Customer Reviews

Heart Food

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...in all its glory, with every ounce of pain, joy, inspiration, struggle, love and anger - that's what Judee Sill has given us. The story of her life contains elements that are all too common in the world of music - and in the larger one as well. A rebellious child of the 60s, Judee defined `tumultuous' - marriage at a young age, time spent in reform school on an armed robbery conviction, addiction to heroin, prostitution to support her habit. Through all of this, and beyond, into the rest of her adult life, she showed an uncompromising strength of spirit that gave her the courage and ability to carry on. She kicked heroin cold turkey in jail - and she found personal meaning in a facet of faith that resonated within her, which surged into her music and conveyed a refreshing and uplifting combination of innocence and certainty pushed ever forward with a yearning for growth without end. It made her one of the greatest and most purely honest of the huge crop of singer-songwriters that filled the bins in the music stores in that era - and it has endowed her art with an edge that makes it as relevant today as when the album was first released, back in 1973.

The spiritual images in Judee's songs spring from her interest and immersion in the more mystical forms of Christian study. The notes in the accompanying booklet mention the Rosicrucian Order - I can see and hear references to elements of the Gnostic Gospels as well. Her religious beliefs were forged from a wide range of sources - she took from each one as it spoke to her, and she made them her own, which is as it should be. Unlike artists who would be considered `gospel' or `religious' singers, however, Judee's work never comes across as proselytizing or preaching - she's singing about topics that mean a lot to her, that have touched her life and brought her hope and strength. There are earthly aspects to her songs as well - just as there are earthly aspects to our lives. No matter how far we reach with our minds and hearts, our feet remain planted on the earth, among our fellow human beings, replete with all emotional baggage. She sings of love in all of its forms - divine, lustful, and everything in between. It's all a part of who we are - human - and Judee was no different. She was, however, blessed with the rare gift of being able to convey her thoughts and feelings in an amazingly insightful and moving way in song.

The arrangements on HEART FOOD are a bit fuller than the ones of her eponymous debut - the string charts in particular (written by Judee) are wonderful, accenting and framing the songs beautifully. The feel of this album runs the gamut from folk to country to gospel, with one track (`Soldier of the heart') boasting a more `rock' arrangement, complete with a bluesy lead guitar line. Her voice is wonderful throughout - what you hear is pure Judee, no tricks, no frills, no cloyed `perfect' pronunciation. As the notes affirm, Judee sang just like she spoke - with an unaffected, natural twang, completely honest and unpretentious, straight from the heart and soul.

The re-mastering job on this extended re-release is beautifully full, crisp and clear - and the article in the booklet (by Michele Kort, author of a biography of Laura Nyro) is informative and balanced. There are nine extra tracks included here - `The desperado', a song recorded during the sessions for the album but left off the final released; plus eight demo versions of various songs, which give the listener an opportunity to hear Judee perform them solo, without any back-up singers or instruments. These demos are every bit as powerful in their own way as the more filled-out versions that were released on the album - which shouldn't be surprising: the power and soul of Judee's music is in her words and music, and even without the trappings, they shine like the rare jewels they are.

This edition, from Rhino Homemade, is limited to 5000 copies (as is their simultaneous re-release of her first album) - I don't know if it will be made available in a pared-down version or not. Judee's work is shamefully not very well-known, so my best advice would be to get this (and the other album) while you can.

Heart Food is one of only two albums ever recorded by the mysterious Judee Sill, the erudite scion of a wealthy Hollywood family who ended up a penniless heroin addict. Despite the tragic sordidness of her life, Sill's ingenious lyrics are intensely devotional and cryptic, like poetic messages from the contemporary sibyl of some heretical Christian sect. Her vocal range is astonishing and her pitch is perfect. It's like listening to the voice of some lost, wandering saint.

The songs themselves are lushly arranged folk tunes with a strong country influence. Sill characterized her style as Country Cult Baroque, and that's as useful a label as any I can think of. The overall effect is intensely honest and moving.

This album was out of print for years, but Rhinohandmade has now produced a very limited number of definitive reissues, featuring an unreleased song and a set of haunting demos of Sill singing alone accompanied only by her piano or guitar.

If you have a taste for Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, John Martyn, Joni Mitchell, Scott Walker, or Kate Bush, this record really will feed your heart.

This is a landmark album, happily re-released in 2005 with insightful and poetic liner notes from XTC's Andy Partridge. It's easy to see why David Geffin went with Judee as his first Asylum records release way back when: this has a strong "Ladies of the Canyon" feel to it, and sums up everything he was trying to do with that label when he first started it.

It's hard to pick favorites here, every song is a standout -- the opener is a religious ode as fervent and beautiful as I've ever heard; "The Kiss" should be played at every cool wedding or by anyone deeply in love or once touched thereby; and "Soldier of the Heart" is the hit song that never was.

