Nazz

Review by Kathy Sands Boehmer (Switch to
)
01/12/1996

Okay, gang...

Am I the only one playing Nazz non-stop today? This is the week, right?

So, 1968 was the year.... I have posted before about my memories of seeing photos of Nazz in 16 Magazine. I vividly recall a photo layout of Nazz in Europe! Does this ring a bell with anyone? I know that I tore the pages out of the magazine and stored them away in a box in the basement of my parents' house (along with other cherished treasures like my Beatles cards and whatnot). When I made the big break and moved out of the house and off to California...my mother promptly ditched everything that looked like junk to her... Sigh... Ouch! Boy, did she hear about it when I came back after my stint on the left coast...

Anyway, back to the music:
"Open My Eyes" has always been one of my favorite "garage band" sound songs. Didn't Lenny Kaye put this tune on his famous Nuggets compilation? Which brings up a topic that I've never seen mentioned anywhere: How / when did Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye first meet Todd? Who introduced who? etc.... Wibbly, do you know???

Another question:
What is the song called "Look Harvey, a crab!" It's listed on the WWW page as the song between "Wildwood Blues" and ""If That's the Way You Feel." I have both the original album and the CD and it's not on them. What gives?? Anyone have a clue? Are there two versions of this album out and about???

Favorite songs on this listening:
"See What You Can Be"
I looked up the lyrics provided on the Web and had a new experience listening to the songs and reading the lyrics. This song caught my attention. I think this Todd song captures many of the sentiments we find in his later material. Similar themes--working out interpersonal relationships... I'll spare you the quoting of the lyrics. But look 'em up and see if you think the same thing...

"If That's the Way You Feel"
The liner notes say that this is Todd's first attempt at string arrangements---which, I think, come out more prominently in the next two Nazz albums. But it was kind of neat to hear those strings pop in on this tune.

And...hey, how about the drum solo on "She's Goin' Down?" Is that 60s or is that 60s?? That song put me in the "Way Back Machine" and made me think about all those hot, steamy concerts I went to in the soon-to-be-destroyed Boston Garden... What was a concert without a drum solo? It just wasn't a concert, that's all there was to it!

And, hey, what more can be said about "Hello, It's Me?" Flame me if you want to...but I love this song...both the Nazz version and the Something / Anything version! And every damn time it comes on the radio...I turn it way up and enjoy myself immensely!

Let's hear some other reactions to this album!

Kathy


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