Perspective | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 2, 1969 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 30:56 | |||
Label | Decca | |||
Producer | John Boylan | |||
Rick Nelson chronology | ||||
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Perspective is the eighteenth studio album by American singer Rick Nelson, and his eleventh for Decca Records. [1]
The album was a departure from Nelson's previous rockabilly records and an experiment in a more contemporary orchestral style. [2] Like Nelson's prior album Another Side of Rick, it was produced by John Boylan. [3] Boylan selected a number of contemporary songs for the album, including four by Randy Newman, who was not yet a well known songwriter. [4] He also contributed two of his own songs, while Nelson's wife Kris performed vocals on "Hello to the Wind" (a joint Boylan/Nelson composition) and supplied album artwork. [4] The album was recorded in California in 1968, Nelson's only recording that year. It was not released until nearly a year later. [4]
Neither of the two Boylan-produced albums were a commercial success. [4] Although Nelson grew to dislike Perspective's overproduced style, he credits the album with clarifying his future musical direction. "Perspective with those songs was a complete experiment and those Steve Miller type sound effects between tracks were my idea.... I'm not sorry I did those things because, if anything, it made up my mind as to the way I wanted to go... I just simplified the whole thing and went back to the formula of drums, bass, and guitar. That's where I'd always been most effective." [3]
The album was released on compact disc by Ace Records on September 29, 1998, as tracks 13 through 23 on a pairing of two albums on one CD with tracks 1 through 12 consisting of Nelson's 1967 studio album, Another Side of Rick . [5] Bear Family included the album in the 2008 For You: The Decca Years box set. [6]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
Richie Unterberger of AllMusic said that "Nelson did have good taste in selecting material, covering songs by Paul Simon, Richie Havens, Harry Nilsson, and Randy Newman, all of whom (except Simon) were little known by most of the public in 1967; indeed, Nelson covers five Newman songs in a row to end the album, creating the effect of an aborted "Nelson Sings Newman" concept record. [1]
Billboard selected the album for a "Pop Special Merit" review, and described as "an appealing, left - field type of tune" [8]
Historian John Einarson stated that Nelson's albums "Perspective and Another Side of Rick embraced both folk and pop, with covers of Eric Andersen, Nilsson, Paul Simon, and Randy Newman. The eclectic choices reveal an artist still searching for a style that would reconcile his past and give him a future." [9]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "When the Sun Shined Its Face on Me" | Reid Whitelaw | 2:19 |
2. | "Without Her" | Harry Nilsson | 2:32 |
3. | "The Lady Stayed with Me" | John Boylan | 2:19 |
4. | "Three Day Eternity" | Richie Havens | 2:22 |
5. | "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" | Paul Simon | 2:43 |
6. | "Stop by My Window" | John Boylan | 2:52 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hello to the Wind" | John Boylan, Ricky Nelson | 3:05 |
2. | "Wait 'til Next Year" | Randy Newman | 2:29 |
3. | "Love Story" | Randy Newman | 2:59 |
4. | "So Long Dad/Love Story (Reprise) [Medley]" | Randy Newman | 3:57 |
5. | "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" | Randy Newman | 3:19 |
12 Songs is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Randy Newman, released in April 1970 by Reprise Records. It features a swampy style of roots music with introspective, satirical songwriting. "Have You Seen My Baby?", the album's only single, was released in May.
Harry is the fourth studio album by Harry Nilsson, released August 1969 on RCA. It was his first album to get onto Billboard Magazine's Billboard 200 chart, remaining there for 15 weeks and reaching #120.
Nilsson Sings Newman is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson, released in February 1970 on RCA Victor. It features songs written by Randy Newman. Recorded over six weeks in late 1969, the album showcases Nilsson's voice multi-tracked in layers of tone and harmony. Its arrangements are otherwise sparse, with most of the instrumentation provided by Newman on piano. The record was not a great commercial success, but won a 1970 "Record of the Year" award from Stereo Review magazine. The LP record cover art was illustrated by Dean Torrence.
