Search - Fred Neil :: Fred Neil

One of the best albums you've never heard...

B. Bowman | Jersey, United States | 08/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm stunned that after years of listening to Fred Neil's contemporaries (Bob Dylan, Tim Buckley, Hoyt Axton, etc.) that I never once heard his name or music mentioned with the other players of the folk era of the mid sixties in Greenwich Village. I guess that stands as a testament to just how obscure Fred Neil is; the term "fringe artist" really doesn't apply. The liner notes to this remastered edition of his third album confirm that Neil made music for himself and didn't care for the business side of music. Like many others, I was introduced to the music of Fred Neil through the Sopranos show which used "Dolphins" to great effect during a scene where Christopher relapsed and used heroin. My ears perked up and I said out loud "Who IS that?" I ran straight to my Hoyt Axton discs and started fumbling around thinking it was him, but not finding the song in question. (I was later to read that Axton was largely influenced by Neil; the two certainly have similar vocal styles.) I tracked this disc down and purchased it primarily for "Dolphins", which is an incredible song. The lyrics and music combine to capture such a wistful sentiment, and it has become one of my favorite songs. Tim Buckley covered this song also, although I haven't yet heard his version. I was surprised at the quality of the rest of the music on this CD. Fred Neil had such a great voice, with an obvious appreciation of the blues. I hadn't realized that he was the songwriter who wrote "Everybody's Talkin'", later a huge hit for Harry Nilsson on the "Midnight Cowboy" soundtrack. The liner notes explain that Neil refused to cut the song for the movie soundtrack, and Nilsson did instead, further proof of Neil's disregard for fame or exposure. Neil's version is plaintive and direct and I think I prefer it to the Nilsson version I've been hearing all these years. I was interested to read in the liner notes of Neil's experience working with The Doors' producer Paul Rothchild and what turned out to be a complete clash of personalities. The producer for this album took the opposite approach of Rothchild, who tried to handle Neil (which backfired), and decided to let him and some friends from Greenwich Village sit in a circle and play their guitars until the songs included on the album took shape into finished takes. The whole disc has an informal feel, but the mood that was captured hits the spot every time I listen to this. I would recommend this disc to any fan of the singer/songwriters of the early seventies. This album has a confessional and personal style similar to the artists that were to follow Neil. I would have to say that Fred Neil is probably one of the most overlooked sngwriters of his generation, although I think he intended things to be that way. However, this is an album that needs to be heard, it really is that good."

INI HEAVEN SINGING

J. TAYLOR | PALM SPRINGS, CA., USA | 05/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THIS MAN CAN DO IT, HE CAN MAKE YOU CRY, LAUGH AND AND CRY AND LAUGH AT THE SAME TIME.. WHEN I HEARD TH DOLPHINS PLAY ON THE SOPRAN'S WHEN CHRIS WAS BACK ON DRUGS. MY GOD DID THAT SONG SO FIT.. BREAKS YOUR HEART OUT.. WATCHING HIM FLOATING IN HIS LOST SOUL AND THEN HEARING THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG PLAYING IN THE BACK GROUND.. WOW YES IT REMEMEBERED ME OF MY DAYS BUT NO SONG... 25 YEARS CLEAN THANK GOD











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Check Out Fred Neil!

John F. Kristich | Palmyra, PA USA | 07/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard The Dolphins on the Soprano's, and took notice immediately. The remainder of the CD is also worth it. This guy was extremely talented, and worked with some of the best in the industry. Check out FredNeil.com...very interesting."