Proof (the) - It's Safe

Name: The Proof
Album: It's Safe
Year: 1980
Style: New Wave
Similar Bands: Squeeze, Hawks, Cars
"One-Word" Review: Catchy Squeeze-like New Wave
Based Out Of: New Jersey
Label: Nemperor Records, CBS Records

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

It's Safe (1980)

1. Stay Sixteen 3:39
2. First Rate 3:22
3. I Would Be There 3:07
4. I Won't Give an Inch 3:14
5. I Want You 2:08
6. It's Safe 2:30 /
7. No Answers 4:14
8. Crazy Nites 3:05
9. Hello 3:50
10. That's That 2:04
11. Love in a Hurry 2:07
12. Does it Show 3:00

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

• John Leckie - Producer, Engineer 
• Tom Cohen - Lead Vox, Guitar (Private Sector, Dave LaRue, Minas, Ben Schachter)
• Michael Hommel - Bass, Vox (Private Sector)
• Michael Newman - Guitar, Vox 
• Jeff Cohen - Drums (Private Sector)
• Jeff Hendrickson - Asst. Engineer
• Greg Calbi - Mastering
• Siggy - Crew
• Chuck - Crew
• Bozo - Crew
• Michael Batlan - Mgmt
• Debbie Schwartz - Mgmt
• Janet Perr - Art Direction
• Robert Lewis - Photography
• Kit Grover - Set Design

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Love the angles of the title and band name, as well as the entire set on the cover. Solid color scheme too: bright & lively. Based on the band photo on the back, they look like a bunch of average dudes. I'm guessing its some sort of New Wave.

Album Review: From start to finish, this is a fun album full of power pop guitar hooks and on updated driving oldies sound. A lot of the elements they use, including the vocals, remind me a lot of Squeeze, though not quite as hook laden. They are a Jersey band who only had this album and an unreleased 4 track ep, produced by one of Bowie's Spiders from Mars, Mick Ronson. After this band's demise, three of the four went on to form a band caled Private Sector, which apparently had a good local run playing at venues 'down the shore.

Stand Out Track: Stay Sixteen,  I Want You

Links:
Willfully Obscure
Gearsluts Q&A
Facebook
Amazon reviews
Discogs

Charlie Ainley - s/t

Name: Charlie Ainley
Album: Bang Your Door
Year: 1978
Style: Pub Rock, Disco, Country, Rockabilly, Blues
Similar Bands: Steve Forbet, Lou Reed, Marshall Crenshaw
"One-Word" Review: Randomized Bar Jukebox Singer
Based Out Of: Cornwall, UK
Label: Nemperor Records, CBS Records

 Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Bang Your Door (1978)

1. Bang Your Door 3:05
2. Angry 3:28
3. Try to Be a Good One 4:15
4. Pig Farm Blues 2:50
5. I Don't Need No Doctor 4:00 / (Ashford & Simpson cover)
6. Deed I Do 3:15
7. New York, New York 3:41
8. Heat of the Night 3:18
9. The Whistler 3:55
10. R.U. 1 3:05

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Charlie Ainley - Writer, Vox (Charlie & the Wide Boys, Shakin' Stevens)
• Tony Ashton - Producer, Organ, Tubular Bells (Ashton & Lord, Gardner & Dyke, Broken Glass, Chicken Shack, Family, Green Bullfrog, Roger Glover & Guests,  Remo Four, Wizard's Convention)
• Stuart Elliot - Drums, Percussion (Cockney Rebel, Keats, Steve Harley, Al Stewart, Alan Parsons)
• Chas Hodges - Bass, Backing Vox (Chas & Dave, Black Claw, Cliff Bennett & Rebel Rousers, Green Bullfrog, Heads Hands & Feet, Heinz & the Wild Boys, House Band, Oily Rags, Ritchie Blackmore Orchaestra, Rockers, Soul Survival, Outlaws, Sessions and more)
• Richard Worthy - Guitar (Charlie & the Wide Boys)
• Pete Wingfield - Bosendorfer, Keys (Band of Gold, Jellybread, Olympic Runners, Hollies, Keef Hartley Band, Dexys Midnight Runners, Olivia Newton-John)
• The Misdemeanors - Backing Vox
• Howie Casey - Brass (Howie Casey & the Seniors, Rockestra, Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers)
• Martin Frith - Brass (National yo9uth Jazz Orch. Ian Gillian Band, Herb Miller Orch.)

