian chanting. Curiously the song had even more echo than normal with the brothers sounding like they'd been recording in an empty toilet stall. The song then morphed into a heavily orchestrated, over-the-top ballad that seemed to have something to do with an English ship (the Veronica) that disappeared the Baltic (though Odessa isn't anywhere near the Baltic regions). Even though I've listened to it dozens of times, I'm clueless as to what the song's actually about ... the lyrics seem to reflect a hodgepodge mixture of historical information and 'Eleanor Rigby'-styled social commentary. Not exactly a Bee Gees song I'm enthralled with. 2.) You'll Never See My Face Again (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:16 rating: *** stars A heavily orchestrated acoustic ballad, 'You'll Never See My Face Again' at least featured a more conventional melody and performance. An added bonus came from the fact the Gibbs didn't employ their stratospheric falsettos on this one. The result was one of the album's more conventional and enjoyable performances; especially the ending where the track actually sounded a bit like a Beatles outtake. 3.) Black Diamond (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:27 rating: *** stars Showcasing Robin's painful quivering falsetto and those instantly recognizable backing vocals, 'Black Diamond' was another patented tear-jerker ballad. The first three minutes of this one were pretty excruciating, while the last thirty seconds kicked the song in a far more likeable direction ...
(side 2) 1.) Marley Purt Drive (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:26 rating: **** stars Until I heard 'Marley Purt Drive' I never imagined the Bee Gees would be able to pull off a country-flavored tune. Well, this one showed what I knew ... With Barry handling the lead vocal the song was tuneful and funny at the same time. Another album highlight. 2.) Edison (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:07 rating: *** stars While I have no idea if they were just goofing around, or were really trying to make a 'big' statement, I've always enjoyed the offbeat 'Edison'. How many other rock songs can you think that were inspired by one of America's most successful inventors (and the father of the Naval Research Laboratory). 3.) Melody Fair (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:48 rating: *** stars I've always wondered why 'Melody Fair' wasn't tapped as the album's single. At least to my ears it was actually a better song than 'First of May' (the actual single). Musically it was a patented Bee Gees ballad sporting all the characteristics you would have expected from one of their top-40 singles - sweet melody, lush orchestration, and the brothers' instantly recognizable harmonies. 4.) Suddenly (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:29 rating: *** stars If only because it was so different from the rest of the album, 'Suddenly' stood as another personal favorite. Certainly hearing Barry singing in a lower register was interesting (he sounded surprisingly good) and the weird orchestration, including oboe solo were neat. 5.) Whisper Whisper (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:24 rating: **** stars Given The Gibbs weren't renown for writing 'rock' songs, 'Whisper Whisper' came as a real surprise; particular the second part of the song which rocked as hard as anything their competitors where doing.
(side 3) 1.) Lamplight (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:47 rating: ** stars Side three's 'Lamplight' found the group returning to patented ballad territory. To my ears this one was pretty forgettable with the standout part of the song being the brothers harmony vocals on the catchy chorus. 2.) Sound of Love (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:27 rating: ** stars With its hypnotic keyboard pattern and interesting melody 'Sound of Love' was one of those songs that could have been great. Unfortunately over-the-top orchestration and an overwrought vocal sapped whatever energy the song had. 3.) Give Your Best (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:26 rating: * star Unlike the earlier 'Marley Purt Drive', "Give Your Best' was a hideous stab at bluegrass. Geez, even Ringo Starr's early country-flavored solo albums sounded better than this. 4.) Seven Seas Symphony (instrumental) (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:09 rating: * star The first of three instrumentals, 'Seven Seas Symphony' was pretty, but instantly forgettable. Probably salvaged from the original stab at a concept album, it would have made dandy soundtrack fodder for one of those period piece movies English majors rave over. 5.) With All Nations (International Anthem) (instrumental) (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 1:46 rating: * star Ditto the above comments for the second instrumental segment 'With All Nations (International Anthem)'.
(side 4) 1.) I Laugh in Your Face (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:09 rating: *** stars I guess I'm in the minority here, but I've always found the Gibbs much more enjoyable when they steered away from the falsetto histrionics. Accordingly 'I Laugh in Your Face' was a success in my book. The brothers handled the song in a lower register and the song actually had a pretty good melody that managed to withstand the orchestrated onslaught. 2.) Never Say Never Again (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:28 rating: *** stars In spite of the weird lyrics (which included the couplet 'you said goodbye, I declared war on Spain ...' 'Never Say Never Again' was apparently another song salvaged from the original concept album). It was also the album's most pop-oriented song with a highly catchy melody that would have made a dandy single. One of my favorite performances. 3.) First of May (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:48 rating: ** stars Yes, it was released as a single in the States (# 37 pop US), but I've got to tell you that 'First of May' irritates me no end. Sappy, overblown, and calculated, to my ears it showcased The Bee Gees at their worst. Barry Gibb was supposedly inspired to write the song given one of his dogs was born on the first of May.
promotional ad, US single, Brazilian, South African and German picture sleeves - 1969's 'First of May' b/w 'Lamplight' (ATCO catalog number 45-6657) # 37 US pop charts For anyone interested, YouTube has a short clip of the group lip synching the song. This was apparently taped after Robin had split. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP4Z0gx4ONE 4.) British Opera (instrumental) (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:17 rating: * star The album closed out with the final instrumental - 'British Opera'. Like the earlier instrumental sections, it was a pretty, but highly orchestrated piece that sounded like something written for a quickie soundtrack.
So what to make of this colossus? Well it's not the overlooked masterpiece some folks have you believe (way too much filler), but is isn't the full scale disaster critics have claimed. Ultimately it is probably worth tracking down as one of their stranger offerings.
