The Vogues – Meet The Vogues (1965)
Artist: The Vogues
Title: Meet The Vogues
Year: 1965
Format: LP
Label: CO & CE
This debut contains “You’re The One” which is easily forgot to everyone except the diehard oldies stations listeners. The rest of this LP is mostly covers of other people’s hits like Tom Jones, Len Barry, and the Temptations among the better ones.
But this LP contains a prize inside (oh like Cracker Jack?) THE WORST GUITAR SOLO IN ALL OF EARLY ROCK N ROLL!!! I won’t tell you on which track cuz it’ll spoil it for you but when you hear it you’ll laugh and say “Kupa99 was right!!!” A garage rock rusty staple! Not to be sneezed at! Note: “Make It Easy On Yourself ” is worth the price of admission. (Kupa99 RYM)
Track Listing
- You’re The One
- Hang On Sloopy
- Make It Easy On Yourself
- Catch Us If You Can
- Baby Don’t Go You
- Were On My Mind
- 1-2-3
- Ain’t That Just Like Me
- My Girl
- It’s Not Unusual
- Nothing To Offer You
- Lovers Concerto
The Vogues – Five O’Clock World (1966)
Artist: The Vogues
Title: Five O’Clock World
Year: 1966
Format: LP
Label: CO & CE
Who knew “5 O’ Clock World” was in these’s guys’ future? Wait, the liner notes said it came out as a single before this LP was released?!?!? What a money making scam! Wait till the second LP to release the hit song on the second album! Note: Not as Rock and Raunchy as the first album, more on the pop side. (Kupa99 RYM)
Track Listing
- Five O’ Clock World
- Goodnight My Love
- Sunday And Me
- Everyone’s Gone To The Moon
- Let’s Hang On
- A Thousand Miles Away
- One More Sunrise
- Over And Over Again
- Make The World Go Away
- Run Baby Run
- My Troubles Are Not At End
- Humpty Dumpty
The Tokens – December 5th (1971)
Artist: The Tokens
Title: December 5th
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: B.T. Puppy
Here’s a strange one that’s very high on collector’s lists that hardly ever shows up, and is probably just as rare as their other B. T. Puppy release, “Intercourse” and almost as rare as the Bow Street Runners‘ “self-titled” album released on the label in 1970 (see October 2, 2010 post).
An interesting, albeit uneven collection of singles, b-sides and outtakes, a few of them probably from the “It’s A Happening World” sessions (see February 20, 2010 post). There’s some vintage Tokens vocal harmonies on such tunes as “Don’t Cry Sing Along With The Music“, “I Could See Me Dancin’ With You” and “Oh To Get Away” plus a throwback to the early sound of the band, “Havin’ Fun” which sounds like it could have been a follow-up to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight“
But what makes this collection essential is the trio of cuts on side two, especially the African rhythms of “Beach Party” and the strange “Dirty Old Beach” with it’s raunchy beat and lyric including a strange moog middle section. The last of these three is the Brute Force (Stephen Friedland) original “Take A Good Hard Look“, an organ driven garage/frat-rock masterpiece which is furthest from anything the Tokens ever recorded (this might have been destined for Brute’s album “Extemporaneous” ).
Other interesting cuts are “Brick Castle” which has a “Chicago” style brass arrangement, “Magic Love” which has a similar brass arrangement but sounds more like Frankie Valle than a Tokens track, “Bye Bye Maureen & (Bye Bye Roberta)” a tribute to the Beach Boys and the album’s opener “Swing” that has sort of a bossa nova groove and like “Havin’ Fun” is a throwback to their early days. As mentioned before, a very interesting but uneven collection. (Jack Dominilla)
Track Listing
- Swing
- Don’t Cry, Sing Along With The Music
- I Could See Me Dancin’ With You
- Magic Love
- Goodbye Maureen & (Bye Bye Roberta)
- Havin’ Fun
- Beach Party
- Dirty Old Beach
- Take A Good Hard Look
- Brick Castle
- Oh To Get Away
Les Irresistibles – The Story Of Baxter Williams (1969)
Artist: Les Irresistibles
Title: The Story Of Baxter Williams
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: CBS Apollo
There’s not a great deal of biographical information out there on this short-lived outfit and what material is available is scrambled up, or simply wrong. As an example, they were American, not French as some references have. They didn’t start their careers in L. A. as The Beloved Ones and move to France, etc. So, for what it’s worth here’s my shot at getting it straight.
