Track listing
- A1 Forget All About It 3:15
- A2 Not Wrong Long 2:30
- A3 Rain Rider 3:52
- A4 Gonna Cry Today 3:15
- A5 Meridian Leeward 3:20
- A6 Under the Ice 5:40
- B1 Hang On Paul 2:42
- B2 Kiddie Boy 3:30
- B3 Featherbedding Lover 2:47
- B4 Letters Don't Count 3:25
- B5 A Beautiful Song 11:15
- Total length: 45:31
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9 Issues
22 Reviews
Off the pace of the debut. This was the last official Nazz record as the band could not get along and they disbanded shortly after this was released (Nazz III was a collection of leftovers). Rundgren's ego had inflated to such heights during the making of this that he took over the producer role and began trying to take full control over the band. The material he was presenting did not appeal to the other members which led to copious amounts of the songs being cut. Todd had originally foreseen this as a double album but he was vetoed. Not getting his way eventually led to his departure soon afterwards. Despite presenting many soft piano ballads, the material chosen here is almost all upbeat stuff, which was the direction the rest of the band wanted to go. I don't think any of this stuff matches up to the best songs from the debut to be honest. Its still pretty good all things considered but has a few weak moments.
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The guy on top looks like Walmart Roger Waters and I think that is very fitting for Nazz being the Walmart Psych-rock Act from the late sixties.
Nazz is nothing special, and it's not surprising that they are barely even a footnote in the 60s musicscape. I think more people should know Nazz though. They aren't THAT good but they do what they try to do well and are bound to construct the occasional banger.
The sophomore effort is pretty much the same as the album with half the same name. Best song at the start and then the occasional good one. Nothing crazy but good job Nazz.
Nazz is nothing special, and it's not surprising that they are barely even a footnote in the 60s musicscape. I think more people should know Nazz though. They aren't THAT good but they do what they try to do well and are bound to construct the occasional banger.
The sophomore effort is pretty much the same as the album with half the same name. Best song at the start and then the occasional good one. Nothing crazy but good job Nazz.
Published
On the second album by Nazz, Nazz Nazz, Nazz get a little more idiosyncratic, less easy to pigeonhole. The LP starts, like the debut, with the all-around strongest song (but not the one released as a single this time), “Forget All About It”, which takes the listener through some odd time changes here and there but always returns to that irresistible power-pop refrain. The next two songs, “Not Wrong Long” and “Rain Rider”, are heavy and rather ponderous; the latter has the feel of a composition by John Kay of Steppenwolf… the mood then swerves briefly into Rundgren’s introspective-wistful side with “Gonna Cry Today”. The next track, “Meridian Leeward”, a ditty that appears to be about a pig who got a nose job and became a jet pilot (but concludes with the line “You look like a cop but you know you’re a pig”, suggesting a subtext), just might be my favorite song on the album; it has a wholehearted commitment to being ridiculous that’s rarely found in American music of the post-psychedelic years, and sounds like something a British prog-rocker like Robert Wyatt might have come up with. Side A ends with “Under the Ice”, a high-energy song with some pretty noticeable Who touches.
For some reason, Rundgren pretty much avoids soloing altogether on side A, but his guitar shows up in time for side B. The first three tracks are all to some extent variations on blues-rock… the opener, “Hang On Paul”, is relatively poppy, with verses that end in a way that somehow feels to me a bit like some George Harrison outtake from Revolver. The next track, “Kiddie Boy”, is pretty much a straight 12-bar boogie, and if that wasn’t enough for you, you get more 12-bar in “Featherbedding Lover”. This is followed by “Letters Don’t Count”, a final foray into the vaguely samba-influenced “Hello It’s Me” style, with some complex vocal counterpoint. The final track, the 11-minute “A Beautiful Song”, is largely a series of assorted instrumental riffs strung together without any obvious overall purpose; it starts out sounding very much like Santana, then gradually metamorphoses into something more orchestral. A raucous boogie then breaks in, giving way in turn to atmospheric vocal harmonies, after which a one-chord hard-rock jam finishes up the piece.
