Leon’s
first solo album was produced by Bill Leader. All 13
self-penned titles are new to the public, although no doubt already performed
in the folk clubs, with just one cover version – the anti-war "Le
Déserteur", by French poet and writer Boris Vian, which Leon sings, in
part, in French. (Leon
was a fan of Vian and later used one of his plays as the basis of "My
Daughter, My Son". Vian is also quoted in the sleeve notes to the Leon
tribute CD, And They All Sang Rosselsongs.)
This album was released on the Bounty label, an imprint of the larger Elektra company. The LP may have been reissued on Polydor in 1968, and was certainly issued again by Acorn in 1970, with the entire contents re-recorded (see separate album page).
This album was released on the Bounty label, an imprint of the larger Elektra company. The LP may have been reissued on Polydor in 1968, and was certainly issued again by Acorn in 1970, with the entire contents re-recorded (see separate album page).
"The laurels so far go without a doubt to Leon Rosselson. His LP is probably the most important thing that has yet happened in contemporary British song... his recent material has shown a distinct upswing in quality and content, and his LP therefore shows him at his best. Deadpan, singing with marvellous phrasing, he is really the only person who can perform these songs right. They have a consistency of tone and character which, as with the great Georges Brassens, requires the songwriter's private voice to make the best of them. Rosselson also happens to be a first-rate musician, which not only makes his accompaniments technically expert but also enables him to give musical shape to complex ideas." - Stephen Sedley (review in Tribune)
"These urbane commentaries on youth, age, war, tourism, royalty, hangovers, pyromania, are Leon's own songs. It's one of the most sparkling records of topical songs ever put out, and it shows Leon's giant talent as a writer as well as his instrumental and solo prowess." - review in Sing magazine
"My first solo recording was in 1962, an EP for Topic Records called Songs For City Squares. It wasn't my choice of title. I followed that up with an LP called Songs For Sceptical Circles. What next? Songs For Truculent Triangles? Songs For Quirky Quadrangles?" - LR (Where Are The Elephants?, 2023)
"These urbane commentaries on youth, age, war, tourism, royalty, hangovers, pyromania, are Leon's own songs. It's one of the most sparkling records of topical songs ever put out, and it shows Leon's giant talent as a writer as well as his instrumental and solo prowess." - review in Sing magazine
"My first solo recording was in 1962, an EP for Topic Records called Songs For City Squares. It wasn't my choice of title. I followed that up with an LP called Songs For Sceptical Circles. What next? Songs For Truculent Triangles? Songs For Quirky Quadrangles?" - LR (Where Are The Elephants?, 2023)
Thumbnails (click to enlarge)
Song list
1. Tim Maguire
2. The Ugly Ones
3. Brass Band Music
4. Dead Men Never Die
5. The Saint
6. Le Déserteur (Boris Vian)
7. Away From It All
8. The Bachelor's Complaint
9. It’s A Vile Violation
10. Do You Remember?
11. Single in Spring
12. Once When I Was Young
13. Procreation
14. Hangover
2. The Ugly Ones
3. Brass Band Music
4. Dead Men Never Die
5. The Saint
6. Le Déserteur (Boris Vian)
7. Away From It All
8. The Bachelor's Complaint
9. It’s A Vile Violation
10. Do You Remember?
11. Single in Spring
12. Once When I Was Young
13. Procreation
14. Hangover