TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Strange Affair" - Help Yourself (1972)

"Strange Affair" - Help Yourself (1972)

Help Yourself was an English rock band from London who had a bit of that trippy West Coast rock spirit.  Their 2nd album "Strange Affair" is warm, catchy, and psych dusted enough to give the listener a good feeling.  Plenty of good playing on all fronts.  Vocals are especially solid, at times recalling the timbre of America and CSN, and yet retaining their own flavor.  
 
"Strange Affair" - Help Yourself  (back)

Favorites include the outstanding 10-minute psych-biscuit "The All Electric Fur Trapper."  Floaty and fuzzy.  Trippy and groovy.  Just a great spin.  "Movie Star" sounds right out of a CSN cookbook left at Laurel Canyon.  "Brown Lady" is a groove with harmonies sounding very much like America.  “Many Ways of Meeting” closes us out with a satisfying gentle ballad that's not cheap, maintaining the good vibe of the album.  

My copy came with a printed inner sleeve that included an interesting story about the legend of "The All Electric Fur Trapper."  There is a smallish corner-cut at the bottom-left and $5 let me rescue the album from Garageman G.  The band released four albums between 1971-1973 and they all received above-average props.  A few band members went on to work with George Harrison, Jeff Beck, ELP, and others.  If you stumble on one in the wild...don't sleep.

(record sleeve front & back)

United Artists Records

Cat #
UAS-5591
SIDE A  MATRIX
UAS 5591-A-1  1T  Eck   
SIDE B  MATRIX
UAS 5591-B-1  1T  Eck

"The All Electric Fur Trapper" - Help Yourself / "Strange Affair" (1972)

TRACKS:
A1  "Strange Affair" 3:21
A2  "Brown Lady" 4:40
A3  "Movie Star" 5:45
A4  "Deanna Call and Scotty" 3:44
B1  "Heaven Row" 4:00
B2  "The All Electric Fur Trapper" 11:55
B3  "Many Ways of Meeting" 3:54

PERSONNEL:
Malcolm Morley - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Richard Treece - bass, guitar, vocals, harmonica
Paul Burton - bass
Ernie Graham - guitar
Jojo Glemser - guitar
Dave Charles - drums, percussion, vocals

Good stuff.

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Comments

Charlie Ricci said…
OMG, I can't believe I've found someone else who knows about Help Yourself. I've only got one of their records but it's a good one and you can read about it HERE.
April 15, 2021 at 1:36 PM
Charlie Ricci said…
Hi again, Casey. I don't see an email address for you on your blog. If you like, please contact me HERE. I've got some music I'd like to offer you in trade.
April 15, 2021 at 7:06 PM
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