Customer Reviews

Listen Listen: Definitive Collection

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Rev-Ola's 29-track collection pulls together everything that was released by this Southern California band, along with the solo LP that group leader Emitt Rhodes waxed before heading off to record for Dunhill. This includes the whole of the band's eponymous 1967 LP (tracks 1-12), the 1971 Emitt Rhodes LP "The American Dream" (tracks 13-24), and five A- and B-sides from singles. For good measure, the CD includes a bonus track of the band playing the Beach Boys' "California Girls" with their A&M label head Herb Alpert on trumpet.

The debut album shows the band to have merged its West Coast background (Palace Guard, Leaves, Grass Roots) with a substantial British Invasion influence (Beatles, Badfinger, Zombies). There's also a helping of the ornate baroque-rock brought to the charts by Michael Brown and the Left Banke. These influences stayed with Rhodes as the band members peeled off and left him to record solo sides with session players from the Wrecking Crew. Unsurprisingly, the later sides show influence of later Beatles work - particularly the Magical Mystery Tour era Paul McCartney.

The Merry Go Round's album is superb, from the well-known "Live" (covered popularly by The Bangles) and the brilliantly produced follow-up "Time Will Show the Wiser" (covered by Fairport Convention on their own debut) to the minor-key "You're a Very Lovely Woman" (covered by Linda Ronstadt in 1971). Rhodes' songs were more than good enough to garner covers by other artists, they convinced his label to let he and the band write their entire debut album. His writing became increasingly sophisticated as he recorded his contractual obligation follow-up for A&M, and though the session players give the album a less organic quality, their playing is top-notch. This is a must-have for Emitt Rhodes fans, as well as anyone who loves late-60s/early-70s West Coast pop-rock. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]

This is so long overdue!!! I have been waiting decades for a definitive Merry Go Round collection. Rev-Ola, a fantastic reissue outfit from the UK, has done a class job here. Great sound, complete track listing (29 songs plus a hidden track, historical, just check the liner notes to avoid confusion!) and excellent notes and photos. The core of this collection are the 14 songs that Rhino had issued in 1985 on LP, including the hits Live and You're a Very Lovely Woman, as well as the lesser known but exquisite Listen, Listen, On Your Way Out and the signature tune Come Ride, Come Ride, which in my opinion is a masterpiece of baroque pop psychedlia. There are some duff tracks, but this is fine considering the ages of the group members, and the rushed nature of their recordings. An incredible release, and highly recommeded to fans of great 60s pop, think Beatles, Left Banke and Zombies... not to mention Three O'Clock and Bangles!!!

I discovered this band totally by accident either while surfing here at amazon or on allmusic.com. I had never heard of them.
Not a word. Then I read the review on allmusic and heard the 30 second samples.
Amazing! How did this get ignored back in 1967 or 1968?
It's very very good. Very Beatle-esque but not in a bad way.
It's also a tad folky or Byrds-ish which is a plus!

Emmitt Rhodes was born in Hawthorne, CA according to allmusic.com. While I've heard British groups sound American this is the most British I've ever heard an American Group sound.

Track 2 features backwards and sped up guitars. Track 12 features fuzzed out guitars.
Remember that Utopia album, Deface The Music? It was Todd Rundgren doing the Beatles.
Remember the Rutles and how Beatles-like they sounded?

This band beats both of them hands down. Of course they have an advantage. They're not writing pun-filled opposite titled tracks like Utopia and the Rutles did.

I hear elements of folk: think Peter, Paul and Mary but in a real good way. There's California Pop: imagine the best Mamas and Papas tracks but just the guys on vocals.

The first 12 tracks represent the one album The Merry-Go-Round recorded. The next batch is an Emmitt Rhodes solo album with session men.
The tone of the music changes from the Beatle-esque pop to a collage of styles but Mr. Rhodes song writing is very solid.
Track 14 reminds me of Eric Carmen. Track 18 starts out like a lost Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds a-side.

Tracks 26-29 are from Merry-Go Round singles and "Listen, Listen" really rocks out. The guitars really ring loud. I love this song.

As a hidden bonus during track 29 the band starts doing "California Girls" [not Good Vibrations] with Herb Alpert on trumpet at 2:35 in.

None of this is bad.
You will listen to this over and over. It's a repeat disc.
A rare find these days.

I haven't described every song. I want you to discover them on your own. Enjoy.
This is a great re-issue of a lost treasure.

Merry-Go-Round, led by singer and songwriter Emitt Rhodes, only achieved to release one album. This album "Live-You're a Very Lovely Woman", named from their first AM single released in 1967, has until recently been fairly easy to find at second-hand record stores. The band released a couple of more singles during their short lifespan. They officially disbanded in 1969, but the band had been in ruins months before, due to internal problems . Some of these AM Records recordings were in fact Emitt solo projects, and when Rhodes left for Dunhill Records in 1969-70, AM Records decided to release these later Merry-Go-Round recordings in Rhodes' name as "The American Dream". This obviously did not help Rhodes' solo career that two albums appeared almost simultaniously on the market bearing his name. He did have a minor hit with his first Dunhill single "Long Time No See", though. A paradox it is that both records are in fact pretty outstanding; especially his first Dunhill album is a classic. Rhodes only released 3 albums before he stopped his recording career.

