NEW LP
New sealed copy. 2024 limited edition reissue on 140 gram vinyl. Repress of the 2023 Elemental Music reissue.
Song of Innocence is the debut album by composer and producer David Axelrod, released by Capitol Records in October 1968. Conceived as an instrumental suite inspired by William Blake’s 1789 collection Songs of Innocence, the album reflects Axelrod’s interest in combining orchestral writing with contemporary studio production. Recording took place at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles with an ensemble built around members of the Wrecking Crew, including Don Randi, Al Casey, Carol Kaye, and Earl Palmer.
The album presents a form of jazz fusion that draws on classical music, rhythm and blues, rock, and elements of theatre scoring. Axelrod arranged the material for strings, bass, and drums, shaping the compositions around distinct rhythms performed by Palmer and contrasting melodic sections with more dramatic passages. Individual tracks reference Blake’s themes but remain fully instrumental. Holy Thursday became the best known piece from the set.
Song of Innocence was initially met with mixed critical response and did not achieve commercial success. Its reputation grew in the 1990s when producers in hip hop and electronica sampled several tracks, leading to renewed critical interest and later reissues. The album is now regarded as an early example of Axelrod’s fusion oriented approach and a significant contribution to late nineteen sixties studio based composition.
TRACKLIST:
A1 Urizen
A2 Holy Thursday
A3 The Smile
A4 A Dream
B1 Song Of Innocence
B2 Merlins Prophecy
B3 The Mental Traveler
