Paris 1919

Such a brilliant album, shame he didn’t do more like this

Växer med varje lyssning. Svag för det här soundet. Blir sugen på att lyssna på Weyes Blood! Fan vad bra det låter. Mixen, rösten, pianot! Första två lyssningarna var det intressant och härligt knasigt. Tredje lyssningen slås jag av en melankoli som inte bara kan bero på första jobbveckan efter jul, nyår och födelsedag. Kommer säkert ångra om jag inte sätter en femma.

Loved this album

Maybe it's just my inherent bias towards orchestral pop thanks to ELO, and maybe it's Maybelline, but I really dug this one. Solid 5 Stars.

I found it intriguing and Half-past France was really, really good. Will definitely have to give this one a listen again.

Paris 1919 is the kind of record that shouldn’t work at all—an ornate, bookish, slightly unhinged chamber-pop fever dream from a man who sounds like he’s serenading a collapsing empire—yet it ends up being absurdly, almost annoyingly brilliant. John Cale croons like a polite aristocrat losing his mind in real time, draping his cracked elegance over arrangements so lush they practically faint from their own beauty. The whole album walks a tightrope between pretension and transcendence, and somehow Cale nails both: it’s fussy, overstuffed, maddeningly precious—and absolutely unforgettable.

What a pleasant surprise! Might be my favorite new finding of the over 100 albums I’ve listened to for this project so far. The music is tightly composed, yet often almost whimsical, and fun to listen to throughout. The lyrics are those of a storyteller, and each song seems to transport you to a specific time and place. There’s also a wry humor to the whole thing. I really enjoyed this one and will absolutely be coming back to it. I think the title track (and one or two others) may even make my regular favorites rotation.

Melodies are great on this. Each song just flows beautifully one in the other. It's pretty good songwriting and definitely is in the pop canon, while being rather rich and orchestral in parts. Also quite a blend of styles, Graham Greene struck me for being quite different from the rest. Some of the tracks follow that ballad like structure, but in a way that feels quite unique. By the end of it, you just think, what a great record.

9/10

How did I not know about John Cale's solo work until now??? This is a fantastic, rich '70s folk album in the vein of Nick Drake. I have to think he was a huge influence on Belle and Sebastian.

Beautiful, brisk, really enjoyable. Will return to this.

You're a ghost!

John Cale's most accessible and well known album is a beautiful orchestral-inspired record with great instrumentation, extremely lush and smooth production and an overall so comforting sound. It's a rock solid pop-rock album that I highly enjoyed.

Is this what it's like when most people hear Pet Sounds for the first time without that album's context? I would imagine so. Yet again, doing this music homework for another day has taught me about how we interact with music and respond to it. Given that Pet Sounds is my all-time favourite album, this should be a slam-dunk, right? It is very nice. I enjoy the wall-of-sound production intention of the album, with the country-style highlights added. I think these two things are slightly incompatible, however, but not too much to the albums detriment. The wall-of-sound production it absolutely beneficial to the country aesthetics, but the reverse... perhaps not so much. I acknowledge this may be due to my bias against country music. The melodies are fantastic; while not at all experimental, they are sufficiently unpredictable and very enjoyable. I find myself thinking; "is this the bridge? Or just a cool extension of the verse?" The song structure for each track has such a great flow and I find it so enjoyable to be along for the ride. Really nice album; I'd be excited to have this on for long car journeys. And I'd also be keen, if anyone wanted to know what my favourite country album was, to say that this it. Hopefully that would not frustrate too many, given it's not really country (at least according to Wikipedia). Then... the title track comes on. Yes, we're not even halfway through. Where did this song come from? Gosh, it's pretty. But before I can really grasp the significance of this simple, unassuming track being the title track, the next track starts and I am baffled. Is this secretly a Beatles album? It's capable of being a rocker, a crooner and a sincerely twee pop album... and the flow track-to-track makes sense! Well this is a silly review. Don't write it alongside your first listen; with albums like this, you'll end up confused and your writing will be nonsensical. It's a really good album, ok?

I actually quite like this one. Great instrumentals and quiet fitting vocal work. I do think it lacked a bit of oomph, but overall an enjoyable listen.

gonna guess this is not everyone's cup of tea, but i particularly adore this sort of genre of music. very orchestral singer-songwriter stuff. it reminds me of a lot of van dyke parks' work from years prior, a bit artsy and heady, but also reminds me of procol harum, which makes sense, considering their producer produced this! there's a lot of great stuff on here, but the highlight to me is the title track, which is wonderful! glad i got to listen to this one.

Best Song: Paris 1919 My only experience with Cale was his time in Velvet Underground. This isn't Velvet Underground, it is more approachable with great music and lyrics.

So stoked this is the first album generated for me - I’m a huge fan of Cale’s work with the Velvet Underground, and I’m familiar with the song “Paris 1919,” so I was excited to dive deeper into this one!

Piano fanfare and an excitable slide guitar crack open John Cale’s 1973 masterpiece Paris 1919. ‘A Child’s Christmas In Wales’ comes across as a surreal nursery rhyme with lyrics like “ten murdered oranges bled on board ship” set to a most sunny sort of music. The atmosphere is active and enormous. Organ overtones overwhelm and run together with the relishable Welsh accent of the singing. Syncopated drum-stuff keeps the beat flush with rhythmic richness. The entire vibe’s not unlike a great gospel song; appropriately so, the words are as mysterious as any divine design. Direct segue via sliding strings and it’s time for Country Cale: ‘Hanky Panky Nohow’ gently drones along with pleasant soft-strummed acoustics and more organ and another dose of lyrical enigma (to be expected throughout the entire album). What are the “cows that agriculture won’t allow?”. I haven’t the know-how. But the singing is sweet and darn declarative enough that you’ll be joining in for the chorus and dreaming of sun-downing cattle-fields. Depart the pasture and enter the ‘Endless Plain Of Fortune’. Ominous piano plows through a soldierly passage on repeat. Symphonic strings sweep and creep and add understated dramatic contour to the music. Without outright trying to be tragic, the melody makes many melancholy movements. The straining major-seventh sound of lines like “look out below! the tides…” calls to my mind a bittersweet grief for something lost and fragmented. Lyrically, the cut-up scenes about “Old Taylor” and “Segovia” and “Gendarmerie” all sound very sad and solemn. Coupled with expressive instrumentation (oh what woe for humanity heard in that bombastic brass!), the words play like puzzle pieces all over the place; but the big picture can never be finished, and that’s what’s so tragic about the tune. After that, ‘Andalucia’ is a graceful ballad about some alluring object, whether a special person or perhaps the place in southern Spain. The song seems to elicit a sense of nostalgia for things you’ve never known. The purity and peace of the piece stems from a reflection on the past; and considering the composer’s arcane lyrical content, this sentimental reflection remains absolutely sugar-free, non-schmaltzy. Indeed, lyrics like “leaving”, “doesn't alter”, and “again” imply this particularly effective past-tense perspective. Musically, the tune doesn’t tread beyond a common three-chord territory. It shines brightly in its sufficient simplicity. Acoustics come out again, ever active. Slide guitars shimmer warmly. Drums-n-bass compliment each other kindly with perfectly-placed tight socket-locked grooves. The melody moves higher and higher on the pre-chorus parts. It’s all delightfully delicate. Sudden drums drop in and welcome ‘Macbeth’. It’s hard rock-n-roll time: greasy guitars grunt and a piano ticks away quickly over this spastic track for Shakespeare’s title-king. The fast shuffle pace breaks for some satisfying jumps in the chorus, these little hitches and hesitations like musical renderings of Macbeth’s paranoid worry. “It’s gotta be me or it’s gotta be you”. But alas, the mad Macbeth ultimately commits to his tragedy by screaming: “it’s all right by me!” Then approaches the imperial ‘Paris 1919’ title-track. Its exclusively orchestral score evokes royalty. This classical mood reminds of times begone. Strings slice like swords on one chord, attacking it again-n-again. Lower voices embark on a dangerous and dissonant reconnaissance mission, rumbling bravely in their military motive. The tension breaks when some spirited singing starts. Chords descend. Chorus comes catching the ear with cries of “you’re the ghost!” and a syncopated series of lovely little-kid-like “la la la”s. Pace changes with a rhapsodic instrumental interlude where the beat breaks and birds chirp and pianos cascade and a French horn carries the tune with a plaintive purity. Back to the sword-chords: last verse ends with the wonderfully elusive line of “as the crowds begin complaining / that the Beaujolais is raining / down on darkened meetings on the Champs-Elysées”. Somehow, it’s a sing-a-long. ‘Graham Greene’ goes on with odd tuneless piano and squirrely strums. There’s a wee warble-organ working its way through the twee track. Busy drums-n-bass stay tight and well balanced all bobbing song. Stay tuned for a twinkly marimba and a touch of trumpet. From the opening line of “You’re having tea with Graham Greene / in the colored costume of your choice / and you’ll be held in high esteem / if you’re seen…”, it’s actually quite clear that the song’s on the subject of stiff high-society and all of its vainglorious waste. A train travelogue, the next tune takes place on an early-hours commute across the country. ‘Half Past France’ heaves with a slow-drone and not-incongruous honky-tonk guitar. A golden organ hangs on huge like morning mist underneath reflections about Old Hollweg from Norway and the well-fed denizens back in Berlin. Chorus makes moves with drum-beat, “daily bread”, and drawn-out “take your time” most divine before quiet choir comments about being “so far away”, anthemically. ‘Antarctica Starts Here’ at the end of the album. Mellow electric piano plays over a melodic lil bass solo of soulful spirit. All the words are whispered wearily with wistful passion. The debilitated delivery only enhances the fragile feel of the piece that features lovely lines like “the fading bride’s dull beauty grows / just begging to be seen / beneath the magic lights that reach from Barbary to here”. Triumph and tragedy. It all collapses into a confused chord. The artful pop of Paris 1919 is intelligent and accessible. I'd say the rocker-songs aren't on par with the rest of the record, but that's probably just personally preference!

