David Axelrod - Song of Innocence

Deluxe Limited Edition 180-GR LP

Visionary producer, composer, arranger and multi-faceted musician, David Axelrod, released his debut solo album, Song of Innocence, for Capitol Records in October 1968. Named after a collection of poems by William Blake, the album would become highly influential, as tracks from the LP would later be sampled by numerous artists, such as J Dilla and DU Shadow.

Axelrod had gained fame writing arrangements and composing conceptual albums for the band The Electric Prunes. However, his complex arrangements proved too challenging for the band to handle, leading them to break up in 1968. Song of Innocence marks a continuation of the amalgamation of psychedelia, jazz fusion, orchestral and baroque music, which Axelrod had pioneered with the Electric Prunes.

The album includes the classic songs "The Smile" and "Holy Thursday", and features superlative session musicians, such as guitarists Al Casey and Howard Roberts, bassist Carol Kaye, drummer Earl Palmer, and the Wrecking Crew's keyboardist and conductor Don Randi. The album received a 4 ½-star (out of 5) rating on All Music.


Tracklist

Side One

1. URIZEN

2. HOLY THURSDAY

3. THE SMILE

4. A DREAM

Side Two

1. SONG OF INNOCENCE

2. MERLIN'S PROPHECY

3. THE MENTAL TRAVELER



Release Date - September 1st, 2023