Combining folk and pop makes meaningful music
Michael Ofjord | Minneapolis, Minnesota USA | 12/12/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I feel a need to make amends to the "folkie" who thinks combining folk and pop is bad. Well, it IS bad if the songs are bad or the voice is bad, or the arrangements and melodies are without merit. Bob Lind is not Bob Dylan,(who is?) but at least half a dozen times on this record, Lind makes 2 or 3 minute pop tunes that shine with a shimmering beauty, of which "Elusive Butterfly" is a prime example. I think "A Nameless Request" is one of the best examples I know of that illustrates what happens in a relationship when somebody tries to be something they are not. And the song lasts a mere 2 minutes and 10 seconds. And yes, it has strings. And yes, like in "Elusive Butterfly," they really enhance the meaning of the song, just like the strings in "Elusive Butterfly" are a beautiful musical expression of the longing expressed so well and poetically in the song's lyrics. Lind doesn't have the most expressive voice in pop music, but within his own limitations, he composed some songs that have stayed with me for 40 years, and shows us that a lot of the one hit wonders had more talent than one hit would suggest. Even limitations in and of themselves are not bad, if you use them to your advantage. By the way, Lind put out a CD last year combining his newer material and older tunes, and to these ears, he sounds as good now as then, and his voice is particularly strong."
Exceptional, Memorable Songs by a Skilled Craftsman
Art and Music | 08/01/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This exceptional recording by Bob Lind, a reissue of his first two World Pacific LPs, contains some of the finest songwriting, singing, and instrumental arranging to be heard on any recording made during the 1960s. Bob Lind's uniquely creative, sensitive lyrics and vocal delivery make these superb songs a pleasure to listen to again and again.
Bob's wonderful songs cover a wide range of subjects, emotions, and issues ranging from introspection, devotion, wanderlust, humor, and plain rotten luck. The lyrics are poetic and sometimes philosophical, yet direct and accessible. The melodies are melodic, pleasant, and comprehensible, even when the subject matter is rough. And the backing musicians are top-shelf professionals who play with sensitivity and feeling.
Few songwriters can craft a lyric with the versatility of Bob Lind. His lyrics have a creative thrust that causes the listener to confront and appreciate the subject matter in a thoughtful way. Not many lyricists are able to produce that sort of interaction between the song and the listener.
The recording blends creative folk storytelling with tasteful, tuneful accompaniment in the appealing pop-orchestral style heard on 1960s recordings by Dusty Springfield, Jackie DeShannon, Johnny Rivers, Spanky and Our Gang, the Mamas and Papas and, with a heavy dose of eccentricities thrown in, the Beatles. In fact the arrangements and backing are so interesting that a separate theoretical review could focus on only those elements: beautiful intros, tight bass lines (sounds like Carol Kaye), precision percussion, interesting electric guitar work, and nicely textured sounds throughout.
A key strength of Bob Lind's songs is that they lend themselves to many possible musical interpretations. For example, if the strings and brass here were replaced with Telecasters and pedal steel, the sound would then be described as "folk rock" or "country rock," in the vein of the Brewer and Shipley, Graham Parsons, Stone Canyon Band, and Clarence White-era Byrds recordings of that time.
This is great music to listen to in your kitchen, on the front porch, while driving, at the beach, at the weekend cabin, or in a dark room alone. The songs make excellent study for aspiring lyricists. The music is so good that I would prefer to refrain from calling it popular music, but if we must call it that then let's call it popular music at its finest. Overall, a superior reissue CD from one of the most creative singer-songwriters we have been privileged to listen to over the last four decades."
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1