Dustbin Delights

 Tony Coulter here, with a new batch of vinyl finds -- all acquired since moving to Portland, OR almost six months ago. While previous posts were focused on records from the Northwest, this time 'round I've thrown aside geographical constraints -- i.e., I found 'em here, mostly in thrift stores and dollar bins, but they're from all over. After presenting my favorite tracks from seven of these LPs, I'll finish up with two imaginary record covers.

Enjoy....

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Various Artists: The Vinyl Days (Brute Force Cybernetics, 1976)

 Let's start with a compilation released by Cincinnati radio station WEBN, featuring eleven "unsigned" local acts. Over the years, I've made it a habit to pick up this kind of album (as opposed to radio station--endorsed collections of hit songs), because surprisingly often, one or two tracks turn out to be quite good -- or at the very least, enjoyably typical of their era and no worse than the stuff the "big guys" cranked out. This particular collection -- perhaps not surprisingly, given its 1976 date -- features a fair amount of proggy goings-on, just as I was hoping. One track in particular, however, really stands out: Apocalypse's catchy and altogether nifty "Hoovite Landing," which mixes prog with a late-model psych sound reminiscent of the Doors. Did Apocalypse ever release anything else? I have no idea -- but if not, they should have!

Apocalypse: Hoovite Landing

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Various Artists: Brown Bags to Stardom (KIKI, 1981)

 Next up is another radio station compilation -- but this time, a much stranger one. Released by Honolulu station KIKI in 1981, Brown Bags to Stardom showcases the musical talents of Hawaiian high schoolers (I guess "brown bags" refers to the lunches their mothers packed for them). I've selected two enjoyably absurd hard rock numbers: Brain Damage's wonderfully shambolic cover of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" and Black Rose's "Rockin' Roller," the latter gaining added punch from the fact that both vocalists sound around 10 years old. (Not sure if Black Rose's number is a cover or not. Anyone know?) I've also chosen Nameless Faces' cover of the Michael Schenker Group tune "Tales of Mystery," which actually sounds quite good to me -- certainly more moody and mysterious than the original. Oddly, given that Schenker found fame with the Scorpions, Nameless Faces' version brings to mind the great Hawaiian psych band These Trails. I do have one question, though: Is the lead vocalist a boy or a girl? Beats me.

By the way, the two folks pictured below are KIKI DJs:

Nameless Faces: Tales of Mystery

Black Rose: Rockin' Roller

Brain Damage: Highway to Hell

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The Master's Musicians: Who Will Turn the Key? (no label, 1982)

 Next, let's turn to the first of two "Jesus rock" (AKA "xian") releases I've selected: the Master's Musicians' Who Will Turn the Key?, which sports a slightly R. Crumb--esque cover. Recorded in Cranston, Rhode Island in 1982, this album is distinguished by surprisingly ambitious and interesting guitar playing, and oddly compelling melodic lines, occasionally buoyed by subtle choral counterpoint. The execution may be rough -- much of the singing is gratingly off-key and the drumming is none too steady -- but the ideas are strong.

The Master's Musicians: If Only

The Master's Musicians: Psalm 136

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Good Shepherd Youth Choir: Portrait of Love (LRS, 1977)

  Next is one of the countless custom-press high school and college choral LPs that are lying unnoticed in dusty heaps in thrift stores and junk shops across the country. This particular one, recorded by the Good Shepherd Youth Choir of Pittsburg, California, not only is housed in a jaw-dropping cover, it also features a highly appealing version of "Love Song," written and recorded by Leslie Duncan, but made famous by (and, surprisingly, not massacred by) Elton John. Incidentally, my favorite cover of this song -- and indeed the first version I ever heard -- is by the band Aleithia. But this version is pretty good too.

The Good Shepherd Youth Choir at rest:

 Good Shepherd Youth Choir: Love Song

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East Valley High School Choral Department: Featuring "Magic" (RPC, 197?)

 To prove my point about their ubiquity, here's another custom-press choral LP, containing a fine and unique arrangement of "Ticket to Ride," which in their version sounds more like the Mama's and Papa's than the Beatles. Don't know when this was recorded, or even which of the many East Valley High Schools it was connected to. Nancy Amend, are you out there?

