Harry Nilsson was an original: eclectic, prolific, and unwilling to sit still creatively. His influence can be found percolating throughout the contemporary indie rock scene. Here are just two acts that really get their Nilsson on in distinct ways.
Apparently album #7 is The Big One for baroque LA pop hipster Dent May. Not that I need much convincing. Just one spin told me this is one mood-smithing masterpiece. May really has a genius for evoking different melodic milieus, particularly complementary shades of 1970s sonic wallpaper. “Here We Go Again” nails a 1971 prime-time enchanting musical landscape, using electric piano to sketch in some pillowy sonic clouds before things melt into a classic Nilsson tempo shift that really brightens the melodic mood. “I Remember…” is a slice of mannered early 1970s Barachian pop. This is the stuff of a Mary Tyler Moore montage. Then title track “The Big One” is the hidden hit single, starting from subtle hooky suggestions before building to a break-out chorus. The judicious choice of instrumentation really elevates the proceedings here. “I Don’t Like You (But I Love You)” mixes guitar and piano in a very Andrew Gold or Niel Sedaka way. “I Want to Believe” sounds like it opens with melodica and perhaps some ukulele, using that to aid and abet a stripped back Electric Light Orchestra. Both “Silly Me” and “Second Wind” rely heavily on piano, the latter with a decidedly Macca feel. By contrast, “I-55” has that easy-going sun-kissed 1970s California rock sound. “Such A Thrill” and “Last Night I Saw A UFO” practically ooze a 1970s élan, the latter with a hint of a Quinn Martin Productions vibe in the mix. The record wraps with “Tell ‘Em All I Said Hi.” Time we have a 1970s folk texture crossing over into singer-songwriter territory before resolving into a Brian Wilson kind of ballad chorus. The Big One is a time machine right back to a 1970s aural sensibility, ably fueled by May’s superior songcraft. Make room on your record shelf for this one.
The cover of Professor and the Madman LP Dreamworld is definitely eye-catching, riffing on the Beatles Revolver. I initially linked this album with Harry Nilsson because the opening piano chords of the album’s kick-off track “Dreamworld” kinda reminded me of his song “One,” a hit for Three Dog Night. But the Nilssonian element here is really about its raucous juxtaposition of style. “Tolerant World” covers so much ground in just one song, veering between obvious Beatle-isms and a tight Todd Rundgren/Utopia-like song snap while the vocals could be mistaken for Andy Partridge. Should-be hit single much? Definitely. Both “Brand New World” and “The Light” give off similar stylistic vibes. Then “Mental Tape” shifts the mood with a jazzy Bacharach feel until it transforms into something with a more modern indie-rock polish. This is a band that knows how to embed the hooks, even when things turn heavy. The tunes get a bit rougher on “Temple of Madness,” “Nuclear Boy” and “12 Strings and Tambourines,” the latter exhibiting a hint of “I Am the Eggman.” And then there are tunes that fall somewhere between, like The Odds-like style of “Adams Street” or the distinct scent of Pugwash all over “Songs in my Head.” Dreamworld is not a dream, it’s real. You could even hold a vinyl copy in your hands (though don’t dawdle, it’s a limited edition).
Today it seems everyone’s wild about Harry. But some acts really know that to do with that sentiment. Get your fill of Harry-inspired music via the hyperlinks above.
Photo courtesy the Harry Nilsson website.
