from the LP Emerges, Lion Records, 1974Autumn along the front range always feels like an extended summer, albeit interspersed with patches of chilly weather; the only thing about that is, when winter arrives, she comes correct---one week you’re hanging out in shorts and sandals, and the next week its scarves and heavy coats. I’m not complaining though, I actually love the diversity of seasons, and winter’s included; maybe it’s because I grew up in Florida, but some part of me still gets all excited inside when I see snow piling up on the ground, even though I’ve lived through enough winters in cold climates to be bored with it. Something about the harsh weather awakens the survivalist portion of my brain, which in turn sends my thoughts adrift in all sorts of different directions, ultimately always coming back to the idea that we are so better prepared to persevere through winter than people in the past, and that always makes my grateful ass settle a little deeper in my chair cushion, bare feet warming over the central heat vent. This lo-fi duo hailed from Youngstown, Ohio, and anyone from that half of the state will tell you, Y-town is both ghetto & crooked; James Traficant Jr. anybody? Also, having spent a couple of winters in Cleveland I can tell you, once summer is gone, you don’t see the sun very much until spring; thus, it makes sense to me that these cats hung out getting high in their basement a lot, composing gently baked tunes and recording them on 4-track machine, the result of which almost sounds like it could be a GBV album.
