(Big Deal)
Years ago, a struggling guitarist named Jimi Hendrix had to break in England before his own homeland would recognize and support his talents. Thirty years later, a Los Angeles band is making ends meet by recording for a Japanese label. Fortunately, Big Deal, a New York label, has licensed the debut record and made it available and affordable for American audiences.
Anyone who has the Hollies tribute Sing Hollies In Reverse (eggBert Records, and if you don't, stop reading and go buy it now. I'll wait!) was no doubt enthralled with the version of "You Need Love" - picture perfect pop, the kind that allows you to plunk for a full CD without a moment's hesitation. I did, and although this is not a pop album with "hit singles" busting out of it, most of it is jaw-dropping great. (Okay, maybe there's a single - the Posies meet Rubinoos sound of "In A Haze" just kills me.)
"Shine"'s shuffling beat, bongos and psychedelic guitar will appeal to anyone who enjoyed the deeper side of 60's records, the meat behind the hit singles (indeed, one could sing Joe South's "Hush" over this melody and not be far off). "Fleur-de-lis" has all that 1980's Britpop bounce that will make even cynical heads spin (the piano is straight out of "Oliver's Army"), but in place of the gruff vocal of an Elvis or Nick there's the candy-sweet harmonies fans of this band have come to love. Yet it's not all retrospective - slip "Thought Back" onto Jason Falkner's recent release and no one would know the difference - and that's a compliment!
Brian Wilson supposedly claimed that if he had the Wondermints back in 1967, he "would have taken Smile out on the road". While post-sandbox Brian has to be taken with a grain of salt (he recently called "Grumpier Old Men" one of the three best movies ever made), one listen to the stunning "Tracy Hide" will confirm that this was said on a day when all the sand grains aligned properly. Hypnotic and haunting, "Tracy Hide" blends the effortless falsetto choruses, harpsichord rhythms, kettle drums and other studio nuances that instantly transport the listener to The Golden Age Of Brian. If this had been the flip side of "Good Vibrations", no one would have complained.
Besides this record, the band has a couple of (now out of print) singles, and "Carnival Of Souls", here as the records closer, is featured on Yellow Pills #2. The band has also released a CD of cover songs, which - you guessed it - is only available as a Japanese import. Some things never change.
