Now here's a very interesting little record. As soon as I saw it I was intrigued. As long as it wasn't Heyseus Christo music, I knew it was money. The back cover is the total giveaway that this was the good stuff right here. As you can see they were from my current hometown of Colorado Springs. I wasn't here in 1980 (wish I was), but my image of Colorado back then would be the front cover. They look like a nightclub act playing either at the Broadmoor Hotel or the Little Bear Saloon in Evergreen (a wide range indeed). The music has elements of yacht rock, radio friendly AOR, folk, hard rock, 80s New Wave, and even prog if you can believe it. That guy in the blue leisure suit (as a friend observes "looks like he's a manager at a steakhouse in Iowa") actually possess quite a bit of talent. You'll hear him wailing on the electric guitar, playing mandolin, bass, and flute. The pretty lady on the front brings the keyboards (including synthesizer and organ) and they both sing. A1, A5, B1, B3, and B5 are your focus tracks. Any one of them could find themselves on a well researched compilation. The other tracks are more middle of the road, and seem to be crowd pleasers for the club drinking set. The closer 'Same Old Scene' is the prog number and it's quite accomplished all things considered. If evaluating the album, one really needs to place themselves in a Colorado that barely exists anymore - when smoky taverns ruled supreme, and your audience was a mix of ranchers, outdoorsmen, and oil workers. And a few hippies coming down from Boulder. It's not overly consistent and there isn't anything here that will blow you away. It's the essence of the American private press experience. I love finding records like this.
Ownership: LP: 1980 Cascade. Single sleeve. Thrift shop find (2022). This copy is still in shrink and is signed on the back by the two protagonists plus one of the sponsors. There was also a sealed copy which we will be selling at some point in the future. Hard to gauge a price. It's still relatively unknown. Hope to find more!
8/22/22 (new entry)
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