[2018-09-28] Alexander Skip Spence "AndOarAgain" 3CD set (Modern Harmonic)

Linda · **Posted:** Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:15 pm

Description
AndOarAgain provides unparalleled access to what David Fricke calls “the most harrowing and compelling artifacts of rock & roll’s most euphoric era” across three dozen unheard tracks! In addition to the quintessential original album, AndOarAgain features nearly two hours of unheard music on the way to Oar–along with roads not taken–that both clarifies and muddies the enigma of how psychedelic legend Alexander “Skip” Spence determined the final state of his iconic masterpiece. The time: December, 1968. The setting: the Columbia Recording Studios at 504 16th Avenue South in Nashville, Tennessee. Alexander Spence – a singer, songwriter, and guitarist commonly known as Skip, recently relieved of his duties in the San Francisco rock band Moby Grape after a descent into excessive hallucinatory-drug use and a psychotic episode with a fire axe – is recording Oar, his first album as a Columbia solo artist. It will also be his last. Made in six days spread over two weeks, then released six months later on May 19th, 1969, Oar will be Spence’s only complete expression of his experimental verve and musical facility, under his real name and creative control, before he recedes into rapidly deepening, ultimately conquering darkness. A half-century after its brisk, strange birth, Oar remains an apparent chaos of eccentric composition and overwhelming melancholy, wreathed in country-blues shadows and the smokey blur of Spence’s wounded-baritone singing.

AndOarAgain, a 3-CD set including the seminal original album, the 1999 bonus cuts, and nearly two hours of unheard Oar; all packaged in a hardbound book-style jacket with rare photos and extensive notes from David Fricke!

Tracklist
[CD1]
1. Little Hands
2. Cripple Creek
3. Diana
4. Margaret – Tiger Rug
5. Weighted Down (The Prison Song)
6. War In Peace
7. Broken Heart
8. All Come To Meet Her
9. Books Of Moses
10. Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin For Yang)
11. Lawrence Of Euphoria
12. Grey/Afro
13. This Time He Has Come
14. It’s The Best Thing For You
15. Keep Everything Under Your Hat
16. Furry Heroine (Halo Of Gold)
17. Givin’ Up Things
18. If I’m Good
19. You Know
20. Doodle
21. Fountain
22. I Think You And I

[CD2]
1. Little Hands (Take 2)
2. Cripple Creek (Basic)
3. Diana (Take 3)
4. Furry Heroine (Halo Of Gold) (Alternate)
5. My Friend
6. War In Peace (Alternate)
7. Broken Heart (Voc & Acoustic)
8. All Come To Meet Her Now (Alternate 1)
9. I Want A Rock & Roll Band
10. Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin For Yang) (Alternate)
11. Lawrence Of Euphoria (Alternate)
12. Mary Jane/Steamboat
13. I Got A Lot To Say (Version 1)
14. Diana (Alternate 1)
15. War In Peace (Instrumental)
16. Diana (Alternate 2)

[CD3]
1. Little Hands (Vocal Overdub)
2. Diana (Version 2)
3. Weighted Down (The Prison Song) (Rehearsal)
4. The Shape You’re In
5. I Want A Rock & Roll Band (Instrumental)
6. It’s A Hard Life (Version 1)
7. I Got Something For You
8. Diana (12 String Version)
9. I Got A Lot To Say (Version 2)
10. It Ain’t Nice (Version 1)
11. She Don’t Care
12. All Come To Meet Her (Alternate 2)
13. It Ain’t Nice (Version 2)
14. It’s A Hard Life (Version 2)
15. All Come To Meet Her (Rehearsal)
16. Diana (Overdub)
17. War In Peace (Take 2)
18. Broken Heart (Extended Master)
19. War In Peace (Guitar Overdub)
20. Diana (Basics)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G26SRQL/?tag=imwan-20

GodsComic · 03 Aug 2006

Not sure how I feel about the Love-esque title.

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

I own the Sundazed CD, this is very dark music and can be a tough listen for some. Should be very interesting to hear the unreleased material.

Rick A · 23 Jul 2006

eelkiller wrote:

I own the Sundazed CD, this is very dark music and can be a tough listen for some. Should be very interesting to hear the unreleased material.

Agree, I have the Sundazed as well with 10 bonus tracks. I'm good unless something here really intrigues me.

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

Rick A wrote:

eelkiller wrote:

I own the Sundazed CD, this is very dark music and can be a tough listen for some. Should be very interesting to hear the unreleased material.

Agree, I have the Sundazed as well with 10 bonus tracks. I'm good unless something here really intrigues me.

Yep the track listing is needed. Two more hours of that style might be too depressing.

Rick Peterson · **Joined:** 23 Jan 2007 **Posts:** 388

Like you guys, I bought that Sundazed CD many years ago, and gave it many listens over the years. I could never find more than a handful of tracks that I thought were only "pretty good". Finally, I sold it last year. The dark tone didn't bother me, it was just a case of performance, arrangements and songwriting. I do like Moby Grape a lot, and I like Syd Barrett's solo work (sort of comparable!).

Jason Michael · 30 May 2012

I didn't realize that Modern Harmonic is an imprint of Sundazed until I got an e-mail promo today from Sundazed touting this release. I haven't played Oar in a while so not sure if I really need this new expansion. I used to buy a lot of music from Sundazed, but they have become irrelevant as a reissue label (for me). They just don't have much that I am interested in any more. I probably have around a hundred CDs and LPs from them, but haven't bought any in the last three or four years. A lot of the stuff I bought was stuff they licenced from Sony, there was a lot of Columbia, Epic, Ode and related labels, but they seem to have ended that deal (I know Oar is from Sony, so they must still have some connections with them.).
Sorry for the digression. Back to your regularly scheduled AndOarAgain.

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

Sundazed seemed to go more for the vinyl sales, strike while the iron is hot I guess. Their CD release dried up for the most part.

Linda · **Posted:** Sun Aug 26, 2018 2:37 pm

We now have the tracklist in the first post, and here's an audio preview:

Linda · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2018 5:43 am

The pre-order price has dropped by $11, down to $34.82:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G26SRQL/?tag=imwan-20

[2018-09-28] Alexander Skip Spence "AndOarAgain" 3CD set (Modern Harmonic)

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