absolutely scrumptious

Absolute beaut

I absolutely adore this album. Writing about it is somewhat difficult, though, due to how disparate so much of it is. It’s an album that is at once both welcoming and sinister; generous yet closed off; hopeful yet cynical; human yet detached; playful yet mournful; open yet cryptic. Nothing captures this better than the title track, which I think is straight-up one of the best songs ever. It’s incredibly complex—both musically and lyrically—and yet it glides off the record like something that has just always existed. Despite having absolutely no idea what it’s actually about, by the time it reaches its soaring final chorus, it means absolutely EVERYTHING, and is like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.

always love me some true art pop music from the 1970s. something about all the mixing and nostalgic energy (even as someone who was definitely not alive during the 70s) makes me grin from ear to ear. dreamy production value and abstract, yet pretty meaningful lyrics... while the orchestral pop sound is familiar to those who frequently listen to 70s music, this album feels a little more off-kilter. it's short, sharp, and has no filler.

listened.

5/5 reminds me of Datblygiad (who were probably influenced by him). Love it. Will get on record.

I was surprised to hear this album was recorded in Los Angeles. It feels very French, and not just because of the title of the album (though that doesn't hurt), but because the songs contain more European-centric references. It doesn't feel recorded in Los Angeles, like Bowie's "Berlin Era" albums don't feel recorded in America. Yet, this was recorded in Los Angeles. I really enjoyed this album, which was a bit of a surprise to me. I like Lou Reed's solo material as well, so maybe I'm just "meh" on the Velvet Underground overall and more into the components of the band and their music. The symphonic sound of this album felt very original and the music was more accessible than I had anticipated. Some of the standout tracks are: Child's Christmas in Wales Hanky Panky Nohow Andalucia Paris 1919 Half Past France

Mixed feelings but so great

I never heard of him but was very appreciative of the songs on this album.

I am newly familiar with this album, being introduced to it with the 2024 reissue. I have only really grown to appreciate the Velvets with this project, despite loving the debut since I fell in love with it during my college years 30 years ago. This is a different beast all together, almost too clever in its literary nature, just look at the song titles for god's sake, but offers narrative songs worthy of the pretension. Cale's grasping of classical music goes beyond mere prog rock or chamber pop. These are complex compositions that seem simpler than they are. He uses textures and chords in interesting ways and to great effect. It is an album I am sure to revisit.

Mah, questo mi è piaciuto

John cale is such a fuckin weirdo I love him top three, 1. Paris 1919 2. Graham Greene 3. Hanky panky nohow

Really enjoyed

Love this. Sophisticated music. Flows beautifully as an album. Title track is classic. Macbeth rocks harder than I imagined.

I remember first listening to this album, fresh off my angsty teenage punk rock-only phase, thinking what is this hankypanky-ass baroque-ass shit and why is it all the rage. Suffice it to say that I (a man of culture) quickly found out hankypanky-ass baroque-ass shit is my bag, baby.

I really loved the melancholy feel to the album more than I could express. It really struck a chord for some reason. The mix of classical music and rock was also really nice. Underrated ahh album.

Absolute masterpiece. If you've never heard it, check it out and you will hopefully understand why it's held in such high regard.

A masterpiece, perfectly blending his calssical/art song/lieder instincts with crisp, mature and sophisticated pop songs – sophisticated in both sense of conception and execution, in lyric material (literary, avant-garde) and structure. Tone is mostly melancholic with some winsome whimsy here and there. One's personal faves are "Hanky Panky Nohow" and "The Endless Plain" and "Antartica" and the stately-joyous title cut, but the others also offer rich and singular pleasures. This may be Cale at his most mainstream, but it's also chamber pop for people who like actual chamber music.

This is one of my heart albums. It is in the best of the best category. The title song is so good along with all the other songs. I squealed when I saw that this is the album of the day. Listening to it again some of these songs really got me. Half Past France: "We're so far away" (thinking about death) Andalucia: "When you'd made up your mind not to come, And I couldn't persuade you, Or wait till tomorrow -- or pass the time" Ah-may-zing

I needed two tries to get this record. But now while listening to it for the second time I think it’s a masterpiece.

Perfect melodic song writing. Different enough to stand out, simple enough for familiarity. Beautiful.

4.5 - Great album, not sure if because the beatles were coming up next but I actually heard a lot of them in this album

Wow! Wow wow wow. I love it when baroque/art pop sticks the landing. I can’t believe this is from 1973. It’s just as unique as Eno’s Another Green World which came a few years later. The title track is one of the best chorus medleys and executions I’ve ever heard. Like, even when the next song started playing, the “you’re a ghost lalalalalalalalala” just kept on going in my head. It’s the end of the day, I listened to this album 3 times today at work, and still, I have that chorus stuck in my head. Great concept, incredibly catchy from start to finish, succinct enough. Perfect. This might be a softer 5/5 than some of my true longtime favorites, but I cannot deny this album what it truly deserves

Reminds me of so many things

Not at all what I was expecting. I'm a fan of his work with Velvet Underground, but not really listened to his solo material. Thought it would be more experimental. Not complaining, this is another belter.

I was not expecting to like it this much, but the tracks felt very unique despite their names.

I like the voices. It's a nice album Fav songs: The endless plain of fortune Andalucia :=]

Gorgeous, an album filled with little avant-pop gems that’s complex enough to keep returning to again and again

What a great album. Hat’s off to John Cale for being one of the masterminds of the Velvet Underground but then also being a genius in his own completely different realm. Such an original voice and fun theatric songs… love it!

Wonderful songs. I enjoyed them more and more as I listened more carefully.

Nice!

An absolute delight!

What a phenomenal surprise this was! Incredible album filled with interesting and very enjoyable songs. After each song I kept thinking damn, that’s good! Then the next one would be even better. The second half of this was some of the best music I’ve listened to on this project. Super terrific!

Extraordinary. A true hidden classic. The first four tracks are excellent and fully engaging and then ends very strong indeed. Beautifully conceived, skillfully executed.

This is a very cozy album, it makes you want to listen to it in the evening with a cup of tea, a cigarette in your mouth, and the soft light of a lamp.

brilliant.

Having never heard of John Cale I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not well versed in orchestral music but he uses it wonderfully without it overpowering his vocals. The title track especially blends it together well. This entry stands out from the rest of its peers in the early 70's experimental rock genre (if thats what you call it) coming out of the UK. Really enjoyed this one.

I loved this album. Being familiar with the title track I wasn’t sure what to expect from the rest of the album but it delivered big time. Beautiful symphonies! This kind of album is what this list was made for

What I'm learning about myself is that I enjoy the members of the Velvet Underground solo much more than I do together. There wasn't a track on this album that wasn't both enjoyable and memorable. Great lyrics like "her schoolhouse mind has windows now." Excellent orchestral pop taking up where the Beatles left off and creating something new. No notes

Was a lovely listen on the way to work this morning. Apparently it had been around but Bagelbutt and Otrops failed to tell me.

10/10 I forgot that this guy was in the Velvet Underground and was completely blown away by how beautiful and imaginative this album is but now that I know, it should obviously come as no surprise that he’s such a genius

Brilliant

I loved everything about this album. It just hit the right note for what I was in the mood for today. "Hanky Panky Nohow" and "Paris 1919" really stood out for me. His voice is a bit of Ray Davies and Ringo Starr. The songwriting had a touch of Harry Nilsson (or vice versa). This was a great album

"Paris 1919" is the third solo studio album by Welsh musician John Cale. The album was a shift in his more experimental music toward an orchestral-influenced style as with the contemporary pop rock. His band included Little Feat's Lowell George (guitars) and Richie Hayword (drums), The Crusaders' Wilton Felder (bass, sax) and the UCLA symphony orchestra. Lyrics explore various aspects of early 20th century Western European culture and history. The album title (and song) " Paris 1919" refers to Paris Peace Conference (Treaty of Versailles) which resulted in the partitioning of Europe and assignment of unilateral war reparations and contributed to the rise of the Third Reich. Piano begins "Child's Christmas in Wales," in both a happy and sad sounding pop song. A busy song. Great vocals. A droning guitar bridge. Based on a Dylan Thomas poem. The strings appear in "Hanky Panky Nohow." It's softer, slower. A chorus. I love the way there's no rush in this song. The modernization of life. The strings give a darker edge to "The Endless Pain of Fortune." Dramatic. It's about settlers in 1910 South Africa searching for diamonds and gold. The influence of Lowell George is really heard in the beautiful "Andalucia." The slide guitar. Hey, this is country rock. Cale's emotional delivery. Dire Straits had to be huge fans of John Cale. A person from Andalucia, Spain. A lover? Ominous strings begin "Paris 1919," the most baroque of these songs. Layered and urgent vocals and chorus. Is Cale comparing his life the disastrous results of The Treaty of Versailles? "Half Past France" slows it down a bit from the previous songs. Piano. Slide guitar. This sounds a lot like Brian Eno at that time. No surprise Cale and Eno worked together. The album ends with a soulful song in "Antartica Starts Here." Cale whispering the album to a close. This is a fantastic album. I was completely blown away. It's beautiful sounding with the strings. Great variety as each song changes styles slightly and is worth listening on their own. Pop, baroque, country rock, soul and glam rock. I'm always a sucker for songs with dual meanings and he does this here with the historical lyrics and comparing to his current personal situation or not maybe. I cannot recommend this album any higher.

