Judee Sill | ||
| Allmusic Biography : A singer/songwriter with deeply religious overtones and a penchant for the occult, Judee Sill is one of rocks more interesting and lesser-known stories. Sill was a daughter of old Hollywood money; her father died when she was just a child and her brother died in a car crash soon after, leading to a bleak outlook on life that she expressed in an arty, disaffected attitude. She disliked her stepfather and condemned her mother for remarrying; as a quiet form of vengeance, Sill set out to travel America and live a rambling lifestyle. She had been interested in playing music, although was seemingly not serious about it until she began her travels, playing small coffeehouses and dives for fun. She and her friends had always been into drugs for recreational and exploratory use, but as Sill stayed out on the road she began using heroin regularly, eventually developing a $150-a-day habit. It was rumored (partly by Sill herself, although never confirmed) that she at one time had to prostitute herself in order to support her addiction. In the late 60s, Sill was busted for heroin possession and served three months in prison, during which time she was able to kick her habit; when she returned to the world at large, she focused solely on making music. She returned to Los Angeles where, through her Hollywood connections, she was introduced to David Geffen. Geffen was in the process of creating Asylum Records, which was to focus exclusively on non-rock material. Taken by Sills abilities as a writer and performer, Geffen immediately signed her to Asylum; her self-titled debut was also the first official release for the new label. It was through Geffen that she met Graham Nash, who quickly became a fan and produced the first single, "Jesus Was a Cross Maker," for her album. The rest of Judee Sill was orchestrated and produced by Bob Harris, Sills ex-husband. Judee Sill was released in 1971 to immediate acclaim. Lushly orchestrated, the album featured Sills voice in multiple overdubs, often in a four-part chorale or fugue. The album fit in well with the light rock/folk-rock underpinnings of what came to be known as the Laurel Canyon sound associated with other female singer/songwriters such as Carole King and Joni Mitchell. (Mitchell, also signed to Asylum, was at work on Ladies of the Canyon at the time, which was also produced by Bob Harris.) A tour as the opening act for Nash and David Crosby exposed her intimate songwriting and skillful guitar playing to a larger audience, but her record failed to make much of an impact, despite the somewhat heavy airplay of "Jesus Was a Cross Maker." A self-professed perfectionist, one song could often take her a year to write, and it wasnt until late 1972 that Sill returned to record and release her second and last album, Heart Food. It too received enthusiastic reviews but did poorly commercially. Sill took over the chores of both orchestrating and arranging Heart Food, with the production relying more heavily on multi-layered strings and lush expanse. Unable to draw a sizable crowd yet unwilling to play as a support act, Sills name and moderate fame both receded, and she disappeared from view entirely. Rumors abound as to what happened next, although it is definitely known that she returned to her heroin addiction as well as becoming heavily involved with cocaine. Graham Nash has said that he learned as early as 1974 that Sill had died of an overdose, a claim that would later prove to be incorrect, but considering how closely the two had worked only a few years earlier, it does illustrate just how completely Sill had dropped out by this time. She never managed a second return from the abyss and Judee Sill, age 35, died of a drug overdose in November of 1979. Though only marginally successful during her lifetime, her influence looms large. She left her mark on fellow West Coast singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, and artists including Andy Partridge, Liz Phair, Beth Orton, Bill Callahan, and Bonnie Prince Billy have covered her songs and cited her as a primary source of inspiration. Her two albums have been reissued several times in the 21st century, her unreleased (unfinished) third album, entitled Dreams Come True -- produced by Bill Plummer and engineered by Emitt Rhodes with a finished mix done by Jim ORourke in 2004 -- appeared in 2005, some 30 years after it was originally shelved. It was followed by Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972-1973 in 2007 and, in 2018, the release of Songs of Rapture and Redemption: Rarities & Live, which included remastered demos from her album recording sessions, solo home recordings, and an entire concert from the Boston Music Hall, all contained in a deluxe package with new liner notes. