Fred Neil

Last song is great. Decent rest.

Beautiful album! I’m so glad I heard this

Made me feel like the poor kid on the cover that wants to get away from this dude. Different variations of the same boring song over and over. When he ran out of lyrics he threw in some la-di-da’s.

I think this is the first album from the 60s that’s really connected with me. Amazing voice on Fred and some of the harmonica solos in the tracks really hit the spot. I’ve got a secret and Everybody’s talking are favourites here. I’ll be back to this one

Album 153. Fred Neil (https://open.spotify.com/album/7wpo5k9gqXQHfxISH1jatO?si=3cBHX50zTmu825ygqmwA5w) — Fred Neil (1966) Good folk album, like it. But didn't enjoy the last song. 3/5 Liked: — Ba-Di-Da — Faretheewell (Fred's Tune) — Everybody's Talkin'

It's a little Bob Dylan at home, but I liked it. Closes off with a pretty cool raga track and obviously it has the original 'Everybody's Talkin'. fav tracks: That's The Bag I'm In, Everybody's Talkin', Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga

Kind of interesting. Never heard of this but I guess an influential folk singer. Wouldn't need to listen again but was fine.

I learned this guy performed the original Everybody's Talkin'. Apart from that, I couldn't find much to get along with here.

I love the clean sound of the instruments. I love the stand-up bass. Great folk album. Sweet Cocaine hit me by surprise, and I thought I was going to hate the last track but it's actually a pretty fun jam.

A pretty badass album. This is what it must have felt like to be cool in 1966. Still holds as a “vibes” album. Rock in a rocking chair on the porch vibe. The guitar solos are sweet. Quite a charming record.

Better than I thought it would be. Still fairly average.

Amazing to find someone I'd never heard of who is clearly so influential. Every sardonic self aware hipster singer songwriter can trace lineage here, and the last track is pure NYC guitar band cool. I love the acoustic guitar all over the album too. Great choice.

Couple of songs are ok but I think this is another one of these dudes whose songs are much better performed by others. Sorry Fred.

Bon, plutot bon album de folk. Honnêtement, le style est plutôt efficace et certains morceaux sont vraiment remarquable comme sweet cocaine, ou Candy Man, qui incarne bien le style de l'artiste. Néanmoins, l'album reste assez répétitif et vraiment très très peu inventif, c'est vraiment dommage.

I always thought Everybody’s Talking was a Harry Nillson original. He definitely did it better.

Everybody's talkin and some other songs.

Cool discovery. Like finding the author that inspired your favorite author.

You know what, this album is kind of dope, fairly distinctive sound and some really good songs. Even though it isn't too remarkable, I enjoyed it and would give it a very low 4.

Sucks

It was fine

Back again with what I assume to be another folky singer-songwriter album. It's been quite a while since the last one of these. Can't say I'm too enthused about the return, but I shall go in with an open mind nonetheless. Here goes. I'm apparently correct in my prediction, but this strikes me as more of a country album, particularly the bumbling bass and Southern drawl. This was an interesting listen. The reverberating, distorted guitars on the first track sound like they were ripped straight out a 90s song, which is incredibly surreal when you consider where music was at during the time. The guitars are a constant highlight, really. They're pretty vibrant and radiant, which contrasts nicely with the bassy, somewhat muddied ambience which hangs over the rest of the instrumentation. The sound is definitely there, but something keeps this music from going the full mile for me. I think it boils down to the songwriting being a little feckless, the middle tracks sounding a little empty and folk not really being my style. Still, I commend this album. It was a decent listen and well ahead of its time in a few respects. Book time. "Although his own recording career was brief, the late Fred Neil was a key figure in the transition of folk to folk-rock." The album blends folk, rock and jazz, apparently. I'm not really hearing that last genre, though there is certainly a wide spread of influences in here. "Essential listening for all singer-songwriters, this album contains no filler." Some prominent people have covered his music, notably Harry Nilsson, Tim Buckley and Cass Elliott of The Mamas & the Papas, the latter of whom is believed to have provided the backing vocals for "Badi-Da". The royalties Neil receives from "The Dolphins" apparently go to dolphin charities. That's sweet. Wikipedia says that this album features Neil's most popular songs, but that's about it. In my exploits of using this website, I've noticed that there are four main qualifiers for an album making it onto the list, those being popular support, critical acclaim, creative influence and British nepotism. Within this group there are a few subcategories (i.e. star power, aesthetic significance or indie/niche/overlooked music) and there's typically a healthy overlap between multiple categories. This album appears to land in one of the most interesting and rare niches, that being music which isn't popular and isn't particularly loved by the critics, but appears to be well-respected by a few notable musicians and producers, either due to the artist knowing a lot of people or the album being covertly influential. I generally favour these picks. It's interesting to hear music that is listened to and appreciated by an entirely separate group of people (i.e. creators rather than consumers). There aren't too many albums like that on the list, so I'm favourable to them whenever I come across one. For that reason, I cosign this inclusion.

Hoge

Really cool. I love Greenwich Village folk singers of the later 50s / early 60s. Its rad to hear how this music influenced really everything for the rest of the century and beyond. Bob Dylan played some of these songs, as well as the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Dave Von Ronk. I love this period of music. I listened to this passively on Friday while driving around the Tetons, and I knew I had to give it another go. The Shake Sugaree song is incredible, not only is it one of my favorite GD songs, but it inspired me to find the original song writer and listen to her version. Fred's voice, finger picking style, and whistling make this song so damn good. There are so many songs on this record that I recognized, but most of the songs I knew were different versions. I love how in the Greenwich scene they were all covering or resurfacing old songs and making their take on it. Its fun how he kind of incorporates blues with some Indian influences as well as melodic atmospheric sounds. This was rad.

60s folk singer. like a worse jonney cash. not my fave.

Another blind listen and was met with som bluesy folk rock. Did not know that he wrote “everybody’s talkin”. Thought it was the other guy. Really enjoyed this one! 4/5

It takes six tracks until you get to the first actual functional song on the album, and it’s one you’ve heard before. It’s just as good as the cover though. No complaints about that one song. Everything up until that point is just a great voice wailing over unrelated music. Two songs later you get like, almost a half song with Sweet Cocaine. Fred really tries to ruin it though. After that there’s nothing worth listening to. I’m sorry, The Stone Roses. I was too hard on you.

Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga was pleasantly different.

It's okay, but very boring

Middling singer-songwriter stuff, a couple okay tracks. An overlong instrumental track to end the album, which is weirdly common in albums from this era.

