Judee Sill

Judee Sill

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Judee Sill's debut album (as well as the debut of the Asylum label) heralded a major new talent in the airy, contemporary folk world of the early '70s. The album employed the production skills of ex-Turtle, ex-Leaves Jim Pons and Graham Nash (on the album's sole single, "Jesus Was s Crossmaker"). Judee Sill featured all original compositions, many of which relied on Sill's unique cosmological imagery to make their point. By turns spare and lavishly orchestrated, there is a cohesive feel to the album; her lyrics are exceptionally poetic and her smooth voice gives every song a shimmery feel. The essence of the music is folk, the execution pop: the songs feel like a comfort blanket, a statement of hope from a troubled soul. New detailed liner notes by Michael Crumsho.

Tracks:

Jesus Was A Cross Maker
Lady-O
The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown
Enchanted Sky Machines
The Kiss
Down Where The Valleys Are Low
There's A Rugged Road
The Phoenix
The Donor
Soldier Of The Heart
Interview
Enchanted Sky Machines
The Kiss
Down Where The Valleys Are Low
The Phoenix
Jesus Was A Cross Maker
The Kiss
Down Where The Valleys Are Low

Amazon.com

A blueprint for the early-'70s Laurel Canyon sound, Judee Sill's short-lived star was still shining brightly when she pulled into London for a pair of live shows in 1972 and 1973, recorded by the BBC. Sill performing entirely solo, her saintly voice is escorted only by acoustic guitar or piano on a playlist culled wholly from her 1971 self-titled debut and 1972's Heart Food. Only an eager audience's response between tracks and Sill's own timid introductions of what lies next remind you that the album is live. Apologizing for her thick accent, she tells of hearing "Lady-O" on the radio as recorded by the Turtles, her dreams of space-age raptures turning up in "Enchanted Sky Machines," and how "Down Where the Valleys Are Low" channels '50s R&B into a "religious love song." Then she utterly nails the diffident beauty so prevalent on her studio recordings, such as the meandering vocals of "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" and the nursery-rhyming "Lamb Ran Away with the Crown." Sill's nearly five-minute interview with the BBC's Bob Harris is a bonus, and a haunting peek into a future cut far too short. --Scott Holter

Album Description

Nearly 30 years after her passing Judee Sill remains one of the most important and singular talents of the Laurel Canyon scene. Her two releases for David Geffen's Asylum (1971's Judee Sill and 1973's Heart Food) are critically celebrated masterpieces of orchestral folk. Her songs have been covered by artists as diverse as The Turtles and Will Oldham and her fans include Jim O'Rourke, Devendra Banhart, Graham Nash, Sleater-Kinney and more. This amazing collection of previously unreleased live recordings from the BBC archives features beautiful versions of some of her most well known songs including ''Jesus Was A Cross Maker,'' ''Lady-O,'' ''The Kiss'' and more. Recorded in 1972 and 1973 at the peak of her talent, the tracks on this collection are from solo performances featuring Sill on vocals, piano and guitar. Absolutely stunning.

Album Details

Nearly 30 Years after her Passing Judee Sill Remains One of the Most Important and Singular Talents of the Laurel Canyon Scene. Her Two Releases for David Geffen's Asylum (1971's Judee Sill and 1973's Heart Food) Are Critically Celebrated Masterpieces of Orchestral Folk. Her Songs have Been Covered by Artists as Diverse as the Turtles and Will Oldham and her Fans Include Jim O'rourke, Devendra Banhart, Graham Nash, Sleater-kinney and More. This Amazing Collection of Previously Unreleased Live Recordings from the BBC Archives features Beautiful Versions of Some of her Most Well Known Songs Including "Jesus was a Cross Maker," "Lady-o," "The Kiss" and More.

Customer Reviews:

Skippable Yet Great.......2007-07-05

This is not a great starting point for a new Judee Sill listener - those people should get her two albums, Judee Sill and Heart Food. And it's not necessarily something that a person who has those two albums will find worthwhile to have - there are no songs not on those albums, many of the songs included in these various live sessions are duplicated, and there are too many great songs from the first two albums that aren't represented (The Archetypal Man, The Desperado, et al). But having said all of that, I love this CD. Even though the live versions of the songs are not much different than the studio versions, it's a pleasure to listen Judee sitting there by herself, with just a guitar and piano, playing these sublime folk songs. And in her introductions to the songs, as well as the interview with Bob Harris, she sounds endearingly nervous, totally and painfully honest, and like the songs mean the world to her. Judee Sill is like a Joni Mitchell with much more danger around her. Judee was all these things in her short life: a reform school girl, a junkie, a prostitute, an acid head, a heartbroken lover, a supremely gifted songwriter, musician, and vocalist. She was a visionary. She was the first artist to have an album put out on David Geffen's Asylum Records, she was produced by Graham Nash, her songs were covered by the Hollies and the Turtles . . . yet her recording career never really took off. Judee Sill is a wonder, somebody who was just too troubled and too tragic to last long in this life. Her songs initially strike you as pleasant little folk tunes, but as you listen more the lyrics and the arrangements start to get into your head, and eventually you realize you are listening to something both beautiful and otherworldly. Get this disc to hear Judee perform live and to hear her talk, and if you don't have the first two albums, go get them as well.

Extraordinary performances, essential for fans.......2007-06-24

This is great. If no new songs, it's still marvelous to get the purity of Judee with just guitar or piano accompaniment. And the interviews are cool too, & informative about her attitude and POV. Some songs like "The Kiss" take on even more beautiful aspects I think. Maybe not the place to start for newcomers to her or
casual fans perhaps, but marvelous to have.

Abracadabra: The Asylum Years - Judee Sill / Heart Food

Average customer rating:

Defective Liner Notes
Essential Sill in one package
Best thing in 2006
judee
Judee is magical...

