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"...Past Love..."
This rather beautifully
presented 2CD set from reissue champs Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of
Cherry Red) puts up the notion that the West-Coast influenced COCHISE (they
came out of the Cambridge and Sunderland) are worthy of your
attention - a forgotten British Americana Folk-Rock band with Guitarist Mick
Grabham and B.J.Cole on Pedal Steel that deserve a second go-round. There are even appearances from Caleb Quaye and Nigel Olsson of Hookfoot and Elton John's
Band, Tim Renwick of Junior's Eyes and Quiver and a rare duet with Steve
Marriott of Humble Pie on the second LP to draw in collectors...
Unfortunately even with my
penchant for all things Bronco, Matthews Southern Comfort and Brinsley Schwarz
(see reviews) - there are only sporadic moments of greatness on offer here and
its easy to hear why the slightly plodding Cochise sank without a trace despite
popping out three albums at the beginning of that most receptive of decades -
the Seventies (1970, 1971 and 1972 and a rare stand-alone 45). Still - if you're
a fan of them and like-minded Americana music (The Band, Poco, The Flying
Burrito Brothers and even America) - the presentation is superlative and the
audio absolutely top notch (from original master tapes). There's a lot to get
through so let's get to the nitty gritty...
UK released 29 April 2013 (7
May 2013 in the USA) - "Velvet Mountain: An Anthology 1970-1972" by
COCHISE on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 22388 (Barcode 5013929438842) is a 2CD
Remastered Retrospective with 30-tracks and plays out as follows:
Disc 1 (58:41 minutes):
1. Velvet Mountain
2. China
3. Trafalgar Day
4. Moment And The End
5. Watch This Space
6. 59th Street Bridge Song
(Feelin' Groovy)
7. Past Loves
8. Painted Lady
9. Black Is The Colour
Tracks 1 to 9 are their
debut LP "Cochise" - released July 1970 in the UK on United Artists
UAS 29117. Produced by DICK TAYLOR
10. Love's Made A Fool Of
You - November 1970 UK 7" single on Liberty LBF 15425 (A-side - a Buddy
Holly cover version)
11. Jed Collder
12. Down Country Girls
13. Home Again
14. Lost Hearts
15. Strange Images
16. Why I Sing The Blues
Tracks 11 to 16 are Side 1
of their 2nd studio album "Swallow Tales" - released April 1971 in
the UK on Liberty Records LBG 83428.
Disc 2 (60:22 minutes):
1. Another Day
2. Axiom Of Maria
3. Can I Break Your Heart
4. O Come All Ye Faithful
Tracks 1 to 4 are Side 2 of
their 2nd studio album "Swallow Tales" - released April 1971 in the
UK on Liberty Records LBG 83428.
5. Words Of A Dying Man -
November 1970 UK 7" single on Liberty LBF 15425 (B-side of the Buddy Holly
cover version "Love's Made A Fool Of You" on Disc 1)
6. Cajun Girl
7. Blind Love
8. Dance, Dance, Dance
9. So Many Times
10. Diamonds
11. Thunder in The Crib
12. Up And Down
13. Wishing Well
14. Midnight Moonshine
Tracks 6 to 14 are their 3rd
and final studio album "So Far" - released May 1972 on United Artists
UAS 29286 (not 28286 as is mistakenly credited on the back cover). The track
"Dance, Dance, Dance" (a Neil Young cover) was recorded 'live' at
Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1971.
