Customer Reviews

Mirror Man Sessions

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

 

 

Captain Beefheart (who now only responds to Don Van Vliet) and (at the time) His Magic Band (later changed to "The Magic Band") were coming off of a very tepid success in 1967. Their first release, "Safe As Milk", didn't attract much attention, and Van Vliet very much wanted to expand his musical horizons. After Ry Cooder left the band, a new Magic Band was formed and they entered the studio to record the "Mirror Man Sessions".

The material from these sessions subsequently languished in Buddha Record's vaults from 1967 to 1971. Most likely the fledgling label found the material uncompromisingly uncommercial (especially compared to the relatively more accessible "Safe As Milk"). So they sat on it until "Captain Beefheart" began to attract a following in the early 1970s. They then chose to release a single record with four long avant-garde blues magnum opuses (the first four tracks on this CD). For some reason they also claimed that the sessions dated from 1965 (this mistake even made it onto the early CD pressings of "Mirror Man").

Van Vliet's original vision for a follow-up to "Safe As Milk" comprised a double album entitled "It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper". He also wanted to turn the experimentation up a notch. One record was the "live" record (which ended up being recorded in the studio), and made up of the four long blues numbers. In these adventurous numbers Van Vliet plays off-key on a shenai (legend claims that Ornette Coleman gave this Indian reed instrument to him), sings through guitar pickups, experiments with cutting the power to the microphone off an on while singing, and howls highly poetic and ad-libbed lyrics. The second album, the "studio" album, would have likely resembled "Strictly Personal" (the actual follow-up to "Safe As Milk", released in 1968 on Blue Thumb Records). Songs recorded for Buddha that subsequently made it onto the next album include: "Trust Us", "Beatle Bones N' Smokin' Stones", "On Tomorrow", "Safe As Milk", and "Gimmee Dat Harp Boy" (truncated versions of "Mirror Man" and "Kandy Korn" also made it). In addition, the band recorded "Moody Liz", "Korn Ring Finger", "Big Black Baby Shoes", "Flower Pot", and "Dirty Blue Gene". Truly, they had enough material for a double album. But Buddha stopped the project in its tracks and refused to release the tapes of the sessions to the band. So the band found another label and the rest remains (overly-flanged and processed) history.

This CD, and the reissue of "Safe As Milk", finally allow all of the material recorded for Buddha in 1967-1968 to see the light of day. Here are most of the unprocessed and unflanged "Strictly Personal" songs (Blue Thumb released the follow-up with a heavy layer of processing). Here they come alive. Hearing these versions will heighten the experience of listening to "Strictly Personal" (and allow fans a glimpse of just how much greater the album could've been). Plus, the remastering of the original songs from 1971's "Mirror Man" sound great. The band really moved forward with these sessions. Not only that, harbingers of "Trout Mask Replica" peek out here and there. The rhythms become more angular and unpredictable. The notes bend and disharmonize with more fury. And the Captain's voice begins to take on the tone and agressiveness that later became his trademark (in defiance of those at the time who wanted him to "just sing the blues" and make boatloads of money). These sessions highlight Van Vliet's integration of free jazz and rock and showcase the band's amazing developments and innovations that still influence popular music today. An absolute must for any Beefheart fan.

For years, Beefheart fans were under the impression that this music was recorded in 1965. To have done something like this at a time when the Beatles were doing "Ticket to Ride" and the Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" and Dylan "Highway 61" would be mind-blowing. Turns out that this was recorded in late 1967, between the time of "Safe as Milk" and "Strictly Personal." Although this wouldn't be my recommendation for the first Beefheart purchase (that would be "Spotlight Kid"/"Clear Spot" or "Safe as Milk"), "Mirror Man" is a good intro to Beefheart's art. The key is John French, whose stiff yet swinging drumming encapsulates the whole Beefheart approach. I would call this music static jazz or swinging blues. As Lester Bangs pointed out some years back, this is better blues jamming than anything that Cream ever came up with. The highlight here is "Kandy Korn," which is superior in this elongated version to the one found on "Strictly Personal." It's become clear that Beefheart's music, far from being one man's vision, was a collaboration among Van Vliet and his musicians, especially Harkleroad and John French. So maybe we ought to reconsider some of our ideas about "genius."

