Genre: country-rock
Rating: 2 stars **
Title: Dust Blow Clementine
Company: Roulette
Catalog: SR-42058
Year: 1970
Country/State: Massachusetts
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: white label promo copy; dj stamp on back cover; small cut out hole top right corner
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5232
Price: $75.00
The connection with singer/songwriter Faine Jade had led lots of high priced dealers to label this album as a psych classic. Be forewarned it isn't. In fact, it really isn't even a rock album. Set your sites on country-rock and you'll be in the right area.
For those of you who don't know, Faine Jade (aka Chuck Laskowski) was a Massachusetts based singer/songwriter. He was a mid-1960s member of The Rustics, before hooking up with members of The Bohemian Vendetta to record a highly collectable album as Faine Jade (1968's "Introspective").
Backed by former Rustics guitarist Nick Manzi and ex-Illusion keyboardist Bruce Bradt (who'd also played of the Faine Jade LP), along with bassist Edward Evans and drummer Anthony Fabiano, two years later Laskowski reappeared with the band "Dust Bowl Clementine". While a member of The Rustics Laskowski had been signed to Laurie as a staff writer and those connections apparently helped him score a contract with Roulette. Produced by Michael Earle and largely penned by Lakowski the album featured 11 country-rock flavored numbers. Almost a concept album, most of the songs dealt with returning to a simpler agrarian lifestyle. At least on the surface that probably didn't sound like a very promising description, but the fact of the matter was that in spite of the somewhat dated 'back to the country' theme, most of the songs were good. Laskowski had a likeable voice, wrote catchy melodies and the addition of Manzi's tasteful guitar ('Flag Song') didn't hurt the proceedings. Not being a big country fan more rock oriented material like 'Get Back Home' and the Woodstock tribute 'Patchin' Up' was far superior to Laskowski's more country oriented numbers ('Country Man'). Not a classic release by any stretch of the imagination, but the overall package was surprisingly pleasant. Roulette actually tapped the album for an instantly forgotten single - 'Going Back Down To the Country' b/w 'Patchin' Up' (Roulette catalog number ).
"Dust
Bowl Clementine" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Get Back Home (Chuck Laskowski) - 3:01
2.) Country Man (Chuck Laskowski) - 2:09
3.) Wish I was A Boy Again (Chuck Laskowski) - 3:44
4.) Patchin' Up (Chuck Laskowski) - 2:37
5.) Shingled Roof (Chuck Laskowski) - 2:38
6.) Flag Song (recorded live) (Chuck Laskowski - Bruce Bradt) - 6:10
(side
2)
1.) Going Back Down To the Country (Nick Manzi) - 5:11
2.) Ain't Got the Bread (Chuck Laskowski) - 3:22
3.) It's Getting Worse (Chuck Laskowski) - 3:39
4.) We Can't Write No Letters (Chuck Laskowski) - 3:02
5.) Farm Song (Chuck Laskowski) - 5:39