American Gothic

wow as of now 18thousand reviews let me guess they are not british. It is actually pretty chill and cool. Very soft have to say! But pretty cool. However not much music comming from the instruments.

A very distinct and idiosyncratic balladeer, which sometimes works and sometimes annoys

I like this--the style reminds me of Will Wood. Very theatrical and dramatic, sometimes sounds improvised

I'm always excited when I get an album with low global ratings, or any divisive album with polarized reviews. It usually means things will at least be interesting. I didn't join this project to reaffirm my opinion about albums I already love, but to be exposed to new, strange music I wouldn't encounter on my own. First observation : this is very nice ! I really enjoyed it. Well, not all of it, some songs were better than others – but considering I'm usually allergic to "singer-songwriters", that’s already a big surprise for me. I liked the old-school jazz / cabaret approach, maybe because I feel culturally closer to it than to traditional Americana. I’ll take theatre music over country-folk any day of the week, especially when it’s so gorgeously produced. Second observation : contrary to what some reviewers are saying, there is absolutely nothing weird about this album. If you think this is weird, you've just not listened to enough music in your life. So what if it sounds theatrical ? Music has been intimately linked with theatre for centuries (ever heard of opera ?...). I'm actually disappointed by the fact that Ackles didn’t embrace it more radically – it could have been even better with more operatic strangeness. Conclusion : not bad at all. I was almost tempted to give it a 4* just to bounce it up a bit in the stats. It's not exactly my kind of music, I doubt I’ll spontaneously listen again, but it absolutely deserves a place on the list. I’d rather get this than a umpteenth insipid album by Dylan or Neil Young. 6/10

It was ok, some of it reminded me of musical theater a little bit.

Idk I kinda enjoyed it.

Quite an enigmatic listen. Had to give it a couple tries. I really like David's voice, and was surprised to more or less enjoy the tracks with more of a show tune quality (up to a certain point--Ballad of the Ship of State was a bit much for me). It's not a style I'll revisit regularly, but I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did.

I was a bit worried going into this album, seeing as a lot of the reviews were quite negative on this one. But to be fair, it pleasantly surprised me. It's kind of a Broadway musical in album form, and I very much dig it. My biggest gripe with it is that although it sounds grand and majestic, it doesn't really seem to go anywhere. Should this be on the 1001 albums you must hear before you die list? I'm not sure, but it is definitely better than the reviews made it out to be. 7 / 10

Done

Ballad of the ship of state

199/1001 :: David Ackles - American Gothi Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 5 Listen before you die: No Something really interesting about this album. The album plays like a broadway musical. Which is what’s good about it and bad. There’s some complex arangements here and some interesting story telling. I’m just not sure I really want to listen to this. And frankly while I thought it was good (for what it was) it was a slog to get through… I bet theatre buffs love this shit.

idk i kinda listened, singer/songwriter that deserves more credit than im givong him, this album experiment wearing on me

Valjda ja toliko mrzim country da je ovaj koji je ljudima inače lošiji meni puno bolji. Prvi country album za koji mogu reći da me nije smorio totalno. Ima nekih dramatičnih i uzbudljivih kvaliteta.

Wonder if he’s related to Jared Ackles

This is like if Mr.Rogers put out an album of him sort of singing. Mx it with Warren Zevon and you’re good to go. This is a peaceful album. I don’t think you could fall asleep to it but you could definitely put it on and forget that it’s on. It has enough of something to keep it from irrelevance but if you asked me what that was, I’d be lost in explaining it to you. Like, I want to move on from this but something deep in my psyche keeps me listening.

Surpassed expectations

Gave me a bit of a Neil Diamond vibe. I enjoyed the album over all even if it’s not my usual go to for style.

too theatrical

“American Gothic” is undoubtedly heavy stuff. David Ackles' songs are not that inaccessible, but they don't quite come together to form a coherent whole. One moment it sounds like Broadway and even briefly reminds us of Frank Sinatra with its vocal range, the next moment we find ourselves in musical theater à la Kurt Weill. Some lyrics are wonderfully dark, others lose themselves in naïve, explicit triviality. This album could have been so much, but in the end it's just an astonishing experiment by Ackles and Bernie Taupin. It's actually impossible to evaluate it meaningfully. But it's impossible not to, so it gets 3 stars.

A bit pretentious, but still rather lovely

Interesting, Neil Diamond/Elton John channel their Tom Waits wannabe through the medium of amateur dramatics showtunes. Not sure it really work but yeah it nearly does, suppose it depends on your view on almost amateur dramatics. Still very Understandable why it remains obscure and only on the 2nd hand market it seems, of the early 70s singer songwriter boom it’s just a little bit off, some of it is quiet mainstream and then other parts are very very hammy, and the almost 10 minute last track almost killed it all stone dead for me, but will give it 3Star

I wanted to like this one better. There are some good refrains in this but it's just too repetitive. However, it's fairly good, almost like an old school musical, especially on "Oh, California!" This concept album of U.S. states gets a three. Top tracks: "Oh, California!," "American Gothic"

Wasn't bad but didn't have any parts that I really liked.

Ton Waits but clean, shaven and with a proper job

Pretty cool stuff, it’s albums like this where I am thankful for this website

Sounds a bit like Scott Walker mixed with Leonard Cohen but not as good. There are too many songs where he is doing an over dramatic style that reminds me of a theater production. Reminds me of William Shatner on The Transformed Man when he would do very serious, loud, speak-singing. In other songs though, he shows that he can sing bout them the songs just aren’t catchy. How this was a hit at the time, I’ll never know. 3/5

Sounds like the soundtrack to a musical. Meh.

American Gothic was a very good surprise that I enjoyed. David has a very nice voices that calms you down and puts you in the Christmas mood that’s coming up at the moment. Most songs sound the same but that isn’t really much of an issue seeming I like it. Nothing much to say I don’t mind singer songwriters they are alright and this is one of the better ones I’ve heard. 7.6/10 3.8/5

Very interesting album. Never heard of it prior to listening.

Dark and sometimes brooding. It is quite a hard listen.

I might need to give this a more thorough listen in the future.

Really weird mix of country/baroque sounds on this thing… didn’t always know what I was listening to. Liked the last song

this album was soooooo weird, i can def hear the Bernie Taupin production on this thing!

It's hard to say that it's a bad album, it's not, I quite like it, but it's just so simple and not trying to be anything more. There's a hint of trying a little bit here, and there, something bigger, but no fun writing, no fun moments, it just is. It's not bad for what it is, but it should try to be a little bit more on this list.

This project is to discover obscure, forgotten albums like American Gothic - an album usually I would have never discovered on my own. And I am glad I listened to this album. It's different, odd, a but overblown which is not often my taste but it kept my interest throughout and it was a pleasant listen. Robert Kirby conducted the album, he worked with Nick Drake around that time and a bit earlier and I can hear his influence on the album. At first listen a strong 3 star album.

A very sad album but sometimes that is a great thing. Moving lyrics and good singing but its not very often I find myself wanting listen to this kind of music so I cant in good concience give it a higher rating.