This album has been one of my favorites ever since it was first released. It has a deep delta blues flavor to it (think Son House on acid). As with all Beefheart albums, it demands repeated listening in order to absorb it all. The tracks here are long, but not a wasted note. The music is mesmerizing. I can listen to this for hours and always hear something new. It's impossible to get bored with this album. If you are a fan of slide guitar, the country blues style of slide, you'll find this very interesting. It's the delta turned inside out, courtesy of Jeff Cotton and Alex Snouffler. Rock solid thumping bass by Jerry Handley, and probably the most creative drumming you'll ever hear thanks to John French. The Captain's lyrics, vocal delivery and harmonica are outstanding as usual.

The additional tracks are a real BONUS! Out takes from the Strictly Personal album. Just to add my two cents, I often read complaints about the electronic effects added to the Strictly Personal, and how it takes away from the music. I must disagree. It's interesting to hear the out takes without the electronics, but the effects don't hurt Strictly Personal...which is another five star CD. Get both and thank me in the morning.

I have listened to Captain Beefheart albums since the late 1960's. I bought the original Safe as Milk Album in the late '60's because I had heard Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band was a typical blues band (it wasn't). I certainly wish that the Mirror Man sessions had been released at that time because the album is an entree to the musical and lyrical ideas of his later albums. The music in this album can be called avant garde country blues. It's unique perspective reminds me of Monk's sound in jazz - instantly recognizable but very rarely copied. Gimme Dat Harp Boy is an excellent example of powerhouse country blues at it's best. Taroplane at first seems to drag on but with repeated listenings the complexity and vibrancy of the song comes through. Kandy Korn is more accessible yet still very wierd. The dynamic drums of John French really provide a dynamic backround to Van Vliet's music. This is not easy listening music. You must listen to this album at least 3 or 4 times before you can begin to understand the music. This CD is a must for those who want to truly understand the genius of Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart.

Unlike anything else Beefheart ever recorded, these are lengthy pieces (ranging between 8 and 18 minutes) which bear some relationship to blues-rock jams but which go beyond anyone else's conception of that. The whole band, and especially drummer John French, are incredible with their power and their control. Beefheart's vocal, harmonica, and musette contributions are incredible. No other record was ever cut that hits strong grooves at quite this angle.

The bonus tracks are great, they're not weakened by phasing and studio effect as was the "Strictly Personal" album - you can hear the compositions and instruments distinctly. This CD and the new "Safe As Milk" CD contain the contents of the old "I May Be Hungry But I Sure Ain't Weird" CD, which are basically alternate takes from the "Strictly Personal" sessions (again, besides the masters ruined by heavy-handed production).

Firstly, to see that at the time of me writing this review that this remarkable album has only been reviewed 14 times is ridiculous. Utterlly ridiculous. I remember about a year ago buying this album on a whim through being a large Zappa fan - I was not impressed. However over the course of the year I began liking it more and more and now I think it's a masterpiece. This album is probably not the best place to start if you're new to Beefheart, I'd recommend Safe As Milk for that as it's more accessible. However if you're feeling adventurous and want to hear something completely different from literally ANYTHING you have heard before musically - check it out - it's fantastic. The opening track 'Taroplane' is a mouthful and at first seems repetative and simple. After repeated listenings it opens up for the listener, and then you'll see it as a wonderful delta blues, avant-garde, hard rock, folk, art rock diddy. I'm having a little trouble writting a review for this album, or any Beefheart album for that matter because it's so hard to describe the music. basically, my advice is that if you're reading this you already have an interest in Beefheart - so check his music out. In my opinion it's absolutely amazing and he remains one of my favorite musicians of all time.

"Look out for the mirror man" the good Captain said on the 1974 album 'Blue Jeans and Moonbeams.' Was this a warning to potential customers or just a tossed-off line? Hard to believe there would be no reference. It hadn't been that long at that time since Buddah had mysteriously issued four rather long tracks as the 'Mirror Man' album five years after they were recorded. Stranger still was the wealth of material NOT released, most of which had been re-recorded for the infamously studio-tampered 'Strictly Personal' album. Un-effects laden versions of classics like "Beatle Bones n Smokin Stones" "Gimme Dat Harp Boy" and "Safe as Milk." Why had Buddah chosen twenty minute long stretches like "Tarotplane" instead of more commercial fare? Even Buddah doesn't seem to know. I'll take a stab at it, however.

It's because it's good. And now that Buddah has so kindly given us the original "shorter" tracks (previously released in 1990 as 'I May Be Hungry but I Sure Ain't Weird') we can have this minor masterpiece as it was meant (sort of) to be heard. And how does it stand up?

