One Crazy Summer With Garbo’s Daughter
Published on July 30th, 2009 in: Issues, Music, Popcasts |
1. The Bitter Sweets, “What a Lonely Way to Start the Summertime” (single, 1965)
The identities of The Bitter Sweets themselves are unknown; their producer/songwriter Brute Force is only slightly less enigmatic. Born Stephen Friedland, he got his start working with The Tokens, wrote The Chiffon’s “Nobody Knows What’s Goin’ On (In My Mind But Me)” and got the attention of George Harrison with the uproarious “King Of Fuh”(which, due to scandal, became the most rare release in the Apple catalogue).
2. The Barracudas, “Summer Fun” (from Drop Out With The Barracudas, 1981)
The England-based Barracudas caught a big wave with the single version of this track; “Summer Fun” made the UK charts at #37. This take, complete with “Bacarruda” lead-in, is from their first long-player. If you dig the rare, weird and wacky side of rock and roll as much as we do, check out Barracuda Robin Wills’ fantastic blog, Purepop.
3. Patti & The Patettes, “Summer Heartbreak” (single, 1976)
This one remains a mix-CD mystery. Patti & The Patettes released at least one other single in the mid-70s, but that’s all we know for sure. In any case, “Summer Heartbreak” is worthy throwback to the girl group sound of the previous decade, with era-appropriate glam touches.
4. White Music, “Summer’s Gone” (demo, 2008)
San Francisco foursome White Music’s punchy-but-pretty “Summer’s Gone” crosses the Atlantic in a manner roughly reminiscent of The Flamin’ Groovies’ Chris Wilson/Dave Edmunds period; that is, they mix the best of British pop traditions past with a modern Stateside spin. Plus, they have a great female rhythm section!
5. Lou Christie & The Tammys, “Make Summer Last Forever” (B-side, 1965)
Coming off like much weirder Frankie Valli, multitalented Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco’s otherworldly vocals careened effortlessly to a crystalline falsetto. As “Make Summer Last Forever” proves, Lou sounded even stranger and sweeter when augmented by the curiously powerful instrument that was The Tammys (Linda Jones, Cathy Owens and Gretchen Owens).
6. The Chamber Strings, “Make It Through The Summer” (from A Month of Sundays, 2001)
Led by the aching voice of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/rock and roll survivor Kevin Junior (ex-Mystery Girls, Rosehips), this Chicago baroque-pop outfit sound like what could have resulted if Third/Sister Lovers-era Big Star met up with the Left Banke in Muscle Shoals: wounded, massive, and undeniably gorgeous.
Click to read more from Garbo’s Daughter on. . .
Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.