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Author Topic: The Yellow Balloon  (Read 14597 times)
Mitchell
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« on: January 16, 2006, 10:21:17 AM »

Just got this in the mail the other day, along with Save for a Rainy Day, which has multiple versions of the Yellow Balloon song as well.

To those of you who are more familiar with this era, how do you like this stuff? I'm enjoying it.
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« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2006, 10:32:06 AM »

Any disc with "How Can I Be Down" is ok in my book.
The vocals at the end of that are astonishing.
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sugarandspice
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« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2006, 10:39:05 AM »

on a rainy afternoon?
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Fantastico!
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« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2006, 10:45:23 AM »

on a rainy afternoon?

yes, especially.
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Mitchell
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« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2006, 11:19:20 AM »

I really like Like a Summer Rain. It's definitely inspired by Don't Worry Baby, melody-wise. Yellow Ballon has a bit of God Only Knows in there, especially at the start.
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Old Rake
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« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2006, 12:05:58 PM »

I adore both albums. I have to nod to "Save..." which is one of the most atmospheric little mood-albums ever made, but the Yellow Balloon LP is a blast.
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Mitchell
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« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2006, 12:18:03 PM »

Yeah, Sunshine Pop and Baroque Pop are always good to listen to, especially in this -30C weather we're having today. I know I've started threads about these before, but they usually got out of hand and way to in-depth for me to pursue the music easily.

So now I have music by these artists:
The Association
The Millenium
Sagittarius
The Yellow Balloon
Jan and Dean
The Beach Boys

Who else should I look into? Mama's and the Papa's, 5th Dimension, Left Banke? Which CDs should I look for?
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« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2006, 12:20:47 PM »

I'd say discs by the Left Banke-Gonna Be A Storm, the Free Design-Kites are Fun (comp-Varese), the Cyrkle-best of, Harpers Bizarre-4 would do you well.
Oh, and Song Cycle by Van Dyke Parks...and
Something Else by the Kinks

« Last Edit: January 16, 2006, 12:22:24 PM by Jonathan Donaldson » Logged
Jason Penick
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« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2006, 12:38:41 PM »

So now I have music by these artists:
The Association
The Millenium
Sagittarius
The Yellow Balloon
Jan and Dean
The Beach Boys

Who else should I look into? Mama's and the Papa's, 5th Dimension, Left Banke? Which CDs should I look for?

Mark Eric - A Midsummer's Daydream
5th Dimension - The Magic Garden
Eternity's Children - self titled
The Fun and Games - Elephant Candy
Sandy Salisbury - Do Unto Others

all good ones to start with...
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Mitchell
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« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2006, 01:55:46 PM »

Song Cycle by Van Dyke Parks...and
Something Else by the Kinks

Ah, got those ones. I'll keep the others in mind, thanks for the suggestions, everyone!
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Mark A. Moore
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« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2006, 02:17:39 PM »

The Yellow Balloon is an amazing album . . . produced by Gary Zekley (Yodar Critch). Gary got his start in the business by watching Jan Berry and others at work in the studio. Jan and Gary also co-wrote (with Vic Diaz) a cool song called "Ace of Hearts," recorded by the Matadors (Tony Minichiello, Vic Diaz, and Manuel Sanchez). The A-side was "Perfidia," which featured bass vocals sung by Jan Berry. Both sides were also arranged and produced by Jan Berry for Colpix Records (as part of Jan's producing contract with Screen Gems).

Tony, Vic, and Manuel (also known as the Sinners, a smoking combo in their own right, great guitar) sang harmony vocals on Jan & Dean's SURF CITY and DRAG CITY LPs . . . before Phil Sloan and Steve Barri entered the picture.

Zekley also later worked with Dean Torrence.

Dean's second "Turtles-esque" version of the song "Yellow Balloon" is superior.

On Zekley's YB album, "How Can I Be Down" and "I've Got A feeling For Love" were co-written by Jan Berry's close personal and songwriting associates, Jill Gibson and Don Altfeld.

"Stained Glass Window" and "Springtime Girl" are also standouts on the YB album.

M.




« Last Edit: January 16, 2006, 02:20:09 PM by Mark A. Moore » Logged

Mitchell
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« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2006, 02:46:22 PM »

Cool post, thanks!
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« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2006, 05:46:26 PM »

I love noollaB wolleY (b-side of Yellow Balloon).. the backwards harmonies are awesome.
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« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2006, 06:11:17 PM »

Quote
Who else should I look into?