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 6 Title: Judee Sill Released: 1971 Tracks: 11 Duration: 33:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Crayon Angels (02:35) 2 The Phantom Cowboy (01:40) 3 The Archetypal Man (03:35) 4 The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown (03:10) 5 Lady-O (03:10) 6 Jesus Was a Cross Maker (03:27) 7 Ridge Rider (04:28) 8 My Man on Love (03:28) 9 Lopin’ Along Thru the Cosmos (03:00) 10 Enchanted Sky Machines (02:40) 11 Abracadabra (01:54) |
| Judee Sill : Allmusic album Review : Judee Sills debut album (as well as the debut of the Asylum label) heralded a major new talent in the airy, contemporary folk world of the early 70s. The album employed the production skills of Sills ex-husband Bob Harris, as well as ex-Turtle, ex-Leaves Jim Pons, and Graham Nash (on the albums sole single, "Jesus Was s Crossmaker"). Judee Sill featured all original compositions, many of which relied on Sills own brand of cosmological Christian imagery to make their point. By turns spare and lavishly orchestrated, there is still a cohesive feel to all of the album; her lyrics are exceptionally poetic (to the point of being almost flowery) and her voice is smooth enough to bear heavy overdubbing with itself, giving every song a shimmery feel. The essence of the music is folk, the execution pop: the songs feel like a comfort blanket, a statement of hope from a troubled soul. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 6 Title: Heart Food Released: 1973 Tracks: 9 Duration: 36:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 There’s a Rugged Road (03:42) 2 The Kiss (04:36) 3 The Pearl (01:50) 4 Down Where the Valleys Are Low (04:12) 5 The Vigilante (03:48) 6 Soldier of the Heart (03:30) 7 The Phoenix (02:35) 8 When the Bridegroom Comes (04:10) 9 The Donor (07:55) |
| Heart Food : Allmusic album Review : The second album Judee Sill made proved to be her last. This brief though enjoyable outing took its toll on Sill -- a notoriously slow songwriter -- during its making, turning her back to her recently kicked heroin addiction and away from the desire to create more music. Instead of using an outside arranger for the strings (as she did on her previous album), Sill did all of the work herself. Her lack of formal training and the immense amount of orchestral overdubs certainly would have made such an outing a hardship for anyone. The album doesnt suffer much from its sometimes syrupy exterior, though -- the songs are almost as strong as any of those from her debut. To wit, Heart Food suffers only in comparison to its predecessor; otherwise, its a stellar example of the kind of singer/songwriter fare the music industry was mining in the early 70s. The supporting cast of top L.A. studio musicians solidifies Sills unique brand of country-flavored pop, which moves from introspective meanderings to loping rock, often within a single song. [This edition of the album contains bonus tracks.] | ||
 | Album: 3 of 6 Title: Dreams Come True Released: 2005-02-07 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:07:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 That’s the Spirit (04:18) 2 I’m Over (03:38) 3 Apocalypse Express (02:48) 4 The Living End (03:01) 5 Things Are Lookin’ Up (03:17) 6 The Good Ship Omega (03:28) 7 Last Resort (02:33) 8 Till Dreams Come True (03:29) 9 Living End (studio demo) (04:08) 10 I’m Over (studio demo) (04:20) 11 Till Dreams Come True (instrumental, studio demo) (03:24) 1 Dead Time Bummer Blues (02:30) 2 Sunny Side Up Luck (05:06) 3 Emerald River Dance (home recording) (03:10) 4 Waterfall (03:09) 5 North Country (03:12) 6 Farmer’s Daughter (The Chickens in the Garden) (01:10) 7 The Wreck of the FFV (Fast Flying Vestibule) (03:13) 8 500 Miles (02:01) 9 Oh Boy! The Magician (instrumental, home demo) (05:10) |