Abracadabra: The Asylum Years - Judee Sill / Heart Food
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Dreams Come True
In My Own Time
Judee Sill
John the Wolfking of L.A.
Chariot of Astral Light

ASIN: B000FS9KS0
Release Date: 2006-06-26

Tracks:

Crayon Angels
Phantom Cowboy
Archetypal Man
Lamb Ran Away with the Crown
Lady-O
Jesus Was a Cross Maker
Ridge Rider
My Man on Love
Lopin' Along Thru the Cosmos
Enchanted Sky Machines
Abracadabra
Pearl [Original Version][*]
Phoenix [Original Version][*]
Ridge Rider [Alternate Version][#][*]
My Man on Love [Alternate Version][#][*]
Intro/The Vigilante [*]
Lady-O [*]
Enchanted Sky Machines [*]
Archetypal Man [*]
Crayon Angels [*]
Lamb Ran Away with the Crown [*]
Jesus Was a Cross Maker [*]

Tracks:

There's a Rugged Road
Kiss
Pearl
Down Where the Valleys Are Low
Vigilante
Soldier of the Heart
Phoenix
When the Bridegroom Comes
Donor
Desperado [*]
Kiss [*]
Down Where the Valleys Are Low [*]
Donor [*]
Soldier of the Heart [*]
Phoenix [*]
Vigilante [*]
Pearl [*]
There's a Rugged Road [*]
Donor [Alternate Mix][#][*]

Amazon.com

Judee Sill
Judee Sill was just 35 when she died of a drug overdose in 1979, never having extended what seemed to be an unlimited potential on this, her debut record, released just eight years before. With the wits of a poet and the intonation of an angel, the post-hippie Californian laced her original compositions with astral and religious imagery--and feelings of hopelessness--and then executed them with the pop lavishness of Karen Carpenter. Sill's contemporaneous acoustic folk is sparely backed, while her multitracked vocals add to the redemptive eeriness of supernatural songs like "Lopin' Along thru the Cosmos," "The Phantom Cowboy," and "Enchanted Sky Machines." That Graham Nash produced the minor radio hit "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" (and later saw it covered by his former band the Hollies) attests that Sill was running with the right crowd. But despairing lyrics like "Guess reality is not as it seems / So I sit here hoping for truth and a ride to the other side" ("Crayon Angels") suggest that Judee Sill was conscious that her life could be brief. Thankfully, she left this behind. --Scott Holter

Heart Food
Judee Sill's follow-up to her 1971 self-titled debut sadly also turned out to be her final album, yet Heart Food stands neck and neck with its wondrous predecessor as a near-flawless slice of 1970s pop-flavored Laurel Canyon folk. The production and arrangements here are much grander then on Judee Sill, with her original piano- and guitar-driven songs enhanced by strings, church organ, harmonica, pedal steel, kettle drums, and even male vocals. But no matter the song--be it the Brian Wilson-influenced "The Vigilante," the country-flavored "There's a Rugged Road," or the piano-solo delight "When the Bridegroom Comes"--it all comes back to Sill's virginal voice, which twists and teeters in varying octaves and moods, sometimes within the same track. Sadly, her deliberate songwriting style denied her any chance at a third album. Drugs claimed Judee Sill's life just five years after Heart Food, which can serve as an alluring introduction to this brilliant artist or as a proud bookend to her more-appreciated debut. --Scott Holter

Album Description

2006 two CD compilation from this under-rated folk artist containing both albums she recorded for the fledgling Asylum Records label (Judee Sill from 1971 and Heart Food from '73) plus 19 bonus tracks. This collection combines both Expanded Versions of her albums, originally issued in limited quantity by Rhino Handmade in 2004.

Album Details

UK Collection of the Acclaimed Seventies Singer / Songwriter's Elektra Recordings and Rarities. Her Two Beguiling Albums Are Here with Numerous Outtakes, Demos and Live Performances. "Judee Sill" Has 10 Additional Tracks, Including "The Pearl" and "The Phoenix", Left off in Favor of "Jesus was a Cross Maker" plus Its Demo, One of her Best Known Songs. The Rest were Recorded Live at Boston Music Hall in 1971 by Bill Halverson, Concurrently as He Recorded the Headliners David Crosby and Graham Nash. Nash Produced "Jesus was a Cross Maker". "Heart Food" Adds the Previously Unreleased Outtake, "The Desperado" Along with Eight Solo Demos, Recorded in Hollywood.

Customer Reviews:

Defective Liner Notes.......2006-12-06

I love the music, but the copy I received (from Amazon) was missing some pages from the liner notes. I wanted to exchange it for another copy, but Amazon said no. I tried contacting Rhino, and they never did anything. How can I get the liner notes without having to buy a whole new CD?

Essential Sill in one package.......2006-08-19

Regardless of the shoddy slipcase that totally LOOKS budget (and really, I didn't buy this set for the slipcase) - this is an essential item in any serious music collector's library. Judee Sill went overlooked in her lifetime and it really is dumbfounding as to why when listening to these CDs. She's got a plain, yet completely touching voice -- slight twang, and remarkably similar to the motherly Kate McGarrigle -- and this voice cannot lie when lyrics are sung through it. She believes what she is singing about, and I love that. Everything you've read about her arrangements and tunes are true: they are grand, understated at times, overstated never, and utterly get under your skin even after just the first play. To get her brilliant two albums in one set for a very low price is a gift. The booklet is fabulous, great photos of Judee with sensitively written liner notes and great detail into the mastering of these CDs (particularly about 'preserving' the distortion in the masters.) The material on these discs are the exact same as the two Rhino Handmade discs released a few years ago. [and believe it or not, a bit of a better mastering job!] so stop staring at those $50+ copies here on Amazon -- unless you are a true Judee Sill COLLECTOR in the sense that you need every edition pressed ever, this is what you want. You get her two timeless records, and those great great demos and that STELLAR live performance all here for next to nothing. Lovely, brilliant, about time!

Best thing in 2006.......2006-08-08

I discovered Judee Sill in internet activities. Buying this 2-CD set was my first opportunity to hear her singing at a volume and sound quality that I can appreciate. On some Warren Zevon web page, I found words and chords for "Jesus Was a Cross Maker," a Judee Sill song that was on his `Mutineer' CD in 1995. The original version by Judee Sill that I found at MySpace.com introduced me to her abilities as a Gospel pianist, which are particularly powerful on the renditions of "Enchanted Sky Machines" that are on Disc One of this set.

"Crayon Angels" has one of the lines that gives me one of the biggest Judee Sill laughs I've had in the last month. After the false prophets caused her heavenly visions to disappear:

"the angels came back and laughed in my dreams,
I wonder what it means."

judee .......2006-07-20

a complilation like this should have been assembled by rhino years ago. instead, rhino handmade released limited editions of sill's first and second asylum recordings as individual packages, both of which included studio "demos", and live performances as added bonus cuts.
the reissue producer gives a technical statement of how this compilation differs from all previously released versions of both albums in terms of distorted vocal levels that were/are part of the existing master tapes. for those familiar with the recordings, the distortions were part of the mixing and mastering process, and thus cannot be corrected. enough said.
the music is some of the most gorgeous, powerful, and haunting recorded material i have heard from anybody. let the music of judee sill take you away. the packaging is beautifully assembled. for those of you who could not buy the rhino handmade series, here is your chance to have most of what was issued on those limited releases.
at the price of this admission, you must pick up a copy immediately.

