Brother Luc to the rescue, with this great rip of Oklahoma's only LP, released in 1977. Like the band name, Oklahoma is also the name of their album and the state they're from. And it's a really fine piece of work. Martin Popoff didn't care much about this record, but I wholeheartedly disagree with him. I love it. If you dug Buckacre or Boatz, then this is for you. As in slightly poppy and commercial Southern Rock. But very entertaining. I really love the song "Tracy", which is a typical 70's exercise in funky pop. And some immortal lines to go: "Tracy's gone spacey and walked out the door, and the junkies aren't funky no more". Brilliant.
I would not classify this as Southern. Midwestern would be more like it since it is from Oklahoma and the roots are different than sweet DIXIE roots.
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I've been listening to this since 1977. A friend from Tulsa let me record his LP to cassette. Been kind of afraid to play it for the last 20 years for fear of it getting eaten. Finally transfered it to CD. Now you've given me the cover too. Thanks Skydog. I do classify it as Southern. Would sure like to know what happened to the guitar player.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I do. And I would like to know how your rip compares to the one offered here. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this rare LP. I actually had all 8 tracks on the following sampler: "B-Sides, Alternates, Oddities, Involvement, Produced, & Mixed" with tracks from Mark Lindsay, Mark Lindsay & Cake, Paul Revere & The Raiders and Oklahoma. Strangely I cannot trace back this CD... is has disappeared LOL
ReplyDeletein reference to the producers of the Oklahoma LP: Mark Lindsay and Terry Melcher. Mark is associated with Paul Revere & The Raiders, that gives some perspective, he was their frontman & artistic force, while Terry Melcher (only son of Doris Day) produced The Birds, Paul Revere, Beach Boys etc.
By a huge distance I favor the last song "Ain't it sad", blues rock with a unbelievable guitar solo. Amazing. The song is written by Ben Blakemore, Don Juntunen, Joe Intrieri, Sam Flores, Steve Crossley.
the details are not yet approved by Discogs, but here they are:
Arranged By – Oklahoma
Art Direction – Roy Kohara
Backing Vocals – Sam Flores
Bass – Ben Blakemore
Design – Rod Dyer, Inc.
Drums – Sam Flores
Engineer – Jay Ranellucci (tracks: B1), Mark Lindsay (tracks: A1 to A4, B2 to B4)
Engineer [Second] – Michael "Dead Ringer" Slack
Guest, Backing Vocals – Danny White (9), Mark Lindsay, Max Gronenthal, Terry Melcher
Guest, Keyboards – Joe Intrieri, Max Gronenthal, Michael Lewis*
Guitar – Steve Crossley
Lead Guitar – Don Juntunen
Mixed By – Jay Ranellucci (tracks: B1)
Mixed By [Mix Down] – Ed G. Thacker*, Mark Lindsay
Photography By – Guy Webster
Producer – Mark Lindsay, Terry Melcher
Vocals – Ben Blakemore, Steve Crossley
thus, we can thank Don Juntunen for his excellent work on this LP. AllMusic.com lists only Oklahoma as guitar work, what a pitty.