Unfortunately, the album also saw Robin announcing he was
leaving the band. In a conciliatory gestured, manager Stigwood responded by suing
Robin for breach of
contract.
|
|
Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Cucumber Castle Company: ATCO Catalog: SD 33-327 Year: 1968 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve Catalog ID: 5223 Price: $15.00
|
1969's "Cucumber Castle" was released in the midst of ongoing personnel issues. In the face of long simmering conflict with brother Barry, Robin had recently split in pursuit of a solo career, while longtime sidemen Vince Melouney and Colin Petersen were sacked (Petersen promptly turned around and sued The Bee Gees and manager Robert Stigwood for breach of contract). With Robin temporarily out of the picture, brothers Barry and Maurice opted to keep The Bee Gees nameplate going with a multi-media project. As was increasingly common, the album accompanied by a television special which included the two brothers (Barry starring as the King of Cucumbers and Maurice serving as the King of Jello (check out the hysterical inner sleeve photos). The special also starred Maurice's new wife Lulu, Spike Milligan, and Vincent Price. Anyone out there actually seen it? Anyone expecting a major change in the group's patented sound was probably disappointed by the results. Other than the absence of Robin's unique quivery falsetto, the overall results seldom strayed from the brothers' patented sound which meant lots of mid-tempo, heavily instrumented ballads. That wasn't meant as a criticism since the Gibbs remained true pop-craftsmen. With Barry and Maurice credited with penning all ten tracks, 'If Only I Had My Mind On Something Else', 'The You Left Me', 'Lay Down and Die' and 'Turning Tide' were on a par with their earlier catalog. Virtually any of the ballads could have been a hit, though strung back-to-back it all started to sound similar. Giving credit where due, the brothers took a couple of minor detours. 'My Thing' had a drifty, pseudo-stoned feel, while 'The Lord', 'Sweetheart and 'Don't Forget To Remember' found them taking stabs at country - You've heard worse. Ironically the standout track 'I.O I.O.' evolved out of an idea Robin came up with after touring Africa. Complete with African rhythms, it may have been one of the first 'world music' efforts to ever hit top-40 radio. Released as a single it didn't do much, but it was so different from the normal Bee Gees catalog, as to make it noteworthy. Elsewhere the album was tapped for a series of three marginally selling singles:
- 'Don't Forget To Remember ' b/w '' (ATCO catalog number 45-6702) - 'If Only I Had My Mind On Something Else' b/w '' (ATCO catalog number 45-6741) - 'I.O I.O.' b/w '' (ATCO catalog number 45-6752)
The parent album also proved a modest success managing to hit # 94 in the States.
"Cucumber Castle" track listing: (side 1) 1.) If Only I Had My Mind On Something Else (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:33 2.) I.O I.O. (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:51 3.) The You Left Me (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:11 4.) The Lord (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:19 5.) I was the Child (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:14 6.) Lay Down and Die (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:34
(side 2) 1.) Sweetheart (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:00 2.) Bury Me Down By the River (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:25 3.) My Thing (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:20 4.) The Chance of Love (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:35 5.) Turning Tide (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:09 6.) Don't Forget To Remember (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:27
|
|
Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Trafalgar Company: ATCO Catalog: SD Year: 1971 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve Catalog ID: -- Price: $15.00
|
tates.
"Traflagar" track listing: (side 1) 1.)
(side 2) 1.)
Trafalgar is a 1971 album by the Bee Gees. It was their ninth album (seventh internationally), and was released in September 1971 in the US, and November 1971 in the UK. The album was a moderate hit in the United States, and peaked at No. 34. The lead single "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" was the first Bee Gees' No. 1 single in the United States but failed to chart in Britain as did the album. It is Geoff Bridgford's only full-length appearance on a Bee Gees album as an official member. Trafalgar is included in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[1] Recording In December 1970, barely more than two months after the group recorded their last session for the 2 Years On album, they recorded "Together", "Over the Hill and Over the Mountain", "Merrily Merry Eyes" and "When Do I". They returned to the studio with new backing band member, guitarist Alan Kendall, who would play on the majority of their subsequent albums. Several songs were recorded around this time which have not officially been released.[citation needed] All of the songs chosen for release were ballads. Recording began on 28 January 1971 with "We Lost the Road", "When Do I" and "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" ("We Lost the Road" was held over for use on the following album To Whom It May Concern). Recording continued through April with several demos and out-takes recorded but not released.[5] Release Advertisement and tour schedule With "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" as the lead single from the album, "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" was released as the second single but only reached No. 57 on the US charts. "Israel" was released as a single in the Netherlands and reached No. 22. The album's cover depicts the battle of Trafalgar. Bridgford was credited on the sleeve notes on the original vinyl release as "Jeoff Bridgford".[6] In support of the album, The Bee Gees toured the US in the fall of 1971, playing such cities as Boston, Asbury Park, New York City (7 shows), Memphis, Kansas City, and Indianapolis. Track listing Side one No. Title Writer(s) Lead vocal(s) Length 1. