APPALOOSA

3.5 stars really!!

Appaloosa's sole album is a textbook case of baroque folk, which was a term "en vogue" in the late 60's, and described a folk rock laced with symphonic classical music; and with Al Kooper's connection (both musical and production-wise) it became one of those influential albums, even if it only stayed four weeks in the US billboard, peaking at 128. Named after the horses and graced with a sober group picture for artwork, the album epitomizes a bit the Boston folk-rock scene, which saw Earth Opera (and its continuation Sea Train) and James Taylor emerge from also. The baroque folk genre can be applied to the Beatles' Eleanor Rogby as well as the Rolling Stone's Ruby Tuesday as well to artistes like Nick Drake, Donova, Tim Buckley and John Martyn. All of the 11 tracks are written by singer-guitarist John Parker Compton, whose songwriting evokes Joni Mitchell and later singer- songwriters in the 15 years surrounding this album's release.

Opening track Tulu Rogers is a Bach-laced pastoral New England countryside folk piece with just the group playing guitar, violin, cello, and bass at its purest and progressive essence of Appaloosa. On the flipside Pascal's Paradox is much the same.Yesterday's Road has Reiser's bass soaring and Kooper "uncontrollably tinkling" (his words) on el piano, which gives a delightful flavour to this nostalgic track, where Rosov's cello gives it some solemnity. Feathers is a pre-James Taylor-type song, something he would export with much greater success than did Appaloosa.

Progheads will be more interested with Thoughts Of Polly, a folk rock track with its touches of both classical and jazz; concluding in a dizzy jazz-coda courtesy of Blood, Sweat &Tears' Fred Lipsius and his distinctive sax, sounding absolutely delightful, daring and progressive. At close to 6 minutes, this is the album's highlight. On the flipside, Georgia Street is set up a bit like the Polly track with similar arrangements and unusual shifting rhythms.

The Charlie Calello-arranged Bi-Weekly was recorded in the upper studio to fit the full orchestra (with horns as well); it was thought to be the hit-single, especially with the distinctive Al Kooper organ ending. Oddly enough, this track will also find its flipside equivalent, Now That I Want You, albeit this time with a full rock band backing it up, with BS&T's Bobby Colomby drumming up a storm. Glossolalia, a Donovan-esque folk song is bassist's Reiser's moment of glory, as his jazz-tinged bass playing, while Rivers Run To The Sea has drummer Colomby and Kooper on electric guitar as added musicians is nearing pure folk rock ala Fairport Convention. The closing Rosalie was originally performed for years as a folk song and Kooper folk-rocked it up with piano and electric guitar again nearing Fairport but being country-esque as well.

While I wouldn't call Appaloosa's album anything really essential to progressive folk, it is indeed one of those albums that helped in parts consolidating the genre, and even might have served as a blueprints to a few artistes. Impeccably produced by Kooper, the album can only interest progheads into gentle un-complicated folk rock.

Folk baroque was all the rage in the 1960s and although the British Invasion and following psychedelic rock scene rained on the folkies' parade a bit, the whole folk scene remained quite popular all throughout the 60s and beyond. In addition to the bigger known names such as Joan Baez, Van Morrison and Bert Jansch, there were countless smaller acts that haunted the coffeehouse circuit. APPALOOSA was one such band that originated in Boston and was the creation of singer / guitarist John Parker Compton and violinist Robin Batteau. Compton honed his fragile vocal style in the Cambridge church choir for many years whereas Batteau had already been a coffeehouse hit.

Together they assembled the team that included cellist Eugene Rosov and bassist David Reiser and formed APPALOOSA in 1968 and developed their own style of chamber folk baroque that eventually won over Columbia Records producer Al Kooper who had played with Blood, Sweat & Tears prior to his gig as producer. Once in the studio, Kooper employed a few members of his former band along with a collection of session musicians which led to the band's sole self-titled release which came out in the summer of1969 on the Columbia label but despite the big label backing and generous studio production, the album failed to make a dent in the charts.

A collection of ten well crafted tracks that feature lush folk textures narrated by Compton's James Taylor-like vocal style, APPALOOSA's sole release featured a number of dreamy folk tracks with intricate string arrangements as well as well as a few upbeat moments such as the rockin' "Georgia Street." A slickly produced album, APPALOOSA sounded more 70s than 60s with its larger than life backing however the tracks remained soft and intimate and never lost their coffeehouse immediacy despite it all. The lush arrangements that featured a touch of jazz as well as medieval characteristics that spiced up the baroque folk performances. The occasional oboe and percussive drive added even more elements to the basically folky vibe.

The band son fell apart after Reiser and Rosov jumped shipped leaving Compton and Batteau to continue on as a duo. Batteaux would continue on with his own soft rock band of his name as well as Buskin & Batteau and the yacht rock Pierce Arrow. Compton would leave the folk scene altogether and by the time the 1980s hit had become a very successful writer of commercial jingles. APPALOOSA delivered a very subdued mellow style of baroque folk that would appeal to fans of Nick Drake, early Van Morrison, Nico and Bert Jansch but honestly is fairly typical of the mellow folk craze of the 60s without really excelling in any particular way. It's a pleasant listening experience but doesn't stand out as the best the era had to offer either.