Everything about this album sucks ass. The weird creepy cover. His dog ass voice. The worst cover of Shake Sugaree ever. An original song that is WAY better when it was covered. Terrible waste of space

This album feels very 60s. Love the guitar in this, Fred's voice is perfect for this era. A quite lovely folk album. It reminded me a bit of Jefferson Airplane, The Beatles, Nancy Sinatra, and Johnny Cash at certain points. Dolphin was a very solid first track. I also had no idea Everybody's Talkin' was actually written by Fred and not Harry Nilsson. Everything Happens sounded a bit like Black Country Woman - Led Zeppelin. Lots of influence coming from this album it seems.

WHAT A DISCOVERY THIS WAS! The Dolphins, I've Got A Secret, That's The Bag I'm In, Faretheewell, and Green Rocky Road all beautiful

I was not expecting that opening tremolo guitar effect on a 1966 album. Could this be a groovy undiscovered (by me) gem? No. My interest waned after track. A dull album, despite his lovely voice.

I respect his artistic vision but absolutely fuck off with your 8 minute closer of noise.

The album cover is creepy enough. Anyway, this journey has showed me subgenres I enjoy more than I thought I would, and vice versa. I thought I was a big Folk Rock fan(thanks to the "Juno" movie soundtrack), but I find myself bored with listening to an entire album of it. Favorite Track: "Badi-Da".

Nobody should talk about this boring bummer.

Siento que esta pagina ya me recomendó el mismo disco varias veces, es totalmente genérico y aburrido.

The blurb says folk music but there’s a lot more country twang here. I liked it.

Ecouter de la musique comme si c'était un job, c'est le meilleur moyen de finir par détester ce qu'on aime, ou de devenir un vieux con aigri qui soupire dès qu'il entend une guitare acoustique. Heureusement, je suis déjà un vieux con, né en 1970, élevé à la dure entre les bacs d'un disquaire indépendant et les studios de radio où on fumait encore entre deux morceaux de Post-Punk. Alors, quand je tombe sur une pochette de 1966 avec un type qui s'appelle Fred Neil, mon premier réflexe, c'est de lever les yeux au ciel et de soupirer. Le titre de l'album ? Son nom. Quelle originalité, vraiment on sent que les mecs du marketing de l'époque se sont foulés la rate. J'ai posé le diamant sur le sillon — ou plutôt, j'ai appuyé sur play, soyons modernes — avec une moue de scepticisme gravée sur le visage. Pour moi, c'était plié d'avance : un petit 2 sur 5. Un truc de barde barbu pour hippies en manque de sensations fortes, un disque qui allait prendre la poussière sur mon étagère mentale. Et puis, le premier morceau démarre. « The Dolphins ». Et là, une décharge, pas une décharge électrique non. Une décharge de reconnaissance car cette mélodie, je la connais par cœur. Mes années radio me sont remontées à la gorge comme un reflux gastrique, mais un reflux de luxe. Matt Johnson, The The, Shades Of Blue sorti en 1991. Et je me suis souvenu de la version qu'il en avait faite, une putain de reprise. C'est là que j'ai réalisé que Fred Neil était la source, le mec qui avait écrit ça. Et rien que pour ce lien de parenté avec Matt Johnson, j'ai sorti mon stylo rouge et j'ai gribouillé un point bonus sur ma fiche de notation. On passait donc à un petit 3 sur 5. C’était déjà une belle progression pour un type dont je n’attendais absolument rien. Je me suis assis dans mon fauteuil, celui qui a la forme de mon cul après des décennies d'écoute intensive, et j'ai commencé à vraiment prêter l'oreille. Fred Neil n'a pas une voix de chanteur de folk ordinaire, c'est une voix de baryton basse, profonde comme un puits sans fond, avec une résonance qui te fait vibrer la cage thoracique, le genre de voix qu'on n'entend plus. Plus l'écoute avançait, plus je sentais mes préjugés s'effondrer les uns après les autres. C'est du folk, certes, mais un folk sombre, urbain, teinté de blues et d'une mélancolie qui n'est pas feinte. Ce n'est pas de la musique de feu de camp pour scouts en culottes courtes. C'est de la musique de fin de soirée, quand les lumières de la ville deviennent floues et que tu te demandes ce que tu fous là. On arrive doucement à un joli 4 sur 5. Pourquoi ? Parce que l'album a une texture, une épaisseur. Ce n'est pas juste une collection de chansons, c'est une atmosphère cohérente, un voyage dans la psyché d'un mec qui a fini par préférer les dauphins aux humains, et honnêtement, quand je vois la gueule du monde actuel, je ne peux que le comprendre. Fred Neil, c'est l'anti-star par excellence. Un mec qui a écrit des tubes pour les autres mais qui gardait la substance pour lui. On sent dans ses compositions une liberté totale, il s'en fout du format, il s'en fout de la durée. Il cherche la note juste, celle qui fait mal et qui fait du bien en même temps. C'est brut, c'est honnête, et c'est foutrement rare. Et puis, il y a la fin de l'album, le morceau qui justifie à lui seul que ce disque soit dans la liste des 1001 albums. « Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga », et rien que le nom est une provocation. Neuf minutes de transe, neuf minutes où le folk s'évapore pour laisser place à quelque chose de beaucoup plus vaste, de beaucoup plus mystique. C’est là que j’ai décroché de la réalité. C’est du raga, c’est de l’improvisation, c’est une espèce de messe païenne qui te prend aux tripes. C’est transcendant avec le bouzouki qui s’entremêle aux différents instruments, créant ainsi une spirale sonore qui monte, qui monte, et qui finit par t’exploser le cerveau. On n’est plus en 1966, on n’est nulle part, ou plutôt, on est partout en même temps. C'est ce dernier morceau qui met tout le monde d'accord, il balaie les dernières réticences et transforme un très bon album en une expérience nécessaire. Alors non, ce n'est pas un chef-d'œuvre absolu selon mes critères personnels, car je garde mes 5 sur 5 pour les disques qui ont littéralement changé le cours de mon existence. Mais c'est un disque qui mérite amplement son statut, c’est du bon folk-rock, solide, intelligent et hanté. Fred Neil est un fantôme magnifique qui hante encore les enceintes de ceux qui prennent le temps de l’écouter.

No es lo mío

Smooth, pleasant. Too much so really. It's a little boring and just kind of slides by. It's not quite interesting enough or bad enough to notice.

A fine folk rock/country album, but I'm on the fence as to whether it is a great one. I would argue that it was Harry Nilsson's performance, arrangement, and production elevated "Everybody's Talkin'" on the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack, that elevated the bare bones songwriting of Fred Neil into something that was actually an all timer with legs. I could see how guitarists might prefer Fred Neil's version though. Favorites: "Faretheewell (Fred's Tune)" , "Everybody's Talkin'", "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" In fact, I kind feel like "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" influenced The Doors when they composed the instrumentals for "The End".

This was ok. Nothing to really fault but nothing special either.

