rayge
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Post by rayge on Jan 22, 2024 18:02:32 GMT
I was looking through one of the many boxes containing the remnants of my singles collections, looking for stuff I could put on discogs, and I found my Rick(y) Nelson collection, around ten of them, all bought in my early to mid-teens, the great majority second-hand. When I looked them up, they were all going for giveaway prices, except for one, which was coincidentally the only one I'd ever bought new. I put it on at £9 yesterday afternoon, and I just sold it. Rick's light, tuneful voice is in full effect, and it's a decent pop song, but you can say that about almost all of his late ’50s-early ’60s singles. I guess what's made it stand out is the lovely tone of the guitar playing, and especially the solo, by the godlike genius James Burton, someone who, like Nelson, doesn't get talked about much on here. But what say you, pop-pickers?
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Post by Charlie O. on Jan 22, 2024 18:31:37 GMT
"String Along" is, at best, second-tier Rick(y) (and James) for me, but that's damning it with VERY faint criticism. While that team was together, they could do little if any wrong, in my book.
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Post by Stacy Heydon on Jan 23, 2024 2:29:35 GMT
It's not offensive, but it's pretty banal and hasn't aged very well.
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toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,243
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Post by toomanyhatz on Jan 23, 2024 4:26:34 GMT
What Charlie said.
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Post by DarknessFish on Jan 23, 2024 9:53:31 GMT
Me and G are in perfect agreement, as usual. It's not very interesting at all.
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Post by neige on Jan 23, 2024 11:21:33 GMT
It's slight, but the effortless vocals and typical guitar licks make it sound wonderfully fresh and pretty today. HIT for me.
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Post by oh oooh on Jan 23, 2024 11:25:48 GMT
I'm with G and DF. The vocal defines 'non-committal'
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rayge
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Post by rayge on Jan 23, 2024 12:05:06 GMT
I'm with G and DF. The vocal defines 'non-committal' You say that like it's a bad thing.
You three young uns just don't get it.
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Post by Stacy Heydon on Jan 23, 2024 13:09:58 GMT
I will say I don't get the reverence this period of pop is accorded by many on here, this seems closer to early 60s Cliff style lightweight pap. If it wasn't Nelson and Burton, I wonder if would be rated at all.
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toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,243
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Post by toomanyhatz on Jan 23, 2024 20:57:14 GMT
That's like saying "if it wasn't Booker T. and the MGs, it wouldn't groove at all." It's rated so highly, at least in part, because Burton lifts everything he touches. Not disagreeing that it's not a committed vocal performance, and of course you're under no obligation to rate it highly or anything, but those of us who do likely do so because it's Nelson and (particularly) Burton, not because it's 'this period of pop.'
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Post by davey on Jan 24, 2024 0:28:07 GMT
When I want committed vocals, I play The Human League!
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Post by Charlie O. on Jan 24, 2024 1:48:11 GMT
The vocal defines 'non-committal' I can understand hearing it that way - but where you hear "non-committal," I hear "unaffected." He never tried to sound like someone he wasn't - which was (and I think still is) a pretty rare quality in post-Elvis pop singers.
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Post by Stacy Heydon on Jan 24, 2024 2:51:45 GMT
That's like saying "if it wasn't Booker T. and the MGs, it wouldn't groove at all." It's rated so highly, at least in part, because Burton lifts everything he touches. Not disagreeing that it's not a committed vocal performance, and of course you're under no obligation to rate it highly or anything, but those of us who do likely do so because it's Nelson and (particularly) Burton, not because it's 'this period of pop.' but the guitar playing on this track is just pretty basic, he's not doing anything to lift it. There's a lot of projection going on here.
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Post by davey on Jan 24, 2024 6:08:46 GMT
That's like saying "if it wasn't Booker T. and the MGs, it wouldn't groove at all." It's rated so highly, at least in part, because Burton lifts everything he touches. Not disagreeing that it's not a committed vocal performance, and of course you're under no obligation to rate it highly or anything, but those of us who do likely do so because it's Nelson and (particularly) Burton, not because it's 'this period of pop.' but the guitar playing on this track is just pretty basic, he's not doing anything to lift it. There's a lot of projection going on here. You aren’t a guitar player, I take it.
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Post by DarknessFish on Jan 24, 2024 9:35:21 GMT
When I want committed vocals, I play The Human League! I'm not necessarily buying into the non-committal vocal charge, but this is a strange example to pick. You think Phil Oakey didn't give his all, wasn't fully invested in the realisation of the sound and aesthetic, and didn't convey that to his audience? Because that's a bit weird, surely?
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