0048. Fred Neil
Fred Neil

I didn't know what to expect when I started listening to this album, cause the track listing promised a whole lot of things (including a raga!) and I wasn't sure if it'd be a good combination. Luckily, it proved to be.

With a voice made for country he seems a bit malplaced over the bouzouki-laden world music melodies, but not so much that it doesn't sound good. It's more of an unusual than unnerving sound. But apart from the world tracks there are also a couple of blues-infused ones where Fred's voice comes more into it's right.

I got a pretty big suspicion that there were some illegal substances consumed during the conception of this album. One indicator is the lyrics which range from just cryptic to environmentalism to comewhat detatched. Nonetheless they're well written and worth noting is that the album contains Everybody's Talkin' which later on (and in a more traditional pop-arrangement instead of the slightly flamenco-esque spanish guitar that pops up at times) became a huge hit for Harry Nilsson. Also, the closing Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga isn't kidding, it's an eight-minute raga with harmonicas, finger cymbals and a bouzouki doubeling as citar.

Definitely interesting!