Ya sabíamos que la famosísima "Everybody's Talkin'" era una versión, pero pocos habíamos reparado en escuchar la original de Fred Neil. Cierto es que los arreglos la elevan a otra categoría, siendo más luminosa y optimista, pero hay que darle el crédito al autor, que acabo de conocer. Este es un disco de folk rock, bastante intimista y con claroscuros, pero más que interesante para escuchar. Junto a un par de versiones de canciones tradicionales y un extenso instrumental a final del disco, Neil nos ofrece un puñado de temas desnudos, orgánicos, algo tristes pero emocionantes, que llaman a la introspección y al desapego. A veces es necesario.

This is not exactly what I expected the album to sound like. Of course, with the cover being a picture of Fred Neil (presumably) choking a young boy to death, I probably should have not made any first assumptions about the content of the album contained therein. I thought this would be boring hippie shit music. I felt there was more country-influenced songs than I had expected and there were zero songs about fairies, queens, knights or any of the other crap that can annoy me about folk music. This was a really good album, especially the first song about dolphins. I don't think this is necessarily a classic but definitely worth a listen. Everybody's Talkin' has never been my favorite song but an entire album of songs like that makes me it worth the listen to me. "They will probably drop the atom bomb the day my ship comes in" is a line that Morrissey wishes he had written. My favorite tracks: The Dolphins I've Got a Secret That's the Bad I'm In Everybody's Talkin' Sweet Cocaine

This is what this project is all about. Hidden gem, baby.

Honestly great. I’m typically not a country or blues fan, but Fred Neil is such a great songwriter that he gets away with both. His unique voice also has the ability to grab the attention and keep it for the duration. Yeah! I’m into it!

This was really, really bland! Not even the final track (a series of instrumental jams) could save me from hating this album. I knew Everybody's Talkin' (and hated it). I think I actually listened to this album twice. So, I'm marking it down a point. 1 star. From 2.

This album is like catching an overnight bus home to go to a family friend’s funeral. You are sad and it is late, so you want to get some sleep. Try as you might though, you can’t get any sleep because some guy sitting across the aisle from you, chewing your ear off about how he is going to visit his son who lives in your hometown. His son is going to take him sightseeing. You don’t care.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Great story telling throughout.

Fred Neil - Folk singer with a deep relaxing voice. Highlights: The Dolphins and the original recording of Everybody’s Talkin’. Later recorded by Harry Nilsson and taking into the top ten. 3.0

Wasn't terrible but won't be revisiting any time soon

It's a telltale sign when your biggest claim to fame as a performer is that you wrote songs that others had better success with. Still its not all bad, it helped with my sleep apnea so there's a positive.

Nicely recorded, in a similar area to Johnny Cash for me. It sounds like a combo of blues, folk and country in parts, not my sort of thing but I can see the appeal.

Pleasant

Tell ya what, i did quite like this. Enjoyed the dolphins and sweet cocaine very much. Didnt care too much for everybodys talkin’, just cos nillson kinda stole it and made it his own and a million times better. Well done fred xx

Genuinely never heard of him before Thought this was great, thoroughly enjoyable. Didnt know he wrote Everybodys Talkin' Great voice, Minister/Preacher tone great and the extra syllable he puts on everything. Feels like a discovery.

Didn’t mind this. First song reminded me of Bill Callahan. Everybody’s Talkin’ is a straight up classic joint. Would happily bang this on sat round a poker table. You wouldn’t want more than 40 minutes of it though.

This would be more meaningful if I had more knowledge of the context, meaning that if I knew more about the artists career and the musical scene he was a part of in the mid-sixties. Sounds like an attempt to be charming that didn’t resonate with me.

“Last night as I was walking down the street Whistling the blues to the tapping of my feet Some jive crank called the cops on the beat It'll happen every single time” Whilst I enjoyed this and really enjoy Folk music from this era in particular I found that this album did pass me by slightly. None of it hit me in the way that I expect tracks from Fred Neil’s contemporaries to. Although in fairness one such contemporary was Bob Dylan so that may be unfair. A worthwhile listen for fans of Folk but not essential otherwise.

I recognized several, if not most of these songs from movies and pop culture. It grew on me as the album went by. It's nothing groundbreaking and it's very conventional. Well produced and decently written.

This did not connect with me on any level.

Ved ikke om jeg behøvede det sidste nummer men ellers helt fin

Det var meget pænt og sådan. TIL at Everybody's Talkin' ikke oprindeligt er en Harry Nilsson sang (skulle til at brokke mig over at "originalen er bedre" men så fandt jeg ud af det faktisk *er* originalen på den her plade). Havde ikke brug for det indiske nummer til sidst. Lille 2er.

This felt like a long cover album, but then I found out the songs were (mostly) his originals. Nice.

This is the kind of adult easy listening mildly confrontational album that works primarily as a nostalgia album. I am not sure that it is really that good or relevant, but it was enough so at one time that it keeps you interested. Bonus points for "Everybody's Talkin at Me." Anything that reminds me of Midnight Cowboy gets greater consideration.

This is excellent! Teetering between 4 and 5, listening again to see how I feel

Everybody's Talking is the standout, mainly because of Midnight Cowboys, otherwise most of this makes me kind of sleepy.

A nice surprise. I liked it.

Decent country-folky album Not that rememberable 3/5

A capa é bem bonita e convidativa. É o tipo de capa que faria eu comprar um disco cegamente sem saber nada sobre o álbum ou sobre o artista, como é o caso aqui. Uma voz agradável e composições simples. É um disco inofensivo, porém não me prendeu totalmente. O problema não é a simplicidade, nunca é, mas o disco me causou tédio imediato. Folk antigo tende a fazer isso comigo, então não há surpresa. Algumas passagens instrumentais bem doidas, mas nada super notável. Disco tedioso e meio que interminável, apesar da duração regular. Sensação de monotonia. Passo. 2.5

“Dolphins” and “Everybody’s Talkin’” would be pretty much enough to get this to four stars. But the rest of the album is dang strong, too. Great voice and laid-back delivery. The album really exemplifies a mid-60s folk-rock vibe, eh?

Cool album! It was nice to hear original version of “Everybody’s Talkin’” without that stupid “wah-wah” vocals in the Harry Neillson cover. Fred Neil had a great baritone voice. It’s in my library now and I’ll definitely give it another listen.

"Everybody's talkin' at me...." Pretty good album! Fred Neil kinda rules. Definitely see his influence in Bill Callahan.

I quite like Everybody's Talkin'. I didn't think the rest of the album is anything special.

Elvis and Leonard cohen

Bon ben encore un album qui n'a rien de mauvais, bien au contraire, mais qui ne me parle pas. Je sais reconnaître que c'est un bon album, qui parlera sûrement à beaucoup de monde. Mais moi, mon cerveau, il a tendance à laisser passer sans retenir grand-chose. Le dernier titre (Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga, sacré nom !) était quand même vachement sympa. Mais c'est tout ce que j'en retiens vraiment.

