SMART SOUNDS By Colin Bell reviewing Black Flower by Nirvana (UK) CD

BLACK FLOWER     Nirvana (UK) CD

Having brought you reviews of Nirvana’s other albums, its with great personal pleasure I bring you this review of their third ‘lost’ album. Their debut album ‘The Story of Simopath’ is now considered the first ‘rock opera’ and the follow up (and most commercially successful album) ‘All of Us’ contained the sublime single hit ‘Rainbow Chaser’, another first with its use of ‘phasing’. The third album release should have been Black Flower. On completion Chris Blackwell boss of their label Island Records rejected it as not right for his label. In a, however, generous gesture gave them the master tapes and released the duo from their contract and bade them good luck to find a home for it.

Eventually a deal was done with Metromedia in the U.S. and Pye International in the U.K. Unfortunately Metromedia was caught up in a huge payola scandal and folded having just pressed up 500 promo copies (now worth £1000!) if you could find one. So Black Flower vanished into obscurity, it didn’t help that the title was also printed wrongly on the copies that were pressed, it became ‘Dedicated to Markos 111’ which was in fact exactly what it read a cover note dedication to a family member who had helped out the duo with financial assistance for re-mixing the masters. Now 50 years on Esoteric Records have got all the elements right and issued the album remastered with bonus tracks. one might say ‘Black Flower’ has finally bloomed. Patrick and Alex’s style of Baroque pop/psyche, odd time signatures and ethereal melodies and lyrics is most likely a ‘marmite’ one, you either get it and love it or not. Their songs are whimsical, sometimes dark but always interesting. Black Flower is a departure in some ways from the aforementioned 1st and 2nd albums, its more orchestral, more diverse, more cinematic. The opening track ‘The World Is Cold Without You’ could have easily been a Bee Gee’s number, with a twist, and I think a beautiful arrangement. The 2nd track ‘Excerpt from the Blind and the Beautiful’ is pure Nirvana at its best psyche/baroque style. Track 3 ‘I Talk To My Room’ is probably one of the best expressed ‘break up’ songs ever committed to vinyl/cd. ‘Christopher Lucifer’ moves more upbeat and poppy. Title track ‘ Black Flower’ is a tour-de-force with a snarling guitar part (Spooky Tooth members I believe). Female vocals were courtesy of Lesley Duncan, arrangements by Mike Vickers (Manfred Mann) and production by Mike Hurst (Cat Stevens, PP Arnold) and Tony Visconti ( T.Rex, Bowie etc). An awful lot of premier talent was involved. As I write this with the rain lashing against the windows Nirvana are able to transport you to sunny days and able to take you to a better place and live up to the definition of nirvana being ‘ A place or state characterized by freedom from or oblivion to pain, worry and the external world’. Can’t better that. Enjoy……….

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Til next time (with some excellent reggae)………Colin

SMART Sounds by Colin Bell reviewing Nirvana (UK) CD’s

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LOCAL ANAESTHETIC  Nirvana (UK)
For those of you not of ‘mature’ years like some of us, this is not Kurt Cobain etc (they nicked the name). This is the original duo of Patrick Campbell-Lyons and Alex Spyropoulos who came together in 1965 to write material and eventually named their ‘band’ Nirvana. I think I should nail my colours to the mast and say straight away that their single ‘Rainbow Chaser’ (from their second album, the glorious ‘All of Us’) is one of my favourite singles of all time, a perfect piece of psych/baroque that perfectly captured its moment in 1967/8. Nirvana scored some firsts, the first single to feature extensive ‘phasing’ and their debut album ‘The Story of Simon Simopath’ the first ‘concept’ album predating The Small Faces and The Pretty Things. Those first 2 albums were full of wonderful exquisite baroque/chamber pop ‘Tiny Goddess’ and ‘Pentecost Hotel’ being fine examples. Both albums were recorded for Island Records, a third was recorded but shelved (at the time} and then in 1970 with the amicable departure of Alex, Patrick signed to Vertigo the new ‘progressive’ label and the 4th album ‘Local Anaesthetic’ was released under the Nirvana banner in 1971. LA was a departure from what had appeared before and out went the cello’s and classical chords in favour of (as befitted the label) a progressive/jazz feel album, its to be fair a pretty schizophrenic affair, lyrics and music clash in somewhat disjointed fashion, Patrick was going through a bad time personally and used the sadness he was feeling into his work. In his own words the album was a bit ‘mad’ (think Frank Zappa). Personally I think more like ‘Gracious’ for those of you who remember them. Jumping from spoken snippets to boogie rock to harpischords with no clear direction it is nevertheless an interesting piece but probably not for everyone, especially if you originally fell in love with the first two albums. Overall its going to appeal to fans and completists of Nirvana’s canon of work, of which I include myself.

SONGS OF LOVE AND PRAISE  Nirvana (UK)
And so to Nirvana’s 5th (and last to date) album released a year later in 1972. Having worked out some frustrations as discussed on LA Patrick is back in more familiar vein. As the title suggests concentration is now back on songs and a cohesive album. Kicking off by revisiting a re-arranged ‘Rainbow Chaser’ (sans phasing etc) and also the aforementioned delightful ‘Pentecost Hotel’ also gets a re-working. Around these sit some beautifully realised tracks ‘Please Believe Me’ and ‘I Need Your Love Tonight’ being highlights. Although not (and I’m sure he’d agree)  the strongest vocalist, Patricks voice contains an ethereal element that’s very appealing, and the likes of musicians from Jade Warrior and Spooky Tooth certainly add to the mix.Overall A gentle album that paints some cinematic images in your head and lingers there. Although musically still experimental its more akin to ‘classic’ early Nirvana and completes the circle for me. This release and LA has both been remastered and contain bonus tracks and interesting essays/pictures. Well done to Esoteric for making these available for us to enjoy.
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For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Til next time……. Colin

Jan Warren… Oh yes, at last a mention of the “early” Nirvana!! – interesting report and I’ve always loved their song “Rainbow Chaser”!! – lovely stuff, thank you

Chris Sambrook… Thanks Colin for the info on Nirvana re; Rainbow Chaser. I bought the Single after hearing it played on Wonderful Radio London I seem to remember ordering it from Jack London at the Record shop, Queens Road he also had in stock S.F. Sorrow. My paper round money burnt a hole in the pocket. I remember Gracious first album which i still have. Also their second album on Phillips. Looking through bands on line i understand that their Keyboard player Martin Kitkat sold his Mellotron to Coheed Cambria or something like that. Saw Gracious on Hastings Pier in the very early 70’s Kitkat made the Mellotron funky. Their first album is still a bit ahead of its time dare i say, and still stands up today. The second album, again was a head of its time. Anyway thanks for for the mention of Gracious The 3rd album was released well into the 80’s/90’s not so interesting, only the guitarist being from the original band . I will be interested to hear from anyone else who remembers seeing them. The memory banks have become blurred over the years. Well i thought they were great. One of the great lost bands, which includes T2 It’ll all work out in Boomland or pre Jig a Jig East f Eden Mercator Projected. Or Egg. Sorry end of waffle.

Alan Esdaile… Great track from Nirvana and a great video. Reminds me of the smell of joss sticks watching it. Loved Gracious and still do. With regard to Martin Kitkat (surely not his real name?) of Gracious, I’m pretty sure he worked behind the scenes with Genesis at some stage.