Customer Reviews

Planned

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

 

 

In 1967, All Kooper left to form Blood Sweat and Tear, briging Steve Katz with him. Danny Kalb dropped out of sight. So, only rhythm section Andy Kulberg (bass & flute) and Roy Blumenfeld (drums) were left to fulfill the Blues Project's contractual obligation. The new band they formed was Seatrain. This album is really the first Seatrain album. It sounds almost nothing like the Blues Project. Rumor was that the band recorded a bunch of songs that they didn't care for to fill this album, and then went to Capitol and recorded what they wanted to represent Seatrain. A couple of the songs on "Planned Obsolesence" are worthy of your time listening, but most are just forgettable. The lead-off track "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" is a radical remake of an early '60's minor top 40 hit that gets your attention. But after that, only a reworking of the old minstrel song "Turtle Dove" is really interesting. The album ended originally with a 12 1/2 minute attempt to recreate the magic of the Blues Project's masterpiece "Flute Thing," but that attempt (called "Dakota Recollection") is an aimless, melodyless instrumental jam session built around Andy's invention, the electrified flute. The CD includes one bonus track "Gentle Dreams," which was a long forgotten non-album single made in the last days of the original Blues Project after Al Kooper left. Fortunately, you can get this bonus track on the superb Blues Project "Anthology." Those who own "Anthology" will notice that no tracks from "Planned Obsolesence" are included in that 2 CD set. That omission in itself should tell anyone that "Planned Obsolesence" isn't really worth your money. If you want to hear Seatrain, you will find much better material available on the various albums recorded under their real name.

I totally disagree with the review offered by The Green Man. I bought all of The Blues Project Albums back in the 60's and 70's and consider this a close second to Projections . Though it isn't truly a "Blues Project" album in view of the absence of Danny Kalb and Steve Katz, It is a truly outstanding cd which I have listened to hundreds of times over many years. Unfortunately it is out of print and difficult to find. It is also a radical departure from the initial offerings of the group formed by Kalb ,which is perhaps why some listeners are disappointed. In any case I highly recommend it if you can find it!

I would like to explore this some more someday, but it sounds actually not bad at all. "If You Got To Make A Fool Of Somebody" is the most commercial sounding song ever cranked out by these guys. "Frank and Curt" is a wonderful rocker filled with some angst it sounds like. "Turtledove" has a soundscapes feel to it, and "Calypso" is feeling like caribbean music. Most of the group left by this time, and looking to start thier new adventures. This was what was left over, and is alot better sounding than the last Monkees album.