The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories

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.[5] 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".[6] The album features many of Ayers' most accessible songs and arrangements.[7]

The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 1974
RecordedFebruary–March 1974
StudioAIR Studios, London
Ramport Studios, London
GenreRock
Length41:20
LabelIsland
ProducerRupert Hine
Kevin Ayers chronology
Bananamour
(1973)
The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories
(1974)
June 1, 1974
(1974)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Head Heritage[2]
BBC(positive)[3]
Tom HullB+[4]

Track listing edit

All tracks composed by Kevin Ayers

Side 1
No.TitleLength
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
Side 2
No.TitleLength
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
2009 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleTrack sourceLength
12."Another Whimsical Song"BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 19740:24
13."The Lady Rachel"BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 19743:53
14."Stop this Train"BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 19746:14
15."Didn't Feel Lonely 'til I Thought of You"BBC Maida Vale studio, 7 July 19744:36
16."The Up Song"1973 non-album single3:18
17."After the Show"1974 non-album single2:37
18."Thank You Very Much"B-side of "After the Show"3:01

Personnel edit

Musicians edit

Technical edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ AllMusic review
  2. ^ Head Heritage review
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Hull, Tom (April 1975). "The Rekord Report: Third Card". Overdose. Retrieved 26 June 2020 – via tomhull.com.
  5. ^ The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories original liner notes
  6. ^ Album Review by Nick Kent (NME May 18, 1974)
  7. ^ Business As Usual by Steve Peacock (Sounds May 25, 1974)

References edit

  • 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