Oh, what stories this LP could tell! Chris and Peter Allen's "Album #1" from 1967 on the Mercury label, original stereo pressing. This is actually a TOP RATE sunshine pop psych album in the finest Fading Yellow tradition - just beautiful stuff throughout - and a hard one to get too. Yes, that is THE Peter Allen of Broadway fame, long before the New York lights beckoned. He got paired up with "Chris Allen", who wasn't an Allen at all, really - his REAL name was Chris Bell - and NO, that's not the Chris Bell who was in Big Star, although that would make our interesting little story even better! Turns out that the young Chris and Peter Allen were spotted performing in the Hong Kong Hilton hotel by none other than Judy Garland, who promptly took the band under her wing, got them a record deal, then introduced Peter Allen to her daughter Liza Minelli, and they shortly were married.
Now Liza may or may not have known that young Peter Allen was more sexually interested in his bandmate Chris, and even back in 1967 it was no secret that the Allen boys were an item. Despite this, Judy pulled some strings and got the reclusive Johnny Carson to write the LINER NOTES for this LP! I mean, how do you pull THAT one off??? Sadly, despite such heavyweight show biz backing, the album did NOT take off, and the Allen boys broken up musically and personally after this one and only album, with Peter of course going on to massive Broadway success and Chris going on to ask if you want fries with that. Actually, that's not true, Chris quit the music business altogether and became a pilot. So there's your little pop history, now what about the music? Well, the album is a series of cover tunes, all performed impeccably in that classic late 60's breezy sunshine pop style. "Ten Below" opens the LP in style, with a beautiful slice of upbeat lush bouncy harmony pop with full-on big-budget Judy-Garland's-paying-for-this studio production. Dig those Beach Boys sleighbells...harmonies upon harmonies... it's classic carefree pop music in the Free Design mold. "My Silent Symphony" is simply OUTSTANDING baroque dreamy popsike of the HIGHEST order - cool echoed-out production, glissando harp runs, and they even sneak in some psychedelic bumblebee FUZZ guitar licks too! Killer lush production brings out every nuance of these amazing songs. "Next Plane to London" is another winner, the very epitome of all that Fading Yellow stands for - sheer bouncy harmony pop brilliance! (excerpt from a review by ''kathleenturneroverdrive'' on ebay)
I can only agree with the review. Wonderful easy-going sunshine pop. Enjoy.(Frank)
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Super !
ReplyDeleteI’d LOVE to hear this if I could trouble you for a re-up?
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