The Great Leap Forward (2003)
The Five Year Agricultural Plan
2. Crystal Palace
3. All Fall Down
4. Cloud Maker mp3
5. The Ballad Of Where’s Jim mp3
6. Loving Indifference
7. All Over The World
8. My Little Town
9. The Known Sea
10. Following Orders
11. Human Is
12. Ocean Of Storms
and these extras we’ve set aside for future use:
13. I Saw Your LIght
14. Your Number mp3
15. Punch Wax Circus
16. Miami
17. Say Farewell
Follow The Shining Path
The Great Leap Forward marked the first Donovan’s Brain release on the newly formed Career Records. label. The arival of a new rhythm section brought a new stabilty to the band and expanded the musical pallett. Add to that the long promised arrival of Deniz Tek to the Brain circle and the continued presence of Dave Walker, the results could only live up to the promise of the title.
The recording of this album occured in three distinct phases. Four songs: The Ballad Of Where’s Jim, All Over The World, My Little Town, and Human Is were all held over from the massively productive 1998-99 Tiny Crustacean Light Show sessions. In all at least 24 songs had been recorded, enough for two albums.
In the Fall of 1998, well before the completion of Tiny Crust, Ron and Dave Walker wrote four more songs in quick sucession. Neuro Psych Trail Head was the first, and clearly marked a new direction. At this point, it was decided that Tiny Crustacean Light Show would be the “rock” album and the next one would be a dedicated psychedelic affair.
The real work on The Great Leap Forward began in early 1999, when Ron Craighead offered his services as the new Donovan’s Brain Drummer. Jeff Arntsen was invited to play bass on the new tracks and agreed to lend a hand. With the new rhythm section in place, the missing element was Colter, who had relocated to Boise to take a new job. He had been busy writing material for the band. Luckily, he was able to return to Bozeman just a rehearsals for the Seattle Terrastock began. Richard Treece would be joining us for this festival show, which would also allow for further recording. Two of Colter’s new songs were started at this time, All Fall Down and the lovely Cloud Maker.
Terrastock was an eye opener for the new boys in the band. Unaware that there was a scene like this, where Donovan’s Brain could play in front of a sympathetic audience and around like minded musicians, they were surprised when fans approached us back stage to say hello. This was only the second time this band had performed live, but acquitted themselves on a bill that included Country Joe And The Frond.
Recording continued through the next year. A version of Jeff’s Crystal Palace was captured at a rehearsal for a show with Kinksi. Loving Indifference was an experiment in group song writing. Starting with just the title and a basic chord sequence, the band developed the song to everyone’s satisfaction. Three songs Colter had demoed were also recorded. During the mixing sessions we realized we had never finished Following Orders. In the end this was one of the strongest songs on the album.
Deniz Tek had suggested he might like to lend a hand on the new Brain record. Towards the end of the sessions for The Great Leap his offer was taken up. First up was the matter of The Ballad Of Where’s Jim. No one else in the band wanted to sing this one, so the lyrics were handed to Deniz, who had it sussed out in just a couple of takes. All Fall Down had already been assigned to Den, so he came in with an idea for the ending. Not wanting to making it too easy, he was asked to extrapolate on that idea for the verses. The results were enlightening. This is simply one of the best Brain efforts. A bit of guitar at the end of The Known Sea was the perfect compliment to this brooding entry to the Brain catalog. Kaz and Megan’s vocals round out this unsettling tune.
The finale, a collaboration between Dave Walker and Ron Sanchez ends the album on a thought provoking, emotional note. It’s rare that a song is compared to both Neil Young and Caravan, but this one has been. Donovan’s Brain always promises to work out side the expected boundaries.
Reviews
All Music Guide
Tiny Crustacean Light Show was a rock & roll album gone psychedelic. The Great Leap Forward works the other way around, but still focuses on tightly written songs. Still a large family, this time around the core of Donovan’s Brain consists of Ron Sanchez (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Colter Langan (guitar, vocals), David Walker (vocals), and two newcomers: bassist Jeffrey Arntsen and drummer Ron Craighead. Guitarist Richard Treece and drummer Seth Lyon, two pillars of previous incarnations of the Brain, are heard on four cuts. Compared to the previous three CDs, this one feels like a genuine group effort. Songwriting credits are split among Sanchez, Langan, and Arntsen, but more importantly the music has the polish of careful compromise and the pooling of many points of views. The album kicks off with two mischievous winks. “Neuro Psych Trail Head” heads dangerously into the Rolling Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together” while developing its own tune. “Crystal Palace” begins with a direct quote from the Beatles’ “And I Love Her.” Now that the two giants have been acknowledged, Donovan’s Brain can tread its own path. “Cloud Maker” is a very nice psych rocker the likes of the Bevis Frond or Ebeling Hughes. The collective improvisation “Loving Indifference” wraps up the first half. The second half is somewhat dreamier, “The Known Sea” and “Ocean of Storms” providing moments of slow-tempo bliss — in the latter, Walker adopts Richie Havens’ low crooning voice. Less punchy and immediately likable than the previous album, this one requires more of an effort from the listener without providing more rewards, but it remains a good entry in the group’s discography. – François Couture
The Songs
1. Neuro Psych Trail Head
Ron – vocals, guitars, organ
Dave – vocals
Colter – vocals
Jeff – bass
Ron C. – Drums
2. Crystal Palace
Jeff – bass, gutiars, vocals
Ron – slide guitar, synth
Colter – guitar
Ron C – drums, percussion
Megan – ebow, vocals
3. All Fall Down
Colter – vocals, guitar
Jeff – bass vocals
Ron – guitar, organ, piano
Ron C – drums
Deniz – guitar
4. Cloud Maker
Colter – vocals, guitar
Jeff – bass, vocals
Ron C – drums, vocals
Ron – strings, piano
Richard guitar solo
5. The Ballad Of Where’s Jim
Deniz -vocals
Ron – slide guitar, organ
Kels – bass Seth – drums
Richard – guitar
6. Loving Indifference
Ron – vocals, guitar, organ
Colter – guitar – vocals
Jeff – bass, vocals
Ron C – drums, vocals
7. All Over The World
Colter – guitar, vocals
Ron – guitar, organ
Jeff – bass, vocals
Seth – drums
Ron C – vocals
Dave – vocals
8. My Little Town
Ron – vocals, guitar
Jeff – bass, vocals
Colter – guitar
Seth – drums
Dave – vocals
9. The Known Sea
Ron – vocals, guitars, piano
Jeff – bass
Ron C – drums
Deniz – guitar
Megan – vocals
Karen – vocals
Malcolm – the third man
10. Following Orders
Colter – guitar, vocals
Ron – guitar, organ, piano
Jeff – bass
Ron C – drums, vocals
11. Human Is
Ron – guitar, vocals, stings
Colter – vocals, guitar
Richard – guitar
Kels – bass
Seth – drums
12. Ocean Of Storms
Dave piano,guitar vocals
Ron – guitar, synth
Jeff – bass
Ron C – drums