What a great album to have in this collection. It's exactly the sort of thing that I would never have even considered, and it's not really to my taste (too music-hall/show-tune for me), but it's also a pretty distinctive album and musical style, and I feel better for having heard it, and having read about David Ackles, before I die. I didn't really have any favorites among the tracks, although the title track does a good job setting the tone for the remainder of the album, and both "Another Friday night" and "Midnight carousel" are an interesting mix of dark lyrics with almost upbeat-sounding tunes. Reading about his life and career is also pretty interesting. I can totally picture him with his sister when they were kids finding really obscure folk songs to perform as a folk duo (the pair having started out doing vaudeville acts). And given his challenges getting his songs to get any traction, I'm glad he met Bernie Taupin (who produced this album) when he opened for Elton John in 1970 in LA. A shame that the most everyone seems to say about Ackles is that he's (still) waiting to be rediscovered, a great sound that no one's heard.

Wild getting this album so soon after getting Jacques Brel and Scott Walker. Though I didn't like Scott Walker much, David Ackles is a different story--he's the closest I've heard to an American Jacques Brel with complex songs, lots of nuances and intonations, interesting music, etc. This album didn't really appeal to me (same with the Brel choice for this project) but sadly, unlike Brel, there's not a lot out there to love. I went back to listen to Down River which seems to be one of his most covered songs--lovely. Wish he'd hung in with his music longer.

Un completo desconocido para los aficionados, que sin embargo ya había sido versionado por gente como Julie Driscoll y Brian Auger (Road To Cairo, en el 71). Producido y arreglado por un conocido como es Bernie Taupin, que le da un toque lúgubre, que le diferencia de otros gigantes como Randy Newman o Don McLean (Oh, California!). Ballad of the Ship of State es Nick cave antes de Nick cave. One night sand es Scott Walker. Cierre excelso con Montana Song. David Ackles murió tras cuatro álbumes, sin más reconocimiento que el de algunas voces aisladas como la de Elvis Costello. Un disco por descubrir.

2.5

It's okay.

This is a unique one. Very showtune feel to it, with some spoken word aesthetic. Reading about the album, I see that Elton John's lyricist lent a hand on this one, which makes sense. The delivery is not quite Elton John here, but I can hear the similarities. This is not a record I would revisit at any time, but I don't dislike it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Too intricate for me. Maybe in ten years I will grow on it.

Good tracks but some tracks a bit too long for my taste

Sounded kinda good.

So versatile, this album is going all kinds of places

I read through some reviews before listening on this occasion and I really wasn't looking forward to it after doing so. It sounded bad. However, although I agree with the "Broadway musical" and "high school theatre" descriptions, I actually unironically enjoyed this. The whole thing is tinged with a sadness, thanks in part to Ackles' vocal performance. He hasn't got a massive voice, but it's quite distinct. 'One Night Stand' for example is slow and brooding, with 'Midnight Carousel" being particularly dark sounding. It gives me horror movie vibes, the piano specifically gives it an urgency and makes it sound like a chase scene. I really like it a lot. It's also the catchiest track on the album thanks to the vocal lines. 'Oh, California' is the opposite, and is quite uplifting and a fun burlesque knee slapper. 'Love's Enough' is a really lovely track There are a couple of boring tracks sprinkled throughout. The ballad 'Another Friday Night' plodded along for too long before a big ending, 'Waiting For The Moving Van' is just a bit dull and 'Blues for Billy Whitecloud' is a jazz lounge sounding swing track which is decent enough. The ten minute closer tries so hard to be epic but falls short, it's just missing that extra something. Overall, it's a very strange, peculiar album which has a vaudeville vibe. I'd much rather have albums like this which are a little different and against the norm than a boring album any day of the week. If you're into this sort of thing, you'll love it, but I can completely understand why many would hate it. It scrapes a three, but I can also imagine I'd come back to this every so often because of how different it is.

Liking the melodrama vibes, esp when it's expressed in vaudeville piano. There's a playfulness and shifting in it that I enjoy. Mostly less into the lyrics with pictures of period American life etc... yeah ok... Nice discovery overall. Liked the first half more than the second.

I feel like I need to "watch" this to truly appreciate it, so giving it an average for the listening experience.

It's okay Idk what to call this genre America folk maybe It wasn't bad Nice orchestral arrangements

this shit is boring as fuck

It’s no bad but also I’m just confused by what this is.

whatever man Would I listen again? No Deserves to be on this list? No 2.6

It’s got something, I just don’t know what

Bit melodramatic I don’t hate it though 3/5

Otro álbum y artista del cual jamás antes había oído hablar. Se trata de un cantautor y actor americano que concibió este álbum como una sinfonía intimista pero en clave de musical (music hall) muy influenciado por la teatralidad de Kurt Veil y con pasajes claramente inspirados en Gershwin o Copland, los músicos clásicos estadounidenses por excelencia. Suena extemporáneo pero no deja de sorprender y, aunque tiene altibajos, se comprende tanto por qué no obtuvo más reconocimiento en su época como por qué hoy se considera disco de culto.

I had high hopes for this album based on the description as it is compared to Elton John, but it just kind of plodded along and didn’t do much of anything for me. Oh well. It’s very vaudeville in spots and stream of consciousness elsewhere. Oh, California! Is fun..

Was this show tunes or Neil Diamond or Frank Sinatra or Nick Cave? Feels like a big pot of soup with varying amounts of those four ingredients. How did it taste? Fine I guess, but it could use more spice.

Felt like listening to a musical. I’m not much a fan of musicals

Estilo y música altamente agradable.

Interesting to see this classed as "Country" as the genre. It's much more show-tuney than country. Lots of big band instruments and storytelling lyrics.

Alright but a bit forgettable. Like the instrumentation

Very interesting. Lots of story telling but also kinda show-tunes-y.

нормалек.

Album is fine. The book’s review only makes a little sense, there is one song that is reminiscent of Copland. There is one song that evokes Kurt Weill. What it does sound like consistently is Neil Diamond covering Randy Newman. Which is fine.

Beautiful, fun, and easy. Silly at times while setting the scene, a scene both jolly and solemn.

Can’t say I will ever seek this out again but I didn’t mind it.

had never heard this guy, decent mix

I’m a bit torn on this, there’s a nice dark gothic storytelling vibe to it but it’s too often played out over-theatrically for my tastes. There’s a few moments where that aspect is dialled down and that is where I find enjoyment in it. Perhaps I’ll go back to it at some point but for now it’s a swing and a miss

Sounds like Neil Diamond performing songs written and arranged by Tom Waits.

Good singer, but I don't always like the way he sings. Lyrics are too... Sincere? Not sure exactly, but it doesn't make me want to listen to more of his work.

I feel like he's auditioning to be a musical theater songwriter with this album.

Interesting, whimsical and even musically beautiful at times. The vocal delivery was a bit too performative at times but overall good all around

Not my thing but I can appreciate the message

Actually not a bad vibe, a bit weird though

Bof. On dirait une bande sonore de film ou une comedie musicale. Très dramatique par moment, avec du gros piano et des grosses cordes, mais ça ne vient pas me chercher vu que des scènes n’accompagnent pas!

Nothing to write home about, but a fun time regardless

Not a fan of the more theatrical aspects, but the parts that lean more towards folk/Americana are pretty nice. It's pleasant but I'm not sure how much I'll revisit it.

