Debut Album from 1967 and Remakes Album from 1971
Inside "The RCA Albums Collection" 17CD Box Set
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"…Echoes Of My
Mind…."
Wow!
17CDs containing 14 full albums (Mono and Stereo variants of the first two LPs
on CD for the first time), a whopping 66 Previously Unreleased Tracks, an equal
amount of other Rarities from now deleted LP and CD compilations, Foreign
Language Versions, Exclusive Single Mixes, Radio Spots and a 1968 Live BBC
Recordings Session - and all of it remastered to gorgeous new clarity by Tape
Supremo VIC ANESINI (Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis Presley, Paul Simon,
Jayhawks, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carole King, Janis Joplin etc). There isn't even
enough room to picture all the content on the back cover of the small clamshell
box!
You
could in truth argue that NILSSON doesn't actually warrant this kind of lavish
treatment, but after hearing and seeing this gorgeous clamshell box set –
you'll be rooting for Brooklyn's Harry Edward instead of poo-pooing his later
(and admittedly) deeply patchy output. There's so much to love and enjoy on
here…there really is.
To
the debut - the first two albums "Pandemonium Shadow Show" (1967) and
"Aerial Ballet" (1968) were issued in Mono and Stereo Mixed LPs and
RCA Legacy have included both versions
on Discs 1 and 2. Also, looking at the liner notes carefully, you notice that
the first slew of RCA singles are listed under the Mono entry for each album and not
the Stereo, because that's how they were released back in the day – in Mono. Nice touch.
So
why have I included his second LP in a review of the debut?
Fans will know that for his June 1971
album "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" LP, Nilsson returned to the first
two records from 1967 and 1968 and did new
versions of their tracks. That LP and Bonuses is included in Disc 6 (see
list below). On top of all that, there's three comprehensive Bonus Discs
gathering up stragglers and Previously Unreleased material, each time themed –
see "Nilsson Sessions 1968-1971" for items that cover the debut and
remakes (Disc 16). So, let us dive into the shadows, the pandemonium and those
Greyhound Bus midnight cowboys...
UK
released July 2013 – "The RCA Albums Collection" by NILSSON on
RCA/Legacy 88697915502 (Barcode 886979155022) is a 17CD Box Set and contains
his Debut and Associated-Release material as follows:
Disc
1 – "Pandemonium Shadow Show" – 66:33 minutes:
1.
Ten Little Indians [Side 1]
2.
1941
3.
Cuddly Toy
4.
She Sang Hymns Out Of Tune
5.
You Can't Do That
6.
Sleep Late, My Lady Friend
7.
She's Leaving Home [Side 2]
8.
There Will Never Be
9.
Without Her
10.
Freckles
11.
It's Been So Long
12.
River Deep - Mountain High
Tracks
1 to 12 are the STEREO version of his
debut album - released October 1967 in the USA on RCA Victor LSP-3874 and March
1968 in the UK on RCA Victor SF 7928. Tracks 13 to 24 are the MONO version – released October 1967 in
the USA on RCA Victor LPM-3874 and March 1968 in the UK on RCA Victor RD 7928
Disc
2 – "Aerial Ballet" – 59:33 minutes:
1.
Daddy's Song [Side 1]
2.
Good Old Desk
3.
Don't Leave Me
4.
Mr. Richland's Favorite Song
5.
Little Cowboy (1:23 minutes)
6.
Together
7.
Everybody's Talkin' [Side 2]
8.
I Said Goodbye To Me
9.
Little Cowboy (00:51 minutes)
10.
Mr. Tinker
11.
One
12.
The Wailing Of The Willow
13.
Bath
Tracks
1 to 13 are the STEREO version of his 2nd album - released June 1968 in the USA
on RCA Victor LSP-3956 and August 1968 in the UK on RCA Victor SF 7973. Tracks
14 to 26 are the MONO version – released July 1968 in the USA on RCA Victor
LPM-3956 and August 1968 in the UK on RCA Victor RD 7973
Track
27 is a Bonus – "Aerial Ballet Radio Spot" from July 1968 and is
Previously Unreleased
Disc
6 – "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" – 54:23 minutes:
1.
Introduction
2.
1941
3.
Daddy's Song
4.
Mr. Richland's Favorite Song
5.
Good Old desk
6.
Everybody's Talkin'
7.
Bath
8.
River Deep – Mountain High [Side 2]
9.
Sleep Late, My Lady Friend
10.
Don't Leave Me
11.
Without Her
12.
Together
13.
One
14.
Closing
Tracks
1 to 14 are his 6th album (remixes/new versions of tracks from the first two
albums) – released June 1971 in the USA on RCA Victor LSP-4543 and in the UK on
RCA SF 8326
Disc 6 BONUS
TRACKS:
15.
You Can’t Do That (Remix) - first issued on the expanded CD “Aerial Pandemonium
Ballet” on Buddah Records in 2000
16.
It's Been So Long (Italian Version) – Previously Unreleased
17.
Sleep Late, My Lady Friend (Italian Version) - Previously Unreleased
18.
Without Her (Italian Version) - Previously Unreleased
19.
Cuddly Toy (Italian Version) (on Italian EP RCA Italiana 45UP 62)
20.
You Can't Do That (Italian Version) - Previously Unreleased
21.
