Just got back from two weeks in NYC. The record shop scene is not what it once was, but I still managed to pick up some nice items during a couple of Pop Swap session (Hi Jeremy, Hi William) plus this $1 bargain...
Airlift –Tell Me/ Same –Quality QA 506 (1976 Canada)
Two words to describe this one: POP and SENSIBILITY. Tell Me is a sublime recreation of the early Stones Pop classic. It’s a big and loud studio performance, but the tasteful production never overpowers proceedings and a singular purity of essence shines throughout. It’s a classy structured arrangement with each element in its place featuring evocative vocals reminding me of later day Cowsills.If this track was recorded three years later it would have probably been ruined by the use of Lyndrums and overtly digital reverbs, but here in 1976 it’s just perfect - the thunderous reverbs glimmer, the vocals fly and the tight lead guitar could be straight from a 20/20 side. One major reason for this track’s success is that you can tell that they pulled out all the stops in order to have a hit and were not constricted by a narrow tie New Wave Powerpop ethos.
6 comments:
Hi Robin...I always thought that The Barracudas should have covered 'Tell Me' back in the bands 'Mean Time' days......it's crying out to be 'jangled'
Weird, Brad Long did a version of this one on the first BOMP! Battle Of The Garages. Production reminds me most of Stars In The Sky. Good one.
Robin - just found your blog today and it is quite good.
The perfect thing for a warm, rainy New Year's Day here in the land o' Mitch Easter...
I may be speaking out of turn, but I strongly suggest any excuse to go to Chicago for some fine record shops. As for NYC, did you try Brooklyn? Back in '09 I dropped in on some stores in Manhattan's Greenwich Village and felt like I stepped into a morgue. Sad stuff. I thought I saw Bleecker Bob hunched over a toaster over in the back, warming a sandwich...
Hi Tony
Yep I hit 3-4 shops in Brooklyn. Chicago...perhaps one day, although I somehow think i may have a more fruitful time spending 2-3 days in Belgium...
That's cool. I don't consider myself a Chicago "booster," but here's a list of 75 stores!
http://www.centerstagechicago.com/music/record-stores/directory/
...including Restless Records and Dusty Groove America...apparently the midwest still loves vinyl. Might be the brutal winters...?
http://terminal-boredom.com/forums/index.php?topic=10156.0
Tell Me, by Airlift is a great song. I'm surprised it's not on YouTube.
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