Genre: psych
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Attic Demonstration
Company: Kebrutney
Catalog: KBH-516
Year: 1977
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Country/State: Manhattan, New York
Comments: 1985 reissue; minor edge and corner wear
Available: 1
GEMM catalog number: not yet listed
Price: $125.00
If music is capable of soothing the wounded soul, then New Jersey-based singer/guitarist Kenneth Higney is a guy in desperate need of some intensive therapy.
Apparently from Manhattan, by the mid-'70s singer/songwriter Higney was living in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Gawd only knows why, but for some reason 1977 found him deciding to record
an album. Basically a 500 pressing vanity project, 1977's "Attic
Demonstration" was released on his own Kenbrutney label.
A true one-man show, Higney wrote all nine tracks, handled the vocals, seemingly produced the record (no credits provided) and probably handled all of the instrumentation (again, there are no performance credits). So what's this baby sound like? It's certainly different and
we'll be perfectly upfront in telling you many folks are going to hate the
results !!! Higney doesn't have much of a voice (he frequently sounds as if he's operating under the influence of a numbing blanket of sedatives). Judging by tracks such as "Night Rider" you can also argue Higney's sense of rhythm and timing are largely absent. That said, there's something fascinating in this guy's dark and disturbed lyrics and his weird efforts to become a rock star. Musically the collection's divided between stumbling sensitive singer/songwriter efforts such as "Children of Sound" and "Quietly Leave Me" (don't worry about confusing him with James Taylor) and thrashing atonal rockers such as "Can't Love That Woman" and "Look At the River". Still having a hard time imagining what this sounds like? Imagine Jonathan Richmond having lost his childlike innocence and come back as a psychotic next door neighbor. Throw in some great feedback drenched guitar outbursts ("Rock
Star" and the bizarre beyond words "No Heavy Trucking") and you'll start to get a feel for the LP.
"Attic Demonstration" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Night Rider (Kenneth B. Higney) - 2:31
2.) Children of Sound (Kenneth B. Higney) - 3:24
3.) Rock Star (Kenneth B. Higney) - 5:57
4.) Can't Love That Woman (Kenneth B. Higney) - 3:38
5.) Look At the River (Kenneth B. Higney) - 3:43
(side 2)
1.) Quietly Leave Me (Kenneth B. Higney) - 2:44
2.) Let Us Pray (Kenneth B. Higney) - 5:12
3.) I'll Cry Tomorrow (Kenneth B. Higney) - 2:49
4.) No Heavy Trucking (Kenneth B. Higney) - 2:22
Higney also released an obscure post-LP single "I Wanna Be the King" b/w "Funky Kinky" (we've never seen, nor heard it).
The mid-1980s saw a limited reissue of the LP. The reissue is virtually identical to the original release; the only difference seems to be the fact Higney added a small sticker reflected his new address (Lyndhurst, NJ
- originals reflect a Bayonne, NJ address) to the back cover.
Finally, while we're not sure if it's the same guy, the New Jersey-based ARC Records (which owns the rights to a bunch of old R&B oriented labels), boasts a vice president by the name of Kenneth Higney. Always wondered if it was the same guy ...