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Robin and Barry 3:58 2. "Israel" Barry Gibb Barry 3:54 3. "The Greatest Man in the World" Barry Gibb Barry 4:18 4. "It's Just the Way" Maurice Gibb Maurice 2:34 5. "Remembering" Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Robin 4:02 6. "Somebody Stop the Music" Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Barry and Maurice 3:31 Side two No. Title Writer(s) Lead vocal(s) Length 1. "Trafalgar" Maurice Gibb Maurice 3:53 2. "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" Barry Gibb Barry 5:25 3. "When Do I" Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Robin 3:58 4. "Dearest" Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Barry and Robin 3:52 5. "Lion in Winter" Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Barry and Robin 3:59 6. "Walking Back to Waterloo" Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb Robin and Barry 3:51 Alternate version This 53-minute version of the album was sent to Atlantic Records in the United States with a different track order and with 14 songs in total. The two extra songs are "Country Woman" (the B-side of "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart") and "We Lost the Road" (released on the group's next album To Whom It May Concern). There was no commercial release of the album in the US. Side one "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" "Israel" "The Greatest Man in the World" "It's Just the Way" "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" "Country Woman" "Somebody Stop the Music" Side two "Trafalgar" "We Lost the Road" "Dearest" "When Do I" "Lion in Winter" "Remembering" "Walking Back to Waterloo" Personnel Credits from Bee Gees historian and sessionographer Joseph Brennan.[5] Bee Gees Barry Gibb – lead, harmony, and backing vocals; rhythm guitar Robin Gibb – lead, harmony, and backing vocals Maurice Gibb – harmony and backing vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, piano, Mellotron, Hammond organ, lead vocals on “It’s Just the Way” and “Trafalgar”, drums on “Trafalgar” Geoff Bridgford – drums Additional personnel and production staff Alan Kendall – lead guitar Bryan Scott – audio engineer Bill Shepherd – orchestral arrangement Robert Stigwood – producer Bee Gees – producers The Bee Gees had entered the early '70s with a roaring success in the guise of "Lonely Days" and its accompanying album, which established their sound as a softer pop variant on the Moody Blues' brand of progressive rock. Trafalgar, which followed, carried the process further on what was their longest single LP release, clocking in at 47 minutes. The music all sounded meaningful, much of it displaying the same kind of faux-grandeur that the Moody Blues affected on their music of this era, the core group (playing pretty hard) acompanied by either Mellotron-generated orchestra or the real thing, with the group's soaring harmonies and Robin Gibb's quavaring lead vocals all over the place. As with 2 Years On's "Man for All Seasons," there was also one title ("Lion in Winter," featuring a startling falsetto performance) lifted from a recently popular film and play having to do with English history. It was all very beautifully produced and, propelled into record-store racks by the presence of "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," the group's first No. 1 single, Trafalgar shipped very well initially. Nothing else on the record was remotely as memorable as the single, however, and its sales were limited. Trafalgar was also the handsomest and most elaborately designed of their albums, its cover reprinting Pocock's painting "The Battle of Trafalgar" and the interior gatefold containing a shot of the brothers enacting the scene of the death of Lord Nelson. It all imparted the sense of a concept album, though nothing in the music said so, except perhaps the finale, "Walking Back to Waterloo." Despite the hit single, the album showed the limits of the Bee Gees' talents as songwriters and of their appeal as album artists. : British group, three Gibb brothers, born on Isle of Man, grew up in Manchester, formed a skiffle group there, took a detour to Australia, releasing Bee Gees' 1st in 1967, the first of four albums (through Odessa) that peaked 4-16 in the UK, 7-20 in the US, 8-13 in Australia. I didn't notice them until their disco revival in 1975, but they scored their first number one US single here with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." Nothing else here is remotely decent. C- Trafalgar (1971) included The Bee Gees’ often-covered hit single “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?” The song also earned the group a Grammys nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Recorded just two months after The Bee Gees finished laying down tracks for their previous album, 2 Years On, Trafalgar is a mature, ballad-heavy collection of a dozen formidable songs. The record takes its name from the Battle of Trafalgar, an 1805 battle at sea between the British Royal Navy and the Spanish and French navies. Though outnumbered, the British emerged overwhelmingly victorious, losing not a single ship. The brothers show off a raw side of their versatile voices in the stunning “Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself,” and the catchy “Lion in Winter.” “Trafalgar” and “Israel” both feature soaring vocals and triumphant melodies, while “Walking Back to Waterloo” closes the album in a spectacular flourish, with elegant piano verses yielding to lush choruses full of warm harmonies. Gary Von Tersch of Rolling Stone reviewed the album favorably, writing “I only hope [the Bee Gees] stick together now for many years to come — radio needs their periodic transfusions and resultant albums of this quality are faultless.” How Can You Mend a Broken Heart Israel The Greatest Man in the World It’s Just the Way Remembering Somebody Stop the Music Trafalgar Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself When Do I Dearest Lion in Winter Walking Back to Waterloo News Sustaining Top Spots on Billboard Charts “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” gets cozy on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. After 4 weeks at number 1 in August of 1971, “How Can you Mend a Broken [ … ] Feature Behind the Track: “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” 1971 “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” Takes the World by Storm Released in 1971, “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” was the lead single on the Bee [MORE] The final nail in their coffin, as far as I'm concerned. I bought this solely for it's hit, "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", which I played over and over while going through a rough time in my life. The rest of the album is literally nothing but soft, gooey pop ballads with LOTS of orchestration, not my cup of tea. Grades - 1 B, 1 C, 3 C-'s, and an F. Unpublished by mod [Rating27778996] fairyeee Oct 16 20063.00 stars For some reason, I had the idea that Trafalgar would be the last of the early-era BG 'classics.' In fact, I was a bit wrong. