Harry Nilsson - Harry (1969/2017) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Harry, a fitting title. Although stylistically it’s considered a bit of a transitional album, Harry established or reaffirmed most of the fan-endearing attributes that would characterize the best of Nilsson’s future work. There’s gorgeous song craft, expressive covers, orchestration, soundtrack residue, off-beat humor and tin pan hokum. There’s even a preview of his next album as Harry covers Randy Newman’s “Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear.” Nilsson’s never-ending Beatles fixation produced “Mournin’ Glory Story,” a grim outcome/sequel to Paul McCartney’s “She’s Leaving Home,” and he even took a stab at Monkee money with “The Puppy Song,” a track originally written for Mary Hopkin, at McCartney’s behest.

The subversive Harry surfaces on “Fairfax Rag,” a bouncy ditty (one of a few compositions by Bill Martin) about getting pinched for mid-morning pot smoking, while the charming “Maybe” stylistically pointed the way to The Point! Harry kick-started an amazing 24-month burst of themed creativity – leading to Nilsson Sings Newman (a covers LP), The Point! (a concept LP), Aerial Pandemonium Ballet (a remix LP) and culminating with the breakout Nilsson Schmilsson. Five unique ideas and albums in just over two years.

Ironically, Harry is where Harry Nilsson began to become Nilsson, an immensely gifted singer/songwriter/musician with a warped sense of humor that tended to slightly overwhelm his skills, at least to those who aren't quite operating on the same level. This aspect of his personality surfaces partially because the record is a crazy quilt of originals, covers, bizarre Americana, quiet ballads, show tunes, and soft-shoe shuffles. It doesn't really hold together, per se, due to its lack of focus (which, if you're a cultist, is naturally the reason why it's charming). Due to the sheer number of shuffling nostalgia trips, it seems as if Nilsson is attempting to sell the entire album on personality and, to anyone who isn't converted to his unique perspective, these may the moments that make Harry a little difficult to take, even with songs as expertly constructed as the delightful "Nobody Cares About the Railroads Anymore," an attempt to ape Randy Newman's Tin Pan Alley style. Then, there are the songs that really work, such as the sardonically cute "The Puppy Song," the gentle "Mournin' Glory Story," and "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City," a thoroughly winning folk-rock song he wrote for Midnight Cowboy but which was rejected in favor of "Everybody's Talkin'." These are the moments that deliver on the promise of his first two records, while the rest suggests where he would go next, whether in the immediate future (a cover of Newman's "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear") or several years later (the weird in-jokes and insularity of portions of the album, which would become his modus operandi as of Nilsson Schmilsson).

Tracklist:

01. The Puppy Song
02. Nobody Cares About the Railroads Anymore
03. Open Your Window
04. Mother Nature's Son
05. Fairfax Rag
06. City Life
07. Mournin' Glory Story
08. Maybe
09. Marchin' Down Broadway
10. I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City
11. Rainmaker
12. Mr. Bojangles
13. Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear

Personnel:

Harry Nilsson - guitar, vocals
David Cohen - guitar
Howard Roberts - guitar
Tom Scott - saxophone
Mike Melvoin - piano
Jim Horn - flute
Larry Knechtel - bass
Jim Gordon - drums



All thanks go to the original releaser