I could go on, but the music here is hard to describe and must be heard, carefully, to understand. It shares the multi-tracking vocal and harmonic style of early to mid-period Joni, and Judee's voice has echoes of both her and "Hotcakes" era Carly Simon, yet the music is organic, unique, utterly real, and ethereal. The arrangements rival Brian Wilson in their complexity and beauty, but are very feminine, warm, and enveloping, with strong religious overtones. It's a high point for the possibilities of the pop album, and should be gobbled up quick before it goes away again.

I bought "Heart Food" while in high school when the record was still being played on college stations. The only song they played back then was "The Doner," which I loved immediately (as did the DJs on the station). I had to have my aunt pick it up for me, because I didn't have a car yet. At the record store, she said she looked for it but finally had to ask for help, because she couldn't find it out in the bins. My aunt was very suspicious - for some reason they kept them behind the counter. Go figure.

Out of the blue a couple of years ago, I decided to pull out my old LP, and was blown away all over again, crackles and all, thirty-odd years later. I did some Googling and found several sites devoted to her and her music. It seemed that lots of people were getting blown away all over again. One mentioned the Rhino Handmade re-release coming up, so I waited and bought one as soon as I could. I think this was a short run of 2500 copies or so. I'm glad to hear it's been "re-re-released."

I recommend her first album, "Judee Sill", though "Heart Food is probably the best introduction to Judee Sill's music, I think. The "lost" album, "Dreams Come True," is okay, with a few knockout songs, but I wouldn't recommend starting there. "Judee Sill" took a few plays to get its hooks into me. Now it's right up there in my mind with "Heart Food."

For me HEARTFOOD by JUDEE SILL is one of the most beautiful and ming boggling records ever made..its as great as any other record by anyone anywhere...where do those lyrics come from? the chords? The arrangments?LYRICALLY she has no peer..what an amazingly sad tragedy that this record is hardly known.THE KISS is as beautiful a song as ive heard, time simply stops when i even thing about that song ..i dont even have to hear it ,all i have to do is think of it to feel its power.The only other track that does this to me is REMEMBER THE MAINTAIN BED written by woody guthrie and achingly sung by jeff tweedy on mermaid ave vol 2(wilco finest moment.and i love wilco) ..beleive every word youve read on this site about this record..AND GOD BLESS JUDEE SILL. ps..ive just got DREAMS COME TRUE the new judee sillcd of unreleased material...and its gonna blow your mind

Trust the other reviews on this fantastic album. I knew nothing of Judee Sill until the recent reissue campaign of her two Asylum albums by Rhino Handmade (along with the new set from the never-completed third album, "Dreams Come True" by the Water label), and all the praise is well deserved. I've listened to "Heartfood" about ten times or so, which isn't nearly enough to appreciate her substantial gifts of composition and arrangement. Only adding to the pleasure of hearing this terrific album is Rhino Handmade's expert handling of this reissue, complete with extensive liner notes, and additional tracks and demos. To be honest, my purchase was based on 50% curiousity and the other half solely on Rhino's involvement. They never disappoint. But more than anything, Sill's is a voice well worth discovery, and the heart-melting "The Kiss" is worth the purchase all on its own. Also essential are Sill's first, self-titled set (also on Rhino Handmade) and the above-mentioned "Dreams Come True". A fitting tribute to an artist shamefully relegated to the margins for too many years.

It's fairly incredible that for as amazing as "Heart Food" is, it remains largely unknown and under-appreciated. However, its brilliance will not let it fade. Copies of the lp have fetched high prices; and Rhino's limited re-release is welcome as this classic set joins the digital age. Sometimes compared to Laura Nyro's "New York Tendaberry," Joni Mitchell's "Blue," or Carole King's "Tapestry" as one of the seminal sets of female singer songwriters in terms of its influence, there is no questioning the amazing & inspired brilliance of this set.

For me, the shining jewel in the crown of this accomplishment is the glorious "When the Bridegroom Comes." She takes bridegroom imagery from Matthew, Chapter 25 & Revelations 17 ("And the Spirit & the bride say, Come") and combines this into a moving piece of religious metaphor for the human acceptance of the will of God. This is such an inspiring track that it sometimes gives me chills of anticipation with its clarity and vision.

The musical flow and surging keyboard on "Down Where the Valleys Are Low" is stunningly original, "Till the heaven's song begins the holy fires a-burnin' & the harmony is set to weave a silver sermon." "The Phoenix" is a lovely track with Sill's voice that comforts like a warm embrace, "Guess I'm always chasin' the sun, hopin' we will soon be one." The lovely piano intro on "The Donor" and the breathless "kyrie eleison" chorus is some of the most gorgeous music ever created! Sill's unique sense of harmony and musical construction makes her an under-appreciated master. One wonders how her earthly path might have changed and what music might have been produced if this incredible set had found the broad audience it so richly deserves. Classic! Bravo!

