Customer Reviews

Balin

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you've heard Jefferson Starship's "Miracles" (from the 'Red Octopus' album) then you've heard Marty Balin, a truly outstanding vocalist and a major contributor to the band.

'Balin' is one of two solo albums released (on vinyl) in the early 1980s. Hitherto, it had only been available in CD form on a hard-to-find Japanese issue. By far the best-known (and, for me, also the best) track on this album is 'Hearts', a single so successful that it even appeared in Spanish. The remainder of the album consists of ballads (which Balin performs better than anyone else, in my opinion) and rockier numbers (which are perhaps not his forte).

The other solo album ('Lucky') was even better than this one but, very surprisingly, has never appeared on CD even in Japan. Of his later albums, the best (but hardest to find) is 'Balince', a marvellous 'best-of' collection including previously-unreleased material. 'Better Generation' is a good album (don't be put off by the cover), though 'Freedom Flight' is rather disappointing. I cannot really recommend 'Greatest Hits', as it's a re-recording (in 1999) of his back catalogue rather than a collection of the originals.

So 'Balin' is a very welcome return, which will be particularly enjoyed by those who like Starship of the 'Red Octopus'/'Earth' period. But let's hope that 'Lucky' - a really five-star album - eventually makes it to CD as well. Four stars for this one, just because 'Lucky' is so much better.

There isn't much more to say than that. I've been waiting for YEARS for this album to be released on CD to have the full length album version of Hearts--the single edit has been available on numerous CDs in the past. HOW do you issue the ALBUM and put the SINGLE edit on of the biggest track on here instead of the full length version???

I remember when this song came out...It just hit me like a ton of bricks.Great lyrics...Great hook and melody.The album is very smoothe...You know this is what its all about its the reason i love the music of the 70s & 80s not to say that there aren't some talented singer/songwriters today...but todays music seems to be missing something...Most of the time i feel its lacking originality...Oh well...pick up this cd its timeless,from a time i regret to say is gone forvever but when ever i hear these tunes I'm transported right back...Enjoy!

You might not guess it if you were to see him live nowadays, but when it comes to rock vocalists, no one surpasses Marty Balin. When you add in that Marty was a founding member and the main catalyst behind the formation of one of the 1960's most seminal bands Jefferson Airplane, plus the writer of soaring and timeless pop songs such as "It's No Secret" and "Miracles", you truly have one of the all-time great artists of the rock era.

Marty's first bonafide solo album, simply titled "Balin" and originally released in 1981, offers up concrete proof that the man could SING virtually anything. He's credited with next to none of the songwriting here--just one co-write--but he invests himself in every song, and he's chosen some excellent compositions to work with. Don't get it into your head that this is some kind of "Marty sings karaoke" album--it's FAR from it. Marty's friend Jesse Barish, who wrote the 1978 Jefferson Starship hit "Count On Me" (as well as other JS material), supplied the heartwrenching mid-tempo ballad "Hearts" which opens the album and was a Top 10 US hit. The breezy mid-tempo pop-rocker "Atlanta Lady", also written by Barish, and with a suave, ultra-romantic Balin vocal, is another gem that hit the US Top 40.

There are lots of other great songs as well. "You Left Your Mark On Me" is in a similar vein as "Hearts", but rocked-up a bit with some grungy power chords. Marty brilliantly resurrects the Pages' 1979 flop single "I Do Believe In You"--the frustratingly overslick and passionlessly performed Pages' version (from their 1979 album "Future Street"), in retrospect, sounds like a dry run for the more focused, emotionally-charged, and definitive Balin version. Balin even takes some downright tacky compositions like the mock-ominous uptempo tribute "Elvis and Marilyn", and the ultra-upbeat, swinging "Tell Me More", and proceeds to have a field day with them, transforming each of them into campy gems that you can hardly resist singing along with. But the most gloriously unhinged song on the album is the intoxicating, made-to-be-played-LOUD rocker "Spotlight", featuring thrilling dynamics, and with Balin absolutely singing his head off with incredible conviction, acknowledging that, although not everyone can be a star, we may as well attempt anyway--again, although Balin didn't write the song, it's very much in line with his own personality, and listening to it, it gives the listener a reassuring power that maybe there is a hope to at least have a taste of our dreams.

Balin's lone co-composition, "Lydia", is an amusing throwback to the thematics of Jefferson Airplane's "Come Up The Years" (i.e., falling for a much younger woman). The album ends with one final Barish composition, the tuneful acoustic ballad "Music Is The Light" which has a really lovely chorus.

And to give credit where it's due, Marty DOES have a great crew of supporting musicians behind him here, even if almost all of them are 'no-namers'. Look at the sumptuous interplay of electric guitar and electric piano on "Hearts", the mesmerising guitar solo on "Spotlight", or the speedy lead riffs on "I Do Believe In You", just to cite a few examples. And Billy Lee Lewis is stellar on the drums, keeping up a great beat and playing irresistible fills.

I was really blown away to discover such hard-hitting songs here, songs I absolutely wouldn't want to be without. If you're a fan of Marty's work on the '70s Jefferson Starship albums, you really owe it to yourself to give this "Balin" album a try. (It HAS been released on CD in Japan, although it seems to be extremely rare--please don't pay $199.99 for it though.)

I picked up a Japanese pressing of this from Ebay several months ago. As far as I know, this is the first time this album has been released on CD in the US. It's long overdue.

What I can't understand is why they didn't release Balin's 2nd album "Lucky" at the same time! It's NEVER been released on CD--in any country....And, it's a better album.

Still, glad to see this released....I really hope that Collector's Choice follows this release up with the 2nd album at some point (the sooner the better).

I first heard the song "Hearts" in 1981 and I have not heard it since.

I was excited to see it available on Amazon and I bought it fast. I

did not realize my mistake until the postman gave me the LP. I guess

I still won't hear the song for a while.