Throrinshield
Band members Related acts
|
- Terry Hand - vocals, drums (1967-69)
|
-
Everpresent Fullness (Terry Hand)
|
Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Thorinshield Company: Philips Catalog: PHS 600-251 Year: 1967 Grade (cover/record): VG-/VG Comments: ring wear; edge and corner wear Available: 1 Price: $20.00
|
This one drove us crazy for a long time. Several years ago we found a copy at a yardsale, only to discover the sleeve contained the wrong LP. Aaaghhhhhh !!! Making this an even stranger story, while on a business trip in California we found a copy of the album sans cover. Yes, three years and 6,000 miles finally produced a match !!! All that effort and we have to admit we don't know much about this Los Angeles-based trio. Drummer Terry Hand had previous played in a number of surf bands and released a couple of singles as a member of Everpresent Fullness (see separate entry). Bassist Bobby Ray was a sessions player probably best know for his work with Donovan. Singer James Smith is a complete unknown to us. First a quick warning - the first time we heard this LP it didn't do much for us. Luckily, we were willing to give it a couple of spins, in the process discovering a collection with more than its share of pleasures. Produced by Steven Douglas (always wondered if it's the same guy who did the Aerosmith albums), 1967's "Thorinshield" showcased material by Ray and Smith. Musically the set's hard to peg, though if you enjoy the sunshine pop characterized by Curt Boettcher and groups like Sagitarrius, it's something you'll want to check out. Tracks such as "Wrong My Friend", "Here Today" and "Life Is a Dream" offered up a highly commercial mix of folk-rock and soft psych. The combination of great harmonies (check out "Pleasure Time"), coupled with occassional psychedelic touches (nice backwards guitar on "One Girl") and attractive orchestration ("Prelude To a Postlude"), were quite impressive. Sure it was hardly the year's most original debut, but is well worth hearing, particularly if you can find it relatively cheap (witness our price). "Thorinshield" track listing: 1.) Life Is a Dream (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:03 2.) Brave New World (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:21 3.) Wrong My Friend (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:21 4.) Here Today (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:42 5.) Pleasure Time (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:21 6.) The Best of It (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:25 7.) Daydreaming (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:48 8.) Light That Love Brings (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 4:14 9.) Prelude To a Postlude (Bobby Ray - James Smith) 10.) One Girl (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:16 11.) Collage of Atitudes (instrumental) (Bobby Ray - James Smith) - 2:00 Two non-charting singles "The Best of It" b/w "Life Is a Dream" (Philips catalog number 40492) and Family of Man" b/w "Lonely Mountain Again" (Philips catalog number 40521) and the trio seem to have called it quits. Hand briefly reappeared as a member The Moon and several decades later was a member of Rocket Science (see separate entries). |