Listen To The Dolphin's

Everbody's Talkin'- Fred Neil MP3


Green Rocky Road- Fred Neil MP3
4/28/11

beeradvocate.com- B+

Bluepoint Hoptical Illusion IPA-Key Food, Forest Hills Queens-12oz bottle into Pub Glass- 6.8% ABV- This is an interesting beer for me. A few years ago before I really tried many different beers I bought a six pack of this. I had been drinking Bluepoint Toasted Lager for a few months at a happy hour I used to frequent in Brooklyn which had $3 pints of it as a special. I like the Toasted Lager and I saw this in a bodega and thought I would try it. When I got it home and tasted I was pretty shocked I had never tasted a beer so bitter. It was very suprising and I actually didn't like it that much and did not return to it till today. Although I didn't like the beer I was intrigued by how different it was and in some I think it was partly responsible for me getting at least a bit interested in expanding my tastes a bit. That said this beer poured a deep gold with hints of tangerine. About a fingers worth of head which receded fairly rapidly. Some foamy blotches left on the glass but not much true lacing going on. Translucent with a heavy flurry of bubbles racing to the top of the glass. Strong citrus aroma but not overpowering. Nice body creamy but a bit towards the light side and very carbonated. This beer is not as strong as I remembered it but it certainly has a nice "hop" presence. This is actually quite an easy drinking beer suprisingly especially compared to the last time I drank it about 4 years ago. Maybe a bit more balance would be nice, a bit more maltieness would make this perfect. I could see myself drinking this again when I am in the mood for a beer with a bit of character but not one that is gonna knock me out. Well done. I think the beeradvocate.com rating of B+ is right on their mark.

On the turntable is Everybody's Talkin' (Theme From "Midnight Cowboy")- Fred Neil- a late 60's Capitol Records reissue of Fred Neil by Fred Neil recorded
in 1966. I was inspired to play this LP because I just finished a book called Positively 4th Street which documented the early 1960's folk scene in NYC through the early careers of Bob Dylan, Richard Farina and Joan and Mimi Baez. Fred Neil was mentioned in the book a couple of times and it prompted me to pull out this LP I had not listened to for a few years.

Although a mentor to many aspiring singers like David Crosby Mr. Neil was never a widely known singer-songwriter in popular culture but his legacy was sealed by authoring the song Everybody's Talking, successfully covered by Harry Nilsson for the movie Midnight Cowboy which has now become a fascinating sonic touchstone for the late 60's and early 70's. Aided by its prominent inclusion in the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack it has become a ubiquitous and archetypal song which has resonated with successive generations and one I personally associate with that era even though I wasn't born until 1974. Everybody's Talkin' incorporates those distinguished, searching qualities so well illustrated in other songs of that time like Wichita Lineman, God Only Knows and Sunday Morning Coming Down. A bit of achy loneliness, alienation and hope for the future.

After doing a bit of research on the internet I realized to some disappointment Mr. Neil's catalog is not very deep: 4 LP's and some unreleased work and compilation albums. At the dawn of the 1970's Mr. Neil largely retired from the music game, probably aided from residuals provided by Everybody's Talking, and became a precursor to the modern day environmentalist taking up the protection of Dolphins long before it was an attractive social cause. This LP has some really nice moments outside of its tile track. With subtle electric folk arrangements and a deep, baritone vocal delivery Mr. Neil incorporates a variation on the traditional "Cocaine Blues" in Sweet Cocaine and possibly inspires Jerry Garcia in someway with a song reminiscent of Garcia's "Sugaree" with I've Got a Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree). Above I included MP3's of Everybody's Talking, in its stripped down original incarnation, along with my other favorite from this LP the lilting, woozy Green Rocky Road.