what Frank is listening to #7 – THE SONS – Follow Your Heart – (Capitol) – 1971
Initially I couldn't find anything on "The Sons" and that's because they tend to be listed under their original name "The Sons of Champlin". They had broken up and then reformed to do this album to satisfy a contractual obligation, hence the new name (?).
This is their 4th LP.
I know my psych music (generally) though I had not heard of this band even though they are a San Francisco Bay Side band.
Hmmm … I generally don't favour long (long) tracks … ever … songs should be long only when played live in concert IMHO. And, yes I know, short songs in psych music is generally contradictory. Of the nine tracks on this LP there are a couple of short tracks though I suspect they are there to make room for the three 5+ min tracks and the one 7+ min track…. (and apparently this "Sons" LP was noted for its shorter tracks !)
The internet describes them as a psychedelic band from San Francisco and the music certainly is that but its not just guitar based psychedelica. Some of the tracks are organ driven whilst the guitar solos are not in the "solo Hendrix psychedelica style" but more in the form of a ramblin' guitar jam style … the band on this LP are probably as much "jazz fusion" as psych, perhaps a sort of "acid jazz". There are also over the top vocals which are distinctly "soul like" … like a softer "Moby Grape" or a heavier "Tim Buckley".
The lyrics are of the "peace, love and understanding" variety.
I just found an entry on wikipedia on them ….which says much of the above:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_Champlin
I don't mind this. Psych, jazz fusion is very much of its time though sometimes the bands can sound relatively contemporary. Here they don't … in fact this sounds more like 1969 than 1971 but it still gets into its own groove.
Best tracks: "Before You Right Now" / "Follow Your Heart" / "Beside You"
The band are popular with psych record collectors (some of the biggest nerds I have ever met in all my years at record fairs) which explains why the band still has a website:
http://www.sonsofchamplin.com/nowandthen.htm
I couldn't find any of the above tracks on the net but here they are live. This is an earlier track (the LP above doesn't have any horns)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VkFOFF4xuk&feature=PlayList&p=C9C4143FAA64C157&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1
I will probably tape a couple of tracks and then stick this one on eBay.
(originally posted: 16/04/2009)
