Rocks In The Attic #109: Mamas And Papas - ’20 Golden Hits’ (1973)

It’s funny that there’s a Lennon & McCartney song on this album - a very good cover of I Call Your Name (in addition to a cover of Twist And Shout) - as Denny Doherty has a real resemblance of John Lennon, as the cover of this album shows. And I guess John Phillips doesn’t look too far away from George Harrison circa 1968.

I can’t remember why I bought this album. I guess with a lot of 60s artists, as it was a time before the LP had really become the in-thing, it makes a bit more sense to go for compilations over (usually) hastily assembled studio albums (which in most cases are simple compilations of singles and B-sides anyway).

I used to work with a guy in Oldham who was obsessed with The Mamas & The Papas. I never really saw the attraction really - although there are some very nice harmonies on here. I guess they’re a bit like a prototype Abba really, five or so years before that group hit the big time. Although if you were to go the whole way and change the name of the band to the band members’ initials, they actually sound more like a hip-hop group: DJMC.

Hit: California Dreamin’

Hidden Gem: Creeque Alley

Rocks In The Attic #74: Various Artists - ‘Air America (O.S.T.)’ (1990)

Of all the film soundtracks I have in my record collection, this is probably the film I’m least familiar with. I think I’ve only seen it once, and it doesn’t ever seem to be played on TV (well, not on New Zealand television at least).

I bought this as it has an Aerosmith song on it - a cover of The Doors’ Love me Two Times, presumably recorded during the Pump sessions.

The rest of the album isn’t bad - a random collection of pop rock mainly from the late sixties and early seventies. Aside from Do It Again by Steely Dan - which always sounds good - the real treasure on the album is Rescue Me - Fontella Bass’ 1965 single on Chess Records.

On a negative point, this album goes a long way to showcase how poorly made vinyl records were in the early 90s. On both sides, the run-in groove has been cut into the record incorrectly so that when you put the needle down it doesn’t actually run onto the first song - it’s just goes around in a circle without the songs starting. Idiots.

Hit: California Dreamin’ - The Mamas & The Papas

Hidden Gem: Rescue Me - Fontella Bass