I don't know if I'd listen to this again, but it wasn't bad by any means. Some good storytelling and theatrics, and he has a pleasant voice. I'll round up to 3.

Not bad. No songs particularly stood out to be though.

OK

Fine

An actual deep cut, <7k listeners on Spotify. Very theatrical, pretty cool

mal was anderes aber meh

Unique record. Really interesting direction for a 70s singer-songwriter.

This was interesting- a mix of very theatrical songs and really nice “romantic” ballads. The theatrical ones were fine songs but didn’t work all that well for me in this context, they seemed to belong on Broadway or in a soundtrack. The ballads really solid, particularly likes Love’s Enough. More of these could have brought this to 4 stars.

Listened while I was having an especially coming to terms moment with my life, my job especially since I was on a coffee break on Apple Music they said he resembles Elton John but I felt like he was his own storyteller

It sounds like a compilation of character songs from an obscure oldie musical with a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes adapted from a significantly more famous book, but the first critic review you see says it's a "faithful retelling of the story" and that's the best thing they say about it

British man discovers American folk music. There better be so many Townes albums on here.

Favorite songs: Blues for Billy Whitecloud, Love's Enough, Family Band, Another Friday Night Least favorite songs: Ballad of the Ship of State, Midnight Carousel, Montana Song 3/5

I'm about 50/50 on this one. Some really great stuff and some stuff that didn't tick any boxes.

Kinda good but also kinda sounds like the music from the Vampire musical in Forgetting Sarah Marshall

++: American Gothic, Love's Enough, Oh, California!, Another Friday Night, Family Band, Midnight Carousel, Blues for Billy Whitecloud +: Ballad of the Ship of State, One Night Stand +-: Waiting for the Morning Van -: Montana Song 6,7/10

Suena a musical de opera rock

Lighthearted, feels like a passion project. Not sure how it made the list, it feels overall amateur. It's very unpredictable, but in a good way! Just fine musically though. - Unusual. Not many listens on Spotify. Curious - Gentle, sweet. Enjoyable. But also very wonky

Styling remind me of the Doors. Musically I don't hear anything exceptional.

In the world of Nick Cave, Randy Newman, Tom Waits... a space I really like, but doesn't quite hold up for a whole record. Cool instrumentation and vocals, especially like the strings later on. Each song stands well alone but as a collection it loses some interest.

American Gothic // Love’s Enough // Another Friday Night //

Like if Frank Sinatra and Randy Newman had a baby and that baby had depression. The whiplash from the first song into the second song is pretty crazy.

As a Phil Collins and Genesis fan, it was interesting to hear the artist that influenced Phil Collins’ songwriting style. Like other reviews for this album that were written, this guy did remind me of Neil Diamond mixed with musical theatre. The album was okay. I can see why Elton John had him as an opening act at his first US shows. Both Elton and this guy had the same amount of energy. Three stars for influencing Phil Collins and Elton John.

In interesting album by an artist I've never heard. It's not a rock album and fits snugly into that singer songwriter genre that was huge in the 70's. Not something I would ever seek out, but I didn't hate it.

I wasn't sold at first but was still a decent listen

A hidden gem cult classic from a forgotten singer songwriter from the 1970's? This had me very optimistic about this record, but I was left a little bored. David Ackles sounds like Nick Cave’s dad, or a less interesting Scott Walker. Definitely not a bad record, but not one that I was particularly impressed by.

A surprising singer songwriter album. Reminds me a lot of Scott Walker. Very dramatic/orchestrated right off the bat.

All over the place in style and story telling. Interesting album but not one I would go out of my way to listen to.

OK, I was a bit skeptical about this one after the first song, it was giving me PTSD of all of the god awful Nick Cave albums I've listened to due to this list, but this one has some really high points (Love's Enough, One Night Stand), but also some songs that bug the shit out of me (Montana Song, American Gothic). I don't know where to put this one. So I think right in the middle works. 2.5/5 = 3 stars for this scale.

:/

It took 5 or 6 tracks, but I ended up sort of liking "American Gothic". Ackles is not much of a singer, but after a while I got into some of the melodies and the orchestration. The music is not a cross of any two or three particular genres ... which is a way of saying it's original.

Der er en meget lige linje fra det her album til Elvis Costello, særligt Imperial Bedroom. Det lyder også som noget, Tom Waits nok har været fan af. Så jeg er glad for at have hørt det, og jeg nød den, selvom jeg nok vil finde de senere kunstnere frem før denne igen

Lød ret godt, fede vokaler og arrangementer! Fik ikke lyttet til teksterne

Very unique. Has that almost talking style which I assume Sun Kil Moon got his inspiration from. I don't love that format but I respect it

Aluksi en niinkään välittänyt mut pitänee tälle kolmonen antaa. täysin pätevää jenkkifolkkia.

Hvað ef John Grant og Billy Joel myndu semja söngleik? Hann myndi hljóma svona. Þetta var bara allt í lagi plata en ég mun fljótt gleyma henni nema ef éf er eitthvað að hugsa um óuppsetta söngleiki sem gerist eiginlega aldrei.

Da riascoltare

This was okay.

Singer-songwriter with an orchestral lean

Very weird album. Did not like it at first but it sort of won me over with it's audacity.

I enjoyed about half the songs, decent fun Rating: 3.4

A dramatic malaise of wandering through the mind. A rich and deep album that stands out for its honesty

he really tells a story! i don't think i know what gothic means.

I liked this. I didn't think it was anything crazy amazing, but I did enjoy listening to it.

Gut. Atmosphärisch, wenn auch etwas lang.

Sounded like a musical, which I didn't really like. At least it was interesting enough to keep me engaged though

I liked it and I actually had Another Friday Night saved to my playlist before listening to this album. I have a feeling Zak gave this a 1

Ben Folds vibes; piano and solid vocals with dramatic, narrative lyrics and extensive orchestration. First song is interesting and hits hard. Has the energy of Eleanor Rigby, or Carrying Kathy. At his best with tongue-in-cheek stuff like Oh, California! but also enjoyable with Love's Enough or One Night Stand. I would only listen to this in extremely specific circumstances; but I'd enjoy it then, as it's excellent and interesting.

4/11, 36%

Jazz piano voix pop

Super interesting revisit of this album for me. I remember it fondly from my first venture into this list, because it sounded like almost nothing else I had heard before. Now, 900+ albums into the list, the novelty is not quite there, and I don't find the songwriting to really support the more extravagant and theatrical parts of the record.

Very musical theater, but in a good way? Never heard of this artist before and took a few songs before I got on board. Great vocals and storytelling Lost me again with Billy Whitecloud, but chalk it up to the times, I guess?

Pretty good.

Basic and boring

Tämä oli kiinnostava. Välillä oli tosi kivoja pätkiä ja ajoittain taas todella tylsää. Kieltämättä tässä oli musikaalivaikutteita.

Levyllä oli hetkiä jolloin teki mieli kaataa lasi viskiä ja nauttia atmosfääristä ja hetkiä jolloin mietin että mikä ihmeen b-luokan musikaali tuolla soi. Ackles olisi ollut kova tekijä musikaalihommissa mutta artistina meininki oli tämän perusteella vähän liiankin maalailevaa.

liked

Torn on how to rate this one because I kind of love how over the top and dramatic it is, but not all of it works for me at the same time. "Midnight Carousel" is a really stand out track to me on this. This is a strong 3 that could conceivably grow into a 4. As it stands though, 3 feels more accurate. Cool, weird little listen.

It’s alright

Pretty nice, just sounds like music to some kind of movie though.

Toca hoy álbum y artista completamente desconocidos. Dulce, hondo y con un dejo de nostalgia, la voz de David Ackles me recuerda a Leonard Cohen, sobre todo por lo relatadas y teatralizadas de sus canciones. Hasta mañana.

Alors là, on sort des sentiers battus et nous sommes loin, très loin des autoroutes du rock à guitares que je m'enfile habituellement avec un plaisir non dissimulé. David Ackles, "American Gothic". Je vous vois déjà froncer les sourcils. Qui ? Quoi ? Un nom qui sonne comme un comptable du Midwest, une pochette qui évoque plus une réunion de famille endimanchée qu'une galette à se passer en boucle. Et pourtant, ce disque figure dans cette satanée bible des "1001 Albums", il doit bien y avoir une raison, non ? Je vais être franc, quand j'ai vu débarquer cet album dans ma liste, j'ai eu un mouvement de recul. On est en 1972, une année bénie des dieux du rock, et on me propose un type qui, de prime abord, semble avoir plus sa place sur les planches de Broadway que sur la scène du CBGB. Le genre de disque que j'aurais probablement classé dans la catégorie "variété internationale" à l'époque où je tenais la boutique, entre deux albums de Leonard Cohen et un best-of de Scott Walker, sans y prêter plus d'attention. Une erreur, peut-être ou peut-être pas. Alors, j'ai appuyé sur "play". Et là... comment dire ? C'est... ample, c'est orchestré, c'est le genre de production qui sent le gros budget, le studio rutilant et les musiciens qui savent lire une partition sans se tromper. On est à des années-lumière du son cradingue d'un "Raw Power" des Stooges, sorti la même année. Ackles, lui, il ne crache pas dans le micro, il articule. Sa voix est puissante, posée, celle d'un crooner qui aurait mal tourné, un Sinatra qui aurait lu trop de romans noirs. L'album se déroule comme une pièce de théâtre, une suite de tableaux dépeignant une Amérique profonde, loin du rêve californien. On y croise des personnages paumés, des amours déçus, des vies brisées. C'est l'envers du décor, le côté obscur de la carte postale. Les textes sont denses, littéraires, et demandent une attention que, je l'avoue, j'ai parfois eu du mal à maintenir. Faut dire que l'anglais et moi, on n'a jamais été les meilleurs amies du monde, et là, on est dans la haute voltige poétique. Musicalement, c'est un putain de melting-pot. On navigue entre la ballade folk, la pop orchestrale, des touches de blues et même des envolées quasi-lyriques. C'est riche, très riche, trop riche parfois. Par moments, j'ai eu l'impression d'être submergé par les arrangements, par ces cordes qui tirent le tout vers une grandiloquence qui frôle le pompeux. On sent l'ambition démesurée, la volonté de créer une oeuvre totale, une sorte de "Sgt. Pepper's" du folk dépressif. Le problème, c'est que là où les Beatles réussissaient à rester légers et inventifs, Ackles se prend parfois un peu trop au sérieux. On trouver aussi une filiation avec Brel, dans cette façon de raconter des histoires, de camper des personnages, dans cette intensité dramatique. Ackles est un conteur, un tragédien mais il lui manque la rage, la sueur. Brel, il te chope par le col et te secoue jusqu'à ce que tu chiales. Ackles, lui, il te regarde de loin, avec une sorte de mélancolie distante. C'est poignant, certes, mais ça manque de ce coup de poing dans le bide qui fait les grands disques. Alors, pourquoi ce 3/5 ? Parce que, malgré mes réserves, je ne peux pas nier la qualité de l'écriture et l'originalité de la démarche. C'est un album qui a des couilles, qui ose aller là où peu d'artistes américains s'aventuraient à l'époque. Il y a une véritable vision d'auteur derrière "American Gothic", c'est un disque qui se mérite, qui demande un effort. Et même si je ne suis pas sûr de vouloir le réécouter toutes les semaines, je suis content de l'avoir découvert. C'est le genre d'oeuvre qui te hante un peu, comme le souvenir d'un film étrange vu tard le soir. On sent que ce disque a été une anomalie dans le paysage musical de 1972. Pas assez rock pour les rockeurs, trop complexe pour les amateurs de folk traditionnel, trop américain pour les fans de chanson française. Un cul entre trois chaises, en quelque sorte. C'est sans doute pour ça qu'il a bidé commercialement, pour ensuite devenir ce qu'on appelle un "album culte". Une étiquette un peu fourre-tout qui désigne souvent les disques que personne n'a achetés à leur sortie mais que tout le monde prétend adorer trente ans plus tard. Pour être tout à fait honnête, je ne suis pas sûr que "American Gothic" aurait changé ma vie si je l'avais écouté à 20 ans. J'aurais probablement trouvé ça chiant comme la pluie. Mais avec le recul, avec l'âge et les kilomètres au compteur musical, j'y trouve une certaine beauté vénéneuse. C'est un album adulte, désenchanté, qui parle de la fin des illusions. Et ça, forcément, ça me parle un peu plus aujourd'hui. En conclusion, "American Gothic" est une curiosité, une oeuvre ambitieuse et singulière qui mérite sa place dans les 1001 albums. Ce n'est pas un disque facile, et il ne plaira certainement pas à tout le monde. Mais si vous avez envie d'un voyage au coeur d'une Amérique crépusculaire, loin des clichés, laissez-vous tenter. Vous pourriez être surpris. Moi, je le suis un peu, pas complètement conquis, mais intrigué. Et c'est déjà pas si mal.

i wasn’t expecting to like this at all but i loved the instrumentation and it felt really dramatic, i really loved this one, but i was more of a fan of the brass songs and the slower piano songs i couldn’t get too much into. still good record nonetheless CHEERS x

an interesting album. i've never heard of it or david ackles before, but seeing that it's a singer-songwriter album from the early 70s, i figured it had a pretty good chance of being up my alley, since i enjoy a lot of that kind of music from that era. i'm not really sure how to feel about this one. it wasn't bad! it reminded me a lot of randy newman or van dyke parks (definitely more van dyke parks in terms of song style and production style). it's interesting and it definitely feels like the concept of 'american gothic' is ever present. it feels like it's trying to rise to the occasion of an aaron copland. i just wish i enjoyed listening to it more because it is a fairly fascinating album.

酒吧，沙漠，手风琴，灵魂

Why is this so depressing?

Klarer und prägnanter Songwriter Sound. Gutes solides Arrangement aber mit zu viel Längen und teils schnulzigen Balladen die eher an Musicals oder Disney Filme erinnern. Im Großen und Ganzen ist das Album ganz brauchbar.

