Orchestration by Artie Butler and the LA Philharmonic
Tune In is proud to present, for the first time on CD, this achingly beautiful orchestrated 1968 pop psych odyssey from Los Angeles. Wichita Fall's Life Is But A Dream takes the listener on a magical musical journey of 13 compositions, grouped into four suites, all lovingly arranged by renowned conductor Artie Butler.
Taken from the original Liberty Records masters, this release also includes both sides of their final 45, along with the complete inside story behind the album in the liner notes with quotations from group members and rare photographs. This is a must hear for all fans of sunshine Psychedelia and orchestrated pop
-cherryred.co.uk/tunein
Morning Song / Once In The Morning /Sunny Road / Going To Ohio / Playground / Ornamental Sideshow / Poor Mr Drake's Afternoon Show / Crystal Rain / Hectivity / Schubert's Theme / Night Time Suite / Are You Sleeping / Life Is But A Dream / Bonus Tracks / Lovely Love / Ginger Blue
Side 1-side 2 at bottom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCYlg__k-fY
At the tail-end of the 60s it seemed that every record company wanted to create their own Sgt Pepper. So they requisitioned big orchestras and teamed them up with up and coming young bands. Sometimes the results were amazing (like The Smoke and Asylum Choir albums_ and sometimes those heavyweight string and brass sections overwhelmed fragile tunes from inexperienced writers.
Somewhere inbetween is the very rare 1968 album Life is but a dream by the band Witchita Falls. By all accounts they had been a hard rocking Buffalo Springfield style outfit until they took a dollop of cash from Liberty Records and were teamed up with the Los Angeles Philarmonic..
The resulting album still had enough of the original band on it, but it was clear that the real star was Artie Butler who handled the sweeping string orchestral arrangements.
Forty years on and the album, which has just been reissued by Tune In and alas is currently not on Spotify, is well worth a listen. I first heard its lead track Ornamental Sideshow on a comp a a few years back and was instantly charmed by its mix of Left Banke type structure and classic LA easy listening vibe.
Sadly, after the album flopped the band split leaving the record to become a complete obscurity until LA hipsters began to rediscover it a decade or so ago. Anyway if you love the Left Banke, The Smoke or late Beatles pop check this out.
-popjunkielondon
Side 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEgX6jF18pE
A true conceptual pop psych gem,blatantly ignored by everyone and still waiting to be reissued (it has been finally).With the structural complexity of a soundtrack and the melodic variety of a pop record.The fact it was released in a major would explain such disdain.It reminds me of "The Revolt of Emily Young" but milder and "The Story of Simon Simopath" but funnier.
-CarlosCastro
