Bram Tchaikovsky: Sarah Smiles

Bram Tchaikovsky: Sarah Smiles

1978

Criminal Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl

Track Listing: 1. Sarah Smiles  2. Turn on the Light  3.Bloodline


This is Bram's earliest solo recording, done while he was still in the Motors.  Theoretically, I should have covered this one earlier, but I just bought it last weekend and my time machines in the shop, so here we go...

I was digging through the used record bins at Eastside and saw a Bram Tchaikovsky album I didn't own and was like, "Fuck yea!" However, I took a quick look at the cover and noticed that I already had all of these songs on "Strange Man, Changed Man..." As a result, I was this close to passing this one up.   But then I noticed the album was credited to "Bram Tchaikovsky's Battle Axe" which was such an overly bad-ass title for such a harmony-rich power-pop band that I was immediately sold...

And I'm glad I took the plunge on this...These are completely different recordings...More scrappy, spare and energetic than the versions on "Strange Man..." Although I always liked "Sarah Smiles," the song never fully popped for me until I heard this 12" version...My god, those harmonies jump right out of the speakers...The version of "Bloodlines" on here similarly tops the later re-recording...

"Turn On the Light" is neither an improvement or a disappointment...This type of throwback rockabilly rave-up is impervious to any and all recording approach....

Energetic enough for when you're in the mood for punk, fizzy enough for when you have a sweet tooth for pop and rootsy enough for when you're in a pub rock frame of mind...Good stuff all around...Pick it up, even if you have "Strange Man..."....

Here's "Sarah Smiles" by Bram Tchaikovsky...Enjoy...