Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Chilliwack
Company: A&M
Catalog: SP 3509
Year: 1971
Country/State: Vancouver, Canada
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: double LP set; gatefold sleeve
Available: 2
GEMM catalog ID: 4668
Price: $20.00
Cost: $66.00
As a teenager I always thought Chilliwack's late 1970s/early 1980s catalog epitomized the worst aspects of album oriented rock. Those albums always struck me as being more of a product than artistry (obviously there are millions of fans who disagree with those comments).
So why'd I buy this set? Mostly out of curiosity to see what the early band sounded like and the fact that I found it for a dollar at a yard sale (not a bad price for a double LP).
These guys had actually been around since the mid-1960s. Singer/guitarist Bill Henderson, keyboardist Claire Lawrence, bass player Glenn Miller, drummer Ross Turney and singer Howie Vickers recorded a couple of singles as The Classics and a pair of strong LPs as The Collectors. Miller and Vickers called it quits in 1970 leaving the other three to continue as Chilliwack.
Self-produced, following the departure of bassist Glenn Miller, 1971's "Chilliwack" found the band down to a trio. A double album set, this is simply one of the most diverse (aka schizophrenic) albums in my collection. Depending on how cynical you are, you can view the album as a reflection of the trio's broad versatility; needless self-importance, or as a patented attempt to appeal to diverse audiences. I tend to lean to the third option. This is also one of those cases where the liner notes are an accurate reflection of what's going on:
"A few words about the music...Our objective in the studio was to get as much life into the music as we could. Side One contains songs we hope are suitable for A.M. play. "Changing Reels," on Side Two, is a long sectional composition. The lead vocals in the last section are improvisations, and the song was written around then afterwards. "Music For a Quiet Time" was performed by Bill and Claire sitting in an echo chamber for a couple of hours. "Night-Morning" is the result of a studio full of instruments and microphones set up to record any free-form music we might want to play. Ross sat at the organ and started to play sounds with hands, head and elbows. Bill and Claire joined in with piano, flute and vocals, and the piece grew from there. We hope you find something here for you. - Chilliwack 1971"
Henderson's high and shrill voice takes a little while to get use to, but the first side features a decent mixture of blues-rock, conventional rock and country-rock material - 'Lonesome Mary' b/w 'Ridin'' was actually pulled as a single (A&M catalog number 321). Sides two, three and four are far more experimental with occasional moments of interest ('Changing Reels' and sections of side three's weird 'Music for a Quiet Time'). Nothing here will change your life, but I've heard far worse and side three is actually quite soothing in a weird meditative fashion. Hard to imagine a company letting a new act go out and do something like this today ... Also hard to believe this is the same outfit as the 1980s version of the group, but I'll take this version of the band over the mega-selling AOR outfit any day.
"Chilliwack" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Lonesome Mary (Bill Henderson) - 3:02
2.) Eat (Bill Henderson) - 3:20
3.) Rosie (Bill Henderson - Claire Lawrence) - 5:07
4.) Ridin' (Bill Henderson - Claire Lawrence) - 3:02
5.) Ride Out (Bill Henderson) - 4:51
(side
2)
1.) Always (Bill Henderson) - 2:22
2.) Changing Reels (Bill Henderson - Claire Lawrence) - 13:38
(side 3)
1.) Music for a Quiet Time (Bill Henderson - Claire Lawrence)
Shine 5:30
Claps/Chants - 2:37
Whistle/Flute Pads - 2:09
Antophony - 5:29
Traveling Music - 0:53
Sleep Music - 2:08
(side 4)
1.) Night-Morning (Bill Henderson - Claire Lawrence - Turney) 17:09