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is a classic song of course, but "Israel" is slightly annoying, "The Greatest Man in the World" is quite average, "Remembering" sounds like a syrupy schlager, and more mediocre and/or annoying tracks follow further ("When Do I", "Dearest", "Lion in Winter"). The rest is better, but still not very special. "It's Just the Way" has a capacity for being a real quality number, but it feels undeveloped; "Somebody Stop the Music" is mostly memorable of its R&R fragment; and "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" could be briefer. The title track is one of the best. "Walking Back to Waterloo" closes the album fairly, but still, no matter how I like the Bee Gees' style, Justin Timberlake sounded quite fresh on MTV after all. Published [Rating6513741] MystyLakes May 07 20244.50 stars Such a delight I said this before after listening to Odessa, but the Bee Gees were such a different band before disco came along. I love the disco tracks too, but this genuinely feels like a different band. The album is orchestral rock with no high pitched vocals, and is so delightful and easy to listen to. There isn’t really much I can fault here. It’s a great album. Published [Rating225655153] EverySproutingTree Apr 24 20242.00 stars 4/10 Honestly bland. The harmonies were nice, but their individual singing here just did not hit me right. Outside of a small selection of songs, I won't be revisiting this. I think I don't get the hype of pre-disco bee gees. Published [Rating224570802] tarhxad Mar 01 20242.50 stars Album 193 of 1001: Trafalgar by Bee Gees If you have heard the Bee Gees before, you have probably heard one of four different songs. You could point a gun to my head, and I wouldn’t be able to name any song other than Stayin' Alive and More Than a Women. Critically it doesn’t seem like they are the most popular band. Commercially speaking is a different story. And I didn’t know they made music that wasn’t disco. But that’s probably for a reason. Their pre-disco soft rock music has sort of been buried at the bottom of the pit of seemingly endless amounts of soft rock bands. And I can understand why. In the competition for the best of the genre, they get the participation trophy. This album doesn’t stand out for much of anything. And any ideas they do pull that are mildly more interesting are still lackluster in comparison. It’s a surprisingly dark album, and more solemn than I imagined it would be. I can appreciate how often they incorporate orchestral elements. That separates them from their competitors slightly. But overall this is nothing special. The one song I do think is actually worth your time is the last one. Super emotional and powerful. They aren’t really known for this era. And I think it is for the better that this stays rather unknown, and we just stay listening to the hits. Because this strikes out pretty hard more than anything. More ? Published [Rating220069040] GARFIELDACRES Oct 03 20233.00 stars Despite a couple of horrendous, overwrought clunkers "dearest" and "remembering" this is probably the most impressive of the bee gees pre- disco albums. "how can you mend a broken heart" is a great song and gave them a US number 1, although Al greens version is superior. But a lot of the other tracks are decent as well, there is no huge change in sound, its still heavily orchestrated, lush pop balladry, but the writing is just that bit more convincing, if a bit saccharine. "dont wanna live inside myself" reminds me of neil youngs "helpless". Published [Rating208167685] HaylettTheSecond Sep 06 20232.50 stars Nonostante le indubbie qualità vocali e la tendenza ad incrociare pop e sinfonia, Trafalgar risulta un disco tedioso, pretenzioso e ben poco fantasioso. L'immancabile Bill Shepherd è responsabile degli arrangiamenti, i fratelli Gibb cercano di nobilitare il tutto con delle interpretazioni sofferte, partecipi ma il livello è inferiore rispetto a quello pur non eccelso raggiunto con Odessa. Al termine del suo ascolto l'impressione di avere perso tempo è inevitabile. Published [Rating206001889] breakwind Mar 04 20234.00 stars I honestly couldn't believe how much I loved this album. Maybe the stars were aligned or something, I was driving in the most awful traffic, but I didn't care. After the lackluster 2 Years On, the Bee Gees hit you with Trafalgar. With that signature (and quite odd) singing style the guys do their version of slow jams, letting the drums come in heavy on a backbeat. I listened to "The Greatest Man in the World"...twice...what's going on with me. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" kicks off the whole thing also, so not a bad place to start. The Bee Gees now were coming at you with some soul...in that signature (and quite odd) singing style. Orchestration and polished arrangements sure, but when the band falls in, it kinda works. I'll have to listen again to make sure I'm not crazy. B/B+ Two years after the Bee Gees' landmark double-album, the pseudo-concept album Odessa, the group is at it again with another collection of soft rock gems. This time the relegation to a single disc could make for a less bloated listening experience, and indeed Trafalgar is a much more concise listening, especially when the album contains some major highs (ex. the US number one "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"), but the Achilles' Heel of the album is ultimately a lack of consistency. While there are some great moments on Trafalgar, they're contrasted by some moments that are as ill-faded as Lord Nelson. It makes for what is unfortunately a pretty uneven album. Musically, the album is nothing that's unusual from the Bee Gees. It's their working formula of soft rock with some pretty good orchestration. Some of the songs definitely have more reliance on orchestration than others, such as the powerful closer "Walking Back to Waterloo," but it mostly sticks to a winning formula for the group. The vocals are, by some metric, better from how I remember them being on Odessa, at least harmonically. Some of the album's strongest moments have some great harmonies, like the opening track or the piano bridge part of "Somebody Stop the Music." I also think that the music is far more melancholic than I'm used to - something about the string arrangements feel more despair than usual. While the orchestration is good, it does lead to some repetitious moments on the album. Some songs just sound too much alike with each other, which leads to some pretty weak moments. "Dearest" is just a very boring song - I can't even really recall a single detail. It feels like the musical equivalent of chewing gum that's lost its flavor. While that song may be rough, the following song "Lion in Winter" stands as the album's absolute worst moment - Robin's vocals fucking suck on this one, and the arrangement is bland. To quote another song on the album: somebody stop the music. There's more boring moments, such as the poultry "Remembering," and most of it is relegated to Side B. This album front loads its best songs for the most part, making for a rather lopsided listening experience. Still, there is good to be had throughout. