A little touch of Bacino in the night

By Henry Lipput

To paraphrase the great humorist S.J. Perelman: “I don’t know much about Nilsson but I know what I like.”

The little I know about the late, great Harry Nilsson is based on having a copy of the Essential Nilsson collection on CD, a used vinyl copy of The Point soundtrack, and reading about how Lennon and McCartney were big fans of his work (Nilsson recorded a Fabs-related song called “You Can’t Do That” made up of lyrics from Beatle songs).

Mark Bacino’s new album Top Of The World (Bandcamp) is a pleasure to listen to and although Nilsson’s name is never mentioned, it’s through and through a love letter to Harry’s pop stylings and sensibility.  The second track, “Flop Of The World,” with its pacing, vocal, and piano and tuba arrangement, recalls classic Nilsson. 

With this song as well as “Why Does This Woman Love Me?,” “Shaky Hand,” “I Like Wearing Clothes.” and “How The Story Ends” we have a bumper crop of what would have been radio hits in the '60s and '70s. And if you think I’m making any of this up, when I mentioned the Nilsson connection to Bacino in a Twitter DM exchange he replied: “There’s definitely a decent amount of Harry vibe on this record.”

Along with the Harry vibes on Top Of The World Bacino also provides some stand-alone pop tunes like the opener “Kaylee Hughes” a horn-driven, toe tapper. And “Not That Guy” hits all the right notes in how to put together a pop earworm.