For the longest time, I thought JJ and John Cale were the same person. But they couldn't be more different. This is great, building and surging nicely, and definitely an influence on Belle and Sebastien.

Everything John Cale touches seems to be wonderful. Loved this album. 4.5/5, rounding up to 5.

Very nice collection of beautiful songs. Cale's singing is a bit wobbly at times, but in this case I can live with that.

Absolute perfection. Bliss. Incredible. The title track is genuinely one of the most gorgeous compositions ever put to record. Now THIS is symphonic rock at it's finest. VU alum >>>

meh

Liked this, but feel I need to listen to it several times get deeper into it. John Cale's voice moves from understated to absurd, but always fascinating.

The perfect album to go with my morning tea.

Cale at his most approachable, one of my favourite albums.

kinda unsurprising because i love the Velvet Underground, but man was this a good album

Honestly one of my favourite ever albums. I always think of it as underrated so I was pleasantly surprised it made the list. It's a shame he never went back to this style with his later more experimental stuff

Great album! All compositions are powerfully connected by the concept, while each one is different. Feel free to listen to this album in its entirety. Cale opened to me this uniqe genre as barocco-pop

Fabulous!!

Another absolute masterpiece. This has been a good run of albums

One of my favourite albums.

Really lovely song writing and arrangements, surprisingly ‘pop’ given his work with velvet underground, etc

Singer, songwriter, Velvet Underground alumni, noise cellist and Hallelujah coverer John Cale delivers little of his bread and butter from the Velvet Underground years, but he *does* very successfully reinvent his art, while maintaining his identity on Paris 1919. If you are a fan of The Velvets, there's a good chance you're aware that John Cale was kind of the band's secret weapon. On their first two albums, his searing, wounded cello playing was instrumental in establishing the band as a classic act within the world of avant garde and noise rock. But on Paris 1919, he is much quieter, delivering a masterful collection of baroque pop songs instead. But at their core still lies the understated attention to detail, exploratory spirit, and creativity that one would expect, given his past. Andalucia, Paris 1919, and Antarctica Starts Here are probably the brightest moments here. Andalucia is kind of mesmerizing, Antarctica Starts Here Delivers on it's promise of chillies, and Paris 1919 prominently features his incredible cello playing, which I could honestly do to see more of. My biggest complaint, aside from the aforementioned absence of cello, is that Macbeth kind of interrupts the flow of the album, with something more driving and rock centered than anything else here. Also, this could do to be just a *touch* longer. But John Cale has something great here that feels worlds away from his older work, while maintaining his identity. I don't know whether or not this *is* his most essential work, but it's certainly worth listening to.

transportive, lovely, large yet intimate, creative, dreamy, great.

I love his voice. The songs sound like The Kinks sometimes and maybe a bit like Nick Drake. John's songwriting really shines on Paris 1919 and there's a terrific variety of tunes here.

Favorite track(s): Child's Christmas in Wales, The Endless Plain of Fortune, Andalucia, Paris 1919, Half Past France

This is a good album. Many John Cale records are good. Not sure theres a great one in his discograpy. But this is as good as any.

Less madness than his stint with VU. Lush and musical, probably just over a 3 for me.

Very sweet and soft.

Yeah alright. Panic at the disco looking man tellin me he’s got the hanky panky know how. At least he’s a good songwriter outside of that. I chilled since writing that, hated that song but this album is really good. I guess I did want to know how the velvet underground would handle the Beatles.

Generally, when I am watching a film and a great song comes on the soundtrack it ends up to be John Cale and I love his covers of Hallelujah and Heartbreak Hotel. I have this one and really like it, seems like a warm Victorian musical travelogue. I have heard that it is his most accessible work and having weathered through albums like Vintage Violence, I can wholeheartedly agree.

4.5

Really quite liked this. Has a wistful air about it.

haven't heard this in years. It was a nice revisit. unsure if it's a 5-star album, but I like almost every song.

Took me a little by suprise and perhaps caught me in the right place as I rather enjoyed this

A fun listen,

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! Good stuff 4 ⭐️

Blind album and artist. Thoroughly impressed from song to song but generally I would not go out of my way to listen to this often. 4.

Pretty decent background music.

How have I never even heard his name?! Loved the slightly overblown, triumphant, baroque late 60s/early 70s pop thing he has going on, in particular on 'Paris 1919'

chill music, kinda cool

I love me some art pop

I usually only listen to the "original version" of the album and skip the deluxe super mega editions. But when the first song on the extra disc is called "I Must Not Sniff Cocaine", it is definitely getting listened to. Worth it.

Another superb artist and album I never paid attention to. I have to come back and explore this genius talent.

I’ve obviously heard of John Cale being a Welsh Charli XCX fan but never heard any of his music. I did know that his solo work can be a little avant-guard so this one intimidated me a bit but I really enjoyed it and was very accessible. Loved John’s voice. Half Past France and Paris 1919 are very catchy. Macbeth and Hanky Panky Nohow were just lovely More please

No esperaba nada, logró sorprenderme.

first listen good stuff

4 out of 5. This album was a fun, pleasant surprise.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - Two Velvets adjacent albums in a row! This is a classic. The Endless Plain Of Fortune is awesome, as are the preceding tracks. Macbeth is such a contrast, it comes out of nowhere. The orchestra on the title track is gorgeous, the staccato strings remind me of Eleanor Rigby. Every song here really is fantastic, this album is much better than I remember and I remember liking it quite a lot! A stunning, mesmerising and richly textured album.

I'm really surprised about the clean sound and pretty melodies of something VU-adjacent, it's closer to Mccartney than to Reed. I Really like it!

John Cale is an amazing musician and I love his work with The Velvet Underground and a lot of the stuff he's done since. Songs For Drella (with Lou Reed) is one of my favourite albums. However this is not one of his best. It's very accessible, almost poppy and that's fine. Songwriting is great. But it's his voice.... he's really not the best singer and it's very exposed here. In some cases (e.g. on Andalucia when he goes high) it's off-pitch and this music can't take it. A bit off-pitch can be good, maybe with more edgy music, or with more raspy voices. Cales' voice is very drawling though (not a bad thing per se)... the off-pitch bits just hurt my ears. Just about a four.

:')

