Genre: progressive
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Sheriff
Company: Observation
Catalog: OR
1996
Year: 1977
Country/State: Florence, Italy / US
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: original inner sleeve with lyrics
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5706
Price: $75.00
Funny story - This one caught my attention due to the fact I saw it listed as a Virginia-based band. One day I saw a copy on eBay,but lost out to a higher bid since I was unwilling to spend more than a couple of bucks on what was an unknown quantity. About a month later I found a pristine copy at a local yard sale. Anyhow, I don't begin to understand the marketing sensitivities behind this one, however even though it's billed to the band Sheriff, this is actually an album by the Italian/US band Sensations' Fix.
Here's what little I can tell you about the band and the album. Singer/multi-instrumentalist Franco Falsini was a member of the Italian group Noi Tre and Le Madri Superiori. In 1973 he formed Sensation's Fix (you'll also see it as Sensations' Fix) with American drummer Keith Edwards and former Campo di Marte bassist Richard Ursillo. Based in Florence the trio set up a studio in a local farm and over the next year managed to churn out a series of three self-produced, Robert Fripp/Krautrock-inspired studio sets:
- 1974's "Sensations' Fix" (Polydor catalog numbers AS 273)
- 1974's "Fragments of Light" (Polydor catalog number 2448 023)
- 1974's "Portable Madness" (Polydor catalog number 2448 034)
1977 found the band undergoing another personnel change with the loss of keyboard player Stephen Head and the addition of second guitarist Frank Filfoyt,. They also opted for a name change - Sheriff and relocated from California to Virginia - wonder how much demand there was for US-Italian progressive bands in the Old Dominion ... Recorded at Falls Church Willow Mills Recorders the cleverly-titled "Sheriff" was produced by Falsini and issued by the small US Observatory label. While the album didn't include writing credits, it's likely that Falsini was responsible for all eight tracks, in the process continuing the band's drift towards a more mainstream AOR sound. That wasn't meant as a slam as the set was far from your standard top-40 long-haired crappola ... Tracks like 'Girl with Optional Eyes', 'Don't Let Go' and 'Infall Defrauders and Audiphile' (you simply had to love Farlsini's song titles), were clearly commercial showcasing catchy melodies and plenty of tasteful guitar, but at the same time incorporating interesting change-ups, oddball timings, and occasional flashes of the band's earlier progressive roots. As lead singer Falsini had a fairly heavy accent, but his performances were energetic enough to make you overlook that particular distraction and added a little bit of mystery to the package. Highlights included the radio friendly rocker 'Stranger' and the atmospheric instrumental 'There from the Phantom Base'. Well worth checking out and certainly a band I would have paid to see play a local club.
"Sheriff" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Girl with Optional Eyes - 4:35
2.) Don't Let Go - 3:27
3.) Troublemaker Blues - 4:01
4.) Infall Defrauders and Audiphiles - 3:56
(side
2)
1.) Stranger - 4:04
2.) Sustain City - 4:05
3.) There from the Phantom Base (instrumental) - 3:43
4.) Transfixion Wai-In - 2:42
Shortly after the album was released bassist Ursillo headed back to Italy where he remained active on the Italian music scene, including playing at a 2003 Campo di Marte reunion. He was replaced by Gary Falwell, but the band called it quits later in the year.
Edwards became an in-demand sessions player.
Falsini turned his attention to sound engineering, first in New York and later in London.