TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Rare Bird" - Rare Bird (1969)

"Rare Bird" - Rare Bird (1969)

     I've been a fan of Rare Bird for a while now, but I had never heard their self-titled debut album, except for one or two songs on KSHE.  I'd been choosing to wait until I owned the square so I could actually drop the needle on it myself.  I recently picked this up for $10, and it doesn't disappoint.  It's as enjoyable as I had hoped.

     Rare Bird's debut was on the earliest cusp of the Prog movement, one of the proto-prog puppies of rock.  Not prog-heavy, but something's happening, for sure.  There is a pretty broad spectrum of progressive rock out there, and Rare Bird definitely falls closer into the realm of Procol Harum than King Crimson, but believe me, Rare Bird sounds nothing like them at all. 

     One of the fascinating things about Rare Bird and their debut… is that there is no guitar to be found. And yet, you don't miss it.  It's like the guitar is there in spirit, and that's good enough for me.  And like all really good progressive rock, the music becomes more entertaining the more spins you give it.

"Rare Bird" - Rare Bird (back)

"Rare Bird" - Rare Bird (inside gatefold)

Favorites include:
"Beautiful Scarlet"
"Sympathy"
"Bird On A Wing"
"God Of War"

     This copy is an original US pressing with the rainbow PROBE logo on the right side of the label and the Command ABC logo on the left.  There are variables with slightly different labels.  The deadwax also has CPL 4514-A and CPL 4514-B stamped; the rest is etched.  On the back of the album, the year "MCMLXIX" still appears.

     My one big regret and a small potatoes one, really, is that I could never get my hands on a UK version with the colorful majestic bird on the album cover.  For some reason, the US pressings feature a drab, lumpy, prairie-chicken-like bird.  Whatever it is, it gives a totally different impression of the music inside. I hope to grab a UK version one day, but it's the music that matters, and it's all good whichever side of the pond you're on.

Probe / Command-ABC Records label

Cat #
CPLP-4514
SIDE A  DEADWAX
CPLP 4514-A ILT  (MR)  LW  ⴴ 14456 
SIDE B  DEADWAX
CPLP 4514-B ILT  (MR)   14456-X

"Beautiful Scarlet" - Rare Bird  / "Rare Bird" (1969)

TRACKS:
A1  "Beautiful Scarlet" 5:23
A2  "Sympathy" 2:30
A3  "Nature's Fruit" 2:32
A4  "Bird On A Wing" 4:13
A5  "God Of War" 5:08
B1  "Iceberg" 6:46
B2  "Times" 3:19
B3  "You Went Away" 4:17
B4  "Melanie" 3:27

PERSONNEL:
Steve Gould - vocals, bass
Graham Field - organ
David Kaffinetti - electric piano
Mark Ashton - drums, timpani, b-vocals

Good stuff.

Follow me on FACEBOOK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interview:-- Joan Staley (Actress - Classic Movies & Television)

Image
  "Elvis,  do you really want me to slap you?"  ~ Joan Staley ~     So my friends and I were talking about first crushes. First tv and movie crushes.  For me, it was easy.  It was Alma. (Joan Staley)   I broke into the double-digit age of 10 in 1993.  That was the summer I discovered my favorite Don Knotts movie while flipping thru cable one Saturday morning... "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken." Everyone has seen it.  It was a funny haunted house story similar to an episode on Andy G. with a cast of familiar characters, trippy organ music, and the prettiest girl I had ever seen...Alma. She was beautiful alright.  I was love-stung so bad, I swear I could smell flowers coming out of the TV set.  And best of all, she was nice.  She didn't like the smart alec, the wise guy, or the show-off.  Alma was digging Luther (Don Knotts) and that just made her that much prettier.  And from then on... But unfortu...
Read more

Interview -- Henry Lee Summer (Singer/Songwriter)

Image
"I just always have played music.  For better   or worse, I banked my whole life on it." ~ Henry Lee Summer ~     It's strange how music lets you travel through time as if there truly was no time.  I played the shit out of this album growing up.  Nothing deep or complicated.  Nothing outta bounds.  Nothing to get hung about.  It's deceptively simple.  But here's the thing... Henry Lee Summer  is serving aces all over this heartland square. This is the 35th anniversary of Henry Lee Summer's self-titled album and this one falls under that sweet spot between raucous and chill.  It's a large cup of iced coffee with a nice soulful blend.  Not usually my type of go-to and yet this album easily fills a void I didn't know I had.  Let this spin be your own private Idaho.  " Check it out, Leroy!"   Henry Lee Summer... Go get you some. Henry Lee Summer Interview -- August 2023 Henry Lee Summer Casey Cha...
Read more

Interview -- Elliot Lurie (Looking Glass)

Image
"...Your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea." ~ Looking Glass ~ Elliot Lurie was a singer/songwriter for the 70s band Looking Glass . The band recorded two albums and had a couple of hits along with a handful of deep-track FM cuts.  And as many bands are wont to do... Looking Glass called it a day and handed over the keys.  However, before cutting out, Looking Glass did leave us with the #1 hit song... "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)."   Now there have been plenty of #1 songs that have climbed to the top spot faster.  And plenty of #1 songs that have stayed at the top spot longer.  But the list begins to thin when it comes to #1 songs that have had some real staying power years and years after their run.  And as the 50th anniversary draws to a close, the song  "Brandy..." still remains an ageless and endearing wonder. A song of unrequited love without all the drippy, maudlin sadness that often stains so many other attempts.  Every boy dreams ...
Read more