John Cale Helen Of Troy Vinyl Record

Sleeve: VG Vinyl: VG+

Cat: ILPS9350, UK, 1975

A1 My Maria 3:48
A2 Helen Of Troy
4:18
A3 China Sea 2:30
A4 Engine 2:45
A5 Save Us 2:20
A6 Cable Hogue 3:30
B1 I Keep A Close Watch 3:27
B2 Pablo Picasso
3:21
B3 Leaving It Up To You 4:34
B4 Baby, What You Want Me To Do?
4:48
B5 Sudden Death 4:37

Recorded quickly between John Cale producing Patti Smiths Horses and his going out on an Italian tour,Helen of Troybecame Cales third and final studio album for Island Records This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1975 Island Records UK release and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl.

Helen Of Troyis a raw, fascinating listen. The title track with its horns and spoken word is one of Cales best: after the sweet bubblegum of China Sea, the album gets increasingly stripped down the acoustic guitar and piano of Cable Hogue and the punkish cover of The Modern Lovers Pablo Picasso have long been favourites on the album. Leaving It All Up To You in which Cale becomes increasingly disturbed garnered controversy at the time and was actually removed from later pressings of the album because of its references to the Manson murders. Cale never lost his ability to shock. Taking its title from the opening line of Johnny Cashs I Walk The Line, I Keep A Close Watch, a track Cale would record again several years later, with its Robert Kirby-arranged strings and horns, is the closest Cale has veered toward a power ballad.It is a work of great beauty among all the jagged edges ofHelen Of Troy.