Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Marcus
Company: Kinetic
Catalog: Z 30207
Year: 1970
Country/State:
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: radio station copy; call letters written on front and back covers; sticker with catalog number on front top left (see picture); bottom seam split; some ring wear
Available: 1
GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed
Price: $40.00
We'll be honest and tell you the reason this album caught our attention had to do with the connection to Rusty Evans. As most of you know, Evans is the guy behind acts such as The Deep and The Freak Scene. It just so happens that Evans happens to be the same person as Marcus Uzilevsky
Evans/Marcus/Uzilevski/Uzca is nothing less than an artistic chameleon. Born and raised in New York City, the late-'50s found Uzilevsky reinvent himself as Rusty Evans. Signed by Coral/Brunswick, he released a series of rockabilly styled singles, enjoying a minor hit with "Midnight Special" (supporting the single with The Rockabillies, Evans even made an
appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand). The mid-'60s saw Evans adapting to the changing times, working as a folkie in Greenwich Village. He even did a brief stint with The New Christie Minstrels. Evans continued to record as a solo act, releasing a string of little heard singles for labels such as Dot, Eagle, Musicor and Ribbon. He also released a couple of instantly obscure albums for the small MUM label. Evans also became interested in writing and producing. Among his efforts, The Deep's classic psych album "Psychedelic Moods", a similar album by The Freak Scene and Third Bardo's "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time".
Produced by Larry Fallon, 1970's cleverly titled "Marcus" wasn't bad. Stylistically the set found Uzilevsky again shifting his focus to match popular tastes. We've read one review which compared the album to trippy Donovan. That's not a bad analogy. Uzilevsky had a nice voice and tracks such as "Time of Our Time",
"Butterfly Girl" and "(We'll All) Go Together" (with a nifty gospel flavor), made if clear he was capable writer with a knack for penning pretty melodies. Overlooking the occasionally dippy lyrics (listen to "Helene" if you want to hear some badly dated dribble), the majority of the album sported an attractive folk-rock sound. As is often the case, the most interesting efforts happened to be the most atypical offerings. Sporting sitar and violins, "Grains of Sand" was a nifty nod to his earlier psych leanings, while "High Priestess" was a nice rocker.
"Marcus" track listing:
1.) (We'll All) Go Together (Marcus Uzilevsky) - 3:26
2.) Time of Our Time (Marcus Uzilevsky) - 2:46
3.) Helene (Marcus Uzilvesky) - 3:46
4.) Grains of Sand (Marcus Uzilevsky) - 3:50
5.) High Priestess (Marcus Uzilevsky) - 3:38
6.) The Coming (Marcus Uzilevsky) - 3:17
7.) Royal Maze (Marcus Uzilevsky) - 2:56
8.) Butterfly Girl (Marcus Uzilevsky) - 3:16
9.) Children of Aquarius (Marcus Uzilevsky) -2:56
In the 70s Uzilevsky moved to Marin County, California and shifted his time and attention to painting (he actually studied art in the late-'50s). Under the name Uzca he became an accomplished and in-demand landscape painter, his work exhibiting thoughout the country. He also continued to dabble in music, recording a mid-'70s folk album for Folkways -1979's "Life's Railway To Heaven" (Folkways catalog FTS 32440). As Rusty Evans, he's recently released a rockabilly album and as Uzca he's also released an album of traditional Jewish music ("Kona Hora").
By the way, here's a link to some of his art work:
http://www.art.com/asp/display_artist.asp?CRID=1088