# An "impressionistic" pop album



## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

David Crosby's _If I Could Only Remember My Name_ stands out as one of the most unusual sounding pop albums that I have ever heard. And it always struck me as the nearest thing that anyone in pop/rock has done that captures the feeling of Impressionism. Certainly it's not the impressionism of Debussy or Ravel, but there is a lot of an element that is hallmark of that style - parallel chord movement.

Parallel chords are just as easy to play on guitar as they are in piano. As a guitar player I can tell you most if not all the serious player/writers that I have known will, once a chord strikes their ear fancy, try that same chord/fingering somewhere else on the fretboard. Parallel chords also have a tendency to make for weak root/harmonic movement.....so that the music seems to just float without strong direction. And that is certainly the case for most of this album. Of course, there is also Crosby's weird guitar tunings that are far different than the standard of EADGBE. That also contributes to this effect.

Besides Crosby, other prominent West Coast musicians playing on this album include Phil Lesh and Jerry Garcia, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, and Neil Young. (Curiously enough, no Stephen Stills). Oh, and Mary Jane sang backup vocals on all the early demos!!!!!!!

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz73Er162Ia7P_K0Ihl0qxAgtEtkBSDFy


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I have a copy of that album but I didn't really get into it. I'll have to give it another go. I've always liked his song, Triad. But I usually listen to Mark Murphy's version.

I suppose some of Bruce Cockburn's stuff could be considered impressionist. His albums High Winds White Sky, Salt Sun and Time, In The Falling Dark, and The Charity Of Night are some of my favorites.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

starthrower said:


> I have a copy of that album but I didn't really get into it. I'll have to give it another go. I've always liked his song, Triad. But I usually listen to Mark Murphy's version.
> 
> I suppose some of Bruce Cockburn's stuff could be considered impressionist. His albums High Winds White Sky, Salt Sun and Time, In The Falling Dark, and The Charity Of Night are some of my favorites.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Cool album, had not heard it before

But does not strike me as having anything to do with Debussy, its just a primitive, modal, eastern-inspired hippy thing

Richie Havens played guitar like that or Jimmy Page and his drop-D tuning stuff like Black Mountain Side


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Pop impressionism? Give this disc a spin.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Nice atmosphere to the album. I'm a sucker for that sort of hippie stuff. Reminds me of earlier sound of Jefferson Airplane.


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