Genre: rock
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: 49th Parallel
Company: Maverick
Catalog: MAS 7001
Year: 1970
Country/State: Canada
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: Canadian pressing
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 2402
Price: $320.00
Cost: $100.00
All hyperbole aside, this is easily in the top-20 as far as sought after Canadian rock albums go ...
Living in Calgary, Alberta, singer Dennis Abbott, drummer Terry Bare, guitarists Bob Carlson and Dan Lowe, keyboardist Dave Petch and bassist Mick Woodhouse started out performing as The Shades of Blond. Signed by Don Grashey's L.A. and Thunder Bay, Ontario-based Gaiety Records (RCA Victor acquiring distribution rights), renamed The 49th Parallel (a reference to the US/Canada border), the group hit the Canadian charts with their first two singles:
1966 "Labourer" b/w "You Do Things (RCA Victor catalog number 3422)
1967 "She Says" b/w "Citizen Frank" (RCA Victor catalog number 3447)
Switching to Venture Records, the band hit the charts for a third time with 1968's "Blue Bonnie Blue" b/w "Missouri" (Venture catalog number 612). Co-written with Delaney Bramlett and inspired by Bonnie Bramlett, the single also saw the band undergo another personnel spasm with original bassist Woodhouse being replaced by Dave Downey; quickly replaced by Alf Cook. Keyboardist Petch was replaced by Dennis Mundy. A second single for Venture, 1969's "Twilight Woman" b/w "Close the Barn Door" (Venture catalog number 1004), finally provided the band with a minor hit in the US.
Based on the single's success, Venture offered the band an opportunity to record a full album (the MGM-affiliated Maverick Records picking up US distribution rights). Between Canadian and mid-west tours the band relocated to L.A., recording 1969's "49th Parallel" with Chuck Williams and Grashey co-producing. Musically the LP's quite diverse. While it's hard to come up with an apt description, imagine The Guess Who with a harder and distinctively psych orientation and you'll get a broad feeling for the overarching sound. Abbott had a wonderful voice that was perfectly suited for the band's roaring mix of psych-ish ballads ("Lazerabder Filchy" and "(The) Magician") and pop ("Now That I'm a Man" and "(Come On Little Child &) Talk To Me"). Propelled by Lowe's blazing fuzz guitar and Velker's swirling keyboards, harder, psychsh numbers such as "Missouri" and "Close the Barn Door" were even better. Strong melodies, great playing and sympathetic production (we even like the horn charts on songs such as "Eye To Eye"), make for a must own collection.
"49th Paralell" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Now That I'm a Man (D. Hockett) - 2:22
2.) Get Away (J. Stallings) - 2:26
3.) Eye To Eye (Danny Abbott) - 2:45
4.) Missouri (Danny Abbott - Bobby Carlson) - 3:17
5.) Lazerabder Filchy (D. Hockett) - 2:52
(side 2)
1.) (Come On Little Child &) Talk To Me (Danny Lowe) - 3:00
2.) (The) Magician (D. Hockett) - 3:23
3.) Twilight Woman (Dnny Abbott) - 2:23
4.) Close the Barn Door (Bobby Carlson - Danny Abbott - Danny Lowe - Terry Bare - Alf Cook) - 3:11
5.) The People (Terry Bare - Jack Velker - Danny Lowe) - 2:45
Sadly, the LP did little commercially. Sessions for a follow-up LP were begun, but before they could be completed, the band underwent yet another round of personnel changes. Vocalist Abbot gave notice, Doran Beattle stepping in as a replacement. Velker then gave notice, relocating to Southern California where he turned up as a member of the band Mama Lion. The remainder of the line up managed to squeeze out one final single ("I Need You" b/w "Goodbye Baby") before reappearing as Painter under Randy Bachman's newly formed Molten Records. Following the collapse of Painter, Beattie and Lowe reappeared as members of Hammersmith. Lowe's other claim to fame (and riches) stems from inventing Q-Sound.