The Left Banke - LeftBanke.nu

»The Left Banke Is Still With Us

From Hit Parader August 1969

Few things in the recording industry are ever awaited with quite as much anticipation as the second LP album by a rock group that had a unique, trend-setting first album.

The questions invariably arise: Was the group merely a one-time-hit group? Has the style that characterized their. first LP changed? Have they matured - developed - as artists?

These questions, and many more in a similar vein, soon are to be applied to the group that distinguished themselves (and incidentally, rock music in general) with their creative efforts almost two years ago. The group was the Left Banke, a group that won the plaudits of New York Philharmonic conductor Leonard Bernstein in his memorable television program on rock music.

At that time, the Left Banke had intrigued many music writers, critics, columnists, and even those serious students of rock by their usage of such "classical" instrumentation as string quartets, harpsichords, and unique vocal harmonies on their "hit" recordings of "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina."

Well, a listening to the Left Banke's latest LP reveals that the group has continued in the unusual tradition they created for themselves - but while so doing, they also have expanded and enlarged the scope of their own style, an indication of the developing artists who are building and growing from a base of their original creativity.

The LP's "cuts" are as varied as one might expect from 'the group that created one of the more identifiable rocksounds of the past five years. The new LP has songs that offer crisp, sophisticated guitar work, others that effectively utilize a large string orchestra to counterpoint the vocal work of the Left Banke. Additionally, it must be noted that the new Left Banke LP contains some of the best coordinated and assimilated electronic effects to be heard since "Sgt. Pepper" more than a year ago.

One other notable aspect of the new Left Banke LP is that the group performs vocally with an increased control and which serves further to complement that unusual harmonics the group earlier was noted for in both recorded and live performances.

As to the material of the new LP, it contains several titles previously issued as singles (such as the big-orchestra arranged "Desiree"). There is also the gutsy lyric, "Bryant Hotel," a haunting "Dark is the Bark", and an up-tempo "In the Morning Light." Likewise, there is a beautiful "Sing Little Bird Sing" and the unusual "Goodbye Holly." All in all, the LP adds up to a rare demonstration of a highly versatile and creative group.

Contributing greatly to this creativity are, of course, three of the older members of the Left Banke, Tom Finn (who wrote three of the selections on the LP), George Cameron and Steve Martin (who collaborated with Finn on still another song included).

This threesome has been with The Left Banke since its inception and their thinking, writing, not to mention performing, naturally go a long way toward realizing the sound concept that always characterizes The Left Banke.