Dance Haul


Band members                             Related acts

- unknown

 

 

 

- none known

 

 

 


 

Genre: pop

Rating: 1 stars *

Title:  Dance Haul

Company: Baby Grand

Catalog: SE-
Year:
 1977

Country/State: US

Grade (cover/record): NM / NM

Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened)

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5845

Price: $40.00

 

Baby Grand's one of those obscure reported mid-1970s tax scam labels that I collect even though I don't know much about it.  Over the years I've tracked down a couple of folks affiliated with the imprint, but none of them have been willing to tell me much about the label.  One actually got very defense when I asked about the label.  Geez, as if the IRS was going to get on their butts some four decades later.

 

So in terms of bibliographical information 1977's "Dance Haul" isn't much different from other tax scam releases.  The album was produced by Michael Schonenbaum at Midot Studios in White Plains, New York.  Elsewhere there weren't any performance credits.  Judging by an uncaptioned photo on the back panel, Dance Haul was actually a solo woman.  Gosh, I hope for her sake that her name wasn't Dance Haul ...    So if you were hoping for a lost classic, let me warn you this wasn't it.  The anonymous vocalist had an okay voice, plenty of power, but she was inconsistence with trouble staying in key.  Coupled with the awful cover art and a bad selection of cover tunes, this one was pretty stinky.  In fact, it's one of those album's that's so bad, it will actually appeal to a small, sadistic crowd that take pleasure exposing themselves to this kind of stuff.

 

"Dance Haul" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Blowin' Away   (E. Kaz) - 3:25   rating: *** stars

The ballad 'Blowin' Away' was actually a nice performance and stood as the collection's standout performance (which isn't saying a great deal).  Whoever the singer was, she had a nice, commercial, and quite powerful voice that did the Eric Katz song justice. 

2.) Harmony   (Elton John) - 2:50    rating: ** stars

Her cover of Elton John's 'Harmony' was far less successful.  In this case the singer didn't seem very comfortable with the the song's structure, or the key which was set too low giving her vocals a gruff, sandpaper-ish feel.  

3.) Memories   (Brian Holland - Lamont Dozer - Eddie Holland) - 2:30    rating: * star

Messing up a Motown cover takes a special talent and that skill was evident on 'Memories'.  Imagine Melissa Manchester squawking her way through a Motown song, crushing the fun and spirit out of it.  Add to that a vocal that was flat and out of key.  Okay, that'll give you a feel for this one.  Simply a dreadful cover.   

4.) Good Time   (Johnny Bristol) - 3:30    rating: * star

Who was the mastermind that decided to take a Johnny Bristol and set it to a cocktail jazz arrangement.  Brilliantly misconceived and performed accordingly.   

 

(side 2)
1.) If You Were Mine   (J. Lewis) - 3:20    rating: * star

Well at least 'If You Were Mine' had a decent guitar solo going for it.  

2.) Party Music   (Melissa Manchester - D. Wolfert) - 3:00    rating: * star

'Party Music' was hysterical for being a dance track guaranteed to clear a dance floor.  Bless her soul, you could tell this lady was trying to be funky, but the results were about as likely to get your body shaking as a colonacopy.  Hard to imagine being able to churn out a song with less rhythm ...    

3.) I Won't Last a Day without You   (Paul Williams) - 4:25    rating: * star

Well I'll give her credit for staying in tune on her cover of Paul Williams' 'I Won't Last a Day without You'.  Unfortunately she picked a simply hideous song to show off her pipes.  Dreadful MOR slop ... the best part was the snippet of studio chat that got caught on the tape.  Nobody bothered to delete it from the final mix.

4.) Border Song   (Elton John) - 3:30    rating: * star

So let's close this one out with another Elton John song ...  'Border Song'

 

So this becomes one of the few LP's I've given a one star rating.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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