Tim Davis – Take Me As I Am (1974)

Artist: Tim Davis
Title: Take Me As I Am
Year: 1974
Format: LP
Label: Metromedia

Contributed by Eliot W.

Drummer Tim Davis was playing with a band in Madison, Wisconsin, in the mid-’60s when a friend from the University of Wisconsin, guitarist/singer Steve Miller, asked him to try forming a blues band with him and another friend, James “Curly” Cooke, in San Francisco. Thus was born what was then known as the Steve Miller Blues Band in 1966.

Davis stuck with Miller through those difficult early days, when there wasn’t much paid work or money, through early appearances supporting Chuck Berry on his “Fillmore West” live album and at the Monterey Pop Festival. They landed a recording contract soon after, and Davis was the band’s drummer and percussionist (and also contributed backing vocals) on their first five albums, including “Brave New World” and “Number 5″.

He also managed to work in some playing with the Jefferson Airplane, most notably on the “Crown Of Creation” sessions, during this period. He later played with Ben Sidran, in addition to cutting his own album, “Pipe Dream” featuring contributions from Cooke and the Grateful Dead’s Donna Jean Godchaux in 1972. (Bruce Eder)

Track Listing

1. Baby Won’t You Come Out Tonight
2. Boogie Cadillac
3. Country Heart And Soul
4. Only Yesterday
5. Tomorrow Time
6. So Hard To Make My Way
7. Take Me As I Am
8. On the Other Hand Baby
9. Winter Song
10. Get It Hot

Grinder’s Switch – Grinder’s Switch Featuring Garland Jeffreys (1970)

Artist: Grinder’s Switch
Title: Grinder’s Switch Featuring Garland Jeffreys
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Vanguard

This was released in 1970 on the legendary Vanguard label, home back then for the best of the new rockin’ bloozers and so much more besides. Whats on show here is quite simply the work of a fledgling writer/performer just itching to fly.

Garland’s voice stands out and is clothed by musicians who are so much in tune with the vision behind their sound. The music and lyrics will please all those who so love psyche n psutch. Sure, seen from hindsight, Grinder’s Switch is a clone of The Band/Dylan (at their Woodstock best) and The (GP influenced) Stones. but the beauty of the album is in its simplistic grace and is best seen as what it is ie one corker of an essential listen.

So this is from back then, the beginning of Garland’s Land. “Sister Divine” ushers us into Grinder’s relaxed slap happy rabble of sound. Garland kicks off, leading his raggle-taggle band of gypsies from the bar along the Laramie Trail towards another bar

A prominent trombone drives the song along and the boys shouts and giggles are all on showyup this is pure Big Pink. I would not want to be tattooed by any of the guys on show here, Im sure theyd be up for the job, but could I face mamma in the morning? “Sister Divine” is the land where the Sally Army meets down by the corner watching the Good Old Boys line up for a hoe-down before heading out for the Golden Shore.

The mood mellows, a mandolin heralds in a plaintive country gospel peon to the Holy Trinity. Goodness gracious me, right on cue in comes a Richard Manuel sing-a-like. This music is glued to the territory opened up by the return to roots circa 1968 the land of John Wesley Harding. In Grinder’s Switch there aint a trace of Stadium Rock, no big blasters into heaviness on show here.

“Wont Ya Come Back Home” is a chug a lugga boom bahwe are on the train down the line from the land so favoured by The Charlatans. No doubt about it these boys are cooking up a storm. This music, if played under Joshua Tree would surely raise the ghost of Gram Parsons and lead him back to the panhandle.

“Dear Jolly Jack” continues to buzz us off into rural rock territory and this one is delivered by a squawking vocal style. This album will appeal to lovers of hop skip and jump. The lead guitar is being played through a speaker that has been punctured by someones cowboy boot. This is music to dance to, but with one eye on your jug of wine.

“And Dont Be Late” kicks in with strident piano, drums and guitar. This one comes over like Randy Newman on speed. Garland’s voice is as pure as ice driven through fire.

“Imaginary Invalid” (ha hathe title indicates the psyche behind this album) . Whoopee, in comes a Baptist organ and subdued piano. The interplay of voices is well supported by an off-key blues wailing harp. Someone picks up a tambourine and gets on with doing their thing. These Boys love each others company. Yes. and the lyrics have such an off left-field edge to them. This track really cooks in an out-of-doors way. the organ and drums choke down their delivery. this is wow pow pow psyche n psutch. and the whole thing simply fades into the sunset.

Track eight finds us on the way back to the bar where our boys can dust down their chaps lubricate their chops and hang up their spurs. Here the least said is best said. the album is strong rhythmically, lyrically and the playing is tight and first rate, yet strangely loose sounding within a large bag of gas. In fact this track says it all. In “Evening” we best find the elegiac feel which Garland and the boys yearn for “Evening” is music from the bottom of the glass. it is reflective and come over like an outtake from Dylan’s “Billy” this is camp fire music heard as the ashes turn from red to fade.

“They Call Me Fortune And Fame” has the boys up and off on their pogo-sticks.. this is high five musicpure up beat and danceable. The track is a throwaway number which is a hypnotically two-ton compulsive listen.. no doubt about it.

Yikes, 7.40 of “Seven Sleepers Den” this comes in as simply classic stuff. Garland eases himself in with such off the wall lyrics. The band, in this one, hangs back and simply gets into a sympathetic groove with Garlands delivery. The song requires and rewards constant playing as it meanders on and on as only Twains Mississippi can. shucks Sawyer and Finn must have seen the sights Garland dreamed up in this little meisterwork. (REVIEWED BY AYE AFLOAT)

Track Listing

1. Sister Divine
2. Father, The Son And The Holy Ghost
3. Won’t Ya Come Back Home
4. Dear Jolly Jack
5. And Don’t Be Late
6. An Imaginary Invalid
7. Last Night I Drove Down To The Bar (Women And Wine)
8. Evening
9. They Call Me Fortune And Fame
10. Seven Sleepers’ Den
    

Motherlode – Tapped Out (1970)

Artist: Motherlode
Title: Tapped Out
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Buddah

Motherlode had trouble recording their second album and broke up in early January of 1970. “Tapped Out” their follow-up to “When I Die” was posthumously released in the U. S. only.

Band members Steve Kennedy, Wayne “Stoney” Stone and Ken Marco immediately joined Doug Riley’s band Dr. Music, while William “Smitty” Smith brought in three new members and recorded another single as Motherlode.

When the single flopped they broke up, but that didn’t stop Revolver Records (who owned the rights to the group’s name) from going through three more incarnations of “Motherlode” before calling it quits for good.

Early in 1971 one of those versions of Motherlode was cobbled together from members of the defunct Natural Gas out of Montreal which included vocalist/bass player Gerry Legault, saxophonist Dave Berman, drummer Brian Dewhurst, guitarist Joey Roberts and keyboardist Brian Wray. However, they never cut a record and would later re-organize as Truck.

The original foursome did get together in 1976 for a single, “Happy People,” which had to be released as a Ken Marco solo number for legal reasons and a series of Toronto reunion performances in 1989. For more info see their “When I Die” which was posted here on June 26, 2010. (J. J. Hildreth)

Track Listing

1. Quality Of Leadership
2. Righteous Land
3. Been So Long
4. Robert E. Lee
5. Black Cat Hiro
6. Smothek
7. Lilac Wine