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is a great melancholic opener with some excellent arranging. Barry and Robin have a strong thing here. "Israel" is another fine song, albeit one that I find a little weird (is Israel a metaphor for something?). "It's Just the Way" shows the string arrangements taking a bit of a back seat, and it helps make for a good sonic change of pace. What's more, Maurice gives a great performance here. One of the album's best moments. Side B may be weaker, but it still has the title track, the catchy "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself," and the excellent closer in "Walking Back to Waterloo." That song is powerful, excellently sung, and it helps to make up for the previous disappointments that are "Lion in Winter" and "Dearest." There's a very good chance that it's my absolute favorite song on the album. At the end of it all, it's rough around the edges. While it certainly contains some strong moments (the highs may outpace those of Odessa, even), Trafalgar is just far too uneven of an album to be truly great. It's more despair atmosphere makes it unique to their catalog, I suppose, but it just feels too lackluster to really be all that captivating. It's a very clean sounding record, and when it's in its element it has some classic Bee Gees moments (I'd say it even has some gems), but the weak moments easily stand amongst some of the worst pop I've heard from this era. Not too sure what to say beyond that - I was expecting more. 6/10 Published [Rating163313376] AJFO Jun 07 20223.00 stars This is definitely not one of the Bee Gees finer albums. The general theme is that of sadness or loss, which just gets overwhelming over 45 minutes. Trafalgar is also top heavy, with the best songs filling side 1 for the most part. As with others before it, Trafalgar sounds great and the orchestration fits well. Dearest and Lion In Winter do their best to kill the enjoyment off at the end, but Walking Back To Waterloo is a fine closer. Published [Rating173723709] mrharrison97 Dec 06 20213.50 stars Walking Back to WARBLE-loo!!!!! Published [Rating162262018] bluenile_21 Dec 03 20203.50 stars Pleasantly heartfelt album that doesn't reach either the highs or the lows of their very frustrating yet potentially superior record Odessa. First side much stronger than second side, making listening an uneven experience. 3 April 2020. Published [Rating140564845] Eric_Iozzi Oct 16 20205.00 stars Endless, beautiful sadness. ... Funny. First time I heard this album it was How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? played 12 times in a row. A few listens later it was a handful of decent songs and a few painfully awful ones with no mood change whatsoever. And now Trafalgar is this deliciously sad album entirely made of melancholic songs and guess what? This lack of mood changes has become one of the reasons why I like it so much. I mean, it's so helplessly sad and doomed from start to finish. And all the songs have their share of melodic hooks to keep you, well, hooked. Not to mention some really cool lyrics like "now I feel as good as if I were dead", or "somebody crown the clown with the red balloon". And what about "I just wasn't born in time"? Now this one is the kind of thing you often find on songs by the likes of The Cure: "I went walking through the graveyard Where darkness is my friend I heard all about the beginning Now I want to see just where it ends Don't wanna live inside myself I'm much better off alone" Sounds like the Gibb brothers were about to commit collective suicide at any moment - specially Robin, author of the more morbid songs like Dearest. The album plays for 46 minutes without a single, minimal ray of hope. This is the Bee Gees crossing the valley of shadows and making beautiful music in the process. Man, I love Trafalgar and usually listen to it feeling cozy, warm and even safe in spite of all the darkness. Or maybe because of that... Rate: 5/5. Published [Rating137902320] ListyGuy Feb 22 20203.00 stars I'm glad these guys found disco, because this album is pretty bad. And look, you can bash disco as much as you'd like, but the Bee Gees were THE disco band. And they were pretty damn good at it too. Songs like "How Deep Is Your Love" and "Stayin' Alive" run circles around any of the songs on this album. Also, soft rock is arguably as awful as disco (they both have equally bad low points, that's for sure). Favorite tracks: None Published [Rating125074430] HotOpinions Jan 30 20203.00 stars Shaping the Mold: Review #209 6 Still a pretty tepid and overly lush pop record to my ears, but probably their best to date by that point. I actually love the vocal performance on the theatrical self-deprecation of "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself", as much as it suspiciously recalls the Fab Four's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". It's still a well-written and performed piece, as is the explosively produced "It's Just the Way". And "Lion in Winter" finds Barry writing an unhinged slice of abstract balladry between minimal bass drum hits and and a wild vocal performance which in execution provides the record its most interesting and one of its most profound moments. Their US #1 charting opener is a moving pop number as well, but most of the rest of Trafalgar is pretty disposable at the least, even hilariously over-the-top and obnoxious like the pointless closer with its horrible nasally vocals and whatever the ever-living fuck "Dearest" is. In all honesty, Bee Gees are overrated and not all that talented to begin with, let alone a group capable of a consistently great record, however some of what's here can truly be called great. That's more than I can say for most of the group's discography. Let's begin by saying that "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is an excellent, beautifully crafter pop song. Trouble with _Trafalgar_ is finding anything else to like beyond the first track. Oh, there are a couple of nice things beyond the hit, but barely. And hey, there's some stuff here, that is just fucking horrible! Case in point, "Lion In Winter". Barry Gibb had apparently not discovered his falsetto that would serve him so well in the Disco future. It's not just one of the worst Bee Gee's tracks ever, it's one of the worst vocal performance I've EVER heard. Period! Just fucking awful! Also bad, but interesting for the sake of enjoying the rip off is "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" which has a melody stolen directly from Neil Young's song "Helpless". I guess if you're going to steal, steal from the best. The Bee Gees were capable of great musical things back in the early days, but this album is a pretty good argument for getting a greatest hits package. Published [Rating55474171] Old_Only_Solitaire Aug 06 20123.50 stars I miss the hooks. I miss the diversity. Dammit. But there are some really shattering ballads on here. Published [Rating46990872] JuneGloom Mar 07 20122.50 stars More cohesive than 2 Years On (1970) and To Whom It May Concern (1972). Loaded with lush harmonies and