Reviews of tasty and obscure hook-filled rock'n' roll releases (Glam, Heavy Bonehead Crunchers, Powerpop, Pop/psych,Garage, Surf, 60s Girl Group Rock)...Plus any quirky musings that tickle my fancy...
I created this blog in order to stimulate interest, share discoveries and encourage people to go out and search for the original vinyl. Hopefully this blog might also encourage labels to actually compile some of this stuff officialy.
Allentown Record Fair –A slight return Well It has been 4 years since I ventured out to Allentown for the 45 only fair. I arrived last night and bought my first record within 5 minutes of arrival then went to bed. I am staying at America’s Best Inn, which is certainly less than luxurious, but it’s where a majority of the dealers are staying. So 10-12 rooms have their doors open for business, and you just navigate back and forth, to and fro, talking shit, sharing jokes and going through boxes upon boxes of 45s. There is also a scaled down version of a similar scene going on at the Howard Johnson hotel
The Illuminati setting market prices for the next 10 years including Tim Warren, Barry Wickham, Erik Lindgren, Dave Baldwin and yours truly
No incredible finds yet, but the fair proper is still a couple of days away...
Extolling the virtues of Raga-Glam to the disbelieving
The demand for hotel rooms is huge this time of year in Allentown
Greg Cabrera –Darlin’/Love is Just for Two –Brentwood Records BR 2711 (1972 US)
From 1972 and out of Riverside CA comes this one-off unique sounding Powerpop gem. The vocals are surprising and strangely distinctive a bit like Count Viglione in tight polyester trousers sucking up helium. Beneath the vocals and plonking piano your ears will be drawn to a perfect replica of that 70s Eventide delay sound so loved on those 70s Flamin’ Groovies sides. The constant lead guitar twiddling is quite manic in its delivery and the tune itself is rather fetching, succinct and to the point melodically harking back to pre-70s days. The B side starts out in rather soppy acoustic ballad mode. The vocals are nasal and sugary but when the song builds and the string section kicks in all these diverging elements come together in quite a satisfactory manner
Blackbird –Am I Gonna Lose Her/Dirty Dan-Surprise Records –MS45-101 (1974 US)
Here’s a wonderful obscure burst of Powerpop hiding on the B side of an average piece of rural rock. The year is 1974, but make no mistake about it, this will give you the same thrill as the best of Pezband or The Scruffs; real Powerpop with the power intact featuring bright ringing guitars and invigorating backing vocals on a catchy as fuck number. You expect these guys would have a similar look to Blue Ash, a 70s rock band harking back to a bright past for inspiration, so as long as no picture appears with the guys sporting bushy moustaches, the magic will be maintained. Hear a full version of Dirty Dan
