saxophone – converselyspeaking

I was mad this morning when I saw that the New York Times called Spirit a psychedelic band. It was in an article about intellectual property. They were too good for that. Psychedelic bands couldn’t play well, so they played trippy, such as the Amboy Dukes and Iron Butterfly. I looked Spirit up in Discogs and saw that’s what they called Spirit. Those folks should have known better, because they must have listened to 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, a wonderful power pop LP. Nothin’ to Hide is a cheery pop confection about heroin addiction. Nature’s Way bops along looking at death—it’s nature’s way of telling you something’s wrong. Mr. Skin is the catchiest tune I’ve heard in a while—I’m Mr.-Mr. Skin, I know where you’ve been. Morning Will Come has the coolest falsetto this side of Richard Manuel. Love Has Found a Way and Animal Zoo are classics. How could folks not get it?

Then I noticed the cover. I have always thought it was ugly and never stopped to look closely. It’s a photo of the band looking like a Bruegel painting copied by Dali. Ugly, at the risk of repeating myself, and very surreal. That’s the psychedelic part. Don’t judge this record by its cover.

I wanted to get to this for Valentine’s Day. Miracles is a wonderful love song—I don’t have any doubts despite the ‘if only’ construction for getting by. It means that’s all we need: believe in ourselves and each other. That’s easy enough. It is about the same in Tumblin’—Don’t be blue/I’ll stand by you/and we’ll get that feeling. Ai Garimasu (more or less There is Love in Japanese) says because you gave me your love, I know exactly who to call. Sweeter Than Honey contains ‘warm as a piece of the sun, softer than starlight’ as well as ‘you’re the best thing I’ve ever had.’ There Will Be Love is a bold declaration: Even when I close my eyes, all I see is you. (I am an old softie, and even I think that is sappy.) Play on Love asks the listener to put the books down and live love; I think Grace Slick took that from Catullus, a great source. It’s up to you and up to me/Come down yelling ‘Timber!’ through the burning trees—that is as high energy and as chaotic as rock and roll.

There’s a good saxophone break in Miracles and two decent instrumental songs, one of which is named for an archangel who has his feet on the ground and his head in heaven (thanks, Wikipedia).