SMOKESTACK LIGHTNIN'/OFF THE WALL SBLL 116 (-69) UK

 

One-off LP from a US West Coast outfit that's new to me and I can't seem to find much info about. Aparently drummer Art Guy came from surf group New Dimensions that relesased one album 1963 - "Surf'n Bongos" (Sutton S/SU 332) - and bassist Tom Beaudry (aka Kelly Green) who later would be a vocalist in Frijid Pink (at least that's the info I get from the net - but it is really the same Kelly Green?). They also appeared in the Robert Clouse movie "Dreams Of Glass". This record, consisting of two self-penned tracks and seven covers, was produced by Bones Howe, who earlier had handeled stuff by Turtles, Association and 5th Dimension.  It's an all very well performed blues album, mostly smooth with occational female background quires. Singer Ronnie Darling has a nice voice and there are very good guitar parts. A couple of the cuts maybe a little too run-of-the-mill-bluesy for my taste, but there are highlights - like the raw "Light In My Window" and the up-tempo "Till Tuesday" including some very forceful vocals and guitars. I also like the thrashy guitars embellishing the "Smokestack Lightning" cover. So in my world a somewhat uneven blessing, still well worth to explore for about any lover of sixties blues rock. Premiere US on Bell (BELL 6026), also as 4-track, 8-track and Reel . Further originally issued on vinyl in France and Downunder. US 2008 CD on First Of May (89112). First UK (also as mono - MBLL 116) had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover.