Blue Ash's fate mirrored that of fellow power poppers like Big Star -- not enough sales to back up all those critical hosannas. Youngstown, Ohio residents Bill Bartolin (vocals, guitar), David Evans (drums, vocals), Jim Kendzor (vocals), and Frank Secich (bass, vocals) formed in 1969, and soon won comparisons to the usual suspects associated with the tag: the Beatles and the Who.
Strong regional interest secured a deal in 1973 with Mercury Records, home of the New York Dolls. Both bands even had the same champion in A&R man Paul Nelson, who plucked Blue Ash's demo from an unsolicited tape pile. No More No Less
appeared that year, and is best remembered for its raucously melodic
leadoff track, "Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?)." Critics fell all over
themselves, but sparse sales dashed hopes of continuing with Mercury.
Evans was long gone when Front Page News
finally appeared on Playboy's ill-fated label in 1977. The group's
talent burned as brightly as ever -- though snowed under horns and
strings -- but failed to improve its fortunes. There the story ended,
although Blue Ash won a brief burst of notoriety when Anglo-poppers the Records covered "Abracadabra" for a 12" single in 1979. (The original version is also on Rhino's Poptopia! 70s Power Pop Classics compilation.) (allmusic.com)
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A collection of rarities from the vault 1972-1979 –
I am sorry to admit that I’ve never had a chance to hear Blue Ash’s two studio albums (
No More, No Less, 1973 &
Front Page News, 1979), even though I did want to, after reading power-pop fairytales about them.
Now, after hearing this collection of unreleased demos and rarities,
the fairytale becomes a pretty real one, for me AND for the band too!
According to the last count, there are “no more, no less” than 219
unreleased recordings in the vaults, of which we get to hear 44, most of
them firm proofs that the “B-bands” list should be extended.
Sharing the destiny of their soulmates Raspberries or Big Star, the
critical acclaim towards Blue Ash was not really proportional to the
thickness of their wallets, so let’s hope that this late hype will
contribute to the matter at least some.
The sound itself, is divided between glammy (the vocals sometimes
reminding of Noddy Holder) power-pop crunch (highlighted by the
Slade-ish
Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?), Badfinger-ed
Halloween Girl, T-Rex-tured
Lover Boy, the Raspberry-flavoured
Baby Baby, the imaginary Tommy-outtake
The Boy Won’t Listen, the Eastern-tinged
Magic Words.
Or
Mind Reader, kinda showing off the buzz that Supergrass were caught by at their beginning), mid-sixties jangle (
It Won’t Be Long Now, having much more in common with the early Beatles besides the similar title, and the same Mersey moisture can be felt in
Plain To See,
With You On My Mind,
She’s So Nice,
I’m Your Man,
Baby I Just Want You and
Things Have Changed Now.
While the Byrdsy folk rock jangle is featured through
I Remember A Time and also
When You Rock, taken to the ‘70s Smokier-feel) and a bit of more traditional Americana (as shown in the countrified folk of
I’m A Bad Actor and
Oh No, Not Again! or another Raspberry-flavoured one, by way of Wally Bryson, called
When I Come Home).
The one that is a bit surprising compared to the rest of the album,
and among the highlights at the same time, is the string-leaden baroque
popsike
Silver Horses.
This should be more than enough a reason for us not make them come
“around… again” for the third time, because they should really stick
around.
Released by Not Lame 2004
The album is on amazon in ''used'' condition between 80 and 250 dollar. For a new copy the price is 366 dollar. What the f...?! Sorry that's just crazy and if i see things like that i love to share the music here one million times all the more.
Great music here. If you haven't this and love seventies pop rock music and power pop this is a must.
Regards
Frank
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