- Lee Reiser -- vocals, guitar

- none known

Here's another mystery act on the enigmatic Rocking Horse taxscam label. 

Namesake Lee Reiser remains a complete 

unknown to me, though a quick look on the internet shows there's a Lee Reiser who performers throughout the Northeast.  No idea if it's the same guy.  Musically this one was a pretty standard taxscam release with very little information to go on - no writing, or performance credits.  Assuming namesake Reiser was actually the singer, he had an okay voice an if he was the lead guitarist he certainly had some chops (check out the Steely Dan cover).  Unfortunately the album was all over the musical spectrum; literally sounding like it had been slapped together from rough demos and other odds and ends lying around the studio.  By the way, not uncommon for taxscam releases, the liner notes (back cover and inner labels) managed to get the track order wrong.  I've shown the correct sequence below.

"Pretzels" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Pretzel Logic   (Donald Fagen - Walter Becker) -  rating: *** stars

Well I'm a big Steely Dan fan so I'm happy anytime someone does a Fagen-Becker cover (though I doubt they saw much in the way of royalties off of this one).  This one wasn't a half bad cover.  The performance stuck pretty close to the original; a tad faster but not a major departure.  Assuming Reiser was singing he had a nice voice and the lead guitar was quite good.  Only complaint is that the song was clumsily edited - it just came to an abrupt and jagged stop.  

2.) On and On   (Stephen Bishop) -   rating: ** stars 

Personally I've always hated Stephen Bishop's 'On and On' so this rote cover didn't do anything for me.   rating: * star   

3.) Ghost Riders / Dueling Banjos / Ghost Riders    rating: ** stars 

So why anyone would think to string together a medley of 'Ghost Riders' and 'Dueling Banjos' is a complete mystery to me.  Mind you there wasn't anything wrong with the performances, but you had to wonder what the point was.   Well, it did take up a couple of minutes of playing time ...  

4.) You Don't Know What It's Like   (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb) -    rating: ** stars 

Even though the title was shown as 'You Don't Know What It's Like' this was actually a country-rock version of The Bee Gees 'To Love Somebody'.  So here's the big surprise; this one was actually really good.  The Bee Gees original was pretty vapid and while this version was still sickly sweet, there was something charming about the Poco-styled cover.  My second favorite track.  

(side 2)
1.) Blue Letter  (Richard Lee Curtis)    rating: *** stars

I actually remembered 'Blue Letter' from Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" album and this version provide another likeable Poco-styled country-rock interpretation - Lindsey Buckingham would have approved.  Nice melody and a great chorus hook.   Curiously the sound on this one was all messed up with massive channel fade from side to side - perhaps my copy of the LP?  Shame since the song itself was quite good.  

2.) Breakaway   (Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle) -    rating: ** stars 

Art Garfunkel had the quasi-hit with hit cover of Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle's 'Breakway'.  I never liked Garfunkel's version and this one isn't any better.   

3.) Yo-Yo    rating: * star  

A straightforward country number complete with fiddles and pedal steel guitar, 'Yo-Yo' was one of two thorough disappointments.  Totally irritating.   

4.) Let Me Be More of a Friend    rating: * star  

The album closer 'Let Me Be More of a Friend' was the other disappointment - another country ballad, this time Reiser sharing the lead vocals with an anonymous female.  Yech! 

Hardly a 'must own' record for anyone, though there was clearly some talent here.  Anyone out there got some information on Mr. Reiser, drop me a line.