[.ca] Pandemonium Shadow Show/Aerial Ballet/Aerial Pandemonium ...

Changing the name of your favourite song...:
This is an irresistible package for anyone tracing (or revisiting) Harry Nilsson's sadly under-rated and neglected catalogue. The "Pandemonium Shadow Show" album is a 1967 charmer, introducing Nilsson's unique and brilliant singing/songwriting talents. It features classics like "1941" and "Without Her". It could be accused of being overly in the thrall of the Beatles, but that would be to deny the charm of "You Can't Do That", which manages to cram much of the Beatles stylistic repertoire into one arrangement. At least he's wearing it on his sleeve. This playfulness remained one of Nilsson's many endearing characteristics. The "Aerial Ballet" album is a real revelation; an achievement on equal terms with the Beatles, rather than standing in their shadow. With only one non-original song on the album ("Everybody's Talkin'", the one Nilsson song I guess everyone's familiar with), the strength of the songwriting ("Good Old Desk", "I Said Goodbye To Me", "One", etc) would stand alone even without the often breathtaking vocal performances. Most of the songs dissolve into Nilsson's inimitable "scat" vocalising in the final verse, which adds a level of poignancy and poetry beyond language. Running out of lyrics was an opportunity for such a talent! The vocal multilayering is very effective, and, I guess, technically advanced for its time. The "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" remix album is an interesting addition for the sake of completion. It was more successful saleswise than the original two albums, but I find myself sticking more with the original versions of the songs. The bonus tracks are all very worthwhile, particularly the spine-tingling "Wasting My Time". The sound quality appears to be fine, although I have my doubts about the "remastering" on these BMG reissues. I have nothing to compare "PSS" and "AB" to, but the reissue of "The Point" (double with "Skidoo") sounds markedly inferior to my original CD of that album. Now, speaking of reissues, what about the post "Pussycats" albums?

• Ten Little Indians
• 1941
• Cuddly Toy
• She Sang Hymns Out of Tune
• You Can't Do That
• Sleep Late, My Lady Friend
• She's Leaving Home
• There Will Never Be
• Without Her
• Freckles
• It's Been So Long
• River Deep, Mountain High
• Daddy's Song
• Good Old Desk
• Don't Leave Me
• Mr. Richland's Favorite Song
• Little Cowboy
• Together
• Everybody's Talkin'
• I Said Goodbye to Me
• Little Cowboy
• Mr. Tinker
• One
• Wailing on the Willow
• Bath
• Introduction
• 1941 \oRemix\c
• Daddy's Song
• Mr. Richland's Favorite Song \oNew Background Vocals\c\oMix\c
• Good Old Desk \oRemix\c
• Everybody's Talkin' \oRemix\c
• Bath
• Fill
• River Deep, Mountain High \oRemix\c
• Sleep Late, My Lady Friend \oRemix\c
• Don't Leave Me \oRemix\c
• Without Her \oNew Vocals\c\oMix\c
• Together \oRemix\c
• One \oRemix\c
• Closing
• As I Wander Lonely \o*\c
• Miss Butter's Lament
• Sister Marie
• Wasting My Time