I dunno. Normally this wouldn't be my jam but every track on this album sounds like the song playing over the end credits of every movie made by every 70s auteur that I so revere, so it really grew on me. Another surprising discovery.

Quality country rock

I thought I would like it more than I did, but I didn’t.

It’s telling that the best song on here is done so much better by Harry Nilson as a cover two years later. Unfortunately I just don't think there's enough here unless you're really into sleepy country-sounding folk, which I am decidedly not. Also, creepy vibes from the album cover. I really hope that’s his kid… 2⭐️

Two first names!

One of my favorite voices

5.5/10

Never heard of this guy. Apparently he made this and then became a total recluse... Interesting. Anyway, onto the actual album: it's mostly laid-back folk-rock. The lyrics aren't as good as I would like, but the guy's voice is pretty unique for the genre, being a country-inflected baritone rather than the usual fragile tenor. It's better produced than a Bob Dylan album, despite not having the lyrics of Dylan. I don't think this album needed an eight-minute instrumental raga rock track at the end, but then, it's the 1960s. In summary, if you like folk-rock albums with an emphasis on the musicality rather than lyrics, this is for you. If you prioritize lyrics in your folk-rock, leave this alone.

Eh

< the Beatles

If you loved the 2013 Coen Brothers film Inside Llewyn Davis - let me tell you that this folk record that has different versions of the songs from that film is NOT for you. This dude blows.

Beautiful album I hadn't heard of him and I'm glad I know now. The first songs are familiar. I love Billy Bragg's dolphin song. Shake sugaree is a treasured elizabeth cotten number and what a beautiful tribute. The last track also was a standout.

This is a pretty accurate-sounding album of what music was like at around that time. The album is overall pretty chill, maybe a bit too chill, but it's definitely alright leaving it in the background. Now that I think about it, it's probably that kind of music that they play in the background in Fallout whenever they're just chilling.

Sånn passe

Fred Neil has an undeniably interesting voice—deep, worn-in, and distinctive. “Everybody’s Talkin’” is a genuinely great song and stands tall even decades later. Beyond that, though, the record feels solid but unspectacular. There’s mood and atmosphere, but not a ton of emotional resonance for me. I respect it more than I love it. A thoughtful listen, but not one I’m likely to return to often. Strong three.

Very enjoyable. Nice surprise

Not too much to say on this one. Acceptable set of songs. Nothing too good or bad. Generally entertaining. The man has a great deep voice. The baritone is admirable. And really the only thing of note is bringing up the midnight cowboy song. This must be who wrote it, cause the song in the movie is neilssen or however you spell it. But its a good song though I think I prefer that version. Alright time here bit nothing more

Why is this crap on this list?

Solid

It was decent but nothing really stood out about it to me.

Fred Neil’s self-titled debut was an unknown quantity to me until now. It offers a mellow folk-rock soundscape that’s incredibly easy to settle into. Neil’s baritone is captivating, even if his delivery is somewhat understated. What really shines, though, are the arrangements; the acoustic guitar patterns are intricate and attention-grabbing, providing a sense of dynamic contrast. It's a nice three star listen. Side one 1 "The Dolphins" (4/5) 2 "I've Got a Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree)" (3/5) 3 "That's the Bag I'm In" (4/5) 4 "Badi-Da" (3/5) 5 "Faretheewell (Fred's Tune)" (Traditional) (3/5) Side two 1 "Everybody's Talkin'" (5/5) 2 "Everything Happens" (3/5) 3 "Sweet Cocaine" (Traditional) (3/5) 4 "Green Rocky Road" (3/5) 5 "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" (3/5) Total - 34 Average - 3.4 244/1001 135/244 albums reviewed were new to me

New to me! Undiscovered gem. Fred has a lovely voice. Gravelly with a light twang. Not so folksy and country that they couldn’t add some mystical raga at the finale. 4/5

Another big nope from me. Fred seems very full of himself. The Sweet Cocaine song maybe gives us a clue as to his creative process for this album. There’s also a song called Faretheewell (Fred’s Tune) which he’s obviously dedicated to the most important person in his life.

Fred has a very nice voice. He seems like the type of guy who has never purchased his own shoes. 3.5/5

I find folk to be generally repetitive and uninteresting and this was no exception.

It was all right, just didn't hit in any special way.

Det kan du si

Everybody's Talkin' was such a good theme on Midnight Cowboy, so I liked hearing the full album from the original artist. Good stuff if you're in the mood for singer/songwriter music. Not really something that I'm often in the mood for, but it's good to put on in the background while working.

surprisingly didn’t mind it!

Eh. Not terrible, not great

Awe cute album cover. Don't think I've ever heard of this guy. Uh yeah I can't do this. Sorry. Just not into country 1 star

was pretty good!!

Fine '60s folky soft rock stuff, maybe it carries a little blandness compared to similar things of its time

Nice sixties singer songwriter album with the original “Everybody’s Talkin’”

Fred Neil, aufgenommen 1966 vermutlich unter anderem im Capitol Recording Studio in Hollywood, ist das selbstbetitelte zweite Album des amerikanischen Sängers und Songwriters Fred Neil. Der Interpret stammt aus den USA, seine Musik bewegt sich im Folk-Rock-Genre mit Einflüssen aus Folk und Blues. Das Album enthält mehrere heute bekannte Titel, darunter „Everybody’s Talkin’“, das später durch Harry Nilsson und den Film Midnight Cowboy weite Verbreitung fand, und „The Dolphins“, das von verschiedenen Künstlern adaptiert wurde. Daneben gehören „That’s the Bag I’m In“ und „Green Rocky Road“ zu den prägnanteren Stücken der Platte. Instrumentierung und Arrangement bewegen sich überwiegend im akustisch-elektrischen Bereich, mit Gitarre, Bass, Harmonika und dezenten Rhythmus-Beiträgen, ohne auf größere Studiotricks zu setzen. Der Klang wirkt ruhig und direkt; die Texte sind introspektiv, mit persönlicher Note, aber ohne demonstrative Effekte. Fred Neils tiefe Stimme trägt die meisten Songs, unterstützt von sparsamer Begleitung, was dem Album eine unprätentiöse, klare Atmosphäre verleiht. In der Rückschau zeigt sich, dass dieses Werk zur Folk-Rock-Szene der 1960er Jahre gehört und durch spätere Coverfassungen einzelner Songs auch über das ursprüngliche Publikum hinaus bekannt wurde. Bewertung: Ein nüchterner, gut strukturierter Beitrag zur Folk-Rock-Musik der 1960er, dessen Einfluss vor allem durch einzelne Songs spürbar ist.

I really enjoyed the pure simplicity of this music! Beautiful vocals and great guitar and harmonica playing too!

Great

Okay but instantly forgettable for me (apart from one).

