Genre: rock
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Unequalled Equals
Company: Laurie/President
Catalog: SLP-2045
Year: 1967
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: drill hole top left corner
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4666
Price: $30.00
Cost: $66.00
This album may be the biggest surprise I've heard this year.
Having just graduated from the British equivalent of high school, in 1965 a then 16 year old Eddy Grant recruited some school friends to form a band. The original line up consisted of Grant on lead guitar, rhythm guitarist Lincoln Gordon, brother/vocalist Dervin Gordon, drummer John Hall and second rhythm guitarist Pat Lloyd. Initially Grant was the only member who could play his instrument, but with extensive practice within a year they were playing on the London club circuit and serving as backing band for a wide array of touring US soul artists.
1968 saw the band signed by President Records which promptly released the single 'I Won't Be There' b/w 'Fire' (President catalog number PT-117). While the 45 tanked, it generated sufficient attention for President to finance a follow-up album. Showcasing material from Dervin Gordon and Grant, 1968's "Unequalled Equals" served as a perfect introduction to the band's unique mix of musical styles. Almost disconcerting in it's range, the album includes convincing stabs at conventional pop ('Ding-Dong'), hard rock, novelty numbers ('Giddy Up a Ding Dong'), and American soul ('I Get So Excited'). It's all packaged in a strange mix of Merseybeat and Caribbean flavors (check out 'Fire' and 'Can't Find a Girl To Love Me'). The latter influence stems from the fact Grant and the Gordon brothers were originally from the West Indies. It's all good, but to my ears the stand out tracks are the rock numbers. Material such as the blazing 'My Life Ain't Easy' and 'I'm a Poor Man' would give any self-respecting rock band a run for their money. Elsewhere the fact they were one of rock's first inter racial bands may have had something to do with Laurie Records decision to release the album in the States with a different cover. Perhaps I'm being overly sensitive, but I'd point out that the polarized cover makes it hard to distinguish racial background ...
"Unequalled Equals" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Giddy Up a Ding Dong (Bell - Lattanzi) - 2:41
2.) Can't Find a Girl To Love Me (Eddy Grant - Dervin Gordon) - 2:38
3.) I Get So Excited (Eddy Grant - Dervin Gordon) - 2:27
4.) Ding-Dong (Eddy Grant - Dervin Gordon) - 2:02
5.) My Life Ain't Easy (Eddy Grant - Dervin Gordon) - 2:46
6.) Hey Baby, It's Time You Got Going (Eddy Grant) -1:52
(side
2)
1.) I Won't Be There (Eddy Grant) - 2:23
2.) You Lied Just To Save Your Name (Eddy Grant) - 1:59
3.) To the Church (Dervin Gordon) - 1:45
4.) Fire (Eddy Grant - Dervin Gordon - Lincoln Gordon) - 2:28
5.) I'm a Poor Man (Eddy Grant) - 3:48
6.) Can't You Hear that Melody (Eddy Grant - Dervin Gordon) - 2:36