Genre: rock
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Bamboo
Company: Elektra
Catalog: EKS-74048
Year: 1969
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: cut lower left corner
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4490
Price: $10.00
Cost: $66.00
Music is a tough business and if you want to make a living in it, you have to be willing to adapt to the public's ever-changing taste. That said, Bamboo stands as one of the more dramatic changes I'm aware.
Singer/guitarist Dave Ray had previously been a member of the folk and blues outfit Koerner, Ray and Glover. In the wake of that trio's collapse he built a recording studio in Minnesota and (judging by the album cover photo), decided to become a hippy. He also decided to get back into recording via a collaboration with singer/guitarist Will Donicht. While the cover of 1969's "Bamboo" only shows Ray and Donicht, this was apparently a full scale band with bassist Daniel Lee Hall contributing several songs to the collection. Produced by Allan Emig, the album finds Ray and company opting for a much more rock oriented sound that his earlier catalog. Tracks such as 'Girl Of The Seasons' (which sounds like something David Crosby might have written and recorded), 'Treehouse' and the rocker 'Blak Beri Cheri Blooz' offer up a competent, if pedestrian mix of rock, country-rock, lite jazz and even psych touches. There's nothing really wrong here, but by the same token, there's nothing really right. (I was going to give it three stars, but decided to dock it one for Donicht and Ray's horribly dated wardrobes.)
"Bamboo" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Girl Of The Seasons (Dave Ray) - 3:35
2.) Treehouse (Dave Ray) - 3:27
3.) Blak Beri Cheri Blooz (Daniel Lee Hall) - 3:45
4.) The Virgin Albatross (Dave Ray) - 2:40
5.) That's My Life (Dave Ray) - 3:07
6.) August Man (Dave Ray) - 2:32
(side 2)
1.) The Odessey of Thaddeus Baxter (Will Donicht) -3:20
2.) 30 Seconds To Nashville (Dave Ray) - 0:30
3.) Anything But Love (Will Donicht) -1:55
4.) Sok Me Toot Tru Luv (Daniel Lee Hall) -3:35
5.) Lonely Homes (Dave Ray) - 2:49
6.) Keep What Makes You Feel Nice (Dave Ray) - 3:50