Mellow Candle - Any Fans?

[Scrotum Scissor]

Somehow overlooked:

Vashti Bunyan

Bunyan is hardly overlooked by anyone except for perhaps with "prog" people; Just Another Diamond Day (which is great) apparently sold less than 5000 units on initial release, but after toted by the likes of Beth Orton, Espers and the like in the early 2000s it took off to turn tenfold of that. Which essentially was also what happened to Comus' First Utterance, the Simon Finn and Fresh Maggots releases.

[Kai]

Bunyan is hardly overlooked by anyone except for perhaps with "prog" people; Just Another Diamond Day (which is great) apparently sold less than 5000 units on initial release, but after toted by the likes of Beth Orton, Espers and the like in the early 2000s it took off to turn tenfold of that. Which essentially was also what happened to Comus' First Utterance, the Simon Finn and Fresh Maggots releases.

I'll then blow any hipster credibility I might have had along with the remains of my "prog" credibility, and say that I found Just Another Diamond Day a curious but a thin and unegaging relic, whereas I genuinely like most of her more "manufactured" second album Lookaftering.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I'll then blow any hipster credibility I might have had along with the remains of my "prog" credibility, and say that I found Just Another Diamond Day a curious but a thin and unegaging relic, whereas I genuinely like most of her more "manufactured" second album Lookaftering.

He-he, not really. 'Cause Lookaftering wouldn't even have happened were it not for the endorsements of good hipster folks at Drag City, who not only elevated Diamond Day but encouraged Bunyan to pick up the pieces,from there. I absolutely agree that compositionally her second album is a clear improvement.

[JJ88]

Just Another Diamond Day is another that would be well into 4 figures in its original pressing.

Its title track was even used for some time on a TV advert over here!

[spacefreak]

He-he, not really. 'Cause Lookaftering wouldn't even have happened were it not for the endorsements of good hipster folks at Drag City, who not only elevated Diamond Day but encouraged Bunyan to pick up the pieces,from there. I absolutely agree that compositionally her second album is a clear improvement.

Garry Higgins had also the same "revitalised treatment". And Linda Perhacs more recently.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Garry Higgins had also the same "revitalised treatment". And Linda Perhacs more recently.

Michael Chapman, Bill Fay, even some who once were substantial but fell off the map somewhat, like Nilsson and Chapin. List is long.

[JJ88]

^Nilsson and Chapin achieved some level of success at their peak- Nilsson having one blockbuster album and two huge hit singles. Chapman and Fay (particularly), not really. The latter especially probably sells more now than ever.

US contemporaries, maybe the likes of David Ackles and Judee Sill, but both of those are dead.

[Dok]

Judee Sill

Just FYI, Intervention Records will be releasing both of Judee's albums as 45RPM double LPs.

[adap2it]

How about the MORRIGAN from the UK.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJe-l4NJRMU Almost totally under the radar

[moecurlythanu]

How about the MORRIGAN from the UK.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJe-l4NJRMU Almost totally under the radar

I don't think that the hipsters ever glommed onto them. Or if they did, I completely missed it.

[adap2it]

I don't think that the hipsters ever glommed onto them. Or if they did, I completely missed it.

I missed that quote too...it must be Friday night!

[zombywoof]

This album is beautiful. It's the gorgeous little early 70's album of your dreams. You always hoped something like this existed, and there it is. Love it.

[adap2it]

This album is beautiful. It's the gorgeous little early 70's album of your dreams. You always hoped something like this existed, and there it is. Love it.

Which album are you referring to...

[Scrotum Scissor]

US contemporaries, maybe the likes of David Ackles and Judee Sill, but both of those are dead.

Excellent examples, although Ackles (especially) has NEVER reached the level of general acknowledgement the critics once bestowed on him. American Gothic in particular is a near-stunning accomplishment. Of course, singer/songwriters like Bernie Taupin, Elvis Costello, Jackie Leven etc. always kept mentioning him in interviews and such. A part of me speculates that somehow Ackles' life and doing was simply to apparently pedestrian for him to achieve much actual cult status; he married his collage sweetheart, drank quite a bit but didn't do drugs or scandals, had modest success but essentially was somewhat too plainly 'Americana' to stir many waters.

[Scrotum Scissor]

This album is beautiful. It's the gorgeous little early 70's album of your dreams. You always hoped something like this existed, and there it is. Love it.

Bay City Rollers??!

[JJ88]

Excellent examples, although Ackles (especially) has NEVER reached the level of general acknowledgement the critics once bestowed on him. American Gothic in particular is a near-stunning accomplishment. Of course, singer/songwriters like Bernie Taupin, Elvis Costello, Jackie Leven etc. always kept mentioning him in interviews and such. A part of me speculates that somehow Ackles' life and doing was simply to apparently pedestrian for him to achieve much actual cult status; he married his collage sweetheart, drank quite a bit but didn't do drugs or scandals, had modest success but essentially was somewhat too plainly 'Americana' to stir many waters.

Indeed. There were a few Ackles covers by rock bands- Brian Auger/Julie Driscoll with 'The Road To Cairo' and The Hollies' 'Down River'. The latter is stunning and the same album (Romany) had a terrific Judee Sill cover, 'Jesus Was A Crossmaker'.

None other than Phil Collins chose 'Down River' in its original form as a Desert Island Disc:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0093wm0

Which album are you referring to...

I would guess Swaddling Songs itself. It is indeed magnificent...things like 'Silversong' and 'Reverend Sisters' have the 'spook factor'.

[zombywoof]

Bay City Rollers??!

'Natch.

[JKL2000]

[moecurlythanu]

If anyone is interested, Alison O'Donnell had some Mellow Candle T-Shirts made up, and they're available on Bandcamp for a limited time. Tote bags too, if you're into that sort of thing.

https://alisonodonnell.bandcamp.com/...anpub_fb_merch

[Piskie]

Alison is a lovely lady and has been a regular of our local folk club zooms since the days of lockdown.

[MortSahlFan]

Definitely. I like close to a hundred 70s prog-rock bands with a woman on vocals and this is one of the better bands.

[bfd]

Nice to see Mellow Candle getting some coverage here. Loudest Whisper's 1974 "Children of Lir" might appeal to some of the the same folks....