I’m having the most difficult time figuring out if this cleverly conceived and executed record by Paul Elwood/voc-banj, Robert Paredes/cl, Dan Moore/vibes-marimba and Matt Wilson/dr is to be taken at face value, or with tongue firmly in cheek. What you’ve got here are vocal and instrumental “hits” from the 70s, ranging from Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” to Gilbert O Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)” performed in styles ranging from a “Within You Without You”ish take of “Geronimo’s Cadillac” to Calypso or Klezmer on the remaining tracks. Most successful is the hippy feel of “Mama Told Me Not To Come” and the clever instrumental takes of “Hello It’s Me,” but a bit too much of the time it seems like the background music for a 70s reunion in which only the stoners and surfers show up. Preppies not invited!
Innova Records
www.innova.mu