Artist: Fred Neil
Album: Fred Neil
Year: 1966
Neil is a new artist to me. I knew he was the writer of "Everybody's Talkin'," but I'd only ever heard the Harry Nilsson version.
I have to say Neil is pretty damn good. He is exactly the kind of male vocalist that I usually like--baritones whose lyrics have a penchant for unsettling detail and/or obliqueness. I know that's rather specific, but there are a number who fit this particular mold that I enjoy, Stuart Staples of Tindersticks, Scott Walker, and especially Matt Berninger of The National (my favorite band).
Neil's eponymous album here is kind of a hit or miss affair. It's folky, singer-songwriter stuff with a modern feel. If anything it sounds kind of like The National's debut album, another hit or miss affair. "The Dolphins" is a nice opener. "I've Got a Secret" is my favorite here, it's a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, it's got that Berninger mumbly baritone going on.
Here's The National:
Then here's Fred Neil:
I hear some similarities there. Of course, The National is way better, but they have 35 more years of popular music to assimilate here, too.
"Everybody's Talkin'" is a classic of course, but the version here (the original) is a little underwhelming, and the closing track "Cynicrustpetefredblahblahblah" should've been left out. I would (in fact, I will) listen to Fred Neil again, his stuff is totally up my alley, but I think there are better versions of this kind of music already in my library--rendering Mr. Neil somewhat non-essential.
Rating: Worth a listen
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