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Author Archives: Franko
TONY BENNETT – Love Story – (Columbia) – 1971
"Bennett, born 1926, is the last of the great male trad pop singers". I said that in another comment on Tony Bennett and that is a great way to start any comment. That, followed by "and he is still recording … Continue reading
BOBBY VEE – Sings Hits of the Rockin’ ’50’s – (Liberty) – 1961
Bobby Vee does a covers album. An odd statement perhaps given that a lot of Bobby Vee's material is made up of covers. I have commented on quite a few Bobby Vee albums on this blog and touched on his … Continue reading
BREWER AND SHIPLEY – Shake Off The Demon – (Kama Sutra) – 1971
Google "hippie" and "Brewer & Shipley" and you will find a lot of references to this act as a "hippie duo". When I was young and when I first got this record (at the great University of Queensland Student Union … Continue reading
CILLA BLACK – Cilla – (Parlophone) – 1965
Cilla swings? Swinging Cilla? There is a time, perhaps, in everyone's life where they are "hip", "now", "with it", "mod", "happening" and every other trans-generational word for someone who typifies the moment. 1965 was Cilla's year. Swinging London was in … Continue reading
LEN BARRY – 1-2-3 – (Decca) – 1965
I've talked about Len Barry and his former vocal band The Dovells both on this blog before. I love vocal bands and vocalists. At some time around 1962 the musical world changed forever and the age of the musician as, … Continue reading
STEVE FORBERT – Streets of This Town – (Geffen) – 1988
You might ask "Steve Forbert, what happened?". You're more likely to ask, "Who the fuck is Steve Forbert?". These are valid things to ask but it's worth looking for an answer to either or both questions. At the end of … Continue reading
(PAUL REVERE & THE) RAIDERS – Collage – (Columbia) – 1970
The Raiders had been struggling for the previous two years to distance themselves from their earlier incarnation, Paul Revere and the Raiders. There was nothing wrong with that, and they were a hell of a band, but they felt that … Continue reading
PAUL COLLINS’ BEAT – The Kids Are The Same – (Columbia) – 1982
I've commented on The Beat's other album, their debut, from 1979. And the comments there could largely apply to this album. Which means this is a splendid slice of power pop , which by it's nature is visceral, rarely dull, … Continue reading
COUNTRY JOE McDONALD – Love is a Fire – (Fantasy) – 1976
Allmusic: "A native of Washington, D.C., McDonald grew up in El Monte, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, where his parents, Florence and Worden, had moved to escape political difficulties in the capital city. Music played an important role through … Continue reading
