Joey Molland: Basil


Guest: Barb Alan Atkinson   
 Email:ccs@webzone.net     Homepage:
 Rate: *****
 Date: 25-Dec-98 12:48 AM

I sent a song by song review last weekend but it didn't post for some reason.
This time I'll keep it shorter. I was at first disappointed with this cd because of 
the bad sonic quality; but after a few listens I quickly got past that. Overall
the songs are very strong. Favorites are "Moonlight", "Birdsong"(I saw a much better arrangement / 
performance live), "Mirrors", "Isn't That a Dream", and "Clouds of Love".
Least favorites are "Cadillac Blues", "It's True", and "When". Joe's vocals do sound
strained at times, Most notably "Birdsong" and "It's Alright". I'm really looking
forward to the new studio cd.

And just to put the drum machine debate to bed, they were most definately available in '73. I bought my first one around '75 and they had been around for a long while at that point. Basically they were glorified click tracks. The digital drum machines where you could actually program fills and such didn't show up till probably the late '70s or early '80s. I got one of those around '85. Record 10
GuestBrennan Engle Date22-Dec-98 05:09 PM When I first got Basil about a month ago I was disappointed but the more I listen to it, the more I like it! And now it is one of those I can put on the cd player and listen to the whole thing without getting bored.
I'm not crazy about the drum machines and lack of more instruments on some tracks, But the bluesy influence here makes up for all that.
I really like the way the song Mirrors sounds on the disc, a great version with awesome piano!
Joey's voice sounds really pinched on some of the tunes, he might have had a cold at the sessions or something.
I wish there had been a demo or two from his released songs from the Badfinger days or from "After the Pearl" or "Pilgrim" ...
but all in all a good DEMO project. As for having drum machines in 1973, I think there were because I have a bootleg of John Lennon in the 60's and he has a drum beat going on his melotron.


Record 9
Guest: Mariano Lopez T.  
Email:melt@asisa.com.ar     Homepage:
Rate: ******
Date: 22-Dec-98 01:49 PM
I received Basil yesterday while working. I immediately played it on the computer, and in my first hearing, I loved every track. The second time I heard it (it was immediately after the first one)I liked it more, and so on with successive listenings. Of course it's a demos album (rate would be negative if it wasn't that!). I would like to quote Pete Townshend's notes on Scoop (demos release) "Away from sophisticated studio techniques and repeated soul destroying takes, the real joy I get from playing and writing comes through, and that joy is something I want to share.". I think it is a good way to get outtakes and rejected material without bootlegging. I found Basil an excellent rocking demos release with some nice melodic songs. And I really don't care if drum machines were used or added later, it doesn't really matter...

Record 8
Guest: Jessica Edwards  
Email:jss_g@yahoo.com     Homepage:none
Rate: **
Date: 20-Dec-98 07:12 PM
Basil is disappointing. I guess Joey thought 7 Park Avenue was a good idea, as he has now copied it with his own set of demos being issued. But where are the 70's demos? There is no way that the song from 1973 had a drum machine on it at the time. That is absurd. If it is from '73, then he has overdubbed a ridiculous drum machine into it. We are obviously being misled here. The songs are okay, a few very nice ones, but lots of fairly bland boogie rock. The shock is the sound quality being so poor and Joey's terrible production on the few songs he tried to arrange to any degree. The first song is cut off immediately as it enters? It's technically one of the worst things I've ever heard. Joey's voice is horrendous at times. I don't think I will be playing this a lot. I do love Joey's work with the original band. Still looking forward to his new record. I like a lot of The Pilgrim and After The Pearl.

Record 7
Guest: Rick Kellogg  
Email:rjk649k@erinet.com     Homepage:
Rate: *****
Date: 19-Dec-98 03:05 AM
The "Basil" CD is better than I hoped! Excellent tunes, just underproduced. As I have stated before, this shows just how important Joey was to the mix of Badfinger. I would love to see several of the songs further developed, and I really can't find a 'stinker' in the mix! My favorites are: 'Panning Gold' : 'Walkin' The Floor' (another great wall-of-sound song that Joey sometimes creates) : 'What You're Doin' (is this maybe a unreported Badfinger recording? Listen closely for the slide guitar mixed way down in the background - and did they have drum machines back in '73 like heard in the recording?). If you don't have this CD - Get it! It's that good...for a demo.

Record 6
Guest: Mariano Lopez T.  
Email:melt@asisa.com.ar     Homepage:
Rate: Did Not Respond
Date: 18-Dec-98 09:30 PM
STILL WAITING FOR IT. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF MONEY HAS ARRIVED. SENT SEVERAL MAILS REQUESTING CONFIRMATION OF MONEY RECEPTION, BUT NOBODY ANSWERED ME YET. WILL IT BE BECAUSE OF LIVING SO FAR IN A COUNTRY ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THIS WORLD? (ARGENTINA). HOPE I RECEIVE IT SOON SO I CAN GIVE MY OPINION.