beautiful melodies and somehow totally uninspired at the same time. On paper it should be the best of the early '70s Bee Gees records. It's not. Could have been a great EP. Some good input from Maurice is the highlight of the album. High Points: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, It's Just The Way Low Points: Lion In Winter, Remembering, When Do I (all are terrible) Published [Rating43763581] MessengerOfVibes Feb 05 20123.00 stars Another Odessa to put it this way, except this time around, the concept and theme seems a lot more vague. There's a few other differences too, for example, whereas Odessa was diverse and had rather unpredictable (somewhat) and complicated arrangements (somewhat), Trafalgar is comparatively light and primitive in terms of composition, not that there is anything wrong with being straight forward and simple. Maybe in this case, less is more. A very pleasant, easy listening album. One area where this album and Odessa do stand side by side is in the emotion department, they both also overdo it too, however, in this album's case, it's just the one song 'Dearest'. That particular track is so emotional that it borders on lame (as much as I hate to say it). The brothers continue with the symphonic and baroque pop root here, but the main thing that makes this album (and especially Odessa) stand out amongst their early pre-disco period is Robert Stigwood's orchestral arrangements. Here and on Odessa, he puts his arrangements and the boys' talents to good use. Published [Rating43068347] RhymeDragWithDrag Dec 26 20112.00 stars+2 Depending on your viewpoint, a gorgeously realised collection of tear-jerkers or a motionless, uninspired chug. Quite remarkable to note that this is the same group that would produce the likes of the heavily syncopated 'Jive Talkin'' a couple of years down the road or, for that matter, had authored the masterful 'Words' a few years prior. Back in the wilderness years of the early 70s, these guys could bore a diamond to pieces. I actually love carefully paced, introspective, aching ballads, but this inert collection largely gets it wrong. For 'carefully paced' read 'the speed of coastal erosion to a child'; for introspective read 'uninspired' and for 'aching' read 'Hollywood treacle and the sensuous sound of phlegm'. 'My dearest ... I'm nearest [sic] than I've ever been before / to have you calling me dearest once more ... My dearest ... sincerest' Oh for fuck's sake, try! It's not all tedious though: 'Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself', aside from its drawn-out verses, is pretty nice, as is the closing 'Walking Back to Waterloo' (The fairly surprising chord change in the chorus is probably the single most invigorating thing on the whole LP). Some folks swear by 'How Can You Mend a Broken Heart' too, though I must confess I find it pretty cloying. Trafalgar kinda embodies, for me, an awkward period of the Bee Gees career; between the bright and concise (if sometimes awkward) late 60s stuff and before they discovered the joys of rhythm and rigorously overcompensated circa '74. In the interim, they had a soporific line in creaky, by-the-numbers balladry that pretty much guaranteed their declining interest. You really want a post-Odessa, pre-disco gem? Check out Mr Natural instead. Published [Rating42203979] cdsaenz Jan 09 20114.00 stars A terrific album. One of the best of their overlooked 1970-1974 era. As previously proved with Odessa, the (loose) concept album format is good for the Bee Gees, as they can perform their great orchestral ballads with a certain story in the background to add up to a greater result. The "Beatle" tunes like "It's just the way" and "Trafalgar" work very well. But "The Greatest man in the world", "Somebody stop the music", "Waterloo" and specially "Don't wanna live inside myself" are the best here. Some songs maybe a little too screamy for their own good ("Lion in Winter" mainly, and maybe "Israel" which other than that is amazing), but still, the intention to be magnificient prevails. Published [Rating34934934] kinky Sep 26 20104.50 stars ????,????????? Published [Rating32686766] fatpidgeon Jun 01 20103.50 stars Like all the other Bee Gees albums I've ever heard, this one is uneven. I really like about half the songs; the rest are either interesting failures or just not very memorable. Also, the unrelentingly lugubrious tone of the album ensures that I would never want to listen to more than about half of it at one sitting. The tracks I like are "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", which ranks among their classic singles; "Remembering", a good old over-the-top Bee Gees ballad complete with huge vocal harmonies on the chorus; "Trafalgar", which sounds like an outtake from "Imagine"; "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself", which probably would have been the hit single had there been no "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"; and "When Do I", which may be my favorite cut on the album. "Dearest", "Lion in Winter", and "Israel" are appealing but flawed... on the first two, the tunes rise above the singer's vocal range, not a good place for the Bee Gees to be; the last is a misguided attempt at a more standard soul-ballad sound, and the lyrical content is a bit odd for the world of pop. Finally, the ones that I just find not too interesting are "The Greatest Man in the World", "It's Just the Way", "Somebody Stop the Music", and "Walking Back to Waterloo". Published [Rating30319530]
|
Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: 2 Years On Company: ATCO Catalog: SD-33-232 Year: 1971 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve; tight seems, looks almost unplayed Available: 2 Catalog ID: 4488 Price: $15.00 Cost: $1.00
|
Having split up on extremely bad terms in the wake of 1969's "Odessa", it was a surprise that the brothers managed to patch up their disagreements and return with 1971's "2 Years On". (The cynic in me says it may have had something to do with the fact their solo projects (okay, technically Barry and Maurice continued The Bee Gees' discography as a duo), did little commercially). Judging by aching ballads such as 'Man for All Seasons', 'The 1st Mistake I Made' and 'Sincere Relation' the split didn't seem to have had much of an impact on the brothers' trademarked sound. Mind you there were a couple of minor changes. Co-produced by Robert Stigwood and the brothers, the album sported crystalline clear sound and is a sonic joy to hear on a high end stereo system. The other big surprise (and the album highlights) were the short 'Back Home' and 'Every Second, Every Minute'. Anyone who doubts the Gibbs could rock out needs to hear these little ditties. Shame they didn't do more in that vein. Elsewhere, pulled as a single 'Lonely Days' b/w 'Man for All Seasons' (ATCO catalog number 45-6795) provided the brothers with one of their biggest hits.
