Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Mosaics - Pieces of Stone
Company: Jade
Catalog: JS4351
Year: 1977
Grade (cover/record): G+/VG+
Comments: DJ copy; sticker on front; cut lover right corner (see picture); ape along top seem; full size poster is missing
Available: 1
Price: $150.00
Normally we shy away from buying and selling items that are only rated good, but there are a couple of good reasons to make an exception in this case; 1.) the album itself is in great shape, so we're only talking about the cover being good, and 2.) this is one of those rarities that warrant putting up with less than perfect condition ....
Given popular tunes seem off limits to most hard core collectors, they compensate for the loss by going ga-ga over what are termed real people music. The term is kind of difficult to adequately define, but basically refers to an individual/individuals who are totally clueless with regard to their complete lack of talent. You're right, you probably don't want to be renown for your realness ...
That said, namesake Jade Stone and his partner, the young Ms. Debbie Luv (who deserves special note for wearing the tightest pair of shorts our eyes have ever seen) were apparently active in the Tennessee/Kentucky area (easy to picture them playing local Holiday Inn lounges). Released on their own Jade label (and apparently printed in miniscule quantities), 1977's "Mosaics - Pieces of Stone" is simply one of the strangest albums we've ever heard. While Stone had a rather high pitched, non-descript voice (to say nothing of the fact on the back cover he looked like ELO's Jeff Lynne), he made up for it by writing and arranging some great psych-influenced material. Supported by a surprisingly accomplished no-name band (guitarist Paul Worley turning in some killer lead guitar - check out his solo on "Come Home with Me") and supported by Luv's strident ever-present backing vocals, tracks such as "Waiting for the Rain", "Man" and "Reality" were pretty darned impressive. Meant as a compliment, the liner notes indicate the album was recorded in 1977, but in terms of musical stylings it sounds like something straight out of 1971. Unfortunately not everything was as impressive. When Stone tried to espouse anything philosophical ("Working at the Business of Living"), or tried to work in a more commercial genre ("Backroads of My Mind" and "So Close"), the results were unintentionally funny, occasionally sounded like third rate Delaney and Bonnie ("Grab Hold"). Too weird for us to do a really good job describing, this one's also found in Hans Pokora's 2001 Record Collector Dreams. Pokora gives it a two disc rarity rating. Based on content we'll suggest it deserves four stars. Since the cover's not in great shape and the album's missing the full size poster (love to see that baby), our asking price is substantially lower than other recent list we've see ($250, $225 and bid).
"Mosaics -
Pieces of Stone" track listing:
1.) Waiting for the Rain (Jade Stone - Debbie Luv) - 3:05
2.) Come Home with Me (Jade Stone - Debbie Luv) - 4:05
3.) Working At the Business of Living (Jade Stone - Debbie Luv) - 2:49
4.) Backroads of My Mind (Jade Stone) - 3:04
5.) Man (Jade Stone - Debbie Luv) - 2:20
6.) Grab Hold (Jade Stone - Debbie Luv) - 2:37
7.) Take a Look (Jade Stone - Billie Olive) - 2:15
8.) So Close (Jade Stone) - 2:45
9.) Cool Breeze (Jade Stone - Debbie Luv - John Connell) - 2:42
10.) Reality (Jade Stone) - 3:18