SHRINK 1966 BOLD MONO The YARDBIRDS - UNDER OVER JEFF BECK Garage BLUES Psych

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46

            STILL IN ORIGINAL FACTORY CELLOPHANE

                     1966 ORIGINAL !

               BOLD MONO SONG MIXES!!!       ..|/\|...............................................|/\|..                          
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        Under Over Sideways Down                 
            ..|/\|...............................................|/\|..                             USA - (yellow) Epic Records - BN 26210 - MONAURAL

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STILL IN ORIGINAL FACTORY CELLOPHANE

"IN-YOUR-FACE" IMPACT MONO SONG MIXES ...

ORIGINAL 1966 first pressing containing BOLD MONO song mixes that differ from the stereo release ... the scarce orignal inner sleeve is included

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The Yardbirds were one of the most groundbreaking bands of rock music’s most groundbreaking decade, their best singles from “For Your Love” all the way through “Think About It” offering up a fantastic combination of Gregorian chants, middle-eastern inspired melodies and proto-heavy guitar flash. So why then, are they not held in as high esteem as their peers, many of whom were actually behind The Yardbirds in their innovations?

“Lost Woman” sets the tone for the record, beginning with a spiky hi-hat count-off from drummer Jim McCarty before Paul Samwell-Smith’s slinky and memorable bass line kicks in. The band remains restrained for the verses, with Beck and Dreja only coming in on the chorus. The band then switches to a simmering jam initially led by lead singer Keith Relf’s harmonica before Beck’s feedback undulations fight for supremacy. The track gradually builds in intensity, eventually coming to a climax of wailing harmonica and crashing guitars, when all of a sudden it breaks down to the fantastic opening bass line again, the band having a final go around before bringing it all back home. The dynamics in the song are fantastic, and amazingly, the band manages all these shifts in just over 3 minutes. The Yardbirds were nothing if not masters of the frenzied build-up, and “Lost Woman” is one of their best “rave-ups”, as concise and tightly constructed as it is exciting.

If “Lost Woman” is representative of one of the Yardbird’s greatest strengths, then “Over, Under, Sideways Down” is representative of another: the quirky, psychedelia-tinged pop song. Kicking in with another memorable, eastern-inspired riff (this time played by Beck) and aided and abetted by handclaps and chants of “Hey!” in the background, Relf proceeds to paint a picture of rock star hedonism and youthful exuberance and uncertainty in swinging London. After the bouncy and somewhat arbitrary chorus, there is a sudden drop in tempo and shift to a minor key, with Relf singing “Wheeennnn will it ennnddd” and the backing vocals indulging in his Gregorian fetish. Almost as quickly as it began, the band is back to the opening riff, as well as the handclaps and Hey-falootin’. During the last chorus, Beck lets loose with a brief outro solo before the track fades out. Proof that pop can be inventive and exciting, “Over, Under, Sideways, Down” remains one of the group’s best singles, and light years beyond what producer Mickie Most would make of some of their final A-sides.

We all know what Mr. Beck’s real strength is, and during his guitar solos he manages to show his guitar prowess in an unexpected ways, sometimes half a solo being taken up by a single sustaining note. Considering that rock guitar ability is often measured in miles per hour, it’s great to hear a true master reveal the power a single note can have when used properly.

Most of the other songs on the album generally follow the pattern of the opening track, Lost Woman, although the one that deviates from that pattern the most is “Hot House of Omagarashid”, a song as wacky as its title, full of bubbling sound effects, percolating percussion and nonsensical vocals. There is an almost Zappa-esque sense of the absurd in this song, and this was slightly before “Freak Out!” was released too. Oh, and of course Mr. Jeff Beck, A.K.A. rock music’s heaviest and most adventurous pre-Hendrix guitarist, lays down a hot solo at the end too. Another standout is “He’s Always There”, which combines an ominous descending riff with a pseudo-bossa nova feel, and once again hand claps and droning background vocals make their welcome appearance, as well as an outro guitar solo from Beck that ends a few seconds too early.

Although it is primarily The Yardbirds guitar players who get all the credit for laying the foundation for heavy metal, one should not overlook the influence of the mope-rock vocal stylings occasionally employed by Keith Relf. Don’t believe me? Then take a listen to the song that originally ended the album, “Ever Since the World Began”.

Over top a Gregorian inspired dirge, Relf sings the following lyrics:

Ever since the world began,
Satan’s followed every man.
Trapping evil if he can,
I tell you now his greatest plan.

Not too hard to imagine Ozzy singing those lyrics, now is it? Even the vocal melody has a Sabbath-esque feel to it.

“Jeff’s Boogie”, is not as fiery as it should have been, although it rips along thrillingly enough.

The other songs on the album and are a great way to top off The Yardbirds best studio album.

Beck would soon leave and despite Jimmy Page and the rest of the band’s best efforts and an inspired last blast with “Think about It”, they would never regain their 1966 peak. However, that peak remains one of the highest in all of rock and roll, and the Over Under Sideways Down album is a fantastic collection of the groundbreaking music they made during that time.

                                                A

Lost Woman

Over Under Sideways Down

I Can't Make Your way

Farewell

Hot House Of Omagarashid

B:

Jeffs Boogie

He's Always There

Turn Into Earth

What Do You want

Ever Since The World Began