Judee is magical..........2006-06-21

I bought her first album when it was released years ago. This was the age of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and so many other wonderfully talented singer-songwriters. I thought Judee would be a star right along all the rest of them. Her spaced-out spirituals were haunting and mysterious to me. Her troubled life ended her singing career after two albums, however, and she seemed to disappear. I never purchased her second record and looked for it for years in used record stores. I continued to listen to the album I had and later read about her early death. It made me sad. I was happy, however, to learn that she wasn't forgotten when I saw her two albums re-released with great additional tracks on CDs a few years ago. Now Judee's music continues to take me to far away places. She is a classic hippie-chick songwriter of the early '70s. Listen to songs like "Lopin' Along Thru the Cosmos" or "The Phoenix" and you'll get the flavor of the times. These folk spirituals are colorful and lyrical. Her voice is pure and simple.

Average customer rating:

Unique & Original
Hauntingly beautiful music and lyrics by an extraordinary genius
Hippie-Christian, pop-folk-country, debut
I stumbled into this music and stayed for the whole show.
"Take all the gentle home"

Judee Sill
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Water
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

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Heart Food
Dreams Come True
Abracadabra: The Asylum Years - Judee Sill / Heart Food
Red Hash
Just Another Diamond Day

ASIN: B000AL8Z8S
Release Date: 2005-10-31

Tracks:

Crayon Angels
The Phantom Cowboy
The Archetypal Man
The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown
Lady-O
Jesus Was A Cross Maker
Ridge Rider
My Man On Love
Lopin' Along Thru The Cosmos
Enchanted Sky Machines
Abracadabra

Amazon.com

Judee Sill was just 35 when she died of a drug overdose in 1979, never having extended what seemed to be an unlimited potential on this, her debut record, released just eight years before. With the wits of a poet and the intonation of an angel, the post-hippie Californian laced her original compositions with astral and religious imagery--and feelings of hopelessness--and then executed them with the pop lavishness of Karen Carpenter. Sill's contemporaneous acoustic folk is sparely backed, while her multitracked vocals add to the redemptive eeriness of supernatural songs like "Lopin' Along thru the Cosmos," "The Phantom Cowboy," and "Enchanted Sky Machines." That Graham Nash produced the minor radio hit "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" (and later saw it covered by his former band the Hollies) attests that Sill was running with the right crowd. But despairing lyrics like "Guess reality is not as it seems / So I sit here hoping for truth and a ride to the other side" ("Crayon Angels") suggest that Judee Sill was conscious that her life could be brief. Thankfully, she left this behind. --Scott Holter

Album Description

Judee Sill's debut album (as well as the debut of the Asylum label) heralded a major new talent in the airy, contemporary folk world of the early '70s. The album employed the production skills of ex-Turtle, ex-Leaves Jim Pons and Graham Nash (on the album's sole single, "Jesus Was s Crossmaker"). Judee Sill featured all original compositions, many of which relied on Sill's unique cosmological imagery to make their point. By turns spare and lavishly orchestrated, there is a cohesive feel to the album; her lyrics are exceptionally poetic and her smooth voice gives every song a shimmery feel. The essence of the music is folk, the execution pop: the songs feel like a comfort blanket, a statement of hope from a troubled soul. New detailed liner notes by Michael Crumsho.

Customer Reviews:

Unique & Original.......2007-03-09

I am replacing my old record albums with cd's and this is one I wanted to have in my collection. Judee Sill has a clear voice and unique folk-country sound. Another singer-songwriter that died too young.

Hauntingly beautiful music and lyrics by an extraordinary genius.......2007-01-19

I had this, Judee's first album, when it came out some thirty five years ago. Fortunately her recordings are available again on CD. No singer, or songwriter, of any genre, has ever gotten inside of me like Judee did some thirty-five years ago - and none have since. She is in a class by herself.

Hippie-Christian, pop-folk-country, debut.......2007-01-06

I admit it, when I first added this album to my list of records to check out, I hesitated to buy it since everything I read described it as "Christian rock." I don't have anything against Christians, but Christian rock is a music genre that is usually pretty bad, offering little more than repackaged, bland preaching paired with uninspired and equally bland music. Thankfully, I did pick up this record and found it to be much better than its so-called genre led me to believe.

Judee Sill's take on Christian spirituality is certainly unique--listen to her lyrics, and you'll probably notice a combination of classic Christian concepts and ideals alongside some pretty spacey hippie imagery. For me, this is a pretty novel combo and it really set Sill's music apart from the schlock that gets marketed as Christian rock. Additionally, it's not really that preachy or overbearing. Rather than preaching to her listeners, Sill describes her own personal, introspective spiritual journey, which is a lot more compelling.

Judee Sill is overall a pretty soothing record. Her voice is quite mellow but able to convey some pretty specific emotions, and it sounds good overdubbed too. Most of the main accompaniment is acoustic guitar and piano, along with a fair bit of tasteful orchestration. This folky instrumentation is supported by Sill's surprisingly poppy writing. Her songs are concise and full of hooks (guitar on "Crayon Angels," the entirety of "Jesus Was a Cross Maker," the list goes on). Even after one listen, you'll have something to hum and want to hear again. Unfortunately, it's a pretty short album, so it probably will leave you wanting more.

There really aren't any weak cuts on this album, but some of my favorites are "Crayon Angels," the refrain in "Loping Along Through the Cosmos," and the soulful "Enchanted Sky Machine." I hope you check out and enjoy this lost treasure!

I stumbled into this music and stayed for the whole show. .......2006-12-04

I first heard Judee Sill on a compilation disc, "Troubadours of Folk" Vol. 4 Singers and Songwriters. Wow, what a voice! After listening to that cut over and over, I knew I had to track down anything else I could find by Judee Sill. While I am not an ardent fan of "Jesus Freak" lyrics, I would listen to this voice singing a train schedule. Get this album! Ignore some of the words and be transported by an angel's voice.

