Bee Gees Album: “Bee Gees' 1st”

The Brothers Gibb first international album is a masterpiece of songwriting, singing and production. Squeezed in the time zone of British Pop Groups ala the Beatles, they had small chance of doing well, considering they had the same vocal harmonies that the Beatles had (although they started them earlier than the Beatles in Manchester, England). Other than that, this set contains classic, everlasting songs that continue to be covered by other artists. Nearly EVERY song has been sung by another artist and "To Love Somebody" has been covered more than 250 times, according to Rolling Stone. Not a small achievement, by any mean, by three teenagers! Hats off to the three teen brothers who took the current technology of the time and survived, despite the georgeous Beatles, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" of 1967. What a start!

Footnote: 1980's Bee Gees technical engineer, Scott Glasel mentioned to me that whenever he feels a need for inspiration, he puts on Bee Gees First.

This misleadingly titled album (the Bee Gees actually had released two LP's in Australia prior to this, their first American release) is arguably the brothers' greatest. Its loopy, progressive pop-rock begs the oft-belabored question of who influenced whom (if you know what I mean) by its sheer eclectic audacity and humor. It also contains some of the best of the group's early hits: "New York Mining Disaster 1941" (now there's a catchy little title for a single), "Holiday," and the oft-covered "To Love Somebody." But it is between these hits that the album's real charms lie. Tracks like the quasidelic "Red Chair Fade Away" and "Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man Will Show You" (complete with mellotron and pseudo-Gregorian chant); wierd, convoluted romanticism ("Turn Of The Century") and just plain wackiness ("Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy Of Arts," "In My Own Time") all betoken a greatness the Bee Gees would find themselves hard-pressed to follow up (and live down). Essential.

Disco fans looks elsewhere unless you want to have your horizons broadened and your minds blown. Whimsical pop psychedelia in the vein of The Beatles, Kaleidascope UK, Nirvana UK, and even early Pink Floyd, plus two classic soul ballads. This an essential album for fans of 60s psychedelia and rock in general.

Ten years before the Bee Gees became the Kings of Saturday Night Fever their first album was released during the Summer Of Love in 1967. The brothers (along with guitarist Vince Melouney and drummer Colin Peterson) had hit it big back in their native Austrailia with the single SPICKS AND SPECKS. Capitalizing on their success the group decided to move to England to be a part of the British Invasion. Signing with Robert Stigwood of Polydor Records the band began recording their major label debut immidiately after arriving in the UK.

Fans of the Bee Gees so called disco era will be suprised to find an album filled with wonderfully arranged progressive pop rock tunes. On 'The Bee Gees 1st' the band sounds more like the Beatles during their Revolver Era rather than the high pitched falsetto act of the late 1970's. This isn't necessarily a bad thing considering that this album along with their other sixties works has aged better than their late 70's records.The album was a massive success when released it reached #7 in the US and spawned 3 top 20 singles. The three top twenty singles were the classic NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941, the haunting HOLIDAY and the awesome love ballad TO LOVE SOMEBODY. However these cuts do not over shadow the rest of the albums tracks. The b-sides were equally as powerful like the psychadelic EVERY CHRISTIAN LION HEARTED MAN WILL SHOW YOU or the soulful I CAN'T SEE NOBODY or the tempo changing CLOSE ANOTHER DOOR. Other songs like IN MY OWN TIME (which sounds like Taxman) and CUCUMBER CASTLE sound like the work of The Beatles! ONE MINUTE WOMAN is an underrated love ballad. PLEASE READ ME is an awesome rocker. TURN OF THE CENTURY is a catchy opener as is I CLOSE MY EYES. CRAISE FINTON KIRK ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS is a delightful piano ditty and RED CHAIR FADE AWAY is psychadelic pop rock.

Overall 'The Bee Gees 1st' is a must. I have never been a huge fan of their music but I like this album a lot. It's beautifully crafted progressive pop rock with some lush string and horn arrangements. If you like the Beatles during their Revolver Era or The Monkees than this album is for you. Truly a wonderful piece of music and a fun album to listen to. Highly recommended!

The Brothers Gibb First album is so well written, performed and mastered that one wonders how they did not make it to be the biggest act at the time. This collection's songs have been covered by more artists than any of the Bee Gees albums to date. A true masterpiece!