L.A. Turnaround
Bert Jansch · 1974
49 min · 16 tracks · folk rock
A tapestry of intricate fingerstyle guitar and tender vocals woven into poignant reflections on love and loss.
Top tracks — play these first
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Needle of Death — This track stands out for its haunting storytelling and delicate guitar work, encapsulating themes of despair and vulnerability that resonate deeply within the album.
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Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning — Opening the album with an upbeat melody and reflective lyrics, this song sets the tone for Jansch's exploration of life's transient beauty.
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Travelling Man — A captivating narrative about journeying through life, it showcases Jansch's ability to blend personal experience with universal themes, enhancing the album's emotional depth.
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Open Up the Watergate (Let the Sunshine In) — This track highlights Jansch's experimental side, merging traditional folk with contemporary influences while carrying an uplifting message against a backdrop of intricate instrumentation.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Jansch's intricate guitar work and storytelling create a solid yet varied folk rock experience.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features predominantly mid-tempo tracks with intricate fingerstyle guitar, while the second half introduces more varied tempos and arrangements.
- Several tracks, such as 'Needle of Death', utilize a haunting narrative structure that emphasizes lyrical storytelling.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- nostalgic reflections on quiet afternoons
- intricate guitar work for detail
- warm melodies for cozy evenings
- short tracks for easy revisits
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy dance tracks
- prefer long, sprawling compositions
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 1974, L.A. Turnaround was Bert Jansch's eleventh studio album, following the commercially successful album, Rosemary Lane. At this point in his career, Jansch had begun to experiment with different musical styles, blending traditional folk elements with a more contemporary sound, which is evident throughout this album.
- Stylistic neighbors
- John Renbourn· Nick Drake· Davey Graham
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning 3:58
- 2 Chambertin 4:05
- 3 One for Jo 2:39
- 4 Travelling Man 2:48
- 5 Open Up the Watergate (Let the Sunshine In) 2:40
- 6 Stone Monkey 3:11
- 7 Of Love and Lullaby 2:29
- 8 Needle of Death 3:24
- 9 Lady Nothing 2:33
- 10 There Comes a Time 2:38
- 11 Cluck Old Hen 3:11
- 12 The Blacksmith 3:30
- 13 Open Up the Watergate (alt. version) 3:38
- 14 One for Jo (alt. version) 2:41
- 15 The Blacksmith (alt. version) 3:40
- 16 In the Bleak Midwinter 2:24
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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