Introducing Judee Sill (A Review of Her Debut)

Mellow supermarket music always sends me away to fantasy land. Much of what is then heard on the epic 1971 debut by Miss Sill is really quite delicious and beautiful. This is perfect music when reading a book or when the rain is preventing good Christians from attending church services, but I digress like a motherfucker. This lovely AM Folk Pop epic appropriately starts on a somber note with the reflective and mysterious "Crayon Angels." The song appears to tackle the universal themes of longing and love lost. Judee Sill can really capture a good old fashioned lonely Neil Young moment when she wants to, just to make clear, and unlike so many cliche female singer/songwriters of the time period, Miss Sill appropriately keeps the drama to a minimum. She has an effortless quality in her vocal approach, and she makes excellent use of her curious voice with its slight Southern drawl throughout this blissful S/T debut.

"The Phantom Cowboy" is a little cosmic freak out, and I truly enjoy her tasteful use of vocal harmonies, as this is very much a well produced singer/songwriter album worthy of Sweet Baby James at his lamest (Eat me, James Taylor!). A personal favorite contains some of Judee's bizarre and mystical lyrical ramblings, and the juicy tune in question is given the moniker of "The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown." Again, this is yet another song in which Judee backs herself up with additional vocal duties, and the melodies are so sweet that they will pretty much suck your soul clean off. I would like to make clear that Judee was a damn fine acoustic finger-picking freak, perhaps even on par with Nick Drake himself, or pretty damn close, anyhow. The only "Hits" on the record essentially stem from a song Judee originally penned for those dorks in The Turtles and a one-off session with super Hippie Graham Nash, and for the curious, those two lovely gems are "Lady-O" and "Jesus Was A Cross Maker," respectively.

Such a short little record at just a hair over thirty minutes, and perhaps the only thing that this album is then lacking, would be the orchestration skills that Judee displayed on her second and more religious-oriented follow-up "Heart Food." Of her two records, this one may very well be the easiest of all to digest. There are moments of intensity as are sometimes displayed in the lyrics, but each cut is very inviting regardless. The soft percussive element, and not to mention Judee's additional skills as a pianist, make for toe-tapping ear candy that predictably bears repeated groovy head shaking experiences. You're going to like the way you feel after each play, no question. Of course, for the gentlemen, some of the more girlie-driven numbers may be a bit silly to shake your masculine buttocks to, but the music is so powerful and palatable and inviting to your macho jerk ears, that you may not have much of a choice, mate.

Of course, while some of the lyrics may perhaps be understandably dated, it is ultimately Judee Sill The Composer who shines most of all, because that is what drives her music: UNDENIABLE MELODIES. I suggest catching a cloudy chocolate train journey to the center of Judee Sill's soul, because she is leaving everything open for investigation. And if you like the satisfying and timeless sounds produced here, then by all means be sure to nab up her "Heart Food" album as well, but do be warned that the mood is darker on her epic final album. I have an earlier blog entry that discusses Judee Sill more so in the general sense, so give it a read, if you have a moment to spare. Of course, rather detailed information can be found on various web sites for any FAQ's you may have in relation to Judee.

Move over, Cat Stevens! Because Judee's got your number, and her melodies have been working overtime, buster! BUY JUDEE'S GNARLY DEBUT: Judee Sill.

Thanks for looking, my shy little darlings! Tee-hee!

Speaking of Crayon Angels...