Starfire - Islands / Slippery. 1974 USA-Los Angeles

Interesting one here. I knew both of these tracks from their sole album, which is also extremely obscure. Somewhere along the line I ended up with the bootleg CD, so that's how I heard them in the first place. Never expected to find the original 45 though, and not expensive either! For 1974, the progressive rock presented is a bit out of date, but there's not a whole lot from the States that played in this genre back then either. Heavy on the Hammond organ, sounds more like a 1970 transitional album out of psych. Maybe like SRC's Traveler's Tale.

Ownership: SP: 1974 Crimson. Online acquisition (2021).

4.0 / 4.0

11/2/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

Contingent - Fantasy / Such a Time. 1971 USA-Rhode Island

A) side is a solid brass rocker with tight horn charts and rocking rhythm. B) side is a bit more introspective with piano, trumpet, and trombone. Nice one for the genre.

Ownership: SP: 1971 Freeform. Sold to me online at a higher grade than it was, so that was disappointing (2021).

4.0 / 3.5

11/2/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

New World - Somebody Will be There / Look Outside. 19?? USA-Texas

Real obscurity from Killeen, Texas. The first side is a mix of soul, funk, horn rock, and pop. Sort of like the 5th Dimension. Nice, but not the reason to own. It's the b) side you're after. Starting with a wicked heavy guitar riff, it sets the tone for the rest. Heavy rhythm guitar and chunky organ follows. Good guitar solo at the end. Overall reminds a bit of Micah actually, which is a rare musical comparison, trust me there.

Own. Online acquisition (2021).

3.0 / 5.0

7/24/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

The Mergers - Loving You / Unworthy American. 1967 USA-Detroit

The Mergers were a band from the Detroit area who released this one 45 before disappearing. The a) side is a low key drifty psych pop track with dual male and female vocals, picked guitar, and ancient organ. Very nice melody even though the vocals are a bit out of tune. The b) has a great bass riff followed by more haunting organ. Vocals are more like Eric Burden here. Man, the organ against the rhythmic breaks are killer here. Really like this one.

Ownership: SP: 1967 Cass. Online acquisition (2021)

7/24/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

B.W. Cat - You Can Make It Anyway / Cry. 1974 USA-Kentucky

The A) side mixes funk and horn rock seamlessly. Features a great hard driving bass heavy rhythm. Picks right back up on the b) with a stronger Hammond organ presence and a great ripping guitar solo. Excellent two sider. Label is from Kentucky so it's a guess that's where they're from.

Ownership: SP: 1974 Lemco. Online acquisition (2021).

4.0 / 4.0

5/30/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

Duc - Hopeless Battle / Caught in a Rush. 197? USA

Great find here. I'm a sucker for rhythm guitar to begin with, and this gets the song started right away, including a driving bass and drums. Excellent singer. There's a killer mid song hard rock riff that's downright proggy, followed by one of the two cool guitar solos. The B) side might be even better. Love the rhythm guitar, has a sweet yacht rock thing going while the guitar rips along in his own world, especially the psyched out solo. Top notch group here - Duc should have been signed up. 

This was my favorite discovery of 2022.

Ownership: SP: 19?? Screamin' Duck. Online acquisition (2022).

I found a couple of references (including 45cat) of the band being known as Duc. It looks like Ducs and it was sold that way to me. Can see it either way.

4.5 / 5.0

1/27/22