Strictly Personal eng

The Album was just as described ,record on great shape delivered fast packaged well. Very pleased buyer.

Though they got quite a bit of press, CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND HIS MAGIC BAND was dropped by their label Buddha after their first album tanked. I have to say that the Buddha Records' decades-buried out-take of "Safe As Milk" included as a bonus track on the CAPTAIN's recently remastered release of the band's first album SAFE AS MILK (1967) is wonderful, and, ironically, the original SAFE AS MILK album did not include that title track! That track, and a few others also recorded for Buddha (particularly "On Tomorrow" and "Trust Us") are far superior to the "studio enhanced" over-phased muck on this record (including heavily over-dubbed vocals and corny special effects, such as the heartbeat at the end of "Ah Feel Like Ahcid"). The band's second album, released on Blue Thumb Records late in 1968, was ill-received for these various reasons (long story, who cares but buffs?) Nonetheless, this record has some very amusing, compelling parts ("Beatle Bones And Smokin' Stones" which alienated early supporter JOHN LENNON) unique blues, and what can only be described as "Acid Rock." The liner notes (by Mark Paytress of Record Collector magazine) scoff at the notion that the first track, "Ah Feel Like Ahcid," is "Acid Rock" and he's right it's certainly more SON HOUSE Blues influenced than by the surfeit of Acid Rock groups then in the mainstream. However, the lyrics betray clear references to dropping acid "...licked a stamp...dropped a stamp..." So, sure, it references the original idea of a double album intended to be packaged to look like a postally used package (that album idea was shelved by Buddha and was intended to be entitled IT COMES TO YOU IN A PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER) but one cannot ignore the lyrics and the year in which STRICTLY PERSONAL was released.I think it is a mistake to assume that LENNON didn't listen to this record quite a bit; though he was reportedly insulted by "Beatle Bones And Smokin' Stones" (which is disappointingly suggestive of LENNON's lack of humor about himself). I hear the CAPTAIN's "Kandy Korn" influence on LENNON's ABBEY ROAD track "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." It is my opinion that "Beatle Bones" is historically the most interesting track on STRICTLY PERSONAL, and that track alone is worth the price of admission. I also think it is a terribly misunderstood song. The last line is "...strawberry FEELS forever," a typically clever pun by the CAPTAIN. Considering the care the CAPTAIN used in selecting words for his lyrics, that line seems a declarative statement of the unending influence of LENNON's extremely important, far-reaching, and eternal single "Strawberry Fields Forever." I think LENNON just didn't get it.Certainly enjoyable, but also annoyingly cloudy, I must dock STRICTLY PERSONAL a point because of the muddy production, which obscures the percussion and charging guitars, and can recommend it only to diehard fans of the CAPTAIN or of BLUES influenced ACID ROCK. Nonetheless, "Son Of Mirrorman" is still powerful, "Gimme Dat Harp Boy" is such scorching raw and insightful blues it's impossible to obscure, and "Kandy Korn" (my own favorite) has stunning moments. Long out of print stateside, this album is now only available as an import.

A purple splash on a vitamin C tablet ,restricted to constricting space relics as costume, the magic was transformed by archaic studio enhancements. Glad it wasn't too basie. Rubber scones bounced it a tin horn...beat Mexican fish took off, n on-board phaser beams swirled ambient noise. Don'd harp a trumpet guitar still pickin,Cotton calls to verse as drums were phased into tomorrow. This is the end of it all,my last disk of Don's contortions and boogie woogie. After effects : I play liked John Lee Hooker in prickly heat,while brother Bob served sermons and salmon, wretched boondoggles muled a for piece and the Vermont maid did my waffles. What did you have then, old man, snausages ?

What's wrong with this album? If Vliet is the antithesis of psychedelia then no amount of phasing, tape delay or other associated ephemera can make him otherwise. The controversy is just a rallying point for hipster academia. One of the best tracks Beefheart ever wrote was "Beatle Bones 'N' Smokin' Stones" and it's a perfect example of what was to come.

Safe as milk.

If you were a fan of Captain Beefheart then you would want this badly if you didn't already have it.

My husband loves Captain Beefheart. Great CD

Excellent album!

I really love Safe as Milk and probably prefer it to this album. Having listened to Safe as Milk and Trout Mask Replica for many years I finally got around to purchasing this album having been put off my the tales of the poor production. While it would be interesting to hear this album with more 'straight' production I now wish I had ignored those reviews and just bought this years ago!It definitely fits between Safe as Milk and Trout Mask Replica in terms of the blend of blues and what would go on to be more typical Captain Beefheart. Like many good albums my favourite track appears to change each time depending on my mood though Gimme Dat Harp Boy is always a blast!Just buy the album and listen to it a few times to tune in.

Mark E. Smith's favourite? I can see why. SP is an album stuffed with great tunes that on repeated listenings manages to shine through the horrendous production effects that threaten to swamp the top class musicianship. The natural successor to 'Safe As Milk', the debut, and curiously enough, the album that contains the definitive version of that track. For, though this is really a blues-based album, the awful phasing and flanging, esp. of the Captain's vocals, ends up making it sound borderline psychedelic, which is curious when you consider it was released at a time when all things psychedelic were rapidly falling out of fashion. I honestly believe that, had that not been the case, and this record had been left to stand exactly as the pieces fell, it would have been considered a classic of the late sixties move towards a more rootsy sound, arriving around the same time as The Band's 'Music From Big Pink' and The Stones' 'Beggar's Banquet', but that was not to be, and Beefheart had to change tack again, and prepare to make his masterpiece, 'Trout Mask Replica', and that wasn't ever going to gain him general acceptance. The thing about SP is, that besides 'Bluejeans And Moonbeams', it is the easiest of the canon to place and date, and that is almost impossible, i.e., with an album like 'Ice Cream For Crow' or 'Lick My Decals Off Baby'. That said, it is essential Beefheart, and worth every red cent. You just can't keep a good man down.

Had this album on vinyl once but don't have a vinyl set up anymore so i bought this one, "Safe As Milk" and "Spotlight Kid" together. I now have them on my MP3 player and it's dead good to be able to hear all these tracks on my headphones and in the car which is usually the only time I get to play my own music. The artistry of the "Magic Band" is amazing and the Captain himself providing the inspiration and direction for the blues based, sonic backdrop that is unique. It is so refreshing to hear instruments played so well and in a fashion that does not need layers of effects to make it sound good.

I had the vinyl copy of this many, many years ago and still find it very rewarding to listen to as a CD. To me then (and still now) this album was a breath of fresh air - a raw and unique approach which transcended definition. Yes, there is argument about whether the 'phasing' used in production was with or without permission but I have always liked it just as it is. A huge amount of energy, a driving sound and a strong blues feel alongside the unique Beefheart vocals make this a real gem.

It was too much for my mirror...man!