Starbuck - A Fool In Line

This is probably my all time 'fave' dollar bin special.
These guys are better known for their AM pop tune success 'Moonlight Feels Right'. 'Moonlight' easily put them into the soft rock hall of fame. Their other LP's are vaguely reminiscent of 'Moonlight' except for this one.  None of the others albums are as interesting as 'Rock'n Roll Rocket' on a production level at least. This one, in my opinion stands out in epic format.

This one is strange. Wish we could know more of the story behind this one. There's an abundance of heavy synthesiser use on this album, and truck of load of trickery and even some drum machine. And yet it's a theme that's not carried along on either the previous or proceeding albums. It's strange that they got so into keyboards and drum machine on this album, but then those components are missing from the other albums.

This is indeed Starbuck's masterpiece in my eyes. It's rare to find an album like this. Trust me I'm constantly searching for stuff that sounds like it. Such great use of so many effects, such an interesting collection of songs, and it bounces about from bridge to chorus and from intro to turn around all morphing through some kinda hippie celestial thing.

Each song, as goofy as they might be on the surface, are all incredibly clever. The entire LP makes for a really great and curious listen, yet a few songs stick out considerably more than others. 'Fat Boy' has the pimpish feel of flossing around in a big 70's or 80's American car. It's a morality tale with nice harmonica and synth sounds basically about 'don't ya get too fat' either physically or mentally. Famous Starbuck quote '22 Slims Jim's never gonna slim ya down', yet I think Dr. Atkins would disagree. 'Call Me' has got amazing synth bass lines and killer Rhodes work and is also graced by a vibes solo, not just once but twice. Then 'Benny Bought The Big One' sounds like ELO and 10cc had collision with Sly and The Family Stone.

'City Of The Future' and 'Sunset Eyes' are also quite memorable. I'd say the LP is 80% strong. But, again..it's such a unique piece of work that you should definitely seek it out and give it a listen. Not hard to find at all. Just check the bay. Or, your town record store dollar bin.
This track, 'Fool In Line' is the creme de la creme. Fat synth bass line under belly. The lead moog is wicked, the guitar work is tight, and some of that backing synth sounds like theremin or something. Just genius production. This is the epicenter of blue-eyed boogie for me. The song that's on the 8 track player whenever your sailing about in the Bay, yacht rockin' it up. With this song, and Starbuck's whole relaxed soft rock approach you can see why this has been a secret obsession of mine.
Cheers, enjoy.

Starbuck - A Fool In Line

Prelude - Take It From Me

UK act Prelude bring us this enjoyable folk pop album. I originally started to do this post with just one track, but honestly feel it's better to represent their sound with a few cuts from this LP. They're a brilliant act with sweet harmonies and a well rounded jingly touch to their own brand of AM rock.

This is some Pina Colada and 'walkin' in the rain' music for sure.

This sound won't be for everybody, but represents the diversity in the music in which we love on this site. A lot of this same style of music was harvested by Leonora, who started a night called 'Smile' in San Francisco.  Two Years ago when I DJ'ed there it had transformed quite a bit and was a completely different animal. Respect is due to 'Leo' for not only starting that night, but for also diggin in the crates for rare folk, pop, rock, and hippy stuff from the 70's. I was sold on first listen, and thought of her when I found this in a junk shop record pile.

I've included the first three songs from side B, just because they moved me the most, and I've also included the first song on side A. 'Take It From Me' is by far the best song on this LP, yet there's a variety in these songs. From the 'funky-lite' style in 'The Night That New York Cried' (easy a second best) and 'Woman To Love' to the Jesus Christ Superstar-ish jam 'I Was Born To Sing Your Song' (a strong third best on the LP) they've got the 70's late night lite rock vibe covered.

In ripping these songs I made a slight error in tagging them. I mistakenly misread the date from LP label.  In the track ID tags I entered 1978 as the year this LP was released, but it was in fact released in 1976. I'm off to track down any other good Prelude LP's and if you know anything about this group, please I encourage you to share!