Lead guitarist Tom Arena, drummer Andy Cornelius, keyboardist Jim McMains, and his twin brother/rhythm guitarist Steve McMains met in 1967 while attending the American School of Paris.
The four shared a passion for rock and roll and started out playing parties and school dances. A couple of comments submitted with YouTube clips recall the band playing in the school cafeteria.
I’m not sure how, but the quartet somehow managed to attract the attention of CBS records which signed them to a recording contract. The fact the four were still in their teens (I think they were 17 at the time), made the signing amazing enough, but it was even more impressive when you realized they were signed in at a time when most things American were being shunned by a large segment of the French population.
Teamed with producer John Naikce, the band debuted with the 1968 single “My Year Is a Day” b/w “Baby I Need You Back Again” (CBS catalog number 3330).
The 45 attracted enough attention for CBS management to give the go ahead for an album. Teamed with producer Jean Eckian, in an amazing move CBS management apparently let the four teenagers have complete creative control of the project.
The result was 1968′s “The Story of Baxter Williams” – one of those concept albums that’s simply been lost in the midst of times. Arena and the McMains shared most of the writing credits with Frenchmen William Sheller contributed music to a couple of tracks.
Even though the lyrics and performances were all in English, the liner notes were in French so much of the plotline was lost on me. That said, judging by the back panel animation, the plot seemed to be the usual boy falls for girl (“Baxter’s First Step”) girl stomps on boy’s heart (“Slave To Freedom”) ; crestfallen boy gives up all hope (“Fade Away”) and with nothing to live for calls it quits (“Baxter’s Last Step”).
And then the plot became indecipherable to me… Baxter’s friends either learn a lesson from his death and start looking for love (“Gotta Find Another Girl”), or maybe Baxter was just contemplating suicide and didn’t follow-thru with it, in which case a new love saves him (“The Breakthrough”). Anyone out there with a better take on the storyline, drop me a line.
Musically, commercial tracks like “Baxter’s First Step” and “To Experience” made it pretty clear they’d been listening to plenty of Chad and Jeremy, Peter and Gordon, The Bee Gees and other mid-1960s British pop groups (yes I know the Gibbs were Australian). The performances were all pretty good, if occasionally a little lightweight. (Bad Cat)
Track Listing
- Baxter’s First Step
- Here She Comes
- Slave To Freedom
- My Year Is A Day
- Baxter’s Blues
- Fade Away
- Baxter Williams
- To Experience
- Lands Of Shadow
- Baxter’s Last Step
- Gotta Find Another Girl
- The Break Through
Debbie Au – Don’t Be Afraid (1971)
Artist: Debbie Au
Title: Don’t Be Afraid
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: Trilogy Arts
This is the first album released by Debbie Au, 1971s “Don’t Be Afraid”, her second album “Clay” was posted here on April 21, 2011. As with that second LP, “Don’t Be Afraid” was produced by Lex Azevedo who also plays keyboards on the album. Other musicians include Marvin Payne and Richard Landis (keyboards), Ben Benay (guitar-harmonica), Bruce Wallace (bass) and Dave Kemper (drums).
As Debbie Au notes in the liner, I have no way of knowing what these songs will mean to others or what kind of feelings they may evoke. For me, music is a natural, honest way to talk about things i love and what living has taught me so far. It is not meant to bring about calculated results, just to reach out from one person to another and close up the space between each of us for a few precious moments.