"Take all the gentle home".......2006-03-20

Judee Sill's short & tumultuous life is the raw stuff of legend, transformed & transfigured in the sublime art of her music. She's one of those rare artists like no other, despite the superficial resemblance to many of her musical contemporaries. Although she was unjustly neglected during her lifetime, her music has endured & will always be rediscovered by all who seek for transcendent beauty & meaning, especially in a darkened world.

It's been said that "religion is for those afraid of going to Hell, and spirituality is for those who have been there," and her friends assure us that Judee lived out this truth. It can be heard in the sweet, rich sound of her voice, informed by suffering & soaring on luminous wings. Once that comforting, resigned yet yearning voice envelops the listener with its slight drawl, we're in another reality, one born of both the times (the 1960s) & the timeless.

Some listeners may be initially put off by the Christian references in her lyrics. But that would be a mistake. Her deeply personal Christ-as-cosmic-cowboy/lover imagery comes from a different time, when Christianity was being rediscovered as a radical, positive force; it has nothing to do with the fear-based faith of modern fundamentalism. This is spirit as erotic hunger, and the erotic as pure spirit. And of course the occult mysticism intermixed with her lyrics would be anathema to the spiritually close-minded!

This is the first of Judee's three albums, the third of which wasn't even released until nearly 30 years after her tragic yet seemingly inevitable death. All three are well worth seeking out - and if they resonate with you, they'll become a part of your life. Her work is true treasure, absolutely recommended!

Average customer rating:

Judee Sill still sounding good, but a bit addled
Dynamo
Get the studio albums first
mind bogglingly awesome
brilliant

Dreams Come True
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Water
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

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Abracadabra: The Asylum Years - Judee Sill / Heart Food
Judee Sill
Heart Food
Chariot of Astral Light
Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972-1973

ASIN: B00076Q05G
Release Date: 2005-03-14

Tracks:

That's The Spirit
I'm Over
Apocalypse Express
Living End
Things Are Lookin' Up
Good Ship Omega
Last Resort
Til Dreams Come True
Living End (Demo)
I'm Over (Demo)
Til Dreams Come True (Demo Instrumental)

Tracks:

Dead Time Bummer Blues
Sunny Side Up Luck
Emerald River Dance (Home Recording)
Waterfall
North County
Farmer's Daughter (The Chickens In The Garden)
Wreck Of The FFV (Fast Flying Vestibule)
500 Miles
Oh Boy The Magician (Demo Instrumental)

Customer Reviews:

Judee Sill still sounding good, but a bit addled.......2006-08-08

This is put together like a box set, but what it was put in was just cellophane, not a box. It does not have any big hit songs, so it might have been hard to sell as a box. The description on the cellophane strikes me as being entirely accurate:

Judee Sill ~ Dreams Come True
hi ~ i love you right heartily here ~ new songs
two-disc set featuring her previously unreleased 1974 3rd
album, mixed by Jim O'Rourke, plus studio and home demos,
and a 12-minute QuickTime movie of a '73 concert. Contains
a deluxe 72-page book with interviews and vintage photos.

Credits in the book for the Judee Sill Live at USC 1973 movie mention "Original video produced and recorded by Pat Blessing . . . restored by Bay Area Video Coalition Preservation Center, San Francisco, CA . . . Portrait photography of Judee Sill by Wesley Pouliot, Joan Plummer and Judy Himmel." During parts of the five songs on the video, still pictures of Judee Sill are panned. The microphones which appear in the video do not seem to be responsible for the sound, which is typical of what cameras were picking up from a distance.

For those who would not recognize the titles of the five songs that appear in the movie, I would suggest getting the many versions that are now on a 2-CD set with 19 bonus tracks that are available as the complete recordings of the Asylum years. When I bought that set, it was called `Abracadabra.' It included seven songs Live in Boston, 1971, which included more informative comments than anything on `Dreams Come True.' The quality of her singing on her demos is so great, I'm now buying every song she has been recorded doing, including the Tommy Peltier `Chariot of Astral Light' CD which has a QuickTime video of two songs on which Judee Sill was one of four people in a studio that got a decent soundtrack for `Chariot of Astral Light' and `Smile All the While.'

I like Judee Sill's gospel piano abilities slightly more than the competent guitar she plays half the time on any CD. Her voice is heavenly, but words in the early Gospel songs skewed the theology in a highly personal direction that always sounded great coming from her. I like listening to her, whatever the circumstances, and I wish I could find ways to know her songs even better. Sheet music would be nice, but I haven't seen any.

Dynamo.......2005-05-19

Because it's so well done, this package is a welcome addition to Judee Sill's legacy. While she is unknown by much of the public, to those who really focus on music, she is a legend. The book detailing her life is revelatory. I had heard about a troubled past, but had little understanding of the depth of problems from the alcoholic mother, abusive stepfather, brother who died, prostitution & lesbianism. While I had heard about her heroin addiction, I was unaware that she'd also had committed armed robbery. The funniest quote is from Russell Giguere, one of the original members of the Association, "She told me that she got busted for armed robbery & was so nervous she actually said, 'Okay mother sticker this is a fu*k up.'" This is the stuff from which movies are made!

But her musical muse is well in tact on her "lost album," one to be sought by those for whom "Heart Food" and the self titled Asylum LP are classic listening. "The Apocalypse Express" showcases Judee's lovely sense of melody & harmony, "Here it comes with dynamos churning, Love steady burning & knowing no rest, Savage shield is twisting & turning, screaming a sermon, That's smoldering stress." "Things Are Looking Up" has Judee's lovely vocals that seem to float effortlessly, "What a spell I'm under, I've been smiling at the Earth way up here on high, Is it any wonder that my trouble disappeared & I learned to fly?" The studio demo of "'Til Dreams Come True" is beautiful just to hear Judee playing piano sans vocals.

Of the music on the second disc, it's interesting to read about the tunes in the booklet. "Dead Time Bummer Blues" is referenced as the first song she wrote and was during her incarceration, "My cellmate stole a Cadillac & she's going home tomorrow." "Sunny Side Up Luck" has Judee's lovely sense of melody that makes you wish you could have heard the arrangement she'd have developed for the tune. "Emerald River Dance" is another delightful gem, "It seems like everyone's so afraid of the ocean 'cause they can't bear the pain, but the deeper sorrow carves in the heart of your being, the more joy you can contain." Judee's home recording of the randy tale "North Country" is a hoot, particularly when you realize it was sung by bank robber and has the cooing of a small child in the background.