3,3 Highlights: The Dolphins, That's the Bag I'm In

Liked it way more than I thought. Good album.

This was such a surprise. My very low expectations were met by the second track. I will listen to this again

Well! This settles it, I've known for long time but this clinches it. I'm a sucker for the harmonica! Neil's singing reminds of Sturgill Simspon or Orville Peck. His songwriting is interesting, Dolphins is a weird song, it's nice but weird & not in good way. When I heard Everybody's Talkin I immediately recognized it. Neil's is better. His voice is better suited for the song. The Let's Slam Our Names Together Jam is just a Let's get stoned & Jam It was delightful, though not perfect. 4

Another great relaxing album, but this one didn't quite stand out to me greatly.

Unknown artist to me. It was fine. Nothing jumped out at me. I had heard Everybody's Talkin' but I think probably a cover and not this version. Would go to a lot of other albums in this space before I came back to this one.

A perfectly cromulent album of '60s easy listening country folk. Last track is an odd, long, raga-flavored instrumental. Well performed, well-written, but there's nothing outstanding that would put it on my personal 1001 albums list. I recognized "Everybody's Talkin'", but that's about it.

mehhh

👎🏻

This is not bad but also not as good as the more political songwriters from that same era. Still enjoyable though.

GOOD SHIT

Fred Neil is one of those albums that sounds great while somehow doing very little with that greatness. The production is warm, the grooves are loose and inviting, and Neil’s voice has that gravelly, late-night wisdom that makes you lean in. On a purely sonic level, it’s pleasant, sometimes even seductive. You can imagine this record playing in a smoky room where everyone pretends they’re listening very carefully. But then you actually listen. And wait. And keep waiting. The songs drift, circle the block, and never quite park. What should feel hypnotic ends up feeling half-finished, like a jam session that forgot to become a song. There’s atmosphere for days, but ideas are on a strict ration. It’s not bad because it’s ugly; it’s bad because it’s boring in slow motion. Dogshit? Harsh, but let’s say conceptually dogshit, executed with a very nice guitar tone. In the end, Fred Neil is a record you respect more than you enjoy. It sounds good, it feels authentic, and it absolutely refuses to reward your attention. Five out of ten: pleasant on the ears, empty in the soul, music that lounges confidently while accomplishing almost nothing. 5/10

Je to príjemný album, ale nie som si istý, či si ho ešte niekedy vypočujem. Možno...

This record settles into a comfortable, low-key groove right from the start. The baritone vocals have a resonant depth that carries the folk and country blend well. Some of the world music influences add a nice texture that keeps it from being a total standard genre piece. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - The Dolphins - That's The Bag I'm In - Everybody's Talkin'

Bariton, folksy, mid-sixties, singer-songwriter. I've heard others cover his songs but never the originals. It's ok. It's what you would expect from a bariton, folksy, mid-sixties, singer-songwriter. Someone was probably hoping he's be the next Dylan (even though a pre-fame Dylan was his harmonica player), but he isn't. He sounds like a bunch of other Dylan wannabes/dubbed new Dylan. Best Tracks: Ba-Di-Da; Everybody's Talkin'; Sweet Cocaine

2,5

really enjoyed it actually

I didn't love the album and I really didn't love the album art lol

Decent psychedelic styled folksy tunes

I'm disappointed to see the low ratings of this album, I think it's beautiful. Fred Neil had such a unique and gritty voice packed full of raw emotion. It's a really great mix of folk and country, and.with a lot of complex and interesting storytelling. I suppose there are better country artists, and loads of better folk artists (interestingly like how he mentored Bob Dylan). That doesn't digress that this is a fabulous listen. Is it a 5? I'd say it probably stops short of that, just. Fred Neil's voice, while I loved it, seemed to be very one sided on this album. He didn't really change tone (or key?) during the whole recording, which can lead to songs sounding the same or boring the audience. Still, I love the history of Fred Neil, how his music inspired Bob Dylan and also the Midnight Cowboy cover song (which is probably better...)

I would include The Dolphins in my funeral playlist. No other song really reaches the same high as it on this album, but that is asking a lot. It's great, it relies a lot of Fred Neil's voice and it works quite well. A very relaxing listen, and surprisingly modern, I was actually quite surprised when I saw how old this was. Highlights: The Dolphins, Faretheewell (Fred's Tune), Everybody's Talkin'

THAT'S THE BAG I'M IN helped me to understand the essence a bit better. Country meets drugs.

For better or worse it wasn’t very memorable

Eh this was pretty boring

I just can't bring myself to care. I see he influenced Dylan. idk I need to figure out a prompt to separate the albums/artists that were more foundational stepping stones to other movements. like you can see their DNA in other more popular works and styles. But as is, it lumps them all together with the popular artists and it doesn't seem fair to grade them equally

A curiosity from an oft overlooked folk musician. Nice to hear the original version of ‘everybody’s talking’ and ‘dolphins’ and the last Raga like track is very 1966….. clearly better known for songs he gave away.

Interesting stuff. Never heard this one!

Rv

No mal. Buen disco de rock y country. La voz de Neil es genial y en general se pasa un buen rato.

Lovely baritone voice reminiscent of Johnny Cash. And good songs. None better than Everybody's Talking. Why they didn't use his version in Midnight Cowboy I don't know but that's history and probably why nobody outside of his fandom has heard of him. Pleasant album spoiled by the final track. Also generally a bit too much harmonica.

this is music that sounds good when its playing on a tv show with cool western shots but when you actually sit down to listen to it, youre put to sleep

It was ok, sounded country bluesy, wrote some famous songs made more famous by others

How have I never even heard of Fred Neil? I know the "Everybody's Talkin" song from the Harry Nilsson cover which was all over the radio when I was a little kid - but had no idea it was written by someone else. I've had Nilsson's version of this song "liked" on Spotify for years. I also found that I had already liked Linda Ronstadt's version of "The Dolphins" and never knew it was written and originally recorded by this guy. It was fascinating listening to this and noticing similarities to Johnny Cash, Beatles, Jimmy Buffett, Glen Campbell, etc. - and learning about his influence on Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Grateful Dead and so many others. Plus Bob Dylan played harmonica with Fred when Dylan was just getting started in NYC. Plus he wrote songs for other artists like Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison. This guy was connected to so many great artists back in the day. One article I read about him said that the Beatles were in NYC and really wanted to meet him and he was like "ok, I guess I'll make some time" or something like that - haha. And then the fact that he just didn't care about the business and promotion side of music and chucked it all to focus on starting an organization for the protection of dolphins - makes him even more of an interesting character. I listened to this album 3 times in a row and ended up "liking" 6 songs out of 10 just from that. One thing great about this 1001 Albums is discovering "new" (to me) artists and albums like this. Liked songs on Spotify: 6/10 Rating: 3/5

AWSOME sauce

So THATS where the song came from.

