What does it sound like?:
When Cream split up in late 1968 Atlantic Records supremo Ahmet Ertegun told Bruce the best thing he could do would be to form another trio. With “Songs For A Tailor” he proceeded to do the exact opposite.
Bruce had studied cello and composition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and didn’t see himself as “just” a bass player. He wanted his first album to showcase the diversity of his talents and do something much more expansive than Cream ever allowed. Although recorded after “Things We Like” it was released ahead of it in 1969 to mixed reactions – not wholly surprising given how it was far from a continuation of the Cream / power trio format.
Bruce returned to re-interpret nearly all of the songs on this album in the years that followed, and this box offers a return of a different sort. There is a remaster of the original mix, a new stereo and 5.1 mix plus (according to the press release ) 32 bonus tracks and DVD of the 1970 documentary of “Rope Ladder To The Moon”. The new mixes are by the much in demand Stephen Tayler, a name likely to be familiar to some here given his extensive work on Be Bop Deluxe, Van Der Graff Generator, Camel and Hawkwind sets.
The remastered original is clear and bright, remarkable for an album recorded in 1969. Tayler manages to lift things a notch or two higher in the new stereo mix (the 5.1 mix wasn’t provided for review). The vocals sparkle, the separation between the instruments is sharper, the album fresher and more immediate than the remaster. The accompanying booklet argues the remix is an alternative, a different interpretation. For me it’s a complete replacement.
I came across this album in the late 80’s, being all of 9 years old when it was first released. I arrived there via Cream and a Polydor sampler called “Good For Nothing” that included “How’s Tricks” (it also sequenced “Art School” by The Jam to be followed by “In The Pines” by Gene Clark. Those were the days eh?). So although I knew it wasn’t going to be Cream, I was still underprepared for just how much it wasn’t.
Tracks like “Never Tell Your Mother She’s Out of Tune” and “Theme for an Imaginary Western” were immediate stand outs, the former managing to somehow be both discordant and funky simultaneously, whilst the mesmerizing melancholy of the latter (rejected by Clapton and Baker as a Cream song, as were tracks “Weird of Hermiston” and “The Clearout”) would prompt covers by Mountain, Colosseum (members of whom feature on the original here) as well as Greenslade.
Less immediate were “He the Richmond”, a toe tapping acoustic tipped over by a jarring vocal, and “Boston Ball Game”, not quite one song to the tune of another – more two songs being delivered at once to a time signature that refuses to be pinned down. “To Isengard” deceives, Bruce and Pappalardi’s gentle vocals rudely interrupted by a free jazz interlude from Bruce, Jon Hiseman and Chris Spedding, whilst the parade ground drumming intro of “The Clearout” gives way to what starts as traditional rock guitar and bass before slowly breaking form into what’s close to parody. Pete Brown’s lyrics remain something of an acquired taste. Reproduced in full in the accompanying booklet, one or two pennies finally dropped.
Both the remaster and remix contain demos and alternate mixes. The remastered original includes the 4 tracks that were included in the 2003 re-release, 2 of which are “Ministry of Bag” progressing from piano dominated awkwardness to its smoother jazzier bounce. Amongst the 6 on the remix are a vocal free “Never Tell Your Mother” which sounds more rocky with Bruce more or less playing rhythm guitar on his bass. The latter half of “To Isengard” appears as “Vikings”, a song in its own right with a very “Be Bop Tango” vibe. Two further attempts at “Rope Ladder” fail to make me like the track any more than I did before. Two unreleased and instrumental tracks close the new mix, “You Burned the Tables On Me”, seems ordinary and unremarkable although the full version which appears on a 1971 BBC In Concert and the recent “Smiles and Grins” box reveals a good time rocker. “Escape to the Royal Wood (on Ice)” features some perky piano led switches in time signature suggesting the track had potential.
The CD & DVD package looks set to retail for around £60 in the UK. The claim of 32 “bonus” tracks is based on the 10 original album tracks and 6 demos being presented as a new stereo mix and then a 5.1 mix, which seems a little cheeky. It’s also a touch pricy when compared to the 4 CD and 2 Blu ray set “Smiles & Grins” released back in March which collates all his radio and TV work can be had for the same money.
What does it all *mean*?
