Retro Reviews: Bee Gees: Main Course

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums.

The Bee Gees – Main Course (1975)

****

Producer: Arif Mardin

Musicians: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Blue Weaver, Alan Kendal, Dennis Bryon, Joe Farrell, Ray Barretto, Don Brooks, Gene Orloff

Songs: Nights On Broadway, Jive Talkin’, Wind Of Change, Songbird, Fanny (Be Tender With My Love), All This Making Love, Country Lanes, Come On Over, Edge Of The Universe, Baby As You Turn Away

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    The Bee Gees have released a new album that may help significantly increase their chart fortunes. They have been in a kind of commercial wilderness over the past three years after the run of their success from the late 60s to early part of the decade. Yet this new album feels focused. Producer Arif Mardin, who helmed Mr. Natural, has come back for this group of songs, but the writing feels more concise here. Their dalliances into Dance, Soul, and funk don’t feel like a substitution for thin material. There’s real song craft here, they have just reframed the arrangements, and adapted so that the listeners focus could be on the songs. Of course, their characteristic three-part harmony cuts through the material, there's a lot of falsetto work on here, but the musicianship is steady. Maurice’s bass work has that rhythmic drive, he understands the assignment. Barry’s rhythm guitar work and Alan’s lead guitar have a fine interplay. Blue Weaver’s keyboard work and his bass synth work have a nice support to Maurice’s bass at various moments.

    I am aware of the assumption that the Bee Gees are a poor man’s version of The Beatles, but I don’t think this is true and now an unfair impression. The band are their own entity. The Beatles ended at the perfect moment, but peers like The Bee Gees are well suited to adapt to the changing trends. This direction isn’t surprising when you consider David Bowie’s new album Young Americans went in a similar vein - considering how European musicians have often been on the vanguard of trends - I am not surprised that such musicians are capitalizing on the East Coast dance scene, but music isn’t built around one type of groove, Funk is amorphic and there’s many approaches to how to build grooves, so how does the album measure up to these standards?

    Side one features a surprising group of strong songs. The first two numbers are stupendous, “Nights On Broadway” sets the tone with some dynamic and dramatic passages. It also demonstrates the craft I had mentioned previously. It’s of little surprise that “Jive Talkin’” is the single, it demonstrates an infectious groove, and some clever keyboard hooks. There’s a certain dance grandeur to “Wind Of Change” with a lifting chorus. The orchestra embellishments enhances this, and there’s a sultry saxophone solo drenched with delay. The ballad “Songbird” seems to channel Elton John with it’s feel, in addition to the standard band vocal sound. The closing ballad “Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)” is probably the third most accessible and strongest number of the album and the Bee Gees show demand of the ballad format. Very well crafted. 

    Side two takes some interesting directions and expands on the format, although there’s debate if it all matches the quality of the first half. “All This Making Love” is an off kilter pop number with a touch of eccentricity. “Country Lanes” is a gospel infused ballad with occasional wisps of counterpoint vocal lines. The stronger “Come On Over” is a pop country blues that is more typical of their standard sound, but with traces of country guitar phrases for good measure. The other strong piece is the mid-tempo pop of “Edge Of The Universe” seems to be about a spiritual awakening. The album closer “Baby As You Turn Away” has Barry shift to his falsetto and wraps with another strong chorus. The album cover work is a clever homage to twenties and Victorian style. 

    The second half may not leave as strong of an impression, but this album is bound to reassess the listener to the merits of the band’s work, there’s some gripping moments with half the album, and the quality overall remains quite high. They have managed to offer up some surprises and I will be curious to see where they go from here.