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Here’s an incredibly limited (only 50 copies!) reissue of Paul Levinson’s sought-after pop rarity from 1972, Twice Upon A Rhyme, which comes lovingly packaged in a brand new screenprinted sleeve design, with inserts containing lyrics and further information. Very lovely package.
The music itself mixes the psychedelic pop of the ‘60s, a dash of Simon & Garfunkel and some expansive and imaginative arrangements which recall the Beach Boys or even Burt Bacharach in places. There’s a real warmth and love running through these cuts, which were all recorded over period of ‘69 to ‘71 in various New York studios and the quality of the recordings and arrangements is consistently very high. It’s clearly a labour of love and the tones and hooks captured still sound appealing, smooth and soulful. It’s no surprise this is such a sought-after lost gem - if you want one then I reckon it’s a now or never situation with a pressing this small.
The Sound of Salvation is proud to announce an extremely limited repress of its first release Paul Levinson’s 1972 album Twice Upon a Rhyme. After selling out of the initial pressing there has been a growing demand for a repress. We have pressed just 50 copies and they are housed in a screen printed foldover sleeve with totally new artwork.
Twice Upon a Rhyme was recorded at several New York City studios between July 1969 and October 1971, including A-1 Studios, operated by legendary Atlantic Records co-founder Herb Abramson. Music greats such as Boris Midney played saxophone, clarinet, and drums on some of the cuts. This album was obviously a labour of love for Paul, something that comes across in the music, lifting it above many other private pressings. Paul poured his heart and soul into this album and it shows. On first listen it struck a chord and became an obsession with me.
It’s an album that harks back to the 1960s folk rock sound of Simon & Garfunkel and the Lovin' Spoonful, mixes it with psychedelic flourishes a la the Moody Blues, the layered harmonies of the Beach Boys, and rounds it off with a shot of Paul’s inner self. It also manages to sound fresh and anticipates such Elephant 6 artists of the 1990s as the Olivia Tremor Control and Apples in Stereo.
On its original release in 1972 by Levinson's own HappySad Records, Twice Upon a Rhyme gained some exposure, with local radio play and reviews, and then quietly slipped into the ether.
Three decades later, in July 2002, Japan's Record Collectors Magazine featured Twice Upon a Rhyme in its roundup of American 1960s "Psychedelic Movements". The reviewer, Taro Miyasugi, said, "It's human mystical pop music... wonderful songs."
Seemingly from nowhere, Twice Upon a Rhyme had a whole new life, a second chance to impress. And this time round the album gained high praise from three of the most respected
guides of underground music – Fuzz, Acid and Flowers and Acid Archives (reviews shown below) and a listing in Hans Pokora’s 4001 Record Collector’s Dreams. The album has its own page on Wikipedia.
Twice Upon a Rhyme was also re-issued on CD with detailed LP-replica packaging by Big Pink. Beatball Records in Korea in 2008 and by Vivid Records in Japan in 2009. It’s available on iTunes, Amazon and the major digital outlets.
After the original release of Twice Upon A Rhyme, Paul Levinson went on to become a successful science fiction writer, a noted American media commentator, and professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University in New York City.
Side One:
1. "Today Is Just Like You" 2:45
2. "Looking For Sunsets (In The Early Morning)" 3:23
3. "Gentle Blue Cherry Bell" 4:33
4. "I'm Seeing You In A Different Light" 2:55
5. "Learn To Learn" 3:25
6. "Looks Like A Night (I Won't Catch Much Sleep In)" 4:00
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