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this singer/songwriter, but I expect a general slacker meets hipster songsmith.

Album Review: This record jumps all around the styles from pub rock to disco to country. The vocals don't sound like they're the same person on any one track, which might have been a goal, but this feels like a genre compilation more than a solidified album. He sounds like Zappa, Lou Reed, generic honky-tonk, or Robert Plant at any one time. Not positive, but I suspect the album title and first track is a veiled references to asking for anal sex.

Stand Out Track: Bang Your Door

Links:
Discogs
Robert Christgau
Punk Music Catalogue
facebook
allmusic
rate your music
website

Steve Forbert - Jackrabbit Slim

Name: Steve Forbert
Album: Jackrabbit Slim
Year: 1979
Style: Smoothly Produced Singer Songwriter Folk-Pop
Similar Bands: Daniel Johnston, Airwaves, Flyer, Paul Simon,
"One-Word" Review: winnie-the-pooh-on-zoloft
Based Out Of: Meridian, Mississippi
Label: Nemperor, CBS

Jackrabbit Slim - Cover & Sleeve

Jackrabbit Slim - Back & Record

Jackrabbit Slim (1979)

1. Romeo's Tune 3:28
2. The Sweet Love That You Give (Sure Goes A Long, Long Way) 3:35
3. I'm In Love With You 4:47
4. Say Goodbye to Little Jo 3:52
5. Wait 5:31 /
6. Make It All So Real 5:54
7. Baby 4:12
8. Complications 3:41
9. Sadly Sorta Like A Soap Opera 3:41
10. January 23-30 1978 4:37

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands

Steve Forbert - Vox, Guitar, Harmonica
Bobby Ogdin - Piano (Ween)
Paul Errico - Organ, Accordian
Jon Goin - Lead Guitar

Alan Freedman - Guitar
Roger Clark - Drums
Gunnar Gellote - Drums
Bob Wray - Bass
Jack Williams - Bass
Jerry Bridges - Bass
Mike Leech - Bass
Bill Jones - Sax
Ron Keller - Trumpet
Dennis Good - Trombone
Shoals Sisters - Backing Vox
Gene Eichelberger - Recording Engineer
Willie Pevear - Asst Enginner
Jimmy Stroud - Asst Engineer
Connie Potter - Asst Engineer
Don Puluse - Mix
George Marino - Mastering
John Simon - Producer (The Band)
Paula Scher - Design
Benno Friedman - Photography

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of Forbert, But from the date of the album 1979, and the album’s simple rock n’ roll design, I thought this record might have some kinda quirky new wave potential. The album title and image of the jackrabbit on the back give hints that it could be a bit country, but it was worth taking a chance. Leather jackets, like the one on the cover are usually a good sign. After lookin at the liner notes, I recognized Bobby Ogdin's name from the name mention in Ween's live version of Mr. Richard Smoker. Sure enough, same guy!

