Learn how to boogie (Asylum Choir) (LP 829 - 830)

Asylum Choir   Look Inside The Asylum Choir (Vinyl, Mercury Records, 1968) *** 

Asylum Choir  Asylum Choir II (Vinyl, Shelter Records, 1971) *** 

Genre: Pop/rock 

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown and Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Ballad For A Soldier

Gear costume: Sweet Home Chicago

Active compensatory factors: Leon Russell's solo career started with these two Asylum Choir albums with Marc Benno. Prior to this he was a session musician appearing on a huge range of records.

The first look at Asylum Choir has them in a psychedelic setting, with a mixture of styles from pop/rock and ballads to barking mad sound collages. It's of its time, that's for sure.

What is clear though, is that Leon has a striking voice as early as 1968. Indian Style, Black Sheep Boogaloo close off each side and provide a sign of things to come.

The second album is much more assured in every department. Leon's vocals are much more prominent and demanding of attention. His songwriting has also come on in leaps and bounds. Plus, the playing is much more confident - so much so that side two starts with that tease about which intro to use on Straight Brother.

Where do they all belong? After/ during these albums Leon began his solo career in earnest with the first album (Leon Russell) under his own name appearing in 1970 (the second Asylum Choir album was held up for a few years and appeared after Leon Russell. Much more to come from Leon in the collection.