Barbara & Ernie: Prelude To… LP

This is definitely one of those records people are slow to catch on to. You’ll see it on the wall at finer record stores, but it doesn’t seem to get muggle hype other records do. I’m guessing it’s the nondescript cover, it looks like a dollar bin record (quite the contrary actually). Once you jumped into this dusty classic, you’ll be kicking yourself for not having this in your life. The sound is so unique, fusing folk, psyche and mild funk with Barbara Massey’s delicious vocals. Check out the often comped “Play With Fire,” the wicked “My Love And I,” a completely reworked cover of “Somebody To Love,” and the Axelrod-esque instrumentation of “For You,” and the empowering closer “Satisfied.”

• music label: Cotillion / 1972

reviewed by the mgmnt 09/2007

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