|
Group: Jez Spencer
- solo project for Spencer Gibb, before 54 Seconds (The
origins of 54 Seconds)
Album Title: 4-Track Mind
Musicians: Spencer
Gibb (vocals/guitars, various other instruments), Stewart Cochran (rhodes,
organ, clavinet), JJ Johnson (drums percussion, vocals), Einar
Pedersen (bass, drums), Johnny Goudie (vocals, drums, percussion,
bass), George
Reiff (bass), & Matthew Vaughan (violin)
Recorded: Spring/summer
1997, Austin, TX.
Re-Mastered Re-release: May 2001
by Jim Wilson for Yes! Mastering.
Features: Re-mastered
limited edition. Personally signed & numbered. The folded booklet
is printed on all sides, in a waxy feel. Inside it contains liner
notes written by Spencer, and the history of the band. Also included in this one off release
is a signed Jez Spencer 8x10 glossy B&W promo photo. Only 62 copies have been
made, and will never to be released again. All songs © Spencer
Gibb 1997.
The Story: Originally recorded on Spencer's 4-track machine, at his home in Austin,
TX. It is on this album
that you can hear the origins of 54 Seconds beginning to form. The song "Twice In One Day", is one of the first songs
where Spencer & JJ really understood what they wanted 54 Seconds to sound like.
.
|
Tracks:
1. In A Box
2. Twice In One Day
3. If I Was Still Your Man
4. Lately Nothing
5. Whatever Happened To The Flowers
6. World Stood Still (original)
7. Pray
8. Sunday Morning
9. I Still Get High
MP3s: Samples from Moonlighting.
BUY IT: * No Longer Available *
MORE LYRICS...
.
.
ART CREDITS:
Photos by Todd V. Wolfson.
Original artwork & layout by Traci Goudie.
Re-release artwork by Gabriel.
.
|
Some thoughts by Heather:
In A Box: "I've been waiting by the telephone."
Harmonies! That bass is absolutely knocking me flat! The guitar and
keyboard interplay... man! Every instrument just gels.
Twice In One Day: Hope :54 covers this one some day... please...
The chorus is so :54...
Lately Nothing: Love that intro...
Pray: Listen with headphones, ambrosia.
More....
My Thoughts:
9 fantastic songs all put down on 4-tracks each. It's enough to make the
producers of those big extravagant boring albums that are released each
year, cringe in complete embarrassment -- And they should. From start to
finish, this album has it all, and especially so, considering it was
just one big accident - a product of late night jamming, and fooling
around with some recording. This album is what music is all about.
Creating from the heart. No pressure, and it shows. The vocals, and
arrangements are relaxed, and inspiring.
The coolest intro for In A Box, that catches you straight up
(this is the song THAT looser didn't like? His taste is in his...
well a place we can't all see. Twice In One Day is such a cool
song, and the origins of 54 seconds. It's definitely the coolest on the
album, full of those 54 effects. If I Still Was Your Man is so
beautiful, and romantic. Not what 54 Fans are used to (..hehe..).
Spencer also plays everything on this song. All Spencer. All from the
heart! All dripping in honey! Lately Nothing is another excellent
tune which features a very beautiful violin accompaniment. Adding that
sorrow. Mmm... Mmm... Whatever Happened To The Flowers? This is
such a cool song. It's like 2 worlds collide. The Positive & negative,
childlike feel at times, and then dark traces at other times. World
Stood Still, ahh, the original version. The vocals sound very much
jazz influenced more so than the re-write (see
Promo 2), and sans bridge. Still excellent vocals and I just love
that feel, and those moans. yeah, ahhh... ;o) Pray, is my
absolute favourite on the album. Starts off with soft strumming on the acoustic
guitar, and Spencer's silky vocals, and builds quite quickly into the
chorus. When Spencer & Johnny's voices merge, it is like heaven on
earth. Also features backwards guitars in the break. Sunday Morning
is probably my third favourite on the album. Just because really. I
don't have anything else to add. It's also the only other track
that features Spencer on everything. I Still Get High finishes
the album off beautifully. Spencer ends the liner notes with
""listening to it again makes me want to start playing
it"... to which I say, "Yes please!"
.
|