Oar

Artist: Skip Spence
Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Original recording remastered
Media: LP Record
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 090771503015
EAN: 0090771503015
ASIN: B00004WNX1

Release Date: 2000-05-16

Oar

Related Categories:

Canada

| North America | International | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters

| Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock

| Rock | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

Vinyl Records

| Rock | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock

| Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Folk

| Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Little Hands
Cripple Creek
Diana
Margaret/Tiger Rug
Weighted Down (The Prison Song)
War in Peace
Broken Heart
All Come to Meet Her
Books of Moses
Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin for Yang)
Lawrence of Euphoria
Grey/Afro
This Time He Has Come [*]
It's the Best Thing for You [*]
Keep Everything Under Your Hat [*]
Furry Heroine (Halo of Gold) [*]
Givin' up Things [*]
If I'm Good [#]
You Know [#]
Doodle [#]
Fountain [#]
I Think You and I [#]

Similar Items:

Moby Grape
The United States of America
Electric Music for the Mind and Body
Wow/Grape Jam
Safe as Milk

Amazon.com

The only solo album from this former Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape cult hero is something of a legend. Cut in four days all by himself, it bombed upon its release in 1969. Nevertheless, Spence's legend has led to devotion from such fans as Tom Waits, Robert Plant, Beck, and R.E.M.. Oar features quiet, stark folk; odd turns of phrase; old-timey shuffles; playful swing; and pretty melodies croaked out from Spence's hoarse voice. Generally, the mood is blissed out, with the occasional apocalyptic dread ("Cripple Creek," "Books of Moses") and dissociated narratives ("Margaret-Tiger Rug," "Lawrence of Euphoria") that came naturally to the poor soul who spent time in psychiatric institutions prior to his death at age 52. This Sundazed reissue includes new liner notes, plus 10 additional tracks, including five previously unissued recordings. <I>--Jason Gross</I>

Album Description

Digitally remastered reissue of the now-legendary 1969 solo debut by this member of Moby Grape. Features 10 bonus tracks, all recorded during the last days of the heady and historic album sessions ('This Time He Has Come', 'It's The Best Thing For You', 'Keep Everything Under Your Hat', 'Furry Heroine (Halo Of Gold)', 'Givin' Up Things', 'If I'm Good', 'You Know', 'Doodle', 'Fountain' and 'I Think You And I'). 22 tracks total. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews:

Eccentric nugget preserved from extinction.......2007-01-11

Alexander "Skip" Spence, according to the liner notes in Oar, recorded the entire album himself in short sessions after checking out of a sanitarium. With a story like that, it's hard not to get interested in what promises to be a weird, inspired outing. You're in luck--although Spence's sometimes unfocused songwriting and his decision to play all of the instruments hold Oar back from being a flawless outing, it's a classic of 60's psychedelia and still holds up well nearly 40 years later.

Within the first three tracks, Spence shows his propensity for different singing voices, with an airy falsetto on the joyful "Little Hands," a Fred Neil-like baritone on the dark country folk of "Cripple Creek," and a wheezy, tired whisper on "Diana." Throughout the album he'll continue using these voices, and it works pretty well. The songs are mysterious, but not really in a scary way. "Margaret-Tiger Rug" marks one of a few lighthearted romps with some pretty clever lines and observations. "Weighted Down" is a dirge-like hippie anthem, and "War In Peace" grooves along with spacey echoes.

When he's not playing idiosyncratic folk and blues ("Books of Moses" is pretty darn bluesy), Spence is stretching out some genre-defying psychedelia, as on the epic closer, "Grey/Afro." It's a perfect soundtrack for chilling out, but Oar also holds up to active listening, with some pretty decent lyrics and playing (though sometimes the bass/drum playing is a bit pedestrian).

The bonus tracks, although there are many of them, are mostly songs that didn't make it on the album for good reason--they're incomplete ideas, played even less well than the album's weaker tracks. It's pretty interesting to have the entire sessions on one disc, though.

If you're a fan of the bands Spence was in before Oar, I'd recommend giving this a try, and I'd also recommend it to fans of weird psych folk in the style of Syd Barret. Have a fun trip . . .

What Is The Sound Of One Oar Flopping?.......2006-12-23

There's a reason Oar flopped when it was released back in 1969: it sucks! Thirty eight years later, with Skip Spence safely in his grave, some now give this pitiful mess *five* stars. Since you can't give more than five stars here, they're saying Oar is on a level with masterpieces like Sergeant Pepper... Dark Side of the Moon... Led Zeppelin 4....! Just between you and me, I think the government is still secretly drugging people.

With all due respect to Skip's venerable memory, Oar is a painful aural experience. The first two tracks, Little Hands and Cripple Creek, are halfway good, and show some production values; but things quickly deteriorate from there. One gets the impression the rest of Oar was cobbled together in the recording studio just prior to taping - then put in the can after only one or two takes. Lastly, the bass playing and drumming are godawful.

Yes, it's too bad that things ended up like they did for Skip. And it's hard not to sympathize with him - he flew high only to crash hard. But let's keep a sense of perspective: His tragedy did not translate into good music. One extra star in his memory.

This Will Never Happen Again in the Pop Music Industry.......2006-11-27

This is a rare album. People who love the album often discover its darkness during their own personal moments of darkness and despair. What makes this album special is that it either saves these people or it aggravates their condition. You can rise up or fall down in Skip's ashes with this thing. Everyone knows about the six months that led up to this oddity, but I would love to know more about the four days (or so) that took place inside the Columbia studios in Nashville. It just shocks me that a major label allowed this to happen. VERY reminiscent, albeit on a much smaller scale, of David Geffen's heavy funding of Gene Clark's lavishly overbudget "No Other". Geffen was hoping Gene would rekindle some of the Byrds magic, whereas someone at Columbia was hoping to cash in on Skippy's San Fran connection? Not sure what the story is with this. I know this album was not even two years removed from the Grape's glory days with Columbia, when major labels were crawling that famous intersection in SF looking to sign any band that walked.

More importantly, it happened. It's a story I doubt you will ever see happen again. I am sure the Columbia records brass must have laughed at this, what would be one of their all-time worst-sellers, but it got released. It didn't get canned, it got released. I would love to know the champions over at Columbia who made sure of it. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

"Said my being gone was the best thing for you..." Not for me, Skip...

A soul crying out for love, like all souls do..........2006-11-15

This is undeniably a tragic yet great album. A friend of mine can't play it anymore, because he can't stand hearing a soul in torment, which is what the album is. It's so naked emotionally. Spence just bears everything, his very being, his very soul. The only other albums that come close to this is Nick Drake's final studio album, Pink Moon, and Lee Hazlewood's emotionally wretching Requiem for an Almost Lady. I won't recount Spence's back story, for other reviewers have done it very well. The songs go right to your very being. There is no BS here. This was who Spence was at the time, warts and all. It is a testament to another sensitive, young soul destroyed by celebrity, the "business", drugs, etc., etc.. This was Spence's only real solo album, and it's a true masterpiece, mysterious, moving, and beautiful.

Music Album:

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Libertango: The Music of Astor Piazzolla ~ Gary Burton

Legendary Performer ~ Glenn Miller

Chasin' The Bird ~ Charlie Parker

Palette ~ Kei Akagai Trio

Compact Jazz: Bud Powell ~ Bud Powell

Gal Costa (Não Identificado) ~ Gal Costa

Yum! Yum! Yum! ~ Goma

Lambadas of Brazil ~ Various Artists

Melting Pot ~ Miki Murai

10 Entoles ~ Despina Vandi