We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago….
He’s an interesting case study. A folkie who led Hoot Night at the Troubadour in the early 60’s. A reluctant actor who played dumb on mid-60’s TV. A pioneer in both country-rock music and video technology which eventually led to MTV. He’s Michael Nesmith who, after leaving the Monkees in 1969 released some highly regarded country-rock albums including two in 1972. Today we look at the first “Tantamount To Treason”.
Nesmith was arguably the most musically talented Monkee, writing tunes and being instrumental in convincing the suits to let the band play their own instruments on the records. He wrote hits like Mary, Mary…and sung the great “What Am I Doing Hanging Round”, a Michael Martin Murphy song that could have easily been done by the early Eagles
He wrote Different Drum which was a hit for Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys…
And he delivered an excellent tune called ‘Joanne” off an early solo record
The LP “Tantamout to Treason” was a commercial disaster, probably because half of it was Nesmith exploring weird arrangements and sounds in songs like ‘Highway 99 with Melange”. “Mama Rocker” is a kick-ass tune that stands out for it’s differentness.
There is some nice stuff including fine vocal takes on “Lazy Lady”, “In The Afternoon” and Wax Minute”. They aren’t “Joanne” but few country songs were back then.
He also gives us mostly straight takes on country songs like “Bonapartes Retreat” and “She Thinks I Still Care”.
Most of the record features the pedal steel work of long time session man Red Rhodes, who, as a member of the Wrecking Crew, played on hundreds of records including some by the Monkees.
Nesmith was a pioneer in the country-rock field and this is another step. Not too many took it as far as he did and few came along for the ride.
Comments