My mom would love this album, and I mean that as both praise and damnation

Strong 4

## Musical Composition & Arrangement The music of *Paris 1919* represents a deliberate fusion of classical orchestration and rock sensibilities. Cale assembled an unlikely ensemble: Little Feat members Lowell George (guitar) and Richie Hayward (drums), Motown session bassist Wilton Felder of The Crusaders, and the UCLA Symphony Orchestra . The album's sound palette is extraordinarily rich. "A Child's Christmas in Wales" opens with shimmering organ, piano, and George's soaring slide guitar, creating what critics have called "an intoxicating mix" . "Hanky Panky Nohow" features picked acoustic guitar, church organ, orchestral strings, and heavily-reverbed tambourine—a "dose of pure serenity" that contrasts with the song's unsettling lyrics . The orchestrations are dramatic and sweeping. "The Endless Plain of Fortune" builds through three verses to a massive orchestral climax, while the title track strips away rock instrumentation entirely for chamber music featuring Cale's viola, strings, and brass . Cale himself arranged all the orchestral parts—a rarity in pop music that demonstrates his classical training at Goldsmiths College . The album's influences are eclectic: Brian Wilson's pop sophistication, the Bee Gees' baroque tendencies, and particularly Procol Harum's 1972 live album with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, which inspired Cale to pursue this orchestral-rock hybrid . --- ## Lyrical Analysis Cale's lyrics on *Paris 1919* are notoriously abstruse—"frustratingly beautiful" and "incredibly infuriating" by design . The writing is dense with literary, historical, and geographical allusions that resist easy interpretation. **Literary References:** - "A Child's Christmas in Wales" borrows its title from Dylan Thomas's prose poem, though Cale's surreal imagery ("ten murdered oranges bled on board a ship") diverges significantly from Thomas's nostalgic tone - "Macbeth" directly references Shakespeare's tragedy, name-checking Banquo and alluding to Lady Macbeth's conniving nature - "Graham Greene" imagines tea with the British novelist, with lyrics about "chopping down the people where they stand" reflecting Greene's themes of espionage and moral ambiguity **Historical & Geographical Allusions:** The album is saturated with European references: the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 (which ended WWI), Dunkirk, Andalucía, Segovia, Chipping Sodbury, Berlin, Dundee, and the Champs-Élysées . "Half Past France" reportedly depicts a dead soldier's final train ride from Dunkirk to Paris . Cale described the album as "an example of the nicest ways of saying something ugly" . The title references the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, which redrew European borders and imposed war reparations—conditions that arguably contributed to the rise of the Third Reich and WWII . The lyrics often employ sparse, imagistic language that strips away identifying features, leaving only evocative fragments: "With mistletoe and candle green / To Halloween we go" and "The cows that agriculture won't allow" . Even Cale admitted, "Some of the lyrics on *Paris 1919* are still opaque to me" . --- ## Production Producer Chris Thomas brought considerable credentials to the project, having worked on The Beatles' *White Album* and mixed *Dark Side of the Moon* . The recording took place at Sunwest Studios in Los Angeles during what were reportedly cocaine-fueled sessions—yet this was the most time Cale had ever devoted to a recording project . The production is "top-notch" and "velvety soft and thick" . The 2024 Domino remaster by Heba Kadry (known for work with Björk and Beach House) has been praised for bringing new clarity to the arrangements . The original recording captures a warmth that balances the album's wintery themes with what one critic described as "the weight of an old man looking through his photo albums" . --- ## Thematic Content Beneath the ornate arrangements lies a deeply personal meditation on several interconnected themes: **Nostalgia and Loss:** The album evokes "the halcyon days of 1920s Europe, the time of his parents' childhoods"—a "last flash of innocence before the 1930s" . "Andalucia" stands as perhaps the most straightforward emotional expression on the album—a love song about two people becoming "ships passing in the night" . **War and Its Aftermath:** Multiple songs address WWI and its consequences. "Half Past France" captures a soldier's liminal state between war and peace, while the title track reflects on the dissatisfaction that persisted even after the "war to end all wars" concluded . **Dislocation and Yearning:** Cale's own biography—Welsh-born, New York avant-gardist, Los Angeles transplant—echoes through lyrics about travelers, ghosts, and those "so far away from home where we belong" . **Addiction and Decay:** "Antarctica Starts Here" draws from both Gloria Swanson's fading star in *Sunset Boulevard* and Cale's own cocaine addiction, which he once suggested naming the album after ("Cocale") . The closing line—"The anesthetic's wearing off, Antarctica starts here"—delivers a chilling finality . --- ## Influence and Legacy *Paris 1919* has grown in stature since its release. AllMusic considers it "the most accessible and traditional of Cale's albums, and the best-known of his work as a solo artist" . Pitchfork described it as "the most accessible and most purely beautiful record of his storied, multi-faceted career" . The album occupies a unique position in the rock canon as a bridge between avant-garde experimentation and orchestral pop. It has been compared to Van Morrison's *Astral Weeks* as "a distant cousin... both ethereal, impenetrable, and deeply feeling" . Cale's subsequent career took a harder turn with the "Island trilogy" (*Fear*, *Slow Dazzle*, *Helen of Troy*), making *Paris 1919* a singular achievement—"like no other album John released" . The album has influenced countless artists working at the intersection of classical and popular music, and the 2024 deluxe reissue (with a full LP of outtakes) testifies to its enduring relevance . --- ## Pros and Cons ### Strengths | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Melodic Beauty** | Contains some of Cale's most gorgeous compositions, particularly "Andalucia" and "Hanky Panky Nohow"—"one of the most perfectly constructed pop songs you'll ever hear" | | **Orchestration** | Cale's self-arranged orchestral parts are stunning and unique in rock music; the UCLA Symphony Orchestra adds tremendous depth | | **Vocal Performance** | Cale's Welsh baritone is "one of the most beautiful and unique male voices in all of rock-and-roll"—resonant, emotive, and perfectly suited to the material | | **Atmosphere** | Creates a cohesive mood that is simultaneously warm and melancholic, nostalgic and unsettling | | **Musical Chemistry** | The unlikely combination of Little Feat's southern rock, Motown bass, and classical orchestration somehow works brilliantly | | **Literary Depth** | Rewards repeated listening with layers of allusion and meaning, even when the lyrics resist definitive interpretation | ### Weaknesses | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **"Macbeth"** | The hard-rocking "Macbeth" is "jarringly out of place" among the contemplative, orchestrated songs—"sticks out like a sore thumb" despite being a strong track in isolation | | **Lyric Opacity** | The abstruse lyrics can be "incredibly infuriating"—attempting literal interpretation is "a tall order destined to fail" | | **Orchestral Overpowering** | At times the arrangements overwhelm Cale's vocals, which can get "a bit lost in how ornate the arrangements are" | | **"Graham Greene"** | The reggae-inflected track strikes some listeners as "silly" and musically incongruous, despite entertaining lyrics | | **Accessibility vs. Challenge** | The album's beauty can obscure its darker themes, potentially leaving listeners unaware of the "ugly" content beneath the "nice" presentation | --- ## Conclusion *Paris 1919* is a masterpiece of orchestral pop that represents the confluence of John Cale's avant-garde training, classical composition skills, and pop instincts. It is an album of profound beauty that conceals dark themes beneath lush arrangements—war, addiction, dislocation, and loss filtered through literary allusion and surreal imagery. While the inclusion of "Macbeth" creates a jarring disruption in the album's flow, and some lyrics remain stubbornly opaque even to their author, these are minor quibbles against the achievement of the whole. The album stands as Cale's most beloved solo work and a unique document of early 1970s rock experimentation—one that continues to reveal new details with each listen, "little details to be picked out from the subtly perfect arrangements" . For listeners willing to engage with its mysteries, *Paris 1919* offers what one critic called "a heavenly half-hour of pure class; the musical equivalent of a vintage Cabernet" .

"Father John Cale" - or can this be called a pre-cursor to a bunch of modern singer-songwriter albums? Your Elliott Smiths? Your Rufus Wainwrights? Your Father John Mistys? Stylish baroque pop that goes 7 for 9 on the hit-list. I'm happy to hear that's he making more imaginative wondrous music than his former VU counterpart. Instead of making me question life, John Cale hoses me with fresh air and joy straight from a Febreze bottle (8/10, 4/5 on this scale)

I thought this was pretty great...it had a lot of diversity from song to song, and I especially like the big orchestral sounds he busts out. The album has an interesting way of making songs feel both big and sparse, with just the right amount of restraint.

I liked his singing voice! Overall I found this album to be a pleasant listen.

A great example of how to break away from one the worlds biggest bands and make a completely separate solo project. Sounds so original and unique

I was so surprised because I'd thought it would be more experimental and noisy, but turned out nice 70s rock, knowing what he did before. I wouldn't complain if it would be more experimental though.

I liked this one. It isn’t crazy inventive or unique or anything, but it does everything it was going for really well. The fact that it’s so short keeps it from getting even close to boring. It’s really good. Yay!

This is a really cool LP. 4 stars for sure

Favorite songs: Child's Christmas in Wales, Macbeth, Paris 1919, Antarctica Starts Here

My only knowledge of this record is from Yo La Tengo's fantastic covers of Hanky Panky Nohow and Andalucia. And, well, they have good taste. This was a lovely record with some gorgeous songwriting. Wasn't really expecting something this straightforward from Cale, but why should I be surprised that he can cut a pop tune with the best of them. Good stuff.

Listened while at home. I think the kids these days would call this album Beatles-slop. At least this is a nice bit of Beatles-slop.

The only thing I had ever known about John Cale was that he co-founded The Velvet Underground with Lou Reed. As a result, I was so pleasantly surprised by this rich, melodic album. I really enjoyed it and will be listening to it again.

Did not know this was one of the members of Velvet Underground. Very cool. The album cover and title really through me off. i was expecting something different. But, when I listened to it, I immediately became a fan of his voice and style.

Judging from the cover art, I was pleasantly surprised! Really great album. Good album to start the day with!

Great surprise! Exactly what I hope to have happen going through this list.

AMAZING LISTEN.

Incidentally, the Yo La Tengo cover of Hanky Panky Nohow cover is delightful.

Part Neil Young, part Moody Blues. Smooth acoustics and smoother lyrics.

interesting album, graet to explore

Surprised that I had never heard it and how much I loved it. The sound is largely timeless. The lyrics are beautiful in a way that speaks to me. Grown up music of a quality hard to equal.

- Unikt, godt

3.6

3.5

Nice baroque pop. 4.5 stars

I've owned this album for awhile and always thought it was pretty cool. Not an all-timer for me, but very good, nonetheless. I prefer the first half of the album to the second, with "Child's Christmas in Wales", "The Endless Plain of Fortune", and "Andalucia" being the highlights for me. 4 stars.

When listening to this yesterday I liked it but wasn't really able to pay attention, so I relistened it again. Safe to say I still like it. John Cale always brought the experimental edge to the Velvet Underground and continues that path here, albeit a bit more muted. This album isn't all that crazy, but it makes use of a lot of instruments that weren't really commonplace at the time. Songs here are nice and varied and make for an enjoyable listen. I really love his strong Welsh accent as well.

That was pleasantly odd. I had no idea what to expect and so some pop songs with intelligent lyrics were a weird surprise.

Really clean production throughout. Lyrically unique. Cale feels like if Lennon's and McCartney's songwriting styles merged into one

Not sure that I was surprised by how much i liked this. Also John Cale feature on Charli xcx wuthering heights soundtrack???

