Customer Reviews

Bandstand

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

 

 

Family was always the real deal, the working person's band, a group that did not pander to the top-40 crowd, recording executives, or misguided program directors.

Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney are clearly the most underrated duo of songwriters ever to front a rock band. Few realize just how many songs they composed together in both Family and later in Streetwalkers. Chappo's vocal prowess once led "Rolling Stone" to dub him arguably the best rock vocalist ever. The remarkable guitar playing of the versatile Whitney, the solid bass lines and backing vocals of John Wetton (his counterpoint to Chapman worked remarkably well), and the ever steady drumming of Rob Townsend still sound fresh and inventive. One quibble is that Poli Palmer sometimes goes overboard on the synthesizers making some passages clearly show their age, but then he redeems himself on others.

The opening track, the classic "Burlesque," kick starts this session. "Burlesque," which may be just the song you need to bring any moribund gathering to life, is one of the few Family songs any of my friends can recall having ever heard. Solid power rock songs such as the darkly humorous "Broken Nose," the snarling "Ready To Go," or lament "Top of the Hill" anchor the CD, and these are all tracks that, together with "Burlesque" can easily toe to toe with the best hard rock of the '70s. The acoustic tunes such as their gentle anthem about dealing with depression "My Friend The Sun" or the homage to memories in "Coronation" songs are even more remarkable for their beauty when contrasted with the grittiness of the real rockers here. Clearly, Family covered all the bases. Even the throwback bonus track, "The Rockin' R's," which harkens back to early '60s pop of the pre-Family line up of the Farinas sounds great on this remastered CD.

The fact that Family never broke through to become as big as its contemporaries does not diminish the importance of their body of work. Their music is worth the effort to seek out. I envy those of you who will soon be hearing some of this music for the first time.

Well, if they can remaster the CD, I can remaster my review (which somehow went incognito when transferred from the "out-of-print version to this one). Bandstand is probably Family's most accessible album. It has enough variety and eccentricities to satisfy the devotees, but also a number of songs a Family fan could play for friends without frightening them away. Lovely ballads like "My Friend The Sun" and "Dark Eyes." A crackling rocker like "Burlesque." Even straight-up R&B in "Ready To Go."

I figured that the rest of Bandstand had probably never been played on any radio station this side of Leicester, but then a later reviewer insisted that he played more of it on his college radio station. Duly corrected, it's still safe to say that American radio stations failed to wear out their copies. Only Roger Chapman could come up with "Broken Nose," an aggressive rock torch song with unusual propulsive rhythms, written sympathetically from the point of view of a stalker who laments: "The day that I stopped loving you was the day you broke my nose." "Bolero Babe" sounds like it was written by Maurice Ravel's cousin from Saturn. "Top of the Hill" is yet another example of how Chapman & Whitney often sounded like they weren't playing the same song, but still made it work in unimaginable ways.

I am baffled by the reviewer who criticized Family's arrangements on Bandstand. OK, Roger Chapman's voice is definitely not for evryone, & I can respect that. Family's music can be more challenging than some folks are willing to deal with, and they're not for everyone even without dealing with Chappo's crazed goat-boy vocal's. But the arrangements? The more complex pieces on Bandstand have incredible arrangements. Note my dissent.

The "remastered" version adds a Family 45 rpm, The Rockin' R's. If you have an older version without it, chill out, you're not missing anything. If you can't go on living without all the extra tracks gracing Family re-releases, just pick up Anthology, which combines the singles, B-sides and an excellent, generous collection of tracks from A Song For Me through It's Only A Movie.

There probably isn't a Family fan anywhere that doesn't have Bandstand. It should be a must for any fans of '70's "progressive" music.

The amazing Family were always one the most creative and musical progressive bands of their era, with a breadth and variety of styles which was their musical strength and their commercial weakness. Bandstand was their most consistent album - "Fearless" was equally brilliant but quixotic and chameleonlike in its changes and mutations. Here Family's tightest line-up, with Poli Palmer AND John Wetton to support the brilliant Chapman and Whitney. Songwriting honours are shared as usual and just about every song is superb - the catchy "Burlesque" and "My Friend the Sun" singles to the soulful "Coronation", "Glove" and "Dark Eyes" where Chapman's voice was never better. Stronger aggressive Family reasserts itself with "Broken Nose", "Ready To Go" and Palmer shines on the jazzy instrumental "Bolero Babe". The songs run the full gamut of emotions and display the kind of mood swings we know and love in Family. A unique band at their peak. A must for any record collection.

First let me respond to the other reviewer of this CD who wrote, "The rest of Bandstand has probably never been played on any radio station this side of Leicester." Well, I played it on my college station in the early to mid 1970s, but no one listened. It's too bad no one is listening now either, because this CD is awesome. I recommend any of the remastered Family CD's to anyone who cares about real rock 'n roll and who wants to hear the best vocalist in rock. Period.

Bandstand is probably Family's most accessible album. It has enough variety and eccentricities to satisfy the devotees, but also a number of songs a Family fan could play for friends without frightening them away. Lovely ballads like "My Friend The Sun" and "Dark Eyes." A crackling rocker like "Burlesque." Even straight-up R&B in "Ready To Go."

The rest of Bandstand has probably never been played on any radio station this side of Leicester. Only Roger Chapman could come up with "Broken Nose," an aggressive rock torch song with unusual propulsive rhythms, written sympathetically from the point of view of a stalker who laments: "The day that I stopped loving you was the day you broke my nose." "Bolero Babe" sounds like it was written by Maurice Ravel's cousin from Saturn. "Top of the Hill" is yet another example of how Chapman & Whitney often sounded like they weren't playing the same song, but still made it work in unimaginable ways.

There probably isn't a Family fan anywhere that doesn't have this one. It should be a must for any fans of '70's "progressive" music.

I mainly bought this record because of the prescence of John Wetton, however I rarely listen to it. Only recently have I gained just a slight appreciation for the music of Family. To me they are just not an easy or very rewarding band to listen to. Roger Chapman may be the most annoying singer in the history of British rock. The songwriting isn't there and the arrangements are beyond clumsy. Family is for die hard 70's British rock fans only; and this is in my opinion the 2nd best album that I've heard by them. I would rate Fearless maybe a little higher.I just don't understand the appeal of this group.