October Country


Band members                              Related acts

  line up 1 (1966)

- Caryle De Franca (aka Caryle Camacho) -- vocals

- Joe De Franca (aka Joe Camacho) -- vocals

- Marty Earle (aka Marty Arsenaut)-- guitar

- Jerry Pasternak - drums, percussion

- Bruce Wayne (aka Bruce Watson) -- bass

- Bob Wian (aka Bob Chadwick) -- keyboards 

 

  line up 2 (1966-67)

- Caryle De Franca (aka Caryle Camacho) -- vocals

- Joe De Franca (aka Joe Camacho) -- vocals

- Marty Earle (aka Marty Arsenaut) -- guitar

NEW - Chet McCracken -- drums, percussion (replaced 

  Jerry Pasternak)

- Bruce Wayne (aka Bruce Watson) -- bass

- Bob Wian (aka Bob Chadwick) -- keyboards 

 

  line up 3 (1967-68)

NEW - Eddie Beram -- drums, percussion (replaced

   Chet McCracken)

- Caryle De Franca (aka Caryle Camacho) -- vocals

- Joe De Franca (aka Joe Camacho) -- vocals

- Marty Earle (aka Marty Arsenaut) -- guitar

- Bruce Wayne (aka Bruce Watson) -- bass

- Bob Wian (aka Bob Chadwick) -- keyboards 

 

 

 

 

The Doobie Brothers (Chet McCracken)

- Everygreen Blue Shoes (Chet McCracken) 

- Help (Chet McCracken)

- Chet McCracken (solo efforts)

 

 


 

Genre: folk-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  October Country

Company: Epic

Catalog: BN 26381

Year: 1968

Country/State: Los Angeles, California

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor ring wear; cover shows a little bit of age discoloration

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 4

Price: $90.00

Cost: $66.00

 

I've always wondered why so many harmony-rich mid-1960s pop groups seemed to come out of Los Angeles.  Even more of a curiosity is why most of them vanished with little exposure or popular success.

Well, here's another one to add to the list, though judging by the continued demand for their lone album, October Country seems to have acquired a loyal following.

 

Born into a religious home (both parents were practicing ministers), the early-1960s' found brother and sister Caryle (aka Carol) and Joe De Franca following their parents across the country, singing in a succession of church choirs.  By 1966 the family was living in Southern California, where the siblings decided to try to break onto the L.A. club scene as a folk act.  Within a couple of months they'd recruited a full-fledged band with a line up consisting of drummer Jerry Pasternak who was then replaced by Chet McCracken, guitarist Marty Earle, bassist Bruce Wayne and keyboardist Bob Wian.  Playing under a number of names, the band started out as a covers band, slowly working in some original material into their act.  A succession of dances and private parties saw them graduate to performances on LA's club scene including dates at Gazzarri's, The Whiskey, The Sea Witch.  That led to dates opening for groups like The Coasters and The Rivingtons at larger forums like The Palladium, The Aquarius Theater and The Swing Auditorium.  They then graduated to playing local colleges and scored attention as an opening act for national touring outfits such as Arthur Lee and Love, The Buffalo Springfield, Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Ponies, The Standells and Sky Saxons and the Seeds. 

 

Their real break didn't come until 1967 when director Denis Hoffman saw the band playing at a local college.  Hoffman knew guitarist Marty Earle and convinced them to let him develop a project that followed their daily and professional lives as they tried to break into the LA music scene.  Even though October Country came off as surprisingly "normal" (Joe's hobby is amateur radio, his girlfriend's name is Cricket - apparently a go-go dancer.  Carol works at an L.A. nursery school) and conservative (look at the background), the resulting "film" convinced Epic Records president Len Leny to fly out to Los Angeles to see the band play at a club.  He subsequently signed them to a contract. where they were teamed with red-hot writer/producer Michael Lloyd. The subsequently made their recording debut with the Lloyd-penned and produced single:

 

 

 

- 1968's 'October Country' b/w 'Baby What I Mean' (Epic catalog 5-10252).  

 

 

You can see the Hoffman film on YouTube at: 

October Country - Full Film Promo Documentary (1967) - YouTube

 

 

 

 

At Lloyd's suggestion the adopted the song title as their name, the newly christened October Country releasing a sophomore single:

 

- 1968's  'My Girlfriend Is a Witch' b/w 'I Just Don't Know' (Epic catalog number 5-10320)

 

 

 

 