Had this thing been released in double-album form in 1968 as 'It Comes to You in a Plain Brown Wrapper' as it was supposed to it wouldn't have sold a thing, but that's still no excuse for not having released it. The longer tracks tend to be more blues-based and "Tarotplane" and "Kandy Korn" in particular are stunning. Only the title track doesn't hold up. The other songs offer terrific peaks at the way Beefheart was changing his sound. You can still hear a little of the 'Safe as Milk' (the album, not the song) style but it's getting mixed up. Becoming something stranger. Pop on "Moody Liz" right off the bat and marvel at the thing. Cool vocal layering and instrumentation that is pop but isn't.

The complaints, then, have more to do with aesthetics than the songs themselves. For one, why not call this 'It Comes to You in a Plain Brown Wrapper' as Beefheart intended? For another, why not mix the songs up a bit? Having the four longer tracks right in a row gets a bit meandering after awhile. I've found that by re-doing the order you get a smoother listen. Finally, while it is nice to have the unfinished instrumental tracks and the alternate versions on the back of the 'Safe as Milk' re-issue, it is quite a shame not to have "Korn Ring Finger" on this album. It stands up better than some of the other tracks and deserves a place on the album. But time considerations, I understand...

All in all, I would say that this probably should not be your first Beefheart purchase, and also that when you do buy it, you need to give it a little time to grow on you. But for those out there who say the Captain didn't do enough blues, well, this re-issue is for you. There is enough John French drumming and Beefheart harp to keep many a soul enthralled for awhile.

This will appear as blasphemy to those who brook no substitute for "Trout Mask Replica," and I myself think the world of that masterpiece of blues-free jazz-rock deconstruction. But the cleaned up, remixed, at-last-faithfully assembled "Mirror Man Sessions" uncorks both the best vocalising and most elemental writing of Beefheart and the most truly unfettered version of the Magic Band. This album should have knocked all the bloozaboogie pretensions of most of the alleged late-1960s "blues" bands into several cocked hats. (Think Jimi Hendrix could have brought this off? Alvin Lee? Savoy Brown? John Mayall? Canned Heat? Think again.) But thanks to Bob Krasnow's inane expropriation and sunken remixing (into the now-I-know-why-it's-forgettable "Strictly Personal"), it didn't have a prayer. That was then, this is now, and thank God someone had the good sense to reassemble the stolen masterpiece and send it forth again. It's worth the price just to hear the "Strictly Personal" selections in their proper setting. For that matter, it would have been worth the price just to hear the restored "Tarotplane" - a freewheeling jam rooted in the blues and bound to no one's rule but the soul of the moment just doesn't get better than this, this side of the Mike Bloomfield side of "Super Session," anyway; and, God only knows how much vinyl and concert time rock wasted trying over the years.

For lovers of Beefheart (I'm one of them) there's no comparison, the several incarnations of DVV and the magic band are beyond repproach and without peer. I find that my musician friends bond faster to the introduction of the unadorned "jams" that this album includes. I say unadorned only because the "adorned" ones appear (some of them) On strictly personal.
This record is a lot like listening to Beefheart in a garage rehearsing (at least for the first several pieces - meant as live in studio tracks.

The heavy blues based "live" jams are a bit harder to swallow for non-musicians and people who are accustomed only to meticulously produced studio music. One girlfriend said "uhg that bass line is killin' me" after Tarot Plane was going for a while.
It's not the best place to start your Beefheart interest (try Spotlight kid/ Clear spot, or Safe As Milk - or BOTH)

From my perspective the more real the guitars and drums sound - the better. I prefer my music as close to live and "realistic" as it can get (being an old punk and garage rocker). Prettying up the takes in studio is a kind of make-up that I don't think bands should indulge in too much.
and the captain is one of those folks who believes less is better... or he did, back when he was the Captain.
Famously, being upset over the post production add ons to Strictly Personal.

Enjoy!

If you want to tackle the repertoire of Captian Beefheart and His Magic Band I recommend starting with this CD, although "Safe As Milk" and this one in a 1-2 punch will keep you going for quite some time(It might be too much to digest).
The key here is to turn up the volume and listen to this band work and work. The whole album is full of intense down-home sass with a no-let-up approach. Get the producer out of the studio and let us play!
Don't look for screeching lead guitar or long solos. The best instrument here is the Captain's voice, but the best feeling is the great ensemble work. This band is very comfortable and kicking.
My good friend D.G. has an extensive knowledge of the last 40 years of American and British blues, but had never paid attention to the Captain. This music stunned him, and you too.