For some reason, Rundgren pretty much avoids soloing altogether on side A, but his guitar shows up in time for side B. The first three tracks are all to some extent variations on blues-rock… the opener, “Hang On Paul”, is relatively poppy, with verses that end in a way that somehow feels to me a bit like some George Harrison outtake from Revolver. The next track, “Kiddie Boy”, is pretty much a straight 12-bar boogie, and if that wasn’t enough for you, you get more 12-bar in “Featherbedding Lover”. This is followed by “Letters Don’t Count”, a final foray into the vaguely samba-influenced “Hello It’s Me” style, with some complex vocal counterpoint. The final track, the 11-minute “A Beautiful Song”, is largely a series of assorted instrumental riffs strung together without any obvious overall purpose; it starts out sounding very much like Santana, then gradually metamorphoses into something more orchestral. A raucous boogie then breaks in, giving way in turn to atmospheric vocal harmonies, after which a one-chord hard-rock jam finishes up the piece.
Published
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A1
Forget All About It
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A2
Not Wrong Long
-
A3
Rain Rider
-
A4
Gonna Cry Today
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A5
Meridian Leeward
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A6
Under the Ice
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B1
Hang On Paul
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B2
Kiddie Boy
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B3
Featherbedding Lover
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B4
Letters Don't Count
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B5
A Beautiful Song
Not Wrong Long
While I admit that I am mostly in it for the ballads when it comes to Todd's mature work, I feel Nazz Nazz is the best available proof that Nazz were at their best when rocking the shit out. 'Not Wrong Long', 'Rain Rider' and particularly the fierce 'Under the Ice' are powerful testament to their R&B chops: Todd fills the left channel with stinging, live guitar-work, Stewkey seems at home with the rawer material and Thom Mooney's drum work on these tracks is honestly thrilling. Some more idiosyncratic offerings are also worth a stamp: while perhaps sailing a little too close to 'Open My Eyes' for its own good, 'Forget All About It' is a sharp, well-realised bit of acid pop/rock (love those bells on the intro!); 'Hang on Paul' is a fun Beatles-tinged boogie; 'Kiddie Boy' is worth it for Todd's rapturous blues soloing alone (reminiscent of Jeff Beck in places); and may I also take this chance offer a sympathy vote to the cheerful nonsense of 'Meridian Leeward' (nice chorus)?Todd, at this point, was pushing for the inclusion of more gentle material to counterbalance the rockers. While this would ultimately by vindicated, it must be said that his slower material at this point is far, far weaker. The double album he was proposing would, I feel, have diluted their stronger work. It's easy to blame the collapse of Nazz on the group's lack of flexibility - we feel we "know" Todd, so will inevitably make him the protagonist - but if I were faced with limp, formless meanders like 'Gonna Cry Today' and 'Letters Don't Count' (not to mention the hill of similar gloop that would be purged on Nazz III, the limpid vileness of which allowed us to have Nazz Nazz) I'd probably be considering a mutiny too.
It isn't just the ballads that're a bugbear. It'd be easy to say that Todd's progressive impulses were his least fruitful even at his peak (give Initiation another try!) but at this point, certainly, he seemed unable to realize the sense of scale he longed for. Do not be fooled by the titanic length and unusual structure of 'A Beautiful Song': while clearly carefully written, it basically amounts to another shapeless ballad choppily encased in days of inert blues romping. Not yet, Todd...
... but soon.
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To be honest I didn't expect much out of Nazz.
I had only perused them here and there through the years.
I knew Todd Rundgren was in the band, before he became Todd Rundgren.
They had a nice song I dug on Nazz Nazz called "Featherbedding Lover", and if it was a single, I would have stayed away from this album altogether.
I had attempted to collect the opening trilogy of albums they made, but found they just were not my rock cup of tea.
Enter today's date, a little older, a little wiser.
Nazz Nazz hit me right in the mouth.
This thing rocked. It rocked heavy.
Gotta love 1969, when things just got a little ballsier for everyone.
Nazz Nazz may have me explore the trilogy again, and you just gotta dig the humor you can find within the group.
These guys had fun, and personality like that can really shine through tunes and vibe.
To call your first album Nazz, then your second Nazz Nazz?
I see you.
I think it was their third album that had a song "Loosen Up" which was a take on the opposite "Tighten Up" tune from back in the day, and as the song progressed it got progressively worse as they all "loosened up".
