La De Da's - La De Da's (1966) ***Nominated by: Kevy
Music club: Wander to Wozza's
Playlist addition: On Top Of The World
La De Da's - The 1992 Reunion (1992) ** Nominated by: Kevy
Music club: Wander to Wozza's
Playlist addition: How Is The Air Up There?
A twofer deal this time around as Kevy revisits some Kiwi royalty.
The La De Da's were one of those bands that had to make the transition from the mid sixties beat boom era to late sixties psychedelia to seventies hard rock (my favourite period for the lads). So many struggled with the move from cover artists and from original members to original material and shifting personnel but La De Da's gave it everything.
Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, Max Merritt and the Meteors, and La De Da's were three antipodean acts who successfully managed to adjust and thrive.
La De Da's had some huge cover moments on that original album with songs like On Top Of The World (John Mayall); How Is The Air Up There? (Duboff/ Kornfeld); I Got My Mojo Working (Muddy Waters); and Hey Baby (Cobb/Channel).
From 1966 (and that debut album) to 1968 La De Da's were a massive band in Oz and NZ. But then the concept album The Happy Prince didn't sell and soon after the successful transition to a hard rock sound began with Kevin Borich, a pre-eminent axe hero down under, to the fore.
Unfortunately I was a bit too young to appreciate it at the time - being 9 years old in 1966, so by the time my teenage years arrived the band was having issues and was mainly based in Oz - so out of the local scene (maan) and, anyway, the early years hadn't registered with me much, aside from their songs on various compilations.
Listening back to it now is a bit difficult as I have since heard most of the source material done (better) by the original artists. For instance - I Got My Mojo Working is a faithful version that follows the Muddy Waters template to a T, but really, why would anyone prefer the La De Da's version over Muddy?
Pluses are the sheer lets-get-stuck-in-and-do-this attitude. Song selection is quirky at times, but mostly tops and that organ sound was the ace card back then. Right from first track On Top Of The World, you know you are in great hands with Bruce Howard on keyboards!
And so to the reunion - without original member (and fellow Mount Albert Grammar student) Phil Key.
Interesting that they chose to revisit eleven of the songs from that debut album as a tribute to Phil Key. Makes sense but it fixes the reunion in 1966.
Notes before listening to it:
Thought 1) I am pretty nervous about it as these sorts of exercises usually fail to capture the magic of the original. How can they? The band members are all, as KS pointed out, older and wiser and therefore no longer the young terraways of 1966.
Thought 2) Billy Thorpe reckons (and I agree) that every year of the sixties had a distinct feel and that there was a cumulative progression from 1960 to 1970.
Year 1966 was the year of Revolver, Pet Sounds, Blonde On Blonde, Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, The Monkees, Face To Face, For Certain Because, Fresh Cream, and Aftermath. Woah!!
Put in that context, La De Da's (the album) - made up of all cover songs, sounds a little, erm, off the pace. So doing a remake of it, is already a tad behind the 8 ball.
Thought 3) I want it to be great. I've seen the Kevin Borich Express live and they were a great blues rock outfit with Borich a blistering guitarist. Maybe the reunion will capture him doing what he does best. I hope so. But there's a nagging doubt.
And so - let's get to it shall we!
The 1992 Reunion
I relaxed as soon as first song How Is The Air Up There? started. Or more specifically, when Kevin Borich announced his arrival with a beefy guitar sound on that riff. It's a mighty fine ungraded sound. Smart starting with their best known song when it's this good.
Things go well for the first three songs - fresh, energetic, vibrant versions and the running order is much improved over the original.
For my money the original version of Top Of The World is the superior one. That organ sound on the original leaves an indelible impression and they can't improve on it or even replicate it now.
Some of the material from that first album was comparatively slight. They've wisely left off Pied Piper for the reunion but Little Red Book (Mojo Working would have been a better inclusion and yes I know what I said earlier on but it's a vastly superior song to LRB) remains and their versions of Land Of A Thousand Dances/Ride Your Pony are okay but not standouts (I skipped those three on my third listen).
The less said about original non album single from 1967, All Purpose Low the better, apart from it being a wildly appropriate title for a silly song.
Much better is Parchman Farm and Hey Baby and final track I Put A Spell On You nails the dismount.
I've noticed that the better songs have the better vocals on them and the corollary of that is the weaker songs are not helped by the weaker vocals. Maybe just my impression but seems to be the case throughout.
All up it's a pretty fine effort - 3 stars. Of my three thoughts above, they certainly haven't embarrassed themselves with the deep dive back 26 years and Kevin Borich sounds in great form throughout.
But those slighter songs and the weaker vocals at times means that it remains a curiosity rather than an essential purchase.
