THE CRYSTAL MANSION
THE THOUGHT OF LOVING YOU
REVIEW BY JOE VIGLIONE
https://www.allmusic.com/album/crystal-mansion-mw0000117031
When Motown had R. Dean Taylor, Meatloaf, and Rare Earth, poppy blue-eyed soul with urban leanings on their Rare Earth imprint, the company also released this disc by Crystal Mansion. Engineered by Brooks Arthur, who went on to produce Crystal Mansion's 1979 album on Twentieth Century, Peter Allen, and many middle of the road acts in the '80s, this disc, by what was once a pop band, is a real strange one. Prior to this album they almost hit with "The Thought of Loving You," a timeless pop song written by David White and covered by Sonny & Cher, as well as the Manhattan Transfer. Dave White Tricker appears on this disc courtesy of Bell records, contributing three co-written numbers, "Earth People," "A Song Is Born," and "Satisfied.." David White Tricker also shows up on Len Barry's abysmal Ups and Downs on Buddah the same year, 1972. This album has a better groove than Barry's, but it gets mired in the down side of Atlanta Rhythm Section or Rare Earth, the unfortunate non-hit sides of those bands. Why Collectables would re-release this with an additional track, James Taylor's "Carolina on My Mind," is a mystery. There is nothing here as sublime as their little mini-pop masterpiece, "The Thought of Loving You," and despite having it together better than solo outings by Rob Grill of the Grass Roots or Len Barry, "Peace for a Change" is not the kind of tune you would seek out to play repeatedly, nor would a classic hits music director go out on a limb for "Boogieman." The cover, featuring bare trees over a blue "crystal" mansion, is the best thing about this disc. The gatefold holds the lyrics, but there are no lost Bob Dylan etchings here, nor words that will be published in volumes of important rock poetry. To be kind, "There Always Will Be More," " I Love You," and the final track, "Earth People," aren't bad. "Earth People" is reminiscent of "Calling Occupants," the hit for the Carpenters and Klaatu. It is the highlight of the album. Let's call it Crystal Mansion's "I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home." Nice keyboards, good production, great vocals, but the three minutes and 59 seconds seem to drag on, and nothing here is, as mentioned, as stimulating as their signature tune, "The Thought of Loving You," which, unfortunately, is not on this disc.
Thanks,
Garr Lange
Better Generation Review
by Joe Viglione
[-]https://www.allmusic.com/album/better-generation-mw0000081629
A truly great artist like Marty Balin deserves so much more than what the record labels who issued his solo work gave him -- and all the good intentions of CD Review magazine founder Wayne Green could not stop the politics of his upstart label from getting in the way of important art. It's a pity because these songs are much better than what you hear from the cold and sterile environment of Green's brand new recording facility used to track most of this disc. The first album cut in the barn in New Hampshire was a tribute to Scott Joplin, and Marty Balin's Better Generation was the second. The late Jimmy Miller always said to use a studio that doesn't need to have the bugs ironed out, and that wisdom rings so true on Better Generation, an album of good music recorded at an inadequate facility. The album deals with GWE (Green With Envy, a terrible name for the short-lived label) emerged from Balin's negotiations with producer Jimmy Miller. Miller very much wanted to produce Balin, and in 1988 a deal was struck with Mission Control Studios (no relation to the company that handles the Jefferson Starship, also, coincidentally, called Mission Control). New Kids on the Block were recording with studio owners the Jonzun Crew and the brothers Jonzun kindly opened the doors to this project -- it was the investor with Jimmy Miller's company who completely dropped the ball. Three years elapsed between the Miller talks and the creation of this album. The songs are there; "Green Light," "Better Generation," "Skydiver," "Treading Water," and "See the Light" are all very workable. "See the Light" is very Jefferson Airplane and, with better production values, had the potential to be another Balin classic. Kerry Kearney's guitar lines are wonderful and Marty Balin is in great voice. Modern Lovers backup singer Ellie Marshall and Kirshner/CBS vocalist Didi Stewart were brought to the sessions, and Marty Balin was thrilled at the prospect of these two great Boston ladies (both with records on CBS at different points in time) singing on Better Generation. His wife, Karen Deal, squashed that immediately, wanting to keep the vocals on the album coming strictly from the musicians. The tragedy of it all -- the new version of "It's No Secret" could have been produced by the late Jimmy Miller, could have had the great Didi Stewart and Ellie Marshall on vocals, could have been a new masterpiece. This is a record and an artist with terrific heart -- both held back by politics of a new label, new studio, and other forces at play. As stated, it is a real heartbreaker. "Summer of Love" was on the original demo tapes Balin sent out prior to the album deal, a version tracked before the reunion of the Jefferson Airplane on CBS. "Mercy of the Moon," perhaps the best recorded track, is from those tapes and features Willie Weeks on bass. What GWE should have done was just release the demos; they were and still are excellent. The song "Even Though" kind of sums it up. A great melody, wonderful performance from the band, music clouded by the new "digital studio" falling apart around them. Some of the songs were remixed at Blue Jay Studios in Carlisle, MA, a world-class facility, but it was a case of too little too late -- the entire disc should have been tracked where the third Joe Perry Project album was born. Writer and Jefferson Airplane biographer Jeff Tamarkin accurately wrote of this disc: "His smooth-as-silk voice as inviting as ever, Balin showcases new material and remakes a couple of Airplane favorites on this 1991 recording." That he does, but the album could have been so much more -- as stated -- great songs, great performances, so much potential. Go find the demos.
