rep>>> Unicorn - Uphill All The Way (1971-73 uk, splendid harmony folk soft rock, 2009 remaster and expanded)

The Unicorn’s first album,  Uphill All the Way, sounds like a band simply ecstatic at the possibilities of this new brand of folk-rock; they cover all the greats of the genre: Neil Young, Jimmy Webb, John Stewart, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, and Gerry Rafferty. But the originals by Ken Baker show that he was just as good at evoking the sun drenched canyons of the beaches of Southern California as his influences; which is all the more impressive considering he was writing and singing from the famously overcast and rainy London. 

Still Baker’s songwriting wasn’t yet up to snuff, the best song here is their beautiful interpretation of Webb’s  P.F. Sloan,  a tribute to the American songwriter. The amazing harmonies on this track reveal Unicorn was more than just a CSN rip-off like so many bands of this breed; these guys are the real deal.

by Stephen Belden

Tracks
1. P.F. Sloan (Jimmy Webb) - 4:30
2. 115 Bar Joy (Ken Baker) - 3:51
3. I've Loved Her So Long (Neil Young) - 2:42
4. Don't Ever Give Up Trying (Ken Baker) - 5:08
5. Country Road (James Taylor) - 4:16
6. Something To Say (Joe Cocker) - 4:43
7. Ain't Got A Lot Of Future (Ken Baker) - 6:49
8. Never Going Back (John Stewart) - 3:21
9. You, You, Hate Me (Ken Baker) - 5:38
10.Please Sing A Song For Us (Gerry Rafferty) - 3:13
11.Going Back Home (Ken Baker) - 3:36
12.Cosmic Kid (Ken Baker) - 2:57
13.All We Really Want To Do (Bonnie Bramlett, Delaney Bramlett) - 3:17
14.P.F. Sloan (2006 Remix) (Jimmy Webb) - 4:40
Bonus Tracks 11-14

Unicorn
*Peter Perrier - Drums, Congas, Percussion, Vocals
*Pat Martin - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Ken Baker - Electric Guitar, Acoustic 6, 12 String Guitar, Organ, Piano, Harmonium, Electric Piano, Vocals
*Trevor Mee - 6, 12 String Electric Acoustic Guitars, Flute, Vocals
With
*Kevin Smith - Guitar, Mandolin
*Hugh Murphy - Tambourine

1967-76  Unicorn - Shed No Tear The Early Late Unicorn (2024 TLAK)

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rep>>> Game - Game (1969 us, awesome classic rock with psych and some prog shades, 2007 remaster)

Singers/guitarists Eddie Keating and Chuck Kirkpatrick, drummer Scott Kirkpatrick, keyboard player Les Luhring and singer/bassist George Terry had all been members of the Southern Florida based Proctor Amusement Company.  The band had become quite popular throughout the region, even recording a couple of singles and an unreleased LP for the New York based Faithful Virtue label before calling it quits. While Proctor Amusement Company had come to an end, by 1969 the five were playing Southern Florida clubs as Game.  

Released by Faithful-Virtue, 1969's "Game" is an interesting debut.  Co-produced by manager/mentor Steve Goldberg and Chuck Kirkpatrick, musically the set's all over the place, including stabs at conventional pop, progressive ('Entrance'), rock ('Fat Mama') and even showing off some jazzy interludes (check out side two's 'Disturbance/We Turn To You').  Normally such a diverse album wouldn't make all that much of an impression with me, but this is one of those exceptions.  While most bands have a hard time finding one good singer, Game wasn't hurt by having three in the form of Keating, Chuck Kirkpatrick and Terry.  The fact that Keating and Luhring wrote some nifty melodies and were capable of turning in ear candy harmony vocals didn't hurt the end results either (check out Luhring's 'Discovering You'). To be honest, material such as 'Make Some Music' and 'Stop, Look & Listen' sounds a couple of years ahead of it's time.

In 1970 the band relocated to Southern California.  Original drummer Scott Kirkpatrick dropped out before the move, replaced by Dave Robinson.  Over the next two years the band recorded a considerable amount of material, but found no takers.  Forced to start playing local clubs when their long time financial benefactor threatened to cut off support, Robinson and Terry called it quits, returning to Florida.  Terry subsequently hit the big time as a member of Eric Clapton's band.  Enduring a series of personnel changes, the band continued to play through 1978.  Chuck Kirkpatrick recorded an instantly obscure solo album for Capitol before returning to Miami where he spent some time recording and touring with Firefall, eventually starting his own business.

by Scott Blackerby

Tracks
1. Entrance (Eddie Keating, Tom Quick) - 0:51
2. What's Goin' Through My Head - 3:18
3. Discovering You (Les Luhring) - 4:11
4. Fat Mama - 2:44
5. Make Some Music - 7:49
6. Stop Look And Listen (Les Luhring) - 3:30
7. Disturbance-We Turn To You (Eddie Keating, Les Luhring) - 6:20
8. Sermon - 2:09
9. Girl Next Door - 3:19
10.Exit (Chuck Kirkpatrick, Eddie Keating) - 4:03
All compositions by Eddie Keating except where indicated

The Game
*Eddie Keating - Vocals, Guitar, Bass
*Chuck Kirkpatrick - Vocals, Guitar, Bass
*Scott Kirkpatrick - Drums
*Les Lurhing - Keyboards
*George Terry - Vocals, Guitar, Bass

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