DIY / Outsider

Recordings made by non-professionals, usually on their own dime. Also know as “real people music” this stuff can range from charming & naive, to downright twisted.

  • Thundertones: Cloudburst Thundertones: Cloudburst

    For some reason I keep putting off finishing and posting this review. I guess it might be that I’m sorta kinda bummed that I didn’t end up keeping this one - but, now that it has a loving new owner, I should probably let the healing begin or whatever. Anyhow, medium length story short, we […]

  • A. Paul Ortega: Two Worlds A. Paul Ortega: Two Worlds

    Native American folkie A. Paul Ortega is definitely one of the most unique things I’ve heard recently… or ever for that matter. So much so that I find I have little frame of reference right now while writing about this lp. Ortega’s songs (or renditions of traditional songs) sound ancient, completely futuristic, and totally hypnotic […]

  • Steve and Ed: Dream Song Steve and Ed: Dream Song

    A surprisingly good folk-pop lp on the vanity label Century that I picked up recently due to my “leave no stock cover behind” compulsion. The notes say it was recorded in a Los Angeles area church, and it has a sort of cavernous low-fi sound quality that I quite enjoy. Very soothing Simon & Garfunkel-esque […]

  • L Cpl Charles E Scott (USMC) - From Vietnam With Love L Cpl Charles E Scott (USMC) - From Vietnam With Love

    Still a mystery to me, found a stack of these in Richmond VA (the label’s hometown) almost a decade ago, many years of questions and research has yielded nada. The label is known for some hard 60’s garage rockers, this spoken recitation with folky guitar strumming & humming of the Stone’s “As Tears Go By” […]

  • Abner Jay - Swaunee Water And Cocaine Blues Abner Jay - Swaunee Water And Cocaine Blues

    I’ve been blown away by this record for over 20 years, one of my favorites, few others come close to matching the reality found on here. Abner was an old school one man band, sort of a next level Leadbelly meets Dylan. I’m envious of friends who caught his live performance in the south east […]

  • Marlin Wallace and The Corillions - Double Album Marlin Wallace and The Corillions - Double Album

    The record i can’t shut the f up about, hearing it now is as exciting as the first time. Real deal hobo troubadour diy songwriter, arranger, producer, guitar picker & occasional singer, Mr Wallace is a driven soul. Recorded in Springfield MO in 1980, only a few of the pressing were sold at the time. […]

  • Marlin Wallace and The Corillions - Songs Of Divine Inspiration Marlin Wallace and The Corillions - Songs Of Divine Inspiration

    incredible DIY release, variety of styles showcased by thiis rail riding hobo, including some straight Ozark gospel, folky xian protest & heartfelt honest pleas for redemption. Recorded from 1975-8 in Springfield Missouri, featuring top notch studio musicians now working in Branson and members or garage/retro rockers the Skeletons/Morells. This is the real deal, the infamous […]

  • Wilson Brothers: Jesus Will Lead You Wilson Brothers: Jesus Will Lead You

    One of my more exciting finds as of late. Extremely raw home-made gospel lp by these four bay area brothers and their dad. While this is far from a total Shaggs style freak-out, it has an absolutely amazing and infectious energy to the whole thing that reminds me of a lot of my favorite amature […]

  • Ron McFarlin / self-titled 3rd LP Ron McFarlin / self-titled 3rd LP

    Any discussion of Hollywood-based country rocker Ron McFarlin by a snotty record collector like myself will get around to Kenneth Higney comparisons pretty quickly. Same burnt, boozy sound; same peculiar sense of rhythm; similar downer lyrics that don’t always make sense; hell, they even look alike. Well, there’s only one Higney, but I like Ron […]

  • Kit Ream - All That I Am Kit Ream - All That I Am

    I’m finishing this up at about 3:30 AM Pacific standard time, a perfect middle-of-the-night moment to finalize my thoughts on the infamous Kit Ream - All That I Am LP on Creative Records from 1978. Catalog number MW001. A “Waxidermist’s” wet dream.
    What started for me a few years ago as yet another late afternoon work-break […]

  • Hall & Reasons - Spaceship Hall & Reasons - Spaceship

    As unearthing previously overlooked privately pressed LPs becomes increasingly en vogue, collectors often fall prey to something akin to “needle-drop” syndrome. It’s too often tempting to evaluate a new acquisition with a hasty, if not faulty ear. While this sometimes works unduly in a record’s favor (for example, see the inexplicable fawning over Boscoe by […]

  • Luie Luie - Touchy Luie Luie - Touchy

    Voted the most talented solider in the US Army, Luie Luie is one brilliantly demented guy. This is a concept album of sorts about “dances” known as “Touchys” that involve, you guessed it, touching people. Some may disagree, but Luie believes that “It is a wonderful idea for people to get together and touch.” Although […]

  • When I Met You When I Met You

    When I Met You is a live recording of an original musical written by students at Avalon Juniour High (Edmonton, Alberta). I bought it because I know some people who went to this school and knew they would get a kick out of it. The majority of the album is exactly what I expected; a […]

  • Cilka & The Second Generation (Sidro) Cilka & The Second Generation (Sidro)

    Cecilia Valencic and her group from Cleveland, Ohio created this obscure LP to demostrate their ability to fuse polka with the “now sounds” of rock, funk and soul. The standout is “He Left Me Behind” which has a “Tighten Up” groove and a trombone solo. Check out the cover which features a chalk drawing of […]

  • 1974 St. Mel's Choir Concert 1974 St. Mel’s Choir Concert

    This is a recording of a two day concert from a Catholic church in Venice, CA. I like the design of the cross on the front cover. It is revealed on the back cover’s song list, roughly hand-written in green marker, that Ed McMahon narrates a twenty plus minute skit about the rise of Pope […]

  • The Now Sounds Of Today (Columbine) The Now Sounds Of Today (Columbine)

    The year and location of this record are ambiguous. However, apparently, this is apart of a series of recordings where a songwriter would submit their work through mail order to have their works performed by a professional singer. The singers on this compilation are ones named Marie Bain, Kay Weaver and Ralph Lowe. The women […]

  • Sound Unlimited S/T (Valley) Sound Unlimited S/T (Valley)

    This is from a teenage musical department based in Las Vegas from Valley High School. The front, which contains a red-white-and-blue silhouette motif of the band and the back, a list of all list of personnel with a flattering foreward by the director are both copied pieces of paper hand pasted on the jacket. The […]

  • The Young Majority - The King Is Coming The Young Majority - The King Is Coming

    “This is the kind of an album that will ‘grow on you’” states the back of the album. Indeed, the album has “that charm”. The Young Majority is a 20-something teen-outfit of Christians from British Columbia covering many popular Christian and pop songs. What makes me enjoy this album are the couple of mellow songs […]

  • Charle Tapia: "With Soul" (Soular) Charle Tapia: “With Soul” (Soular)

    Mr. Tapia is a flamenco guitarist, in the same vein as Jose Feliciano, who performed at lounges and Mexican food restaurants in the San Fernando Valley. He is backed by The Classmates, a band on the drums, guitars and vibes. Dig on this bad-ass cover while chowing on carne asada and sipping on margaritas.
    Charle Tapia: […]

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