For all the plaudits received during his time, it is a mystery as to why David Ackles didn't cross over to the mainstream. American Gothic, produced by Elton John's right hand man Bernie Taupin, is the kind of record that could only come out in 1972; chock full of singer-songwriter ambition, orchestration verging towards outsized grandiosity and the towering epic that is the album's centerpiece, even though it's tacked on at the end. Does American Gothic deserves a wider fanbase? Yes but it is also not hard to see why its hopes for success didn't pan out. Favorites: American Gothic, Love's Enough, Ballad of the Ship of State, Oh, California!, Another Friday Night, Family Band, Montana Song.

This was completely new and fairly pleasant. Like an old Rufus Wainwright it has a stagey, campy, story telling vibe that is fun. Not much depth to it but enjoyed the ride

the front half of the album i enjoyed, the second half got a just a tad too dreary... while the music is hauntingly beautiful, i dont really see myself coming back to this.

Thoroughly strange and unique, mixing show tunes with folk music and a grim naturalist approach to lyrics. I can’t say I loved it, but it’s definitely well-made and something I appreciated being exposed to. Best song: Ballad of the Ship of State

An inspiring listen and feels like it would have inspired many following works of art, operas and stories within their own medium. On a first listen I don’t pay immediate attention towards lyricism and meaning, nor continually pause to dwell on the intent of the words painted, and this album is no exception to that. However, it certainly felt that it held some weight with the poems and lyrics it performed and will certainly be one that I intentionally come back to, to further dwell on the beginnings of my understanding on what is being said within it. For an album to generate an inspiring reaction from its listeners, or to pull their attention towards what is being said rather than how it’s saying it, is often an indicator of a strong album and its ability to say something and have an impact. And whilst this album doesn’t quite achieve the fullest ability to do such a thing, like many of the albums before and after it, it quietly whispers its message into the listeners ear and hopes that its audience follows its ensuing tangents. For me it’s certainly a tentative 3/5, and with myself using this as a daily “initial reactions” tool it has a high potential to promote itself in due time, as a very good chunk of these albums do. Time shall tell.

Another theatrical and grand album. Sometimes to its detriment. David Ackles has a good voice, but the lyrics didn’t always capture me. Felt a little lost at times. The first half of the album had some wit and was playful. Standouts: American Gothic, Ballad of the Ship of State, and Oh, California!

V quirky slightly overblown singer songwriter stuff that feels like a Warren Zevron precursor. Intriguing. 3

Mirror universe Neil Diamond. What the hell is this?? I sort of love it, I think. But only the unhinged songs. (ntm.)

Not a bad listen

Story telling singing on top of piano and arrangements. Tom Waits vibes, without the whiskey voice.

What dress did I just stumble into

Interesting folks music. Doesn’t really sit in the brain tho like other albums. Quite unique I think

This is definitely for people who love cabaret and studying drama. Not bad, but overblown on some tracks

2.8

I’ve never heard of David Ackles before, but from my brief reading about him, if he influenced Elton John and Phil Collins, I think he’s going to be right up my alley. And this album was produced by Bernie Taupin? Sign me up. It does make me nervous that this album has pretty poor reviews, but I won’t let the haters dampen my good time! Well, maybe there was a kernel of truth to what the haters have said about this album. I thought this album was fine, but I don’t think it deserves its reputation as an underground gem. This album started off really strong; I loved the opening track, and I wished that the whole album would have had the same vibe. The ragtime-sounding piano was great, and there was an anxiousness to the sound and that matched the lyrics really well. Ackles’s singing was really good throughout the album, but on the opening track, he really reminded me of Nick Cave’s singing. The second song, “Love’s Enough” was really good too. The lyrics were great, the piano melody was beautiful, and this song definitely felt like it was produced by Bernie Taupin, which is a great thing. “Ballad of the Ship of State,” “Oh, California,” and “Midnight Carousel” were pretty different though, and their different structure and odd elements were a sharp contrast to the first two songs. The rest of the album was fine, but nothing really captured that feeling of the title track that I really loved. The piano playing and singing were really good, but for me, this was just another fine singer-songwriter effort from the seventies.

First song was interesting and I liked Another Friday Night, but I would not listen to this again. Some weird stuff that I’m not at all surprised did not find an audience, despite the Wikipedia blurb. Fantastic album cover tho. Also, the song that Spotify started playing after the album ending was another David Ackles song and way better than anything on this.

Solid but not amazing 3/5

This reminded me of the multiple Tom Waits albums we've had to slog through, but without all of the grumbling. It does have all of the dramatic flair though, the touches of dark cabaret, spoken word poetry, and the somewhat weird musical aspects. Like Tom Waits, there are some tracks that remind of villain songs in Disney movies, such as Ballad Of The Ship Of State. All in all, it has it's moments, and I can't fault anyone for enjoying it. But for me, this is more something to experience, than something I can enjoy.

Dunno why the ratings so low, some people must hate fun.

Cantautor estadounidense de los 70. Ni fu ni fa.

Singer-songwriter, estilo Sinatra. Es un poco rollo.

More a Singer/Storyteller than a Singer/Songwriter

Well, this was an interesting aural experience… somewhere between an Americana spoken word session and a west end musical. Still not entirely sure what I think of it, but it was certainly different.

Jájá. Svolítið dramatískt, svolítið söngleikjalegt, og svolítið áheyrilegt. En eitt skipti nægir í bili.

This is why I'm on 1001... . Albums and artists that I've not encountered before. David is a new name to me, but he has an impressive set of celebrity fans. Alas, I can't really see the attraction. American Gothic is full of very theatrical songs, and not in a Alice Cooper theatricality sense. I can imagine a Las Vegas crooner wandering around a nightclub, emoting to the max. "I'm here all season.... try the fish." Not for me.

Strange one. Weird vaudeville feel that went all in. There were moments he came back to some restrained melancholy that I liked but damn, that Montana song was crazy. I'd listen again when I have time and a drink.

first listen dark and macabre but not as interesting as other songwriters in this genre

Bit of a confusing experience - the slower, more soulful songs resonated more strongly with me.

Never heard it previously, makes me want to dig deeper

2.75

Basically sounds like MacArthur Park the album, and as someone who doesn’t hate that song it’s fine. Could live without it, but it’s decent background music. C-

Listened Before? N Interesting stuff. 70s folk is always kind of hit-or-miss. This one was pretty good and from what I read is considered influential. I can feel the Sinatra influence on HIM, and can tell he influenced Neil Diamond. Subject matter is everyday life, and the life of a struggling performer. A good easy listen. One Night Stand made my Spotify likes. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: One Night Stand

Felt a lot like Warren zevon. Very well composed album full of songs that I don't particularly like. Probably was fairly groundbreaking in its era.

I liked it, weirdly enough. Never going to listen to it ever again, but it was a fun listen.

Odd, last time I listened to this album I absolutely adored it. Must have been in the mood for piano led singer songwriter stuff at that time. Was a little underwhelmed this go around but the album was still solid. High 3

Not bad, need to listen again

Country Tom Waits

This sounds like Neil Diamond wrote a musical that was too emotional to last more than a few months on Broadway. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but it's not exactly what I'm looking for in an album. I had a good time, but its strangeness limits its upside, ultimately.

