One thing the internet provides us - rabbit holes. You start looking for one thing and get sidetracked and before you know it you're a long way from home and finding things you knew little or nothing about.
A while ago someone on the Bob Dylan group posted a link to a Dylan cover done by the MonaLisa Twins. I checked them out and found that they were originally from Austria, living in Liverpool and amongst other things had a 2 year residency at The Cavern doing Beatles and assorted 60's covers. They've been recording since 2007 and on their 2017 album 'Orange' they had John Sebastian playing blues harp. On a recent post they wrote "We had the absolute pleasure of singing on John Sebastian’s & Arlen Roth’s latest album!...."
So from 6 degrees of separation (or 3 or 4) I found my way to this new album of old music. And what a treat. This is a bit premature - I've listened to this album but I don't have the physical vinyl. Yet. Regardless, it's worth a mention for a number of reasons. In the interest of full disclosure though I have to say that the vinyl album contains 12 tracks whereas the CD has 14. On the vinyl copy 3 tracks are instrumentals, 'Daydream', 'Rain on the Roof' and 'You Didn't Have To Be So Nice'. The CD adds 2 more instrumentals 'Younger Girl' and 'Do You Believe in Magic'.
Some may think that's a bit of a liberty, taking away the vocals from so many popular songs, but the instrumentals stand up on their own, in no small part thanks to the brilliance of guitarist Arlen Roth. Arlen also does vocals on 'Nashville Cats' and, keeping it in the family, his daughter Lexie takes lead on 'Didn't Want to Have to do it'. Maria Muldaur (of 'Midnight at the Oasis' fame) comes in on 'Stories We Could Tell' and her husband Geoff Muldaur chimes in on 'Jug Band Music' and 'Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind'.
The inclusion of the MonaLisa Twins came from someone sending John a clip from 2015 of them doing a version of 'Daydream'. From there, as mentioned above he played on one of their albums and then he invited them to sing on this one. You can see them working together on the video clip for 'Waiting For The Waiter' - a nice blues number.
John's voice is an older voice. He's 77 now, not the kid from 1966 who gave us 'Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful' (Vinyl Vault 9 August 2021) but he's mellowed the songs to suit and he brings another quality to the tracks we've known for so long. Alongside Geoff Muldaur he rolls along to 'Jug Band Music' like a guy in a rocker just singing along to an old tune to pass the time. And it's great.
Look for this album wherever you can .. vinyl, CD or digital .. drop the needle, press the button or load the file, then close your eyes and let it wash over you. You'll feel better for it.
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