Here is the third installment of “Alphabetized Into Obscurity – A Journey Into the Unknown.” It’s no challenge for us to find some awesome unknowns tucked throughout the store. So once more, we’ve picked five records in the hopes of finding a hidden treasure and perhaps inspire you to journey into the unknown corners of your local record store, where you may find your own treasure. Again, if you happen to know any of these bands and feel disappointed that we were unfamiliar with them, I implore you once again to…get a life.


Nektar – Down To Earth

I find the 70s to have had a bit of an identity crisis. Coming out of the most important decade in rock n roll, everyone was buzzing with what had been and what would be. Rock had saturated the landscape, transforming jazz, folk, country, classical, blues and soul into their own subsets of rock n roll. While this may seem like the perfect recipe for new discovery, it may also serve to cloud any vision and make it easy lose site of direction and focused ideas. But out of that cloud, something solid could form. Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of 70s progressive rock, but as with many products of the 70s, there’s plenty here to dig my teeth into. The first track has more of a power pop vibe, sometimes reminiscent of Big Star, but only briefly. There’s plenty of Bowie influence to throw around on this one as well. But, as the cover may indicate, there’s definitely no shortage of that over the top, “not sure if we’re in space,” the middle ages or turn of the century circus vibe so common with the progressive rock of it’s day.

Lenny & Squiggy – Presents Lenny and the Squigtones (1979)

Now this is just good fun, but fun in a sort of Johnny Carson/Tim Conway kind of way. For those unfamiliar, Lenny and Squiggy were characters from the popular 70s sitcom Laverne & Shirley. These lovable “50s” greaser scamps were the (mostly unnecessary) comedic relief for a comedy show. I think this era was a weird time for comedy. Now, before I continue, I should explain that we’re referring to the popular comedy. By the 50s, we had abandoned the clowniness of vaudeville, yet still found enjoyment in slapstick and buffoonery. By the 60s, we had abandoned the hi jinx for more personality. This is the era of the Rodney Dangerfields and the Bob Newharts. The 70s were left to fend for themselves. Like the music of it’s time, you had to find your own thing, often making for some real duds. Where Lenny and Squiggy may have been a fun addition to the quarks of Lavern and Shirley, I’m not sure they needed their own album. But when half of your comedy duo is Micheal McKean, better known as David St. Hubbins of Spinal Tap, you’re going to record a rock album. However, even with Nigel Tufnel and Peter Chris credited on your album, it might fall short of McKean’s efforts with Spinal Tap or any of his other musical outlets.

Frosty – On The Right Track

Now, here’s where these unknown explorations get to be a little voyeuristic. After a little bit of research, I couldn’t find anything on this album or the people involved in making it. So I would assume that this was simply a local artist who recorded an album. With that in mind, listening to this album feels more like finding someones journal at an estate sale or looking through old photos of people I don’t know. When songs become famous, they are reappropriated by the listeners. In a sense, they become everyone’s songs. We all find our own way to relate to the lyrics and emotions. However, an album that saw no amount of fame remains the sole property of the musician. To speak to the music and songs on this album, it’s clear why this never really made it big, but that isn’t to say that it is bad, in any way. In fact, I find these songs to be very earnest and genuine. They are perhaps a little behind their time, recorded in the mid 80s, yet reaching for more of an Elton John or Billy Joel kind of sound. But Daniel Johnston was trying to sound like the Beatles, who were well before his time. And like Johnston, the lyrics on this album are simple, personal and sometimes a little painful. We don’t know Frosty’s story, but when you hear lyrics like, “There are times when we’re alone and I think of you as more than just a friend. And there’s times when I start feeling close to you and can only hope that you will understand,” you can’t help but feel like you’ve heard a conversation you weren’t meant to hear. How this ended up in our store is a whole other mystery.

Maori – The Musical Moods of the Maori

Ah, colonialism at it’s finest. There was a trend in the 50s and early 60s for “Music From Around The Globe…as long as it sounds like music I’m comfortable with.” Looking at the covers, one may think they are about to tread into unfamiliar territory, only to hear the vast spreading influence of the western world. I don’t mean any of this as any sort of political or social commentary. It’s anyone’s choice as to what kind of music they choose to be influenced by or perform. My issue is with the presentation of this music. It belittles the music of a culture to adapt it to your own, only to then present it as authentic. It’s as if the producers of these albums feel like it’s not really “music” unless it follows the structures and temperament of what they are familiar with, or it implies that the listener isn’t interested in hearing the real music of an unfamiliar culture. If you’re not familiar with the kind of adaptation I’m speaking of, there’s a clear sign of it on the back of this album, citing the performers as “The Hukarere Church of England School Choir.” See what I mean?! With all of that said, I still have no plans on giving up on my search for new sounds and cultures hidden in these albums. I might just be a little more careful about those selections. For every few disappointments, I will find the occasional gem…and isn’t that what this is all about.