The history of the Left Banke serves to define exactly what is a cult. In the late sixties and recorded two albums in their time but were not too well known, over the years served to place on record its great quality. The Left Banke helped make pop more complex, to demonstrate that the dimensions from which a song could be addressed were endless. The group was formed in 1965 in New York. Michael Brown , Tom Finn, George Cameron and Steve Martin (incidentally, born in Madrid) met at United World studies, which belonged to the father of the first. The weight composition of the group rested precisely on Michael Brown, whose musical training was classical, which explains the importance that the arrangements they have in their songs. This interest in creating songs with musical support more elaborate, with the facilities given the fact that his father was the owner of the studies, made his first songs ("I Have not Got The Nerve" and "I've Got Something On My Mind ") and containing the characteristic features of his style. In fact, his music could be defined as a mixture of pop melodies and lush arrangements of classical instruments (harpsichords, violins, etc.), something that has been called baroque pop or chamber pop, as did the Zombies ( one of the main influences of Left Banke). This kind of pop would be the most exquisite development that had taken the gun Beatles Rubber Soul with (1965) and Beach Boys Pet Sounds with (1966). 
After his first recordings succeeded in awakening the interest of any record, Michael Brown decided to disband the group and went to California. However, other members took up one of his compositions, "Walk Away Renee", from which she had recorded only a sketch, "completed recording and released as a single along with" I Have not Got the Nerve. " Reached number 6 on the U.S. charts. Given this success, the group rejoined and released another single: Pretty Ballerina / Lazy Day , which reached number 15. In early 1967 came his first album, Walk Away Renee / Pretty Ballerina . At just 18 years old each, Michael Brown and his group achieved a masterpiece, one of the hidden jewels of pop. All the songs on this album belong to the same manual of style: bright melodies powered by the arrangements, which filled with lyricism and a disturbing beauty, along with the stunning vocal harmonies. The album begins with "Pretty Ballerina", which includes a catchy keyboard line that explodes into a memorable chorus. In fact, this song, and "Walk Away Renee" and "She May Call You Up Tonight", the Brown wrote inspired by his crush on Renee Fladen , the girlfriend of Tom Finn. Follow "She May Call You Up Tonight", another of the great songs of the disco-if there is any non-, where the brilliance of a melody beat strong influence is pervasive and need not even be supported by arrangements. "Their wives Barterers and explores a medieval atmosphere, and is a clear example of the skill with which the Left Banke pool their voices. Then a harpsichord introduces "I've Got My Mind On somehing. In this excellent song, melody, clean and perfect subject on a battery steadily gives way to short instrumental passages, reflective and extremely beautiful. 
travel far the album has been flawless, but with "Let Go Of You Girl" is reached ecstasy. Probably the best song on the album, drawn on a hypnotic keyboard and constant throughout the composition, and sinks within us to get drunk. The vocals on this occasion, are twin sisters of Colin Blunstone of the Zombies. After a song of this caliber, "Evening Gown" sounds a little interlude of luxury, with all the ingredients characteristic of the group. But it soon appears another gem: "Walk Away Renee", as we have seen had been a successful single. In this case it is a most melancholy composition, perfectly within the laws of pop. The strings underline the sadness of the melody, anticipating the darkest of the last part of the disc. Before that, however, we can see how the group performs a country song, "What Do You Know? "Which is not too harsh because the shades are typically Brown." Shadows Breaking Over My Head "again recalls the Zombies, and follows the general rule as to drive the excellent combination of voices and perfection of the melody, which in this case emphasizes the melancholy side. "I Have not Got The Nerve" has a more rhythmic, and again the harpsichord is the protagonist. The disc closes with a gold seal, "Lazy Day ", where an electric guitar appears abrupt, almost terrifying. The melody, more energetic than in previous songs, makes it clear that if the first part of the disc has dominated the pop placidity, the end is a dark aftertaste of sadness close to despair. 
Shortly after this great album of beautiful twilight, unknown and undervalued in his time, members of the Left Banke decide to separate, especially by the will of Michael Brown to devote himself entirely to the composition under study. This is enough problems, as Brown continues to record the name of the group, under the opposition of the rest. From this separation, Brown publishes the single Ivy Ivy / And Suddenly. "Ivy Ivy" is a song great, superb, with a dreamy melody where a precise horn arrangements highlight this happy dream tone. Without doubt, a song and would have made albums like Sgt Pepper's or Pet Sounds were even larger, and shows the state of inspiration that was Brown. On the other hand, it is also very high quality level of "And Suddenly", an elegant and sophisticated pop song that plays in the style crooner. Despite the uniqueness of this single, had no success because of the boycott that the other group members made from the fan club, with the result that the company refused to promote it. 
Brown rejoins the group three months later to record the song "Desiree" and "In The Morning Light, consisting of himself with Tom Feher, who had worked on the first album and single Ivy Ivy / And Suddenly . "Desire" delves into the melancholy with which ended the first drive of the Left Banke, and uses a more ornate orchestral arrangements and raucous, but no time lost in the wake of Brown's own quality. "In the Morning Light" also features the instrumental medley, which adds a certain epic tone hitherto non-existent in the group's songs. The quality of these recordings was very high, but the Left Banke not again achieve the success obtained with the singles from the first album. Michael Brown went again, this time for good, and the rest of the group focused on preparing a new album. Compositional weight then fell to Tom Finn, with the help of guitarist Tom Feher. 
And yet, The Left Banke Too is a very good album, required listening, but perhaps it is somewhat artificial compared to the previous. Without Michael Brown, the other group members focus on recreating the characteristics of his style without providing any additional developments, except for the orchestral swelling and try for greater complexity in song structure. Nevertheless, "Goodbye Holly" is a pop song soars, the best of the album, with a perfect chorus based on the combination of voices. "There's Gonna Be A Storm", by contrast, is based on the complete sense of song, with a sensual arrangements, rather than the punch of the chorus. "Sing Little Bird Sing" is a beautiful composition, again with medieval borders and some arrangements that include harp, strings and various percussion. "Nice To See You" has a strong influence of the Beatles more psychedelic, and "Give The Man A Hand" is a song that fooled for his sad beginning, almost a prayer, gives rise to a chorus sunny and bright, forming a of the best songs on the album. In "Bryant Hotel" we are back to the Zombies, and "Dark is the Bark" is again a song-heavy arrangements, languid and melancholy, though perhaps a bit hollow. The same could be said of the latest, "My Friend Today." This album also includes two songs previously appeared on single, "Desiree" and "In The Morning Light," the only involvement of Michael Brown. The album did not achieve any success, so the group became separated. However, in 1969 he released a new single of the Left Banke, Myrah / Pedestal , by Michael Brown and Steve Martin. These two magnificent compositions, it is difficult to say which one is best, are the culmination of the style Left Banke irrefutable and shows the talent of Michael Brown. With those finishes in the sixties brilliant story of one of the best-and least known-groups of chamber pop.
Michael Brown's career was extended during the seventies in groups like Montage and Stories. The Left Banke released a new album as a group in 1986, Strangers On A Train (after eight years since it began to be recorded), but had no impact. As we said in the beginning, over the years has meant that, from the darkness, the work of the Left Banke and glittering continue to gain momentum. Today, let this collection of songs would a luxury suicidal for any fan of pop. The compilation
There's Gonna Be A Storm has all the classic songs from the era of the group and just being minimally essential for anyone interested in the pop of the sixties. Huge and brimming with some of the most beautiful songs ever have been recorded, you can not miss.
wrote this article several years ago, back in 2002. Originally appeared on the website The 60 .
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