Excellent

I actually liked this quite a bit, worthy of checking out further.

Post-Folk? I love this type of Soft Rock. This is a great example of how guitar riffs don’t have to be hard and complicated to make bangers. Take it easy like John Cale! John’s voice is incredible because of it resembling a father-like figure. It manages to make you feel safe, and protected in a way. And while you may not want him to be your actual father, it’s great that he is able to get that feeling out in his music anyway. Because most people either loves their dad or want to have one. A lot of people will say that this a very experimental and Post-Punk’ish type of album, but that is bullshit. Very few times through out there are some examples of avantgarde (“Fever Dream 2024: You’re a Ghost”), but most of the time the album is kept very simple and “Lowkey”. But that isn’t bad, simplicity rules! If anything I’d call if “Post-Folk”. I reccomend listening to this record, but I wouldn’t say that it was essantial listening. Also trust me here, if you don’t have the time just skip the second part.

I actually enjoyed this album a lot. It's crazy how different, yet similar music was in 1973 as it is now. The musicality was nice, and John Cale's singing was also somehow really enjoyable. A lot of good songs with great messages, and the long album didn't seem so long due to its melodic, orchestral background. I've never even heard of John Cale before, but he's definitely made a great first impression.

Child's Christmas in Wales 3.7 Hanky Panky Nohow 3.2 The Endless Plain of Fortune 3.4 Andalucia 3.5 Macbeth 4 Paris 1919 3.5 Graham Greene 3.6 Half Past France 3.7 Antarctica Starts Here 3 Score: 3.511111111

I didn’t expect a member of the Velvet Underground to turn out such a refined baroque pop album, but 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝟣𝟫𝟣𝟫 is exactly that: lush, carefully orchestrated, and surprisingly inviting. John Cale sets aside the avant-garde instincts he’s known for and leans into pure craftsmanship — elegant melodies, vivid arrangements, and a sense of grandeur that never feels heavy-handed. It’s a gorgeous, imaginative record and easily one of his most approachable works.

An unexpectedly poppy album from Velvet Underground veteran and avant garde composer John Cale. My first impression was that this album, while kind of catchy, is a weird misstep from Cale. Orchestral pop music isn't his territory. Turning it into a history lesson is kind of interesting but it's nothing the Bee Gees hadn't already accomplished. Still, I like Cale's music and there are a handful of good tracks so I was inclined to be generous. On repeat listens though, this album opens up. It's better and stranger than I'd originally given him credit for, in ways that I can't quite explain. Maybe it's Cale's unusual singing style which reminds me of his former collaborator, Nico. Maybe it's a quality to the music that has something different to it. In either event, this album really grew on me. Stand out tracks included "MacBeth" and "Paris 1919".

Never heard any John Kale solo before. Very enjoyable and listenable. 4.5

This was a pleasant surprise. Really enjoyed it.

Fantastic. Moving, interesting, and engaging.

- I expected this to be a lot more experimental than it is. I thought it was kind of dull at first, but it has grown on me a lot. I ended up listening to it all day, and I like the sweetness to the songs and that the lyrics are kind of random and interesting. - The orchestration is restrained and pretty. - His voice is on the lethargic and nasal side, and he doesn't have much range - it gets out of tune when it gets too low or high (or holds a note for a long time, lol). His singing voice is mild and can be nice in a chill way, but it does bring the music down. I guess this is before the cocaine phase. - The other thing that I find less than ideal is that I feel like the music feels like it is kind of under a cloud of dense air.

Knew I knew his name from somewhere, but this is great, and I don't think anything like this exists form this time period, I feel like its a little bit like mid 70s Brian Eno, but this feels quite different. I love how its in theory quite catchy and poppy, but still feels really interesting and experimental. Its very orchestral, but I guess that was one of his main things in the Velvet Underground (maybe more so the very early stuff). He's a great singer as well, you can certainly tell he's Welsh on certain songs. Favourite songs: all Overall around 8/10

The title track is so so so good. Just awesome chill poppy music. Big big fan.

John Cale’s Loaded. Very accessible 70s Chamber Pop.

I’m a bit torn on this. At times, this had some really lovely tracks. The orchestral arrangements in it are lush and vibrant, and there is some really tender songwriting, but a few tracks (“Graham Greene”) rubbed me up the wrong way. “The endless plain of fortune” and “Paris 1919” I really liked though and, for the variety this album had, and likely influences this had on what followed, am rating this fairly highly.

Honestly, I barely listened; I was too busy wondering if my hair looked good in the mirror. 4 stars i guess?

I enjoyed but it repeated all the songs

Paris 1919 walked so In the Aeroplane Over the Sea could run

Inte hört tidigare men tycker det fanns mycket att gilla här! Härligt 70-talsmys, exemplarisk albumlängd för ett sådant album också. Kommer återbesöka - en fyra!

Fan va fint med en ny tung jullåt!

vilken otrolig röst

really solid

Seriously great album here. Will be giving it a lot more listens but stands as a 9/10 currently

Very cool! Will check out more of his music

I really liked it. Calm and interesting, I see myself coming back to it

John Cale: Paris 1919 Paris 1919 is a staggering achievement in orchestral pop, a record that reveals more of its brilliance with every listen. What initially feels like a fleeting, dreamlike atmosphere quickly reveals itself to be a collection of deeply resonant, masterful compositions. Tracks like "Child's Christmas in Wales" and "Andalucia" showcase a level of musicianship that is both magnificent and emotionally enduring. Cale successfully bridges the gap between historical complexity and melodic beauty, creating a soundscape that is as sophisticated as it is haunting. It’s an album that doesn’t just pass through your ears—it stays with you, earning its place as a genuine essential.

There are times where I am honestly kind of glad I don't often understand lyrics. Which isn't to say that I can never understand them, or that I just refuse to engage with them, no. They **are** important; I don't find myself listening to instrumental music too often, after all. It's just that, when I listen to music, I tend to value that actual sound first and foremost. Y'know, the sound, the energy, the tone, the vibes ... the music itself, in other words. Sometimes I worry it's not a "legitimate" way to listen to music. Especially when I've been doing these reviews for this website, shouldn't I wanna pay as much attention to the words as possible? But, eh, all I can ever do is try and relate my experience as best as I can. So if my experience involved not really paying the lyrics any mind, well, then so be it. And this is one album where I really ended up not paying the lyrics too much mind. This is an album from John Cale, who was a member of The Velvet Underground and a composer for films such as 'American Psycho'. I didn't know either of these things when I listened to this album. And certainly, I don't think I ever would've pinned him as a guy from The Velvet Underground. You're telling me the same guy who made an album as experimental and noisy as 'White Heat/White Light' also made all of these orchestral, baroque pop songs? Inspired by the likes of Brian Wilson and the Bee Gees, no less. It's crazy to consider it now, as I'm writing this. What music it is, though! In my head I don't think it quite matches up to Brian Wilson's work or the best I've heard from the Bee Gees, but all the same, I am such a sucker for this kind of stuff. You take a song like "Hank Panky Nohow": if I may quote a fellow group member, it "sounds like how a soft chocolate melts in your mouth, in the most savory way." I listen to it, and all I can do is let out a contented sigh and sink back into my seat; it's truly lovely. John Cale may have never gone on to compose for big films (besides 'American Psycho'), although judging just by this album, I can tell he's got quite the skill for composition. Lyrics, on the other hand, are a different matter. I'm sure he's trying to say something about his childhood, or world events, or ... I'unno, cocaine. But I can't even begin to parse out how these lyrics relate back to those topics. And they're not like Dylan lyrics, where they're incredibly flowery and poetic and dripping purple, no. These words are just not strung together in a way where I can understand them. And I **did** truly make an effort; I read a good chunk of them alongside the album. Though once I realized I wasn't getting anywhere with them ... yeah, I gave up. And I'll tell you, the album did improve tenfold once I stopped trying to understand the words. I relistened to the first half of the album while I wrote this review, and it was a lot easier for me to admire how good the music is, and how nice of a singer John Cale can actually be. So, yeah. Purely as a sound, this album gets a big thumbs-up from me. Maybe I'd wish it was a little more ... ELO, but, ah, I gotta take the music as it is — and for what it is, I have no complaints. As for the words — well, if you can understand them, then I wish I had what you do. But since I don't, I can leave the words. And that's just fine. John Cale, you still made a dang fine album. Jus', maybe try a little harder next time to be more understandable? A please and a thanks.

