Music Banter - View Single Post

TheCellarTapes · 03-21-2009, 04:28 PM

The 49th Parallel - 49th Parallel
(1969)

Tracks

1 Now That I'm a Man 2:33
2 Get Away 2:34
3 Eye to Eye 2:56
4 Missouri 3:28
5 Lazerander Filchy 3:02
6 (Come on Little Child &) Talk to Me 2:59
7 (The) Magician 3:43
8 Twilight Woman 2:32
9 Close the Barn Door 3:13
10 The People 2:51

The 49th Parallel were a Garage band formed in 1966, originating from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally signed to Gaiety Records, they had minor success with the foot tapper Labourer in 1967, selling fairly well in their native Canada. A couple more singles were released the following year, before the band got to work on their debut LP.

The self titled 49th Parallel was released in 1969 on Maverick, it was the band's finest hour containing some well rounded songs, cut with a hard garage edge but yet remaining firmly a record for the post Psychedelic 1969 era. A bag of allsorts; some of the songs found here could quite easily be from an R&B songbook; some could have been written in a basement in 1966; and some are quite the bluesy number.

Starting with the opening track, Now That I'm a Man is a rather understated opener, a simply formed song that strikes you with niceness, which doesn't do the listener any harm, far from it in fact. Track 2 entitled Get Away; is thumping with its brass section and has that all important hook, which will leave you begging for more. This really is good stuff from a band that not many folk could say they have heard of.

Eye to Eye, Talk to Me and Missouri are truly 1969 records, with their hard-edged licks showing like razor blades to the listener, the latter song infact will I'm sure have you thinking of The Doors, but with an overall structure and vocal arrangement that will leave you in ore of The 49th Parallel, it truly is a marvellous song.

Did I say before that this album was post psychedelic? Well track 5, Lazerander Filchy probably belongs in a Surrey garden in the middle of Spring, it is truly gorgeous. There's another attempt at 1967 with The Magician, another triumph.

If by now you are in any doubt and still remain unsure as to whether you should purchase this album. Well Pacemaker Records in 2006 re-released this glorious album, with an expanded track list, taking it from 10 to 21 songs. This reissue contains not just the original album but also the singles from 1967/68, including the strong garage efforts Labourer and Goodtime Baby.

This quite simply is a no brainer.

03-21-2009, 04:28 PM	#75 (permalink)
TheCellarTapes Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 490	The 49th Parallel - 49th Parallel *(1969)* Tracks 1 Now That I'm a Man 2:33 2 Get Away 2:34 3 Eye to Eye 2:56 4 Missouri 3:28 5 Lazerander Filchy 3:02 6 (Come on Little Child &) Talk to Me 2:59 7 (The) Magician 3:43 8 Twilight Woman 2:32 9 Close the Barn Door 3:13 10 The People 2:51 The 49th Parallel were a Garage band formed in 1966, originating from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally signed to Gaiety Records, they had minor success with the foot tapper Labourer in 1967, selling fairly well in their native Canada. A couple more singles were released the following year, before the band got to work on their debut LP. The self titled 49th Parallel was released in 1969 on Maverick, it was the band's finest hour containing some well rounded songs, cut with a hard garage edge but yet remaining firmly a record for the post Psychedelic 1969 era. A bag of allsorts; some of the songs found here could quite easily be from an R&B songbook; some could have been written in a basement in 1966; and some are quite the bluesy number. Starting with the opening track, Now That I'm a Man is a rather understated opener, a simply formed song that strikes you with niceness, which doesn't do the listener any harm, far from it in fact. Track 2 entitled Get Away; is thumping with its brass section and has that all important hook, which will leave you begging for more. This really is good stuff from a band that not many folk could say they have heard of. Eye to Eye, Talk to Me and Missouri are truly 1969 records, with their hard-edged licks showing like razor blades to the listener, the latter song infact will I'm sure have you thinking of The Doors, but with an overall structure and vocal arrangement that will leave you in ore of The 49th Parallel, it truly is a marvellous song. Did I say before that this album was post psychedelic? Well track 5, Lazerander Filchy probably belongs in a Surrey garden in the middle of Spring, it is truly gorgeous. There's another attempt at 1967 with The Magician, another triumph. If by now you are in any doubt and still remain unsure as to whether you should purchase this album. Well Pacemaker Records in 2006 re-released this glorious album, with an expanded track list, taking it from 10 to 21 songs. This reissue contains not just the original album but also the singles from 1967/68, including the strong garage efforts Labourer and Goodtime Baby. This quite simply is a no brainer.