Saturday, May 16, 2009

Andy Kim - How'd We Ever Get This Way - `68 , Steed Records




lucky enuff to run across this gem recently ! really fun poppy stuff ala tommy james , tommy roe , etc. this one will really grow on ya !enjoy .....aka` [ oops on da scan , i fix ! , lol ]



Andy Kim's 1968 debut How'd We Ever Get This Way showcased his knack for commercial pop music, pitched partway between bubblegum and Brill Building tradition, often recalling both the effervescence and moodiness that marked Neil Diamond's '60s work for Bang. Brill Building mainstays Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich produced those recordings, and after their partnership soured, Barry started writing with Kim on a regular basis, eventually signing him to his fledgling label, Steed. How'd We Ever Get This Way was Kim's debut, consisting entirely with material he co-wrote with Barry, and it's an excellent example of hooky mainstream pop from the late '60s: bright, melodic and well-constructed, from its composition to its productions. At times, it may sound strikingly like Diamond -- "Just Like Your Shadow" recalls "Solitary Man," right down to the mournful horns that come in on the second verse; "Love That Little Woman" bounces along on handclaps and maracas just like "You Got to Me" -- it does so without ever sounding imitative; it sounds like the work of a singer/songwriter with similar gifts, sharpened and honed by Diamond's producer. That producer also happened to be a producer for the Monkees, and there are echoes of that group as well; it's easy to imagine "Circus" as sung by Micky Dolenz and the skipping "Shoot 'Em Up Baby" is just gimmicky enough to work well on TV. At times, the music edges toward the middle-of-the-road (the swelling strings on "Pretty Thing") and sometimes it bears traces of psych-pop, but it never goes too far in either direction. With the exception of the dreamy, dramatic closer "Resurrection," which is notable and excellent in its own way, this is late-'60s pop at its lightest and brightest, and cut for cut it's one of the strongest records of its kind, thanks to songs as irrepressibly catchy as "How'd We Ever Get This Way" and sweetly understated as the McCartney-esque "Ordinary Kind of Girl."

Andy Kim - How'd We Ever Get This Way - `68 , Steed Records
MP3 @ 320 kbps , w/high rez scans
ALL TRAX FROM WAX !

1. How'd We Ever Get This Way
2. Shoot 'Em Up, Baby
3. Sunday Thunder
4. Ordinary Kind of Girl
5. Just Like Your Shadow
6. Pretty Thing
7. Love That Little Woman
8. Do You Feel It, Too?
9. You Got Style
10. You Girl
11. Circus
12. Resurrection



DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --






8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not sure about this, having only 'Rock Me Gently' to go on and 'Sugar Sugar', ah well thanks for forcing my arm.
Cy

wkc said...

Akashaman

Glad to hear you are back. Been quite a while since I visited your site so I had no idea until I saw a note by you on Redtelephone's site. Some very nice uploads you have shared since I was last here. I hope all is well and wish you the best with your blog. I will have to start checking in regularly again it looks like. Any chance you have Andy Kim's first lp from 68 Baby I Love You or his 74 self titled releases. Can't find them anywhere and my vinyl has long since disappeared. Thanks again for all you do.

akashaman said...

WKC !
thanks so much for feedback & all ~
the only other andy kim LP i have that i havent posted is rainbow ride , which is pretty good ...!
i can get to that soon if you like !?

thanks again man .. it`s post like yours that gives me the motivation to carry on !

aka`

Anonymous said...

To cy above: Surely you remember his other top 20 billboard hits from the radio, Be My Baby (#17 1970)and Baby I Love You (#9 1969). The title track of this album reached #21 in 1968 and Shoot 'em Up Baby reached #31 in 1968 also.

Akashaman, this is a very good album. I expected it to be. I liked Andy Kim back in the day and still do. All I had was a few tunes. You do post some incredible albums that aren't available anywhere.
Thanks!

p.s. I hope wkc drops back by and requests Rainbow Ride. lol

Jim

wkc said...

I do have a copy of Rainbow Ride, but it is an excellent lp. I am sure others would enjoy. Thanks again.

akashaman said...

thanks for all the comments folks ~
i will get to rainbow rise very soon , provided it sounds ok & all ...:)


aka`

Anonymous said...

To Jim above,
Here in the north east of Scotland Billboard is a thing we drive past, but thanx to Aka 'Andy Kim' Rules A1OKAY.
Thanx Jim, I'll check out more of Andy Kim in the Hits dept.
Cy

Anonymous said...

Hi from Germany,

thanx for Andy Kim Memorablia Sounds. Great Posts. . .

More to come? Andy Kim (1974 - with Rock me gently) Baron Longfellow albums??

Keep up the good work.
Jurgen