Ernie Graham - Ernie Graham (remastered)

Initially released in 1971, Ernie Graham's only solo album was a sadly underappreciated effort that is now getting a much-deserved reissue with a new CD release that has been newly remastered from the original Liberty master tapes. Born in Belfast, Ireland, Ernie Graham initially got some local fame as the rhythm guitarist in Tony and the Telstars.  Several members of that band, along with Graham, then moved on to form The People, and over the next couple of years started touring England and gaining a larger following.  In early 1967 they got the attention of former Animals’ bassist Chas Chandler, who with Mike Jeffery, was managing The Jimi Hendrix Experience.  At his suggestion, they changed their name to Eire Apparent, and started touring with the likes of Hendrix, Pink Floyd and The Move.  In the beginning of 1968, they released a single and did some touring in the States with Eric Burdon and The Animals at first, and then Soft Machine and Hendrix.  October 1968 found them recording their debut album, Sunrise, which was produced by Hendrix, and featured appearances from all the members of his band and Robert Wyatt from Soft Machine.  After recording the album, they hit the road in Europe, once more opening for Hendrix.  The album was released in May 1969, and they spent the rest of the year touring, but by May of the next year they had broken up.  Graham started performing as a solo artist and signed to Famepushers management, who also managed Brinsley Schwarz and Help Yourself.  Both of those bands were signed to Liberty Records and when they heard some of the songs he was working on they signed him as well.  When he went in to record his album, he was backed by Brinsley Schwarz, Bob Andrews, Nick Lowe, Ian Gomm and Billy Rankin of the band Brinsley Schwarz and Malcolm Morley, Richard Treece, Ken Whaley and Dave Charles of Help Yourself.  The resulting album opens strongly with the beautiful “Sebastian,” an acoustic folk tune that has a strong Dylan feel in both vocal delivery and guitar accompaniment.  It also has some great vocal harmonies and guitar.  “So Lonely” finds him going full electric and is a mid-tempo, rootsy rocker that is reminiscent of The Band, but rawer.  The interplay of organ and piano does a great job of setting the tone on “Sea Fever,” a melancholy cut that’s hauntingly dreamy with a hint of psychedelia.  The next two cuts are standouts that make for the perfect centerpiece to the album.  “The Girl That Turned The Lever” has a similar vibe to The Band’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” and is an easygoing, laid-back tune with more great harmonies and even some accordion.  With bittersweet lyrics and a gorgeous arrangement that kind of meanders and wistfully rolls along, the melancholy “For A Little While” is a nostalgic reflection on a past romantic relationship.  Shifting gears a bit, “Blues To Snowy” is a taut rocker with some really strong guitar work (at times bringing to mind Lynyrd Skynyrd) that shuffles along sounding like it’s going to explode at any minute.  The Band come to mind once again on “Don’t Want Me Round You,” a strangely somewhat upbeat, very catchy, tune with a playful organ and infectious “na na na’s" accompanying lyrics that, as the title implies, are not very happy.  Closing track “Belfast” is a gritty, fiddle-driven Irish folk rocker that finds him embracing his roots.  Everything about this album, from the vocals and lyrics to the insane talent of the musicians had the makings of a hit, but unfortunately for some reason it just wasn't to be.  Following the album's release, Graham did some live shows opening for both Brinsley Schwarz and Help Yourself, but when the album failed to sell, he joined Help Yourself in the next incarnation of the band. He was part of the recording sessions for their second album, Strange Affair, and wrote the song "Movie Star", but along with Jojo Glemser, left the band before it was finished.  The two of them formed the band Clancy and released two albums, and then in 1978 he released a single on Stiff Records, which would be his last release. He ended up taking a job with British Rail and then passed away in 2001.  

(Esoteric Recordings)

20/20 - Back To California

The 20/20 story starts back in 1977 when Steve Allen and Ron Flynt left Tulsa, Oklahoma and headed to California hoping for a record deal (fellow Tulsa natives Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley had followed a similar path a few years earlier).  In 1979, with the addition of Chris Silagyi on keyboards and Phil Seymour filling in on drums after original drummer Mike Gallo was let go, they released their self-titled debut, an album that’s considered a “Power Pop” classic.  They followed it up with a couple more releases in 1981 and 1982 that didn’t quite reach that peak set by the debut and then went their separate ways, although Flynt and Allen did get back together in the ensuing years to release two more albums, 1995’s 4 Day Tornado and 1998’s Interstate.  Now, twenty-seven years after that last album, the duo have written a whole new batch of songs (with the help of Gus Allen on one track), and with Ron’s son Ray on drums, they have recorded the new album Back To California.  While the hooks are plentiful, and songs like “Springtime Love Song”, an energetic, old school power pop tune and the darker, more midtempo “Why Do I Hurt Myself” (check out the guitar work here) harken back to their Seventies sound, many of the other tracks find them venturing in other directions.  Several songs have a really strong roots rock and country influence.  The title track brings to mind The Long Ryders, and after opening with a big power chord crunch, "The End Of Summer" has hints of The Byrds and some great wistful lyrics and sound that match the title perfectly.  There is a hint of Springsteen in both the music and lyrics of "Lucky Heart", and Tom Petty comes to mind on the midtempo rocker "Spark" with its jangly guitars.  They embrace country rock, complete with slide guitar and harmonica, on the infectious, upbeat "King Of The Whole Wide World", and standout track "Laurel Canyon" has somewhat autobiographical lyrics with big ringing guitars and great vocal harmonies giving it a sound that encapsulates its namesake.  “When The Sun Goes Down” is a pretty, kind of melancholy, roots-tinged pop tune with a touch of The Beach Boys and “Long Distance Call” uses harmonium and Wurlitzer to create a dark and mysterious bluesy groove that really sets it apart from the rest of the album.  The album closes fittingly with “Farewell”, an easygoing track about saying goodbye to lost friends and loved ones.  Back To California is a stellar return for the band with well-crafted songs, outstanding musicianship and hooks galore that should please fans old and new. 

(Big Stir Records / Spyderpop Records)