WE'LL SEE

Listen to WE'LL SEE by The Buffalo Springfield.

This week's series culminates with today's group, the Buffalo Springfield. This is probably the most underrated American band in existence, and certainly the greatest Folk Rock band. Don't get me wrong, I love the Byrds a lot...But there are explainable and intangible elements that make the Springfield the most exciting American group to come out of the 60's. Note the word group, as I can appreciate that many would take issue with me and say the Beach Boys take the above honors. Well, on another day I might agree with them, but thinking about the Beach Boys' history is an exercise in shifts of power within the group. From the early influence of Mike, to Brian's complete control of the band's classic period, and finally to Carl's taking the helm in more troubled times. Regardless, they were a group dominated by a single visionary at any given time. Buffalo Springfield, on the other hand, were a powder keg of equal talents, with each member champing at the bit to take the group to new heights or, alternately, to fight about taking it in his own particular direction.

By all accounts, two of the principal characters (Stills & Young) were notoriously difficult to work with--Steve in his bravado and dictatorial style and Neil in a more passive-aggressive way. The unsung hero of the group was Richie Furay who was able to unite this fiery group for long enough to record 3.5 of the greatest Folk Rock you've ever heard. I say 3.5 because some of their best material was recorded for a album to be called Stampede, but was later shelved due to label incompetence.

Thankfully, all of the material was released on the creatively named Box Set in 2001. Today's song, 1967's "We'll See", demonstrates all the characteristics that make the Springfield's sound so wonderful, exciting and unique, one that was to establish the template for all California rock to follow in its wake (until, uh, I guess hair metal bands, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and other bands who wear long shorts unfortunately became the new L.A. template). First, a base of acoustic guitars. Second, two distinctively weird lead guitar sounds and styles. Third, lots of tremolo. Fourth, great, great singing...Stills's gritty voice perfectly counterbalanced by Richie's beautiful tenor. Fifth, an amazing rhythm section. Finally, energetic--live-- playing. Wow. Enjoy it, then treat yourself to the best weekend ever by purchasing everything these guys ever recorded!

Have fun.

Photo: All over, La Jolla.

8:05

Listen to 8:05 by Moby Grape.

Today's Folk Rockers are Moby Grape, a San Francisco group who could play just about anything. Now, before you run away with visions of endless acid jamming in your head, take a listen. I ignored these guys for way too long myself just because they hailed from the Bay area. Unfortunately, due to an intraband implosion (not to mention Skip Spence, their unhinged Canadian drummer, attacking other members with an axe in the studio landing him in Bellevue for a while) these guys were not able to deliver on the impressive promise of their eponymous debut record.

Moby Grape could do rock, folk, country, blues, R&B and psychedelia equally well, and they often deftly combined them all in the setting of tight three-minute pop songs. Today's song, "8:05" from their 1967 debut shows the band's quieter side. It has some lovely guitar playing and singing and strikes a nicely melancholic tone. It is my favorite cut from a very impressive album.

Photo: Santa Catalina Casino.

TWELVE-THIRTY (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)

Listen to TWELVE-THIRTY (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon) by The Mamas & The Papas.

Anyone who knows me knows that my major record find in the past 3 or 4 years has been John Phillips' 1970 album John, The Wolfking of LA. For anyone who hasn't heard this yet, please do yourself a favor and purchase it today. And thanks to Jeff from the former Rocks in Your Head for turning me on to it. Anyway, listening to Wolfking made me curious about some of the Wolfking's non-singles with his former bandmates.

In many ways, the Mamas & the Papas are what people think of when they think Folk Rock. These guys were true folkies, barely even reformed. Thanks to ingenious songwriting from Phillips and a particularly alluring vocal blend, their singles are ubiquitous to the point of being unfairly tuned out by many listeners.

Today's song may be a little less ubiquitous, but probably as good as many of their biggest hits. In fact, I had to ban myself from putting it on repeat because the urge to move to LA from New York would become quite overwhelming--so oppressive that my wife forbade me from bringing it up in polite company anymore. Well, even she can't stop the Wolfking from scatting and/or degrading himself with illegal drugs. In the same way, my mind responds to this tune with fantasies of Laurel Canyon, 1966.

