Les Fradkin, the mastermind behind baroque pop band California, was producing, recording, and performing music when rock and roll was fresh and amenable to experimentation. In the ‘70s, he was a music producer who teamed up with the band Left Banke. In the ‘80s, after mild band member turbulence, he created a variation of the group under new name California – an iteration that, during its performance run, opened for bands like Todd Rundgren’s Utopia and The Troggs, and later, appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.
Why the long-winded introduction? Well, it’s my way of saying this: California’s latest track, “I Could Make It Last Forever,” is a testament to grand orchestral rock, and created by consummate, experienced professionals in the field. So, let’s get to it.
“I Could Make It Last Forever” kicks off with a BIG sound, including horns, guitar, and piano (which immediately validates the word, “orchestral”). The verse sheds some of the intro’s density, granting space for clean guitars, piano, and an appreciated, too-long-ignored tambourine. Fradkin, tackling the lead vocal, has a capable, clean voice – a voice perfect for forthcoming harmonizations. And when horns return for the pre-chorus, I can already sense the majesty of what’s to come. Was my intuition off? Absolutely not.
The chorus? HUGE.The horns remain, and penetrating Mellotron strings elevate the song with their characteristically icy, tape-shaking demeanor. Vocally, we’re treated to gorgeously layered harmonies perfectly pocketed throughout this expansive, uplifting section.
After the verse/chorus cycles through a second time, the bridge captivates with violin – it accompanies the piano beautifully, and leads us gracefully to the sparkling final chorus.
If you’re a fan of orchestral, big-sounding rock and roll – the stuff made popular when The Beatles and The Beach Boys married their sound to classical music densities and psychedelic exploration – then you will ABSOLUTELY LOVE California’s latest track. Good music never ages, and Les Fradkin’s catalog of output is indeed eternal.
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BELOW: Listen to California and check them out on Bandcamp, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Please support California by visiting them on their website, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
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