WATERMELON - Trilogy / Ocean Song (1969)

"Trilogy "

"Ocean Song"

The Lemon Drops broke up in 1969. Gary and Eddie formed a new band called 'Watermelon'  with bassist Gary Lewandowski and keyboard player Fred Sharpe from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The two trippy selections an this album are a sample of the many songs the band recorded. Watermelon played many gigs at Canada College with a band called Fritz. Members of Fritz included Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Reggie, Gary and Eddie were attending the College at the time and became friends with the band. Watermelon played the Fillmore West but could never seem to hit it big. Thus, the band broke up in 1970. They did release one single on Rembrandt, 'African Song/Fantasy Child', but this album features two superior unreleased songs. (Notas interiores do cd)

MICHAEL GATELY - Gately's Cafe (Janus, 1972)

"Colour All The World"

   

Una de las sorpresas de la temporada en algunas partes de Barallobre es este disco de Michael Gately, un oscuro singer-songwriter que llegó a publicar dos elepés en los primeros setentas de los cuales "Gately´s cafe" fue el primero de ellos.  Previamente había editado un par de sencillos en una onda sunshine-pop, "Shine Your Light On Me / Darling" y "Battle In The City / Happy To Be Here". A pesar de que tiene pinta de oso de bareto, Gately tiene una voz muy bonita que por momentos recuerda a Nilsson, y además las canciones están muy bien todas, sí, todas, de hecho me costó decidirme por una para el reproductor. De la producción de "Gately´s Cafe" se encargó su colega Al Kooper que además compone un par de temas. En la banda de acompañamiento figuran músicos más o menos ilustres como Paul Kossoff o miembros de Hookfoot.  Al año siguiente publicó un segundo elepé titulado "Still round" que me gustaría escuchar. Murió en 1982 a la edad de 39 años. En aquellos días se ganaba la vida trabajando como recepcionista nocturno en los estudios Record Plant.

TYRONE DAVIS - A Woman Needs To Be Loved / Can I Change My Mind (Dakar, 1968)

"Can I Change My Mind"

Tyrone Fettson was born in a rural community twenty miles outside of Greenville, Mississippi. He moved with his father to Saginaw, Michigan, before relocating to Chicago in 1959. Working as a valet/chauffeur for blues singer Freddie King, he started singing in local clubs where he was discovered by record executive/musician Harold Burrage. His early records for small record labels in the city, billed as "Tyrone the Wonder Boy", failed to register. Successful Chicago record producer Carl Davis signed him in 1968 to a new label, Dakar Records that he was starting as part of a distribution deal with Atlantic, and suggested that he use the stage name Tyrone Davis. His first release, "A Woman Needs To Be Loved" was flipped when the b-side started to get radio attention. The song, "Can I Change My Mind" featured a change of vocal style for Davis with a softer, more pleading approach and tone. Wikipedia

LOS GATOS - Hoy Soy Muy Pobre (1968)

   

"A historia da miña vida", pensará máis de un. Esta curta peza de Litto Nebbia aparecía como tema extra de "Viento díle a la lluvia - Los Gatos (Volumen 2)", un dos 5 cd´s da caixa publicada polo periódico arxentino Página/12 hai dez anos. Orixinalmente apareceu nun Ep.

CELEBRATION - Almost Summer (MCA 1978)

 

During the late 1970s, Mike Love began to take on projects outside of The Beach Boys organization.  One of the major side-trips was with Celebration, a band which featured many of the players who would figure as part of the Beach Boys band for decades to come.  Although this film (and its soundtrack) have faded into oblivion, it's interesting to hear how, even away from The Beach Boys, Mike Love would take their sound along with him: "Almost Summer" is of particular interest, since it's a collaboration between Brian, Mike and Al, and sounds akin to "Some Of Your Love," with the opening tag stolen directly from that song.  But it's the second track which is really eye-opening.  Mike has long stated that he's the "optimism" half of the Beach Boys, while Brian is the "melancholy" but on "Sad Sad Summer" Mike has written as melancholy a lyric and melody as Brian ever did.  It's a pretty melody as well, if repetitive, and to my ears, it's probably the best solo song Mike has ever composed.  The third song, "Cruisin'" also written by Mike, is fast, furious, and forgettably stereotypical car song, not bad, but by 1978, this type of song was so out of date that to have Mike still writing and singing about it is almost comical.  The rest of the album features only a couple of further tracks of interest: "It's OK" performed by Dave Robinson, who does a decent job with the then-recent Beach Boys song, and "Summer In The City" which is a very decent John Sebastian-penned track full of melody and drive.  The rest of the album is forgettable instrumentals and a couple of 1970s-era songs which have not worn well. Beach boys.com

