- Frank Nuyens -- vocals, guitar

  supporting musicians:

- Jay Baar -- drums

- Dick Beekman -- drums

- Francois Content -- flute

- Co Co -- congas

- Eugene Farago -- drums, percussion

- Piet Kuyters -- keyboards

- Philip Peters -- keyboards

- H. Staalmeester -- bass

- S. Stoffel -- guitar

- Enno Velthuys -- bass

- Circus

- Cuby and the Blizzards

- Freelance Band

- Kjoe

- Q65

- Red, White and Blue Band

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Rainman

Company: Negram

Catalog: NQ 20,038

Year: 1971

Country/State: Holland

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: Dutch pressing; includes original lyric and credits insert

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 1059

Price: $140.00

Cost: $63.00

Not meant as a cultural criticism, but it's doubtful that more than a handful of Americans will recognize the name of Dutch singer/guitarist Frank Nuyens. On the slim chance they do, it's likely to be a result of his association with the band Q65 - he served as the band's lead guitarist.

Recorded in 1971,"Rainman" was co-produced by Nuyens and Cuby & the Blizzards drummer Dick Beekman .  Showcasing ten tracks co-written by Nuyens and Q65 drummer Jay Baar (the collection included a cover of Tim Hardin's 'Don't Make Promises '), the album may have come as a mild disappointment to anyone expecting to hear a collection of Q65-styled R&B or psychedelia.  That was certainly my initial feeling.  Luckily I was willing to give the album a couple of spins which allowed its charms to eventually win me over.  Musically material such as the title track and 'Don't' leaned towards laidback singer/songwriter faire; albeit with electric backing.  In spite of a fairly heavy accent, Nuyens had a nice voice that was well suited to the material.  Individually most of the tracks were quite good, boasting strong melodies that became better and better the more you listened to the album.  While Nuyens was clearly trying to escape the rock-guitarist label, that didn't stop him from throwing in a occasional tasty guitar solo ('Money Means Nothing At All' and  'Naturel Man' - his spelling, not mine).  Curiously, the Hardin cover proved to be the most commercial and enjoyable track on the LP.  

Hard to find in Holland, there probably aren't more than a handful of copies in this country ...   

"Rainman" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Rainman   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -   rating: **** stars

'Rainman' was a pretty, fragile keyboard powered ballad that sounded like a mash-up of a Crosby, Stills & Nash tune with something out the Fairport Convention English folk-rock catalog.   Way better than you would have expected. 

2.) Naturel Man   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -   rating: **** stars

Probably one of my favorite performances on the album - breezy melody and one of the few songs I like in spite of a flute solo.   Nuyens turned in a killer solo around the three minute mark.  

3.) Don't   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -    rating: *** stars

'Don't' showcased Nuyens' facility on acoustic guitar with some glorious Flamenco-flavored moves.   The ballad also showcased his voice.  Some folks may be put off by his accented vocals, but if you focused on the guitar moves, it wasn't a problem.  

4.) Vicious Circle   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -    rating: *** stars

'Vicious Circle' sounded like Nuyens had been listening to a little too much American cowboy music  ...  On the other hand, it would have sounded nifty on a Ennio Morricone spaghetti western soundtrack.  Kudos to keyboardist Piet Kuyters who turned in a dazzling performance. 

5.) Don't Make Promises   (Tim Hardin) -   rating: **** stars

Who would have expected a Dutch guy to take a Tim Hardin tune and turn it into a top-40 friendly rocker ?   Wonderful slice of jangle rock that should have made Hardin smile. 

6.) You Will Be Freed By Me   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -   rating: **** stars

Prettiest tune on the album ...    

(side 2)
1.) Money Means Nothing At All   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -    rating: *** stars

Nice slice of sensitive singer/songwriter navel gazing.   Excellent and highly melodic electric guitar solo on this one.   The tune also appeared as the "B" side on the non-LP single 'The Bird'.

2.) Get You To Come Through   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -   rating: **** stars

It started out as a pretty, etheral ballad that sounded a bit like a Dutch take on The Moody Blues.  Nice multi-tracking on Nuyens' voice, picking up some mid-song jazzy energy.   The track also featured one of the album's best guitar solos.   

3.) She Told Me So   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -   rating: **** stars

Strange tune - started out with Nuyens seemingly aiming at a more rock oriented tune with plenty of fuzz guitar, but the song included a truly bizarre up-tempo country segment, before closing out with some lysergic influenced, treated vocals.  

4.) They Didn't Feel   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -    rating: *** stars

Forgettable country-blues; sounded like a bad imitation of The Stones' 'Wild Horses'.  

5.) The Joy That Is Inside   (Frank Nuyens - Jay Baar) -    rating: *** stars

Another track that sounded like it had some Stones influences in the grooves - kind of a rockabilly flavor with a cool guitar solo.

As mentioned above, there's also a non-LP single:

- 1971's 'The Bird' b/w 'Money Means Nothing At All' (Negram catalog number NG 256)

I'm pretty sure it was an illicit pressing, but in 2006 the Fallout label reissued the collection on CD (Fallout catalog number FOCD2092).

 drummer Dick Beekman and former Q 65 colleague - drummer Jay Baar.