SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JEFF BRIDGES – SLOW MAGIC, 1977-1978

JEFF BRIDGES
SLOW MAGIC, 1977-1978
LIGHT IN THE ATTIC

By 1977, Jeff Bridges was a movie star. He may have even eclipsed his famous father (Lloyd Bridges) with roles in such classics as The Last Picture Show (for which he received an Academy Award nomination), The Last American Hero, Thunderbolt and Lightning, and King Kong. Even though he was receiving many accolades for his acting, he harboured a desire to play music. Bridges had a house in Malibu, where he and his friends listened to and played music. By 1977 he was ready to record.

This album of previously unreleased music stems from his sessions at a warehouse that was converted into a studio in Venice, California. His friends helped him with his vision of music. Stan Ayeroff (a guitar virtuoso and author of books on Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian), David Greenwalt (a guitarist and songwriter who co-produced Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Matthew Bright (a bassist and future director), and Steve Baim famous for auditioning to be James Brown’s drummer). And there were many other guests as well. Horns were played by Sam “Sluggo” Phipps or Billy Superball (Oingo Boingo), Ken Lauber (Bob Dylan and The Band) and actor Burgess Meredith who appears on the album. Bridges even wrote a song about the film King Kong (“Kong”).

Musically, this is a very interesting album. Although Bridges lists The Beatles and Bob Dylan as his influences and favourites, this music is more garage, punk, and alternative. It is melodic, at times, but it is also very different and not instantly accessible. Bridges’ voice is distinct and at times you can hear the smile on his face as he sings. He is clearly enjoying himself. The album opens with “He’s Here”, which is less than a minute of chatter and sounds. It leads nicely into “Obnoxious”, which is an interesting song with great lyrics and fascinating backing vocals.

Some songs are straight-forward rock/country songs such as “Attitude” or “Slow Magic” (which features some unique saxophone playing). But then otters, like “Space # 1” “Space # 2” and the eight-min epic “Kong” are just plain strange and, while enjoyable, are also somewhat self-indulgent. That is not a criticism, it is just that one hears the band having a great deal of fun. “Kong” features Burgess Meredith. A song about King Kong (which Bridges had just starred in) is going to be a bit odd.

This is clearly a labour of love for Bridges. There has been a lot written about this time in his life, and no doubt many will be interested to hear the music he created. It is interesting and some of the music is excellent. Slow Magic, 1977-1978 is a product of its time. And quite frankly, this is not a vanity project for a famous actor. Bridges, no doubt, felt he was creating art and brilliant music, and that belief carries the album. Many actors have recorded albums and many fail, Bridges succeeds in many ways. He created the music (with help) and the end result is clearly his. Slow Magic, 1977-1978 is an interesting album full of unusual sounds and songs. It is great that this music has seen the light of day.

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