Album Review: “Romeo's Tune” introduces the album with some midwestern pop piano. The vocals are slight and pleasant. The organ plays a prominent part for the backing atmosphere. It is a catchy poppy song, the vocal melody rolls up and down along the music. This is supposedly his hit, and I can see its place and potential popularity for its time. I’ve read that he was called the next gen’s Dylan, but I for his singing style, I don’t see much in the sound. Perhaps the way he carries his voice along the music is similar to Dylan, but his voice is far more pleasing. “The Sweet Love That You Give (Sure Goes A Long, Long Way)” already shows diversity, with its horn section, and the tempo is a little more aggressive, but still its just as catchy and poppy. He sounds like a more confident Daniel Johnston, and has fun with his music. Occasionally his voice will crack, but not in an off putting way. Instead it makes him more personal or relatable. Like when a professional musician bashfully makes a mistake live, the audience still applauds, if anything, more than usual for carrying on. “I'm In Love With You” is a slow ballady song with strings and quiet and slightly raspy vocals, which make him sound a bit like the voice from Winnie The Pooh. The Nashville production dabbles in country style with a slide guitar and slow tempo. “Say Goodbye to Little Jo” begins with a slow-tempo’ed vocals only section, setting up the melodic hook for the chorus with a backing harmonizing choir. But the piano and guitar picks up as do the vocals. In this song, he really sounds like a more confident Johnston / Pooh. When the piano/guitar/drums all match up in the chorus’s hook, they come off sounding very powerful. The song also takes advantage of musical pauses that are accented by the vocals, right before the music kicks back in. The choir comes back, making adding a gospel element to the bluesy rock/pop song. “Wait” goes back to a slower tempo song. His vocal melodies often start up high and flow over the scale/ course of the verse to low. It is a very pleasant and reliable trick that shows the singer’s range and songwriting ability. The song features the choir of harmonizing vocals again, adding the church-room singing feel ever so slightly, amongst the harmonica and smooth production pop-rock of the era.

“Make It All So Real” starts side two with a sax on display. The ragtime hobo-slacker lite-stomp of this story song delightfully breezes by, like a campfire sing along. Each captivating verse is dedicated to the progression of a sad situation where a band’s singer’s girl talks to other guys in the crowd. “Baby” has a slow start, and his Pooh impression is at its peak here, it is as if he’s singing the whole album from start to finish and his voice is deteriorating into raspiness overtime. This slow folky tune has peaks and valleys of energy and emotion, but mostly it is a solemn journey. “Complications” is a bouncy piano, slightly rag-time upbeat ditty. If I did not know better, I’d say this has a sort of care free island/reggae vibe to it. The guitar and harmonica trade off to end the song. “Sadly Sorta Like A Soap Opera” is like a slow doo-wop dance song with the prominent bass and guitar style. But as soon as the vocals start, it transfers to a folk story ballad. Even the organ sounds like it was meant to be something other than a folk song. The song winds down with a harmonica and hymn like humming over that church organ sound. “January 23-27 1978” is supposedly a journal song. Its bouncy honky tonk style is set off by the bass, harmonica, and jangley guitar. It is a pleasant song, and it feels like this (and all songs) that Forbert is right there in the room with you singing to a small collection of friends while you sip your whiskey and cider from a handmade wooden bucket and rope jug.

Stand-Out Track: Say Goodbye To Little Jo

Links:
Allmusic
Wikipedia
Official Website
Fan Site
ASCAP Portrait
The Forbert Association Game
Interview
Myspace
Fan Blog Site

Gregg Clemons - s/t

Name: Gregg Clemons
Album: s/t
Year: 1980
Style: Singer/Songwriter Rock/Metal
Similar Bands: Survivor, Springsteen, ZZ Top, A’s
"One-Word" Review: Bi-polar New-Prog-Rock
Based Out Of: Naples, FL
Label: CBS, Nemperor,

Gregg Clemons - Cover & Insert

Gregg Clemons -Back & Insert

Gregg Clemons - Photo & Bio-1

Gregg Clemons - Record & Bio-2

Gregg Clemons (1980)

1. Night Bird 3:22
2. I Feel You Near 4:00
3. 747 2:59
4. Maybe I'm In Love 2:39
5. Without Love 3:26/
6. Get Up 4:03
7. Love Speaks Clearer 2:57
8. What You Need 3:33
9. Don't Turn Around 2:39
10. It Happened in My Life 5:19

Album Rating (1-10):
6.0

Members & Other Bands:

Gregg Clemons - Vocals (Jets, Clicker, Liberty & Justice, Pink Flamingoes)
Cherryl Fonfara - Backing Vox

