New River Head

They Say...

Review by Jack Rabid, All Music Guide

The Beve's early catalog reissue program continues apace, only now they're starting to get to the cream of the crop. This 1990 LP is the record that put Nick Saloman on the map, via timely release here on Restless, with a batch of up and down rockets that contained a few uncontestable gems, which thankfully utterly failed to go unnoticed! (Even those who bought the LP 13-years-ago will find reason for purchase. Recalling that the original issue was edited to fit on one disc, this new remastered reissue restores the original length and 21-song playing order, which takes two CDs to accomplish. Additionally, that's all followed by nine bonus tracks, including the original bonus single Saloman gave away with his U.K. vinyl edition, three rougher demo versions, and four unreleased tracks. Bonanza!) For those investigating New River Head for the first time, it was recorded via the standard Saloman operating procedure of the day, for good and for bad. Other than drums, he does just about the whole LP himself; all the vocals, guitar and bass, organ, electric piano, and, while he was at it, the stark nuclear winter photography for the sleeve. But it was only the second LP he'd done in a proper studio, and it was his hands-down best 'til then (and would remain so for a decade, until 2000's triumphant, full band Valedictory Songs). Like all early Frond, it jumps around way too much (with a couple of lengthy psychedelic instrumental jams that grow as tedious as they were already pointless, totally disrupting the LP's momentum!), and in fact, the edited version was less sporadic. But there's still a songwriting brilliance afoot, climaxing in Saloman's career pinnacles, the achingly beautiful "He'd Be a Diamond" and rare love song "Stain on the Sun." Purchase is warranted for the '60s-esque pop perfection of the former alone, so great that Teenage Fanclub not only recorded it (as did chronic Saloman coverer Mary Lou Lord), but they've all but spent their post-Grand Prix replicating its siren-like qualities. Indeed, "Diamond" is the sort of song Grant Hart once killed you with in the midst of otherwise frantic Hüsker Dü LPs. As well, it's hard to keep from singing along with this ultra-catchy apology for the way men treat women! The skinny? Your own careful edit of this LP can emit a real classic. (www.rubricrecords.com)