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4.0 out of 5 stars
Odds 'n' sods from the Elektra vault, February 23, 2006
This review is from: Great Lost Elektra Singles, Vol. 1 (Audio CD)
Though Elektra experimented with the singles market early in its history, by the mid-60s the label's fame rested solidly on its albums. Throughout the folk boom of the early '60s there was a sprinkle of singles, but the label's approach only really started to change as it aspired to create popular hits in the pop and rock markets. One of the bridges between Elektra's folk and rock eras is the Byrds' debut single, kicking off this collection under the name of The Beefeaters. Penned by Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark, "Please Let Me Love You" joins folk strumming to Beatles-styled melodies, leading the way to the band's Columbia LP debut. The flipside, "Don't Be Long" would reappear on the Byrds second album as "It Won't Be Wrong."
Judy Collins followed her cover of Pete Seeger's "Turn! Turn! Turn!" with the non-LP cover of Dylan's "I'll Keep it With Mine" that's heard here. Unfortunately, the production's combination of soulful organ (courtesy of Al Kooper) and harpsichord isn't helped by a vocal that sounds as if it was drawn from a Broadway show. In contrast, her non-LP B-side cover of Sandy Denny's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," is wonderfully clear and contemplative, backed by bass and acoustic guitar. Note that this version differs significantly from the full-band track released on the album of the same name.
Elektra stalwart Phil Ochs also used the singles format to stretch out, re-working his anti-war anthem "I Ain't Marching Anymore" with Al Kooper as electric folk-rock, effectively destroying the song's poignancy in the process. The Who's Roger Daltrey had it right in his original 1966 review: "It's sounds like a punished protest song." It's no substitute for the original version heard on Ochs' second album. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was a consistent album seller for Elektra, only occasionally dropping singles, such as the non-LP "Come On In." This track has a heavy Cream-like soul-psych style that's a nice compliment to the band's blues base.
One of the oddest sides on this collection is David Ackles French-language reworking of his own "Road to Cairo," retitled "La Route a Chicago." Parallels drawn between Ackles' work and that of balladeers like Charles Aznavour and Jacques Brel prompted this ill-fated attempt to break Ackles in France. Another unique track is the sole single from Eclection, whose members hailed from Britain, Norway, Canada and Australia. Though pitched as folk-rock, the tight harmonies and complex production are more resonant with the California pop minted by Curt Boettcher and Gary Usher. Closing this collection are both sides of a promo-only single waxed by the pre-Blue Oyster Cult confab, The Stalk-Forrest Group. The flip rocks heavier than the light psych-pop of its A-side, but not as hard as subsequent BOC recordings.
This is a fascinating (if unnecessarily short -- 10 songs, 32-minutes) peek into a lesser-known corner of the Elektra vault. Liner note readers will want to bring along a magnifying glass, as Collectors' Choice has crammed several pages of notes into two panels. Someone either needs to edit Richie Unterberger for length or invest in a few extra booklet pages (which might have included reproductions of the singles labels!). The lack of detail in the track list (songwriter credit, year of recording, chart info) is likewise disappointing, but the music is worth hearing. [©2006 hyperbolium dot com]
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