For a 10 minute song, Montana was pretty solid. The overall storytelling was pretty good but some of the lyrics were not my style so I wanted to give it a 4 so maybe 3.5

Sounds a bit like Joan Manuel Serrat. Wonder if there is a connection... catched a few good moments but its not very good.

Interesting style. Singer-songwriter meets broadway show. Love's Enough is fantastic. Too bad the momentum slams to a halt with a Ballad of the Ship State. It all starts to sound very similar.

Sounded like Camelot to me.

interesting, not really my cup of tea

Another never heard of this guy / album. Meh…

pretty good. not exactly up my street but i liked one night stand

He sounds like he would be a theatre kid. Was enjoyable tho 6/10

Boring, but good

Might be a reason no one has discovered this. Pretty interesting tho.

Average

Part Scott Walker, part Neil Diamond, part Johnny Cash for the story telling. Not sure who the audience should be but glad I was in it once.

I definitely don’t dislike this album, I just don’t really like it that much either. Sounds a lot like a musical to me, and I’m not a big musical fan. Some great lyrics, some lovely accompaniment, and a cool name to boot - I’d wonder if it is a reference to the portrait. Glad I’ve listened to it anyway. Love’s enough Another Friday Night

This was very interesting but I also don't remember a single thing about it.

Storytellin’ blue collar tales spoken word with religious undertones. 6/10

Interesting

If Scott Walker hadn’t done so many drugs and was pretty okay

Cantautor estadounidense de los 70. Ni fu ni fa.

Lyrics on parts of this are incredible but overall wasn't super into it.

Assez unique, on peut dire. J'avais l'impression d'écouter de la musique d'un vieux film avec de la narration chantée par dessus. Ce n'est pas un mauvais album, mais il m'a paru beaucoup plus long que ce qu'il est. Le genre d'album qui a autant un aspect qui me garde fasciné, mais qui a la fois me flatte dans le mauvais sens du poil. Ça ne serait pas une mauvaise idée de lui redonner une chance. 5.5/10

Unbekanntes Album, unbekannter Songwriter. Die Songs werden beim mehrmaligem Hören immer besser. Somit eine höhrenswerte Schallplatte.

Un album de poète et raconteur, mais d’un point de vue usé, bien-pensant. Certains passages ont l’ampleur d’une pièce de Broadway

An over the top lounge singer that while cheesy, does a decent job of putting together a compelling album. I probably won’t listen to this again. A solid 3.

A decent album with some catchy tunes and interesting narratives. Not to everyone’s taste but it was a pleasant experience that somewhat resembles the sort of music you would hear at a musical.

Clearly a talented writer, but it’s a little too hammy for me. 3/5

Funny but overwrought

Favourite tracks: love's enough

This is definitely an album I’m shocked is not more popular. It has all the makings of music from the 70s that held together and is constantly replayed in soft settings. This is overall pretty decent folk/singer songwriter music. I enjoyed some songs quite a bit and feel like this album will continue to grow. It’s nothing flashy but it’s consistent and a soothingly enjoyable album. 7.0/10

Becomes quite obvious within seconds that Ackles grew up a show-biz kid. Extraordinarily theatrical albeit instrumentally sparse (in a quite lovely way) I visualize stage curtains opening and closing, cheesy sets being wheeled around backstage ... It's so hilariously and dramatically cheesy ("One Night Stand" - ... "hey...what's your name? come here...i'm gonna kiss you...") that it got literal LOLs from me in parts. Having said that, there's something about it. I know that he opened for Elton John at that famous 1970 Troubadour show and EJ was a huge fan - if you squint a little there's a bit of crossover between this and the raw Tumbleweed Connection (one of my favourite albums) era of Elton, just in terms of sound. It's unique, I'm glad to have finally heard it - there's a real compelling aspect to the music (again - it really is a theater production) but it's just too over-the-top emotionally (vocally, and I don't really even dislike his voice - it's the emoting) for me to attach to. It's not fully over-wrought but man it's knocking on the door. Points for the dry clear production and instrumentation as well as clear talent, I just don't think this is really up my alley. 6/10 3 stars

Kon dit wel waarderen. Elton John achtig. Dacht hij het eerste nummer pff wat krijgen we nou, maar het zit goed in elkaar. Prima 3 sterren

Was pleasant enough to listen to, but I will never listen to this again.  And the last song was too long

Expansive story telling in dated format

bizarre but kind of grew on me anyways

Somehow reminded me of a chanson.

I really like his voice, but I don’t find his music very engaging. It’s a sort of one man musical, which lets him get weird with form, but I don’t find that it works for me personally.

Okay. Bit of a Pete Seeger clone.

Radio music

This is some clangy artsy stuff for theater kids in a high school.

Ágætt stöff, áhrif héðan og þaðan og kemur saman í þokkalega blöndu.

J’ai vraiment rien à dire là dessus, si je me fis au compte rendu ça serait sensé être un underrated masterpiece, mais ça sonne juste pas aussi bien, c’est peut-être juste un autre album parmi tant d’autres

okay.

Sounds like the male Joni Mitchell, and my opinion is basically the same. The semi-musical poetry is artistically respectable, but doesn't do much for me. Part of me feels like it could've been better off written than sung

I think I half enjoyed this and half not. Very cheesy at times but not always in a bad way

2.7/5 Best Track: idk

Neil Diamanté

- good storyteller - very honest and descriptive - quality for what it is

melancholy

I DID listen to this, but it slipped the mind pretty quickly. I think it was pleasant with some moments of beauty, but not the kind of folk-pop that sticks with me. Fave track: Love's Enough

This record improves as it goes - as more grandiose instrumentation and gospel vocals are introduced, the more enjoyable these tracks become. Not all of the theatrical folksy stuff wins me over, and tracks kind of seem to flip flop between impassioned winners and a spoof of an off-broadway production. Somewhere in the middle for my liking here. Two and a half. Fave track: Another Friday Night

Unusual! Day 27 and it's the first artist I've truly never heard of, not even in passing. Very sappy at times, and a bit challenging, but I like it! It almost reminds me of '70s David Bowie at times -- I'm glad I finally came across an artist here I've never heard of!

Some interesting songs 3

the song American gothic

Interesting sound from the music

Pretty good, would have liked more variety or just a shorter album. A few less spoken-word-singing-storytelling songs would have been fine by me. I liked Family Band, Love's Enough, even Oh, California! Midnight Carousel stuck in my head but it was one of the songs I liked the least

This is actually pretty cool. Like Scott Walker meets Kurt Weil and his voice sounds a bit like Nick Cave. Was likely an influence. But it did wear on me a bit by the end and the final track was unnecessarily long.

Pass, will listen on CD at some point

Bob Dylan dei poveri

Keer wat anders, best bijzonder

Gewoon wel echt niet mijn smaak, maar zitten wel erg mooi geschreven nummers tussen. Toch net een voldoende daardoor

Old school, lekker kalm album Niet slecht, ook niet echt geweldig

I really like the vibe and style but overall it felt a bit too showtuney for my taste

💞

Good! I really did think it was good but again im not going to listen to the songs nor the whole project.

Really heavy lyrics to the point of being distracting. Impressive musicianship though.

