Various - Pleasure Dome

Review by Sena Ozfiliz

Pleasure Dome: A Forgotten Gem That Still Echoes Let’s talk about Pleasure Dome, an album that feels more like stumbling into someone's secret diary than listening to music—because technically, it isn’t "music." Released way back in 1949 by Columbia Masterworks, this poetry collection is a strange little time capsule from Canada and the US. It’s not your typical record; there are no catchy hooks or danceable beats here. Instead, you get voices weaving through words so vivid they feel alive. And yeah, maybe some people will call it pretentious, but honestly? I think it’s kinda beautiful. The cover art by Darrill Connelly sets the mood perfectly—a mix of elegance and mystery, like something you’d find tucked away in a dusty library corner. Lloyd Frankenburg, who edited the whole thing and wrote the liner notes, clearly had a vision for this project. You can tell he wanted to make poetry accessible, even if it ended up being niche as heck. But hey, sometimes the best things are. Now, let me tell you why two tracks stuck with me long after the needle lifted off the vinyl. First up: “In My Craft Or Sullen Art.” Oh man, this one hits different. The speaker sounds weary but determined, like they’re pouring their soul out late at night when no one else is around. There’s a rawness to the delivery—it’s not polished or perfect, which makes it feel real. Like, you can almost picture them sitting alone under dim light, scribbling these lines down on scraps of paper. The poem talks about writing as both a gift and a curse, and damn if that doesn’t resonate. Every creative person knows what it’s like to wrestle with self-doubt while still showing up anyway. This track reminded me why I keep coming back to art, even when it hurts. Then there’s “Spring Is Like A Perhaps Hand.” If the first track was all introspection, this one feels playful, unpredictable. The imagery is wild—like spring itself reaching out gently but chaotically, rearranging everything in its path. Listening to it felt like watching flowers bloom in fast-forward, messy yet magical. E.E. Cummings (yeah, it’s his work) has this way of breaking language apart and putting it back together in ways that shouldn’t work but totally do. By the end, I wasn’t just hearing words—I was seeing colors, shapes, movement. It made me want to step outside and notice the world again, even if it’s just my backyard. Here’s the thing about Pleasure Dome: it’s not for everyone. Some folks might roll their eyes at the idea of sitting through spoken-word poetry instead of blasting rock ‘n’ roll or jazz. But for those willing to lean in, it offers something rare—a chance to slow down and really listen. Not just to the sound of someone’s voice, but to the weight of their words. And honestly? As much as I love modern music, I kinda wish we had more albums like this today. Something that challenges us without trying too hard to impress. Something human. So yeah, go ahead and give Pleasure Domino—er, Dome—a spin if you ever stumble across it. Just don’t expect fireworks. Expect whispers.

Artist: Various
Album: Pleasure Dome

Non-Music

Poetry

1949

Rating: 5.0

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Download

Filename: various-pleasure-dome.zip

MP3 size: 26.4 mb
FLAC size: 384 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
The Young Housewife; The Bull; Poem;Lear; The Dance; El Hombre
In Distrust Of Merits
Poem In October; In My Craft Or Sullen Art
Ballad; Prime
Allow Me, Madam, But It Won't Help; The Hunter; The Perfect Husband; The Outcome Of Mr. McLeod's Gratitude; Introspective Reflection; So Penseroso
A Game Of Chess
Anaphora; Late Air; The Fish
Spring Is Like A Perhaps Hand; This Little Bride & Groom; Pity This Busy Monster, Manunkind; Rain Or Hail

Video

TS Eliot Reads A Game of Chess (II of The Waste Land) - Columbia Masterworks, 1949 LP

Images

Album herunterladen Various - Pleasure Dome

Catalog Numbers

ML 4259

Labels

Columbia Masterworks

Listen online

ouvir online
ascolta in linea
lytte på nettet
online luisteren
escuchar en línea
kuunnella verkossa
online anhören
écouter en ligne
lyssna på nätet

Formats

Vinyl
LP
Compilation
Mono
Repress
Reissue

Companies

Role	Company
Copyright (c)	Columbia Records, Inc.

Credits

Role	Credit
Artwork	Darrill Connelly
Edited By	Lloyd Frankenburg
Liner Notes	Lloyd Frankenburg

Notes

An audible anthology of modern poetry read by its creators and edited by Lloyd Frankenburg
Dark blue "Columbia Masterworks" center labels, much like this version, but without text along inner ring.
White and yellow-orange cover.
Early variation w/ blue "Columbia Masterworks" center labels.

Barcodes

Matrix / Runout (A-side): XLP 1727 C
Matrix / Runout (B-side): XLP 1728
Matrix / Runout (Label matrix, side A): XLP 1727
Matrix / Runout (Label matrix, side B): XLP 1728
Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A, stamped): 1B XLP 1727
Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B, stamped): 1A B XLP 1728
Matrix / Runout (A-side): XLP 1727
Matrix / Runout (Side A): XLP 1727
Matrix / Runout (Side B): XLP 1728
Matrix / Runout (Side A Stamped, "A" etched.): XLP 1727-1C A
Matrix / Runout (Side B Stamped.): XLP 1728-1B

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know? The 1949 album *Pleasure Dome* isn’t your typical music record—it’s a poetry collection set to sound. Released by Columbia Masterworks in Canada and the US, it blends spoken word with atmospheric audio. The tracks, like "The Young Housewife" and "In My Craft Or Sullen Art," feel more like listening to a story than hearing traditional songs. Even the artwork, credited to Darrill Connelly, adds to its unique vibe. It’s like a time capsule of literary creativity from another era.