Genre: pop
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: The Last Words
Company: ATCO
Catalog: SD 33-325
Year: 1967
Country/State: New York
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed
Price: $20.00
Not to be confused with similarly named English
and Ohio-based bands, New York's The Last Words featured the talents of
guitarist Mike Byrnes, drummer Roger Cook, singer Johnny Lombardo and
keyboardist Steve Sechak.
Formed in 1966, the quartet relocated to Miami, Florida where they were
quickly signed by the small Boom label. Propelled by Lombardo's suitably
gruff voice, they debuted with the single 'Hot Summer Days' b/w 'Bidin' My Time
(Boom catalog number 60014). A competent slice of garage rock, it failed to
sell but attracted the attention of Atlantic's ATCO subsidiary which signed
them to a contract the following year.
Released in 1967, the band enjoyed an unexpected top-100 hit with their
blue-eyed soul single 'Can't Stop Lovin' You' b/w 'Don't
Fight It' (ATCO catalog number 6498). More than happy to capitalize on their
hit ATCO rushed the
band into the studio to record a supporting album. The cleverly-titled
"The Last Words" teamed
the band with producers Brad Shapiro and Steve Alaimo. Musically the set
wasn't particularly impressive. As was standard marketing procedure, the set
offered up a mix of popular covers (a dirge tempo cover of The Beatles' 'No Reply' being the highlight) and marginal originals. While
Lombardo had a decent voice and Byrnes was a competent guitarist (with a
nice touch for fuzz effects), the band's penchant for ballads and nauseating
soft rock arrangements ('One More Time', a dreadful
cover of 'Be My Baby' and 'A Basket of Flowers') left a
great deal to be desired. The band was far more interesting on atypical
rockers such as their cover of The Raiders' 'Mor'een', Lomboardo's 'It's Not Over' and their spastic cover of The Who's
'The
Kids Are Alright'.
Two more singles from the LP and the band vanished:
- 1967's 'One More Time' b/w 'I Wish I Had Time' (Atco catalog number 6542)
- 1968's 'Mo'reen'
b/w 'Runnin' And Hidin'' (ATCO catalog number 6579) .
"The Last Words" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) One More Time (John Lombardo) - 2:31
2.) Be My Baby (Phil Spector - Ellie Greenwich - Jeff Barry) - 5:47
3.) Mor'een (Mark Lindsay - Terry Melcher) - 2:23
4.) No Reply (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 4:48
(side 2)
1.) A Basket of Flowers (Michael Stone - Charles Conion) - 2:34
2.) The Kids Are Alright (Peter Townshend) - 3:37
3.) Can't Stop Lovin' You (John Lombardo - Michael Byrnes) - 2:14
4.) It's Not Over (John Lombardo) - 2:30
5.) I Wish I Had Time (Michael Byrnes - Dooley) - 2:45