Another album from my list of the top ten private press records all music fans need to hear during their lives. Lovingly donated by an anonymous Swan Fungus reader. Two short reviews culled from the Acid Archives:
“Mega-rare light psych item is one of the few in the genre in which the creative force is a woman, Sue Akins. This isn’t really much like all of the Airplane-wannabe bands, either; Hendrickson Road House has a distinctive sound with mildly jazzy arrangements, subtle lead guitar, a tad of autoharp, smooth vocals and a definite late-night feel. The guitar playing has a bit of a West Coast influence, though it’s not the least bit heavy. The closest comparison would be the Serpent Power songs with Tina Meltzer on lead vocals. One jazzy instrumental with a lot of sax manages not to sound out of place. Otherwise Akins sings all of the songs, and the album has a coherence not often felt in the genre. Not a masterpiece, but quite good, and the lack of a reissue is truly puzzling given its quality and rarity.”
“Remarkable femme-vox folkrock/psych that must rank as one of the best local LPs not yet reissued. Draws on 1960s Bay Area vibes but adds a jazzy nightclub sophistication that places it in a slightly later area. Femme vocals are superb whether solo or in tandem (possibly doubletracked), soaring in full control over a sparse backing with classical inspired acoustic guitar. The best tracks have a folkrock setting yet retains an intimate nocturnal feel. Apart from a superior variation on Serpent Power (as Aaron suggests above) I am reminded of These Trails, though this is less rural exotica and more of an urban afterhours scene. Tracks such as “Tomorrow your sorrow” and the opening “Forget about you” are likely to blow anyone’s mind. An atypical saxophone medley towards the end breaks the mood on what is otherwise a very well-crafted and consistent album that would have fit better on Elektra or Vanguard than an obscure contracting service in rural CA. Two:Dot had a couple of other interesting releases, including the rare Arthur.”
Hendrickson Road House
Hendrickson Road House
MegaUpload DL Link
Tracklist:
01. Forget About You
02. Theatre King
03. Things I Never Had
04. Everybody’s Told You
05. Sunny Day Rain
06. Classical Misconceptions Part I & II
07. Tomorrow Your Sorrow
08. Helping Hand
09. That’s All There Ever Was
10. I Wondered If You Knew
11. Yesircantoo
12. The Seed That Grows