Music to watch a campfire slowly die down on a warm summer evening to. And then you realize there's more to life than sitting on your butt and being content with yourself.

My first ever listen to this artist who's songs I'm very familiar with from being covered by other artists. His deep rich voice makes this album an enjoyable listen.

Not my thing, kinda nice. The kind of thing id smile to if my grandpa made me listen

Another mostly forgettable effort here.

Last song is noooot my fave That’s the Bag I’m In & Everything Happens>>> 👍🏻

Pleasantly surprised here! I almost judged the book by its cover, seeing what resembled a creepy cover reminding me of that French album “History of Melody Nelson” or whatever lecherous crap that was.. reminded me a bit of Jim Croce or other smooth folksy artists from around this time. 3.25/5

Not really a fan of this. It sounded a bit too country? I know it's folk rock but it still wasn't great.

The crooning worked

I loved "The Dolphins", "I've Got a Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree)", "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Green Rocky Road", with "Sweet Cocaine" right behind them. Those were thrown on a lot of playlists, and are strong enough to justify my rating. I already knew Nilsson's cover of "Everybody's Talkin'" from the incredible film Midnight Rider. Fred's original is just as powerful. His voice has a beautiful baritone that resonates. The rest are all good songs. I don't know what to make of "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga". It's basically a freakout jam sesh among the musicians named in the song title. It's not offensive, but there's not enough that I latch onto. It feels incongruous with the rest of the album, although it makes sense in a 60's Greenwich Village Scene sorta way. Very happy to have found this.

To me the songs are good not great, but he’s got a beautiful baritone and I’m giving him a four for helping welcome Bob Dylan into the folk scene. I will seek out more from him.

I don’t really know what to make of that. It wasn’t really my thing - I love the genre but found his voice oddly boring. He voice is deep and resonant and full, but without much range it gets quite boring. But still it was so much better than a lot of tripe on this list.

Great album from that brief period of jazzy folk. Neil has a smooth baritone voice that sounds fantastic with the minimal accompaniment. Recommended.

I just love this style of music, so it's hard to give it anything below a 4. It's not a perfect 5 because there isn't really anything here that absolutely "wowed" me, and the last track went on a bit too long for my tastes. But other than that, the songs on here are really good and I think they'll grow on me the more I listen.

This guy's got a pretty unique voice for folk. Almost seems more at home in country to be honest. Anyway, interesting life for Mr. Neil too, as he spent most of his post-music career assisting in the preservation of dolphins. It should be no coincidence that a track called "The Dolphins" is on here. Don't really have much else to say, hadn't heard anything from this before today and was mildly impressed. There's probably better folk songwriting out there, though.

A voice I didn’t really warm to, and a sound that felt more country than folk or folk-rock. I liked Everbody’s Talking At Me, but I prefer Harry Nillsen’s cover. He seems like he influenced a lot of people, but I wouldn’t be rushing to hear this album again. A medium to strong 2.

It was….ok. Got the sitar in there

twas alright

Going into this album I thought I was going to hate it, or at least be really bored, but I was pleasantly surprised. I really like his voice, and the guitars have a really cool and unique tone especially on the first couple of songs. Low 4.

Great for old country/folk music:)

Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. Fucking harmonica!!

I probably could have enjoyed this album if it wasn't so full of harmonicas.

New discovery today! Love his voice, and I really like his songwriting even if it’s pretty bare-bones. Cool record, but I sort of wished I’d listened to it at 1am with whiskey in hand instead of at 3pm while knitting a sweater. I never knew Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talkin’” was a cover, but lo and behold here’s the original. Love that song!

Ratio'd by Nilsonn

The original Everybody's Talking, and some lesser country/folk stuff. Plus a weird freakout. Not bad.

A calm, gentle country(-ish?) album - it actually started to lull me to sleep. Maybe a little too laidback. Faretheewell (Fred’s Tune), Everybody's Talkin’, Green Rocky Road 3.5

Fred has some decent songs on this album. I appreciate it’s shortness.

At least it wasn’t an hour long

This low key sucked. It was sad and made me sad. Every song felt the same and didn’t sound good either. Literally nothing very pleasant about this fart.

not at all familiar with him & really don't think I will remember even listening to this. 2.5 stars

That last track did NOT need to be 8 minutes.

Fav: Everybody’s Talkin’ Least Fav: Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga The one good song here is done so much better by Harry Nilsson that it’s distracting

Mid

#39 A down-tempo Elvis, really...

A pleasant listen but nothing particularly remarkable either 3.5*

This is why I subscribed to this list: great stuff, brand new to me

I'd never heard of Fred Neil before, so I didn't know what to expect. It was a nice folk/country album, with influences from the 1960s that I don't typically hear in that style of music. I enjoyed it.

This was very nice. Dont have a whole lot to say. For a 40 minute album it felt long, but I dont have anything bad to say about it. His voice is very unique and I'm disappointed to say I don't think I've heard it before.

Some good Folk Rock with a good dose of Blues thrown in. The guitar and harmonica playing compliment the folky, honest vocals really well. Seems quite underappreciated though, looking at the Spotify numbers.

It's less than 24 hours after I listened to it and can't remember almost anything except that I think it was alright.

2 1/2 stars. Not bad. I’d listen to it again.

Enjoyed this album. Just has a really nice 60s-type folksy vibe that works. Not every song is a banger, but really solid overall.

Pretty bland stuff. He's like the Nick Cave of old folk music.

very nice blues element, love the sound. just.... not the songs for me, lyrics arent very interesting or appropriate in our time period, and i just don t have a reason to listen to this again

3,5

I'm somehow not familiar with Fred Neil, and after reading about him that surprises me. I remember reading that Dylan used to cover "Shake Sugaree," though it doesn't sound familiar to me. And of course I know "Everybody's Talkin'." I now see that Dylan wrote in Chronicles about getting up onstage with Neil when he first got to NYC, but I read that book like 20 years ago and that detail didn't stick with me.

I feel a little bit cheated, as I read somewhere that the singer sounds a little bit like Nick Cave, and this was enough for me to form an initial poor impression. Nothing came along to change my mind, so two stars.

Eh not bad

Early folk-rock/Americana. It’s fine. Good voice, well recorded. Nice little songs. Seems like it was influential but you wouldn’t know it by the sound of it. Not a masterpiece or even very interesting.

Nice, deep voice, original, personal but quite boring music.

★★★½

Boring

On me garoche vraiment des cailloux alors que je suis déjà sans connaissance au sol depuis trois semaines

This album of folks at a certain time and place in music history. He has an interesting voice and his impact on musicians is amazing. This was an enjoyable lesson for what it was and I understand why it is on this list.

Better than expected, but no need to listen to ever again.

kinda boring tbh

Something so earthy in this combination of rock and country, an album I would've never found if it wasn't for this list

This is music for SERIOUS hippies, not your garden variety types. It's also the kind of record that the BIG folk artists would point to as inspiration, despite never really getting over himself.

