"I don’t think it would be accurate to describe Louisiana artist Merle Spears as a great unknown – he’s too obscure for that." That's how Sir Shambling starts off his piece on Spears. You can read the rest of it here. While you're at it, you can listen to the flip side of this record along another deep soul cut by the same artist.
This is a truly great record, both sides are superb. If you're anything like me, the combination of the vaguely honky tonk sounding piano with Spears' gorgeous voice will be hard to forget. Don't say I didn't warn you.
I wish the scan could pick up the info in the run-out grooves. This is one of those records that had "Cos" hand-scratched in the lacquer master, something which always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Generally, I take that to mean there's some chance the recording was made in Cosimo Matassa's studio in New Orleans, but certainly it means the man himself cut the master [special nod to Dan Phillips for pointing that out].
Hope ya'll enjoy....
No comments:
Post a Comment