APPLETREE THEATRE

Playback

1. Altogether
2. Lullaby
3. Saturday Morning
4. Nethertheless It Was Italy
5. I Wonder If Louise Is Home
6. Chez Louise
7. E Train
8. Meanwhile
9. Brother Speed
10. You're The Biggest Thing In My Life
11. Don't Blame It On Your Wife
12. Sorry State Of Staying Awake
13. Barefoot Boy
14. Lotus Flower
15. What A Way To Go

22,50 €

A studio project spotlighting the talents of brothers John and Terry Boylan (with support from guitarist Larry Coryell and various L.A. sessions players), The Appletree Theatre survived long enough to release one of the year's more interesting collections.

Co-produced by the brothers (Pete Spargo serving as executive producer), 1968's "Playback" offered up a rather weird concept piece, though admittedly the plotline was largely lost on us. Written by the brothers, the collection offered up a bizarre collage of interlaced vocal narratives, sound effects, song fragments, balanced by an occasional pop piece ("Hightower Square", the bouncy "Brother Speed" and the trippy " You're the Biggest Thing In My Life"). Our personal favorite was the backward tape instrumental "Lotus Flower". There was no doubt the Boylans' were talented. Anyone doubting the statement need merely check out the collision of musical genres compressed into "The Sorry State of Staying Awake" - C&W, blue-eyed soul; they even find time to make mention of LSD and virtually every other pharmaceutical known to man. On the other hand, the set was simply too experimental for the normal listener - no matter how strung out they may have been. Hard to adequately describe, imagine The Association having overdosed on bad acid and you might get a rough feel for the set ... That said, it's a great slice of slightly demented "sunshine pop" which should definitely be checked out with a good set of headphones..