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As "Good Old Desk" opens Aerial Ballet with a cheerful saunter, it's clear that Harry Nilsson decided to pick up where he left off with his debut, offering another round of effervescent, devilishly clever pop, equal parts lite psychedelia, pretty ballads, and music hall cabaret. It's not a carbon copy, however. In one sense, he entrenches himself a little bit, emphasizing his lighter edges and humor, writing songs so cheerfully lightweight -- a love song about his mom and dad, an ode to his favorite desk, an address or two to a "Little Cowboy" -- that it may be a little too cloying for some tastes, even for fans of Pandemonium Shadow Show. Those are balanced by a couple major steps forward, namely "Everybody's Talkin'" and "One." The former finds Nilsson adopting a rolling folk-pop backing for a Fred Neil song, making it into an instant, Grammy-winning classic. The latter was the greatest song he had written to date, a haunting tale of loneliness reminiscent of McCartney, yet with its own voice. These are the songs anchoring an album that may be a little lightweight, but it's engagingly, deliberately lightweight. If it's a bit dated, it wears its old charms well.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - George Tipton, Arranger - Rick Jarrard, Producer - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - George Tipton, Arranger - Rick Jarrard, Producer - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - George Tipton, Arranger - Rick Jarrard, Producer - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - George Tipton, Arranger - Rick Jarrard, Producer - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - Rick Jarrard, Producer - George Tipton, Arranger - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - George Tipton, Arranger - Rick Jarrard, Producer - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Fred Neil, Composer, Lyricist - George Tipton, Arranger, Conductor - Lawrence Knechtel, Bass - Michael Melvoin, Piano - James Gordon, Drums - Alvin Casey, Guitar - Leonard Atkins, Violin - Arnold Belnick, Violin - Alfred Lustgarten, Violin - Wilbert Nuttycombe, Violin - Jerome Reisler, Violin - Darrel Terwilliger, Violin - Rick Jarrard, Producer - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally Released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - Rick Jarrard, Producer - George Tipton, Arranger - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - Rick Jarrard, Producer - George Tipton, Arranger - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - Rick Jarrard, Producer - George Tipton, Arranger - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - Rick Jarrard, Producer - George Tipton, Arranger - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally Released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - Rick Jarrard, Producer - Ian Freebairn Smith, Composer, Lyricist - George Tipton, Arranger - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - Rick Jarrard, Producer - George Tipton, Arranger - Hank Magill, Recording Engineer - Grover Hilsley, Recording Engineer - Allen Lentz, Recording Engineer - Brian Christian, Recording Engineer
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
As "Good Old Desk" opens Aerial Ballet with a cheerful saunter, it's clear that Harry Nilsson decided to pick up where he left off with his debut, offering another round of effervescent, devilishly clever pop, equal parts lite psychedelia, pretty ballads, and music hall cabaret. It's not a carbon copy, however. In one sense, he entrenches himself a little bit, emphasizing his lighter edges and humor, writing songs so cheerfully lightweight -- a love song about his mom and dad, an ode to his favorite desk, an address or two to a "Little Cowboy" -- that it may be a little too cloying for some tastes, even for fans of Pandemonium Shadow Show. Those are balanced by a couple major steps forward, namely "Everybody's Talkin'" and "One." The former finds Nilsson adopting a rolling folk-pop backing for a Fred Neil song, making it into an instant, Grammy-winning classic. The latter was the greatest song he had written to date, a haunting tale of loneliness reminiscent of McCartney, yet with its own voice. These are the songs anchoring an album that may be a little lightweight, but it's engagingly, deliberately lightweight. If it's a bit dated, it wears its old charms well.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:29:03
- Main artists: Harry Nilsson
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA - Legacy
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
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