Genre: psych
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Wilkinson Tri-Cycle
Company: Date
Catalog: TES-4016
Year: 1969
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: still in shrink wrap; only opened to listen and tape; includes lyric insert
Available: 2
GEMM Catalog ID: 4935
Price: $90.00
The first couple of times I played this one it just didn't do much for me. I'm not sure what the disconnect was; perhaps the set's rather barebones sound ... Luckily I put it in my 'revisit' stack and when I came back to it I started to discover the set's considerable charm.
In terms of biographical information about all I
can tell you comes off of the album liner notes. I know they were a trio
consisting of drummer Michael Clemens, guitarist David Mello and bassist Richard Porter.
All three contributed material to their sole album, though Mello and Porter were separately responsible for the majority of the eight tracks ...
Signed by CBS's Date subsidiary,1969's "Wilkinson Tri-Cycle" was co-produced by Warren Schatz and Stephen
Schlake. Musically the set offered up an engaging mix of heavy blues-rock
('Leavin' Trunk' and 'Antique Locomotives') more trippy, pseudo-psych attack
('What Of I' and the atypical heavily orchestrated 'Pourscha Poe') and
occasional unexpected jazzy touches. In the negative column the trio lacked a truly distinctive lead singer (the limited liner notes didn't credit vocalists) and their
overall sound was occasionally a bit thin giving the impression this was
recorded quickly and without a lot of post-production touch up. Positives included some great guitar work from Mello - check out
his work on the rocker '9-5 '59' and with the exception of the heavily orchestrated
'David's Rush' the material boasted surprisingly memorable melodies. Curiously, a couple of reference works
I've seen describe material like 'Pourscha Poe' and 'Yellow Wall' as being Beatlesque
(always a creative kiss of death). Wrong. Think along the lines of
late-1960s San Francisco bands and you'll be closer to the mark.
Unfotunately Date did nothing to promote the album so sales proved limited
with the band calling it quits before they could release anything
else. Too bad since these guys had considerable talent.
"Wilkinson Tri-Cycle" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) What Of I (Richard Porter) -
2.) Leavin' Trunk (S. J. Estes) -
3.) David's Rush (David Mello) -
4.) Pourscha Poe (Richard Porter) -
(side
2)
1.) Antique Locomotives (David Mello) -
2.) 9-5 '59 (Richard Porter) -
3.) I Like Your Company (David Mello) -
4.) Yellow Wall (Richard Porter - David Mello - Michael Clemens) -