Genre: psych
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Corners of Your Mind
Company: Jubilee
Catalog: JGS 8026
Year: 1969
Country/State: Apollo, Pennsylvania
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5130
Price: $60.00
Co-produced by Mike Lewis (who wrote most of the material) and Stuart Wiener, 1969's "Corners of Your Mind" found the quartet shifting to a distinctive hard rock and psych sound. On the surface that type of calculated move would seem to have spelled artistic disaster, but somehow that wasn't the case this time around. Whereas the self titled debut album sounded calculated, Dinunzio and company seemed much more inspired and engaged on their sophomore set. Perhaps the biggest surprise was simply the fact Dinunzio's blue-eyed soul voice proved well suited for tougher material like the opening rocker 'Ain't Nobody Gonna Love You', 'Sweet Little Smoke' (so much for lyrical subtlety), and the amphetamine powered 'Suburban Life'. Sure, this was just as calculated as the rest of their catalog, but you had to smile hearing Dinunzio singing about 'marshmallow sea' and 'forbidden fruits'. With the exception of the needless 'Get Out My Life Woman' reprise (mis-credited to 'Alan' Toussaint and Dinunzio sounding like a heavily dosed Bugs Bunny), the entire album demonstrated an attractive blend of commerciality and lysergic influences. Other highlights included the unexpected cover of Hendrix's 'Little Wing' (probably the standout track) and the the trippy LP closer 'The Minstrel'. Elsewhere Jubilee tapped 'Suburban Life' b/w 'The Loser' as a single (Jubilee catalog number 45-5638.
"Corners
of Your Mind" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Ain't Nobody Gonna Love You (Mike Lewis) - 3:02
2.) Sweet Little Smoke (Mike Lewis) - 6:48
3.) Get Out My Life Woman (Alan (sic) Toussaint) - 3:28
4.) Suburban Life (Mike Lewis) - 3:06
5.) Get Out My Life Woman (reprise) (Alan (sic) Toussaint) - 0:42
(side
2)
1.) Corners of Your Mind (Mike Lewis) - 4:12
2.) You Turn Me On (Mike Lewis) - 5:28
3.) Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix) - 3:06
4.) The Minstrel (Gary Hill) - 3:48
Over the next year the band released a series of three non-LP singles:
- 1969's 'I'll Never Forget Your Love' b/w 'Maybe Tomorrow' (Jubilee catalog number 45- 5657)
- 1969's 'In Your Arms' b/w 'Coal Town' (Jubilee catalog number 45-5682)
- 1970's 'Coal Town' b/w 'Roller Coaster Ride' (Jubilee catalog number 45-5694)
Frustrated by their inability to break through the band subsequently called it quits with Denuzzio going on to record a single billed as 'Sebastian' and an LP under his own name. Sadly he was killed in an October 1978 car crash.