Friday, December 10, 2004
THE POPPY FAMILY
Poppy Seeds
London, 1971
I know what you're thinking. The Poppy Family? The most bathetic, weepy, hippie-pop sludge? How could you even consider listening to it? And the answer once again is: I already heard all the other stuff, so I might as well try this. This is their third and final LP and I am sure, a very obscure release. I know I've never seen it before.
I started the record with high hopes, as Susan and Terry Jacks perform a cover of No Good To Cry! This song was written by NRBQ dude Big Al Anderson, and was the only hit for his pre-NRBQ outift The Wildweeds. In fact, No Good To Cry is the title of their recent compilation CD of Sixties recordings, which I recommend that all of you pick up right here, right now. So how is this version? Well, The Poppy Family had more than a few similarities with the sound of The Carpenters. So if you can imagine The Carpenters doing No Good To Cry, then you're right there. And it isn't as bad as you would think. I guess I just am grading on a curve here since I am a huge NRBQ fan.
The rest of the record continues the Poppy Family sound, a slickly produced mass of Hippie-country-folk-pop, suitable for the "Lite FM" radio stations of the day or their equivalent. Any of these songs would be right at home on a 1971 AM radio country station, or Top 40 station, or an MOR station. A syrupy blend of twangy acoustic guitar and occasional organ, horns, strings or electric piano in the background. One of the tracks has a tabla, or something that sounds like it. There's the hippie part. Susan takes most of the lead vocal slots, with a few duets with her husband Terry. Good move, as Susan is clearly the better singer, though Terry isn't terryble.
Terry and Susan divorced in 1973, and Terry went on to much greater success with his vomitous "Seasons in the Sun" single in 1974. Most horrifically, the song was co-written by Rod McKuen, so Mr. Jacks gave Mr. McKuen more royalty payments than he had seen in years. Why did you have to encourage him? Both Susan and Terry continued to have some success in their native Canada, while here in the States, they virtually vanished, a mere blip on the pop culture radar screen.
Rating: Freebie.
Poppy Seeds
London, 1971
I know what you're thinking. The Poppy Family? The most bathetic, weepy, hippie-pop sludge? How could you even consider listening to it? And the answer once again is: I already heard all the other stuff, so I might as well try this. This is their third and final LP and I am sure, a very obscure release. I know I've never seen it before.
I started the record with high hopes, as Susan and Terry Jacks perform a cover of No Good To Cry! This song was written by NRBQ dude Big Al Anderson, and was the only hit for his pre-NRBQ outift The Wildweeds. In fact, No Good To Cry is the title of their recent compilation CD of Sixties recordings, which I recommend that all of you pick up right here, right now. So how is this version? Well, The Poppy Family had more than a few similarities with the sound of The Carpenters. So if you can imagine The Carpenters doing No Good To Cry, then you're right there. And it isn't as bad as you would think. I guess I just am grading on a curve here since I am a huge NRBQ fan.
The rest of the record continues the Poppy Family sound, a slickly produced mass of Hippie-country-folk-pop, suitable for the "Lite FM" radio stations of the day or their equivalent. Any of these songs would be right at home on a 1971 AM radio country station, or Top 40 station, or an MOR station. A syrupy blend of twangy acoustic guitar and occasional organ, horns, strings or electric piano in the background. One of the tracks has a tabla, or something that sounds like it. There's the hippie part. Susan takes most of the lead vocal slots, with a few duets with her husband Terry. Good move, as Susan is clearly the better singer, though Terry isn't terryble.
Terry and Susan divorced in 1973, and Terry went on to much greater success with his vomitous "Seasons in the Sun" single in 1974. Most horrifically, the song was co-written by Rod McKuen, so Mr. Jacks gave Mr. McKuen more royalty payments than he had seen in years. Why did you have to encourage him? Both Susan and Terry continued to have some success in their native Canada, while here in the States, they virtually vanished, a mere blip on the pop culture radar screen.
Rating: Freebie.
