Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Joel Zoss
Company: Arista
Catalog: AL 4056
Year: 1975
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: cut corner (top right); original inner sleeve; promo sticker residue on back cover
Available: 1
Price: $12.00
Poor guy. His first (and only) LP gets reviewed by Rolling Stone, which promptly awarded it five stars and noted that this guy "could become and important artist". Talk about instant kiss of death !
Can't say we know much about this guy. His initial break seems to have come when Bonnie Raitt covered a couple of his compositions on one of her mid-70s' LPs. Signed by Clive Davis' Arista Records, Zoss' 1975 self-titled debut was recorded at Todd Rundgren's Bearsville Studios, with Ralph Schuckett and John Siegler producing. So what's this thing sound like?
Zoss has an attractive gravelly voice that's well suited to singer/songwriter material such as "Charlie's Friends", "I Gave My Love a Candle" and "The End of the Road". Most of the 11 Zoss-penned compositions sport nice melodies and "Joel Zoss" is certainly helped by backing from an all star cast of sessions players, including guitarist John Hall and sax player David Sanborn. Personal favorites include the Gospel-influenced "The 41st" and the rockish ""Bend Down Low". That said, most of the set sports a dark and melancholy feel that makes this a set you're unlikely to slap on during a beer bash.
"Joel Zoss" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Charlie's Friends (Joel Zoss) -
2.) I Gave My Love a Candle (Joel Zoss) -
3.) The 41st (Joel Zoss) -
4.) Bend Down Low (Joel Zoss) -
5.) The End of My Road (Joel Zoss) -
6.) Too Long At the Fair (Joel Zoss) -
(side 2)
1.) Sarah's Song (Joel Zoss) -
2.) Radiator (Joel Zoss) -
3.) I Waited for You (Joel Zoss) -
4.) marimba (Joel Zoss) -
5.) Too Much Fighting On the River (Joel Zoss) -