"American Gothic" is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter David Ackles. The listed genres are singer-songwriter and Americana. I struggle with the Americana label except for a few songs. The album was recorded in London and was produced by Bernie Taupin. It did not do well commercially. The self-titled "American Gothic" opens the album. A rolling piano. Horns in spots. It's kind of cabaret-ish. Ackles has a nice voice similar to Scott Walker. He's telling the story of Molly, a prostitute, and Old Man Horace, a drunk. "The Ballad of the Ship of State" uplifts the mood with horns and strings and there's a rock beat. A crew is waiting to go home apparently stuck somewhere (an island?). Alright, I found the Americana song in "Another Friday Night." We got a harmonica, a slide guitar, strings and a gospel choir with backing vocals. He's spending a weekend in a town where he has to leave again to get on the road. The album ends with the 10-minute epic "Montana Song." Strings and a flute. Very dramatic and heartfelt. It's the story of a city man who goes to country selling bibles, ends up living in the contry raising a family but his kids end up going back to the city. This album is ok; it kept my interest. Ackles has a voice that is a mix of Scott Walker and Neil Diamond. The songs border on cabaret and some are very dramatic. His songs tell stories with some maybe being autobiographical. With Bernie Taupin producing, I surpringly did not find Elton John similarities. I would say if you like early Scott Walker a lot, this is worth a listen.

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Americana 1972 New one for me. Never heard of this guy before. It's very easy to get into. Soft and melodic, and his voice is like warm butter on toast. He is a little (very little) like Neil Diamond. Standouts: Love's Enough, Waiting for the Moving Van, Montana Song, One Night Stand 3.5

What a strange experience. At first I hated it, then about halfway through something clicked and I loved it. I think the first half is a bit too off kilt for me but the storytelling and songwriting in the second connected better. I probably won’t listen again but I can sort of see where it’s coming from.

It's... surprising. Background orchestra is really moving. I didn't get super into it, but glad to have heard it.

OK I really hear what everyone was saying its like a dark Billy Joel musical hahahahah. I'm kind of weirdly enjoying it, his voice is really good and expressive. There was one song that was sort of normal and sounded like a commercial song instead of a musical number that I liked, I think it was Love's Enough which makes sense because its the most listened.

Interesting style -- sort of a blend of Sinatra with something darker/more sinister. Several songs had really interesting moments, and I enjoyed "Oh, California!", but overall the styling and singer's voice didn't resonate with me.

3 Maybe 4

This was pretty enjoyable. No idea about it beforehand but good stuff

Don't know what I was expecting going into it but this wasn't it. Genuinely very good might have bumped up to a 4 star given more listens.

nice enough MOR album. Very easy listening

I don't think it's the amazingly beautiful lost gem that some reviews said, but their are some nice songs here. Better than a lot of the singer songwriters fare I've heard in this list so far. Really wishing for half stars lately but anyway 3.5

Davidsstjärnan... en viktig symbol. och han dog i cancer Daavid vila i frid så att säga (REST IN POEACE) i snitt trettio tusen lyssningar i Spotify-applikationen är varje låt ganska rolig eftersom djävulens skit är en jävel djävulen djävulen kan inte säga något annat underskattad man respekt namnet gav mer respekt i namnet Daavid och Goliat och daavidi vann tydligt Goliath är världen är världen som motsätter sig och sonen David besegrade den another friday night

American Gothic - 7.5/10 Love’s Enough - 7.5/10 Ballad of the Ship of State - 7/10 One Night Stand - 7.5/10 Oh, California! - 7.5/10 Another Friday Night - 7/10 Family Band - 7/10 Midnight Carousel - 7/10 Waiting for the Moving Van - 7/10 Blues for Billy Whitecloud - 7/10 Montana Song - 8/10 TOTAL - 80/110

Exactly the kind of album I’m doing this for. Really struggling to rate this. Not really like anything I’ve heard before but not in an abstract way. 3.4

Good stories, music less than mesmerizing

I like his voice. Reminded me of Neil Diamond even before I read the reviews. The music is more like Broadway musicals. Especially the last song. It's good, but not what I'm looking for in music. Favorite song: Blues for Billy Whitecloud.

An interesting and lively singer-songwriter LP where nearly every song contains its own small-scale drama. Ackles' passionate delivery makes everything genuine and smooths over some of the cheesiness that would otherwise mar the narrative flow. Could've done without the overtly religious songs, mainly because they detract from the thesis the LP establishes, but otherwise for a singer-songwriter project I like this one a decent amount.

Good songwriting in a style I don’t love. This feels part pastiche and part confessional. It’s an interesting listen, but not something I’d rush back to.

Not the worst thing I've heard, but at times it's weird. Some songs are good, middle-of the-road folk-pop, but those over the top, orchestrated show-tunes are downright bizarre. Think of this, American, David Ackles doing his best Neil Diamond impression with a hint of Tony Bennett, performing an off-Broadway vaudevillian musical (or high school musical?), American Gothic recorded in London, England produced by Bernie Taupin and they wonder why this album never found an audience? Again, some of the songs are quite beautiful and interesting, but lost me when he started to sing about Jesus (minus -1). Ugh!

Liked: Ripe with Americana and blues roots. This album is sure to impress a genre connoisseur. It plays like a Billy Joel album with more folk influence. By no stretch is this album a monolithic contributor to modern music nor is it a taste maker album. Its just light and easy listening. Great story telling with theatrical motiffs. Disliked: Relatively boring, minimalist instrumentation, and goofy song premises.

Musikal esque men en röst. Billy Joel aktig storytelling. Helt kiva men kommer inte söka mig till den i framtiden

Que des rageux sur ce site

vrlo mjuzikl vibes

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Oh California

2.75 I don’t think it’s a mystery why this album failed commercially. While interesting, it feels as if it never finds a secure place to land and root itself, instead twittering from branch to branch. The result is that, while there are some aspects that are interesting and captivating (and certainly so on their own), the whole of the album feels like a bunch of leaves shaken from a tree and haphazardly assembled back together on random branches. Quite simply, there are other artists who do it better. While he’s certainly inventive, it seems superficially so. The social issues, the sound experiments, they all felt as though they barely scratched the surface. The stand out song is “Montana Song” for how much its allowed to breathe and how it seems like the kind of song Ackles was going for with the rest of them, of gorgeous instrumentals and scenic, sweeping lyrics. It feels like the album is building up to this moment, which is a disappointment because it feels like the album should’ve started with this and continue on a similar path. But instead, you’re met with half-cooked imagery and songs that sound straight out of a fair, attempting to find a more commercial footing that it never meets.

I appreciate how odd this is in relation to the western rock canon we're exploring here. These are basically musical show tunes, but presented on an album without the accompanying musical. This is both its appeal and downfall for me.

A quite sincere album, maybe a bit too much for me. But, he's not bad and I can respect it.

I can't fault the size, scope or ambition on display here. And, to his immense credit, Ackles never takes the easy path as a songwriter. As a singer, yeah, he has an interesting voice. I just don't like vast swathes of American Gothic. Sometimes it threatens to descend to subpar Randy Newman, without the yuks. Sometimes it sounds like subpar Gershwin. I truly don't know what to make of this - admirable, but less rewarding than I had hoped.