Record 5
Guest: Randy Justesen  
Email:     Homepage:Badfinger by Justesen
Rate: Did Not Respond
Date: 18-Dec-98 03:42 PM
There is no *DEMO* CD by any of the original Badfinger members that even comes close to the sonic quality provided on Tommy's "Over You" CD. The Ham CD was not limited very much if at all by financial reasons but was more limited by the source tape and decisions on post production. Still, the songs are fine and the talent shows through. The Molland CD is a private, for the fans, zero budget project, that was not intended for any kind of major retail distribution or release as "7 Park and Over You" were. Again, like the others, the songs and talent show through. "Over You" is the closest thing we will ever hear as far as demos that have any chance of a true full blown sound with post production/finished song quality. Many of the songs off "Basil" could easily be remixed with industry standard production if there were a budget and demand for it. Ham did not have the luxuary of studio quality recording equipment nor any say regarding how his material would be released. Apparently Dan Matovina has taken that role as spokesperson in representing Ham. Evans had the luxury of a 4track source tape and a producer who had more intimate 1st hand dealings with him and what they were working on. In summary, these are all demo projects and are really just a chance for hardcore fans to see what else the artists have done and how songs are created or developed. You won't see a hit record come from any of these unless they are rerecorded in todays release standards or given heavier post production treatment as was given on "Over You." The point is really to just enjoy the CD's for what they are. I feel lucky that everyone involved with these releases had the tenacity to follow through and release the stuff, whether good or bad, to the public.

Record 4
Guest: Mitch  
Email:mkaften@tkusa.com     Homepage:
Rate: Did Not Respond
Date: 16-Dec-98 06:28 PM
Basil is fun to listen to. The songs gradually grew on me, until I had some trouble getting them out of my head! It's great as an insight into Joey's creative process. I enjoyed both the melodic songs such as "Isn't It A Dream" and "Moonlight" as well as the rockers like "Said It's All Right", "Birdsong" and "Clouds Of Love". The fact that Joey will be including "Moonlight" on his upcoming studio album puts the lie to the theory that these are merely "rejects". I personally would love to hear "Clouds..." with a full rocking band behind it. Although some of the songs had some weaknesses and may in fact be rejects, many could, and will, stand on their own.

As usual, the comparisons with Pete have started again. This is mainly because Joey has shown that he has a melodic side too. Some people only enjoy the Basil songs that are most Pete-like. But listening to Basil, and then "7 Park," is a lesson in why Badfinger was so great. The whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Pete's soft side needed Joey's hard edge, and vice versa. It's apples and oranges, and there is no comparison possible--not that this will stop anybody.


Record 3
Guest: Joe Pellegrino  
Email:     Homepage:
Rate: Did Not Respond
Date: 16-Dec-98 05:38 PM
I'm still waiting for my "Basil" CD from Independent Artists. It must have gotten lost in the US Mail. I will gladly comment upon delivery, and I've had a chance to review the CD!

Record 2
Guest: mike  
Email:mbarnett@sheltonbbs.com     Homepage:
Rate: ****
Date: 15-Dec-98 10:18 PM
i like good raw rock and roll so this cd works for me. for those who want more polished stuff we'll probably see a new studio album from joey next year. the basil cd is rough around the edges but that's a demo for you. who wants demos produced by barry manilow.

Record 1
Guest: Jesper  
Email:     Homepage:
Rate: *
Date: 15-Dec-98 08:32 PM
Joey Molland’s new demo cd “Basil” is now availble from Independent Artists. It features demos recorded by Joey from 1972 to 1995. There are some really great tunes on it. The higlight is definitely “Isn’t That A Dream” recorded in 1995.But also “It’s True” and “Mirrors are good tunes. From reading Randy Justesen’s review of these songs I had expected a CD of the same quality as “Over You”. For me that’s unfortunately that’s not the case. As I’ve said before I think Joey should try to put some melody into his rockers, they are just too simple and boring! We know from tracks like “No One Likes The Rain”(The Pilgrim), “The Dreamer”(Airwaves) and others, that he’s able of creating good melodies, so why not try to blend it with his rocking tunes. I know it’s wrong to compare Pete, Tommy and Joey because their songwritings are so different, but as “Moonlight” already has been compared with Pete Ham I will do the same. If there are any Joey tunes who should be compared to Pete’s songs it’s not “Moonlight”. Joey does a fantastic acoustic-guitar job on the song, but in my opinion the melody is too close to the guitar-riff. It’s too boring.

I would have liked to hear more early seventies demos! That would have given a better view of which songs Badfinger/Joey decided not to take any further. When Joey has decided to release the 1990-95 songs as demos, it must be because he doesn’t feel they are good enough to be re-recoreded and released in a proper quality. But the songs from Badfinger period could have been dropped by the group. Concluding that, it’s obvious that Basil never could have reached the heights of “7 Park Avenue” and “Over You”.

Since Joey needed finances for his coming solo project, “Basil” was a better idea than “Best Of Featuring Joey Molland”.I really like “The Pilgrim” more and more, so if the coming CD has the same quality I can’t wait.

My favorite tracks: “Borderline” ,“Isn’t That A Dream” , “It’s True”,”Mirrors”, “What You’re Doin’ ”


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