The Merry-Go-Round album is a typical 1960's release, obviously greatly inspired by the Beatles, but still very American in sound - a bit like Buffalo Springfield or early Jefferson Airplane. It contains some great songs like "Time Will Show the Wiser" ( covered by Fairport Convention on their 1967 album ), "On Your Way Out", "Had to Run Around", "Gonna Leave You Alone" and the single-tracks "Live" and "You're a Very Lovely Woman".

During 1967-68 Rhodes' songwriting and singing style became even more Beatles-influenced and these songs sound very much like The Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" recordings. He even sings with a British accent. For fans of the Beatles ( especially McCartney ), Badfinger or Left Banke this CD release is highly recommended. It contains the complete AM Records releases + a few previously unreleased tracks. Enjoy tracks like "Saturday Night", "Man He Was", "Pardon Me" and "Till the Day After" - and if you feel like more of the same, look out for Rhodes solo-releases.

"Definitive" is spot-on the best word to describe this fine Rev-Ola compilation, as all the RELEASED songs are represented here (completists would want ALL the single 'A'-sides in their original mono, too, but they're out of luck here). All that the rave reviews say about the set is true, but let's not forget the excellent booklet with Steve Stanley's well-researched liner notes, featuring quotes from Emitt Rhodes and the other two surviving band members. Sound quality is sharp, and that's even with the two record dubs and the soundtrack dub (from a long-forgotten Herb Alpert TV special) factored into my opinion. Too bad that this had to come via an import (price-speaking), but who cares? It's as good as the best Sundazed compilations, and that's sayin' plenty. If it's not as important as the newest remasters of albums by The Beatles, it comes very, very close. Seriously: buy it now!

Despite an appearance on the well-known NUGGETS box set, the Merry Go Round are quite unknown. Emitt Rhodes was an amazing songwriting and the classic 60s pop tunes on this CD are a great example.

Any fans of the Beatles, the Byrds, or the Left Banke would be wise to check this out. Current fans of Belle & Sebastian, Voxtrot, and Camera Obscura should do the same.

It is so easy to be disappointed when tracking down a singer or group but "Listen, Listen: The Definitive Collection" delivers big time! File under Emitt Rhodes and truly appreciate the genius of the man who is one of the "great unsung talents" of the past 40 years (you can put Dwight Twilley right alongside him). I came to this compilation through the Emitt Rhodes solo albums on Dunhill, and didn't know what to expect. After all, The Merry-Go-Round featured a teenage Emitt early in his career. Apart from the catchy minor 1967 hit "Live" (covered note-for-note nearly twenty years later by The Bangles), what else did he have to offer? The answer is - plenty. Uncharacteristically for an album from a new group at the time, A&M allowed The Merry-Go-Round to record entirely original material! And Emitt wrote ten of the twelve tracks from their self-titled album, sharing co-writing credit on another. The album is included in its entirely in this collection. And the good news - no the great news - is the songs are consistently strong. And they grow on you with each playing. In addition, "The Definitive Collection" has all the tracks off Emitt's last album for A&M "The American Dream" (recorded before he made the move to Dunhill and his self-titled 1970 "Emitt Rhodes" masterwork). Also included are additional singles from The Merry-Go-Round - standouts like "Listen, Listen" and "She Laughed Loud". In fact, the whole package is so strong (yes, there are one or two less successful tracks) that it leaves you thinking about how music history might have played out differently.

This would be worth the money for the inclusion of the first and only Merry Go Round LP in its entirety, but this ups the ante by also including the '68 and '69 recordings that were eventually released as Emmit's first solo LP, American Dream. For my money, that was his best solo album. I know his eponomous debut on Dunhill is considered his best, but I've got the original LP of that and it sounds very boxy, like bootleg demos. But American Dream here sounds very sharp, and employs excellent musicians that enhance the songs. Emmit's one-man show on his three LPs for Dunhill may be gutsy, but in fact he's not the greatest engineer, and the LPs suffer as a result.

But enough of that. Back to the Merry Go Round album. This is a sorely overlooked gem, a sixties lost classic. This band was brimming with talent. Emmit's songs were excellent, the production crisp and the playing tight. Also, the harmonies were beautiful.

This is a gem.

I'm a fan of Emitt Rhodes. Merry-Go-Round was his vehicle in the late 60's. This is a well produced quality re-release of that portfolio and Emitt's first solo album 'The American Dream' with plenty of historic information in the fat insert booklet. This is worth owning if you are a fan of Emmit, the band or 60's pop music.

I can remember the impact that first Merry Go Round album had on me,melodic and heartfelt tunes that are imbeded deep in my mind.
Emitt Rhodes was and is a master craftsmen of pop, on par with anything anyone has written in the last 35 plus years of the genre, sadly and unjustly his solo work is long overdue for an evaluation for a younger generation of musical seekers.
Revola have blessed us with his full solo "American Dream" album from 71 as well as most of the Merry Go Round material on this extremely well put together package that includes a 20 page history booklet.
Sadly missed, here's hoping the next 5 years sees a Rhodes revival to fill the void in a world that seeks melodic glory in this form. God Bless Emitt Rhodes...................