Tag: 1968

Nancy Priddy – You’ve Come This Way Before, 1968

One-off psych-folk record from musician-actress-model Nancy Priddy. As I understand it, her label dropped the ball on promotion, and though I imagine 1968 audiences would have been very enthusiastic about an experimental psych-folk-pop album with lush instrumentation, tasteful application of distortion, and girl-group inflections, the record never made it very far into the world. Since then it’s become a quiet collector favorite, and it’ll only take you a few seconds to appreciate why.

The range of moods, textures, and vocal personas that Priddy, who co-wrote the whole thing, touches in the span of just over half an hour is remarkable. It’s perhaps most clearly embodied in the shapeshifting “Mystic Lady,” which turns tonal corners with surprising speed and yet still feels utterly seamless, moving between psych folk balladry, sunshine pop, baroque horns, and a particularly good gospel-soul breakdown finisher. It sounds like enough to give you sonic whiplash, but Priddy carries it impressively well, especially considering that this was the only full-length she ever made. (She had previously recorded backing vocals for Songs of Leonard Cohen, and went on to cut a single with Harry Nilsson and contribute to Mort Garson’s Signs of the Zodiac, but effectively retired from music shortly thereafter to continue her acting career.)

I love that none of these songs are love songs, at least as far as I can tell. I also love the flexibility of Priddy’s voice–my favorite mode of hers is quietly salty, slinging words around with a touch of unamused thorniness as on opener “You’ve Come This Way Before.” Elsewhere, she veers into sultry Judy Garland-esque jazz vibrato, ethereal straight tone, and yé-yé-esque coyess. Her implementation of vocal harmonies–presumably some of which include backing vocalists, though I’m unable to find their names anywhere–is gorgeous. Perfect production by Phil Ramone. A real powerhouse of a record. Good for fans of Honey Ltd., Dusty Springfield, Jefferson Airplane. Listen in headphones if you can. Enjoy!

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The Cannonball Adderley Quintet – Accent on Africa, 1968

Guest post by Charles Cave

This is an album I would describe as multi-sensory and completely transportive. Listening to it, I feel refreshingly elsewhere! Really, it should be thought of less a quintet record, and more a formidable big-band recording with, as the name suggests, a palpable African feel. There’s boisterous and joyful percussion throughout, and some tasteful solos by Adderley, but for me what makes this record stand out are the memorable refrains and motifs. Adderley’s opening lead on “Khatsana,” on my first listen, made me think I had heard it a hundred times before; it’s narrative in such a familiar way and has an effortless predictability that makes you feel you’ve written it yourself and are merely conducting the musicians in your ears. In typical big-band style, the record is a sure-fire party winner, and the African influenced grooves and chunky percussion only add to the sense of lively ensemble and GOOD TIMES. There’s a filmic quality to much of the instrumentation here, like the sultry “Up And At It,” which wouldn’t be out of place in a stylish 60’s detective film. “Gun Ja” slows things back down, initially feeling like a mourning song with a wailing distant vocal before picking itself back up gradually, for a dramatic final chorus with cinematic horn lead. As far as big band records go, this is right up there for me alongside my favourites like Duke Ellington’s The Far East Suite. A total romp, with unforgettable melody and some genuinely touching moments. Highly recommended.