Does anyone know what Pete Brown’s lyrics actually mean?
Goes well with…
A jazz cheroot and an absinthe chaser.
Release Date:
July 26th
Might suit people who like…
According to Amazon Music, Spooky Tooth, Savoy Brown and BBM (Baker/Bruce/Moore) – which is obviously bollocks.
I’m not familiar with the album so can’t help with the lyrics, but the album’s title is a reference to Jeannie ‘the tailor’ Franklyn, Richard Thompson’s girlfriend who was killed in the van crash which also took the life of Fairport drummer Martin Lamble.
My understanding was that Bruce’s father was a tailor and the album was dedicated to him.
I recall spending a lot of time trying to make out the two songs on Boston Ball Game, heard through the single speaker of our record player. As a teenager that seemed important at the time.
It’s all blues and no dinner at the Ministry Of Bag. Pete Brown’s lyrics certainly had a certain impenetrable quality.
It’s a shame about the price tag, otherwise I might have been interested.
@Carl I agree with @Gatz it was for Jeannie Franklin who also designed clothes for Cream.
“The album, which was titled in tribute to Cream’s recently deceased clothing designer.” From the pedia of Wiki.
Jeannie Franklin made clothes for various pop and rock stars of the time. The Jimi Hendrix Experience were customers as well as Clapton etc.
Jack Bruce recorded (on double bass) with Neil Ardley’s New Jazz Orchestra, on “Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe”* in 1968. Pre-Cream and pop/rock stardom he was very much a jazzer.
“Things We Like”, his album recorded with John McLaughlin, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman, is not for the faint-hearted. It was recorded in August ’68 but not released until 1970. It’s pretty “out there” stuff.
“Harmony Row” was a somewhat more conventional followup to “Songs For A Tailor”, released in ’71. A collection of songs co-written with Pete Brown. I’ve not really penetrated this one.
He also toured with and recorded one 1970 album with Tony Williams’ Lifetime “(Turn It Over)” featuring McLaughlin again and organist Larry Young (a.k.a. Khalid Yasin), but that didn’t last long.
*A really great album. I commend it to the AW Massive.
He also made BBC broadcasts of concerts and studio sessions with the Mike Gibbs band during this 69-71 period, and also with Neil Ardley’s New Jazz Orchestra. Some of this stuff has appeared on CD – for instance, a Gibbs concert in MG’s ‘Festival ’69’ 3CD set and and a half-hour session (a trinute to Mike Taylor themed sesh) on the 13CD ‘Barbara Thompson at the BBC’. There are probably others like this. I came across a 1971 concert review in ‘Melody Maker’ yesterday of Nucleus – with Bruce depping for the regular chap. It was an interesting read – Jack was clearly playing brilliantly but somehow not quitye right for the band’s groove.
Just listening to “Things we like”. Never heard it before – what a great album.
Really superb – but gets talked about less than the others. I disagree with Mike, in that I don’t think it’s “out there” – but I suspect the majority are with him…
Nice paired with McLaughlin’s “Extrapolation”.
I like a bit of “out”.
“Out There” for Cream fans and those taking their first steps into what jazz had become in the late ’60s. As I was. I’d only just heard “Extrapolation” and was intrigued but a bit nonplussed.
As it happens I’ve just last week had a little binge of Blue Note’s later 60’s – early ’70s releases. A very mixed bag indeed.
Have to confess I was never a big fan of his “grunting elephant” bass guitar sound, on the Cream stuff and on “Songs For A Tailor”.
Jack Bruce can do no wrong for me…
Morally or musically?
Well, quite. Musically.
Compare and contrast:
Brilliant musician but I find his singing a bit much for some reason.
That reminds me – I must change my avatar…
Nice.
Well I like Jack Bruce and Spooky Tooth, so Amazon is half right.
I picked up a s/h CD of this from the Magpie about 6 months ago after hearing a track on either an Andy Kershaw podcast or a We Buy Records radio show. I paid about a fiver including postage, which seems about right.
My introduction to solo JB was via Harmony Row when it came out c ‘71. It remains my favourite album of his and it took me quite awhile to appreciate SFAT. Bruce is an amazingly original writer and a prodigious musician to boot.
