Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Can You Feel It
Company: Bloomington, Illinois
Catalog: BG 2709
Year: 1975
Country/State: Kentucky
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: small amount of water damage lower left corner (see photo); all seams intact
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5393
Price: $250.00
Here's another one where there doesn't seem to be a great deal of biographical information available on the band. Apparently a Kentucky-based quartet (the album was recorded in Louisville), the line up featured lead guitarist Jerry Chasteen, bassist Don Crum, and brothers Dave (drums) and Terry (keyboards) Kluesner.
As far as I can tell, this 1975 album was their sole release, but it was a dandy. Curiously, "Can You Feel It" was far more commercial and mainstream than most small label releases, The fact it was so mainstream may well turn off some folks looking for more eclectic sounds. Still, in spite of the set's commercial viability, about half of the compositions had something creatively going for them. The title track began as a bass propelled bubblegum ballad before gradually picking up instrumentation and musical steam. Complete with some gorgeous harmony vocals, it should've been a major radio hit. Overlooking the clichéd lyrics, 'Mary Jane' was almost as good with the added bonus of some nice Allman Brothers styled twin lead guitars. While it was a bit long, 'Jasmine Lady' was a pretty ballad that ended with another nice Allman Brothers styled guitar section. Normally any song titled 'West Virginia' would make you grimace, but in this case you got another pretty country-rock flavored ballad that incorporated some pretty shimmering lead guitars. The instrumental 'Wet Dream' showcased some voice box guitar theatrics that would have easily shamed Peter Frampton (think "Frampton Comes Alive"). Witness song titles like 'Queen of the Night', 'Rock & Roll Roadie', and 'Gotta Play That Rock & Roll' side two found the band falling into a more stereotyped genre. Listenable, but far more predictable - imagine Head East, REO Speedway, etc. The final track 'Quetzalcoatl' found the band going off into an unexpected progressive direction. The album was also impressive from a sonic standpoint, boasting surprisingly accomplished production courtesy of engineer Bob Ernspiker. Anyone out there got the scoop on these guys? Drop me a note.
"Can You
Feel It" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Can You Feel It - 2:59
2.) Mary Jane - 4:50
3.) Jasmine Lady - 5:38
4.) West Virginia - 3:55
5.) Wet Dream - 1:25
(side
2)
1.) Queen of the Night - 4:47
2.) Rock & Roll Roadie - 4:34
3.) Gotta Play That Rock & Roll - 3:51
4.) Quetzalcoatl - 5:19
So a couple of months after I put this out on my website I got the following email:
Hi
there. I was bored today, and did a search for my dad's band's LP--Dawson's
"Can You Feel It." What a surprise to see it on your site, and
with an actual review no less! Wow!
I don't know everything about the band (my parents divorced and I went to
live with my mother before the band broke up--actually, before this album
was made!--so I wasn't there for everything), but here's what I do know. The
album was recorded in Louisville, but the band was from Indiana--mainly in
the Bloomington area. My father (Terry--David's my uncle) had actually
been in bands with various names with guitarist Jerry since the late 60's.
By the time they made "Can You Feel It" (their only album), they
were gigging/touring heavily, though mostly only in Indiana and Kentucky.
They did open for national acts--I know Gary U.S. Bonds for sure, and
possibly REO Speedwagon when they were still doing the college circuit.
The interesting thing about the "Can You Feel It" album is that
it's a bit "mellow" compared to there stage shows at the time. I
always thought they sounded more like Deep Purple - live my father played a
B3). Oh, and my father used to spit fire as part of the act! He used to do
it for my brother and I sometimes too!
The band broke up in 1977, and i don't think any of the individual members
ever really pursued music any further. They did reunite in 1988, however, to
record a song I helped co-write. Besides "Can You Feel It," the
only other Dawson recordings I know of are a handful of reel-to-reel demoed
songs they recorded in 1977. Jerry and Terry's pre-Dawson band, Pure Ounce
(uh huh, that's right!) released a single in 1969 (the year I was born!).
All members of Dawson are still alive. My father Terry lives in southern
Florida, Jerry and Donny live in Indiana, and Dave lives in Holland.
Take
care,
Jeff Kluesner, Los Angeles
June 2009
I poked around the internet a little and found a copy of the Pure Ounce 45:
- 'Beyond Reality' b/w 'Open Your Eyes' (Trump catalog number # 377)
Jeff's a musician himself having recorded a pair of album's with the band Jetliner (2003's "Jetliner" and 2005's "Space Station"). Both collections are available on iTunes.
