Unsung for Too Long
markfromphilly | Philadelphia, PA USA | 10/24/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the cult favorite, long, long out-of-print (30 years!) solo debut from Skip Battin, bassist for the later Byrds. The album is full of catchy melodies, wry lyrics, and an endearing charm that have been virtually unrecognized outside of a small group of Battin afficionados. I have always felt Skip was unfairly maligned during his time with the Byrds. Critics charged that his music - "novelty tunes" is the usual derisive label - was simply out of place on a Byrds album. How ironic that the "progressive" and allegedly open-minded music observers of that era wanted to pigeonhole the Byrds (long known for ingenuity and risk-taking) into a formulaic predictability. This album features the contributions of Skip's legendary songwriting partner Kim Fowley and two of Skip's former Byrd mates: Roger McGuinn and the late, great, and sadly missed Clarence White, as well as Spanky MacFarlane from Spanky and Our Gang. The songs were a breath of fresh air when they came out in the early 70's and have held up very well indeed over the ensuing decades. St. Louis Browns - which received some FM airplay - is a fond (but wistful) remembrance of a beloved baseball team of youth. In The Ballad of Dick Clark, Skip (a member of 50's duo Skip and Flip) pays homage to many of his old confederates. In a bit of musical legerdemain Captain Video - a song about Roger McGuinn - features the guitarwork of the aforementioned leader of the Byrds, who apparently never knew the tune was about him. Undercover Man is a witty piece about the dangers of government surveillance. Valentino is an upbeat toe-tapper that lauds the legendary actor. Central Park is about an urban oasis that wasn't much of an oasis when Skip wrote the tune. These brief descriptions give some idea of the breadth of material on this very enjoyable record, and there are a number of others every bit as original.Sadly, Skip died of Alzheimer's in July of 2003 and thus never saw the re-release of this fine, fine album. Let's hope that he is somehow aware of the many pleasures he has brought over the years, both through this album and his inventive recordings with the Byrds. Rest in peace, Skip."
Billy Mundi on drums!!!
ge | NY, NY United States | 11/26/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"if you dont know this album dudes- Jump on it, it is a Winner!!
1 great aspect of this album is: Billy Mundi's unmistakable presence on perfect drums...
The songs show well-honed craft--the sometimes-foul Fowley connec. here pays off well. You will sing along, you will stomp, you will shout with glee: "too long has another unsung American masterpiece eluded me"
If dour gloom is your thing however, listen elsewhere: a sly grin or tongue-in-intelligent cheek humour bubbles up in many a place...."Bye-bye Valent-i-no/ -Saw your movie in Reno/ You got the girl & conquered the world and I got tired/ and went to bed..."
...and where else, friends, will you also be illumined in a popsong re the war-torn St Louis Browns and their colourful manager Bill Veeck [as in 'wreck']? [[a personal note: I knew and played tennis on clay courts with the peglegged Mr Veeck in his retirement choice of Easton Maryland in the '60s]]
What a bordering-on-masterpiece treat!""
Don't Skip this one
Larry Weinberg | San Francisco, CA USA | 06/03/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I love this album. It's funny, after not hearing it for 3 decades I put it on and knew all the lyrics. Fun, catchy music."