Judee's life was a hard one, some of it by choice. However, the religious imagery and the exquisite sense of melody give birth to the beauty of her music. While this set is for those who already appreciate her craft, it is a welcome addition to her recorded legacy. The concern footage is also welcome for giving a glimpse of her live performance. Enjoy!

Get the studio albums first.......2005-04-30

Although I have given this 4 stars, this has been put together with tender loving care, with packaging which is very well done and quite unique.

I have been a Judee Sill fan since her first album came out in the very early 70's. I knew of Heart Food but not until it was unavailable. Then both became available on CD last year (or the year before) and I splashed out £40 for each - they are still selling in UK shops for about that, but they are well worth the high price.

I never knew of any other material. So this is a treat. The songs are typical of the type she wrote and the album sub-title (Hi I love you right heartily here) oozes Judee Sill-speak. I think the songs mask the troubled life she must have left. You only have to read the extraordinarily informative booklet to get an idea of the life she led a tortured soul, perhaps. However, the songs fly away on the breeze but always make a soft landing.

The film footage from 1973 on disc 2 is not great quality, but is the first I have seen of her and is very enlightening and enchanting.

So if you liked her first two albums, then you need to have this little gem - but I think you need the two studio albums first to appreciate her at her very best before embarking on this package.

mind bogglingly awesome.......2005-03-25

let me say that iam a true fanatical fan of those two judee sill records and that HEARTFOOD in particular is one of the pinnacles of the greatest ever records..yep along side PINK MOON BLOOD ON THE TRACKS ASTRAL WEEKS the great tragedyis that she is so unknown..nice to see uncut magazine hopefully starting some sort of huge revival ..like nick drake and brian wilson have ..i urge all readers to buy the rhinohanmade versions of the first two albums immedietly...sell the car..pawn the tv..but get those cd,s..they are limited editions.and they are both total masterpieces.Anyway when i heard about DREAMS COME TRUE icouldnt beleive it.I got a copy immedietly and it does not dissapoint in anyway..The packaging is simply beautiful with a book so lovingly put together containing many interviews with those who knew her..she obviously seems to have left a huge mark on thier lives. And even more incredible is there is video footage .But its the music and her songsthat make this wonderful release one of the most exciting cd,s in years ..yesthis is as greatas her two albums i kid you not.Okay i admit it took me a good few listens over a few days before the whole thing just really blew my mind,what an incredible bunch of songs..how on earth did this go unreleased..the whole cd is heartbreakinly beautiful and so very sad...its one of those very rare releases which i just cant get outta me head.I will let other reveiwers describe its detail as m totally inebt at being rational enough o gather my thoughts clearly enough to say how much this has knocked me out..best thing ive heard this century by the greatest female singer songwriter of all time..

brilliant.......2005-03-22

Judee Sill's first two albums are two of my favorite records of all time. They are consistently brilliant in every way. So you can imagine my great anticipation when I heard that her fabled 3rd album (plus rarities) was to be released. Needless to say, this collection does not disappoint. Disc one, which is devoted to the 3rd album "Dreams Come True", is fantastic. The 2004 mixing and mastering of these titles is tremendous, with a very rich and full sound. Interestingly enough, Judee decided to change her style a little bit. At first listen, the Sill fan will notice a much "earthier" approach. Not only in the song production (which has a very "jam session" kind of feel), but in the material itself, which is more upbeat. It's still catchy, concise and clever as hell, but in a new way - which is refreshing, because every artist should grow. Her back-up band is wonderful - there's not a misplaced note anywhere in these 8 songs (supposedly all recorded live in the studio, including Judee's lead vocal). These tunes aren't as immediately accessible as her previous ones and I think that is due in part to the strange, new environment in which we are hearing Judee's music. But once you get used to this, it's classic Judee Sill. Each of the 8 songs is a gem, but the finale in particular ("Til Dreams Come True") is an absolutely beautiful song and worth the price of the CD alone. It's just Judee and her piano running through one of the most achingly powerful performances I've ever heard. After the proper album, there are 3 demos, which are a nice touch (especially the solo piano backing track of "Dreams Come True"). Disc two is a collection of "lost songs", which are pretty much all home demos, so the scratchy, amateurish quality is to be expected. The songs themselves are great. One of the discs is enhanced, featuring an old Judee Sill video performance. It looks like she's playing in a University courtyard or something. The quality is inferior, but that's perfectly understandable and only enhances her haunting legacy. I'm happy just to see her in action. Lastly, the accompanying booklet is about 70 pages and features all you could ask of a booklet. Overall, this is an excellent collection that Sill fans and non-fans alike will surely enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Still gorgeous after all these years!
The Real Deal.
Good music, but not as stunning as her debut
HEART FOOD - JUDEE SILL
One of my favorite records - ever

Heart Food
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Water
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Judee Sill
Dreams Come True
Abracadabra: The Asylum Years - Judee Sill / Heart Food
Red Hash
It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best

ASIN: B000AL8Z92
Release Date: 2005-10-31

Tracks:

There's A Rugged Road
The Kiss
The Pearl
Down Where The Valleys Are Low
The Vigilante
Soldier Of The Heart
The Phoenix
When The Bridegroom Comes
The Donor

Amazon.com

Judee Sill's follow-up to her 1971 self-titled debut sadly also turned out to be her final album, yet Heart Food stands neck and neck with its wondrous predecessor as a near-flawless slice of 1970s pop-flavored Laurel Canyon folk. The production and arrangements here are much grander then on Judee Sill, with her original piano- and guitar-driven songs enhanced by strings, church organ, harmonica, pedal steel, kettle drums, and even male vocals. But no matter the song--be it the Brian Wilson-influenced "The Vigilante," the country-flavored "There's a Rugged Road," or the piano-solo delight "When the Bridegroom Comes"--it all comes back to Sill's virginal voice, which twists and teeters in varying octaves and moods, sometimes within the same track. Sadly, her deliberate songwriting style denied her any chance at a third album. Drugs claimed Judee Sill's life just five years after Heart Food, which can serve as an alluring introduction to this brilliant artist or as a proud bookend to her more-appreciated debut. --Scott Holter

Album Description

On Judee Sill's second album, rather than using an outside arranger for the strings (as she did on her previous album), Sill did all of the work herself. Her lack of formal training and the immense amount of orchestral overdubs certainly would have made such an outing a hardship for anyone. But the results are outstanding with echoes of Bach supporting the stellar early 70s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter melodies. The supporting cast of top L.A. studio musicians solidifies Sill's unique brand of folk-flavored pop, which moves from introspective meanderings to loping rock, often within a single song. New detailed liner notes by XTC's Andy Partridge. Water Records. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Still gorgeous after all these years!.......2007-05-12

I found Judee Sill by accident, when an acquaintance put it on the turntable. My wife and I immediately asked "What's that?!" and managed to find it on cd.
It's a little hard to define, but truly beautiful. I'm an AC/DC, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath kind of guy, but I love this recording! We actually bought an extra 3 copies to give as gifts. It's one of those rare recordings that almost anyone will like and then quickly fall in love with.

