1974 studio album by Kevin Ayers
| The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Kevin Ayers | ||||
| Released | May 1974 | |||
| Recorded | February–March 1974 | |||
| Studio | AIR Studios, London Ramport Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Rock, Art rock | |||
| Length | 41:20 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | Rupert Hine | |||
| Kevin Ayers chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Head Heritage | |
| BBC | (positive) |
| Tom Hull | B+ |
The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories is the fifth studio album by Kevin Ayers. Ayers moved to Island Records for this release which employed a vast array of session musicians. The album also marked the arrival of Patto guitarist Ollie Halsall, who would become a constant musical partner for Ayers. Other notable musicians are ex-King Crimson drummer Michael Giles, and Steve Nye and Simon Jeffes of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. The album was critically acclaimed on release with the NME's Nick Kent describing it as "Ayers' most formidable recorded work to date". The album features many of Ayers' most accessible songs and arrangements.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Kevin Ayers
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Day By Day" | 3:49 |
| 2. | "See You Later" | 0:28 |
| 3. | "Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought of You" | 4:10 |
| 4. | "Everybody's Sometime And Some People's All the Time Blues" | 3:05 |
| 5. | "It Begins With a Blessing/Once I Awakened/But It Ends With a Curse" | 8:19 |
| 6. | "Ballbearing Blues" | 0:55 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | "The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 1: Irreversible Neural Damage" | 4:44 |
| 8. | "The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 2: Invitation" | 1:12 |
| 9. | "The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 3: The One Chance Dance" | 7:49 |
| 10. | "The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 4: Doctor Dream Theme" | 5:12 |
| 11. | "Two Goes Into Four" | 1:38 |
| No. | Title | Track source | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Another Whimsical Song" | BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 1974 | 0:24 |
| 13. | "The Lady Rachel" | BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 1974 | 3:53 |
| 14. | "Stop this Train" | BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 1974 | 6:14 |
| 15. | "Didn't Feel Lonely 'til I Thought of You" | BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 1974 | 4:36 |
| 16. | "The Up Song" | 1973 non-album single | 3:18 |
| 17. | "After the Show" | 1974 non-album single | 2:37 |
| 18. | "Thank You Very Much" | B-side of "After the Show" | 3:01 |
Personnel
Musicians
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Technical
- Rupert Hine – producer
- John Punter – engineer
- Steve Nye – engineer
- Gerry Leitch, Sean Milligan – assistant engineer
- Simon Jeffes – additional brass arrangements
- George Smith, James Wedge – illustration
Notes
- AllMusic review
- Head Heritage review
- Jones, Chris (27 March 2009). "BBC - Music - Review of Kevin Ayers - The Confessions Of Dr. Dream And Other Stories". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- Hull, Tom (April 1975). "The Rekord Report: Third Card". Overdose. Retrieved 26 June 2020 – via tomhull.com.
- The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories original liner notes
- Album Review by Nick Kent (NME May 18, 1974)
- Business As Usual by Steve Peacock (Sounds May 25, 1974)
References
- Let's Drink some Wine and Have a Good Time by Kenneth Ansell (ZigZag 46, 1974)
- Album Review by Nick Kent (NME May 18, 1974)
- Business As Usual by Steve Peacock (Sounds May 25, 1974)
- Ayers and Graces by Nick Kent (NME Dec 7, 1974)
- Original LP sleevenotes
| Kevin Ayers | |
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| Studio albums |
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| Collaborations |
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| Singles | |
| Related articles | |