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September 17, 2010

Please Stand By

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Gordon Harkness: The Singer (Hyde Park Records, 197?) LP

Gordon Harkness

Let's start with an LP from a Los Angeles lounge singer and Mormon, who has an unexpected fondness for noise -- and at least one truly extraordinary jacket.

The Mormon Luigi Russolo:

Gordon Harkness_detail

 

Gordon Harkness: Beautiful Noise

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Sharron & Gale: Sharron & Gale (Denver Sound Studios, 197?) LP

Sharron and Gale

Consider next the Denver duo Sharron & Gale, who, like Mr. Harkness above, were denizens of the '70s lounge circuit. On most of the lounge LPs I've heard, the most interesting tracks are the self-penned ones hidden amongst the covers, and such is the case here. I've chosen for you Gale's tune "My Song," which, as she points out repeatedly, was not written for you.

Linda "Gale" Holloway:                      Sharron Brandrup:

 Gale

   Sharron

 

Sharron & Gale: My Song

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Wayne Meusey: An Evening at Beulah's (Seaview Records, 1972?) LP

Wayne Meusey

Next up is an LP by a blind lounge singer and organist, recorded at the On the Rocks Room of Beulah's Sea View Inn in Yachats, Oregon.  The number I've chosen is a charming and touching song written for Meusey's venerable German Shepherd guide dog, Matthew (1957-1972).

Wayne and Matthew:

Wayne Meusey_detail

 

Wayne Meusey: Matthew, My Guide Dog

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The Twosome: Best Wishes (Artist's Recording, 1976) LP

The Twosome

The Dayton, OH duo of Jacque Morgan & Fred Lawrence -- aka The Twosome -- sound as if their roots too lay in lounges, but on this 1976 LP they strike out as full-fledged songwriters and offer up nothing but originals. Most significantly, the album houses that rarest of flowers: a lounge-psych folk song, which can be heard below.

The Threesome:

The Twosome_detail


 The Twosome: Black Winged Horse

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Los Millonarios: Love Story (Discos Fuentes/Miami Records, 197?) LP

Los Millonarios

Shifting from the lounges of North America to sunny Colombia, we hear now a cover of the quiet Beatle's "Something." I should mention that I particularly enjoy the drumming.

Love, Love, Love:

 Los Millonarios_detail

 George Harrison

Los Millonarios_detail

 

Los Millonarios: Something

Please Stand By

 

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Joe Bravo: Please Call Me Baby (Certron International, 1970) LP

Joe Bravo

Continuing with the latin theme, we turn next to a Tex-Mex performer named Joe Bravo, some of whose recordings are apparently sought out by funkmeisters. Such is probably not the case with the song below.

The flower adults:

Joe Bravo_detail

 

Joe Bravo: Please Call Me Baby

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Anam Munar: El Aplauso (Century Records, 196?) LP

Anam Munar

 

Also Latin -- most likely a Puerto Rican from New York -- is the lovely Anam Munar, who has at least two recordings to her credit. The band leader and arranger for this album is one Alfredo Munar, who I'm guessing is her father. Would I sound like a pervert if I said I was fascinated by Ms. Munar's eyebrows?

Do the homework:

Anam Munar_detail

 

Anam Munar: Homework

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Rays of Sunshine: The Brick (no label, 1977) LP

The Brick

And now I present you with the oddest religious album I have ever come across: a musical about saving people's souls by hitting them with bricks. And dig that crazy synthesizer! By the way, the group was based in Fall River, MA, and has at least two other albums to their credit.

The back-masked brick:

The Brick_detail

 

Rays of Sunshine: To Live

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Sykes Memorial 6th Grade Band: Spring Concert, May 26, 1977 (Nutmeg Sound Studio, 1977) LP

Sykes

What can I say but, I love wobbly out-of-tune instruments and spastic percussion. This may be the mark of a degenerate musical sensibility, but it's true. Also, by the way, that magic-markered cover says "Sykes," not "Dykes." And the tykes were from Connecticut.

Yikes:

Sykes_detail

 

Sykes Memorial 6th Grade Band: Nails

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Believers: Gospel Ship (Susquehanna Sound Productions, 197?) LP

Believers

Now here's an album which looks like it should be atrocious, but that is actually pretty good. The track I've given you is, in fact, quite wonderful, and, with its odd, dissonant, and stretched-out harmonies, would fit in nicely with any higher-key folk psych tune you'd care to name. These Believers, who would appear to be a family group, were from Chincoteague, VA.

Getting bent:

Believers_detail

 

Believers: Say I Do

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Tim Mills: Clown Music (Rite Record Productions, 1973?) LP

Clown Music

Let's finish up the musical portion of this week's proceedings with one of the most depressive albums I've ever heard. Though his music seems rooted in shown tune/piano bar stylings, this Indianapolis piano man favors really sour harmonies and rather desperate vocalizing. Despite its off-key awkwardness, the piece I've chosen seems weirdly imposing, and more than a little unsettling.

Mr. Enthusiasm:

Tim Mills_detail

 

Tim Mills: Time

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And now it's time for some pictures, gathered from hither and yon:

Table Monster

 

Art: John

******

No Man's Wife Was Safe

Art: ??

*****

Princess Moon Flower

 

Art: ??

*****

Barclay Allen's Rhythm Four: Intimate Music (Electrone Record Co., 195?) LP

Barclay Allen

 Photo: John C. Hellyer

*****

Kenneth C. Kittinger, Ph.D.: News: A Discovery of The Mind Presented to the World (International University Trust, 196?) LP

A Discovery of the Mind

 Photo: ??

*****

Erika Kempe-Wiegand: Der Trotzkopf (Europa, 1971) LP

Der Trotzkopf

 Art:  ??

*****

Robert Malaga: Ikaw Ang Buhay (Villar Records, 1977?) LP

Robert Malaga

 Art: Rick Gonzalez [?]

*****

Frl. Menke: Frl. Menke (Polydor, 1982) LP

Frl Menke

 Art: Joop!

*****

Laura & Rollie: Goldman Hits 40 (no label, 198?) LP

Goldman Hits 40

 

Photo: Marilyn Goldman

*****

Bittersweet: A Feeling You Can't Hide (Serenity Records, 1977) LP

Bittersweet

 

Art: ??

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That's it for this time -- see you in two weeks.

Sign Off

  Robert Malaga_detail

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