| Dreams Come True : Allmusic album Review : When singer/songwriter Judee Sill died at the age of 35, she had issued two albums under her own name on David Geffens Asylum label in 1971 and 1973, respectively. (Both have since been re-released with bonus material by Rhinos web-only Handmade imprint.) She had another one more or less in the can, recorded in 1974, but it was never finished or released. Her brand of folk music was enigmatic, full of light breeziness, nicely orchestrated (she wrote the charts herself), and drenched in a natural world mysticism that was more ethereal than the standard California fare of the early 70s. Dreams Come True is that lost third album, produced by Bill Plummer and track engineered by Emitt Rhodes, with the finished mix done by Jim ORourke in 2004, 30 years after the album was shelved. Water Records, quickly becoming the obscurantists reissue label, has put together a lavishly presented package that houses Dreams Come True, bonus tracks in the form of demos and rehearsals, and a second disc entitled "Lost Songs," recorded by Tommy Peltier in his home studio and in his living room, which includes nine unreleased tracks and a 12-minute QuickTime movie of Sill performing in concert. The musical -- and production -- quality on Dreams Come True is high, given that it was recorded in a professional studio. Sill had been fully in possession of her muse when making it. Sill and Art Johnson did the musical charts, and she and Marc McLure arranged the vocals. Those familiar with her first two offerings will find this to be deeper in the vein, fleshed out, more focused. Sill could write hooks as well as she could write words, and these tracks, particularly "Thats the Spirit," "The Living End," and "Til Dreams Come True," are moving emotionally, while not being at all mopey. They are jaunty and full of a sun-drenched airiness that stood out, even when the subject matter -- as spiritual as much of it was -- was melancholy. Sill never beat a lyric of a tune over the head. Disc two is, naturally, much rougher. This is for the fans, the hardcore devotees who feel there was never enough out there. Some of these tunes have appeared in various guises on the Internet, but these versions are cleaner, though there are almost no credits for the other musicians on the sessions. "Dead Time Bummer Blues" is a fully realized outing, while "Sunny Side Up Luck" is barely a sketch. The stunner on the set is the acoustic home recording of "Emerald River Dance." Its starkness and unpolished beauty are intoxicating, and give the listener a true portrait of the artist in an intimate environment. The package is lavish -- the CDs are in an envelope-folded slipcase and the 72-page book contains interviews with the artist, friends, family, and acquaintances, offering a deeply troubling and even heartbreaking slice of biography that underscores just how remarkable Sills music was in lieu of her life circumstances. This is a treasure. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 6 Title: Abracadabra: The Asylum Years Released: 2006-06-19 Tracks: 42 Duration: 2:32:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Crayon Angels (02:35) 2 The Phantom Cowboy (01:40) 3 The Archetypal Man (03:35) 4 The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown (03:10) 5 Lady-O (03:10) 6 Jesus Was a Cross Maker (03:27) 7 Ridge Rider (04:28) 8 My Man on Love (03:28) 9 Lopin’ Along Thru the Cosmos (03:00) 10 Enchanted Sky Machines (02:40) 11 Abracadabra (01:54) 12 The Pearl (original version) (01:48) 13 The Phoenix (original version) (02:24) 14 Ridge Rider (alternate version) (05:06) 15 My Man on Love (alternate version) (03:31) 16 Intro / The Vigilante (live) (04:26) 17 Lady-O (live) (02:44) 18 Enchanted Sky Machines (live) (06:48) 19 The Archetypal Man (live) (03:59) 20 Crayon Angels (live) (03:11) 21 The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown (live) (03:44) 22 Jesus Was a Cross Maker (live) (03:46) 1 There’s a Rugged Road (03:42) 2 The Kiss (04:36) 3 The Pearl (01:50) 4 Down Where the Valleys Are Low (04:12) 5 The Vigilante (03:48) 6 Soldier of the Heart (03:30) 7 The Phoenix (02:35) 8 When the Bridegroom Comes (04:10) 9 The Donor (07:54) 10 [untitled] (01:03) 11 The Desperado (03:57) 12 The Kiss (demo) (04:14) 13 Down Where the Valleys Are Low (demo) (04:49) 14 The Donor (demo) (04:43) 15 Soldier of the Heart (demo) (03:06) 16 The Phoenix (demo) (02:29) 17 The Vigilante (demo) (03:44) 18 The Pearl (demo) (01:58) 19 There’s a Rugged Road (demo) (03:34) 20 The Donor (alternate mix) (07:50) |
