Album Notes

Approximately eight months from their last release (Groundhog Day to Halloween to be exact) The 17th Pygmy has indeed released Ballade of Tristram’s Last Harping their second full length CD in less than one year (somewhat different than the band’s previous 17 year hiatus between releases, eh?) Formerly and perhaps to be known again someday (you never know) as 17 Pygmies, the seventeenth pygmy (Jaxon Del Rey) decided that The 17th Pygmy (are you still following?) was a name that better reflected the 60’s Psychedelic -70’s Classic Rock direction of the new recordings. Think The 17th Floor Elevator or perhaps The Exploding Plastic Inevitable Pygmy.

Consisting of original 17 Pygmies and Savage Republic member Jaxon Del Rey, Jeff Brenneman (formerly of White Glove Test) on Guitars, returning classical Guitarist and now vocalist Meg Maryatt, former Swivelneck and White Glove Test member Tony Davis on Bass, and Drummer Dirk Doucette from you guessed it…White Glove Test, The 17th Pygmy have combined their unique talents to create a musical tribute to the style and inventiveness of some of their favorite music, namely 60’s Psychedelia and 70’s classic rock.

Specific musical touchstones will be found in Phil Spector, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and although somewhat out of the box, but to be honest, Nick Cave (the band just loves the guy) are all paid homage to in one way or another as part and parcel of the musical pastiche that is Ballade of Tristram’s Last Harping.

Please note that being the horrible all knowing art-snobs that they are, Ballade is also a visual tribute to the Art Nouveau movement. The Art Nouveau style is probably best exemplified by the works of Gustav Klimt and Aubrey Beardsley both of whose works were liberally borrowed from (but never credited) on the covers of many, many, many 60’s albums.