"2 Years On" track listing: (side 1) 1.) 2 Years On (Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:57 2.) Portrait of Louise (Barry Gibb) - 2:34 3.) Man for All Seasons (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:58 4.) Sincere Relation (Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2;45 5.) Back Home (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 1:55 6.) The 1st Mistake I Made (Barry Gibb) - 4:05
(side 2) 1.) Lonely Days (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:46 2.) Alone Again (Robin Gibb) - 3:00 3.) Tell Me Why (Barry Gibb) - 3:13 4.) Lay It On Me (Maurice Gibb) - 2:07 5.) Every Second, Every Minute (Barry Gibb) - 3:01 6.) I'm Weeping (Robin Gibb) - 2:45
|
Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: To Whom It May Concern Company: ATCO Catalog: SD-7012 Year: 1972 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve; tight seams and corners Available: 1 Catalog ID: 4685 Price: $15.00
|
1972's "To Whom It May Concern" is a mixed blessing. The ballad heavy track listing ensured long standing fans would be happy. That said, you can only take so many of these heavily arranged ballads before they begin to sound alike - to my ears the brothers' formula finally starts to sound somewhat tired and worn. Perhaps that's why atypical numbers such as the fuzz guitar propelled 'Bad Bad Dreams', the easy going (and non-falsetto vocal) 'You Know It's For You' and plain goofy tracks like 'Paper Mache, Cabbages & Kings' seem to stand out. That isn't to say the set is without it's charms and successes. "Run To Me' is one of their prettier ballads (and a deserved hit), while 'Sea of Smiling Faces' is almost as good and 'We Lost the Road' effectively reflects their overlooked talents as harmony singers. The real standout track is the Moog propelled 'Sweet Song of Summer'. A rare stab into outright experimentation complete with backward tapes and odd mid-Eastern drones, it's simply killer! Elsewhere the album spun off two hit singles:
- 1972's 'Run To Me' b/w 'Road To Alaska' (ATCO catalog number 45-6896) - 1972's 'Alive' b/w 'Paper Mache, Cabbages & Kings' (ATCO catalog number 45-6909)
The singles coupled with an American tour helped the album hit # 35 on the charts.
"To Whom It May Concern" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Run To Me (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:13 2.) We Lost the Road (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 3:27 3.) Never Been Alone (Robin Gibb) - 3:13 4.) Paper Mache, Cabbages & Kings (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:59 5.) I Can Bring Love (Barry Gibb) - 2:04 6.) I Held a Party (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:31 7.) Please Don't Turn Out the Lights (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 1:57
(side 2) 1.) Sea of Smiling Faces (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:07 2.) Bad Bad Dreams (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:43 3.) You Know It's For You (Maurice Gibb) - 2:53 4.) Alive (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:00 5.) Road To Alaske (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:35 6.) Sweet Song of Summer (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 5:00
|
Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Mr. Natural Company: RSO Catalog: SD-4800 Year: 1974 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: cut out notch along spine Available: 2 Catalog ID: 4677 Price: $10.00 Cost: $1.00
|
With their audience having all but disappeared, 1974's "Mr. Natural" found The Bee Gees turning to producer Arif Mardin. Powered by Barry and Robin's unique falsettos, the album is instantly recognizable as a Bee Gees product, but it marked a major change in direction for the brothers. In fact if you want to hear the roots of what was to become their late-1970s chart domination, then this is the place to start. Exemplified by tracks such as 'Charade' (who ever thought a clarinet would make for a great make out song) and 'Voices' there are still plenty of the Gibbs' trademarked big ballads, but the brothers seem to have decided that commercial survival required them to toughen up their sound. Black Sabbath, probably wasn't concerned by the competition, but the Gibbs seldom penned anything as rock oriented as 'Down the Road' or 'Heavy Breathing'. In fact, the only duff track here is the cheesy ballad 'Give a Hand, Take a Hand' - it's so bad I'm surprised The Hollies didn't cover it. While the album did squat commercially, song-for-song this may be the strongest set the brothers turned in since their debut.
"Mr. Natural" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Charade (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 4:12 2.) Throw a Penny (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 4:54 3.) Down the Road (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 3:20 4.) Voices (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:58 5.) Give a Hand, Take a Hand (Barry Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:44
(side 2) 1.) Dogs (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 3:42 2.) Mr. Natural (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 3:46 3.) Lost In Your Love (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 4:47 4.) I Can't Let You Go (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 3:42 5.) Heavy Breathing (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) - 3:25 6.) Had a Lot of Love Last Night (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:07
|
|
Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: E.S.P Company: Warner Brothers Catalog: 25541-1 Year: 1987 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: 6379 Price: $12.00
|
It's fascinating how quickly popular tastes change in music. That said The Bee Gees have been one of those groups that have both benefited and suffered from such changes. Throughout large parts of their career, the Gibbs Brothers have been emulators, chasing popular sounds, but on a couple of occasions they've been musical originators. Unfortunately, 1987's "E.S.P." found them in the former category. In spite of the extended break since their last studio LP (1981's "Lying Eyes"), and a new label (their longstanding relationship with Robert Stigwood's RSO Records replaced with a big dollar contract that brought them to Warner Brothers), their overall sound remained instantly recognizable, though the Gibbs seemed to be fishing around for a way to connect with popular mid-1980s genres. That search wasn't particularly successful - witness half-hearted funk numbers like 'Giving Up the Ghost' and 'This Is Your Life', faceless AOR ditties like the title track', or equally anonymous Brit-synpop ('Overnight'). Had it not been for their shrill voices, about half of this album could have been mistaken for a Quarterflash, or perhaps a Toto album. Come to think about it, with the Celtic inspired cover (Robin looked like he was wearing a priest's frock on the cover ...), you might even have even mistaken some of this for a Clannad album ... The album really did suffer from a very dated mid-1980s sound - heavy production bolstered with lots of cheesy synthesizers washes, epic drums, and virtually everything was wrapped in a harsh, dramatic aural sheen.
