Genre: pop
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Tommy Dougherty
Company: Guinness
Catalog: GNS
36010
Year: 1977
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: cut top right corner
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5725
Price: $200.00
The tax scam Guinness label was renown for grabbing product anywhere it could, including previously released material and demos. Given how musically diverse 1977's "Tommy Dougherty" was it's always struck me as being sourced from demos intended to showcase the namesake's writing and performing versatility. Judging by these ten tracks Dougherty (if that was his real name) was a true chameleon-like performer. The man was blessed with a remarkably versatile voice and aptly displayed it on this collection. On the other hand, that didn't make for a particularly original or inventive collection. Of course if you enjoy playing spot-the-influences, this one's a blast to hear.
- 'Sail Way' started the set off with a stark, keyboard propelled ballad. Boasting a beautiful melody and employing an effective achy edge to his voice, Dougherty more than made up for the lame lyrics. Dougherty's performance has always reminded me of someone else, but for the life of me I've never been able to pinpoint who that performer is ...
- On the heels of a sensitive singer/songwriter ballad 'Higher Power' came as a major surprise - a killer heavy rocker with a fantastic synthesizer bass line. Great tune that would have sounded fantastic on mid-1970s radio.
- 'Way Down Club' was the kind of blues/soul song Delbert McClinton always wanted to find. Rasping up his voice a couple of notches, this was a fantastic song that could have provided Dougherty with a hit single. Odd thought to contemplate - a tax scam label scoring a hit. Wonder what that would have done to the business plan ...
- 'Sweet Nature Woman' was another highly commercial track, though with a more top-40 orientation. Remember the kind of lightweight fluff you heard on mid-1970s top-40 radio (think along the lines of 'Rupert Hines The Pina Colada Song') and you'll get a feel for this one.
- The first real disappointment; 'Keep Me Warm' was a bland and forgettable ballad that would have fit in the post-Raspberries Eric Carmen catalog.
- This is another one that's always reminded me of another act - mid-tempo soul number complete with female backing chorus, tasty horn charts and a catchy hook ... maybe the comparison would be Bill Champlin era Chicago?
- 'Crystal River' had that Delaney and Bonnie southern Gospel thang goin' for it. Won't appeal to everyone, but I enjoyed it.
- So why not take a stab at a country-influenced number in the form of 'Bad News Morning'. A decent effort, but one I could live without.
- Perhaps because the register was a little too high for Dougherty's comfort, 'Silent Love Is Blue' came off as pretty rough and one of the few performances where his voice wasn't very impressive. Add to that the wimpy ballad simply wasn't very good and you have another loser.
- Ah, cheesy '70s synthesizers (this one recalling something Stevie Wonder might have played) ... Yeah I'm a sucker for that sound and couple with the female backing singers this was a classic slice of white boy funk. Add in the flanged guitar, fuzzed up bass, and weird drums and this was great. Only complaint is that it faded out just as it was starting to cook.
So what to make of it all? Too varied to consider a great LP, but better than lots of the Guinness catalog and namesake Dougherty certainly had an impressive set of pipes. Another one I'd love to know more about.
"Tommy
Dougherty" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Sail Away
2.) Higher Power
3.) Way Down Club
4.) Sweet Nature Woman
5.) Keep Me Warm (Wolfie Cohen) -
(side
2)
1.) You Make It Easy (Wolfie Cohen) -
2.) Crystal River
3.) Bad News Morning
4.) Silent Love Is Blue
5.) The Sad Song
As indicated by the price, this is one of the more obscure Guinness releases.
Supposedly there's some kind of link to the metal bands Kamelot and Savatage.
There's also a Tommy Dougherty who plays drums for the band Lackloves.
Beats me what the relationships are (if they exists at all).