Eclectic And Not Bad At All
Fred Rayworth | Las Vegas, NV United States | 09/22/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is another of the obscure albums I picked up in that garage sale in Turkey in the 80's, and I pretty much ignored the album until the other day. I may have played part of the first side 20 years ago, but it just never clicked back then.
I finally got around to burning this one to CD and after a few listens, I came away liking it a lot better than I thought I would. I've heard it described as a country rock album, but I don't really see it that way. It's as if the album is a bunch of styles. I'll admit that by the third song, I was thinking country rock, but as I got to the end, I'd heard rock, a touch of hard rock, blues, and even hints of gospel.
This is by no means a heavy album, but it is not totally laid back either. Just when they seem to go one way, the band surprises you and goes somewhere else. There is the Mistress de Charmaign which hints at a medieval Pagan thing, then it goes into the closest they offer to heavy rock with Santa Anna Speed Queen.
After a few listens, I can say this album left me satisfied and interested. It is a unique blend from a one-off band (best I can tell), but they seemed to have had something going for them that never gelled, mainly because they didn't stick to one style. I actually find this far more interesting than some other bands that stuck to their guns.
The playing is excellent and the musicianship top notch. There are some pretty cool guitar solos here and there also. The female vocals are mid-range and clear, while the male vocals give more of a twang at times, hence the country feel to some of the tracks. This is particularly evident on the Guitar Store Song, which clocks in at about a minute.
If you are looking for something a little different, I recommend this band.
"
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1