Velvet Night＜Violet Vinyl＞

ニューヨークで活動した6人組による1970年リリースの唯一作がLPリイシュー!!
プロデュースを担当しているのはHOBBITSやNEW HOBBITSを手がけたことで知られるJIMMY CURTISSとSTEVE KANYONのコンビ。アルバム8曲中"Velvet Night"、"Freak Show"、"Edge of the Woods" の3曲は、彼等の手によるもの。ドノヴァンの "Season of the Witch"、クリームの名曲4曲をつなげたメドレー "Tribute"、ザ・バンドの "The Weight"、ティム・ハーディンの "If I Were A Carpenter" など、カヴァーもやりたい放題。
質感としてはジェファーソン的な西海岸の雰囲気ももったプチ・ヘヴィ・サイケで、クリームのようなブルース・ベースのサイケ感があります。ハモンド・オルガンがかなり良い味を出していて、女性ヴォーカル男性ヴォーカルにコーラスも如何わしい雰囲気を醸し出していて非常によくプロダクションされた作品です。

Velvet Night's sole album is very much an unintentional portrait of its era -- so classically on the cusp of late-'60s into '70s hard psych/heavy metal that it almost seems like it couldn't exist any other time. From the choice of covers that appear throughout (including a four-song Cream medley that ranges from the fair to the somewhat goofy) to the purple/false color scheme on the sleeve, everything about the album is of a glowering piece in many respects. The sextet's work isn't a lost classic by any means, but neither is the recorded evidence a tedious washout -- if only scholars of the time will really want to hear this in the end, there have been far worse albums rescued from obscurity. Lead singer Lynn Boccumini's vocal work, if obviously indebted to Grace Slick in part if not in whole, does provide a good calling card for the band, while her polite take on a more blues-leaning approach, evident in moments like the conclusion of their take on Donovan's "Season of the Witch." To their credit, the original numbers stand out more than the remakes, some of which were written by their producers Jimmy Curtiss and Steve Kanyon, such as the title (and thus bandname) song, which starts with a swirl of keyboard and guitar chaos before settling into an attractive but still slightly off chug. But the version of the Band's "The Weight" -- especially whichever male member is trying to do the lead vocals -- is definitely a step too far. ~ Ned Raggett