James Gang, "Yer' Album" (Bluesway, 1969)
You might know of Joe Walsh from his periodic cash-ins with reunion tours by the Eagles, or from his self-parodying portrayal of a burned-out musician on "The Drew Carey Show." And you probably remember him helping popularize the "talking guitar" sound with his solo on "Rocky Mountain Way" back in 1973.
Before that, he was the creative leader of the Cleveland-based band the James Gang, which scored a few minor hits during its heyday and now is remembered mainly for Walsh's participation.
"Yer' Album," the Gang's debut, was released in late 1969 on an ABC Records subsidiary label to scant notice, eventually cracking the Top 100 after the band gained attention as the support act on a U.S. tour by The Who. The album represents the first public exposure to Walsh's considerable prowess as a guitarist and songwriter. (His singing always has been an acquired taste.)
Listeners who put the LP on the turntable for the first time couldn't help but notice, this wasn't going to be the typical first-timers' album. It opens with a laugh, followed by a count-in, then a dissonant orchestral warmup, then equally dissonant strumming on an acoustic guitar.
By then, some of those earlier listeners may have been ready to pull the needle off the record, but just then the first real song breaks in: "Take a Look Around," a tuneful slice of social commentary that veers into an atmospheric jam highlighting Walsh's playing, before returning to a main theme. Quite a way to launch proceedings.
"Take a Look Around" is one of five member-penned tunes on an album that's divided just about evenly between originals and covers versions, at least timewise. The three guys in the Gang at the time - Walsh, drummer Jim Fox and bassist Tom Kriss - collaborated for "Funk #48," a heavy song leaning on a scat-singing chorus and some stinging Walsh guitar.
Other originals include "I Don't Have the Time," a slice of power pop that Bluesway issued as the band's first single, and the psychedelic (this was 1969, after all) "Fred," with its descriptive lyrical line: "and it's straaaaaaange."
A cover of Buffalo Springfield's "Bluebird" opens with an ambitious keyboard piece performed by Fox, leading into a somewhat overwrought arrangement of Stephen Stills' folk-rock standard. And the James Gang performs the Yardbirds' "Lost Woman" live in the studio, with no editing or overdubs, giving each musician an opportunity to show his chops, although some of those chops go on a tad too long.
The highlights of "Yer' Album" open and close the second side of the original LP. Well, sort of. A bit of studio gibberish called "Stone Rap" segues into "Collage," with Walsh's haunting D-minor melody carrying well-constructed lyrics about the world's pain and injustice.
And the show-stopper is a 12-minute version of "Stop," with the composer of the '60s rock standard, Jerry Ragavoy, joining the Gang on piano. Walsh plays with such emotion that it's no surprise the Eagles gave him a call when they were looking for someone to beef up their sound. Kick that incendiary "Hotel California" solo up a notch, and you have what he was doing on "Stop."
(According to the liner notes, Walsh's mother played piano on an earlier version of "Stop." What a cool mom for that day and age!)
The James Gang followed "Yer Album" with the critically acclaimed - and commercially viable - "Rides Again," featuring all original material. After a third album, imaginatively titled "Thirds," Walsh left for a solo career and his moonlighting with the country-rock giants.
Fox soldiered on, bringing in a string of musicians to fill James Gang lineups through most of the '70s. One latter-day member was Tommy Bolin, who also wowed listeners when he played with Zephyr, Billy Cobham and Deep Purple before succumbing to a heroin overdose at age 25.
Walsh, of course, has fared much, much better and has put together quite an impressive resume over the decades. But even if he'd stopped at "Yer' Album," he still would have been considered quite a talent.
You might know of Joe Walsh from his periodic cash-ins with reunion tours by the Eagles, or from his self-parodying portrayal of a burned-out musician on "The Drew Carey Show." And you probably remember him helping popularize the "talking guitar" sound with his solo on "Rocky Mountain Way" back in 1973.
Before that, he was the creative leader of the Cleveland-based band the James Gang, which scored a few minor hits during its heyday and now is remembered mainly for Walsh's participation.
"Yer' Album," the Gang's debut, was released in late 1969 on an ABC Records subsidiary label to scant notice, eventually cracking the Top 100 after the band gained attention as the support act on a U.S. tour by The Who. The album represents the first public exposure to Walsh's considerable prowess as a guitarist and songwriter. (His singing always has been an acquired taste.)
Listeners who put the LP on the turntable for the first time couldn't help but notice, this wasn't going to be the typical first-timers' album. It opens with a laugh, followed by a count-in, then a dissonant orchestral warmup, then equally dissonant strumming on an acoustic guitar.
By then, some of those earlier listeners may have been ready to pull the needle off the record, but just then the first real song breaks in: "Take a Look Around," a tuneful slice of social commentary that veers into an atmospheric jam highlighting Walsh's playing, before returning to a main theme. Quite a way to launch proceedings.
"Take a Look Around" is one of five member-penned tunes on an album that's divided just about evenly between originals and covers versions, at least timewise. The three guys in the Gang at the time - Walsh, drummer Jim Fox and bassist Tom Kriss - collaborated for "Funk #48," a heavy song leaning on a scat-singing chorus and some stinging Walsh guitar.
Other originals include "I Don't Have the Time," a slice of power pop that Bluesway issued as the band's first single, and the psychedelic (this was 1969, after all) "Fred," with its descriptive lyrical line: "and it's straaaaaaange."
A cover of Buffalo Springfield's "Bluebird" opens with an ambitious keyboard piece performed by Fox, leading into a somewhat overwrought arrangement of Stephen Stills' folk-rock standard. And the James Gang performs the Yardbirds' "Lost Woman" live in the studio, with no editing or overdubs, giving each musician an opportunity to show his chops, although some of those chops go on a tad too long.
The highlights of "Yer' Album" open and close the second side of the original LP. Well, sort of. A bit of studio gibberish called "Stone Rap" segues into "Collage," with Walsh's haunting D-minor melody carrying well-constructed lyrics about the world's pain and injustice.
And the show-stopper is a 12-minute version of "Stop," with the composer of the '60s rock standard, Jerry Ragavoy, joining the Gang on piano. Walsh plays with such emotion that it's no surprise the Eagles gave him a call when they were looking for someone to beef up their sound. Kick that incendiary "Hotel California" solo up a notch, and you have what he was doing on "Stop."
(According to the liner notes, Walsh's mother played piano on an earlier version of "Stop." What a cool mom for that day and age!)
The James Gang followed "Yer Album" with the critically acclaimed - and commercially viable - "Rides Again," featuring all original material. After a third album, imaginatively titled "Thirds," Walsh left for a solo career and his moonlighting with the country-rock giants.
Fox soldiered on, bringing in a string of musicians to fill James Gang lineups through most of the '70s. One latter-day member was Tommy Bolin, who also wowed listeners when he played with Zephyr, Billy Cobham and Deep Purple before succumbing to a heroin overdose at age 25.
Walsh, of course, has fared much, much better and has put together quite an impressive resume over the decades. But even if he'd stopped at "Yer' Album," he still would have been considered quite a talent.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home