As a "conductor" as well as organ/electronic synthesizer player, Byrd is real much the leader of this circus. With a dyad drummers, a half-dozen horn players (including a immature Tom Scott), iii woman someone vocalists, as well as a half-dozen or then other musicians popping upwardly over the course of written report of the album, in that place are a lot to a greater extent than people involved inwards this projection than in that place were inwards the (relatively) stable lineup of the USA of America. Despite the ambition of this LP, it ultimately serves to illustrate exactly how Byrd benefited from the unique synergy provided yesteryear the other members of the U.S.A. There are all kinds of adventurous electronics as well as eclectic ideas bouncing dorsum as well as forth, but the songwriting is only non every bit strong every bit that of Byrd's previous group. The best songs are the ones which virtually strongly scream back the U.S.A. inwards their spacy melodicism ("Moonsong: Pelog") as well as driving psychedelic pulse ("You Can't Ever Come Down"). Unfortunately, the woman someone singers on these tracks are no gibe for The U.S.A.'s Dorothy Moscowitz, although they seem to live aspiring to the same dreamy, icy quality. Byrd himself is quite a mediocre singer, every bit his attempts at taking the Pb on straightforward stone cloth prove. Otherwise, in that place are roughly bad takeoffs on gospel as well as old-time music, haphazard primitive early on synthesizer, as well as dated social commentary/satire. As ambitious inwards its orbit every bit Byrd's get-go stone project, this album is non nearly every bit successful.
After his get-go album amongst a band called "United States of America," Joe Byrd released this, his masterpiece, inwards 1969. Even without the assistance of mind-expanding drugs it is obvious that metaphysics is primal to the overall subject of this cracking concept album.
The get-go section, "The Sub-Sylvian Litanies," is an effort to plough reality inside-out. Literally pregnant "beneath the forest," its iii odes larn correct to the core of our real existence. It employs themes built upon the 4th grade of the octal scale, a Greek manner called phrygian.
The middle section, "Four Songs for a Departing President," are a slap inwards the human face upwardly to quondam president Lyndon Johnson. It is a condemnation of both his "Great Society" drive as well as his perpetuation of the Vietnam War. "Gospel Music" is a tribute to Byrd's brother, Ruddell, who was imprisoned at Leavinworth for evading the draft.
Finally, the 3rd department deals amongst aging nether the sub-heading "The Southwestern Geriatrics Arts & Crafts Festival." Often morose as well as overly nostalgic, it however presents a clear sentiment of the agency our elders are shuffled off to nursing homes to aspect death.
The vocal writing as well as arrangements are superb, the piece of job of synthesizers is tasteful as well as the subject is awesome. You create got to leave of absence of the box to have the total experience this album has to offer.
This album did a cracking bargain to alter my encephalon when I was inwards high schoolhouse inwards the early on '70s. Concurrent amongst ingesting a multitude of substances that shall rest unmentioned, this album saw many, many spins on my as well as my friends' turntables. It was ever a important experience. There is literally EVERYTHING on this record. Vaudeville, jazz, electronic, psychedelic powerhouses, acid rock, spoken word, as well as much more. Joe Byrd was an unrecognized genius who issue 2 incredible, ahead-of-their-time records (The USA of America beingness the other). Sometimes our minds were expanded. Other times our minds were blown. But our minds ever received an EXPERIENCE listening to this fine, unique, well-produced as well as well-composed music. There is zippo else similar it. Nothing!
I originally owned this album every bit a vinyl tape when I was inwards high school. I bought it for the incorrect argue - purportedly the get-go part of the recording is similar an LSD trip. This album kindled my lifelong involvement inwards "new" music. I literally wore the pressing out, I liked it then well.
The pioneering piece of job of a character synthesizer arraignment superimposed on lyrical vocals. The composer, Mr. Byrd, plainly wrote as well as orchestrated each slice every bit though it were a symphonic work. This album is non for people who loathe experimental music. John Coltrane's Africa Brass, or Ornette Coleman Shape of Jazz to Come are similar artistic endevors inwards the jazz vein.
