Janis Ian's Present Company: Lost classic?

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Bittersweet song cycle, critical and commercial failure (as far as I know). The Seaside intro ---> title track ---> See My Grammy Ride brings chills. So, anyone heard it? Whaddja think?

Joe, Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I saw her at San Francisco Gay Pride this year. After her rousing opening salvo of her two hits (Society's Child and At Seventeen), she careered into another hours' worth of dreary downbeat ballads. Actually, the hits are both dreary downbeat ballads too. My father had a couple of her LPs back in the day; she's serious, thoughtful, a careful singer... and pretty much wholly uncompelling. Still, I always will have a spot in my heart for singer-songwriters of her ilk.

Sean, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, I know she has a reputation for being an Earnest Songwriter, though I haven't heard anything else by her. Well, I've only heard Spooky Tooth's version of "Society's Child" (which rawks), but not the original.

Present Company I wouldn't describe as downbeat. It has its share of introspective interludes but these are mixed with a healthy dose of more energetic, upbeat numbers (reminds me of CCR, weirdly enough)...which admittedly are still rather wimpy-sounding by today's standards (it only being 1970 when it was recorded), but I'm a sucker for that era's sound.

Joe, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)


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