THE RISING STORM | REVIEWS

Let’s pull out an old favorite. Actually, I didn’t grow up with this record, like so many lucky few. I can’t say whether I would appreciate it more or less having discovered it in my 20th year or my 10th. Regardless, Nilsson’s kid pop masterpiece is a delight to hear on first discovery or nostalgic re-listening.

Piano and bongos open up a soft groove before Nilsson begins to unleash the vox. Everything’s Got Em is a wonderful and catchy opener. Each track is bookended with Harry’s comforting narration, complete with water sips and page turns. The story is like a fable, about Oblio, the only boy in town without a point on his head. After multiple listens (a must have record for road trips) you may catch yourself singing the narration as much as the songs. “The thing is you see what you want to see and you hear what you want to hear. Dig?”

“After the incident with the bottomless pit…” The orchestration is perfect on this record, with mellow piano, clavinet, mandolin, pizzicato strings, restrained percussion; every rhythm on this record seems to interlock in the most satisfying way. Nilsson created a pop sound with a hint of jazz on this record that you’ll find nowhere else. And tracks like Think About Your Troubles, Are You Sleeping, and Me And My Arrow that you will never forget.

There was a cartoon movie version of The Point (DVD), with Ringo Starr’s voice, but I find it to be a major let-down after hearing the album. I suppose you have to see the movie first to enjoy it. I’ve always dreamed of a redone animated film of The Point, using something like the knitted style shown above, as a visual accompaniment to the album. It would have to be quite a work of art, however, to approach the genius of the record on it’s own.

“Think About Your Troubles”

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