I listened once through on the commute, didn't pay close attention, and thought it was broadway / maudlin. I also fell asleep. I gave it another fair shot later, and well, it's still maudlin. But the intricacy of the songwriting, the really nice lyrics, and the sometimes very strange variety of subjects seduced me. I can see why more famous songwriters cite him as inspirational. Good one for a "must listen" list.

Singer-songwriter, estilo Sinatra. Es un poco rollo.

…So, just who the hell is David Ackles? Here is an elusive artist born from a family of music-hall performers: he had a brief career as a child actor, studied English Literature and composed musicals, ballets, choral pieces in his spare time. He then opened for Elton John when the Rocketman made his American debut at the Troubadour, L.A. John was completely starstruck and has gone on to praise Ackles as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation: in fact, songwriting partner Bernie Taupin produced this album, "American Gothic". The drama is admirable but gets a little much at times: "American Gothic", "Ballad of the Ship of State" and the ten-minute "Montana Song" are the three multi-faceted epics which best show off Ackles' love of musical theatre. They're intricate, complex and broad, as well as being pretty difficult to stomach. Ackles is in full Scott Walker mode here, theatrics dialled up to eleven, switching restlessly from folk rock to vaudevillian cabaret. The lyrics are hokey and there's no clear, satisfying structure, though I won't fault the ambition. When the Broadway stylings are kept to a minimum, and Ackles explores other angles, I found the songs much more affecting. "Oh, California!" is a delicate, dreamlike ode to Ackles' favourite state, and "Family Band" goes gospel as he reflects on his childhood playing music in the church (with Jesus singing the songs). Then, an absolutely beautiful story crystallises in "Waiting for the Moving Van", a hauntingly sad love song. I don't want to overstate its brilliance, but I was a great fan of the depth of feeling within the lines: "Now there's lots of time, and nothing left to fix; except the things I am trying not to think of when I can; waiting for the moving van to come". If nothing else, that's a song I'll hope to carry with me for a long time, and I'm glad to have been exposed to a songwriter's songwriter like David Ackles.

Merica fuck ye, 3.5

5/10. Oooh, American Gothic, the famous… album? Hmm, yeah, I can see why no one listened to this when it came out, because it isn't that good.

There were some parts of this album that were genuinely good but those clashed with the parts I really disliked. 6/10

Nice enough, but ?

American Gothic is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter David Ackles, released on July 4, 1972, by record label Elektra. The album is a song cycle organized around the theme of the rediscovery of self through contemplation of vanishing rural America. The album's lyrics are considered to be its strongest aspect, with Ackles' penetrating gaze outward at the thwarted ambitions of conventional beliefs. The album's arrangements, whose excellence cannot be overstated, are all by Ackles. The album was produced by Bernie Taupin and conducted by Robert Kirby. The album was recorded at IBC Sound Recording Studios in London, England. The album peaked at number 167 on the Billboard charts. American Gothic remains one of those great albums that never found its audience. It waits to be rediscovered

Música tranquila de una especie de crooner americano, con canciones melosas y reposadas. Música evocadora. Ningún título reseñable ni nada que me haya destacado especialmente

Strange

Interesting album but also felt very familiar. Nothing really stood out even though the wiki and apple were begging for this to be some unfound treasure. Love the cover, though. Man is most happy in boat.

A real curious artifact of its time, this one. I didn't dislike it but found a lot of it odd. A little too much of it that kind of sing-songy half talking delivery that puts me in mind of the less tolerable side of musical theater. Worth a listen still.

I like singer songwriters, but this one made me want to drive my car off a bridge it was so depressing. Great storytelling and music, but he was clearly on downers when he wrote and recorded this.

Nice. Don’t know much of anything about this! I remember the name David Ackles from a list of Jim O’Rourke influences. That was Five & Dime though. Title track is kind of theatrical. Next song is a nice slow singer-songwriter jam. Third track back to that Broadway style. And then more of that. Seems like the genre is singer songwriter show tunes. Neil Diamond of broadway. It’s not bad but really doesn’t do it for me. I can respect it though, especially considering how many cite him as an influence. At least a 2.5. So I’ll do a 3.

This is a cult classic that deserves more attention. David Ackles delivers a performance of songs that explore the diverse aspects of American life, from the rural to the urban, from the past to the present. The album is rich in lyrical and musical details, and features the production of Bernie Taupin and the orchestration of Robert Kirby. However, the album does not appeal to my taste, (or a lot of others I suspect). It is more of a musical journey that requires patience and attention. Glad it’s on the list but not one I’ll come back to. 3/5.

Prime example of an unlucky, yet talented, Broadway aspirant who hoped to join Joni Mitchell and Neil Young in the big leagues of folk rock. I don’t see myself coming back, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think Mr. Ackles should still be acknowledged for his artistry.

B American Gothic 5 Love's Enough 3 Ballad of the Ship of State 4 One Night Stand 3 Oh, California! 4 Another Friday Night 3 Family Band 3 Midnight Carousel 3 Waiting for the Moving Van 3 Blues for Billy Whitecloud 3 Montana Song 2 This was friggin' awesome! It was so different than every album I'd heard before. It gave me a similar vibe to Blood, Sweat, and Tears, but sounded more like a musical. This was a true hidden gem.

This definitely isn't the type of music I normally listen to. It reminded me of Christmas music at times but the subjects of the songs were more depressing. There were times that really bored me. That being said, there were also spots on the album that had a lot of life. Ballad of the Ship of State and Oh, California! stand out in that regard. It felt like there was a narrative going on but I had trouble following it. I'd like to go back and give it a second listen to try to digest that aspect. After some research, I assume the album title is in reference to the famous painting American Gothic by Grant Wood depicting a farmer and his daughter in front of an Iowa farm house. My assumption is that the story of the album is telling about life in America in throughout the depression era. So if I do have time to go back and listen again I'll keep that in mind while focusing on the lyrics.

Theatrical, dramatic. Each song a vignette. Vocals are booming, but strangely monotonous like a poem read out loud? Musical arrangements varied. Lots of piano horns orchestra etc. 7/10

Weird! It’s basically full of songs that function as mini-stories. It had many moments in which it felt like the soundtrack to an averagely written musical. I don’t really have anything else to say, I didn’t hate it but wouldn’t say I liked it either. A solid 3.

Sounds like a musical, it's not bad but nothing stood out to me

Some good moments but it wasn’t that good all around.

I can understand how Ackles could have been both a major influence on artists like Elton John and Elvis Costello, and also be largely forgotten to history. I don't see myself revisiting this, but for certain people, this will be a treasure waiting to be discovered. For my taste, the theatrical pop sound would be better suited to Broadway than the recording studio, but I'm sure that many would disagree.

While the musical talent is evident the final product sounds forced and is not a very pleasant listen. It sounds like a cover band trying to play Elton John songs.

3.5/5. Different, and interesting. It's kind of like a musical. I was not expecting to like this after hearing a bit of the first song, but it ended up being alright.

The bones of a great album are back there somewhere. These are well-written, mature songs. He doesn’t have the voice to transform them and the arrangement choices are puzzling. Some odd almost word stuff, odd horns and sounds pop up randomly. This is an album I’d want to hear early 70s pop acts cover, as I see Elton John’s lyricist produced it - it was obviously available to them.