TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Chamaeleon Church" - Chamaeleon Church (1968)

"Chamaeleon Church" - Chamaeleon Church (1968)

     This album was a Christmas present to myself.  I bought it in January.  I knew it was going to be a bit of a pony-up, but I was hoping to find a copy closer to $40 or $50.  That never happened.  Most were floating closer to the $100 mark.  I never once saw one in the wild.  I had to pay up, but it was a price I could live with.  $70, plus shipping.  You can find one cheaper, I'm sure, but I'd waited long enough, so I jumped.  "Chamaeleon Church" is a psych album, but it seldom gets talked about much in the community, other than the fact that SNL alum Chevy Chase was the drummer.  I'm sure this has moved the price needle up just a smidge.

     But here's the thing.  The album has more going for it than just Chevy on the skins.  This self-titled album is pretty darn good.  The songwriting is especially strong, thanks to leader Ted Myers, previously with The Lost.  Songs are nicely laced with phasing, echoing, and a few other studio tricks, but not overdone.  There is a little Zombies "O & O" in the presentation.  Maybe a little of The Millennium.  Not on that level, to be sure.  But the dream-dream vibes are abloom here.  The Beatles' influences abound, but not in a copycat way. And with some Baroque pop dust sprinkled about, Chamaelon Church makes for a very enjoyable listen.  

"Chamaeleon Church" - Chamaeleon Church (back)

"Chamaeleon Church" - Chamaeleon Church
 (inner sleeve front & back)

Favorites include:
"Blueberry Pie"
"Camillia Is Changing"
"Spring This Year"
"Tompkins Square Park" 

     This is an original MGM copy still in the shrink wrap.  The cover looks beautiful. It has a bb hole in the corner, but that's something that's just never bothered me.  The vinyl is a strong vg+ and looks hardly played.  It was well taken care of.  There is a variation with the label.  My copy has the cat # SE4574 on the right of the spindle hole; sides 1 and 2 are printed on the left.
 
     Chamaeleon Church is just one of many unfortunate psych albums that just got lost in the shuffle.  Seven years later, Chamaeleon Church would become better known for having had pre-SNL Chevy Chase in the band and more or less an RnR footnote.  I'm glad I finally own this square, and it will be loved.  Anyway, this is Valentine's Day.  "Candygram! Candygram!"

MGM label

Cat #
SE-4574 / SE4574 
SIDE A  DEADWAX
SE4574  Side 1  MGS  1580  A  1A · L 21   ≈
SIDE B  DEADWAX
SE4574  Side 2  MGS  1581  1A  11   ≈

"Blueberry Pie" - Chamaeleon Church / "Chamaeleon Church" (1968)

TRACKS:
A1  "Come Into Your Life" 2:16
A2  "Camillia Is Changing" 4:11
A3  "Spring This Year" 4:15
A4  "Blueberry Pie" 3:30
A5  "Remembering's All I Can Do" 4:00
B1  "Flowers In The Field" 2:33
B2  "Here's A Song" 2:02
B3  "In A Kindly Way" 3:05
B4  "Tompkins Square Park" 3:02
B5  "Picking Up The Pieces" 2:15
B6  "Off With The Old" 4:20

PERSONNEL:
Ted Myers - vocals, guitar
Tony Scheuren - vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, harpsichord
Kyle Garrahan - vocals, bass, lead guitar, piano
Chevy Chase - vocals, drums, percussion, piano, electric organ, Roxichord

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