I see you.
The songwriting isn't incredibly stellar, but is definitely on the cusp of something special.
"Under the Ice" was awesome.
"Featherbedding Lover" is fonky.
This whole thing I wouldn't call essential, but will definitely not be unwelcome into your rock collection.
Nice colors, nice sounds.
8.4 B
I had only perused them here and there through the years.
I knew Todd Rundgren was in the band, before he became Todd Rundgren.
They had a nice song I dug on Nazz Nazz called "Featherbedding Lover", and if it was a single, I would have stayed away from this album altogether.
I had attempted to collect the opening trilogy of albums they made, but found they just were not my rock cup of tea.
Enter today's date, a little older, a little wiser.
Nazz Nazz hit me right in the mouth.
This thing rocked. It rocked heavy.
Gotta love 1969, when things just got a little ballsier for everyone.
Nazz Nazz may have me explore the trilogy again, and you just gotta dig the humor you can find within the group.
These guys had fun, and personality like that can really shine through tunes and vibe.
To call your first album Nazz, then your second Nazz Nazz?
I see you.
I think it was their third album that had a song "Loosen Up" which was a take on the opposite "Tighten Up" tune from back in the day, and as the song progressed it got progressively worse as they all "loosened up".
I see you.
The songwriting isn't incredibly stellar, but is definitely on the cusp of something special.
"Under the Ice" was awesome.
"Featherbedding Lover" is fonky.
This whole thing I wouldn't call essential, but will definitely not be unwelcome into your rock collection.
Nice colors, nice sounds.
8.4 B
Published
Give me the killa phasing and raw Who like riffing of the debut over these "maturity" elevator tunes...well I did dig Forget All About It & Under The Ice though so it gets a 3.
Published
'Nazz Nazz' starts in full powerpop glory with 'Forget All about It', one of those genre-defining songs which Todd Rundgren came up with long before anyone else dabbled in powerpop sounds, at least in the USA,
Indeed, this song is as good as the better-known 'Open My Eyes' which kicked off Nazz's debut album released the previous year.
On the other end of the music spectrum, 'Gonna Cry Today' is the perfect example of the kind of emotional ballads which always seem to have got right of way on Todd Rundgren's records, whether with Nazz or in his subsequent solo career.
All in all, this is not Nazz's most consistent album as the B-side errs a bit on the experimental side with the 11:15 closing track 'A Beautiful Song' but it is a very enjoyable albeit dated record.
Indeed, this song is as good as the better-known 'Open My Eyes' which kicked off Nazz's debut album released the previous year.
On the other end of the music spectrum, 'Gonna Cry Today' is the perfect example of the kind of emotional ballads which always seem to have got right of way on Todd Rundgren's records, whether with Nazz or in his subsequent solo career.
All in all, this is not Nazz's most consistent album as the B-side errs a bit on the experimental side with the 11:15 closing track 'A Beautiful Song' but it is a very enjoyable albeit dated record.
Published
RLNP 110 Vinyl LP (1983)
More of the same (what same? - good question!), albeit with more pretense and less craft.
Published
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Catalog
23 Apr 2024
23 Apr 2024
11 Apr 2024
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A1
Forget All About It
-
A2
Not Wrong Long
-
A3
Rain Rider
-
A4
Gonna Cry Today
-
A5
Meridian Leeward
-
A6
Under the Ice
-
B1
Hang On Paul
-
B2
Kiddie Boy
-
B3
Featherbedding Lover
-
B4
Letters Don't Count
-
B5
A Beautiful Song
31 Mar 2024
31 Mar 2024
24 Mar 2024
8 Mar 2024
14 Feb 2024
13 Feb 2024
12 Feb 2024
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A1
Forget All About It
-
A2
Not Wrong Long
-
A3
Rain Rider
-
A4
Gonna Cry Today
-
A5
Meridian Leeward
-
A6
Under the Ice
-
B1
Hang On Paul
-
B2
Kiddie Boy
-
B3
Featherbedding Lover
-
B4
Letters Don't Count
-
B5
A Beautiful Song
11 Feb 2024
27 Jan 2024
26 Jan 2024
13 Jan 2024
19 Dec 2023