I’m at a 4. I mean, I’ll just get right to it: it’s because of the lyrics. I just don’t understand a damn thing here, except in really broad & loose strokes that paint enough of a picture to feel visible, yet not visible enough to feel vivid in the way that I wish they were. John Cale’s musicianship is great here, with a nice blend of baroque / artsy pop standards that feel far from the heavier tones of the Velvet Underground, fully leaning into a style that’s Beatles-adjacent, yet distinct enough to feel fun. In terms of the pacing of the tracks & the energy they all bring, His voice blends in a lovely way when the tracks take a more serene tone & they blend in a harsher way when they take a more hard rock tone. He sounds great, the band sounds great, and compositionally, I really have zero complaints. It’s all in the lyrics. I just wish they were more clear. That’s literally it; they don’t even have to be that much more clear – I love a good ambiguous track, but the way John Cale writes his lyrics is less of an ambiguously interpretable approach, but more of a stream of consciousness that’s all loosely connected by some idea that only he seems to have in his mind. There are some tracks with more obvious allusions & allegories, such as “Paris 1919” obviously being about the fallout of World War I & the subsequent Treaty of Versailles negotiations, but for the most part, they’re still just not as clear as they could be, at least for my tastes & sensibilities. I can’t even say they’re badly written or anything; these all paint decent enough pictures to see *something*, but it’s just too blurry to grasp. It’s extremely frustrating because I *love* the way everything about this album sounds; “Hanky Panky Nohow” sounds like how a soft chocolate melts in the mouth in the most savory way, but other than some vaguely loose bureaucratic references (maybe to the music industry??), I do not comprehend anything about the track’s lyrics. It’s like falling in love with food & having no idea what the hell it’s actually made out of, with no recipe to cite. I feel like I always need some kind of recipe, and being unable to grasp a full list of ingredients here is just mentally pulling me down. Hence, a 4. A lovely 4 that I’ll recommend to the people who don’t need that list of ingredients to enjoy music, or who don’t care about it as much. I think it’s a really dazzling album in its most cinematic moments, especially with the presence that the percussion & strings have. Hell, it could still go up to a 5 for me in the future if I'm less anal about this whole recipe/ingredient stuff; this album made me feel something in a good way, so clearly the broader & looser pictures still had an effect. I just don’t know how to articulate that in a way where I can justify giving this a 5, because I never felt like it got there, almost solely from my mindset about the lyrics. It is, however, a breezy 30 minutes that does everything right from a technical standpoint. Whether it’s too technically sound in a way that gives off a plain 2 or 3, or something so technically sound that it just naturally feels like a 5, I think I can hear it either way. For me, it’s a 4.

paris 1919 1973 rock, pop wales

An enjoyable singer songwriter album. A bit sounded familiar, but I enjoyed it and would listen again.

The album cover and title project a pretentiousness that I wouldn’t otherwise choose to engage with, but John Cale is “the other guy from The Velvet Underground”, and that’s the only reason I gave this more than one passive listen. That first listen was pretty unimpressive, but I’m glad I stuck with it because it’s improved with every listen (especially with headphones). There’s a lot of interesting small instrumentation that leaves something new to hear each time through. Realistically, I don’t expect I’ll revisit this much but I’ll be optimistic and give it 4/5 stars anyway. We’ll see.

what was that city they mentioned in the album title? i was in a huge disgust. its lovely by the way, although i prefer some franz ferdinand as a unorthedox way of talking about ww1 related politics /j 4/5

A strange album - between whimsical and haunting

Day 120 I only recently became vaguely aware of John Cale thanks to his song with Charlie XCX, after Wiki-ing I was surprised to see he was a founding member of Velvet Underground as this really sounds more like a lost Kinks album to me, I’d say it sounds quintessentially English but that would definitely offend anyone Welsh reading. Certainly one I’ll be listening to again 8/10 Highlights Hanky Panky Nohow Andalucia Paris 1919

unexpected Cale, easy classic rock

basking in melancholy

Spaziergang, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Läuft gut rein.

I really enjoyed this album! I loved the title track in particular, the string/vocals combo was reminding me of Eleanor Rigby 7.5/10

What pleasant surprise. Really enjoyed this one. 4/5

Sooo, this is a weird one. Not particularly memorable but somehow quietly snuck up on me. I imagine this is a grower. Like his Welsh accent coming through at times too. Want to give this 3.5, help

7/10 I enjoyed. Kinda Kinks-esque, very Beatles orchestration. Lyrics are opaque, which lifts it. Not what I expected from Cale, but why should an artist ever do anything that is expected of them?

7/10

One of the great baroque pop albums. I do find it could even be more baroque, more stringey and all that! But it's great for what it is, hands down.

One of the big realisations I've had in recent years is that John Cale might have been the best member of the Velvet Underground. This is definitely a record I need to give another listen to, but I really enjoyed it though maybe not as much as his more recent work. Big, grand avant-pop that's so well crafted with scale and intimacy.

Whilst I love the Velvet Underground I have always found John Cale a little bit too avant-garde for me so I was not particularly looking for to this album. Was therefore very surprised by its folky/pop/baroque vibes which I really enjoyed.

The production reminded me a lot of Jeff Lynne produced stuff. ELO but also later Harrison albums like his eponymous album in 79. 'MacBeth' in particular has the 70s pub rock feel of Jeff Beck or ELO, and shows that this album is firmly rooted in British musical tradition, despite his previous association with that American lot. And yet none of it feels twee (although 'Graham Greene' is a difficult one to warm to). It really treads that line very well. The title track, withs it's brass and strings, made me recall The Snowman. I am not sure why really. A nice Christmassy, melodic, slightly sad, but uplifting tale forever linked with bittersweet feelings of growing up. And that pretty much sums up this album.

Giving this 4 stars because I feel bad for the top review calling him English

Whilst I love the Velvet Underground I have always found John Cale a little bit too avant-garde for me so I was not particularly looking for to this album. Was therefore very surprised by its folky/pop vibes which I really enjoyed. Will score a 4 for now and will certainly listen again.

One of the original co-founders of Velvet Underground. His career spans a lot of very experimental music, but this album is mostly rock/pop from the early 70's. Pitchfork: 9.5 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Child's Christmas In Wales Hanky Panky Nohow Andalucia Paris 1919 Half Past France

Hanky Panky Nohow is a keeper

Funny that this is the album we got and upon my return home last evening, my wife wanted to show me the new Charli XCX song...featuring this random old guy named John Cale? Once I effectively mansplained who he was for about two minutes, I wrapped up my spiel with a line I find myself repeating to her often, "your Dad would know who he is." I have immense respect for John Cale and believe he's one of the hidden architects of contemporary music that still can be seen today (a special thank you to Charli XCX for helping prove my point). His work with the Velvet Underground speaks for itself. If Lou Reed was the lyrical genius of the band, then Cale was the musical maestro. He was a classically-trained prodigy who kicked Beethoven for Chuck Berry but never lost touch with the elements of classical music he loved best. You can hear it in every piece of his work, including the Charli XCX song he released this week. Beyond his own personal work, he's produced for some of the most important and acts of the 20th century. Do we have punk music without John Cale? Probably, but it's fair to wonder. Paris 1919 is a wonderful album and I really enjoy it, but it's not quite my favorite post-VU Cale album. I remember listening to a podcast about it once and the hosts posited that Americans typically don't appreciate this one as much as they do across the pond. The album's content is clearly Eurocentric, from the lyrics to the song titles themselves. John Cale grew up in post-WWII UK and it had a great impact on him throughout his life and especially, this album (The title, Paris 1919, was inspired by the 1919 Paris Accords that ended WWI). Maybe if my childhood neighborhood was bombed to rubble by Nazis, I'd like it a little more, but I'd prefer not to find out at this point. Favorite Songs: Child's Christmas in Wales, Hanky Panky Nohow, Andalucia, Paris 1919, Half Past France

Had a whole thing written up and then I closed the tab. I'll bang out what I remember - incredible showcase of Cale's interests, influences, and talent. So impressive that it'd actually let him coast throughout the 1980s while he indulged himself. The variety on the album is wonderful - moving from VanDyke Parks/Brian Wilson style pop orchestration to Gary Glitter style rockers like MacBeth. The stark difference between songs helps to accentuate the strengths of the baroque pop tracks. The songwriting is so literate as well, the title track is really incredible - totally flush with historical allusion and suggestive of a general feeling of jubilation and anxiety over the end of the first World War. It's an incredible achievement. Graham Greene is like a Kinks song, so British. Favorite Songs: Child's Christmas in Wales, Paris 1919, Andalucia, Graham Greene

This album is pretty much a perfect length. It's quite good and has a few absolutely soaring moments

I just listened to this album for the first time a few months ago. I really liked it then, and I think I liked it more on this listen. Lots of cool choices, and he really plays well within different styles and genres. It's cool to learn that Lowell George played guitar on this album. Listening with that in mind, I feel like the guitar adds a lot more than I realized on first listen.

I honestly don’t get why this one tends to get lower ratings, because I thought it was great. John Cale surprised me with how good his singing is, especially considering how intense and experimental his Velvet Underground work was. His voice fits perfectly with the lush, almost orchestral feel of this album. The concept behind Paris 1919 is really interesting, and that sense of historical melancholy runs through the whole record. Cale’s Welsh accent adds a little extra depth and character too, giving the songs a kind of old-world charm that matches the theme perfectly. Child’s Christmas in Wales, Paris 1919, and Half Past France were the big standouts for me. Half Past France especially hit hard; it’s beautifully written and really poignant. This one’s a gem that deserves more love than it gets. Favorite Song: Paris 1919

Strings. Pianos. Poetry. What’s not to like? ‘Macbeth’ seems like it’s from a different album altogether and is the only skip for me.

Really good. This album deserves to be more well known. Really great 70s soft rock / pop. Very well composed songs. I love the Velvet Underground but had never listened to any of John Cale's solo work until now. I know this is more pop oriented than most of his work, I'm glad he made a change of direction for a moment. This album still has got me interested in exploring more of his work.

nice relaxing album

Dope

Lovely.

