Take a Picture

Margo Guryan

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 17, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1968
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Oglio Records
• ASIN: B00004Z42U
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,246 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Astrud Gilberto, Mama Cass, Julie London, and many others recorded Margo Guryan's great songs back in the day. When Guryan released her own wonderful album, Take a Picture, in 1968, it didn't receive a lot of attention, but this once-lost treasure provides timeless pop pleasure. Its tracks possess a musical sophistication that's akin to the best work of the Free Design and the Beach Boys. Guryan's striking vocal melodies are complemented by excellent arrangements that often pair the rough edges of a rock rhythm section with the smooth sounds of strings, horns, or a flute. Jazz and classical influences and restrained experimentation also come into play here. "Sun" is a delight that's both lighter than air and full of sonic detail. On "Don't Go Away," an engaging two-minute slice of proto prog-rock, electric violin dances over inventive, jagged rhythms. The easygoing title track sounds like a dreamy show tune fleshed out with splashes of harpsichord, touches of flute, and effective strings. Take a Picture is a '60s orchestral pop classic. --Fred Cisterna

Product Description
Take a Picture blends Margo's infectious and highly intelligent songcraft with her absolutely unique voice -- equal parts girl group innocence and seductive torch. One of the most endearing and delicious soft rock records from its era, here's an impeccable Sundazed vinyl reissue of this '68 masterpiece, direct from the original masters. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great "Lost" Album, November 23, 2000

By	R. Riis "rriis" (NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I know it's a cliche, but this is a real "lost" treasure, a 1968 album of a fine singer-songwriter that deserves wider recognition. Unfortunately one has to decide between the US and Japanese versions of this CD. The US version features the entire LP (first 11 tracks on the CD) plus 3 bonus tracks, all of which are worth having. The Japanese version features the entire LP plus 4 different bonus tracks, all of which are also worth having. My personal preference is the Japanese version (the bonus track, "I Don't Intend to Spend Christmas Without You", covered by Claudine Longet, is a favorite), but you can't go wrong with either version... The US version is packaged in a digipak, the Japanese CD in a standard jewel case. Both come with fine, informative booklets. If only they could have put all the bonus tracks together on one CD....

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, October 26, 2000

By A Customer

I heard some of TAKE A PICTURE on the ALAN HABER show last Sunday and was blown away! I just got the album and it was perfect from top to bottom. It seems that the best album of '00 is from 1968. I guess I became a fan of Margo's writing when I heard SHINE and SUNDAY MORNING on the LINUS OF HOLLYWOOD album a few months back. Now, after hearing TAKE A PICTURE, I'm convinced Margo is one of the best Pop song writers ever. LOVE SONGS, LOVE and SUN are my favorite tracks. It's certainly well worth plunking down the extra money to buy all versions of this record (U.S./Japanese - and I hear there might be a European version soon as well)as each have totally different and wonderful bonus tracks. Every Pop fan must own this gem of a record. Point blank:)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Margo who?, February 12, 2001

By	B.A.S. (watford, herts United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

If you had to guess when Take A Picture was released after hearing it a couple of times you'd probably be a bit confused. You may think it's from the early seventies Carole King singer-songwriter era because of the confessional - though never cloying - nature of the lyrics, and the proliferation of ballads. Or you may think it's a slightly retro-sounding contemporary album,due to the fullness of the arrangements and instrumentation. However, when you discover that it was actually recorded in 1968, you realise how far ahead of her time Margo Guryan actually was. Her laid back pristine vocals steer well away from the over-emoting of many of the more acclaimed 60s (and 70s) solo performers, and it's only on the last track track of the album proper that psychedelia reverberates. The bonus tracks on my version, which seems to be Spanish, are slightly different to the ones here and could all have appeared on the original album without detracting from its excellence. The 8:17 Success Bound Merrygoround..., Come to Me Slowly, and Timothy Gone make you wonder why Guryan didn't release a few more records. The flowery design on the cardboard slipcase is groovy too. You'll love it!