Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Witsend
Company: Guinness
Catalog: GNS
36006
Year: 1976
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: --
Available: 2
GEMM catalog ID: 5716
Price: $75.00
Not the rarest of the Guinness catalog, but not one that you find every day and certainly not one with much written about it ...
In typical Guinness fashion there's little in the way of biographical information. No production credits and no performance credits, though all ten tracks were credited to Lang Montgomery.
"Witness" was another one where the first couple of times I played it I didn't have a clue what to make of it. Parts of it were quite good; parts not so impressive. It also had a weird demo feel to it complete with between song patter, though it may have been staged. Some of the performances were actually quite good, but musically it wasn't particularly distinctive with the 'group' bouncing all over the spectrum.
- With kind of a Gospel-meets-Southern-rock vibe the leadoff track 'We're Gonna Have a Good Time' sounded a little bit like a Delaney and Bonnie outtake.
- Kicked along by a nice melody, a catchy hook, and some distorted guitar, 'Live A Little Learn A Little' had an intriguing bubblegum rock feel to it. easy to picture this one on an Archies album ... I should add that was meant as a compliment.
- 'Time without Her' was an attractive country-rock-meets Up with People number complete with nifty melody and some first rate acoustic guitar (though the drumming was kind of formulaic). Be forewarned it also had one of those hooks that drilled into your head and wouldn't leave.
- The first true disappointment, complete with sappy lyrics and out-of-tune flute solo, 'Stolen By Time' was a hideous MOR ballad that should have been relegated to something useful like an insurance commercial.
- Had it not been for the joint male/female lead vocals, 'Life On the Road' could have been mistaken for an early-1970s America track (back when they were still a trio and actually worth hearing). Pretty and again quite commercial in that early-1970s style.
- Except for the unexpected mid-section time shift, side two's upbeat 'Identity' may have been the standout performance. Nice melody and gritty vocal. I could swear I'd heard the voice somewhere else, but have never been able to figure out where.
- Hum ... 'Home By the Sea' was another America wannabe effort (it also kind of remind me of a Tears for Fears composition with Curt Smith handling vocals). Again not a criticism, since it was actually a pretty good America (of TFF) imitation.
- 'Just Who Are You' was a pretty, but bland ballad, which actually would have sound pretty good on mid-1970s radio. Too bad the pretty acoustic guitar didn't kick in earlier.
- 'Waiting To Tell You' was a slice of throwaway pop that actually sounded like something you would have heard on mid-1970s top-40 radio. Yech !!!
- Alright, let's show 'em we can rock. Not a bad effort but unfortunately there simply wasn't enough song structure to make this one memorable.
All told a pleasant surprise and one I've actually pulled out from time to time.
"Witsend" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) We're Gonna Have a Good Time (Lang Montgomery) -
2.) Live A Little Learn A Little (Lang Montgomery) -
3.) Time without Her (Lang Montgomery) -
4.) Stolen By Time (Lang Montgomery) -
5.) Life On the Road (Lang Montgomery) -
(side
2)
1.) Identity (Lang Montgomery) -
2.) Home By the Sea (Lang Montgomery) -
3.) Just Who Are You (Lang Montgomery) -
4.) Waiting To Tell You (Lang Montgomery) -
5.) We Can Sing It All Day (Lang Montgomery) -