VINYL: Ex

LABEL: Ex

COVER: VG+

The vinyl is superb, a great listen. The cover is close to excellent, it is just a little rubbed around the opening. It has the original inner sleeve which is a little worn.

Side 1

1. Footnote
2. Sail away
3. Look into her eyes
4. I shall be released
5. Frog in the window
6. I’m going to city
7. Man in the tree

Side 2

1. If you don’t want to (I don’t mind)
2. Green and blue
3. Mon amour
4. Wizard of is
5. Frog in the window
6. When I was a child
7. These things too

I can’t say the psychedelia is at the forefront, musically, of this offering. Maybe that element was more prominent in other forms, as to me, this is a pretty straight down the highway, folk LP. Credited on the cover are a number of musicians including his wife, Elizabeth, but the sum of their parts are not excessive in terms of output. This is a gentle, mood swinging offering, consisting mainly of Rapp’s own music. It is fairly simple fare with some interesting song titles across both sides. The lyrics are included on the cover, but for some reason the lyrics to ‘Frog in the window’ are missing. I am not sure why. Maybe he didn’t want anyone to easily learn the song !

There are some classic Tom Rapp songs, especially the charismatic ‘Sail away’ and the marvellously mysterious ‘Look into her eyes’ and the brilliant, but faintly disturbing ‘When I was a child’. It is very listenable and probably, for those interested in the history of US folk music an important addition to what was happening at the end of that decade. It is in brilliant condition. A few very faint, unobtrusive, crackles at times which in no way takes away from the music. But for vinyl that has had it’s own journey and is nearly 50 years old, is in fine condition.

Give it a listen, it would sit nicely in anyone’s collection and plug a gap in the musical world of American folk rock.