Not bad at all Fave: The Dophins Least: Ba-Di-Da

Better than Leonard Cohen. Still dull folk music though. Technically this is a pretty good album, just not for me.

5/10 - I would like to re listen to this on a weekend where I have more time to examine the lyrics. On first listen, there isn’t much to bring me back.

The only song I saved was Everybody's Talkin, which I knew from Harry Nilsson. The rest of it was fine, won't listen to it again. 5/10

Awful

It took me no time at all to determine that Fred Neil was not Fred Schneider from the B-52s.

Good bluesy and folk rock record. Interesting instrumentals

Unexpectedly great! I love this type of understated blues and Neil’s voice is just incredible to listen to. Best Track: The Dolphins

The very definition of an average album. Good voice, not great. Decent songs, nothing amazing. Average length even. Just average. Right down the middle. Nothing special.

220821 13:48 4

Pretty fine album. As a whole it was fairly subdued and stripped down, but there were a few flourishes and intricate moments to add something to it. I liked his voice and the overall sound he got here; the mostly acoustic instruments with a bit of gruffness to the vocals gave it a powerful quality despite the understated style. I found the last half better than the first half, with tracks 6 > 7 > 8 being the part I liked best. There wasn't much I disliked other than to say it was a bit boring and bland as a whole. My main issue is that I didn't see much special about it. Even the parts I liked I wouldn't say were more than OK/good. It's solid, but not more than that for me. Overall: 2.8/5

Auditory Ambien. Every song is slow but not dark enough to be particularly interesting to me. I do like the version of "Everybody's Talkin'" here better than the more famous Harry Nilsson version. I always respect good songwriting, and there is some of that on Fred Neil, but, again, everything is so slow and understated that nothing grabs me. There is even an almost-interesting instrumental, "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga," at the end of the record. I guess that this instrumental was maybe kind of groundbreaking to listen to stoned in 1966, but jazz musicians had been incorporating sounds from other countries for a decade prior, so it's hard for me to be impressed. I listened to this record two or three times yesterday. I didn't hate it, but I don't plan to return to it again. Two stars.

What a great discovery. Beautiful timbre, great songs.

Didn’t hate it!

Dreamy folk rock. Deep, warm vocals. Lots of soul. Mellow. Rich. Feels kind of like a live recording at times whilst still being beautifully produced. Prefer the more bluesy moments to the country leaning tracks. Favourite track - Everybody's Talkin. 7.5/10

Good voice. Reminds me of Chris Isaac.

The album cover is quite distressing, but I enjoyed the album and learning about his influence. Everybody's Talking is a classic. I'm giving it a 3 based on one listen, but it could grow on me with some time.

very good vibe

Kind of like a bad Merle Haggard album which is to say an above average album 3.5

Pretty standard folkie stuff. Not remarkable but not terrible. Was going to give it 2 stars but "Everyone's Talking" is worth an additional star

Hard to go wrong with a 60s psychedelic album, and this one was a solid listen. I instantly recognized Everybody’s Talkin which was a nice surprise, and Sweet Cocaine was a straight up banger. Fred Neil had a cool, laid back style that fit the era perfectly. The wild card was Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga. That was a pretty unhinged way to end the album, but honestly it added to the charm.

Extra point for writing Everybody's Talkin'

C'est du 4,49 dans mon coeur. Du folk de qualité premium. Quelle voix!

Mouin... c'est croche, pis pas d'une manière que j'arrive à apprécier ben ben. La prod est mollasse. Le band me gosse, le chanteur me gosse, oups y reste pus rien. La dernière toune : j'ai entendu des affaires plus intéressantes que ça au studio gerry à 4 heures du matin. 2.49 étoiles

I guess that was kind of cool. The best song was the one everyone knows, though.

bland

Apart from the last track, which is like going on an acid trip with Scott Walker and a Maharishi, this album is Scott Walker without the Theatre School melancholy. And as if Fred Neil has ever been within 50ft of cocaine!

solid and fun

I couldn't get into it. It should be up my alley but it just kinda fell flat for me.

Folky, mediocre

1966. I enjoyed the folksy bluesy tones with a dash of psychedelic jamming in there

Folksy acoustic singer songwriter stuff with a nice, kind of jazz, backing band giving it a bit of nice oomph. The country leaning stuff is great - approximating Johnny Cash and incorporating a bit of slide and twang. The the blues leaning stuff and the really slow ballads are pretty boring and predictable. The raga at the end is really amazing, gives the acoustic guitar a real workout on some mesmerizing psychedelic drones. Favorites: Everybody's Talkin', Everything Happens, Sweet Cocaine, Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga

He has a fine voice but not suited for this type of music, it would be better suited to a west end show or a cabaret. Album was a bit tedious because of the style.

I genuinely think he has a nice voice. But it's the kind of nice voice I've got no desire to listen to. This isn't something I'd choose but I can't deny his voice. I see the appeal for (now deceased) grandpas. It's a good album to be fair.

Brushes of simple profundity enmeshed in otherwise corny lyrics. He sounds really beautiful when he’s not trying too hard to sing. Also, that’s not a raga.

Boring and grating

Not for me

Country.

Fred Neil is an underrated gem of 1960s folk-rock. His voice, songwriting, and mood are beautiful. If you’re interested in the intersection of folk, blues, and singer-songwriter traditions of the 60s, this is a must-listen.

++*: That's the Bag I'm In ++: The Dolphins, Badi-Da, Faretheewell (Fred's Tune), Everybody's Talkin', Everything Happens, Sweet Cocaine, Green Rocky Road, Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga +: I've Got a Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree) 9,5/10

Þessi plata rann bara ljúflega í bakgrunni án þess að það hafi eitthvað staðið upp úr nema Everybody's Talkin' sem maður þekkti undir eins. Mun líklegast gleyma þessari plötu fljótt en ekkert að henni samt

Never heard of this before. Surprisingly good!

Nick Cave and the bad seeds heard this and said, I’m about to make this my entire personality. It’s fine, kinda grungier western rock, doesn’t make much of an impression though.

Very listenable album and I had no idea that he wrote Everybody's Talkin. Always cool to discover folk rock songwriters from the Cafe Wha scene that got completely overshadowed by Dylan. He's no Dylan, but he's good.

Not to my taste

“But I don’t want to listen to this faintly shit, boring yank-folk!” “I know, son, I know - but we committed to this project and we’re going to see it through no matter what.”

Felt longer than it was

Not bad Fred. Simpsons: No

Started ok, but I was bored by the end

Liked it, didn’t love it. Wouldn’t listen again.

Not sure why this is so influencing for other musicians. Does have 1 iconic song but the rest was pretty boring

I had never heard this before and I loved it. I am now a Fred Neil fan and honestly I prefer his original version of Everbody's Talkin'.

