Here’s a scarce compilation, reportedly from a tiny little East Coast label called Neume Sound. The only artist info I can really find regards Dave Mallett, who plays on the first two tracks with Don Hinkley. Mallett was from Sebec, Maine and attended the University of Maine at Orono. There he joined up with Hinkley, and the duo recorded a Moody Blues cover “Question” and an Allman Brothers cover “Little Martha” for this album in 1973. The other covers on this comp include Buffy St. Marie’s “Babe In Arms” (hauntingly sung a cappella by Dian McPherson), the Elton John/Bernie Taupin composed “Your Song,” here recorded by the duo of Gary Cedzidlo and Kent Palmer, the traditional ballad “Green As The Leaves” and the Bob Coltman tune “Minstrel Show”.
The only other credit on the album belongs to the engineer, Richard Anderson. You can imagine what kind of results one might get from Google-ing “Richard Anderson” “engineer.” Not a lot of useful information there.
The cool thing about this comp is that “WMEB PROMO” is handwritten on the cover, so at some point it belonged to the University of Maine radio station — where Hinkley and Mallett purportedly met and wrote/performed together. This, of course, lends more credence to the notion that it was a tiny East Coast (maybe even New England-centric) record label. Again, not much info other than stuff about David Mallett when you Google the label name.
So, this mysterious folk comp! What does it sound like? Well, I’d call it “Downer Folk” if there weren’t so many cover songs here. The performances are certainly a bit on the dour side (see: McPherson). The Elton John cover is also a bit restrained — and rushed — almost as if the singer (Cezidlo or Palmer?) is wary of his voice. I like that cut too. By the way, speaking of cut, there’s actually a song on here called “The Worst Cut On The Album,” which is performed by a guy and girl, neither of whom I imagine went on to have great musical careers.
All in all, it’s a fascinating comp that I wish I knew more about. As always, if anyone can shed more light on the album, the record label, or the artists, by all means let me know via e-mail or leave a note in the comments section. Thanks!
Various Artists
After The Roundup (Recorded At The Ram’s Horn)
(Neume Sound, 1973)
MediaFire DL Link
01. Don Hinkley and Dave Mallett – Question [Moody Blues]
02. Don Hinkley and Dave Mallett – The Double Crested Cormorant/Little Martha [Allman]
03. Dian McPherson – Babe In Arms [Buffy St. Marie]
04. Jeff Putterman – The White Sea-Bird And The Fisherman
05. Jeff Putterman – Beside You
06. Mike Sites and Karla Thibodeau – The Worst Cut On The Album
07. Bruce McLellan – Lemon, Lime and Orange
08. Gary Cedzidlo and Kent Palmer – Your Song [Elton John]
09. Bill Joy – Rush Of Salt Wind
10. Marie Dufresne – Green As The Leaves [Traditional]
11. Marie Dufresne – Minstrel Show [Bob Coltman]
