Rebuilding the 70's

Rounding out my collection of music from (mostly) the 1970's, I was very happy to find several CDs in 2nd and Charles. Who can't get a smile on their face by listening to the 5th Dimension and the incredible voice of Marilyn McCoo? The only other female voiced disc I bought was Roberta Flack, and that was a greatest hits package that included all her smashes with Donny Hathaway- including one of my all time favorite records, Where Is The Love?

Barry Manilow was an artist I didn't expect to purchase, but the deal was too good to pass up, and it was nice to have so many hits on one disc. Same with Lionel Richie and his hit album Can't Slow Down. It holds up pretty well after all these years. Not great, but well.

The last find of the day was Paul Simon's greatest hits collection. After a good listen, I came to an interesting conclusion: Yes, he's a great songwriter, but as a performer, he is better on the upbeat numbers where his voice doesn't matter so much. On the slower songs- like Still Crazy After All These Years, Something So Right, and I Do It For Your Love, the weakness of it becomes evident. He needs someone else to interpret for maximum effectiveness. 

Bonus point- these discs were very inexpensive. I walked out with the whole lot for less than $25. Guess it's time to keep rebuilding my collection!

The Wrecking Crew and the Carpenters: "Karen is Just the Drummer"

Every music lover needs this book! Author Kent Hartman recounts story after story with members of the recording industry's unsung heroes, studio musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew".  The Crew was made up of incredible drummer Hal Blaine, singer and guitarist Glen Campbell, bass player Carol Kaye, keyboard player Larry Knetchel, and the infamous and troubled but very talented Jim Gordon among many others.  These hidden geniuses, who worked with everyone from Phil Spector to Jimmy Webb and more, became the backbone of hits by major artists such as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Carpenters. They can be found on hundreds of recordings of significant stature.

Get a load of this quote by mother Agnes Carpenter as she talked to drummer Hal Blaine in the studio when he gently suggested to a young Karen - recording Close to You- that she drop the vocal down a key for a better recording- “No, that's how she sings... Besides, Richard is the star here. Karen is just the drummer" (page 231). 

Now, among too many Carpenters fans, Agnes has long been the villain. (At the very least, she couldn't see her daughter for the true talent she was.) But that's not the point here. The takeaway is that a very wise and experienced Hal Blaine may have been the very one to get A&M Record's new artists Carpenters the ultimate smash hit of (They Long to Be) Close to You. Exactly what their career needed to move them into the mainstream of AM radio and sales that came with it. And the Wrecking Crew- and Blaine in particular- had the same kind of record and career changing impact with many other artists as well.

Be forewarned- if you buy this book, it will be extremely hard to put down. Hartman's style and substance makes it as entertaining a read as can be. Story after story keeps you glued to the page. If you're a huge fan of music and fascinated by the tales behind the hits, trust me on this one!

This Girl's in Love- Rumer Takes on Burt Bacharach

Looking for the perfect CD for that relaxing drive or friendly dinner party? Something classy, elegant, but not too middle of the road that would fit the bill? Check out Rumer's excellent piano and vocal focused This Girl's in Love (a Bacharach & David Songbook). Mixing less known songs like Balance of Nature with wonderful versions of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's The Look of Love, A House is Not a Home, and What the World Needs Now, you'll stay fully attentive and taken by what she has accomplished. No one else these days could do justice to Marilyn McCoo's / 5th Dimension's iconic One Less Bell to Answer.

This Girl's in Love may be the album fans have been asking for ever since she burst on the U.K. music scene sounding almost like a newly reborn Karen Carpenter. (Check on Slow on her Seasons of My Soul album.) Don't mistake Rumer for another Karen soundalike, though. She is her own woman. On this recently discovered collection, she's singing higher on most of these songs with only fleeting moments of the deep contralto that made Carpenters famous, although she does a very nice cover of (They Long to Be) Close to You. No matter. Rumer's talent shines brightly on this absolutely terrific album, one worth the price of the import. 

No Wedding Bell Blues Here

They won't be playing the 5th Dimension's Wedding Bell Blues here! It'd be impossible to tell you how good God is, how faithful He is, and how blessed I am by this marriage! An informal short from a few days ago. I'm sure those professional ones will yield gorgeous shots. How could they not?

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

Love's Lines, Angles, and Rhymes of the 5th Dimension and Marilyn McCoo

Just a bit of a musical trivia question today: Which pop music artist has the voice of an angel and the elegance and grace of the greatest 1940's songstresses? Her awards as a group member, solo artist, and as a duet partner resulted in Top Ten hits on a variety of charts and a handful of Grammys. The answer is Marilyn McCoo.

A founding member of the originally named The Versatiles, this part of the 5th Dimension possesses a voice clearer and still more beautiful than the early- in- her- career Whitney Houston. From Up, Up and Away to Wedding Bell Blues, Last Night I Didn't Get to Sleep at All, to her solo album The Me Nobody Knows, her voice, her heart and her soul flows, lifting, encouraging, and sometimes challenging the listener. Her Christmas album, "White Christmas" is a masterful blend of contemporary "light" jazz, pop and soul. A treat.

Many years back, my family and I were able to see Marilyn perform live in downtown Denver. It was clear that what we heard on record was not the result of studio trickery to enhance her voice. She sparkled! Ms. McCoo charmed the audience with warm stories and humility, and then she won us over by her versatility.

Although she is primarily known for her 70s hits, Marilyn's career is still in full swing. She and husband Billy Davis Jr. have recorded a new album, The Many Faces of Love. You can check out their website here. You'll be glad you did.