There's this website? Called the Smile Shop? Which is all about that. You should visit it sometime.

http://www.thesmileshop.net
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Mitchell
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« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2006, 12:02:15 PM »

I ordered the first Free Design album (Kites are Fun) and the first two Harpers Bizarre albums yesterday. I should get them in, well, a few weeks. But at least I'll get them in time for spring.
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« Reply #15 on: March 23, 2006, 12:48:33 PM »

The first two Harpers Bizarre albums are great
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« Reply #16 on: March 23, 2006, 01:17:19 PM »

Glad to hear it! allmusic is less than enthused about them (star wise), so I was a bit worried.
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« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2006, 01:40:16 PM »

Don't listen to anything Richie Unterberger says(writes) about sunshine pop.  He pretty much hates it all.  Do you like the Association's albums?  He doesn't (but for some reason, he was hired to write the liner notes to their cd reissues).
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« Reply #18 on: March 24, 2006, 05:28:22 AM »

I just have the Association's greatest hits. I really like Cherish, Windy, Never My Love...
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Jason Penick
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« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2006, 12:37:21 AM »

DON'T get me started on the Association, that is a whole other thread there to which I will gladly contribute!

Here is a review of the Yellow Balloon I wrote up at RateYourMusic.com



Fantastic "sunshine pop" lp, recorded 1966 in L.A. with producer Gary Zekely at the helm.  The band also included ex-Palace Guard member Don Grady, who would later go on to achieve fame in the roll of Chip Douglas in My Three Sons.  The album plays like a mini-Pet Sounds, also possessing an Association bent at times, as on the song "Threshold of Love".  This ranks close to the level of such heralded genre landmarks as Mark Eric's A Midsummer's Daydream or the Association's Birthday. 

The knock on Yellow Balloon has always been the lyrics, which are terribly corny at times ("Baby It's You", which nevertheless sports a killer Wilson-esque hook.)  The title song "Yellow Balloon" was a a certified Top 30 hit early in '67, while a competing version by Jan and Dean failed to chart.  The latter was actually a Dean Torrance recording, tracked as Jan Barry was recovering from injuries sustained from his car crash.  Zekely had originally given the song to Jan and Dean to record.

The Yellow Balloon falls short of Pet Sounds lyrically, and it is somewhat hampered by singer Alex Valdez's limited range.  The melodies by Zekely, Jan & Dean collaborator Jill Gibson and disc jockey Don Altfeld are of the typical period pop music variety, but enlivened with surprising chord changes, tempo shifts and walls of Beach Boy styled harmonies.  The Yellow Balloon rocks out convincingly on the song "Junkmaker Shoppe" which is ripe for a cover by one of today's bands. "Panama Red" is a great hidden meaning drug song in the vein of the Peanut Butter Conspiracy's "Why Did I Get So High?".

You gotta love an album that closes with their hit single played in reverse.  "Noolab Wolley" is just such a closer.  Fortunately, the Sundazed reissue graciously includes two 1967 singles from Don Grady and the Windupwatchband.  Very imaginative productions and great tunes that rank with the best pop rock of the era.  Grady, aka Don Agrati, would later go on to record a lost classic in 1970's pop titled Homegrown, based off of demos he recorded with producers Curt Boettcher and Keith Olsen.

Rated: 4.50 stars

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/the_yellow_balloon/the_yellow_balloon____bonus_tracks_/

« Last Edit: March 25, 2006, 12:45:52 AM by Jason Penick » Logged

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L Ransford
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« Reply #20 on: March 25, 2006, 04:26:49 PM »

Mitchell, the most fun way to explore "sunshine pop" is to track down the 45's. I've been collecting this kind of stuff for years and there was TONS of this kind of music released on obscure one-shot artist 45's. For those who do not have the vinyl collecting bug, it may be too much work. I know of some compilations that you can check out further flower power goodies on CD.
  Rhino Handmade has two limited edition "Nuggets" that are primo 60's soft pop. "Hallucianations" and "Come to The Sunshine." Also look for the CD series called "Soft Sounds For Gentle People." There are at least three volumes and are probably lifted straight from the original vinyl sources.
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Tazman
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« Reply #21 on: March 25, 2006, 05:11:03 PM »

wasn't me
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Mitchell
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« Reply #22 on: March 25, 2006, 07:37:59 PM »

Yeah, I live in an area where good vinyl is hard to come by, so getting collectors 45s isn't really an option for me. I would be interested in a compilation, for sure. I have heard of those, I just haven't really looked into them.
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Mitchell
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« Reply #23 on: April 06, 2006, 08:34:01 AM »

I ordered the first Free Design album (Kites are Fun) and the first two Harpers Bizarre albums yesterday. I should get them in, well, a few weeks. But at least I'll get them in time for spring.

I got these in the mail yesterday. I'm listening now. Some really good songs in there for sure. I'll have to listen to more before I make any conclusions.
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« Reply #24 on: June 26, 2006, 11:49:53 PM »

Has anyone ever noticed that towards the end of How Can I Be Down, someone says "keep recording"? This is the first time I've found something like this on my own, I feel special
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