The debut international long-player by the
Bee Gees
may shock anyone who only remembers them for their mid- to late-'70s
disco
mega-hits, or their quirky early-'70s romantic balladry. Up until 1966, they'd shown a penchant for melodic songs and rich, high harmonies, in the process becoming Australia's answer to
the Everly Brothers
. When
the Bee Gees
arrived in London late in 1966, however, they proved quick studies in absorbing and assimilating the progressive
pop
and
rock
sounds around them. In one fell swoop, they became competitors with the likes of veteran
bands such as
the Hollies
the Tremeloes
, and this long-player,
Bee Gees' 1st
, is more of a
album than the group usually got credit for generating. Parts of it do sound very much like
the Beatles
circa
Revolver
, but there was far more to their sound than that. The three hits off of
,
"To Love Somebody,"
"New York Mining Disaster 1941,"
"Holiday,"
were gorgeous but relatively somber, thus giving
a melancholy cast, but much of the rest is relatively upbeat
psychedelic pop
.
"In My Own Time"
may echo elements of
'
"Dr. Robert"
"Taxman,"
but it's difficult to dislike a song with such delicious rhythm guitars and a great beat, coupled with the trio's soaring harmonies;
"Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You"
was close in spirit to
the Moody Blues
of this era, opening with a
Gregorian chant
backed by a Mellotron, before breaking into a strangely spaced-out,
psychedelic
main song body.
Robin Gibb
's lead vocals veered toward the melodramatic and poignant, and the orchestra did dress up some of the songs a little sweetly, yet overall the group presented themselves as a proficient
ensemble who'd filled their debut album with a full set of solid, refreshingly original songs. [In 2006, as part of the shift of the group's back catalog to
Reprise Records
was reissued in remastered form, with seriously improved sound and expanded to two CDs with a brace of chronologically-related outtakes -- comprising some of the most fascinating material of their history -- initially as part of the collection
The Studio Albums 1967-1968
.] ~ Bruce Eder