The Beau Brummels Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
This is a very alluring and also a somewhat misleading CD. On the plus side, just to dispel any doubts, it is live, and it does feature the five-man Beau Brummels (Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, Ron Meagher, Dec Mulligan, and John Petersen). And this is a good, professional recording. The rub is that it does date from their reunion in 1974, appearing live at the Shire Road Pub in Fair Oaks Village near Sacramento, CA; although the sound is fine, the playing is precise (and occasionally flashy), and the singing is very pretty, they just weren't a very exciting band at this point -- definitely not the same band they'd been in 1965-1966, despite the fact that they were probably better musicians. A byproduct of the group's short-lived reunion (which also yielded a complete studio album on Warner Bros.), this live set is nothing to be overlooked by any completist fan of folk-rock or mid-'60s pop/rock, but neither is it as compelling as one would hope. It may have been the fact that they were in their 30s instead of their 20s, past the excitement that went with touring regularly, cutting a new single every three or four months, and getting press coverage alongside the likes of the Byrds et al., but there's little urgency in most of the music-making here, pretty and professional though it is. "Turn Around/Singing Cowboy" is a case in point: a beautiful jam that melds two songs together in a surprising fashion at its conclusion, its attractiveness is more languid than compelling. And poignant and well-written though it is, "Gate of Hearts" is more a solo spot for Ron Elliott as a singer/songwriter than a real Beau Brummels number. And some of the material here, such as "Music Speaks Louder," is just plain flaccid country rock of the kind that gave the music a bad name for many listeners. Amazingly, it is the Dec Mulligan co-authored "Lisa" that at least tries for a revival of the group's mid-'60s sound, with multi-layered guitars and an edgy vocal. This side of their sound doesn't manifest itself properly, however, except on the revivals of their original repertory -- "Don't Talk to Strangers" and "Laugh, Laugh" suddenly bring back the original group, exciting and lyrical, with a punchy beat and rich harmonies. Live! is a decent CD, especially if one skips over the wimpier songs, but it isn't remotely the revelation that one would expect or wish for -- the producers might at least have been more honest by foregoing the exclamation point. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After taking the Beau Brummels to the pop/folk psychedelic edge, producer Lenny Waronker took the band to Nashville, literally. Possibly influenced by the Byrds Sweetheart experiments, the group (now down to just Sal Valentino on vocals and Ron Elliott on guitars) wedded with Nashville's finest, including guitarist Jerry Reed and drummer Kenneth A. Buttrey, both veterans of Dylan's Nashville sessions. These players were not just good musicians, but smart musicians, easily embellishing the Elliott/Valentino duo as if they had been playing with the two for years, not days. The resulting masterpiece, no doubt due to the awesome Brummels original songs (especially "Cherokee Girl," "Turn Around," and "Deep Water"), is a virtual tapestry in country and rock. ~ Matthew Greenwald, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The jewel in the Beau Brummels' crown, Triangle was an unexpected departure from the band's earlier hit-making formula -- and demonstrated Ron Elliott's growing maturation as a songwriter. All the band's signature styles (folk, country swing, and Brit-pop) are still heard in the mix, but the tunes here assume an added aura of mysticism. Buried commercially by the likes of Sgt. Pepper, Triangle shared its premise of songs loosely united by a common theme -- in this case, a ruminative dream cycle (though to call Triangle a concept album might be overstating the case). The exquisite "Magic Hollow," graced by Van Dyke Parks' delicate harpsichord, was surely the LP's highlight. Plucked as a single, it barely dented the charts, yet remains one of the most beautiful tunes in the entire Brummels canon. The album's first five songs -- "Are You Happy," "Only Dreaming Now," "Painter of Women," "Keeper of Time," and "It Won't Get Better" -- form a surprisingly coherent and cohesive whole despite marked differences. "Dreaming"'s accordion transports the listener to Paris' Montmartre, while "Painter" suggests the shifting sands of the Middle East. Elliott's lyric imagery in these tunes and a third track -- "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" -- is particularly striking, and Sal Valentino's richly expressive voice elevates all three to sublime heights. Too long ignored by rock cognoscenti, Triangle is (all hyperbole aside) a fine album which deserves to be heard by a wider audience. In late 2002 Collector's Choice increased the odds of this occuring by reissuing the album on CD. ~ Stansted Montfichet, All Music Guide
'Beau Brummels 66'
Release Date 1/1/1966
Tracks 12
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
While it has gotten a bum rap in the wake of their subsequent masterpieces, the San Fran-based Beau Brummels major-label debut -- simply titled Beau Brummels 66 -- includes a dozen solid remakes of concurrent pop, folk, and rock tracks. The lineup consisted of Ron Elliott (guitar/vocals), Sal Valentino (vocals), Ron Meagher (bass/harmonica/guitar/vocals), Declan Mulligan (guitar/harmonica/vocals), John Petersen (drums/vocals), and for a brief time Don Irving (guitar), who filled in for Elliott. In an era marred by marginal (at best) cover bands, the Beau Brummels reveal considerable talents as interpreters of other people's hits -- although none of these selections are destined to surpass the originals. Of the three Beatles-related entries, the Paul McCartney-penned "Woman" -- which Peter & Gordon took into the Top 20 -- is the most appealing. The delicate baroque arrangement serves the storyline well and the combo's natural penchant for effortlessly adopting the British Invasion style ultimately contributes to the authenticity of this version. They arguably one-up the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man" by including Bob Dylan's alternate verses. Paul Simon's "Homeward Bound" is treated sensitively, but the intimacy is lost once the robust choir chimes in during the chorus. One rather unanticipated gem is the dark menacing overhaul of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'." With creepy minor chords crawling through the song, it has a sense of foreboding that isn't easily dismissed. In the same vein, the update of Sonny Bono's "Bang Bang" takes on an ominous mantle of uncertainty. Less convincing are the Beau Brummels' spin on "Play with Fire" from the Rolling Stones songbook, while "Louie, Louie," "Hang on Sloopy," and the inconsequential "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" uniformly detract more than they add to the proceedings. In short order, Elliott and Valentino would reestablish themselves as the creative force behind the unit and reappear with the highly lauded Triangle (1967) and Bradley's Barn (1968) platters. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
'Introducing the Beau Brummels'
Release Date 1/1/1965
Tracks 14
Label Autumn
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
A much stronger debut than the norm for the era. Ten of the 12 cuts are Ron Elliott originals, including the hits "Laugh Laugh," "Still in Love with You Baby," and "Just a Little." The hard-rocking numbers are the weakest, but "Stick Like Glue" and "I Would Be Happy" are fine Beatlesque numbers, and "They'll Make You Cry" is a first-rate moody folk-rocker. The CD reissue adds two bonus tracks, a demo of "Just a Little" and the single "Good Time Music." ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
