American Soul Train - Can You Dig It / Tennessee Waltz. 1968 USA-Louisiana

A) side is horn driven funky soul with period lyrics. B) side is a slow dancer with gospel like crooning. Picks up nicely at the end with a faster beat and horns. Apparently the band name is a nom de plume for The Boogie Kings.

Used to own. Found at a local estate sale.

7/14/24

The Rubber Band - Bubble Tree / Agnes Ries. 1967 USA-California

I'll get to the group's details below. For the music, this is the kind of garage folks are turning every stone over for. Side A has a dreamy melodic structure. The B side has a folky underpinning, with a punk attitude, and an excellent guitar solo. 

We do know from a YouTube comment from the band member's sister some details: It was recorded in Los Angeles in 1967. The group were from Bishop, California, which is way out in the eastern part of the state near Nevada.

Ownership: SP: 1967 Harlow. Obtained from a local shop for a $1 weeee (2024). 

We'll start with the rarity - it has never sold on Discogs, and the one and only copy that sold on ebay was 11 years ago for $350. You can only guess what it would go for now in a Carolina Soul auction. According to Discogs, the label has 6 releases (probably more) every one of them obscure.

Now we'll talk about the mistakes. The label shows The Bubber Bands on one side and The Rubber Bands on the other. My copy - and the submitter to Discogs copy (shown here) - has the final "S" rubbed out on each side. Above sister stated they were called The Rubber Band. What a mess.

7/14/24 (first listen / review / new entry)

The Rondeus - Anymore / Day Tripper - 1966 USA-West Virginia

The Rondeaus (misspelled on the label) were from the coal mining region around Beckley, West Virginia. 'Anymore' starts off like The Beatles' 'Day Tripper' (hold that thought) before launching into a more original tune. Of course it's very much influenced by the Fab Four in addition to The Rolling Stones at this stage. Features a nice jangly guitar solo. The B side is, in fact, the Beatles song. A very lethargic rendition I might add. Also features a cool lightly amplified solo. This is low budget garage at its finest.

Ownership: SP: 1966 Magna. Dollar find at a local estate sale (2024).

Some parallels here with the The Rubber Band I just featured. Like with that 45, they misspelled the group name. And it's rare as heck. Never sold on Discogs and the last ebay sale was back in 2013 (like The Rubber Band) for $280. It'll be more now :-)

7/14/24 (first listen / review / new entry)

Shelton Kilby and Counterpoint - Fire and Rain / Colour of a Man. 197? USA

Early 70s styled hippy harmony kind of pop. Think the classic Coca Cola ad. Everything else Kilby has released goes for coin, but this one stays stubbornly cheap. Haven't heard the others, maybe they're way better musically. I doubt it, this one just got lost in the shuffle. Besides it's a nice piece of music even if it isn't really in vogue.

Own. Found at a local antique mall

7/13/24

3.5

Carol Sloane - Music / Stay. 1965 USA

Not the type of 45 you'd think was in demand, but it is. File Sloane with other breathy females of the era like Julie London and Helen Merrill. Noted on Discogs as Soul, but it belongs to Vocal Jazz for sure. I'm not telling... Well apparently this is what they mean by "popcorn". Who knew?

Used to own. Found at a thrift shop in Woodland Park.

7/13/24