LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

The sound of these records must have seemed more than a bit confusing, even in those anything-goes times: Classical musicians duking it out with Nashville cats and Tijuana brass, with a harpsichord-wielding composer serving as ringmaster and referee? What on Earth were they thinking?" -- Andy Zax, from his liner notes to this Rhino Handmade release Although the boldly eclectic Neon Philharmonic broke into the Billboard Pop Singles chart twice -- with "Morning Girl" in 1969 and "Heighdy-Ho Princess" in 1970 -- the world probably wasn't yet ready for their unique blend of pop and majesty. The group released two albums and five non-LP singles for Warner Bros. between 1969 and 1971, remaining active until 1975 (albeit in diluted form after 1972's "Annie Poor" single, following which songwriter Tupper Saussy and singer Don Gant had little or no involvement). At the heart of the Philharmonic are the sweeping compositions of Tupper Saussy, whose rich pop constructions compare with those of Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Webb, and The Beatles. Classically trained at an early age, the Florida native studied jazz with Oscar Peterson, George Russell, and Jimmy Giuffre at the School of Jazz in Lenox, Massachusetts. In the early '60s he wound up in the advertising business, where he managed accounts and wrote copy and jingles. But he also moonlit as a Nashville jazz player, eventually jamming with Chet Atkins and cutting three albums for Fred Foster's Monument Records. By 1969 he had also composed two major pieces for the Nashville Symphony. Saussy's transition to pop music came by way of The Beatles by way of Leonard Bernstein ("These guys are very important," the famous composer had said). During a period of writing for the fabled Acuff-Rose music publishing firm -- and imbibing large quantities of "Penny Lane" and "Good Vibrations" -- Saussy made a set of demos for what he called a "phonograph opera" with Don Gant. The duo was soon signed by Warner Bros. as the Neon Philharmonic. This two-disc Rhino Handmade release contains everything the Neon Philharmonic recorded for Warner Bros. between 1968 and 1971. Both The Moth Confesses and The Neon Philharmonic albums from 1969 are presented in their entirety. Also included are all of the Warner non-LP singles, three previously unreleased songs recorded in 1970, and five promotional radio spots. Special packaging includes a six-panel digipak and slipcase. The accompanying booklet contains a comprehensive interview with Tupper Saussy and many never-before-seen photographs. Brilliant Colors: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 2,500 copies.
TRACK LISTING BRILLIANT COLORS (4:12) COWBOY (2:21) THE NEW LIFE OUT THERE (5:30) MORNING GIRL (2:09) MIDSUMMER NIGHT (6:42) LITTLE SPARROW (3:12) THE LAST TIME I SAW JACQUELINE (3:40) MORNING GIRL, LATER (2:30) ARE YOU OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER DRESDEN? (5:16) FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE (2:21) YOU LIED (3:25) HARRY (4:08) NO ONE IS GOING TO HURT YOU (3:53) LONG JOHN THE PIRATE (5:14) F. SCOTT FITZGERALD & WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (5:10) THE MORDOR NATIONAL ANTHEM (0:43) MORNING GIRL (Mono Single Version) (2:09) BRILLIANT COLORS (Mono Single Version) (4:12) NO ONE IS GOING TO HURT YOU (Mono Single Version) (3:50) YOU LIED (Mono Single Version) (3:20) CLOUDS (2:36) SNOW (3:20) HEIGHDY-HO PRINCESS (3:20) DON'T KNOW MY WAY AROUND MY SOUL (3:00) FLOWERS FOR YOUR PILLOW (2:15) TO BE CONTINUED (2:26) SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN (3:16) A LITTLE LOVE (2:56) GOT A FEELIN' IN MY BONES (2:57) KEEP THE FAITH IN ME (3:05) BETTER TIMES (2:24) JODY (3:11) LETTERS CROSSING (2:56) RADIO SPOT 1 (0:58) RADIO SPOT 2 (0:59) RADIO SPOT 3 (0:52) RADIO SPOT 4 (0:54) RADIO SPOT 5 (0:50)