Prelude - The Night That New York Cried
Prelude - Take It From Me
Prelude - I Was Born To Sing Your Song
Prelude - Woman To Love

Yello - Bimbo

A went foraging into vinyl the other night, and turned this tune up again. I had met with Yello's music many years ago. Someone gave me a tape with Yello on it, and with a hit of acid I was changed forever. Deep into a future of electro and the bizarre I went. I think Kraftwerk gets a lot of credit for shaping modern electro music, but lesser bands like Yello played important roles as well. They frankly deserve more than just being the band with the Ferris Bueller claim to fame. That tape that rocked my world, welcomed me into the future, and had in it a dark and soulful world of electronic music. Entire LP's layered with synth and drum machines were hardly organic, but still unveiled worlds of possibility for me. Yello are a unique band of freaks and their music is unlike most bands I'd ever heard.
Still this group trips me up with how silly and strange they are.

I picked up this 45 the other night at the opening of Vamp: A music art & consignment shop. My friend Fernando has opened this spot and it has a LOT of potential. He's going to work to get a good supply of vinyl in there. I went to the pre-opening sale and found fairly tasty goodies. A lot of great r&b and soul 45's, plenty good re-issues, loads of mod related stuff, and a few punk, art-disco, and power pop things. That's where Yello came in..right between English Beat 45's and UK Punk classics.
Check out VAMP
at 547 Athol St. in Oakland, CA
You may want to call first. I'm not sure of the hours and I don't have the digits.
legwork. do it.

This cut is an excellent example of Yello's fury. Deep demonic voices, Sid Vicious sounding shouts, and a killer array of huge synths. The whole thing changes throughout the tune, and goes simply without classification. On Ralph records, home of other fantastic 'out' artists like Fred Frith, The Residents and Tuxedo Moon. Overall an impressive catalog and an impressive first 7 inch from Yello in 1980.

Yello - Bimbo

Andy Kim - It's Your Life

Time to delve into rock and pop for a bit. Nothing more pop, or rather bubblegum I should say, than Andy Kim.
This little piece of psych soul does something unique for me. I call this a Saturday morning wiggle your toes on the front porch type of jam. It starts off as if it were made for looping up with several 4 measure bars ready to feed right into the MPC. This is in the vein of Crystal Mansion or label mates The Illusion. Both of which are 'hippie soul' and 'pop rock and roll' groups from the seventies. It's tasty hippie soul or folk funk either way you slice it. Just a lazy funky beat with all the right elements. It heads in a bit of a Hare Krishna direction but has grown on me through the years regardless.
Andy Kim grew up in Montreal but was of Lebanese descent. When he moved to New York to pursue a music career he hooked up with Jeff Barry of Steed records. His biggest claim to fame was having penned 'Sugar, Sugar' for The Archies. After Steed records fell apart he moved to MCA in 1974.

Not an expert on Andy Kim in the slightest, but the story around this one being in my arsenal is kinda odd. My copy of this 45 is actually a mis-print. Steed records put the label for Robin McNamara's 'Lay A Little Lovin' On Me' on it instead of Andy Kim's. For years I thought it was Robin, and then for many years after that..I knew it wasn't Robin, but couldn't figure out who the hell it was! Fortunately, a friend (who prefers to remain anonymous), ex-record store owner, and fellow bubblegum and pop collector told me it was for sure a Steed label mate of Robin's. Thank god. At last my mystery 45 was exposed. But, then years passed by again... oh shit. Who the hell was this again? I had forgot the real artist it was and who he had told it was. screwed. I forgot!! I had to rifle through the Steed label again just to confirm and present it here on soundboutique. But, here it is in all it's splendor. Fresh from the 'Greatest Hits' of Andy Kim, not from my dodgy mis-printed 45.



Andy Kim - It's Your Life

Suzy And The Red Stripes - Seaside Woman

This is one of those deliciously hot tracks that's hardly classifiable and unique enough to turn heads where ever it's played. Some might remember it from the brief airwaves run it had in '77, but chances of that are slim. Most step up to the decks when I'm playing it and feel as though they know it because it is strikingly familiar in sound to everything else Paul McCartney did.

But, honestly there's never been enough of this kind of stuff from him for me. I could never get tired of the malarkey and unique rhythms that Paul enjoyed with expanding pop music. A strangely reggae calypso thing, this Wings-in-disguise debut has tight beats and a well placed snare. It's syncopated funkiness is undeniable, and I'm hard pressed to say it was trying to fit into any particular pop market. It is rumored to be recorded during 72-74. Hats off to Paul and wife Linda McCartney for once again going against the mainstream, yet keeping it playful and entertaining. Is that Paul slightly rapping on it at various points? Pressed on 'red' vinyl promo and delivered straight from the soundboutique vaults just for you.

Suzy And The Red Stripes - Seaside Woman