Very innovative for 1973, like a precursor for ELO. But not much on this is news in 2025. I liked a couple of the tracks on the outtakes, like the drone version of Hanky Panky Nohow. 3.5/5

4/5

7/10

A pleasant surprise. Sweet, concise, subtly ornate and understated. The title track is a beauty.

Very nice. All very pretty, soft and picturesque. Strings come in and layer scenes with richness. "Macbeth" then turns it up with some rompy glam that sounds really good. Drums get heavy on this track. Second side is a bit less dreamy and more cognizant (though "Half Past France" still floats away in a cloud). Still very picturesque throughout. Cale's singing kinda reminds me of Eno's. Like it's not "good" in technical terms, but it's very sincere (and I mean all that favorably). This whole album has an Eno quality, and I don't think there's any way Eno didn't hear and wasn't affected by this album. Lovely production. Beautiful record.

Não é de todo ruim, mas acaba passando um pouco batido. Há neste disco ótimos momentos, como se espera de um artista como John Cale. Algo que me pegou em algumas partes foram as ótimas melodias. Mas acho que Cale por si só não consegue sustentar este disco. Os vocais dele deixam muito a desejar. O pouco de atenção que prestei nas letras deu pra perceber que elas são boas e bem escritas, mas o alcance vocal de Cale não faz as letras brilharem como deveriam. Ele me lembra o delivery do Ringo, na verdade. Os momentos bons são muito bons, não dá pra negar. Eu imagino que eu teria amado este álbum se ainda estivéssemos na década de 1970, e eu tivesse acabado de comprar uma cópia dele em LP, e estivesse sentado na sala do som em uma poltrona supremamente confortável, tendo acabado de tirar meus sapatos depois de um dia de trabalho. Essa é a vibe que ele me passa acima de tudo, uma vibe forte de relaxamento, descanso. É algo bom, e isso certamente deu uma alavancada no meu aproveitamento e na nota que darei ao disco, o tirando da mediocridade. 4/5

This album was pretty good.

I’m back! 6/7 month break. Really enjoyed this, has highs and lows. Overall groovy pop - rock (70’s definition). Will definitely listen again. Would be nice to hear it with lyrics too. Thought at first it reminded me of Velvet Underground, funny that John Cale collaborated with Lou Reed a bunch.

Haunting grandeur, Little feat Andalucia Paris 1919

i haven’t listened to this album in years and i’m not sure it really holds up but i still find it oddly enjoyable

Another one that I'm really grateful to have found because of this. Never gotten into the Velvet Underground really, had no idea that John Cale was a founding member. Had no real idea who John Cale even was, but this is an incredible record. 4/5

Me gusta John Cale porque nunca sé muy bien si soy super fan o si en realidad no entiendo mucho lo que quiere hacer, pero en general siempre da buenos discos. Paris 1919 me gusta porque al inicio parece que vamos a escuchar una onda un tanto folk que no va a variar mucho, y de la mitad para adelante todo cambia y mete un rock pop bastante cool. Y bueno, la voz del tipo es otra cosa.

Knowing some of the Velvet Undergrounds tunes, I was not expecting something distinct, but... and I might be wrong, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this. And that is not a slight to the Velvet Underground. This felt at times like a wonderfully weird smorgasbord of UK contemporary roc-folk-psychedelia. Think part Beatles, part Kinks, which at times I guess they were competing for the same sounds. Anyways, I'll complete this review by saying I enjoyed this a good deal. And community note: I listened as the original 9 track album.

Laid back chill album

Title track may just be one of the best songs I've ever heard.

J'ai passé un très bon moment ! Le genre change, j'ai pas l'habitude d'écouter ce style de musique mais ça m'a beaucoup plu. 4/5

I enjoyed it much more than whenever I previously listened to it. A couple fantastic songs and the rest were pretty good. Beautiful orchestral pop rock Rating: 4.3

Not always the biggest fan of Cale’s voice, but between his writing and Lowell George’s guitar work, there’s more than enough goodness here. 3.5/5

Really enjoyed this album. Not what I expected from John Cale at all.

I don’t know why I like it, but I do. That’s an oxymoron, but it’s true

Really nice. Was very hesitant when I read that he cofounded The Velvet Underground but this was so much better than any of their stuff. Sounded really nice, lyrics were solid. Overall just a very enjoyable experience.

Really interesting album - not familiar with John Cale at alll previously

This was actually really good and pretty and all, but it really could have been *great* with some more machines that NEATLY PUMP AIR

1919 is timeless, it's a shame the rest of the album doesn't measure up

Enjoyable.

Loved this. Never heard of John Cale but this album ticks so many boxes of what I like in that folk/rock crossover sound from the 70s Will come back to this again.

very comfy, and slightly unusual.. i like it

Whats a surprise. Avangardistic, artsy but also rocking. Fav: Paris 1919

This was good, actually

Not the masterpiece it has the reputation as but still damn solid.

No me esperaba que este álbum sonará así Oye the endless plain of fortune va dura eh muy chill en general, me gusta Antártica starts here tmb me ha gustado 3,62/5

Such an amazing album, I only wish it was longer. Macbeth was the lone song on the album I didn't love. 8/10

Very timeless feel. I'm sure something important happened in 1919

It wasn’t bad. It was fun to get into the Expanded Velvet Underground Universe. John Cale tends to sing little bit too quietly sometimes. So, it was hard to pick up some of lyrics. I’ll be listening to this again, though.

Didn't know John Cale before, nor that he was Welsh or in the Velvet Underground. Got just two days after Transformer by Lou Reed came up too. Pleasant listen for the most part. Loved "the endless plain of fortune", and "Half Past France", but especially liked "Andalucia". What an awesome name. If I have a daughter I may well call her that now (🇪🇸). Didn't like some songs, so I should really give 3* but the good songs are very appealing to me. Low 4* (damn this 5 point scale...)

Quite a beautiful album. Richly layered under John Cale's smooth and soft voice. While soft rock has become the poster child for "yacht rock" with juvenile or trite themes, John Cale's soft rock is soothing and mature. Its produced lusciously & decadent but not overbearing & frustrating. The lyrics are quite mature and somber while remaining accessible & meaningful. Excellent all around and I would recommend this to anyone.

I’ve heard the name John Cale before but wasn’t sure I actually knew who he was (he’s a Velvet Underground guy turns out), but this is a delightful album. Just super good singer-songwriter stuff with amazing production and lyrics. Every song has at least one amazing moment in it, plus it never wears out its welcome. Strong showing!

I love this record. John Cale is awesome.

норм, негатива не испытал.

Good

Another one I had never even heard of. Really cool songwriting and arrangement. Chamber pop aesthetic

Really really good. Unexpected Title track, opener and closer all good Best album I've had in a while 4

pretty good jazz pop fusion. i can actually hear how parisian culture influenced this album. no notes really. still good. probably a 4/5.

Har sedan länge haft "Hanky panky nohow" på en spellista. Har dock inte lyssnat på hela skivan. Men det här är lätt att gilla, min kopp te. Svårt att inte gilla det lite "bombastiska" med stråkar. Sen är det melodiskt och piggt i övrigt. Visste inte att Cale var med i Velvet underground, aldrig kopplat. Man lär sig varje dag!

jävligt najs ju! gillar egentligen alla låtar förutom den sista och kanske graham green som är lite knepig. men annars ett kanonalbum. det känns som att det är sofistikerad 70-tals rock med en edge.

His voice reminds me a little bit of Ringo Starr. Endless Plain of Fortune give me Moody Blues vibes. Overall this was an enjoyable album that I wasn't at all familiar with. I would revisit this one.

A meandering album that has a lot of charm. I expected so much more based on Cale's connection with the Velvet Underground, and though the album was much different than I expected, it didn't disappointing at all. The full orchestral pop-ness of the album actually caught me off guard and drew me in quickly. Lyrically it was quirky and poetic. I really enjoyed this.

Enjoyable

Nice little album that reminds me a bit of Brian Eno's early post-Roxy work. I definitely will be checking out more of Cake's albums. Nothing super spectacular here but just good stuff.

Really enjoyed it. Surprised how straight it is. He has a very fine voice. I was worried it was a bit one paced but Macbeth fixed that.

A really good album, I enjoyed the music style. I liked The Endless Plain of Fortune and Paris 1919 the most.

This was a treat this morning. It's not the best album but when it's good (tracks 1, 6, 7), it's fantastic.