Was never too keen on his later more rock edged solo work but these two are for me amongst the best ever ‘singer songwriter’ albums. This live version of Rope Ladder is extraordinary
I know “we” skip posts we don’t like, and don’t piss on the chips of our learned colleagues, but……
I listened to the above clip, in the hope that, finally, I might “get” Jack Bruce. A decent enough bassist, Cream were fine for what they were and when, and I respect that. But everyone seems to bang on around how very much more inspiring is his solo catalogue. Dutifully, every few years I listen to SFaT and/or HR, never finding anything to want to try and enjoy. Similarly, Rope Ladder, a song I know well from Colosseum, I had a naive hope JB, on this version at least, could make it palatable. But no, it’s even worse than when Foghorn Farlowe ever got his chops around it. To me it all seems he has just been a lucky beneficiary of imperial garbs. Sorry if I offend, please see this as debate and not trolling.
Why keep trying? It’s clearly not something which you will enjoy. Life’s too short.
Also, it’s too easy to throw in the “emperor’s clothes” thing at someone you don’t rate – I dare say if you provided a list of your favoured bands/artists, one might do the same, with equal, er, weight…
Fully in agreement with your first para. above, monsieur @fitterstoke.
It’s something I have applied to my own listening habits. Two tries maximum and then the heave-ho, if no joy.
Nonsense. Whilst I agree in the pointlessness of trying too hard and too often, given the malleability of the brain as it matures, and, probably, decays, taste can change. I am delighted I didn’t give up on soul music, on disco even, on jazz, on electronica on first, second or even later opinions, finding pleasure in all after initial dislike. I also now don’t like everything I did previously, some of which makes me wince. I reckon 5 -10% slips at the margins over time. This particular dip into JB was unintended, and initiated by the post opening my curiosity as to whether I still thought little of his solo output. I did.
Oh, and as to the emperor’s in my own preferences, I know full well the ridiculousness of my tastes and love ‘em regardless. Unless I later don’t, of course.
Funnily enough, part of my 5-10% slipping at the margins is also Cream, including this album, but not the two ’65 Graham Bond LPs on one CD, and a hits comp. with ‘Anyone For Tennis’ on it… but now I think about it, I never play them either.
Could we expect at some point a complete list of all the albums you no longer listen to?
Huzzah!
Well, that’s good, isn’t it?
First time I heard SFAT, I didn’t exactly enjoy it so much as find it interesting. It was clearly bursting with musical ideas that sounded like nothing else at the time. No blues or riffs or “nods to the classics” or whatever. No pandering to any imaginable target audience. Getting into it took a little time, but it was time well spent. Without any pretensions to being advanced, forthright, or signifficant it succeeds in being all three.
Mr Saucecraft has the mot juste.
Not saying that something can’t creep into your consciousness later and change your attitude. And that you can’t wonder later on just what you heard in something that seemed great at the time but now doesn’t.
Just that you needn’t spend your time seeking to “get” what you just don’t, on initial listening, when there is so much else to hear.
I agree with not trying to like something. But I didn’t dislike it on first listening, and didn’t think I had to make an effort to like it. It hooked me because it was different, and I enjoyed repeated listenings, at first out of curiosity, more and more.
The next generation of the Bruce & Baker clans are still at it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp68y94jjn6o
I doubt there will be tears in heaven.
I’d be happy to watch them
Two weeks time they play in Pontefract.
I much prefer the small venues.
Top room of a pub, none smaller.
The Pontefract gig should be a piece of cake.
They’ll Dance The Night Away in that Deserted City Of The Heart.
I see an enterprising themed-touring opportunity: Pontefract, Eccles, Bakewell, Dundee, erm, Black Forest…
If they are detouring to the Black Forest , they might as well go to Berlin too. They could fly to Gatow.
Back from the Sons of Cream concert last night, I was never a great fan of Cream and I’ve probably not heard those songs in 50 years. I’m “glad”I went they were excellent and not treading on their fathers’ legacies.
Oh and a special guest appearance of Arthur Brown, and they added keyboards too.
Although we were supplied with earplugs and I was sat right at the front and it was a small room at the top of a pub the sound wasn’t deafening, unlike some pub gigs I’ve been to in the past.
The only people I have heard bag these gigs are people who haven’t attended.