DORIS - Did You Give The World Some Love Today Baby? (Odeon, 1970)

English vocals
International relevance: **

This album sometimes get lumped in with progg, but it's not really a progg album. "Did You Give the World Some Love Today Baby" may have been released in 1970, but it's still mid to late 60's sunlit pop with sprinkles of light groove and easy listening jazz. Doris Svensson is a fine singer with a distinctive voice with mildly rough edges that fits her style nicely, but progg it is not. Except with one spectacular exception: the eerie "You Never Come Closer". 

Hands down the standout track in this collection, it was featured on an British acid jazz comp in the 90's which brought new attention to the original Odeon album (which, of course, skyrocketed in value) and provoked the demand for a CD reissue in 1996, expanded with neglectable singles tracks by Doris's previous pop outfit Plums.

"You Never Come Closer" is a cool-beyond-belief track, later reworked by its composer and noted jazz pianist Berndt Egerbladh for the soundtrack to Swedish 70's television drama thriller series "Ärliga blå ögon" ("honest blue eyes"). Worth mentioning is that horror painter and sometime cover art designer Hans Arnold did the short but wonderful intro sequence of the series. The soundtrack recording was sung by James Hollingworth, released as a 45 in 1977, the same year the TV series became a mandatory watch to hoardes of Swedish viewers. (I've added a link to the intro at the end of this review for you to compare Doris original track to the reworked soundtrack variant.)

The title track of "Did You Give the World Some Love Today Baby" is a nice enough easy listening tinged pop track, but the next best tracks after "You Never Come Closer" are "Don't" and "Beatmaker", both utilizing a charming flower sprinkled groove in a mild funky fashion. But they never come closer to perfection than "You Never Come Closer" does...

A classic album for whatever reason, but still overrated to my ears. And not progg.

Full album playlist
Opening sequence to "Ärliga blå ögon"
James Hollingworth soundtrack 45

KING GEORGE DISCOVERY – King George Discovery (Haparanda, 1969) / Peace of Mind (Shadoks, 2011; recorded 1968)

George Clemons has an illustrious past to say the least. Born in 1938 and raised in Virginia, he moved to New York in the 60's where he performed at the legendary Apollo Theater with soul singer Don Covay. Clemons sang back-up on his 1964 classic ”Have Mercy”, covered by The Rolling Stones the following year. Upon leaving Covay's band, George Clemons added 'King' to his name and released his first solo single ”Drive on James” in 1966, backed by members of Ray Charles' band and legendary soul drummer Bernard Purdie. He played gigs in Harlem, made friends with Jimi Hendrix and performed with Jimmy Castor (of The Jimmy Castor Bunch).

A Scandinavian promoter found out about King George and asked him to come over to Europe for a three month tour with the Sweden based band Harlem Kiddies. Once here, they made a couple of recordings together, and as it happened, King George remained in Sweden. In 1968 he teamed up with guitarist Anders Nordh and bassist Paul Sundlin, both formerly of Trolls that made a couple of singles in the 60's and later to form Life. Completing the line-up was Lennart 'Lilly' Bergman, and together they made one 7”, the Motown sounding ”I'm the Best” backed with pop soul track ”Hold me Closer” for the Swedish Columbia label in 1968.

King George Discovery (Haparanda, 1969)
English vocals 

International relevance: ***

 

An album followed in 1969, curiously enough the second outing on the Haparanda label that later turned to Swedish dance bands and budget albums with uncredited cover versions of current hits. ”King George Discovery” is on one hand funkier than what the preceding single suggested it would be, on the other softer and a tad more psychedelic (sometimes in the direction of 'B' grade soul outfit The Chambers Brothers).

The album was produced by one Cbristopher P. Cooper who previously had worked on one single by Rolling Stones copycats The Shakers (lead by Tommy Rander). Cooper obviously had no idea what he was doing – the album sounds weak with the vocals too loud in the mix and the guitars way too low. He effectively ruined any possible impact the album might have had had it been mixed by a real professional. (There's a Christopher P. Cooper currently writing books about tourism. I've no idea if it's the same guy, but one thing's for sure, Cooper the producer would have been better off as a tourist guide...)

”King George Discovery” is a wasted opportunity, although the material isn't particularly good either. There's no point whatsoever getting this album when there's so much truly great soul/funk from the same period. Without the Life connection, I'm sure no-one would give a rat's arse about this album.

Peace of Mind (Shadoks, 2011; recorded 1968)

English vocals
International relevance: ***

The ”King George Discovery” sessions resulted in a slew of tracks voted off the final release to avoid the obvious comparisons to Jimi Hendrix. Those outtakes were only pressed as a demo LP, like a keepsake for the band and not intended for official release. A copy of the demo album fell into the lap of a UK record collector who uploaded a few of songs to Youtube. They caught the interest of German reissue label Shadoks who released the six rejected tracks as ”Peace of Mind” in 2011.

If you thought Mecki Mark Men and Nature were aping Hendrix, wait until you hear this. I understand why they kept those tracks off the album for that reason. Yes, it's guitar drenched; yes, it's psychedelic (if you by 'psychedelic' mean loads of fuzz, reverb and an idiotic drum solo); yes, it's rawer and therefore better sounding than the proper King George Discovery album. But so what? If I want to listen to Jimi Hendrix, I put on a Hendrix album. Simple as that. And if I want to hear a crappy cover of ”Light My Fire”, I can just as well pick up a ”Best of José Feliciano” in any flea market in the Northern hemisphere (although that will admittedly not sound like Jimi Hendrix).

Sessions were held for a proper second album but it was scrapped as King George Discovery split up. Clemons then formed another band, Red White & Blues with a couple of U.S. draft dodgers residing in Sweden. They released one 45 in 1971 on MNW subsidiary Green Light, ”Last Train to Georgia” with ”Far, Far Away” on the flip – better and than anything on the Discovery albums.

from King George Discovery

"It Ain't Right"
"Harlem"
"Smokey"
"For Love"
from Peace Of Mind
"Keep On Trying"
"Try Your Luck"
"Peace Of Mind"
Red White & Blues 7”

Last Train to Georgia

Far, Far Away
King George Discovery single
"I'm The Best"