The song:

East Valley High School Choral Department: Ticket to Ride

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Mary Louise Smith: Me and Willie the Kid (Sing Me Records, 1980)

 The next album under consideration is a set of songs written and performed by one Mary Louise Smith, of Nashville, Tennessee. To these ears, the crown jewel of this self-released album is the track "I Guess I'm Not a Kid Anymore," a mediation on aging that in another singer's hands might have been kitsch, but somehow ends up being quite poignant. Of course, the fact that I'm not a kid anymore might have something to do with my reaction!

By the way, the "kid" doesn't really play on the album -- unfortunately.

Mary Louise Smith: I Guess I'm Not a Kid Anymore

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Dale & Vicki: His Wondrous Love (Vanco, 197?)

 Here's a second xian LP, this one by the Vancouver, Washington duo known as Dale & Vicki. Recorded sometime in the late '70s or early '80s (or so I'd guess), His Wondrous Love features a set of songs composed by Dale (Hutchinson), as well as striking cover art based on a painting by Vicki (Wolf). Most of the songs, unfortunately, have a country pop/easy listening flavor that holds little attraction for me -- but one number, "Long and Winding Road" (not the Beatles song!), has a strange, trance-inducing and slightly desperate quality I find quite appealing.

Dale & Vicki: Long and Winding Road

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Turning from obscure LPs to imaginary ones, I give you three pieces of art by someone named Ben, who I met a number of years back at a FMU record fair. Ben was fond of making up bands, and indeed put together a discography of non-existent psych and prog groups. Ben also drew covers for many of these invented albums, a few of which ended up in my hands, as you can see below. By the way, the second and third images represent the front and back of the same record.

Art: Ben

Art: Ben

Art: Ben

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That's it for this blogpost -- I'll be back in two weeks' time.....

Comments

[Ool Schpeygah]

Awesome artwork by Ben.

And glad to see Aleitha get tipped, Tony. I love their covers of John Denver songs, too.

[G]

Ticket to Ride is Mamas and Papas after the chorus starts singing -- Karen Carpenter till that point!!!

[r4 dsi]

I like most the portrait of love! its just fall me in memories of school and unforgotten friends.

[dustbin]

hehe.thanks for your share.
it is very good!

[Linnea]

Hey there! I'm one of the Master's Musicians, who made the album you reviewed "Who Will Turn the Key". We were a church youth group turned Xian rock group and all of the musicians in that group, including me, were high school students when we recorded that. We did the album for our friends and family and never expected it to end up on the internet! What a trip. We just found your review here on Dustbin by accident, and are so tickled to hear your thoughts about Thanks for the interesting comments about our work! I was the soloist on the song you feature "If Only".
Thanks for making my/our day with your review!

[Tony Coulter]

Great to hear from you, Linnea! I'm glad you found the blog....

[Pamela]

Guess the news is spreading through the group, aka Master's Musicians. Just checked out the blog and review of Who Will Turn the Key. I was one of the background vocals. We were a group of kids with big hearts wanting to share our love for the Lord. We did church concerts at many of our sister churches and other venues. It was a great time. Members of the Master's Musicians wrote all the music and lyrics to the songs on this album. The group kept us grounded and we supported each other through those rough teenage years. Thanks for dusting us off and selecting two songs to share with your audience - great picks.

[Dan Murphy]

Hi Tony, I co-wrote Hoovite Landing with Bob Powers (hes the one singing, I'm the one playing guitar and synth). The group consisted of: Bob Powers, Dan Murphy, Wayne Haynes, Klaus Bleisch, Randy Robinson, and Mike Reeves. We were located in the Cincinnati area and recorded that song at 5th Floor studios with Jim Krause engineering (on a Saturday afternoon). Its very cool of you to post it on the site! Thanks so much...Dan Murphy

[Ken Luebbert]

My friend Dan Murphy is being modest. Apocalypse wrote and recorded many other songs in the basement of one of the band members homes, but this was, unfortunately, before it was so easy to record and spit out CD's from your home computer. As such, none were released commercially, but band members and friends have tapes that, when listened to, bring back fond memories. However, Dan's 4 track basement recording studio blossomed into Group Effort Sound Studios, http://www.groupeffort.com/ in Crescent Springs, Kentucky, near the Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky Airport. Check them out.