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maanantai 1. joulukuuta 2014

The Green Pajamas: Happy Halloween!

Green Monkey Records (GM 1026)


This 77-minute CD includes the second, VERY limited (just 10 copies...) The Green Pajamas tape Happy Halloween! from 1984 released on CD for the first time. In addition to the eight tracks from that release there are 13 other tracks that the boys recorded on tape recorder in the basement rehearsal place around the same time thirty years ago. The three first songs have been previously released ("Thinking Only of You (Lust Don't Last)" & "All I Want to Do" on Goar EP #8 and "In the Sky" on Lee Jackson in Space compilation), but the ten other tracks are previously unreleased. Some of the songs have been later re-written/re-recorded and released on other albums, but these are the first versions and definitely capture the original spirit of this excellent psych pop/folk band from Seattle. The band uses vocals, electric and 12-string guitars, bass, drums, primitive percussion, Casio keyboards, cello and clavichord and the music already has that distinctive vibe and sound that makes The Green Pajamas so special. You can sometimes hear clear 60s influences (from the likes of The Beatles or The Byrds), but they already had something unique going on and I really enjoy listening to this CD. All the stuff is coming from cassette tapes from Jeff Kelly's drawer and had some problems in the first place, so just don't expect spectacular sound quality, although Tom Dyer from The Green Monkey has done a great mastering job.

Especially the Happy Halloween! songs (tracks 4-11 on the CD) present the darker side of The Green Pajamas (apart from "Dancing in the Jailhouse", perhaps), but there are also some happier moments in there, for example "Thinking Only of You (Lust Don't Last)". Most of the songs are relatively short, but there are a couple of longer ones as well, like the last actual track "This Winter's Night" recorded just before Christmas in 1984 with some friends joining in on chorus. After that there's still an unlisted surprise "cover track"... In summary, Happy Helloween! CD is a very welcome opportunity to hear all these wonderful songs from years ago and a must-have for any self-respecting Green Pajamas fan.

thegreenpajamas.net










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