Bob Lind “Photographs of Feeling”
/I chanced on another Bob Lind record awhile aback (“Don’t Be Concerned”) which I liked, so when I had the chance to pick this one up (also from 1966), I was hoping for more of the same sound—which for most part it has—hard to explain exactly the appeal to me, but I like it. I guess it’s considered “folk”—and I suppose it is, to some extent—but it strikes me more as a kind of baroque pop. Maybe baroque is too strong—but it’s somewhat unique in style—starting with the songwriting—all songs by Bob Lind—and then the production (Jack Nitzsche), which has a good amount of mysterious space—and the arrangements (Nitzsche), some of it very lush, with strings and unidentifiable instruments. The romantic lyrics work beautifully with this sound. As it happens, as I write this, it’s Bob Lind’s 83rd birthday—I didn’t try for that—but the random arrow often chances on such alignment. “Remember the Rain,” that’s a good one. The album cover nicely fakes 2 X 3-inch photos in photograph album style, and… no one’s winning the Ansel Adams Achievement Award here, though there is an impressive collection of murk. I don’t know if I’ve ever read liner notes quite this ebullient—well, it took two of them, Charles Greene and Brian Stone—maybe one typed while the other shoveled—but, anyway, who’s to say it’s not all true, and Lind is a god—ten songs here—decide for yourself. Some of this record I do love, but not all of it. I could skip the songs that happen to refer to U.S. cities and “home”—just my preference—but I love the rest of them, including the one that refers to a state (“West Virginia Summer Child”), a specific woman (“Elinor”) and the Morris Minor automobile (“Go Ask Your Man”) —and a few others!
11.28.25