Johnny Rivers ? Realization ? Rare 1968 Imperial Records First Press Vinyl LP
$
20
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Description
Welcome to Classic Cadillac Records! My goal is to provide each and every customer with the best possible buying experience, no matter the size of the order. Unlike most sellers, I advertise all my items clearly and in as much detail as possible, without shouting at you in all caps. I take multiple high quality pictures and never use stock photos, so you know exactly what you’re buying. I take great pride in my work and go the extra mile, which can clearly be seen in my listings compared to other sellers that put minimal effort into theirs. I visually grade all my records as accurately as possible and will never grade anything above Near Mint unless it’s still sealed. Please note that a visual grade can differ from a play grade, and am happy to spot check a record upon request. All orders are shipped within 1 business day (usually sooner) and packed with extra care to ensure fast, safe arrival. I combine shipping on multiple orders to save you money and gladly ship worldwide. Please look closely at all pictures, read all relevant details and ask any questions you may have before buying. I offer a full 30-day return policy on everything I sell, so buy with confidence! And most importantly, thanks for looking!
Not a concept album, but a song cycle depicting life in southern California in the late '60s, Realization is a fine cycle to catch a ride on. It's also a serious surprise -- when psychedelia reared its head in 1967, the results were frequently disastrous for those performers who'd been specializing in straight-ahead rock & roll, and few had rocked harder or more straight-ahead than Johnny Rivers. Instead of jumping on a bandwagon that had nothing to do with where he was musically, he hijacked the sounds of psychedelic rock -- much as the Temptations did at Motown -- and took it where he was going. Acting as his own producer for the first time, Rivers opened up a slightly gentler side to his work that's equally valid and a lot more interesting, if not quite as exciting as his rock & roll classics. After a few sonic digressions as a lead-in, "Hey Joe" gets going, carrying listeners into Rivers' gorgeous rendition of James Hendricks' "Look to Your Soul." His own achingly beautiful "The Way We Live" follows, and then comes Hendricks' "Summer Rain," which turned into Rivers' last big hit of the 1960s. And then he has the temerity to take "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and make it prettier and harder -- but less spacy -- than the Procol Harum original; from there he plunges into blue-eyed soul on "Brother, Where Are You." The surprises continue right through to the rather delicate, introspective reading of "Positively Fourth Street" at the close, Rivers succeeding in evoking a vast array of thoughts and emotions. For his trouble, helped by the two hits, he was rewarded with a Top Five charting album, and one that has continued to find new admirers across the decades.
-AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
Tracklist
Total Time: 20:25 Hey Joe Look To Your Soul The Way We Live Summer Rain Whiter Shade Of Pale Total Time: 13:20 Brother Where Are You Something Strange What's The Difference Going Back To Big Sur Positively 4th Streetprice rating