LES VARIATIONS - Eroscope (1977)

   

Un instrumental guai a medio camiño entre Santana e Peter Green a cargo de Les Vibrations, probablemente un proxecto de estudo de músicos italianos. O  disco aproveitaba o bo momento do cine erótico así que boa parte das cancións, nas que tamén participan as rapazas Nathalie, Andrea, Nichole e Christine, mestura músicas sensuais con xadeos e orgasmos femininos das propias cativas. 

MOTT THE HOOPLE - Midnight Lady / It Must Be Love (Island, 1971)

"It Must Be Love"

No terceiro Lp dos Mott The Hoople "Wildlife", hay un par de cancións que me molan, unha é "Original Mixed-Up Kid" e a outra este achegamento country que aparecía como cara B deste sinxelo. ***

DANCING HOODS - 12 Jealous Roses (Relativity, 1985)

"Impossible Years"

 

"She May Call You Up Tonight"

 

"12 Jealous Roses" foi o primeiro Lp de Dancing Hoods, cuarteto de Long Island que participaba de moitos dos principios revisionistas de iso que nós chamamos Novo Rock Americano. O resto da súa discografía non cheguei a escoitala pero neste disco hai tres ou catro temas que non están mal. Aquí van dous deles, a versión de Left Banke incluída.

REVOLUTION FRANÇAISE - Quebecois - Shoo Do Be Do (Pop Music, 1969)

"Shoo Do Be Do"

 

A Montreal side project by former Les Sinners member Francois Guy. After leaving Les Sinnners, he formed La Revolution Francaise in 1968. After one album many of the band members reformed Les Sinners, but Guy launched a revamped version of the band and four independent singles in 1969. 

One of these singles was called "Quebecois" on Revolution Records. The song was a pro-independent Quebec anthem. It was not only a hit but a Quebec cultural milestone. The single reportedly sold over 100,000 copies throughout the province. 

Never ones to miss out on an opportunity, Capitol Records in Toronto had the band re-record the song in English as "America". Francois Guy was happy to oblige, but changed the band's name to The Kids for this one-off release in 1969. The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia  ***

THE SPECTRUM - Little Red Boat By The River - Forget Me Not (RCA, 1969)

"Forget Me Not"

 

Xa que falabamos de The Spectrum no post anterior, aquí vai o sinxelo ao que faciamos referencia.  Dos Spectrum ingleses, había outros australianos progres co mesmo nome naquela época, contan as lendas que apareceron vencellados a un produto televisivo con fase de selección tipo Monkees , o certo é que foron máis populares no resto de Europa que na súa propia casa. En España foron número 1 con "Headin´ for a heatwave" aínda que a miña favorita é "Samantha´s mine". O su único Lp, "The light is Dark Enough", podedes escoitalo en Ezhevika Fields. ***

..........

There are contrasting views of The Spectrum's origins. According to RadioLondon.co.uk the band was originally formed for Captain Scarlet, but as Paul Cross at Sweet Floral Albion tells it the band was already formed and was appropriated for the TV series. On the other hand, Bruce Eder at All Music Guide sees The Spectrum as a manufactured group, reportedly put together by British RCA to see if they couldn't come up with a U.K. equivalent of the Monkees.

The final word may go to Scott Swanson in a detailed post to Spectropop Group: while it is true that Anderson signed The Spectrum to record a version of the Captain Scarlet Theme Song, I suspect that the name duplication was mere coincidence -- and Anderson only hired the band to avoid a lawsuit! Swanson also points out that The Spectrum pre-dated The Monkees, even though RCA may have signed them "with the Monkees in mind". Poparchives