Customer Reviews

Son of Schmilsson (Exp)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although it didn't sell as well as "Nilsson Schmilsson" "Son of Schmilsson" was every bit the equal of its predecessor albeit wackier. As everyone else has reported the remaster sounds great--it's even better than the Japanese import I paid top dollar for a couple of years ago--with bonus tracks. Curtis Armstrong ("Moonlighting") a committted Harryhead co-produced and wrote the booklet with plenty of comments from surviving participants (and Harry via older interviews). From Ray Cooper to Chris Spedding we get an idea as to how the sessions went. Although Harry and producer Richard Perry didn't get on quite as well here as the previous album (Harry was in the middle of a messy divorce which had an impact on this album. It took a while for him to recover)Perry and Harry still managed to create a great album.

The four bonus tracks (one is unlisted and starts a few seconds after the single version of "Daybreak" ends)includes an alternate take of "Take 54", a Perry produced version of "What's Your Sign?" (which would show up on another Harry album), "Camp De Encino" written by Jimmy Webb (it is presented with just Harry singing and playing piano), the single version of "Daybreak" and the off-the-cuff bonus track where Harry riffs backed by his band.

This is a terrific reissue and well worth paying the extra $$ for as the sound has been improved and the bonus tracks are a marked improvement over the import version.

First off, the sound quality on this remastered disc is simply stunning. Clear, crisp, you can hear instruments and backing vocals that have always been buried on past versions. Not quite as good as "Nilsson Schmilsson", this is still a great Nilsson, probably his last truly great album before he destroyed his voice (although "Knnillssonn" was almost a full return to form). But the real gift here are the bonus tracks. Kudos to RCA for giving fans a real gift from Harry - two GREAT tracks in "What's Your Sign" and "Campo De Encino". How wonderful, all these years after Harry left us (FAR too soon) to get two new Nilsson songs that are of such high quality. And there's even an extra funny unreleased song at the very end... so when "Daybreak" is over, keep listening!

A very good album was just made better. The sound on this CD is stunning. I think you might be able to pick up the sound of a pin dropping in the studio (if indeed one was dropped)! It was great to hear the early, alternate take of "Take 54" along with the other 3+ bonus tracks. Liner notes in the CD booklet are a nice touch, with various comments from people like Peter Frampton, Ringo, Richard Perry, etc. on the making of the album.
If you like Harry Nilsson (and who shouldn't) you will love the way this album showcases his songwriting, his incredible vocal styles, his wit and humor.

The Beatles catalogue should be so lucky as to get this remastering treatment!

Although this album never did as well as Nilsson Schmilsson, I think it is a much better Nilsson album. There are fewer covers (only one) and the original songs are unbelievably good. This album is essential for even the most casual listeners, although I can see why certain people were turned off by it. As Harry's producer says in the liner notes, Harry would take the most pop sounding, radio friendly songs and then throw in lyrics that would guarantee no radio station would play them. It was as if Harry was trying to avoid stardom! But the songs are still incredible. Harry's voice is incredible and having George Harrison and Ringo playing on it is just the icing on a very sweet cake!

Although this sequel to "Nilsson Schmilsson" was not at all
geared by the late Harry
to be commercial like that album,
this is one of my favorites from the early 70's.

If you were young then, or just young at heart now, do yourself
a favor & listen to this wonderful piece of merriment.

Harry Nilsson made the world a more wonderful place in which to live.

I miss him a lot, but "Son of Schmilsson" still makes me laugh 'til it hurts!

---John Paul

This album takes me back, and I mean (now) way back to the beginning of the 1970's, when music like this was still created and might have been considered "commercial" - emotion-filled stories that took you on a real journey throughout the entire album.

There are very few albums from that time that took you all the way, however: Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Back To Front," 10cc's "The Original Soundtrack," or even Paul McCartney's "Venus and Mars," but on this album of remembrances and experimentation, it's odd to listen to such a mish-mash of feelings about the songwriting talent of the one and only Harry Nilsson without wondering why he did what he did, which was to create some wonderful music one minute and then take the brass ring and toss it into the river.

I don't profess to know every nuance of every song here, or will I try to. I've listened to it a few times,and overall I liked it. I felt good on some songs, sad on others, and I simply laughed on a few, especially the rambling and repetitive "Joy," which sounded like a hoot.

Was the cosmic joke on me by listening to what some critics have called a 'quickly rushed out project to cash in on his fame of the moment,' or was this Harry's attempt to grow, to play, and to simply enjoy what he was doing and using that "fame" to put this out? I prefer the latter reason.

The copy I have is the 1990 CD, and has the 11 tracks from the original album. The sound is crisp, the music is free and Harry has never sounded better. I have heard other albums by Harry, but this is the first album by him I've decided to review.

To be honest, I don't think I want to hear the extra tracks given out as freebees for the collectors on subsequent releases, because if they were meant to be released, Harry would have put them there. I think as the 11 tracks go, from the ultra-depressing and thought-evoking "Remember (Christmas)" to the outright happy/angry middle finger of "You're Breaking My Heart," the music ranges from the upper registers of happiness to the depths of bitterness and anger, of being loved, of being left behind, or maybe it's that our Harry has done something dirty in the dark and decided to exercise some of his own demons here?

Either way, I loved the lyrics, loved the bounciness of the music, and even in the more depressing moments, he still managed to inject his own twisted humor into the words to make you laugh even as you pause and feel sorry for the guy a bit.

Think about this: you really are laughing at him, and not with him. And I didn't think on this album he didn't care, because this wasn't put out to capitalize on anything that the record executives wanted - this is an album filled with hope, depression, anger, humor, and pretty much anything he wanted, because they gave him free rein to create whatever he wanted to, and at the time this wasn't so easy.

