Dory Previn

On the record "Let's Get Out Of This Country" Camera Obscura have a song called Dory Previn. I didn't think much about it until I read an interview recently with Tracyanne Campbell in which she talks about listening to Dory Previn's music. So I found a few of her records and gave them a listen.

Previn was a movie song writer back in the 50's and 60's. I think she was most famous for the soundtrack to "Vally Of The Dolls". Also she was married to Andre Previn the famous conductor. They broke up after he impregnated a young Mia Farrow. What a class guy. Anyways, in the first half of the 70's Ms. Previn released half a dozen singer-songwriter type albums. It's these records that she is most remembered for.

I found six of her records, (if any knows where I can get her live record please let me know). There's not a bad one in the lot. Her self titled album and Mary C. Brown and The Hollywood sign are the best ones. Her music is very reminiscent of Randy Newman, (or vice versa). Midget's Lament from Mary C. Brown could easily pass as a Newman song. Her subject matter, phrasing, the influence of "American" music from earlier in the 20th century, are all remarkably similar to Newman's. They also share a real craftsmanship when it comes to song writing. One may not like Previn's music, but unless you're completely retarded it's hard not to admire how good the songwriting is.

Her records might not be that easy to find, but I suggest that you do so. The two I mentioned above are must haves, as is On My Way To Where, (if for no other reason than to hear With My Daddy In The Attic). Guess what that song's about...(yeah, it really is).

Mini Reviews

Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement - 2009 
Just go get this record. If you listen to it and don't love at least one song off this album then I don't want you reading my blog.

Jonathan Coulton - Thing A Week One - 2006
A very uneven record. Shop Vac and The Town Crotch are top notch. Sibling Rivalry and Pod Safe Christmas Song are garbage. Coulton's got a pretty good voice and seems to have a knack for pleasant melodies so I'll probably spend some time with some of his other records. Also his cover of Baby's Got Back is better than the original.

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion - 2009
My God this album is boring.  I actually listened to it a couple of times and it was really painful.  The thought of listening to it again makes me feel air sick.  From everything I've read about Animal Collective I really thought I'd love this band, but this album just sucks.  Maybe it gets better with repeated listenings, but I just don't care that much.

Crass - Penis Envy - 1980
Great album from start to finish.  I like to listen to in the morning when I walk to the subway on my way to work.

Abba - Gold

Gold - 1993

I never really understood why Abba sold 10 billion records and after sitting down for the first time in my life and actually listening to one of their albums (and a greatest hits to boot) I'm even more confused at their phenomenal popularity. Maybe it was a side effect of all that great blow that everyone was doing back in the 70s.

This record for the most part fluctuates between the mediocre (Waterloo) and the truly awful (Fernando). In fact Fernando is so gay that it makes the Village People sound like Bob Seger. Two songs stand out as better than the rest, Super Trooper and Take A Chance On Me. Both are decent pop songs that are well crafted and produced. Actually the best thing about this record is the production. Abba knew how to write songs it's just that most of them are so cheesy and lacking in depth that it's hard to like them. Thank You For The Music, Fernando and I Have A Dream are truly horrible songs. Mostly we find on this record mediocre dance/pop music that's been very well put together.