The Rouse brothers from Detroit were in the other Shaggs (on Capitol) before making this record with Summit in 1981. Some songs have Chicago horn sound (Don’t Know Why) while others lope along pleasantly (Dancin’ In The Wind). “Dancin’ In The Wind” [audio:summit_dancing_in_the_wind.mp3] “Don’t Know Why” [audio:summit_dont_know_why.mp3]
I found this today and thought I’d share its Waxidermic charms. “I Need A Sign” is a poor alienated lover man’s “Shakedown Street” The lyrics in “August” anticipate Will Oldham’s delivery 20 years later. The fuzzy track “Vanilla Man” was too risque to post… “August Is A Lonesome Tune” [audio:August_Is_A_Lonesome_Tune.mp3] “I Need A Sign” [audio:I_Need_A […]
Listenable bone from New Mexico. Real talk lyrics regarding love affairs and Firefall easy glide feelings. Three song stretch at end of side two is strong waiting for the rest to grow or show… “Everything” [audio:wickham_everything.mp3] “Lyrics” [audio:wickham_lyrics.mp3] “Luana” [audio:wickham_luana.mp3]
Mellow piano jazz with liner notes by Lee Underwood. Mostly solo piano with a strong Bill Evans/Keith Jarrett vibe. There’s also a big Tim Buckley influence that must have drawn Underwood to John’s demo tape. Here’s a long moody track called “Tim Buckley” that features a Fender Rhodes overdub, played through a wah-wah pedal. This […]
Here is a taste of ‘Family’ by Jim Valley with Steve Schurr. Jim writes some mighty peaceful and solid songs. Good ones come one after another on this folk-rock set from Light Records. “All Is Well” is off the more rocking first side and has a sound that reminds me of Tommy Flanders or Tim […]
Debbie Friedman leads a group of Minnesota musicians in a set of songs that comprise, in her words, a “musical montage spanning generations of Jewish liturgical and biblical vision”. Debbie’s voice is strong and sometimes the language sounds almost Japanese in nature. And so it kind of reminds me of Happy End in instrumentation and […]
Fans of The Free Design’s songwriting might enjoy these early (mid 60s) Chris Dedrick compositions for saxophone quartet. His uncle Rusty Dedrick has a few cuts on it as well. The rich harmonies and chords that later shaped the Free Design vocal arrangements are here fully formed yet more angular in nature. There’s no date […]
What an incredible record…fans of The Youngbloods and Poco should check this out. I was looking for good christian records at a St. Vincent De Paul, found this and took a fifty cent chance. He writes most of the songs and they’re all over the map stylistically. They all gel quite well. Check out the […]
JUST US 2 is a macrobiotic choice here in Texas. Consisting of Phyllis and Bryan Barnes, it blooms sporadically in local thrift stores. I think i’ve turned down what looked to be their second lp because of an unsympathetic backing band . This first one is just them two and it has a certain bass […]
This local release on Mars Records (that’s a very realistic little red planet Mars in the bottom left hand corner) is a two track wonder first heard at Friends of Sound. Dave said he’d keep an eye open for another one after I had asked what it was. The intro to “Jelly” sounded a lot […]
Fans of Ralfi Pagan should appreciate this gem of a song from a dollar bin rescue, “What You Never Had To Lose”. Shadow Morton produces and he recreates a true New York sound-scape from 1974. Check out Tito Puente’s heavy rock riff on the timbale and the way it takes you back to the loping […]
Brian Cullman recommended this artist to me as someone that he remembered being great. He said that the record to get was his 1973 self-titled Columbia lp. After looking him up online, I found that he is now active as a rock musician again after many years as a Christian artist. His website has all […]
Here’s a great lost AOR release from Brian Cullman. Thanks to Dave at Friends of Sound for again appealing to my taste for a poor man’s Al Stewart. This fit the bill quite nicely. Check out the composer himself on the back, pouring a glass of some fine spirit with a flair that’s sets off […]
The kind folks at Friends of Sound here in Austin, TX recommended this to me as a two or three tracker from Hawaii. Fortunately, Country Comfort’s songs sound very similar and it’s more like a four to six tracker. They do a great cover of ‘Make It With You’ and an original called ‘To be […]
I got this along w/ 99 other records for 10$ in a bulk box deal that a book store often offers here in town. Her signature drew me in, reading her little comment. She seems really cool; ‘Crow’ still plays and is well-known within modern folk circles. Check out the first two tunes to get […]
I picked this up in Springfield, MO on a recent Ozark vacation. A great little store called “Stick it in Your Ear” had this staring at me from the $1.98 piles near the front. I didn’t even notice that Mulatu was a sideman on it until i got home. Great all the way through, but […]