David Ackle's American Gothic

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If I buy it, will I like it and listen to it? Too weird? I'm not necessarily rockist but I'm afraid it'll be like Paul Williams or something.

― andy, Friday, 19 March 2004 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Dude sounds like Neil Diamond.

― andrew gold, Friday, 19 March 2004 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I like it a lot. Haven't listened to it an about a year and a half, but just beacuse it's not the kind of thing I've been into recently. It's not really Paul Williams, Andrew is half right with the Neil Diamond bit, but add a little Scott Walker.

― Colin Beckett (Colin Beckett), Friday, 19 March 2004 01:48 (twenty-two years ago)

i think Subway to the Country is his best album, and it has "inmates of the institution" on, which is incredible, and stands way above his other songs...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006RYIW.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 19 March 2004 07:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i own two copies of this and stand by it

― duke warbler, Friday, 19 March 2004 08:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I love it, I agree with the above comments, but it reminds me of Harry Nilsson as well.

― actionjackson, Friday, 19 March 2004 11:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, nothing like Paul Williams, more like a weather-beaten Nilsson. My fave is his self-titled debut, but you won't regret buying American Gothic either.

― harveyw (harveyw), Friday, 19 March 2004 11:09 (twenty-two years ago)

i think Subway to the Country is his best album, and it has "inmates of the institution" on, which is incredible, and stands way above his other songs...

Ha ha, I think "Subway to the Country" is his worst album and "Inmates of the Insitution" probably his worst song, there ya go. Vocally, he does sound like Neil Diamond on occasion - musically, well if you can imagine Randy Newman meets Leonard Cohen meets Broadway meets Aaron Copland meets Brecht/Weill... Personally, I think his first album is his strongest, it's his sparsest and least overwrought album - "American Gothic" is his most orchestrated. When it comes right down to it, if you listen to "Montana Song" from "American Gothic" and it makes you cringe then I wouldn't recommend persisting with David Ackles, if it makes you cry then I would!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 19 March 2004 11:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Dadaismus seconded, except I think this is is best one. The more over the top, the better. I love this record; "Montana Song" damn near makes me cry. A left-field comparison: if you like Randy Newman's Good Old Boys but wish it was more like a musical, this is for you.

― southern lights (southern lights), Friday, 19 March 2004 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Thinking about it, I think this album might appeal to the Van Dyke Parks nuts among you - well "Montana Song" especially, positively Ivesian in places.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 19 March 2004 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Good point about the Van Dyke Parks nuts; for me, American Gothic was the record I was hoping Song Cycle to be (I'm one of those people who could never could get through it)

― southern lights (southern lights), Friday, 19 March 2004 16:43 (twenty-two years ago)

So I guess I mean that this Ackles record will not only appeal to VDP nuts, but also to people who thought VDP would be for them in theory, but wanted something a little less obfuscated.

― southern lights (southern lights), Friday, 19 March 2004 16:46 (twenty-two years ago)

sixteen years pass...

Love's Enough / One Night Stand and especially Waiting For The Moving Van are the major keepers here. definitely one for my late night/rainy outside file.

― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Wednesday, 14 October 2020 15:58 (five years ago)

I agree that the straightforward ballads (I'd include Another Friday Night) are more appealing than the musical theatre "production numbers", which can get "overwrought" as someone said above.

― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 14 October 2020 16:24 (five years ago)

yes, absolutely correct. they just feel a lot more natural and affecting than the more self consciously arty/theatrical pieces.

― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Wednesday, 14 October 2020 16:26 (five years ago)

Moving Van & Another Friday Night are my favorite tunes on the album... but I like every song, with Billy Utah being maybe the weakest. It's a strong collection.
(Weird, I think I started this thread.)

― Andy the Grasshopper, Wednesday, 14 October 2020 16:50 (five years ago)

Oh, I take that back... Montana Song brings me almost to tears, maybe the loveliest tune in the Elektra catalog.

― Andy the Grasshopper, Wednesday, 14 October 2020 16:51 (five years ago)

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