Alyeska Woman: Reflection

Anchorage, Alaska rarely reaches into the depths of winter cold like Fairbanks (where I live) does. If it did, Alyeska Woman would have been an entirely different record. It would not radiate its almost hopeful vibe nor would it sound as nice. Anchorage has, for a while anyways, been Alaska’s largest city. In 1974, this faux metropolis provided for some damn fine recording studios anyways. Nothing to write home about to Steely Dan or anything, but at least compared to Fairbanks, there were some notable tube compressors.

And I could go on about how the engineer of this session told me that an “Alyeska Woman” was simply a “loose woman of the night-you know, a prostitute”, or how I passed on three sealed copies for several years-but who cares. Ultimately, this record reminds me of where I live. And while Fairbanks may be colder and darker, Anchorage is the only possible place for this record to have been made. Just warm enough to maintain the depression and seasonal affectiveness.

Listen: “Turnagain Blues”, “Crystal Wine”

Tracklist:

Side A
1 Alyeska Woman
2 Crystal Wine
3 Turnagain Blue
4 Alibis
5 Walking Shoes
All songs Side A composed by Bob Mitchell

Side B
1 ‘Cause You Know I Love You
2 Together As One
3 Fade Away
4 Such A Long Long Time
5 There’s Only Love
All songs Side B composed by Bill & Wendy Robertson