Album: Send A Little Love My Way
Year: 1979
Style: Smooth 70's Pop Rock
Similar Bands: Airwaves, Journey, Supertramp, Bee Gees
"One Word" Review: Smoothy-Lite-Pop
Based Out Of: California
Label: Infinity Records, Transcontinent Record Sales, MCA Distribution, Amherst
Send A Little Love My Way - Cover & Record
Send A Little Love My Way Back & Record
Send A Little Love My Way(1979)
- Send A Little Love My Way 2:51
- Natalie 2:54
- Turn Out The Lights 3:13
- Just Can't Take It 3:07
- Just One More Time 3:38/
- The Only Game in Town 3:17
- Say You Love Me 3:05
- Good Love 3:50
- Lettin' You Go 2:50
- Let It Happen to You 3:46
Album Rating (1-+10):7.5
Members & Other Bands:
Bob Wiesner
Members & Other Bands:
Bob Wiesner
Lou Rera - Vox
Thom Dussault - Guitars
Bill Torrico - Vox
Larry Emerine - Producer, Engineer
Ira Newborn - Arrange & Conductor
Bill Torrico - Music, Lyrics
Low Rera - Music, Lyrics
Stephan Marcussen - Engineering
Tim Simon Dennen - 2nd Engineer
Allen Zentz - Mastering
Peter Corriston - Desing & Art Direction
Hubert Kretzschmar - Cover Art
David Paich - Acoustic Piano
Tom Hensley - Acoustic Piano
Andy Munson - Bass
Ian Gardiner - Bass, Guitars
Jeffrey Porcaro - Drums & Percussion (Toto)
Mike Baird - Drums & Percussion
Louie Shelton - Guitars
Bob Esty - Piano, Synth, Harmonium
Jay Migliori - Clarinette, Sax, Trumpet
Larry Emerine - Melodian
Cameron McKay - Bagpipes
Barton Cummings - Clavinette & Tack Piano
Jessy Dixon Singers - Backgorund Vox (Paul Simon)
Gerald Vinci - Violin (Michael Jackson)
Assa Drori - 2nd Violin
Alexander Neiman - Viola (Willie Nelson, Harry James)
Fred Seykora - Cello (Monkees)
Unknown-ness: I had never heard of these guys. But I liked the simple image and text on the cover. I have always been a fan of the universally understandable aircraft disaster direction artwork, so I was excited to see a band employ them. I got the record because I’m curious as to what this imagery will translate to in sound. But from their clothes and song titles, I am guessing this will be a late 70’s soft rock record, similar to Ace or Airwaves.
Album Review: Starting off with the album’s namesake, “Send A Little Love My Way” is a slowish marching Journey-esq song. Actually, it is more Supertramp than Journey in its vocal harmonies, bouncy bass and lighter rock sections. “Natalie” follows up as a standard 60’s early 70’s pop love song. It possesses a light groove like any less catchy standard from a Herman’s Hermits or Monkeys catalogue. The piano in the song reminds me of Madness’s “Love Struck.” “Turn Out The Lights” begins with high vocals along the lines of Bee Gees or Supertramp. But the chorus is very catchy, jangly, bouncy pop. The strings add a strong texture to the song, rather than making it a disco hit. The sections are very diverse in the song, but they are all tied together with a steady drum and bass combo. With each repeat of the chorus to the end, it grows in strength and energy, to a point where it feels that it will (hopefully) go on forever. “Just Can't Take It” slows it down a bit to a soothing groove. This feels like a stereotypical 70’s light rock jam. Higher harmonized vocals over a smug bass line and a simple drum beat buried in the back ground. The guitar had free range to wail all over the track. “Just One More Time” is the slow dance ballad. A chorus of ooohs and lyrical repetition fills in with the soaring violin making a heartbreaking backdrop for trying to try it again with a love. “The Only Game in Town” is a down on his luck Billy Joel song in the verse. The chorus is a soaring Bee Gees interpretation. “Say You Love Me” covers the same ground as before, but in a more easy listening and lighter atmosphere. I keep hearing the backing music from Ben Fold’s songs “Your Most Valuable Possession” and “Regrets.” “Good Love” starts out with an orchestra of strings, which flows into a finger snapping light verse. The music generates a sleepy, care free, strutting tempo. The song ends with a heavily displayed bass beat and a complex orchestral section overlapping each other. “Lettin' You Go” is a simple groove without any complex instrumentation. The tinkling on the synth, again, reminds me of the little I know about Supertramp, and the vocal harmonies are out of the Bee Gee’s playbook. The song never gets overly complex, and is just one hook drug out for the son’s length. “Let It Happen to You” starts off with a Beatles-like woodwind sound. It plays out to a very marchy, bouncy beat, and even some what psychedelic. This is a very good song, with interesting instrumentation. I keep hearing hints of Beatles songs in the melody of this song. But the instrumentation comes and goes, and the song sounds very light on production. If only the song was a little thicker, heavier, and bolder, it would be a perfect song. It kinda sounds like a demo, or at least a stripped down version of what it could be. Bag Pipes and hand claps/foot stomps fill in the end, but it is too little too late. Still, it is a great song.
Stand Out Track: Turn Out The Lights
Links:
That's Jeff Porcaro of ToTo.
ReplyDeleteI worked with Thom Dussault (Electric & Acoustic Guitar) in the late 80's and early 90's in Buffalo NY. This guy has amazing skills. He released a solo recording (Just Learnin') in the early 90's. His vocal style is alot like Bob Dylan. Don't know if you can get this anywhere now. I have a cassette of it somewhere. Lost contact with him 10yrs ago. What an extremly talented musician that could have done alot if the cards would have fallen his way. (Randy K Buffalo, NY)
ReplyDeletetom lives on hawthorn ave in town of tonawanda n.y. 5/1/23
ReplyDelete