Rough Mix - NYC by Charly Cazalet

The Left Banke lead singer Steve Martin Caro co-wrote and sings lead on track 1 and 4 and sings harmony vocal on track 8. The Left Banke drummer George Cameron plays on track 5, 6, and 8. These five songs were recorded between 1978 and 1979.

Reginald Ward sings lead on Track 5. Regie and I performed in a four piece band called The Silver Byke with John Platania and Mike Nelson between 1967-1970. We signed with legedary music producer Bert Burns, but Bert passed away before we recorded and released a 45 rpm for his lable Bang Records. Chris Houston from the British rock band The Undertakers Produced the session.

In 1988 I co-wrote a song with Michel Pagliaro titled Dangereux. The song went to the top of the French Canadian charts. At that point in time music had taken a back seat to new ventures. But now it's back, like a long lost friend who has found their way home.

To be continued:

Charly Cazalet

Reviews:

Fifty-eight year old NYC guitarist Cazalet’s career spans five decades dating back to his first gig as a 16-year-old in The Outsiders in 1964. Two years later he declined an invitation to join The Left Banke (who had just released their massive #1 hit “Walk Away Renee”), but he remained friends with several members of the band for the next 40 years and two of them, lead singer Steve Martin Caro and drummer George Cameron help out on several tracks here that were originally recorded back in 1978-79. Caro sings and co-wrote opener “Nothing Ever Lasts Forever,” which is more influenced by his poppy, Left Banke background than the then-emerging NYC punk scene.

Cazalet assumes vocal duties on his “When You’re Not Around,” which (along with “Deaf Dumb and Blind” and “Crazy Girl”) he re-recorded last year for this release, and arthritis certainly hasn’t wrestled control of his nimble fingers, which are as vibrant here as on the 25-year old archival tracks. It still retains its late 70s’ power pop roots and is perfectly suited to the type of work Greg Kihn was doing for Beserkley at the time.

Caro’s “I Know Love Is Blue” is a definite product of its ‘79 recording era, coming on the cusp of power pop with vestiges of the west coast sound typically identified with the likes of The Pop, The Beat, 20/20, and Kihn’s Beserkley labelmates, The Rubinoos.

This is a pleasant archival release that will be mainly of interest to fans of the emerging power pop scene of the late 70s, particularly the work released by Beserkley, as well as the power pop revival that trickled into stores a few years ago via the “Yellow Pills” compilation series.

-Jeff Penczak - Foxy Digitalis.com - 2005 -

*****

Nice story this one. It's called Rough Mix NYC which does indeed seem rather apt (despite the fact its production is perfectly smooth) as this is all that remains after a flood in a New York studio in the late 70s which left this record all but destitute. Now it's resurrected with a couple more re-recorded for our enjoyment.

Largely this is so, the tunes are definitely tunes and Charly's voice has an interesting faraway quality that sounds good over this sort of slowburn, clearly seventies style, indie (although I s'pose that term was yet to be invented). The only problem is the perhaps over-indulgent guitar solos and also the fact that, although listenable, it's not an album that urges you to stick it on. That said it's a great story and a piece of the past which ought to be preserved well.

-Alex Lawson - ShadowPlay.org.UK - 2005 -

*****

Songwriter Charly Cazalet has a between-the-cracks music career going back to the early 60s, so it surprises me that Rough Mix - NYC contains only eight short songs. But what songs they are—tight, tuneful power pop nuggets that will make fans of 70s icons like Paul McCartney, Matthew McKenzie and the Raspberries smile. (Which makes sense, since five cuts were recorded in the late 70s.) Cazalet has easy access to classic hooks and a solid voice; he also has famous friends, as he recruited Left Banke frontman Steve Martin Caro to sing "Nothing Ever Lasts Forever" and "I Know Love is Blue." Rough Mix - NYC is more of a calling card than an album, but it's enough to prick up the ears of any power pop junkie.

- Michael Toland - HighBias.com -2/27/06 -

*****

Slightly psychedelic and ringing with a 60s and 70s rock feel, Charly Cazalet has put together a short mix of eight songs from different times in his career. Tunes like, "A Simple Melody" have almost a Beatles feel, fun and easy to listen to. "Crazy Girl" sees a Doors vocal sound or two pop through now and again, while other tracks have a more gritty rock feel to them.

Individually, the songs are all pretty darn good. Together they are a little disjointed, most likely because of the different times that they were written and arranged. The good thing is that the sound quality remains good and consistant, despite the variety.

Charly Cazalet has been performing since 1964, and you can really hear that he is not a newcomer to the scene. The music is polished, and the vocals are strong. I would have liked to see a more concentrated effort in one type of musical sound, or at the least a few more songs to round things out a little more, as the work is a little on the short side. All in all, however, this is not a bad CD, just not one with a completely united feel to it. The last track on the CD was my favorite -- "Picking My Fingers Red." It has a unique sound and is quite an enjoyable listen. The vocals have a faraway, dreamy quality that makes it a good ending track.

- Catherine Tully - Indie Music Magazine - 5/6/06 -

*****

Vintage/ Retro pop beats blended with a modern pop rock sound. "Rough Mix" was released on CDbaby.com earlier this year, with five older tracks and three completed more recently. Young yet old, sexy yet conservative, Cazalet gives you just enough of a peak without pulling the entire cloth off the prize. "Young girls (who grow up faster)" contains the satire of Mick Jagger with a melody similar the Doors. This "Rough Mix NYC" is less rough as it is a feel good album for anyone who needs proof that the greats have yet to retire.

- Nicole Volpicielli - Circle Magazine - 2006 -

*****

Rough Mix NYC is a collection of eight songs spanning the career of New York City guitarist/singer Charly Cazalet’s five decade-long career.

These songs are all well written, incredibly catchy and well played; many of the songs, such as “Deaf Dumb and Blind,” feature great guitar riffs. The vocals are handled pretty well, and include some good harmonizing on songs like “Nothing Ever Lasts Forver.” The lyrics, though simple, are pretty catchy and well written.

The one negative thing that one can say about this release is that the songs feel a bit disjointed stylistically, as they come from different time periods; while one might have a power-pop sound, another has a country tinge, and another has a Beatles-esque sound.

Overall: A well-done retro album.

- Graham Baily - PuckNation.com - 4/14/06 -

*****

Charly Cazalet was offered a spot in The Left Banke in 1966 shortly after they recorded their break-through hit, "Walk Away Renee" but turned the job down. He remained friends with the band, however, as he pursued other musical endeavours. He recorded some songs in the late '70s with The Left Banke lead singer, Steve Martin Caro.

Cazalet re-recorded a couple of cuts which also featured Banke drummer George Cameron. Reginald Ward who played in a band with Cazalet called The Silver Byke lends some vocals to a couple of songs. Cazalet also added some cuts written entirely by him, with him on guitar and bass. Fans of '60s and '70s pop music will enjoy this release. Caro's voice instantly recalls the great '60s pop of The Left Banke. Cazalet also has an interesting voice and the songs where he sings are among the best.

- Morley Seaver - Rockworld.com -

*****

Charly Cazalet "rough mix nyc" (CAZALET MUCIC - ASCAP - 1562 first ave. #213 nyny10028

Cazalet played in bands in the 60s and 70s, and recorded most of these songs, which dance around power pop, around 1978 with members of the Left Banke. It would be a stretch to call these lost pop masterpieces, but there's some nice songwriting, some timeless hooks and some decent production here, so fans of 70s pop might want to give this a pop.

FLAMING Waymon Timsdayle - Roctober #43

*****

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