The lyrics are simple and straightforward, yet nicely evocative of fresh-faced young girls migrating to LA in search of a geographic cure. Yet for all its sunny optimism (the line "to say good morning and really mean it" is especially striking), this onslaught threatens to turn the Canyon into what everyone was leaving behind in the first place. The sad/happy melodic contrast between the verse and chorus also highlights this ambivalence nicely.

Photo: Zuma Canyon.

LOVE IS ONLY SLEEPING

Listen to LOVE IS ONLY SLEEPING by The Monkees.

A lot has written about the beleaguered Monkees. You can already tell which camp I'm in from my choice of adjective in the previous sentence. I don't intend to add to this non-debate today. Suffice it to say, the Monkees were a classic Folk Rock group, and a group they were. All of them (um, except Jones) had spent time on the folk circuit and, in the wake of A Hard Day's Night, they wanted to become pop stars. Badly. I think we can all dig their position.

Anyway, they recorded some admirable singles, many of which are pretty hot. They also made a couple of good albums, most notably (I think) Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. Today's song, 1967's "Love is Only Sleeping", is a great little Mann-Weil song. Although it strives to be little more than a Beatles pastiche, the Monkees (and their--this time--invited session men) take it to a pretty cool level. That's right baby boomers, put your stupid condescension aside and dig the Monkees!

P.S., thanks to my pal David for taking me on an elevator ride with Dolenz (who lives in his building)! That was a treat.

Photo: Santa Monica Parking Lot.

LADY FRIEND

Listen to LADY FRIEND by The Byrds.

Hi folks,

Corbett here...I'm back and doing the topic that's nearest and dearest to my heart. This week we'll be feauturing "Folk Rock Redux--Blowin' Minds". I'd like to post a few songs that are in the idiom but are maybe a little less well known (though no less deserving). I'll try and be brief, but it will be tough!

Folk Rock--It's a term that's been thrown around a lot since its marketing heyday in the 60's, and it's been despised by many of its avatars (that's you, Bob). Anyway, Richie Unterberger and others have devoted a lot of well-meaning scholarship to exploring what ties these artists together (see Turn! Turn! Turn! and Mr. Tambourine Man). Despite slogging through these books, I was left thinking that Folk Rock was nothing more than American musicians schooled in the styles and ideals of the early 60's collegiate folk boom who unexpectedly had their minds blown by the Beatles.

So, the listener gets a heady brew of traditional American styles (country, bluegrass, blues) combined with tight vocal harmonies, and spiced up with Rickenbackers, economic song structure and adventurous arrangements. Add in some exotic instruments and a warped new sensibility and you're left with a new style of pop.

That brings us to today's song, 1967's "Lady Friend" by the Byrds. I want to tell a little anecdote about this song. A lot of music gets played around our apartment, with varying levels of patience from my wife Laura (especially when she's trying to go to sleep). One evening, I put this song on while she was trying to sleep--Rather than the explosive "Shut that off!" I expected, she excitedly said "Wow, you're taking me back to the 60's with that bridge. I feel like I'm actually there!" The fact that my wife was transported by this song (while attempting to sleep) definitely caught my attention.

Indeed, this song is mind-blowing. It's a classic example of its form. It's also a great example of the amazing achievements engendered by intra-band rivalries in the 60's. "Lady Friend" was David Crosby's attempt to show McGuinn (and probably Clark) that he could also write a pop masterpiece. This he does with this song. Rather than the gratuitous instrumental decor of "Mind Gardens", Crosby is totally focused with this one, combining an upbeat, catchy tune with lyrics about lost love and disappointment (a lesson learned from the departed Gene). In addition, there are amazingly chimey guitars, an amphetamined brass section in the bridge and a few "bah-bah-bah's"...just enough to leave you wanting more. One last thing--listen to Chris Hillman's bass line. Hillman takes a typical country bass line, speeds it way up and plays it with a thunderous, propulsive force. Totally killer, and a great example of what makes this song quintessential folk rock. Enjoy.

Photo: Storm Over the Sunset Strip.