Singer-Songwriter Disowns Over-Produced First Album Dept.

"Dey ruined it wit' strings!" Thus lamented surly gobshite Van Morrison of Astral Weeks, and, in a slightly different accent, Arthur Lee of Forever Changes. They were wrong, of course. We know that because we know better.

But what of today's Coronavinyl Cornucopia™? Were the first albums by Randy Newman, James Taylor and Townes Van Zandt victims of heavy-handedness at the mixing desk? Would they have benefited from a lighter touch? A more intimate setting? Is an orchestral context fundamentally unsympathetic to the introspection of the lone minstrel? Why am I asking you? You're not even reading this garbage - you're down in the comments panhandling for a link, ya nogood lousy bum!

For what it's worth, just sayin', my five cents, IMHO, other opinions are available, the answer is a great resounding NUGATORY. Arrangements such as these are very much of their time, beautifully done, and not the kind of thing we will ever hear again. Unless we listen to this again.

As a bonus, you get the notorious "first" Jimmy Webb album, which is a bunch of demos orchestrated by the cheap grifters at Epic without his approval or input. Whether it causes you as much grief as it did him is up to you, buddy. I say it's groovy, but then I'm not as sophisticated as you. And your oh-so-smart college friends. Too good for your old pal, eh?