She wasn't a lost soul but she had the credentials for it. She took to prostitution to support her drug habit. After she was busted, music became her addiction. She was damn good at it. Sill really took to music when she was in reform school playing the church organ. It's there that she learned the gospel licks that made much of her music so powerful. She once described her music as "country-cult-baroque" and it certainly fits given her lyrical fascination with religious icons. She never had a hit although she did gain the respect of other important song writers. She continues to have impact. XTC's "Apple Venus Volume 1" and "Wasp Star" both owe a huge debt to Sill's mixture of strings, wistful melodies and exotic use of Christian and pagan imagery (XTC's Andy Partridge gives her a special thank you in his notes for the latter album). Judee Sill's music borrows liberally from country, gospel, and helped establish singer-songwriter tradition that eventually blossomed into a cliche during the 70's.

Her second album demonstrated a blossoming talent. If you can still find it go for the special edition of her second album limited to 5000 copies and available only through Rhino Handmade's website. There's a number of bonus tracks and an exceptional booklet. Less lush and with string arrangements, well placed gospel phrasing Heart Food captures Sill at the peak of her performing and writing talents. Although her co-producer and engineer Henry Levy noted that he felt the second album had better production but no additional depth to the songs, Heart Food seems much more introspective lyrically. Sill isn't afraid to wear her influences on her sleeve here. She's also not afraid to incorporate new musical elements to these songs. Levy's talent as an engineer and producer was undeniable. He's also very, very wrong about Heart Food. Every song demonstrates growth for Sill but the marvelous "Soldier of the Heart" , epic "The Donor" and magical "The Kiss" with its hymn like quality are clearly the stand out tracks on the album

Every song comes from the soul and Sill never stopped looking for that mythical juncture of the physical and the spiritual. Rhino's special edition features one unreleased outtake as well as 8 raw demos for this album. Sill's first album definitely belongs in the essential category (and it's also available from Rhino Handmade with bonus demos and live tracks) despite the over lush production that hampers some of the material. Sill gained a bit of fame when the late great Warren Zevon covered her single "Jesus Was a Crossmaker". His marvelous version of the song nicely compliments Sill's more lyrical version. Sill would have found humor and irony in her sudden minor fame when Zevon's song earned airplay. Unfortunately, Sill died in 1979 having completed only two albums and an additional album worth of demos which have recently been issued as "Dreams Come True". She was 35. Rhino Handmade can be contacted at http://www.rhinohandmade.com.

I first heard this in 1977 when a muso friend raced in with it. I could never buy it as it had been delisted, but I have often listened to an audio tape I made back then. The sad, somewhat futile tale of Judee's life is reflected in these songs of struggle and pilgrimage. Many times since then I have played her song "When the Bridgroom Comes" for people who are down, looking for a shot at redemption. This record is very special - not all that well produced, erratic, mixed and utterly authentic.

One small word for Judee Sill, who came, made two gorgeous albums and then passed on with hardly a memory of her left almost thirty years later. One small word for the lady whose voice could make you feel both the gentleness (and vulnerability) of the summer flower and the firmness of a thousand year old dam (if any were ever to exist). Rhino has done the music public a tremendous service with their release of her only two albums. This album, Heart Food, is her second and arguably better album. Lyrically the theme moves from the archetypical male rascal that permeated the first album to a more general conflict between good and evil, as in the gorgeously written "Phoenix". As in her debut, the music, as in many of the singer-songwriter contemporaries of her time such as James Taylor, Carol King, Joni Mitchel, Laura Nyro, and even Jackson Browne, is stripped down and devoid of ornament---at least that's what it seems on first listen. But then you begin to notice the gospel and blues elements, and that random banjo in "The Pearl", and the subtle, multi-tracked vocals on "The Kiss"-and you begin to see that there was so much more to Judee than the cereal box simplicity that belied her music. There is some light electric gospel on "Down Where the Valleys Are Low"; the twang of "Vigilante" and "There's A Rugged Road" recalls "Ridge Rider" from her debut; "Solider of the Heart" seems like it was probably intended to be the pop element. "When The Bridegroom Comes" would not have been out of place on a Gram Parsons album with the same style of vocal delivery. Then just when you think she's wrapped another album of down-home tracks, she hits you with "The Donor"-and song unlike anything you have ever or will ever hear-it is the alpha-omega of the album with its medieval background (the chorus of Kyrie Eleison [lord have mercy]) and subtle orchestrations. The last song, "Jig", is a bit of lightening up from the seriousness of "Donor". Of the bonus cuts, there is an outtake, "The Desperado" which is in the same twangy vein of the opening track, "There's A Rugged Road". The demo tracks, like the bonus live cuts from her debut album, feature Judee either on piano or guitar; the demo version of "Down Where The Valleys Are Low" recalls her days of happiness from when she was a church pianist/organist. Her voice, however, is the real instrument on these cuts, especially on the still-powerful "Donor", and that more than anything else is what will stay with you.