- With more lyrics than a novella, the title track started out with some shrill a cappella moves before diving headlong into anonymous AOR power ballad mode. The song was clearly intended as one of those heavy 'message' tunes, but absent a strong melody, or hook, the bleating synthesizer moves and new-age-ish were wasted on my ears and soul. 'Course that didn't stop Warner Brothers from releasing it as the album's second single. YouTube has a copy of the accompanying video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hy9kaFQxls rating: ** stars - Almost a throwback to their early-1970s catalog, 'You Win Again' was one of the few songs that had a strong, bouncy melody with clear top-40 potential and stood as a performance where the brothers seemed to actually be having a bit of fun. Even better, Barry and company avoided some of the stratospheric harmony vocals that sent dogs into a panic. Easy to see why it was tapped as the leadoff single, going on to top the UK charts, though it didn't do all that much in the States (# 74 pop). YouTube has a clip of the brothers performing the song on the UK Top of the Pops show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1vgzi5OQbQ rating: **** stars - In case you couldn't guess from the title, 'Live or Die (Hold Me Like a Child)' was one of Barry's more dramatic performances. Clearly meant as a big, relevant statement, the result was something you'd expect Celine Dion to cover. Pretty hideous (yes, Barry felt the need to reach for those super high notes), and it didn't even have a very good chorus. rating: ** stars - The opening synthesizer bass sounded like they were trying to channel a Morris Day, or a Prince tune, which wouldn't have been a bad thing except for the fact 'Giving Up the Ghost' had about as much funk as a Charmin toilet paper commercial. Seriously dull misstep here and why did it sound like they were singing from the end of subway line ? YouTube has a clip of the song being performed live during a 1989 Australian tour and it sounds remarkably good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9yNM6U8YUI rating: *** stars - Buried in the middle of 'The Longest Night' was a great Bee Gees tune, but in this stilted, arch, and heavily produced rendition whatever charms the tune had were simply lost. Shame 'cause you could tell the basic melody was a killer. Also, giving credit where due, hearing Robin Gibb using a deeper and darker timbre than usual was a real revelation. If you had him pegged as the Gibb with the think reedy falsetto, then this song was a major surprise. An extra star just for Robin's great vocal ... rating: *** stars - Wow, the percussion heavy 'This Is Your Life' was a real mess ... In an apparently attempt to appeal to the post disco electro-dance floor crowd, the jittery dance track found the brothers sampling some of their earlier hits (along with dollops of Chaka Kahn and Rufus). Barry even incorporated a short rap sequence ... Imagine one of those $80 Casio keyboards having shorted out ... rating: *** stars - Okay, okay, the ballad 'Angela' was about as adult contemporary as you could get without having to apply for an AARP card. It wasn't hard to imagine Barbara Streisand wanting to recorded it as a duet with Barry. That said, there was no arguing the Gibbs could write some insidiously catchy material and this sweet ballad managed to capture them at their creative best - another classic Bee Gees ballad that should make your parents smile. It was also tapped as the fourth single off the album. Another promotional video courtesy of YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dywGYhrJgIU rating: **** stars - Showcasing Maurice on lead vocals (always liked his voice), 'Overnight' found the brothers seeming trying to mesh Brit-synpop with their signature power ballad moves. An okay track, but nothing to write home about. rating: *** stars - The Bee Gees do Motown ? That was probably the best way to describe the retro-groover 'Crazy For Your Love'. On paper this would have sounded terrible, but in spite of the hyper-synthesizer arrangement, they somehow managed to make it work, giving the album a welcomed easy-going pop sound. One of the album's standout tracks and it was tapped as the third single. rating: **** stars - Dipping their collective feet back into hardcore funk, 'Backtafunk' sounded like Hall and Oates trying to do a Temptations song. There wasn't an original note in the whole song, but I'll admit that it's always been a personal pleasure and Tony Beard turned in some devastating drums. rating: **** stars - Who knows why, but the album ended with a brief a cappella reprise of the title track. Luckily it was short. rating: ** stars
The album spun off a couple of US singles and several alternative 45s for the UK and other foreign markets:
US releases: - 1987's 'E.S.P' b/w 'Will You Ever Let Me Be' (Warner Brothers catalog number 7-22733) - 1987's 'E.S.P' b/w 'Backtafunk' (Warner Brothers catalog number 7-28351) - 1987's 'You Win Again' b/w 'Overnight' (Warner Brothers catalog number 7-28931)
UK and elsewhere: - 1988's 'Crazy for Your Life' b/w 'You Win Again (remix)' (Warner Brothers catalog number W7966) - 1988's 'Angela' b/w 'You Win Again' (Warner Brothers catalog number 9279577)
Song for song it wasn't a terrible release, especially when you got acclimated to the highly produced sound and when you realized it was a comeback of sorts coming on the heels of an extended recording break. Still, with the exception of ''You Win Again', 'Crazy For Your Love', and possibly 'Angela' the results were surprisingly dull and forgettable. Warner Brothers president Mo Osten must have wondered why he spent so much money signing them to a contract.
"E.S.P." track listing: (side 1) 1.) E.S.P (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 5:38 2.) You Win Again (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:02 3.) Live or Die (Hold Me Like a Child) (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:21 4.) Giving Up the Ghost (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:26 5.) The Longest Night (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 5:07
(side 2) 1.) This Is Your Life (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:50 2.) Angela (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:55 3.) Overnight (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:20 4.) Crazy For Your Love (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:40 5.) Backtafunk (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 4:22 6.) E.S.P. (vocal reprise) (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 0:34
|
BACK TO BADCAT PAYMENT INFORMATION