With the two singles generating modest airplay the band underwent a personnel change with Eddie Beram replacing McCracken on drums.  Epic then decided to finance an LP.  Anyone who enjoys orchestrated, harmony rich material that makes bands such as The Association, The Millennium, Orange Colored Skies, Sagittarius and The We Five such a delight, will certainly find 1968's "October Country" a pleasure.  That said, in many respects this album was almost a Michael Lloyd solo effort.  He produced, handled the arrangements, wrote nine of the eleven tracks and reportedly provided much of the instrumentation.  Much to the group's unending dismay, unhappy with what he considered to be sub-par band performances, Lloyd simply redid the backing tracks.  Lloyd's distinctive creative fingerprints were found all over the album.  While neither of the De Francas was a singer, in the confines of this album their individual vocal shortcomings didn't really matter that much.  Surrounded by breezy melodies, complete with imaginative (and occasionally quirky) arrangements, material such as the title track, 'Painted Sky' and 'She's Been Away' exuded a sense of joy and innocence that rock's seldom come close to recapturing.  Besides, anyone who enjoyed playing spot-the-influence had a field day listening to tracks such as 'I Wish I was a Fire' and 'Cowboys and Indians.'   And then there was the earlier single and standout performance - 'My Girlfriends a Witch.'  Slightly paranoid, yet funny, it was simply one of the best pop-psych songs ever recorded.  Nah, it wasn't perfect.  Lloyd's arrangements frequently threatened to drown the De Francas and there were a couple of clunkers here - the bland sappy ballad 'Little Boy Smiling', the twee 'She's Been Away' and the closer 'Caryle's Theme' were best forgotten.  

 

 "October Country" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) October Country (Michael Lloyd) - 2:37   rating: *** stars

Previously released as their debut single, the title track showcased the De Franca siblings sharing lead vocals on a harpsichord powered MOR, mid-tempo pop tune.  Surrounded and at times overhwelmed by Michael Lloyd's string arrangement, the tune had kind of an Association feel until it hit the the weird country-tinged mid-section and then reverted to the main melody.  

2.) Painted Sky (Michael Lloyd) - 2:07   rating: *** stars

The sweet, bossa-nova tinged ballad spotlighted Caryle De Franca's delicate voice and had always reminded me of something out of The Cowsills' catalog.  With a nice harpsichord solo 'Painted Sk' offered up a pretty ballad, but once again Lloyd's arrangement threatened to drown the rest of the band.

3.) Little Boy Smiling (Bob Wian) - 2:20  rating: ** stars

The only band original, 'Little Boy Smiling' featured Joe De Franca on lead vocals, 'Little Boy Smiling.' Unfortunately the song was a sappy, completely forgettable pop tune.

4.) She's Been Away (Michael Lloyd) - 2:54  rating: ** stars

The fragile ballad 'She's Been Away' could have been mistaken for a Jimmy Webb tune.  Music your grandparents would have approved of.  And again the heavily orchestrated arrangement was bizarre bouncing across multiple melodies and tempos.   

5.) Good To Be Around (Michael Lloyd) - 2:28   rating: ** stars

One of Lloyd's prettier melodies, 'Good To Be Around' was built on a waltz-like melody, but was ultimately almost saccharine.  

 

(side 2)

1.) I Wish I was a Fire (Michael Lloyd) - 1:50  rating: *** stars

The upbeat, bouncy 'I Wish I was a Fire' was clearly a throwaway tune, but made a nice change of pace from the touchy-feely ballads.  Easy to imagine it being re-purposed as a toothpaste commercial.

2.) Cowboys and Indians (Michael Lloyd) - 2:14   rating: **** stars

Simply because if wasn't a ballad 'Cowboys and Indians' stood as an album highlight. A nice melody and energetic performances certainly helped.  Lloyd's relatively "activist" pro-indigenous peoples lyrics were also interesting and thought provoking.  Epic pulled it as the final single from the LP 

 

 

 

 

- 1968's 'Cowboys and Indians' b/w 'I Wish I Was A Fire' (Epic catalog number 5-10373)

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.) I Just Don't Know (Bob Wian) - 2:23   rating: ** stars

The second band original, with a country-tinge, 'I Just Don't Know' sounded like a Lovin' Spoonful, or perhaps a Michael Nesmith penned Monkees tune.  I'm not a big fan of the musical genre and the sax solo didn't make the song any more attractive to me.  I'm guessing keyboard player Wian handled lead vocals on this one.  The "repeat" ending probably left a lot of folks wondering if their record was skipping.

4.) End of the Line (Michael Lloyd - J. Greenspoon) - 3:17   rating: **** stars

The ballad 'End of the Line' was the album's best ballad, sporting a dark, slightly ominous vibe with a Mamas and Papas refrain and a strong, harpsichord powered melody. One of my favorite performances.

5.) My Girlfriends a Witch (Michael Lloyd) - 2:05   rating: ***** stars

Released in advance of the album, 'My Girlfriends a Witch' was the album's hardest rocking song and easily the best performance.   Marty Earle's fuzz guitar and Lloyd's production added a distinct psych flavor which made for a great break from the sappy ballads.  Shame there wasn't more material along this line.  Recognizing a good song when he wrote it, Lloyd re-purposed the song for the Cattanooga Cats LP.   rating: **** stars

6.) Caryle's Theme (Michael Lloyd) - 1:51   rating: ** stars

Nice of Lloyd to write a song for Carlye (Carol), but it was another tired, sappy and over-orchestrated ballad.  Pass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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