BBC Saturday Club Introduction by Brian Matthew - Previously Unreleased
22.
1941 (recorded live 5 Nov 1968 on BBC’s Saturday Club - Previously Unreleased)
23.
Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song (recorded live 5 Nov 1968 on BBC’s Saturday Club -
Previously Unreleased)
24.
Nilsson Talks With Brian Matthews (recorded live 5 Nov 1968 on BBC’s Saturday
Club - Previously Unreleased)
25.
Together (recorded live 5 Nov 1968 on BBC’s Saturday Club - Previously
Unreleased)
26.
Good Old Desk (recorded live 5 Nov 1968 on BBC’s Saturday Club
27.
Aerial Pandemonium Ballet Radio Spot (recorded July 1971, Previously
Unreleased)
Disc
16 – "Nilsson Sessions 1968-1971" – 57:27 minutes:
1.
You Are Here – Previously Unreleased
2.
The Cast And Crew
3.
Garbage Can Ballet
4.
I Will Take You There (Tracks 2, 3 and 4 from the album "Skidoo – Original
Soundtrack", 1968 LP on RCA LSO-1152)
5.
Girlfriend (first issued on “Personal Best” CD anthology in 1995)
6.
Wasting My Time (Alternate Mix – Previously Unreleased)
7.
Rainmaker (Alternate Version – Previously Unreleased)
8.
Open Your Window (Alternate Take – Previously Unreleased)
9.
Postcard – Previously Unreleased
10.
Think About Your Troubles (Alternate Version – Previously Unreleased)
11.
Marry Me A Little – Previously Unreleased
12.
Ballin' The Jack – Previously Unreleased
13.
Gotta Get Up (Demo – Previously Unreleased)
14.
Down To The Valley (Single Mix) – non-album version released May 1970 in the
USA on RCA Victor 74-0362, A
15.
Buy My Album – B-side to 14
16.
Joy (Alternate Version) – first issued on the expanded CD to "Aerial
Pandemonium Ballet" on RCA in 2000
17.
Blackbird (Beatles cover version – Previously Unreleased)
18.
Paradise – Previously Unreleased
19.
Lucille (Little Richard cover version – Previously Unreleased)
20.
Early In The Morning (Alternate Version) (as per 16)
Put
together by reissue champs ROB SANTOS and ANDREW SANDOVAL (have handled The
Band and The Kinks to name but a few) - the chunky 48-page booklet is an
informational brute – jammed full of endless details, photos, rare picture
sleeves and a brief album-by-album breakdown of Nilsson on RCA by Sandoval.
Whenever an album was a gatefold sleeve in the USA – the 5" card Repro Sleeves
ape that and are very clearly rendered (they don't have inners or posters – but
most of that info is in the booklet anyway).
But
the best news is most definitely the SOUND – properly fab remasters by VIC
ANESINI who has received unanimous praise for his handling of many prestigious
catalogues (Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan,
Elvis Presley, Carole King, Janis Joplin, The Jayhawks and many more). When you hear for
instance the Stereo take of "Cuddly Toy" or "Without
Her" – the audio is beautiful. Move onto the smoochy early Seventies LPs
with full orchestras and your Hi-Fi Room is filled with warmth and musical quality.
To the tunes...
The
audio punch of "Pandemonium Shadow Show" and "Aerial Ballet"
is shocking – even now. Stuff like "Without Her" and "1941" are both lyrically
and musically brilliant. Again that lovely delicacy comes into play with “Don’t
Leave Me” and the truly classic "Midnight Cowboy" finisher "Everybody's
Talkin". I still can’t hear it without thinking about Rizzo on the bus
into Miami at the end of "Midnight Cowboy" – a cover of a Fred Neil gem – it's
probably my all time favourite song (lyrics above). Nilsson was big-pals with
the Fabs, who not only admired him, but championed his music (Lennon would become
more than a drinking buddy in the Seventies). His 1967 debut then starting a
trend for lesser-trodden Beatles cover versions, and here we get the Sgt.
Peppers Side 1 beauty "She's Leaving Home" on an album in October
1967, mere months after 'Peppers' was released worldwide in June 1967.
The
three compilations of Rarities use outtake Artwork photos from three key albums
– Disc 1 "1967-1968" from the "Pandemonium Shadow Show" – Disc 2 "1968-1971"
from "Harry", while Disc 3 "1971-1974" has "A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The
Night". I'd half expected the "Sessions" discs to be padded out with filler
(and some it is), but there's still amazing stuff on here too. Most of the Alternate Takes find him looser – more
natural – and their audio quality is top notch too. For the Remix/Remake album "Aerial
Pandemonium Ballet", Nilsson returned to "1941", "Sleep
Late, My Lady Friend" and the Phil Spector classic "River Deep,
Mountain High" with typically lovely results.
His
career would skyrocket with the Midnight Cowboy movie, his gorgeous take on
Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" playing out the credits as the tears flowed in
cinemas everywhere. But his "Pandemonium Shadow Show" debut is all
but forgotten now. And it sure as Hell shouldn't be.
Sometimes
reduced to below forty quid in many places (Februay 2022) – this beautifully presented box set
for Nilsson is a winner on all fronts.
More importantly, "The RCA Albums Collection" will allow you to rediscover his debut and
everything after by this flawed but lovely romantic troubadour…
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