BARRY MCGUIRE
https://www.allmusic.com/album/seeds-mw0000861926
The first of what would be many Christian rock albums by Barry McGuire for the Myrrh and Word record labels starting in 1973, Seeds has a stellar cast backing the veteran frontman who is in fine voice throughout. The problem is that the folk singer abandons what made him so special in order to preach and preach some more. "To Know Love" is a pure pop song starting things off, but the "hallelujahs" here don't have the mass market appeal of, say, "Hallelujah I Just Love Her So" or Sweathog's excellent 1971 hit, simply entitled "Hallelujah." Had McGuire re-cut that tune with a no-nonsense approach, he would have gotten his message out to a much wider audience, and would have done so by being a bit more discrete. "Last Daze Waltz" is a boogie woogie ode to The Bible with a nod to Samson and Delilah, while "David & Goliath" is more of the same, only with a harder-rock edge. "Lear Jets"/"Father's Son" goes into revival mode, and the band is absolutely cooking, which makes one wonder about the possibilities had McGuire taken these energies and focused them on the pop mainstream, which made his name for him. It just seems that Jesus was very much into glorifying The Father, not himself, and by missing that message, too many artists limit the range of their music and melodies. "Love Is" has elegant backing vocals and strings, but the use of scripture just seems awkward. The Hart/Davis composition, "Peace," has the same sentiment and style, excellent music with a dilemma: As the lyrics stay focused on one topic, so too the playing becomes somewhat redundant. Both "Peace" and the McGuire co-write "Love Is" appeared on a Sparrow's The Best of Barry McGuire 1982 release, but they aren't truly representative of the man's many talents. 1974's Lighten Up album does just that, and by being more musical, the results are much more appealing. Still, Seeds was the beginning, and as such, is an important statement on Barry McGuire's faith and mission.
Eve of Destruction Review
by Joe Viglione https://www.allmusic.com/album/eve-of-destruction-mw0000087426
Lighten Up is a surprisingly wonderful set of pop tunes by former New Christy Minstrel protest singer Barry McGuire. With a bevy of famous players -- from Dean Parks to Michael Omartian, Leland Sklar, Joe Osborn, Jim Gordon, Larry Knechtel, and others -- the drive and enthusiasm so important to making a good record are on this album, which could be considered the work of a "New Christian Minstrel." Some artists lose their angst in finding Jesus; pulled from the dark side they often misplace (or just give up) their rock & roll edge, but that can't be said for McGuire, and three songs immediately stand out: "Don't Blame God," "Pay the Piper," and "Walk in the Sonshine." There is also a terrific rendition of "Eve of Destruction," with McGuire alone on acoustic guitar giving it the slow and moody treatment, different enough to make secular folk buy the record as well as those who pay attention to the catalogs of the Myrrh and Word record labels. Where Dan Peek was so contrived upon leaving the group America to become a Christian artist/star (an oxymoron when you stop to think about it; the purity of singing to the Lord seems more special if its not manufactured and promoted as Black Sabbath and Celine Dion records are), it is clear on Lighten Up that Barry McGuire is spreading his word the best way he knows how. No nonsense and no tacky cover photo as Peek gave listeners with his All Things Are Possible album. Here McGuire is long-haired at a microphone obscured by darkness -- a very cool cover. When he sings, "I'm not going to sing about anyone but Jesus," you really believe him. The material here is spiritually intact. It's honest folk music, and who would have thought that the gravelly voice which ruled the radio airwaves in 1965 would come back as an honest-to-God folksy Jesus freak? The lyrics are insightful, the playing is superb, and "Hey World" infuses a Traffic-style jazz moment within the message. His electric preacher style works well, and the persona would be just perfect for a motion picture.
