Genre: rock
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: To Help Somebody
Company: ATCO
Catalog: SD 33-366
Year: 1972
Country/State: Dallas, Texas
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: original inner sleeve; small cut out notch along lower spine
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4226
Price: $20.00
Cost: $12.95
Over the next two years the band underwent a number of personnel changes; horn player Blood replaced by Richard Gardzina and drummer Neel repleased by Gary Casebeer (great name). The lineup also expanded to a five piece with the addition of keyboardist Jay Pruit.
Self-produced, 1971's "To Help Somebody" strikes us as being inherently weaker than the debut. With guitarist Martin again responsible for the majority of the 13 tracks, the sophomore efforts suffers from a number of ailments. While the debut reflected a modest, but attractive country-rock influence (back to The Buffalo Springfield comparison), here material such as "the title track, "Big Dipper" and "Lady, Oh Lady" are blatantly country-ish. As someone who isn't a big horn fan, tracks such as Teenage Women" would have been okay except for the intrusive horn arrangements. Finally, the set just seems to wander around without any real agenda and without the energy or enthusiasm that made the debut an unexpected find. Of course there are a couple of exceptions. Even though it sports a country sound and horns, the lead-off rocker "All My Bells" is infectious and the Mariachi-band horn propelled schoolboy's dream story "She Don't Love Me" is entertaining. Elsewhere ATCO tapped "Big Dipper" b/w "All My Bells" as an instantly obscure single (ATCO catalog 45-6833).
"To Help Somebody" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) All My Bells (John Martin) - 3:14
2.) To Help Somebody (John Martin) - 1:51
3.) She Don't Love Me (John Martin) - 2:53
4.) Mary Magdalena (John Martin) - 1:58
5.) Can You See Me (Wilson Fisher) - 2:46
6.) Teenage Women (Gary Casebeer) - 2:03
7.) Lady, Oh Lady (John Martin) - 1:44
(side 2)
1.) Big Dipper (Wilson Fisher) - 3:55
2.) High Time (Jay Pruitt) - 2:58
3.) Suzy (John Martin) - 2:45
4.) Funny Faces (John Martin) - 3:06
5.) San Fernando Valley Girls (John Martin) - 2:57
6.) Forest
Lawn (John Martin) - 1:32