''Take It Easy with the Walker Brothers'' is the debut album by the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

group the Walker Brothers. It is also commonly known as ''Take It Easy''. The group's musical accompaniment was directed by Ivor Raymonde and produced by John Franz and

Nick Venet Nick Venet (born Nikolas Kostantinos Venetoulis, 3 December 1936 – 2 January 1998) was an American record producer, who began his career at age 19 with World Pacific Jazz. He is best known for signing The Beach Boys to Capitol Records and p ...

. It was released in 1965 and reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. The album contains the group's first major hit single "

Make It Easy on Yourself "Make It Easy on Yourself" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David which was first a hit for Jerry Butler in 1962. The best known version is the 1965 recording by the Walker Brothers for whom it was a No. 1 UK hit. Dionne Wa ...

". Receiving good to mixed reviews, the album was released in both Mono and Stereo LP formats in November 1965. The album was later released on CD having been remastered and expanded in 1998. The sleeve notes were written by Brian Mulligan, the then press officer for Philips Records, with photography by Terence Donovan.

''Introducing the Walker Brothers''

In the USA the album was released on

Smash Records Smash Records was an American record label founded in 1961 as a subsidiary of Mercury Records by Mercury executive Shelby Singleton and run by Singleton with Charlie Fach. Fach took over after Singleton left Mercury in 1966. Its recording artist ...

as ''Introducing the Walker Brothers'' in December 1965. This alternate version shifted the running order around and replaced "Lonely Winds", "Girl I Lost in the Rain", "First Love Never Dies", and "Tell the Truth" with the singles "

Love Her "Love Her" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil which was first a song for the American singing duo the Everly Brothers in 1963 as the B-side to "The Girl Sang the Blues" and was later recorded and released by the American pop group t ...

", "

My Ship Is Coming In "My Ship Is Comin' In" is a song written by Joey Brooks which was first a song for the American soul singer Jimmy Radcliffe in 1965 and was later recorded and released by the American pop group The Walker Brothers as their fourth single that same ...

" and "

Pretty Girls Everywhere "Pretty Girls Everywhere" is a song written by Eugene Church and Thomas Williams. The song was first a hit for the American singer Eugene Church with his group The Fellows (including session drummer Earl Palmer) in 1958. Church's recording for ...

", along with the last's B-side "Doin' the Jerk". The group can be seen miming "Doin' the Jerk" on the 1965 beach party movie '' Beach Ball''. ''Introducing the Walker Brothers'' is now out of print. In 2008 Water Records released the Philips ''Take It Easy'' track listing in the US for the first time.

Reception

''Take It Easy with the Walker Brothers'' received good to mixed reviews from the majority of critics. Richie Unterberger writing retrospectively for Allmusic described the US version ''Introducing the Walker Brothers'' as "an erratic affair" that features "their trademark balladeering groove with the hits "Make It Easy On Yourself" and "My Ship Is Comin' In," but oundingstiff on uptempo R&B numbers like "Land of 1,000 Dances" and "Dancing in the Street"."

Track listing

''Take It Easy'' (Philips Records)

'' Introducing The Walker Brothers'' (Smash Records)

Personnel

;The Walker Brothers * Gary Walker - drums, vocals * John Walker - guitar, vocals * Scott Walker - vocals, guitar, keyboards with: *The Quotations - accompaniment * Jack Nitzsche - arranger and conductor * Ivor Raymonde, Reg Guest - music director * John Franz - producer * Terence Donovan - photography

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1965 debut albums The Walker Brothers albums Albums produced by Nick Venet Philips Records albums Albums produced by Johnny Franz Albums conducted by Jack Nitszche Albums arranged by Jack Nitzsche