10.12.2008
The Unusual We
The Unusual We s/t LP (Pulsar, 1969)
Raved about by collectors of 60s sunshine pop, the Unusual We's first and only record is quite shitty. A weak mix of Free Design and Up With People, this Harold Battiste production would be disposable if not for the funky and stylistically jarring song, "My Bag." The flute/drum intro reminds me of Manfred Mann Chapter III or Stark Reality, and I would be surprised if someone somewhere hasn't sampled it. The groove established and Free Design style group vocals come in. It is an odd mix of sounds - stoned, slinky funk and straight, uptight vox - but it works. The second song I'm laying on you - "Little Sister" - makes the cut only because "My Bag" is so good and I don't want to leave you with just one song. The band? I have no idea. The sleeve notes suggest that it is made up of four couples - loving couples and, if the front cover is photo is any hint, swingers. Chances are that the couple are props or at least not couples but session players, as usual with these kind of sounds.
# posted by Scott Soriano : 17:02
