If the Left Banke and Michael Brown are footnotes in the history of rock and roll, they’re long and notable ones.
The Left Banke, which formed in New York City in 1965, had only two hits. However, both were important recordings that helped popularize the so-called baroque pop trend with instrumentation that included harpsichord, oboe, and a string quartet. One was the exquisite “Pretty Ballerina,” which went to No. 15 on the Billboard pop chart in December 1966. The other was “Walk Away, Renee,” a perfectly executed tale of unrequited love that made the Top 5 in July of the same year. Named one of the 500 best songs of the entire rock era, that song has been covered by such artists as Southside Johnny and the Four Tops.
The Left Banke also recorded many other noteworthy tracks, most of which you can find on There’s Gonna Be a Storm: The Complete Recordings 1966–69. Strangers on a Train – which was recorded between 1978 and 2002, released in 1986, and reissued three years ago – contains more excellent material.
The Left Banke in 1966. Michael Brown is second from left.
As for group co-founder Brown, who died at age 65 in 2015, he wrote “Pretty Ballerina” and co-wrote “Walk Away, Renee.” He also helped compose much of the group’s other material, including “Desiree,” a 1967 single that deserved more attention than it received. Brown, who played keyboards, later had major roles in several other groups, including Montage, Stories (with vocalist Ian Lloyd), and the Beckies.
It is the Beckies’ eponymous – and only – album that is the subject of the latest Brown-related release. The record, which first appeared in 1976, has been reissued before, in 2015. This time, though, it has been remastered and augmented with new liner notes and 13 demos, just three of which evolved into songs that made it onto the self-titled LP.
Called Good to Know: The Beckies Story, the two-CD set was co-produced by Brown, who plays keyboards throughout. He also co-wrote all 24 of its songs, some in collaboration with singer Scott Trusty and some with drummer Gary Hodgden (for whose wife the group was named).
When it first appeared, The Beckies failed to chart, at least partly because the group neither toured nor received much promotion from its label. Another factor was that they were out of step with the current music scene, which was dominated by disco and hard rock.
The Beckies has nothing to do with either of those genres. Some of its material flirts heavily with power pop and the rest harkens back to the baroque pop world of the Left Banke. Though the album incorporates a few throwaways, much of its program merits attention. The elegantly constructed “River Bayou” and “On the Morning That She Came,” both of which rank with the best of the Left Banke, are alone worth the price of admission. Among the demos are more melodic gems, such as “Day Break” and “Lonely Times,” that underscore the extent of Brown’s talent.
Jeff Burger’s website, byjeffburger.com, contains five decades’ worth of music reviews, interviews, and commentary. His books include Dylan on Dylan: Interviews and Encounters, Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon, Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters, and Springsteen on Springsteen: Interviews, Speeches, and Encounters.
