Nils Lofgren/Grin- "1+1" Spindizzy, 1971

For those unfamiliar with Grin, it is the band of virtuosic guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Nils Lofgren, a Chicago native who played actively with this group in the Washington, DC area throughout the early 70s. At 18, Nils was palling around with Neil Young, and loaned his talents in the studio on Young's "After the Goldrush" (Nils went on to back another giant, Bruce Springsteen, in the E-Street Band in the mid 80s).

 In 1971, Lofgren was fronting Grin, and quietly released "1+1" on Spindizzy Records, the label this blog is named for. Like a lot of my favorite records, this is one of those "woulda-coulda-shoulda" albums that has everything going for it, but was all but lost on the greater public in the barrage of incredible releases at the time.

"1+1" makes creative use of the LP format by labeling side 1  "Rockin' Side" and side 2 "Dreamy Side". The Rockin' Side opens with the swirling slice of proto power pop perfection, "White Lies", a tune rife with warm acoustic over electric guitar, driving drums, and 70s pop lyrical simplicity delivered earnestly, and at times, in falsetto. This is the kind of track I play 3 times before I have scratched the itch.

Old Nils ain't no one trick pony, though (an idiom especially apropos here due to his famously gymnastic stage antics that included full backflips while playing guitar).

No, Grin's dreamy side is as affecting as their rockin'. Side 2/Dreamy Side closes with a ballad, Soft Fun, that starts out pensive (initially with a closely-mic'ed child singing an intro verse before the monster ballad chords). By the end, Nils is singing his heart out, belting more soul than you knew could come from his impish 5'4 frame "They say that funny guy's crazy/Cause he's always playing mad/But believe me when I tell you/My inside is sad." This kind of schmaltz sounds beyond sappy on paper, but like Smokey Robinson's "Tears of a Clown" or "Tracks of My Tears" it's all in the delivery. I buy it, Nils.

In short, this is a powerful and just plain fun record, full of true-blue songwriting delivered with unshakable hooks, lush production, and precise, energetic playing by Nils and company.

Key Tracks: White Lies, Moon Tears, End Unkind, Sometimes, Lost a Number, Soft Fun

 

 

 

 

For a singalong earworm to beat all earworms, check out this one from Grin's previous, self-titled release: