Babydoll and the New Surfettes - When We Said Goodbye / You Haven't Done Nothing. USA-Hawaii

It's always great to find a 45 no one knows about, but it's even better when it's in the Soul genre! The b side features a nice bass riff too.

There have been a couple of ebay auctions that settled nicely. One described the 45 as thus: "Private pressing of an extremely rare and seldom seen HAWAII female SOUL record. Side one is a pleasing soul ballad, the flip side is Stevie Wonder’s SOUL classic."

Own. From a local collector's garage sale for $1 (2020). He had no idea what is was.

6/22/20 (first listen); 3/21/22 (review); 1/1/25 (new entry)

Acoma - My Store / My Long Lost Friend. 1971 USA

The A) side is very interesting. Psychedelic soul with a really mellow groove. Sort of like a laid back Gil Scott-Heron. The B side is not to my taste, perhaps a bit of country even. The label is from Nashville but no idea where Acoma might be from. Interesting that it alleges the music comes from the album This Land is Our Land, but it does not appear this album exists. 

From a thrift shop in Bozeman, Montana (cleaner than the Discogs copy). I almost kept it for the A-side, but I think I'll take the profit this time. 

8/15/24

3.5/2.0

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 Challengers - Moon, Send My Baby / Dream. 1971 USA-North Carolina

From eastern North Carolina. What a strange opening to a 45. Vocalist croons "Let's go to the moon" followed by a bluesy guitar solo. Eventually it rips into a fast soul like dancer. It's kind of a mess, but intriguing all the same. B) side sounds like a rip of The Everly Brothers. Dream, dream, dream. 

2/23/24

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)

Frank and Company – Show Me The Way / Can I Take You Home. USA

The A) side has a wonderful funk beat with fuzz guitar and organ on top. Excellent track. The B) side is a slow dance soul number with organ in the backdrop that surprisingly breaks into a power ballad, with a cool fuzz solo. Nice two sider.

Ownership: SP: 19?? A.D.Y. Online acquisition (2021)

4/19/21 (first listen); 12/11/21 (review / new entry)

Nancy Priddy - You've Come this Way Before / Ebony Glass. 1968 USA

Nancy Priddy is a new name for me, but I was very much captivated by this 45. When you see something like this pop up in front of you at the store, one immediately thinks of country, or one of those 60s female pop acts (Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, Connie Stevens, etc...). If you're lucky it might be soul related. As it turns out, the music's foundation is psychedelic, but with a soul backdrop. It takes the best of both: The break beats of soul and funk combined with some of the most trippy vocals this side of Brainticket. Not suggesting they are as lysergic laced, but it has this disorienting quality that I find highly appealing. I've never heard anything quite like this, and I certainly want to hear more. The good news is Priddy did manage to release a full album, and these two tracks are the opener. Well, look at that, it appears to have been reissued on CD (OOP) and LP (in print). Originals are expensive. Maybe I'll find it in the wilds, but I think I'll grab that LP reissue in the meantime (new copies going for cheap on Amazon). Regardless, this 45 is going nowhere. Oh, in other news, Nancy Priddy is the mother of Christine Applegate. Neat.

Ownership: SP: 1968 Dot. White label promo which apparently is more common than the commercial version. In either case, it's quite the expensive rarity. Another RT collection surprise, and this one was fortunately wrapped in plastic and in perfect condition.

9/18/21

Patti Parker - Bobby McGee / If I Were Your Woman. USA

The a) side is the same song that Janis Joplin covered (with an adjusted title), and is just as annoying. Country blues. Not for me. The flip is more geared toward Diana Ross. Soul pop during the psychedelic era. Probably my least favorite 45 spec buy from last year. Can't win 'em all. But I'll hold on to it for now, since the b) side is nice enough.

Ownership: SP: 19?? Marco. Online acquisition (2020)

8/30/20 (first listen); 5/16/21 (review / new entry)