I really enjoy his voice and there is a lot of soul in his singing. To me the songs are varied though,. some really good and others I would rather skip past. A lot of albums have a time and place when they are best listened to and I know I will return to some of these songs when the mood sets in.

Meh. 2.75 Stars

Folky with a 60's rock vibe. Lyrics are very 60s folk. No shortage of vocal reverb or tremolo-tinged clean electric guitar. 6 and 12-string acoustic, harmonica, maybe some sitar in there too. Some bluesy songs too. Also now I've got Midnight Cowboy in my head.

An album that sounds like the ocean humming to itself at 2 AM. Rating: 4.4/5** Short Review: Warm, weary, and wide-open. Fred Neil sings like a man who has already lived three lives and is gently warning you not to repeat any of them. The production is sparse but luminous—folk music that feels like drifting in and out of consciousness on a porch somewhere near saltwater. Favorite Track: “Everybody’s Talkin’” — yes, the one Harry Nilsson made famous. Fred’s original has a calmer, deeper ache, like he’s not escaping from something but simply floating away.

I've made no secret folk music isn't my thing, but combining it with rock makes it more palatable. Still, not my favorite. Folk typically has a lack of excitement and is too simple for me. Fred Neil is no exception. His original "Everybody's Talkin'" isn't as engaging as Harry Nilsson's cover. But the final song grabbed me and is the reason I'm giving this a 3. Indian music in the Western world in the late sixties was very common, but "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" is different--I think because of the absence of the sitar. The song is a jam session with the name contains the six (presumably) white men that crafted it, but I remain intrigued.

Arriving in the late 60s somewhere between country and folk, this album was likely an inspiration for the folk rock of the 70s. To my surprise, there wasn't too much 60s psychedelia on this album, save for the final track. "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" skirted the line of psychdelic-country-folk, clearly playing with that Eastern world sound that was so popular in psychedelic music at the time. Also, a bit of a sidenote, but I'm particularly amused that Fred Neil was thorough enough to credit himself (or get credited) for "mumbles" and "finger snapping" on this album. I'd probably put this at about a 2.5, but found myself okay with rounding it up to a 3.

Fine but another uninspiring entry to this list

I've never heard of Fred Neil, but he sure has a nice voice. Weird choice for an album cover, though.

This was fine. I enjoyed hearing the original version of Everybody's Talkin'.

Has got some interesting weirdness going on, but not really any interesting songs.

Quite good.

An artist I was completely unfamiliar with. Country-tinged folk with a oh so slight psychedelic vibe. Did not know "Everybody's Talkin'" was a Fred Neil original. Good stuff for the right mood.

No idea what to expect with this one. It was alright, but more background noise and fairly forgettable. That said I really liked the final track, “Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga”. That probably increased my score for this one by a point alone.

Just didn't gel with this at all

Enjoyed a few of them, excited to listen to more of Fred Neil. Didn't blow my socks off tho. But a good vibe.

2/5

Fred Neil is one of those people who deserves to be recognized even if he doesn't have a particularly spectacular album under his belt. Neil was an important figure in the late 60s, albeit somewhat behind the scenes. He wrote good songs that other artists turned into great ones. He helped bring Bob Dylan to fame when first arrived in New York. But he was somewhat reclusive, didn't tour, and never had many hits himself. His self titled album is definitely a worthwhile album, though it exists somewhat in the shadows of bigger name artists. The most obvious hit here is "Everybody's Talkin", famously covered by Harry Nilsson for the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack. It's impossible not to compare the two versions but it's a bit unfair to Fred Neil. In other circumstances and maybe with more effort and touring, I think he could have been much bigger.

Tror da va sånn passe

Dejlig arbejdsmusik.

Ive never heard of Fred Neil before so it's interesting to find out that he was this important influence on folk rock. That said I don't think it's a fantastic album, but it's alright, and that's an experience I have with a lot of these albums that pave the way, usually the truly great albums comes after the way has been paved and the concepts have been refined Standouts The Dolphins Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga 3/5

Better than what I thought it was going to be.

Never heard of this person/band or what ever. Sorry, not for me. Reminds me of old Glen Jimmy Webb songs recorded by Campbell.

For how influential this album is, it felt pretty mediocre and middle of the road to me. It’s an early folk rock record with some blues influences. I think it was the sound of his voice and his singing style that didn’t really click with me. It’s not bad by any means, but it didn’t have anything that stood out or felt particularly unique.

The opposite level of charisma from Vince Neil. Whenever I see "70s-era singer/songwriter," my expectations drop.

Lots of very skippable songs on this 2-disc set.

An awesome collection of songs to have written or be closely associated with. These versions are solid but often aren't my absolute favourites. I love "stones" by a boy called Doris. When I was younger I'd never heard dolphins so I assumed that refrain was entirely original rather than a reference - I still expect to hear sweet harmonica when that line is delivered.

Not as folky as I thought it would be. I might check out another NYC folkie I heard of I think the Byrds covered some of his stuff… Good stuff here Would’ve been a 3, but he wrote Everybody’s Talkin’ which earns a bonus star

I kind of liked the folk rock production on dolphins with the tremolo guitar and drums, etc. i’m not sure why he would sing that he’s going to heaven in a split pea shell but I kind of like that 12 string warbley guitar.

I can see why this would be appealing. But it just isn’t to me at all. Maybe it would be fine as background cafe music where I could still hear the conversation at my table. Full disclosure, country and American folk are my least favorite genres. But even with that context, I found this fairly soulless and uninteresting. Neither music nor vocals nor lyrics provoked much mental or emotional response from me. It seems profoundly forgettable.

Smooth and deep voice, country sound. Would listen again but would listen to other things first.

not for me

Country, 1966 -> 2

I liked the bluesy folk songs at the front half of the album. It felt like it derailed at the instrumental songs. As a result of the disjointedness, the album felt much longer than it actually was.

I just didn't find this album all that interesting. A couple of nice folk songs, but found myself mostly indifferent to a lot of the material. Lots of cool harmonica use is a nice plus. Top tracks: Faretheewell (Fred's Tune), Everybody's Talkin'

9/10

Really high highs. The opening track The Dolphins and the final track, Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga are really good, it feels like a lot of filler in the middle to be honest. There is a good mix of timbre throughout though, which kept me engaged. The tracks are better when they're a bit more experimental, but only because they are lightly and cleverly experimental, which leaves the 'filler' tracks feeling a bit bland really. Lyrically it's great.

This one surprised me

Decent album, perfectly good folk rock. Some good songs - everybody's talking is a classic, though like many I know Harry Nilsson's cover better. It's good! That's all I have to say.

Great album

You can definitely tell he was making music around the time of Bob Dylan just with more rock elements

pretty alright i suppose