As stated in the previous album’s review, fans of Carol King, Laura Nyro and Essra Mohawk will enjoy this LP, which contains some beautiful arrangements by Azevedo. But unlike the second album which had more of a rural feel and contained many covers, the majority of the tracks on “Don’t Be Afraid” are Au originals and are mostly in the singer/songwriter mold with mild xian overtones. (Jack Dominilla)
Track Listing
- Don’t Be Afraid
- Grains Of Sand
- I Want This Love To Last
- Hungry Children
- Let It Shine
- Homeward
- Gotta Find My Way
- You And I
- Eve’s Song
- Goin’Home
- Don’t Be Afraid (reprise)
The Cats – 45 Lives (1970)
Artist: The Cats
Title: 45 Lives
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Rare Earth
Slowly but surely, the Cats from Volendam turned themselves into one of Holland’s top-selling musical acts. Their first record is now a real collectors item! Already in 1962, the nucleus of the Cats was performing under the name of The Mystic Four. In 1963, the name changed to The Blue Cats.
Together with some other bands, the Cats were responsible for making the “Palingsound” very popular in Holland for many years. (“eel-beat”, “palingbiet” or “eel-sound” is a Dutch name invented by Dutch top DJ Joost den Draayer). The popularity of the band, which had been releasing three hit singles per year since 1966, rapidly spread into Germany as well.
This could be due to the way the Cats were concentrating more and more on writing melodic, sentimental songs. The harmony vocals were simply outstanding! It’s those early songs, including “Times Were When”, “Lea”, “Why”, “Scarlet Ribbons”, “Marian” that had brought the band so many fans throughout Europe. In 1975, Cees Veerman left the band temporarily, due to problems with his voice. For a year, he was replaced by an ex-roadie, Piet Keizer.
One year prior to that, their album, “Love In Your Eyes”, produced by Al Capps and recorded in the USA, failed to attract attention of the record buying public. However, despite performing what was announced as their farewell gig in Purmerend on May 19th 1974, they continued to gig and record sporadically all the way up through the year 1977. That same year, another album, “Like The Old Days” was released. Both, Piet Veerman and Cees Veerman (no relation) recorded solo albums in 1976. Jaap Schilder followed the suit in 1978.
The real split came in 1980, despite the success of their first single that year, “The End Of The Show”, and the album with the same name, “The End Of The Show” (EMI, 1980). After that, for a few years, the only ‘commotion’ heard from the Cats camp was Piet Veerman’s solo work.
In 1983, the Cats worked together once again, producing the “Stars On 45″ single, which became very successful in many countries. In 1985, Piet Veerman decided to retire from the Cats for good, and two years later scored his first Number 1 hit single with “Sailin’ Home”. In 1994, the Cats recorded their last album, called “Shine On”, for Polydor. (Alex Gitlin)
Track Listing
- Marian
- Mandy My Dear
- Magical Mystery Morning
- Scarlet Ribbons
- Why
- Times Were When
- Lies
- Without Your Love
- Lea
- I Walk Through The Fields
- I’ve Always Tried To Understand
David Anderson – Children Of The Mist (1970)
Artist: David Anderson
Title: Children Of The Mist
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: King
Dave Anderson grew up in Huntsville, Alabama listening to his dad play drums to Elvis records. Anderson’s first concert experience was a “dream realized” when he was able to see Elvis, who performed in Huntsville at the VBCC (during his fat years). He soon taught himself to play drums, guitar, piano and keyboard.
In the years following high school, Dave Anderson was a member of two notable bands, Brother Cane and Dragmatic. After releasing his solo project “Children Of The Mist”, he now helps develop younger artists such as Nick LaSalle and Lacey Atchison, as well as play in several area establishments.
