Hmmm … I didn't know much about this group (though there are a couple of their albums in the pile behind me).
Sugarloaf – in brief according to allmusic.com:"Best known for their 1970 AM pop classic "Green-Eyed Lady," Sugarloaf was formed in 1969 in Denver out of the ashes of the Moonrakers, which had released an album in 1968. Singer/keyboardist Jerry Corbetta and guitarist Bob Webber founded the group, adding Moonraker mates Bob MacVittie on drums and Veeder Van Dorn on rhythm guitar, plus bassist Bob Raymond".
This album was their 4th and final album and also provided them with a follow up to their #3 hit from 1970, "Green Eyed Lady"… (the single "Don't Call Us – We'll Call You …" went to #9 but the album stalled at #152). For whatever reason this album (from 1975) was a re-release of their 1973 album "I Got A Song" with one of the tracks on the earlier album replaced by the title track of the later album, which had become a hit single. (I suspect because the 1973 album was on a small label, "Brut", and didn't get pushed but who knows…).
The "with Jerry Corbetta" in the title is a pretty fair indication of what was going on … Corbetta wrote or co–wrote all bar one of the songs, sings and plays keyboards. The music is pretty much MOR rock, albeit more "rock" than MOR but still in that muddy field. There are substantial jazz fusion and psychedelic elements in there also and there are also some prog rock elements. It's sort of like a jazz rock fusion version of "Three Dog Night".
The album also has its own pomposities (the deep lyrics, strings, and slight spacey feel) as well as its eccentricities (there is a crazy violin interlude at the end of "Lay Me Down" which is out of place though endearing). As it is, it is extremely keyboard driven by Corbetta who also plays organ, piano, clavinet and arp (Corbetta later went on to perform with Wild Cherry, Disco-Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes and then in 1980 he became a member of The Four Seasons). There are a few good tunes though most of the album isn't distinctive (to my ears).
Best Tracks
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I Got a Song – a big MOR rock ballad.
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Wild Child – a jazz fusion cross over with some psychedelic elements.
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Don't Call Us – We'll Call You – a dig at a record company and quite funny … and a touch biting (though not as angry as Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Working for MCA" from 1974). And, it actually works a groove. From wikipedia" The song includes the sound of a touch-tone telephone number being dialed near the beginning and ending of the song. Those numbers were an unlisted phone number at CBS Records and a public number at the White House respectively. In addition, the recording includes snippets of the guitar riff of The Beatles' "I Feel Fine," Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," and a line of dialogue from Wolfman Jack stating the call sign of a radio station".
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Colorado Jones – a country rock flavoured up-tempo ballad.
And …
I'll tape a couple of tracks and flog it off.
Sounds
I Got a Song
Don't Call Us – We'll Call You
The hit: "Green Eyed Lady"
a recent clip – Corbetta looks like he would be happier making a pizza rather than "rocking" out on stage
Bio
Website
the new guitarists site – and quite a hoot if you want to see what a working muso had to go through in the 60s and 70s … (he didn't play on this LP)
the official site – they still tour
(Originally posted: 14/11/2009)