Harry Nilsson is best remembered for many of the songs not associated with this album by the greedy selfish shallow public of the early 1970's, and there are some who've called him a one-hit wonder on the oldies radio, but I don't think I can pass this up without enjoying it every time I've listened to it. There are definite "hits" here of a kind, but the kind that make a much better impact than just selling 45's off the shelves.

According to most fans of Harry, he can do no wrong. I'll be honest here, I think he didn't here, and for me, the gamble paid off. I'm a fan. I'll be getting more albums to listen to in the future and checking out the legend that is Harry Nilsson. If John Lennon liked him, why not me?

Please, pick up a copy.

P.S. - I only gave it 4 stars because I can't really give just every album I rate 5 stars. This was a interesting album, to say the least, but not a great album, so I had to be honest.

Thanks for reading, and check out my other reviews!

In 2006, after painstakingly purchasing and comparing all the Nilsson domestic, European and Japanese CD versions, I posted a review on the best-audio edition of each title. That was split between four UK, one domestic and six Japan CD's.

However, time and technology have marched on. In Q307, the entire Nilsson pre-1978 catalog (except "The Son Of Dracula", announced but subsequently canceled), were remastered anew and released in mini-sleeve format by BMG Japan.

So, what was slightly confusing before, with all the different international and domestic versions, has now been simply resolved: In terms of the best audio available, the fifteen new BMG remasters are head-and-shoulders superior to any pre-existing Nilsson CD. While the older versions were no slouches, these new BMG's are absolutely GLORIOUS. And, finally, there's complete, matched-mastered sound through the entire catalog, in contrast to the dynamic range variations in the older releases from varying remastering schemes.

In A/B comparisons between the new and older versions, it is also obvious different masters were availed of, because there are snippets of additional audio on the BMG's that never appeared elsewhere.

In addition, there are now approximately seventy bonus tracks spread out through the new BMG set; demos, alternate takes, singles and non-album tracks. Only one previously-available track is not in residence on the BMG set: "Waiting", which is found only on the "Harry/Nilsson Sings Newman" UK 2-fer.

If you are a true Nilsson fan, then don't delay in getting these, as all mini-sleeve releases are limited edition. It is possible, of course, that BMG will release these as less expensive jewel-case releases down the road. However, as the original Nilsson LP jackets were often wonderfully imaginative affairs, having these exact replicas only heightens the joy of ownership.

Amazon only allows 10 product links per review, so below are the first ten titles. The remainder, you'll have to find on your own (TIP: look for the 2007 release date when searching):

Pandemonium Shadow Show
Aerial Ballet
Skidoo
Harry
Nilsson Sings Newman
The Point!
Nilsson Schmilsson
Aerial Pandemonium Ballet
Son Of Schmilsson
A Little Touch of Schmilsson In The Night
P*ssy Cats
Duit It On Mon Dei
Sandman
That's The Way It Is
Knnillssonn

WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?

Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.

Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 135MM X 135MM cardboard precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, anything contained in the original LP, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and/or die cuts, are precisely replicated and included. An English-language lyric sheet is always included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.

Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2/K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.

Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "obi" ("oh-bee"), a removable Japan-language promotional strip. The obi lists the Japan street date of that particular release, the catalog number, the mastering info, and often the original album's release date. Bonus tracks are only listed on the obi, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork. The obi's are collectable, and should not be discarded.

All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common (again, not always). The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake mini-sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.

Had this on vinyl when it was new. It takes me back to a time when music was so much fun and so creative !!!
IMO...this is the best mix of Nilsson's "personalities". Great sound, great musicians on all tracks !!
I would have loved to been in the studio when these tracks were laid down. Must have been fun !
greg

I see several different releases of this album on CD, many some of the others have different bonus tracks. But, anyway....

This was one of my old favorite cassette tapes from many, many, years ago. It was exciting to have because it was the album that followed "Nilsson Schmilsson which had the hits "Without You", "Coconut", and "Jump Into the Fire." So, of course, that anticipation for another great album from Harry Nilsson was pending for the realization of another classic.

Now, I like this album a lot, but, it is still not as great as "Nilsson Schmilsson", but yet check out these classics from this album: "Spaceman" and "(Remember) Christmas" which wasn't really a high charting hit, but it did play around Christmas time. And it could have been played anytime because it never really did mention Christmas.

Harry had more of a humorous intention with this album, his songs "Joy", and "I'd Rather Be Dead" was just Harry enjoying his success of his previous work. But, my favorite comical song from Harry Nilsson is "You're Breaking My Heart." This, of course, never played on the radio because of its offensively colorful metaphors but it's all in fun, nonetheless.

What really makes this CD so much better than the previous CD release is, not only has this album been remastered, but it added about four bonus tracks. One of which is one of my favorite songs from Harry Nilsson. The song called "Daybreak", which was a low charting Top 40 single from 1973 which came from a low budget movie called "Son of Dracula". That's all it took for me to go forward and repurchase this CD again. After this album, he released an album called "A Little Touch of Schmilsson in The Night" which was a crooner classics album of the old American standards, many very familiar, but then as he kept recording albums, he started to fade away quickly. He had a great falsetto voice, and I believe that he started to lose it around the mid seventies. Harry died in January of 1994 of a heart attack at the age of 52. I really do wish that they'd release a DVD documentary of Harry Nilsson because I'm sure that even Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr would have something wonderful to say about him. He was loved by many various artists, various legends in pop culture.

I had the 8-track to this and ran across it. I updated it to this CD and it is great.
Brought back a lot of memories.