COCHISE was:
STEWART BROWN - Lead Vocals
and Acoustic Guitar on the "Cochise" album only
JOHN GILBERT - Lead Vocals
on "Swallow Tales" and "So Far" albums
B.J. COLE - Pedal Steel
Guitar and Dobro on all albums (Cello on "Cochise")
MICK GRABHAM - Lead and
Acoustic Guitars, Piano, Organ and Vocals on all albums (Lead Vocals on
"Dance, Dance, Dance" on "So Far")
RICKY WILLS - Bass on all albums
JOHN WILSON - Drums,
Percussion and Vocals on "Cochise" album
"WILLIE" WILSON -
Drums, Percussion and Vocals on "Swallow Tales" album
ROY O'TEMRO - Drums and
Percussion on "So Far" album
The three-way foldout card
digipak has two picture CDs - photos beneath the see-through trays - LP artwork
for the three albums on the flaps and a quality 16-page booklet with new liner
notes from MICHAEL HEATLEY (with thanks to founder member Mick Grabham). It
comes with the usual plethora of trade adverts, publicity photos and
discography info and is very nicely done. But the big news is the stunning
audio care of PASCHAL BYRNE (done at Audio Archiving) that lifts the original
master tapes off the ground in a big way. I had the first two LPs on original
British vinyl back in the day and they sounded o.k. - here they are full of
beans - great clarity and without ever overdoing the treble knob. Onto to the
music...
The debut sported some
typically provocative but strangely off-putting nipple artwork from Hipgnosis –
then beginning their long association with Pink Floyd and all things oblique
yet cool. Problem is that the artwork doesn’t reflect in any way the music
contained within. From the outset you can hear how heavily influenced the
five-piece was by the emerging Americana scene across the pond - so
"Velvet Mountain" is sub Band territory while "China" is so
America. Some of the tunes are stuff like "Past Loves" is a grower.
But a dreadful cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge
Song" and Stewart Brown's frankly dead vocals do for so many. BJ Cole
makes his Dobro presence known on his own "Trafalgar Day" where our
heroes liken their lovelorn loins to that of Nelson but it descends after a
promising opening into dreadful guitar wailing. Stewart Brown wails on
"Moment And The End" and you wish he wouldn't.
But things get better with
"Swallow Tales" which is way more Country than the debut - PJ Cole's
Pedal Steel to the fore and John Gilbert sounding like the enthusiastic
vocalist this kind of music needs sing of 'hound dogs' that need to 'scratch an
itch'. The song quality picks up with Mick Grabham's "Home Again" -
his jangling guitar sound akin to the Byrds and serious dollops of Gene Clark
and Gram Parsons. "Lost Hearts" gets all Spanish in its rhythms and
begins a duo of BJ Cole songs - the second being "Strange Images" -
far better than the lame first (it features Caleb Quaye and Nigel Olsson of
Hookfoot). Over on Side 2 "Another Day" continues Mick Grabham's
melancholic songs underpinned by Cole's lovely playing. It comes as blessed
relief to hear the unmistakable larynx of Steve Marriott on "Why I Sing The
Blues" (plays Piano on the track also). After a very Ozark Mountain
Daredevils "Can I Break Your Heart?" (sweet vocals and production
values) - the album ends on a short but slightly pointless Pedal Steel
instrumental of that Gospel Traditional "O Come All Ye Faithful".
Things funk up with the
opener "Cajun Girl" on album number three - a great slinky guitar
groove supplied by new drummer Roy O'Temro. Dave Elliott provides "Blind
Love" - a lovely song that feels like early Seventies Hollies (Gilbert's
voice is akin to Allan Clarke). Quite why a live cover version of Neil Young's
"Dance, Dance, Dance" is slapped into the middle of Side 1 is
anyone's guess - but after an inaudible spoken intro - you can partially hear
why - they rocked in a Country way when live. Back to the Pedal Steel and
Country Rock for "So Many Times" - a sweetheart of a melody penned by
the band's permanent Bassist Ricky Wills. They rock with "Diamonds" -
Grabham finding his inner Crazy Horse even if BJ Cole accompanies him too much.
That Country rocking continues with "Wishing Well" and the LP ends on
the decidedly funky "Midnight Moonshine".
Of the three albums -
"So Far" is probably the most accomplished - but in truth none of
them light up in a way that would have had punters take notice. With the great
presentation and audio - fans should dive in - I'd advise others to nab a
listen first...
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