Stardancer was the second solo album credited to American singer-songwriter Tom Rapp, the leader of folk-rock group Pearls Before Swine, and his first for Blue Thumb Records. It was recorded and first released in 1972.
After two Pearls Before Swine albums for ESP-Disk, and five albums for Reprise Records which increasingly acknowledged his solo status, Rapp signed for Blue Thumb as a singer-songwriter, ironically around the same time as Pearls Before Swine had at last begun to perform as a regular touring group. The group, including Art Ellis, Harry Orlove and Bill Rollins, appeared on three of the tracks on Stardancer, but on most of the songs Rapp was supported - as he had been two years earlier on The Use of Ashes - by Nashville session musicians, led by Charlie McCoy and supported by Steve McCord (who had previously been a member of one of Lou Reed's first bands, The All Night Workers).[3]
Rapp stated that Stardancer was the first album since the first Pearls album One Nation Underground over which he had full control.[3] Although Allmusic gives Stardancer a mediocre rating, this is not supported by other critics,[4][5] nor by Rapp himself, who has rated the album as one of his finest. The fierce anti-war song "Fourth Day of July", with its references to "the broken children of Vietnam", was widely played in "underground" circles of the time. The lighthearted "Summer of '55" contains some of Rapp's cleverest aphorisms, such as "When the day breaks / the pieces fall on you". Two of his other songs, "Stardancer" and "For The Dead In Space", reflect on themes of loss against a background of space travel and can be seen as reworkings of Pearls Before Swine's earlier "Rocket Man". Several of the arrangements hark back to the psychedelic style of his earliest albums, such as Balaklava, with use of bell overtones and phasing.
Like most of the Pearls Before Swine albums, the sleeve design used classic art works, in this case the painting "Descent of the Rebel Angels" by Pieter Brueghel the Elder on the front sleeve, and a William Morris background design on the reverse.
Stardancer was not reissued on CD until June 2009, when it was released on the Lemon label, a subsidiary of Cherry Red Records in the UK.[6] The rights had been held by Universal Music, who administered the properties of the former Blue Thumb label.[7]
Track listingedit
All tracks composed by Tom Rapp; except where indicated
^"Record Review: Riders, Merman, J. Smith, Groucho, Edition, R. Williams, New Seekers, Brewer-Shipley, Michell Top LP's". Variety. Vol. 269, no. 6. 20 December 1972. p. 48. ProQuest 1032460809.
^2008 information on Tom Rapp reissues and archives
External linksedit
Lyrics to Stardancer
AMG review
Official site for Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine
January 01, 1970
stardancer, spider, robinson, novels, spider, robinson, cruise, ship, island, escape, second, solo, album, credited, american, singer, songwriter, rapp, leader, folk, rock, group, pearls, before, swine, first, blue, thumb, records, recorded, first, released, 1. For the Spider Robinson novels see Spider Robinson For the cruise ship see MS Island Escape Stardancer was the second solo album credited to American singer songwriter Tom Rapp the leader of folk rock group Pearls Before Swine and his first for Blue Thumb Records It was recorded and first released in 1972 StardancerStudio album by Tom RappReleased1972RecordedAugust 29 September 12 1972GenreFolk rock art rock psychedelic rockLength36 32LabelBlue Thumb Records BTS 44Lemon cdlem128ProducerPeter H EdmistonTom Rapp chronologyFamiliar Songs 1972 Stardancer 1972 Sunforest 1973 Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllmusic 1 Variety favourable 2 Contents 1 Background 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 4 Other credits 5 References 6 External linksBackground editAfter two Pearls Before Swine albums for ESP Disk and five albums for Reprise Records which increasingly acknowledged his solo status Rapp signed for Blue Thumb as a singer songwriter ironically around the same time as Pearls Before Swine had at last begun to perform as a regular touring group The group including Art Ellis Harry Orlove and Bill Rollins appeared on three of the tracks on Stardancer but on most of the songs Rapp was supported as he had been two years earlier on The Use of Ashes by Nashville session musicians led by Charlie McCoy and supported by Steve McCord who had previously been a member of one of Lou Reed s first bands The All Night Workers 3 Rapp stated that Stardancer was the first album since the first Pearls album One Nation Underground over which he had full control 3 Although Allmusic gives Stardancer a mediocre rating this is not supported by other critics 4 5 nor by Rapp himself who has rated the album as one of his finest The fierce anti war song Fourth Day of July with its references to the broken children of Vietnam was widely played in underground circles of the time The lighthearted Summer of 55 contains some of Rapp s cleverest aphorisms such as When the day breaks the pieces fall on you Two of his other songs Stardancer and For The Dead In Space reflect on themes of loss against a background of space travel and can be seen as reworkings of Pearls Before Swine s earlier Rocket Man Several of the arrangements hark back to the psychedelic style of his earliest albums such as Balaklava with use of bell overtones and phasing Like most of the Pearls Before Swine albums the sleeve design used classic art works in this case the painting Descent of the Rebel Angels by Pieter Brueghel the Elder on the front sleeve and a William Morris background design on the reverse Stardancer was not reissued on CD until June 2009 when it was released on the Lemon label a subsidiary of Cherry Red Records in the UK 6 The rights had been held by Universal Music who administered the properties of the former Blue Thumb label 7 Track listing editAll tracks composed by Tom Rapp except where indicated Fourth Day of July 4 55 For The Dead in Space 4 05 The Baptist 5 10 Summer of 55 2 13 Tiny Song 2 33 Stardancer 5 42 Marshall 2 15 Why Should I Care 2 54 John Osborne John Addison Touch Tripping 4 55 Les Ans 1 50Personnel editTom Rapp Vocals Guitar Charlie McCoy Guitar Dobro Organ Banjo Harmonica Toy Piano Session Leader Mike Leech Bass Guitar String Arrangements Steve McCord Guitar Musical Advisor David Briggs Piano Bobby Wood Piano Jim Isbell Drums Percussion Buddy Spicher Fiddle Electric Viola Electric Violin Weldon Myrick Steel Guitar Florence Warner Vocals Reggie Young Electric Guitar Jim Colvard Electric Guitar Pearls Before Swine on tracks 3 6 7 Art Ellis Flute Wind Chimes Congas Vocals Harry Orlove Guitar Mandolin Vocals Bill Rollins Cello Vocals String quartet on track 10 Brenton Banks Violin Gary Van Osdale Viola Sheldon Kurland Violin Byron Bach CelloOther credits editRecorded at Quadrafonic Sound and Woodland Sound Studios Nashville August 29 September 12 1972 Produced by Peter H Edmiston Engineers Rex Collier Gene EichelbergerReferences edit Allmusic review Record Review Riders Merman J Smith Groucho Edition R Williams New Seekers Brewer Shipley Michell Top LP s Variety Vol 269 no 6 20 December 1972 p 48 ProQuest 1032460809 a b Interview with Rapp in Ptolemaic Terrascope Spring 1994 Stardancer Music Reviews Lemon Recordings 2009 reissue 2008 information on Tom Rapp reissues and archivesExternal links editLyrics to Stardancer AMG review Official site for Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine Fan site on MySpace Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stardancer amp oldid 1188938583, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