When Joseph Byrd was fired from his previous creation, the USA of America, he could good create got called it a day, secure inwards the cognition that he had produced 1 of the virtually important, but underappreciated albums of the sixties. But Byrd didn't experience similar he'd fully accomplished what he'd ready out to do, then he gathered this astonishing collective together, as well as produced an album that has ever been overshadowed yesteryear its to a greater extent than lauded predecessor, but arguably is a far to a greater extent than successful synthesis of his experimental spirit as well as popular sensibilities.
"The American Metaphysical Circus" is non an slow album. It's too non an album that is slow to assimilate inwards part. For the total effect, it actually needs to live listened through from the get-go instant to the last, as well as this is maybe part of the argue for its lesser reputation. Although it does create got many highlights which could potentially create got been lifted for singles/compilation appearances/radio play etc. they gain then much from beingness heard inwards their proper context.
Split into 4 divide suites, there's a lot going on here. Too much for roughly people, but Byrd's compositional skills ensure that the disparate instrumentation, as well as musical styles menstruation smoothly together.
Opening suite "The Sub-Sylvian Litanies" is the trippy highlight for me, amongst Victoria Bond's electronically treated vocalism leading into an explosive revisit of "You Can't Ever Come Down", amongst searing Pb guitar. "Moonsong: Pelog" winds it downwards nicely, amongst Susan de Lange's vocals venturing into Grace Slick territory without her sounding out of her depth. This mini suite has plenty ideas to sustain a whole album, but in that place are iii others to follow, which veer all over the map, from acid-rock ("Nightmare Train") to cocktail jazz as well as prominent early on piece of job of synthesizer, via the pointed social commentary of "Leisure World" - an extremely interesting, orchestrated slice of what we'd straightaway telephone telephone Hauntology. Its presence close the terminate of the album probable left listeners a petty baffled at the time, but nosotros alive inwards to a greater extent than opened upwardly minded, enlightened times straightaway right?
Esoteric's novel reissue sounds absolutely fabulous, amongst fascinating accompanying sleeve notes. One of the reissues of the yr then far.
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Track listing:
The Sub-Sylvian Litanies
01. "Kalyani" – 3:52
02. "You Can't Ever Come Down" – 3:02
03. "Moonsong: Pelog" – 3:47
American Bedmusic - Four Dreams For H5N1 Departing President
04. "Patriot's Lullabye" – 2:49
05. "Nightmare Train" – 3:20
06. "Invisible Man" – 3:33
07. "Mister 4th of July" – 1:48
Gospel Music For Abraham Ruddell Byrd III
08. "Gospel Music" – 4:29
The Southwestern Geriatrics Arts as well as Crafts Festival
09. "The Sing-Along Song" – 4:05
10. "The Elephant at the Door" – 5:13
11. "Leisure World" – 2:36
12. "The Sing-Along Song (Reprise)" – 0:48
Personnel:
Pot - Piano, Conductor, Harpsichord
Ed Sheftel - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Christie Thompson - Vocals
Ernest "Ernie" Anderson - Voices
Fred Selden - Clarinet, Saxophones, Flute
Ted Greene - Guitar
Joseph Hunter Byrd - Organ, Producer, Vocals, Keyboards, Conductor, Synthesizer
Larry Kass - Tabla
Michael Whitney - Guitar (Classical)
Chuck Bennett - Bass Trombone
Victoria Bond - Vocals
Bob Breault - Engineer
Ray Cappocchi - Tuba, Tenor Trombone
Dana Chalberg - Flute, Piccolo
John Clauder - Percussion, Drums
Susan de Lange - Vocals, Electronic Voices
Meyer Hirsch - Flute, Saxophones
Don Kerian - Trumpet, Cornet
Gregg Kovner - Drums, Percussion
Tom Scott - Clarinet, Saxophones, Flute
Harvey Newmark - Bass (uncredited on album)
Harihar Rao - Percussion (uncredited on album)
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