The Best!
author: Donna D
I loved the Cinnamon Tree! anyone else?
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rave review from a Garage Rocker
author: An email forwarded to Mike Shapiro by Gregg Rolie
TRACK-BY-TRACK:
1.) "Swami"-This opening track has a very early Pink Floyd "Arnold Layne"
feel to it. The opening pre-verse vocal hums really add to the Pink Floyd
sound. The main electric guitar arrangements have a lot of early sounding
re-verb, which is real cool since it wasn't being used by too many groups in
'66. The backing vocals at times get real swallowed up by all the different
instruments. The song has a very solid bass line. There is a very cool
vocal harmony section at the end of the song.
2.) "Gotta Get Away"-This track opens with a Beatles type guitar
arrangement. The vocal arrangements of the song are very Paul Revere and
the Raiders sounding. The chorus has a lot of huge backing vocal harmonies,
but are almost inaudible because of the primitive recording equipment used.
The bass line for the song is very simple with a relaxed feel like a lot of
the music that was released in the sixties.
3.) "Far and Away"-From right off anyone who is a fan of Paul Revere knows
where this track came from. The opening intro sequence has a very "Indian
Reservation" sound to it. Out of all the tracks on this release this one
has the best polished sound. The song has one of the meanest bass lines
I've ever heard!!! The song has both Ron Cox and Gregg Rollie on lead the
two really compliment each other vocally. Lyrically it's really hard to
fandom that these guys where just in there teens.
4.) "Blow My Mind"- This track opens with a small drum intro. The song has
two drummers on it so the drum arrangement has this real thick feel to it.
The lyrics have a "Summertime Blues" feel to them. The track also has a
small Gregg Rollie keyboard breakdown. Once again I am very impressed with
the bass player's talent for locking in to a solid groove.
5.) "There I Go"-From the very first verse anyone who did not know better
would swear the song was written by Lennon/McCartney. Vocally this one one
of the few tracks where I could tell that this was Gregg Rollie. If the
main song writers had concentrated on writing material like this, William
Penn would have been the American answer to The Beatles. The song has a very polished sound to it.
6.) "E2D"-Instrumental
7.) "Blow My Mind"-Same as track 4
8.) "Gotta Get Away"-Same as track 2 except with Neil Holtman on lead
vocals.
9.) "There I Go"-Same as track 5
10.) "Fly Fly PSA"-This track was a commercial the band recorded parodying
an airliner.
Still to this day it shocks me how I have to debate arguments of was
Journey's first vocalist, or who was there best vocalist. And still to this
day the answer is the same... Gregg Rollie... without a doubt!!! Not saying
that Journey's other singers couldn't sing at all. But Gregg is a well
rounded singer/songwriter and William Penn shows this. Me personally I
would never had thought Gregg's musical beginnings where so early.
What you get with this Will Penn release is all balls and no flash just
music, music. And that is what the founding rock fathers where trying to
accomplish. With today's technologies it's became too easy for artist to
just tack bits and pieces together on a personal computer and call it a
composition. Not to mention Will Penn probably went into the studio a cut
every song in one take. Back then there wasn't many if hardly any do overs.
Will Penn accomplished to write songs in every style of rock that was
popular in'66. Even after hearing the CD now for several days I'm amazed at
how the songs have a experienced song writing feel coming from a bunch of
teens. I'm not going to say Gregg is the standout musician that made Will
Penn work, but what you can hear is great things would be coming Greggs way
in the not so near future.
If your into the bands of the sixties like the; Paul Revere, The
Yardbirds, The Animals, and of course The Beatles, or your a die hard Rollie
fan then this is an absolutely must have!!!!
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Authentic vintage sounds are great!
author: rhythmrocker
I love the sounds. It's like going back and hearing the music of the 60's again but with a fresh twist - like music radio stations just forgot to play!
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GREAT!!!
author: THE THINGS!
This is a really fun CD. Genuine psychedelia and garage-punk with some great liner notes too. I would say that this is a must have for psych fans.
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