"I Fall to Pieces" is a song written by Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard that was originally recorded by Patsy Cline. Released as a single in 1961 via Decca Records, it topped the country charts, crossed over onto the pop charts and became among Cline's biggest hits. Cline was initially reluctant to record "I Fall to Pieces" and believed its production lacked enough country instrumentation for her liking. Eventually, Cline recorded the song upon the encouragement of her producer.
John Patrick Boylan is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, music publisher, and A&R executive.
In Concert at the Troubadour, 1969 is a live country rock album by Rick Nelson recorded in Los Angeles during four dates at The Troubadour in late 1969. The album featured the debut of the Stone Canyon Band, which included Randy Meisner, Tom Brumley, Allen Kemp, and Patrick Shanahan, and was Nelson's highest-charting release in three years. The album contains four songs written by Nelson and three Bob Dylan compositions, as well as other songs by Eric Andersen and Tim Hardin. The performances were attended by many fellow musicians and songwriters.
Garden Party is the twenty-first studio album by Rick Nelson, this one a country rock album recorded with the Stone Canyon Band in 1972. The title song tells the story of Nelson being booed at a concert at Madison Square Garden.
"Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear" is a song written by Randy Newman, about a young man of modest means who entertains affluent diners with his dancing bear. The Alan Price Set released a version as a double A-side with "Tickle Me" on 24 February 1967, and it reached number four on the Record Retailer chart in Britain. The success brought Newman to public attention as a songwriter; he recorded the song himself for his 1972 album Sail Away.
"Everybody's Talkin' (Echoes)" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Fred Neil in 1966 and released two years later. A version of the song performed by the American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson became a hit in 1969, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and winning a Grammy Award after it was featured in the film Midnight Cowboy. The song, which describes the singer's desire to retreat from the harshness of the city to a more peaceful place and an easier life, is among the most famous works of both artists, and has been covered by many other notable performers.
Playback is an album recorded by The Appletree Theatre in 1967.
Brenda, That's All is the seventh studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. The album was released October 15, 1962 on Decca Records and was produced by Owen Bradley. It was the second of two studio albums released in 1962 and included two Top 10 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1962 and 1963.
The Very Thought of You is the tenth studio album by rock and roll and pop idol Rick Nelson and his third for Decca Records. It was released on August 3, 1964. Jimmie Haskell was the arranger. Charles "Bud" Dant produced the album.
Spotlight on Rick is the eleventh studio album by rock and roll and pop idol Rick Nelson, and his fourth for Decca Records, released on November 23, 1964.
Rick Nelson Sings For You is the ninth studio album by rock and roll and pop idol Rick Nelson and his second for Decca Records.
Best Always is the twelfth studio album by rock and roll and pop idol Rick Nelson, and his fifth for Decca Records, released on April 19, 1965. Jimmie Haskell arranged the album and Charles "Bud" Dant produced it. The LP contains a mix of covers of old and recent hits that included four songs also having chart success: "My Blue Heaven" by Fats Domino from 1956, "Since I Don't Have You" by the Skyliners in 1959, "You Don't Know Me" by Ray Charles from 1962 and "I Know a Place" by Petula Clark.
Love and Kisses is the thirteenth studio album by American rock and roll and pop singer Rick Nelson, and his sixth for Decca Records, released on November 15, 1965.
For Your Sweet Love is the eighth studio album by rock and roll and pop idol Rick Nelson and his first for Decca Records. The album was released on May 27, 1963.
Bright Lights and Country Music was a studio album by American singer Rick Nelson. Released on May 30, 1966, it was his seventh for Decca Records and fourteenth overall. It was considered a significant change in direction for Nelson from the rock and roll of previous albums.
Country Fever is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Rick Nelson, and his ninth for Decca Records, released on April 17, 1967, on Decca Records. which features Nelson's composition of "Alone" and a cover of Bob Dylan's "Walkin' Down The Line", Nelson's earliest Dylan cover.
Another Side of Rick is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Rick Nelson, and his tenth for Decca Records. It was released on November 13, 1967. Jimmie Haskell arranged the album and John Boylan produced it.