The Millennium - the gift that keeps on giving
Jason Penick | Oakland, CA | 05/30/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"After thirty odd years of obscurity, people are finally starting to wake up to the genius that was THE MILLENNIUM. Briefly, seven individual singer/songwriter/musicians in the 1960's formed a collaborative around their leader, Curt Boettcher, a gifted record producer who was equally adept at writing and performing his own music. Some of them participated on an unreleased album called THE BALLROOM in late 1966. Later, almost all would collaborate to some extent with producer Gary Usher for the PRESENT TENSE album by SAGITTARIUS, released in early 1968 on Columbia. Finally, these seven guys went to Columbia studios and recorded what was then the most expensive album in the history of that label, BEGIN THE MILLENNIUM. If you have yet to hear it, then by all means proceed directly to that listing and purchase it immediately. It will change your life. If you are already a fan of that record, however, then this new release is where you should turn next. Some of the tracks off THE MILLENNIUM AGAIN are stripped down pre-production versions of many of the best songs off BEGIN, showing exactly how much Boettcher's arranging skills and production flourishes added to the project. The real joy here, though, are the unreleased songs that would have appeared on the follow-up to BEGIN, had that record ever come out. Now, finally, the world can hear such magical songs as "Baby It's Real" and "Suspended Animation" (by Curt Boettcher), "The Ways I Love You" (by Michael Fennelly and Joey Stec), "Love at Last" (by Lee Mallory) and "I Just Don't Know How to Say Goodbye" (by Sandy Salisbury). Like the pre-production demos of the tracks from BEGIN, some of these new songs aren't built up much past basic acoustic guitar and electric bass backing tracks. But the fact is, a great pop song is a great pop song-- it doesn't need elaborate production to be successful! And My Lord these are great pop songs-- some of the finest I've ever heard. So in conclusion, if you already own a copy of BEGIN THE MILLENNIUM, I would not hesitate to make THE MILLENNIUM AGAIN your next CD acquisition."
A great companion to the Magic Time 3 CD set
williambourque | Waltham, Ma | 01/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Just as my title says. If you own the Magic Time 3 CD set, (the one put out by Sundazed), and loved every second of it, then this CD will be a welcome addendum to it.
The great singer/producer Curt Boettcher was fairly notorious for his love of his own voice, especially when it came time for overdubbing and track-synching duets. As angelic as his voice was, he would often use it to embelish, (sometimes overly), nearly every song... either masking whoever else was singing along with him on the track OR making their distinct vocal parts barely discernable. (Like on the Millennium track "It Won't Always Be The Same" for instance...)
On this CD, we the listeners are afforded some really "raw" and "unembelished" versions of some of the Millenniums songs... as well as some rarity's. Every song has very little studio manipulation going on, and very few places with multi-part harmonies as well.
Toss in a few selected rarities from Sandy Salisbury, aborted Millennium/Stec/Fennely singles, etc... and you got yourself a CD easily worth the price of purchasing if you are a fan of the Millennium's Begin album."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1