Greg Wilson - Drums

Jeff Masino - Bass

Jeff Oakley - Keyboard, Vox

John Casella - Tenor Sax
Vito Wiegratz - Alto Sax

John Masino - Lead Guitar (Up Up Down Down Left Right Left B A Start)

Josie Falbo - Background Vox

Marilyn Grimes - Background Vocals

Michael Lorenz - Percussion

Pete Solley - Producer (Romantics, The Records, Steve Forbert)
Steve Brown - recorded & Mixed
Greg Calbi - Mastered
Chuck Toler - Management

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of Clemons, but from the year, the clothing in the photo, the pastel colored room, I thought this might be a new wave singer song writer, similar to Elvis Costello or Graham Parker. Included inside the record were a glossy promo head shot as well as a 2-page bio selling the album. I'd assume this record was property of a radio station or a music reviewer before it ended up in the dollar bin. I did read some of the review, and it tried to equate Gregg to his influences like Elvis Presley, so I figured it would be a good buy.

Album Review: I read a little about Gregg from an interview, and it seems he is deeply religious and motivated by said religion. That is now, but I’m not sure if it held true back in 1980. I’ll be looking for religious tendencies throughout the record. Track one, “Night Bird” is a rock song, with organ and driving rhythm via drums and bass. This is stereotypical 80’s rock, tinged with new wave. There is a short sax solo in the middle of song. There is an underlying feel of a 50’s doo-wop song hidden in the chorus. “I Feel You Near” starts out as a lite-jazz song, with a sax intro, and its steady, mid-tempo beat. His vocals are produced with an echo effect. Synthesized keyboards add to the mix, enhancing a secret, sneaky vibe. The smooth jazz sax comes back for short moments, continuously reminding us of the song’s nature. “747” is a straightforward, solid rock song. His vocals are a little stuffy, like on a verge of catching a cold. But the music is reminiscent of ZZ Top. “Maybe I’m In Love” has a great catchy bass line. This song and the way he sings it, sounds like Roy Orbison number. The tempo is somewhat bouncy, and the lyrics and melody maintain a relaxed start/stop pace. The synthesized keyboards are laid lightly underneath the production. From the start, “Without Love” follows the melody of Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart,” with a similar sounding piano to boot. While the verse remains to a singer-songwriter style, arena rock production of the song takes over in the chorus, complete with heavy synth keyboards.

“Get Up” is slightly darker musically, but once the lyrics start, the song sounds very much like the A’s. It possesses a chanting chorus of ‘get up,’ and tries to be persuasive about getting that action done. The main hook and drive of the song is the 80’s synthesized melody buried underneath the handclaps and vocals. A rolling drum beat, electronic jittery keyboards, and a nice driving bass all come together to form what sounds like a Blondie’s “Call Me” on Clemons’ “Love Speaks Clearer.” Metal guitars are added for the short instrumental break, and a rising vocal bridge brings us back into the chorus. “What You Need” continues the same driving spirit, and adds bouncy, jittering keyboards into the first part of the chorus. A chorus of voices supports Clemons angelically in the second part of the chorus. “Don’t Turn Around” has a unique sing-speak-rap groove to it. His voice goes deeper here than he has displayed before. Funky synth sounds fill the first musical break. His song also rises and holds on emotional, high notes. Finally, “It Happened In My Life” begins, feeling something like a driving metal-prog song at first. The chorus is made up of a call and response chant of the title. The musical break has a loud metal electric guitar showing off.

The album was much heavier than I imagined it. While I was expecting pop singer songwriter songs, what this is, is more metal, prog influenced music. I do not see the connections with Elvis Presley and oldies that the liner noted proclaimed, with the exception of “Maybe I’m In Love.” The new-wave/rock songs are really good though.

Stand Out Track:
Maybe I’m In Love

Links:

Gregg Clemons - Allmusic (empty)

Gregg Clemons Interview w/ Jiberty & Justice

Gregg Clemons Photography Business