Friends again (John Sebastian) (LP 4267)

John Sebastian  Tarzana Kid (Vinyl, Reprise Records, 1974) *****  

Genre: Americana

Places I remember: Electric City Music

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Sitting in Limbo

Gear costume: Stories We Could Tell

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: I have a soft spot for Reprise Records and for John Sebastian, so when I visited the excellent Electric City Music recently (shout out to Dean Marden!!) and saw a copy of Tarzana Kid, I couldn't resist.

It's a superb collection of low-key lovely songs. If Americana was a genre back in 1974 this would have been huge!

The musicianship on it is fantastic, thanks to Sebastian and guests like Emmylou Harris, Lowell George, Milt Holland, The Pointer Sisters, Jim Gordon, David Grisman, David Lindlay, Ry Cooder, and Phil Everly.

This is a really under-appreciated album. I played it over and over again when I got it home. It just got better and better. Thanks again to Dean!   

Where do they all belong? Joins my other post The Lovin' Spoonful John Sebastian albums in my collection (John B Sebastian, The Four of Us).

Sweet muse (John Sebastian) (LP 3742)

John Sebastian The Four Of Us (Vinyl, Reprise Records, 1971) ****  

Genre: Pop, rock

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Well, Well, Well

Gear costume: Black Snake Blues

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: The Four of Us was his second studio album. I have previously reviewed his debut John B. Sebastian.

The Four of Us is a much rockier album, signaled by the lead off song - his version of In My Time of Dying, renamed here as Well, Well, Well. That's reinforced by the follow up - Black Snake Blues.

Dallas Taylor and John Barbata provide the muscular drums and Dr John (listed as 'Mac Rabinac' in the album credits) is on piano with John Sebastian providing the guitars.

The first side has the tougher edge, while side two is just the title track. It plays out as a suite of four parts (appropriate). It builds from Sebastian solo acoustic guitar - like he's sitting around a fireplace. Steel drums and rock moves interrupt the narrative which centres on a literal and metaphorical journey (it's a road trip - ha ha!).

Where do they all belong? Always keen to find other Sebastian records. He's a bit like Arlo Guthrie in my collection - a Woodstock performer who has an intriguing back catalogue.

I had a dream (John Sebastian) (LP 286)

John Sebastian John B. Sebastian (Vinyl - Reprise, 1970) ***

Genre: American pop/rock  

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records (Caterham on the hill) 

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: She's A Lady 






Gear costume: Rainbows All Over Your Blues, I Had A Dream

Active compensatory factors: John B. Sebastian, his debut solo album, came out simultaneously with the Woodstock documentary film and soundtrack.

So for many, he's forever the tie dyed (dippy) hippie singing at Woodstock, rather than the lead voice in The Lovin' Spoonful, or for that matter, the singer of Welcome Back, Kotter's theme song.

To be fair, this album isn't as tie dyed as you'd expect given the timing. There's a toughness to the arrangements, even for hippy bastians like Rainbows and Dream.

Whatever your impression of the man - cool hippy dude or serious muso, this is one messy album that perhaps reflects the multiple facets -and although famous friends like Croz, Stills and Nash appear, they are all pretty anonymous. 

Instead we have some cool sixties pop and some mid tempo rock, plus some bizarre sounds for good measure (Fa-Fana-Fa). 

Where do they all belong? In a time capsule - it's a period piece. Far out. As in, I can't see millennial vinyl collectors digging this one, man.