THE BECKIES "The Beckies"
THE LEFT BANKE "There's Gonna Be A Storm"
Have you ever spent more than 5 years looking for a record? You are a record geek. In 2006, it's not impossible to find something you've been obsessing about for years. There's Ebay, GEMM, well, there's the internet I guess. Try this in 1993 and you have only a few options. Record fairs that are populated with hygiene-challenged loners who would love nothing more than to interact with you to discuss Roky Erickson or Princeton Record Exchange. I chose the latter, anytime I was within a 60 mile radius.
The Left Banke, in the summer of 1993, was a band I became mildly obsessed with. I knew Walk Away Renee, but upon investigation, their entire output (26 songs, 2 albums worth) pushed every emotional button on my dashboard. Baroque pop, manic harpsichords, soaring strings, sugary vocals, sigh. I found out the genius behind this sound was Michael Brown, a 15 year old classical rock virtuoso. I needed more, much more, please let there be more!
Oh, there was more. For a very very quick history lesson, here goes: Michael left Left Banke and formed Montage, did a soundtrack for a soft porn movie called "Hot Parts", formed Stories who had a top tenner with "Brother Louie", and by 1976 created the power pop quarter the Beckies. I'd found all the above albums minus the Beckies, until the summer of 1999. Six years, people, and I don't even think that's my record. And thank you PRE, for my many $1.99 albums that I covet so. Oh, so much better and articulated story of Michael Brown and his projects here.
The Beckies sounded decent for 1976. They were on Sire, so maybe Seymour Stein even signed them himself. Anyway, it's unremarkable power pop, but there are lovely tinges of Brown's signature plucky violins and arrangements. There's a complexity to the simple harmonies, though I'm not a huge fan of the band's two vocalists. I've included the best songs from side A here, one song from each singer. And because it's Friday, the last song ("Desiree") Mr. Brown recorded with the Left Banke, which kills me dead.
FRAN
THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN
DESIREE
4 comments:
In an odd tie-in to your last post, my most long sought after item is Robin's Reign, the solo album Robin Gibb put out during his brief hiatus from the Brothers Gibb. Damn. I recently put an end to a long quest for a copy of Stevie Wonder's "Where I'm Coming From". That felt good. I guess. It's tough being an obsessive with misplace priorities, man... ;)
I spent 6 years searching for the original (NOT the Sire
reissue!!) Nuggets LP. A "near mint" promo copy came into my life during my record clerk days at Waterloo. I think I paid $20, which, back then, was food money for
a week.
Oh, I also own the 7 inch of "Brother Louie"
Geek Out!
pkm
PKM, I wanted to post some songs from Stories' second LP, maybe I still will and combine it with some more Left Banke rarities (Hot Parts, Montage). There's some great songs on that 2nd LP. I think I have that single, too, let's geek out!
He produced his own album with his wife singing in the mid 90's.
then he got cold feet and cancelled it!
but some copies got out.
timza1221@yahoo.com
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