In addition to David Anderson performing on the instruments mentioned above, he is joined on this recording by Stanley Kimball (guitars), Calvine Arline (bass), Emile Handke (drums), Tommy Goodwin (piano-organ), Julian Sparks (trumpet) and Sonny Throckmorton, Sudie Callaway and Laverna Moore (background vocals). (DowntownHuntsville)
Track Listing
- Children Of The Mist
- Another Way
- Fourteen Days Ago
- When I Go
- So Much Lovin’
- If You Believe
- I Miss Your Love
- For A Few Dollars
- If
- Free From Blame
- Step In My Direction
The Fun And Games – Elephant Candy (1968)
Artist: The Fun And Games
Title: Elephant Candy
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: UNI
This is a lovely little harmony/psych/bubblegum-pop record produced by the great Gary Zekely (the Yellow Balloon, the Clique). It was released on the UNI label in 1968, and is consistent with the high standard of quality their A&R department was known for at the time.
This album sounds a bit like what you’d get if you blended equal amounts of Tommy James, the Association and the Beach Boys (they do a nice cover “Don’t Worry Baby”). If you dig those artists I mentioned, you can’t go wrong with the Fun & Games. The CD has finally been re-issued by Rev-ola with bonus tracks. (jasonbear RYM)
Track Listing
- Sadie
- The Grooviest Girl In The World
- Close To Carmel
- Topanga Canyon Road
- Tuesday, Tuesday
- Gotta Say Goodbye
- Don’t Worry Baby
- Elephant Candy
- Something I Wrote
- The Way She Smiles
- It Must Have Been The Wind
The Clique – The Clique (1969)
Artist: The Clique
Title: The Clique
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: White Whale
Picked by White Whale (then hot with The Turtles), 1969′s “The Clique” teamed the band with producer Gary Zekley. Zekley was also credited with co-writing the majority of the eleven songs.
Musically the album offered up an engaging set of radio-ready pop-rock with occasional psych touches. While the liner notes didn’t show much in the way of performance credits, material such as “My Darkest Hour” and “I’ll Hold Out My Hand” found a nice balance between lightweight psych, blue-eyed soul and top-40 pop. Bet Felix Cavaliere and The Young Rascals would have liked to have had a shot at recording something like “Hallelujah”.
Best of the lot was the strange “Superman” (and you thought Michael Stipe and company wrote it). No the set wasn’t perfect. A cover of The Bee Gee’s “Holiday” and the bland ballad “I’ll Hold Out My Hand” were unnecessary. Certainly not the year’s most original offering, but a cool period piece that’s still fun to listen to. (Bad Cat)
Track Listing
- Sugar On Sunday
- My Darkest Hour
- Holiday
- Hallelujah
- I’ll Hold Out My Hand
- Little Miss Lucy
- Judy, Judy, Judy
- Soul Mates
- (There Ain’t) No Such Thing As Love
- Superman
The Yellow Balloon – The Yellow Balloon (1967)
Artist: The Yellow Balloon
Title: The Yellow Balloon
Year: 1967
Format: LP
Label: Canterbury
A poor man’s Beach Boys. Well, that’s put it a little harsh, but I can’t help feeling a disappointment. When folks are raving about some artist/band, whose style seem just the right for you, it’s easy to expect quite a lot.
It seems that Gary Zekley was to Yellow Balloon what Gary Usher was to Sagittarius. Both “groups” were studio projects, but when Usher had a fine singer/songwriter Curt Boettcher with him, Zekley wasn’t that lucky. The singer here, Alex Valdez is very mediocre, and though the harmonies are good, they are not the same calibre like those of the Beach Boys.
Songs are pleasant but pretty lightweight. They don’t grab your attention and shout: “Hey! listen to this and listen carefully!!”. The opening “How Can I Be Down” and the hit single “Yellow Balloon” are hands down the true highlights, and also the ones where you can hear Beach Boys influence most clearly. In the late 1965/early 1966 they could have been very nice BB -singles indeed. (Tiia RYM)
Track Listing
- How Can I Be Down
- Stained Glass Window
- Baby Baby It’s You
- Panama Red
- I’ve Got A Feeling For Love
- Yellow Baloon
- Good Feelin’ Time
- Follow The Sunshine
- Springtime Girl
- Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love
- Junk Maker Shoppe
