Genre: pop
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Terence - An Eye For An Ear
Company: Decca
Catalog: DL-75137
Year: 1969
Country/State: Canada
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: white label promo label; no sticker on our copy
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4546
Price: $15.00
Cost: $66.00
The first time I heard this album I thought it was by The Jaggerz (of 'The Rapper' fame). That mistake had to do with the fact that lead singer Terry Black had the same blue eyed soul kind of voice as the Jaggerz' lead singer.
Even though
Canadian singer Terry Black handled all of the vocals, Richard Gael and Patrick
Riccio II were apparently the brains behind this studio project. In
addition to producing "Terence
- An Eye For An Ear", Gael and Riccio wrote most of the
material and handled the arrangements. Perhaps intended as a concept
piece, the collection is certainly a product of its late 1960s release (I'm
guessing the viva Zapata-styled cover was intended as a symbol of
revolutionary militancy ...). Propelled by Black's rugged and soulful
voice, musically the set offers up a mix of genres, most accompanied by a
not-too-subtle mix of political and social commentary ('Power', 'Exiles',
etc.). Individually about half of the album is quite good.
Highlights include the fuzz propelled rocker 'Rap' and the Stax-flavored
'Second City Blues'. The set also worth picking up for two totally
unexpected slices of psych and electronic mayhem - 'Fool Amid the Traffic'
and 'The Emporer'. If there'd been a couple more tracks like those
(rather than the poppish 'Priscilla'), this would have been a major
collectable. Unfortunately, spread over an entire album the constant
preaching and occasional horn arrangements quickly become
irritating.
"Terence - An Eye for an Ear" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) An Eye for An Ear (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
2.) Rap (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
3.) Second City Song (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
4.) Power (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
5.) Exiles (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
(side
2)
1.) Fool Amid the Traffic (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio
II) -
2.) Priscilla (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
3.) Lighting Frederick's Fire (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
4.) The Emperor (Richard Gael - Eric Robertson) -
5.) Does It Feel Better Now (Richard Gael - Patrick Riccio II) -
I've never heard it, but there's also a later non-LP Canadian 45: 'Father, Dear Father' b/w 'Different World' (Yorktown catalog number 45022).