Gordon Haskell - It Is And It Isn't -1972

Gordon Haskell - It Is And It Isn't -1972
Studio Recordings @256
Out of Print

pw - fbsvw

Gordon Haskell is usually thought of as a footnote in the history of King Crimson -- the only lead singer in the group's long list of personnel who never played a single live date with the band, though he was with them long enough to cut most of an album (Lizard) and get one performance ("Cadence And Cascade") onto its predecessor.

Gordon Haskell issued this solo album to absolutely no critical notice or public response of any kind in 1974, which is sort of a shame. It tends to be relatively light and lyric-oriented, reminiscent of Gordon Lightfoot with something of a progressive rock edge and more humor, some of it very sardonic.

Latter-day Crimson member John Wetton is present here, playing bass and organ and providing backing vocals on this rather sweet-textured, languid, and highly melodic assembly of songs, which mostly show off Haskell's unusual vocal range but leave ample room for classical stylings on the electric and acoustic guitars and jazz-inspired fills on the drums.

When Haskell does rock out, as on "Sitting by the Fire," the effect is startling, the crunchy electric rhythm guitar (courtesy of Dave Spinoza) and bold lead parts (by Alan Barry) wrapping around decent, memorable hooks and choruses -- "No Need" is a similarly accessible piece of romantic balladry that might have passed for an England Dan/John Ford Coley demo. And then there's "Worm," a pounding, too-serious-for-words meditation on (apparently) life, death, and being devoured, that repeats a cool opening electric guitar flourish in various guises and allows Barry the chance to stretch out on a related series of riffs. "Spider" is some kind of personal commentary on the music business, possibly referring to managers and their potentially devouring ways -- Haskell would know that best -- but it is funny and cheerfully upbeat in mood, with some pleasing choruses. And "Benny the Beaver," with its fascinating but confusing references to various elements of the music business, also seems to be about a subject that mattered to Haskell, and it's a pity he couldn't have shared it more clearly, but the principal acoustic guitar riff is pretty, and some of the transitions recall King Crimson's "Cadence and Cascade" (which Haskell sang), and the final section in which an old-style music hall showband picks up the riff demonstrates more humor than most entire art-rock albums of this period ever dared revealed.
~AMG


Line-up :
- Gordon Haskell / Guitar, Vocals
with
- John Wetton / Organ, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar
- Bill Atkinson / Drums
- Alan Barry / Guitar
- Dave Kaffinetti / Piano, Keyboards
- Arif Mardin / Keyboards, Piano
- David Spinozza / Guitar
- Neal Rosengarden / Piano
- David Brigati / Vocals
- Eddie Brigati / Vocals

Track List:
01. No Meaning - 3:31
02. Could Be - 3:18
03. Upside Down - 4:31
04. Just A Lovely Day - 3:59
05. Sitting By The Fire - 3:44
06. When I Lose - 0:26
07. No Need - 2:51
08. Worms - 4:46
09. Spider - 4:19
10. Learning Not To Feel - 2:39
11. Benny - 4:49
12. When I Laugh - 0:24

It Is...

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