Au panthéon des oeuvres singulières qui jalonnent l'histoire du rock, "Paris 1919" de John Cale occupe une place à part. Sorti en 1973, "Paris 1919" marque une étape importante dans le parcours de John Cale après ses premières tentatives solo plus expérimentales ou brutes. L'attrait immédiat de cet album repose sur la singularité d'être en équilibre entre une accessibilité mélodique et une production orchestrale d'une élégance rare d'une part, et une profondeur thématique et une complexité lyrique d'autre part. L'album réussit le pari audacieux de marier la sophistication européenne à une certaine sensibilité pop américaine. Cette tension entre la surface chatoyante et les profondeurs obscures constitue l'une des clés de la fascination qu'exerce l'album. Il ne s'agit pas simplement d'une collection de belles chansons, mais d'une œuvre où John Cale parvient, comme rarement, à marier son penchant pour l'élégance stylistique et une forme de chaos sous-jacent. Musicalement, "Paris 1919" s'ancre dans une pop orchestrale teintée d'influences baroques. John Cale, avec l'aide du producteur Chris Thomas, façonne un son ample et sophistiqué, où les instruments rock traditionnels dialoguent avec les cordes et les cuivres du UCLA Symphony Orchestra. "Paris 1919" présente un moment de beauté presque sereine, une perfection formelle que John Cale n'atteindra plus jamais de cette manière spécifique. C'est cette unicité qui renforce son statut d'œuvre à part, un sommet d'élégance dans une carrière par ailleurs marquée par l'expérimentation et la rupture. Dès sa sortie, Paris 1919 a bénéficié d'un accueil critique chaleureux, posant les bases de son statut actuel de classique. Le magazine Rolling Stone n'hésita pas à le qualifier de "chef-d'œuvre" et comme étant "un des albums les plus ambitieux jamais sortis sous l'étiquette 'pop'". Bien qu'il n'ait jamais connu un succès commercial foudroyant, "Paris 1919" a progressivement acquis un statut qui dépasse celui de simple album culte. Il est fréquemment cité comme l'œuvre solo la plus accessible et la plus connue de John Cale, servant souvent de point d'entrée à sa discographie foisonnante. Plus de cinquante ans après sa sortie, "Paris 1919" demeure un sommet incontesté dans la discographie de John Cale et une œuvre majeure du rock des années 1970. Un gros 4 sur 5 pour un chef d'oeuvre intemporel à découvrir.

Good

I like orchestral pop that's a bit experimental and get the impression there's a lot of depth to the lyrics here. I wished it was a bit more experimental, overall, but Paris 1919 is a fantastic song and most of the rest were interesting and enjoyable too.

A couple of songs on here I really dig - Half Past France and Paris 1919. Kind of a strange vibe to the whole album, but that intrigues me.

Never heard of this guy but he rocks. Big fan. Huge reason why I’m doing this

7.5/10 Fave: Paris 1919

This probably benefitted from me being a guy who can’t follow a concept album to save his life. I know what it is, and I would probably find it a bit annoying, but instead it ran right through me and I enjoyed it a lot. Lots of nice moments of composition and all that. Will relisten. I think I like Reed and Cale both now. Time to admit I’m wrong about Velvet Underground too I suppose.

++: Child's Christmas in Wales, Hanky Panky Nohow, The Endless Plain of Fortune, Macbeth, Paris 1919, Antarctica Starts Here +: Graham Greene, Half Past France +-: Andalucia 9,1/10

I have tried to get into this album so many times but here I am a sunny day, feeling quite happy and this album is brilliant, like everyone says. Love it

I don’t care for his voice but the instrumentation was fantastic

I honestly missed the last few days of albums because of being busy but also because I really needed to listen to this like 4 different times. There’s some truly sublime music here and then some very meh music and it’s hard to tell which is which. Sometimes it’s in the same song. I’m giving this a 4, really a 3.5, but there’s a chance on a 12th listen it’ll be one of my favorites of all time.

77/100. Paris 1919 by John Cale is a good baroque pop record with well-written lyrics and a strong sense of balance. The album does everything just the right amount—never too overwhelming, never too minimal.

First few songs of my first listen I was like ‘euh no I don’t like this’ and then I hit Andalucia which I have always looooved the Andrew Bird version and didn’t know that was actually a cover! So then I was locked in. And next comes Macbeth which is wild, and Paris 1919 which is beautiful, and probably my favourite on the album ended up being Half Past France which straight up sounds like Johnny Flynn to me, who is one of my biggggest favourites! A real mix on this album overall, it’s interesting and unusual, very pretty in places and kind of grating at others but grew on me more and more as I listened! Also Cale kind of looks like comedian Paul Foot on the cover of this.

A very polished historical reference having record, I think i like this more than the velvet work. The historical references alone make this a 4 but the music is beautifully soothing too

This is my second favorite Cale album after Hobosapians. The first four songs plus Paris 1919 are the bedrock of this album, melodic and oddly complex in their simplicity. Hanky Panky Nohow has an effect that stops me in my tracks and puts me into a meditative state. I’m not always sure what the lyrics mean which lets the gorgeous melodies shine,

Way more people should know about this record. I was unfortunately unaware of its existence until now, and I regret not digging into this much sooner. There's so much to enjoy about the unique songwriting approach served up; not to mention the top tier production. It feels very fresh while being very familiar.

I found this record so refreshing and enchanting; the songwriting, the orchestral elements, the guitar work, etc., make for such a lovely listen.

p292. 1973. 4 stars. Strange but lovely Brit/70s West Coast hybrid with odd lyrics. And it's short.

Surprised how good this was

Some major building blocks of indie rock

Good record

THINKIN: As catchy as good pop should be but with the depths of European monarchical history. PERSONALLY: I don't know what he's signing about but that's how Vintage Violence works as well, which I love. A great sequel to that album. ALT TITLE: A Ghost at Noon

Bit too theatrical for me

I feel like this is an album that could be one of my favorites if I took the time to play it over and over again and really learn the songs. There's just something about it that speaks to me. (Tim gives it a 3.)

"Paris 1919" by John Cale is a remarkable album that showcases exceptional production quality for its time. Initially, I had reservations about Cale's voice, fearing it might come off as irritating. However, as I immersed myself in the music, I discovered that his vocal delivery is not only captivating but also one of the finest in the genre. Each track is infused with a unique blend of textures and emotions, making this album a standout experience.

This is a lot more straightforward than much of the Velvet Underground I have listened to, but that’s not a bad thing. These are good, well written songs that form a pretty cohesive album experience. Definitely something I will go back to. Very immediately appealing. Favorites were Child’s Christmas In Wales, Andalucia, Paris 1919, and Antarctica Starts Here.

Really like this new-to-me album

Pretty good

A well-balanced mix of beautiful, jaunty, and shreddy. Had just the right amount of energy along with a nice voice while also hitting some of the softer parts really nicely.

This guy has a very intriguing voice, just something about it I really like. The instruments that went behind it also are quite strangely good. The song structure of Graham Greene and Andalucia were fun. That was a complete surprise of 4 album.

I liked it. Simpsons: No

Surprised how much I like this album. Always been a Velvet Underground fan. Cale always on the fringes of my listening experiences. I’ll dig in deeper to the rest of Cale’s solo crazy rides.

This was pretty lively. I liked it

I hadn’t heard this before, but I really quite liked it. Clever arrangements, poetic lyrics, harking back to a feeling of the Roaring 20’s in places, a quintessentially English country feel in others. A nice collection of well made songs.

John Cale proving he doesn't _have_ to be all avant-garde and try hard. I feel like there are big chunks of indie pop that can trace their lineage back to this, right? I've listened to this once before, but it didn't leave too much of an impression - I think repeated listens unlock more each time, though, and I think I'll be revisiting it. Fave tracks - "Hanky Panky Nohow" immediately inclined me positively towards the album - I'm very familiar with The Hope Blister's dreamy version of it, which I didn't realize was a cover. "Paris 1919" -> "Graham Greene" -> "Half Past France" is a great run of tunes!

I say this all the time, and it really does highlight how much I must have been living under a rock, but I’d never heard of today’s artist before today. John Cale seems to make pretty chilled out music. This felt quite European chill, but perhaps I only think that because the album title has Paris in the name. It feels like the soundtrack to smoking over a balcony, and I don’t even smoke. It was pretty nice.

I thought John Cale and John Coltrane were the same person, and I was fully expecting polyrhythmic saxophone music, but I got imperialistic Welsh music instead. The album was surprisingly pleasant though! Super warm, melodic and daring enough to stay interesting. Apparently, John was a founding member of The Velvet Underground? Surprising, considering how upbeat his tracks are compared with Lou Reed's brooding melodies.

4.0

This album was cool. I don't know what I was expecting from a John Cale album, but it was different than I thought. Very relaxed 4/5

Favourite tracks: Paris 1919; macbeth

great vibes all around and some really cool instrumentals for an album like this

What a great little album. Throughly enjoyed it.

It has taken me quite a few listens to get what's going on here. At first, it kind of seemed to float in the middle of nothing, but once it clicked I finally realised just what a peculiar, creative and charming little album this is. It doesn't jump out at you; instead, it forces you give your own meaning to it.

He was such an important part of the Velvet's, it shouldn't be a surprise that his solo stuff is well worth your time too. It's not super experimental like you might expect, it's just very pleasant baroque-pop.

One of the classic rock guys I've always overlooked, but why? This is so good. Full studio wizardry and song-writing prowess on display. Orchestral without being corny. Huge swelling sounds like synth padding before Eno made them cool. Effortlessly poetic and classically melodic. Ok, sometimes a bit corny and so literary its up itself.

Glorious rococo pop. Earnest rather than than twee. I find it beguiling.

This is a great, if somewhat conventional record, coming after the more Cale's more experimental work before and after Cale's stint in The Velvet Underground, and while he was shaping the future of rock music as a producer. Not my favourite Cale album, but full of fine songs.

An incredibly detailed and thoughtful baroque pop album with stunning orchestration, ranging from the driving Child’s Christmas in Wales to the bombastic centrepieces of Macbeth and the title track to the closing delicate whisper of Antarctica Starts Here

Cale definitely deserves a deeper look. I didn't know what to expect, and was happily surprised by this.