 | Album: 5 of 6 Title: Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972-1973 Released: 2007-05-28 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:18:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jesus Was a Crossmaker (03:49) 2 Lady-O (04:14) 3 The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown (03:58) 4 Enchanted Sky Machines (04:49) 5 The Kiss (04:22) 6 Down Where the Valleys Are Low (05:56) 7 Theres a Rugged Road (04:23) 8 The Phoenix (03:18) 9 The Donor (06:28) 10 Soldier of the Heart (04:13) 11 Interview (04:43) 12 Enchanted Sky Machines (04:11) 13 The Kiss (03:58) 14 Down Where the Valleys Are Low (04:54) 15 The Phoenix (02:31) 16 Jesus Was a Crossmaker (03:26) 17 The Kiss (05:05) 18 Down Where the Valleys Are Low (04:17) |
| Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972-1973 : Allmusic album Review : Its wonderful to finally have an official release of the late Judee Sills recordings done for the BBC during 1972 and 1973. They have been bootlegged for years, passed from person to person among the -- then few -- faithful on ragged umpteenth-generation cassettes. When Rhinos Handmade imprint officially released her two albums with supplemental material, the way was created for the rest of her recorded output to see the light of day in an organized fashion. In 2005, San Franciscos Water Records got out her long unreleased third album in a deluxe package, and they have also handsomely put together these tapes in one place. First and foremost, the disclaimer: there is repetition here, especially the material from her debut album. And for whatever reason, producers Filippo Salvadori and Carlton P. Sandercock have broken up the actual concert sessions, interweaving them for what one presumes are aesthetic reasons. In other words, the songs recorded for the BBCs In Concert (with Sill playing solo on guitar and piano) are interspersed with one cut from its program In Session with Bob Harris recorded two weeks later. The other cuts from the Harris sessions are intercut with another In Concert program recorded a year later. It doesnt matter musically, but it may to those rather serious archivists who prefer to listen to things chronologically. The set flows beautifully. The earlier version of "Enchanted Sky Machines" (its here twice, as are "Jesus Was a Cross Maker" and "The Kiss," while "Down Where the Valleys Are Low" appears three times), with its gospel piano riffing, is utterly moving and delightful. Likewise, Sills guitar playing is far more sophisticated than is displayed on her studio offerings (check the 1973 version of "There Is a Rugged Road"). Subsequently, "The Kiss," freshly written a bit before these concerts, makes its first recorded appearances here, before Heart Food was recorded. The vocal performances from 1973 tend not to be as strong -- they are wispier, less authoritative, more tentative. But, as Sill comments in one introduction, she says she has a sore throat, which may be the reason. But in 1973, the sheer excitement of her first two appearances wasnt missing -- which does not mean the songs suffer; they are just more melancholy, which adds different twists to their meanings, especially on the final version of "The Kiss." Its heartbreaking. There is also a track here that includes a nearly five-minute interview with Harris, which does add to rather than subtract from the authority of this set of music. This is about all of it now; there is very little left to issue as the story bleeds into pop history. Hopefully, the musical shelf that now exists will add weight and heft to the true and visionary contribution that Judee Sill brought to the entire Laurel Canyon scene of the early 70s. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 6 Title: Songs of Rapture and Redemption: Rarities & Live Released: 2018-07-13 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:10:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Intro / The Vigilante (live) (04:26) 2 Lady-O (Live at Boston Music Hall) (02:44) 3 Enchanted Sky Machines (Live at Boston Music Hall) (06:57) 4 The Archetypal Man (Live at Boston Music Hall) (03:59) 5 Crayon Angels (Live at Boston Music Hall) (03:26) 6 The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown (live) (03:44) 7 Jesus Was a Cross Maker (Live at Boston Music Hall) (04:50) 8 The Pearl (01:50) 9 The Phoenix (02:35) 10 Jesus Was a Cross Maker (home demo) (03:26) 11 The Desperado (outtake) (03:57) 12 The Kiss (demo) (04:14) 13 Down Where the Valleys Are Low (demo) (04:49) 14 The Donor (demo) (04:43) 15 Soldier of the Heart (demo) (03:06) 16 The Phoenix (demo) (02:29) 17 The Vigilante (demo) (03:44) 18 The Pearl (demo) (01:58) 19 There’s a Rugged Road (demo) (03:34) |