Buy it! You'll thank me.

The Real Deal........2007-04-26

Having worked my way through several "Great lost..." albums and "over-looked classics" with varying results I am happy to report that this really is as good as the best of its era and still sounds fresh today.

I would recommend this as the first purchase for any one unfamiliar with Judee Sill as the demos and extras that you get on Abracadabra are more useful to fans(and not so useful at that)desperate for more.This version also comes with well written liner notes from Andy Partridge which I preferred to those on Abracadabra.

However If you are already familiar with the albums(say looking to replace old vinyl or a lost copy)then Abracadabra represents better value for money.

Which ever you end up choosing I would suggest you can't really go wrong because you'll be getting a fabulous album either way.

Good music, but not as stunning as her debut.......2007-02-14

Judee Sill's second and final (complete) studio album, Heart Food, finds the singer/songwriter returning to much of the same territory she explored on her first, self-titled album. Sill lends her clear, uplifting vocals to astutely-crafted pop tunes about her own spiritual quest through the Christian faith. Again, like in her debut, the religious themes are very tastefully blended into the music, never seeming heavy-handed, hackneyed or boring. Sill's unique brand of hippie spirituality is very successfully combined with pop music--her musings are very accessible (even for people like me who aren't Christian) and the music that backs them is creative and full of hooks drawn from gospel, soul, country and folk.

This time around, Sill augments her expressive vocal melodies with even more instrumental flourishes--a few more background singers accompany her on tracks like the upbeat "Soldier of the Heart," and a diverse range of instruments can be heard, such as banjo and horn sections. Additionally, Sill also gets a little bit progressive on the album's closer, "The Donor," an epic, sprawlingly hypnotic piano tune that is buoyed by her choral Latin arrangements. Throughout, Sill's voice (somewhat of an acquired taste, but it's not too tough to acquire) is a pleasure to listen to, and it's fascinating and moving to hear her torment and joy as she tried to reconcile her sometimes tragic life with the promise of redemption.

For its many good qualities, Heart Food is in many ways an echo of Judee Sill, her first album--the album's opener "There's A Rugged Road" is so similar melodically and instrumentally (listen to that guitar line) to Judee Sill's opener, "Crayon Angels," that it seems Sill didn't make much musical progress between albums. Much of the beginning of this album requires close listening for enjoyment (it can be pretty subtle and downbeat at times) and the similarities between the songs on both albums frequently pop up, especially with her portrayals of Jesus--on both albums there are a number of references to him as a sort of cowboy-like bandit hero. It's a novel and very colorful concept on Judee Sill, but when the theme reappears on Heart Food, it seems like Sill was feeling a bit of difficulty coming up with fresh metaphor.

Overall, Heart Food is a fine album with lots of great qualities--it's a shame that Sill seems to be getting lost in the sands of time. If you're just coming to her music, I'd start with her debut before you decide to get this one too, or buy the Complete Asylum Recordings, which has both. Enjoy!

HEART FOOD - JUDEE SILL.......2006-07-31

While looking for Ester Satterfield, I came across Judee Sill and was instantly transported back in time ~~ a time of reflection and optimism. Believe me, I am not disappointed with my selection. Talk about the circle of life....!

One of my favorite records - ever.......2006-04-09

I bought "Heart Food" while in high school when the record was still being played on college stations. The only song they played back then was "The Doner," which I loved immediately (as did the DJs on the station). I had to have my aunt pick it up for me, because I didn't have a car yet. At the record store, she said she looked for it but finally had to ask for help, because she couldn't find it out in the bins. My aunt was very suspicious - for some reason they kept them behind the counter. Go figure.

Out of the blue a couple of years ago, I decided to pull out my old LP, and was blown away all over again, crackles and all, thirty-odd years later. I did some Googling and found several sites devoted to her and her music. It seemed that lots of people were getting blown away all over again. One mentioned the Rhino Handmade re-release coming up, so I waited and bought one as soon as I could. I think this was a short run of 2500 copies or so. I'm glad to hear it's been "re-re-released."

It's so awfully sad that she died so young.

I recommend her first album, "Judee Sill", though "Heart Food is probably the best introduction to Judee Sill's music, I think. The "lost" album, "Dreams Come True," is okay, with a few knockout songs, but I wouldn't recommend starting there. "Judee Sill" took a few plays to get its hooks into me. Now it's right up there in my mind with "Heart Food."

Average customer rating:

Judee Sill
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Water
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Heart Food
The Collection
12 Songs (2 CDS)
Freedom's Road
Don't Tell Columbus

ASIN: B000HEWFXY
Release Date: 2006-12-11

Tracks:

Crayon Angels
Phantom Cowboy
Archetypal Man
Lamb Ran Away with the Crown
Lady-O
Jesus Was a Cross Maker
Ridge Rider
My Man on Love
Lopin' Around Thru the Cosmos
Enchanted Sky Machines
Abracadabra

Amazon.com

Album Description

Judee Sill's first album is now available in special miniature replica gatefold LP style packaging. This album heralded a major new talent in the airy, contemporary folk world of the early '70s. Featuring all original compositions, many of which relied on Sill's unique cosmological imagery to make their point, Judee Sill is a remarkable debut. There is a cohesive feel to the album; her lyrics are exceptionally poetic and her smooth voice gives every song a shimmery feel. The essence of the music is folk, the execution pop: the songs feel like a comfort blanket, a statement of hope from a troubled soul. Limited edition of 2500. Water. 2006.

Average customer rating:

Heart Food
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Water
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Judee Sill
The Collection
12 Songs (2 CDS)
Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition]

ASIN: B000HEWFXO
Release Date: 2006-12-11

Tracks:

There's a Rugged Road
Kiss
Pearl
Down Where the Valley's Are Low
Vigilante
Soldier of the Heart
Phoenix
When the Bridegroom Comes
Donor

Amazon.com

Album Description

Now available in miniature replica gatefold LP style sleeve, Judee Sill's second album Heart Food is outstanding with echoes of Bach supporting the stellar early '70s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter's melodies. The supporting cast of top L.A. studio musicians solidifies Sill's unique brand of folk-flavored pop, which moves from introspective meanderings to loping rock, often within a single song. Limited edition of 2500. Water. 2006.

Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972-1973

Average customer rating:

Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972-1973
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Troubador
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000PHX17W
Release Date: 2007-04-23

Tracks:

Jesus Was a Cross Maker
Lady-O
Lamb Ran Away with the Crown
Enchanted Sky Machines
Kiss
Down Where the Valleys Are Low
There's a Rugged Road
Phoenix
Donor
Soldier of the Heart
Interview
Enchanted Sky Machines
Kiss
Down Where the Valleys Are Low
Phoenix
Jesus Was a Cross Maker
Kiss
Down Where the Valleys Are Low

Album Description

2007 collection from the cult Folk singer, officially licensed from the Judee Sill estate and the BBC. These nearly forgotten performances are the only known unreleased audio recordings in existence from Sill. Interest in her life and music has never been higher and these recordings reveal a true talent that deserved so much more during her short lifetime. Features 19 tracks recorded in '72 and '73. Troubadour.

Album Details

Judee (Judy) Sill (October 7, 1944 - November 23, 1979) was an American Singer and Songwriter. The First Artist Signed to David Geffen's Asylum Label, She Released Two Albums Before Disappearing Into Obscurity and Eventually Dying of Drug Abuse in 1979 [1]. Her Eponymous Debut Album was Released to Major Acclaim in 1971 and was Followed Two Years Later by Heart Food. She Recorded Demos for a Third Album in 1974 and They were Released in 2005 under the Title Dreams Come True. Sill was Heavily Influenced by Bach's Metric Forms and Suites, While Lyrically her Work Drew Substantially on Christian Themes of Rapture and Redemption.

Average customer rating:

is it really for sale?
Simply Beautiful
Chasing the Sun
"Heart Food" music for the soul with soul
one of the greatest records ever made

Heart Food
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Rhino Handmade
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Judee Sill
Faithful Virtue: The Reprise Recordings
Dreams Come True

ASIN: B0001MMGEU
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Tracks:

There's a Rugged Road
Kiss
Pearl
Down Where the Valleys Are Low
Vigilante
Soldier of the Heart
Phoenix
When the Bridegroom Comes
Donor
Desperado [#][Outtake]
Kiss [#][Demo Version]
Down Where the Valleys Are Low [#][Demo Version]
Donor [#][Demo Version]
Soldier of the Heart [#][Demo Version]
Phoenix [#][Demo Version]
Vigilante [#][Demo Version]
Pearl [#][Demo Version]
There's a Rugged Road [#][Demo Version]

Amazon.com

Album Description

Judee Sill was a true original. A singer-songwriter with a wealth of influences and a fascination with religion, she referred to her work as "country-cult-baroque." She was the first artist signed to David Geffen's Asylum label, and, along with Joni Mitchell and Carole King, exemplified the breezy "Laurel Canyon Sound" of the early '70s. Sill scored moderate hits with "Lady-O" (originally written for the Turtles) and "Jesus Was A Cross Maker" and released two albums--1971's Judee Sill and 1973's Heart Food--before suffering chronic pain and eventually dying of a drug overdose at age 35.

Sill grew up in Oakland, California, and began playing piano at age three. A troubled family life and brushes with the law landed her in reform school, where, as church organist, she developed the gospel style that would characterize her future recordings. After a stint in college and three down-and-out years of addiction, she cleaned up and began work on her dream of becoming a songwriter. She spent a short time penning songs for the Turtles' production company before signing her own deal with Asylum.

Pleased with the creative direction of Judee Sill, the singer-songwriter again teamed with engineer/producer Henry Lewy (Joni Mitchell, Neil Young) for her follow-up. On Heart Food, Sill's voice is stronger and Lewy's production more resonant. Built around the singer's guitar or piano, the songs are arranged with similar ambition. "There's a Rugged Road," a meditation on Christ's humanity, features country violins, pedal steel, multi-tracked vocals, and a hoofbeat rhythm. The gospel-influenced "Down Where the Valleys Are Low" burns with electric guitar, church organ, vibes, and doo-wop harmonies. The album's closing opus, "The Donor," uses male voices and tympani to build an intense medieval round.

This Rhino Handmade release of Heart Food has been remastered from original source materials and expanded with nine bonus tracks, including the studio outtake "The Desperado" and eight solo demo versions of album tracks.

Customer Reviews:

is it really for sale?.......2005-08-05

This title is a special release from Rhino, which says they don't have anymore. Should be popular because of the success of another Judee Sills title recently.

But my order has not shipped in the time indicated, and now Amazon says it will be delayed another month.

I don't think they really have this product to sell.

Simply Beautiful.......2005-07-25

Trust the other reviews on this fantastic album. I knew nothing of Judee Sill until the recent reissue campaign of her two Asylum albums by Rhino Handmade (along with the new set from the never-completed third album, "Dreams Come True" by the Water label), and all the praise is well deserved. I've listened to "Heartfood" about ten times or so, which isn't nearly enough to appreciate her substantial gifts of composition and arrangement. Only adding to the pleasure of hearing this terrific album is Rhino Handmade's expert handling of this reissue, complete with extensive liner notes, and additional tracks and demos. To be honest, my purchase was based on 50% curiousity and the other half solely on Rhino's involvement. They never disappoint. But more than anything, Sill's is a voice well worth discovery, and the heart-melting "The Kiss" is worth the purchase all on its own. Also essential are Sill's first, self-titled set (also on Rhino Handmade) and the above-mentioned "Dreams Come True". A fitting tribute to an artist shamefully relegated to the margins for too many years.

Chasing the Sun.......2005-04-24

It's fairly incredible that for as amazing as "Heart Food" is, it remains largely unknown and under-appreciated. However, its brilliance will not let it fade. Copies of the lp have fetched high prices; and Rhino's limited re-release is welcome as this classic set joins the digital age. Sometimes compared to Laura Nyro's "New York Tendaberry," Joni Mitchell's "Blue," or Carole King's "Tapestry" as one of the seminal sets of female singer songwriters in terms of its influence, there is no questioning the amazing & inspired brilliance of this set.

For me, the shining jewel in the crown of this accomplishment is the glorious "When the Bridegroom Comes." She takes bridegroom imagery from Matthew, Chapter 25 & Revelations 17 ("And the Spirit & the bride say, Come") and combines this into a moving piece of religious metaphor for the human acceptance of the will of God. This is such an inspiring track that it sometimes gives me chills of anticipation with its clarity and vision.

The musical flow and surging keyboard on "Down Where the Valleys Are Low" is stunningly original, "Till the heaven's song begins the holy fires a-burnin' & the harmony is set to weave a silver sermon." "The Phoenix" is a lovely track with Sill's voice that comforts like a warm embrace, "Guess I'm always chasin' the sun, hopin' we will soon be one." The lovely piano intro on "The Donor" and the breathless "kyrie eleison" chorus is some of the most gorgeous music ever created! Sill's unique sense of harmony and musical construction makes her an under-appreciated master. One wonders how her earthly path might have changed and what music might have been produced if this incredible set had found the broad audience it so richly deserves. Classic! Bravo!

"Heart Food" music for the soul with soul.......2005-04-02

She wasn't a lost soul but she had the credentials for it. She took to prostitution to support her drug habit. After she was busted, music became her addiction. She was damn good at it. Sill really took to music when she was in reform school playing the church organ. It's there that she learned the gospel licks that made much of her music so powerful. She once described her music as "country-cult-baroque" and it certainly fits given her lyrical fascination with religious icons. She never had a hit although she did gain the respect of other important song writers. She continues to have impact. XTC's "Apple Venus Volume 1" and "Wasp Star" both owe a huge debt to Sill's mixture of strings, wistful melodies and exotic use of Christian and pagan imagery (XTC's Andy Partridge gives her a special thank you in his notes for the latter album). Judee Sill's music borrows liberally from country, gospel, and helped establish singer-songwriter tradition that eventually blossomed into a cliche during the 70's.

Her second album demonstrated a blossoming talent. If you can still find it go for the special edition of her second album limited to 5000 copies and available only through Rhino Handmade's website. There's a number of bonus tracks and an exceptional booklet. Less lush and with string arrangements, well placed gospel phrasing Heart Food captures Sill at the peak of her performing and writing talents. Although her co-producer and engineer Henry Levy noted that he felt the second album had better production but no additional depth to the songs, Heart Food seems much more introspective lyrically. Sill isn't afraid to wear her influences on her sleeve here. She's also not afraid to incorporate new musical elements to these songs. Levy's talent as an engineer and producer was undeniable. He's also very, very wrong about Heart Food. Every song demonstrates growth for Sill but the marvelous "Soldier of the Heart" , epic "The Donor" and magical "The Kiss" with its hymn like quality are clearly the stand out tracks on the album

Every song comes from the soul and Sill never stopped looking for that mythical juncture of the physical and the spiritual. Rhino's special edition features one unreleased outtake as well as 8 raw demos for this album. Sill's first album definitely belongs in the essential category (and it's also available from Rhino Handmade with bonus demos and live tracks) despite the over lush production that hampers some of the material. Sill gained a bit of fame when the late great Warren Zevon covered her single "Jesus Was a Crossmaker". His marvelous version of the song nicely compliments Sill's more lyrical version. Sill would have found humor and irony in her sudden minor fame when Zevon's song earned airplay. Unfortunately, Sill died in 1979 having completed only two albums and an additional album worth of demos which have recently been issued as "Dreams Come True". She was 35. Rhino Handmade can be contacted at http://www.rhinohandmade.com.

one of the greatest records ever made.......2005-03-25

For me HEARTFOOD by JUDEE SILL is one of the most beautiful and ming boggling records ever made..its as great as any other record by anyone anywhere...where do those lyrics come from? the chords? The arrangments?LYRICALLY she has no peer..what an amazingly sad tragedy that this record is hardly known.THE KISS is as beautiful a song as ive heard, time simply stops when i even thing about that song ..i dont even have to hear it ,all i have to do is think of it to feel its power.The only other track that does this to me is REMEMBER THE MAINTAIN BED written by woody guthrie and achingly sung by jeff tweedy on mermaid ave vol 2(wilco finest moment.and i love wilco) ..beleive every word youve read on this site about this record..AND GOD BLESS JUDEE SILL. ps..ive just got DREAMS COME TRUE the new judee sillcd of unreleased material...and its gonna blow your mind

Average customer rating:

Not much Judee Sill here

Chariot of Astral Light
Tommy Peltier , and Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Black Beauty
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Dreams Come True
Abracadabra: The Asylum Years - Judee Sill / Heart Food
Judee Sill
Heart Food
In My Own Time

ASIN: B000AA4K7Y
Release Date: 2005-10-10

Tracks:

10,000 Greyhounds
Time After Time
Oneness
Butterflies
Red Rider
Beautied-Out
Pocket-Socket
Chariot of Astral Light
Here Today
Oneness - Home Recording
Smile All The While
My Friend
VIDEO: Chariot of Astral Light (Live in the studio - with Judee Sill)
VIDEO: Smile All the While (Live in the studio - with Judee Sill)

Album Description

Singer/songwriter Tommy Peltier started in the 1960's as a trumpet player - releasing LPs with Roland Kirk under the name "The Jazz Corps". In 1970, Tommy switched to guitar and vocals and became friends with Judee Sill. Tommy and Judee would form a close friendship that would last throughout her life. Judee would play in a several bands Tommy put together. With an acid folk sound not unlike Tom Rapp & Pearls Before Swine, these early 1970's recordings with Judee will be coming out for the first time on the Tommy Peltier CD "Chariot of Astral Light." Besides Judee Sill on vocals, guitar, and keyboards - the CD also features Lynn Blessing and Wolfgang Melz of the Gabor Szabo Quintet and Dave Parlato of Frank Zappa's Sleep Dirt LP. The CD also includes a video from 1973 of Peltier, Sill, and others performing in a recording studio.

Customer Reviews:

Not much Judee Sill here.......2005-11-22

I am a big fan of Judee Sill and bought this hoping to find her featured on at least a few tracks, but her contributions here are minimal. She only appears on about half the tracks and even on those she only adds some guitar, organ and/or backing vocals. That said, I really like the album. Peltier is a very interesting singer and the recordings have a nice loose feel that communicates a lot of emotion and passion. I didn't get much Judee Sill, but I did get to hear something that she was excited about and that inspired her. Sort of like listening to Yoko Ono to get an insight into John Lennon.

Music Review:

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