Thursday, 1 February 2018

Henry Gross (1974) Tomorrow's Memory Lane LOST 70s GEMS

The 1974 debut long player release, Plug Me into Something, did just that for Henry Gross, an eclectic, southern rocker with an astonishing voice and soft rock abilities to boot.The album features a track called One More Tomorrow is a slashing 70s hard rocker full of little nods to 50s guitar rhythms and 60s Beach Boy harmonies; not surprising seeing as he knew Carl Wilson and wrote his biggest hit, Shannon after Carl's dog. There is also the folk AC song, The Ever Lovin' Days where Henry sounds remarkably similar to Robin Gibb with his falsetto vibrato taking centre stage alongside folk guitars and violas in a pleasant springtime arrangement.

 Then there is our runner up gem from the 1974 album, Southern Band, a great rock n roll vehicle showcase for Gross' totally unique falsetto wail, like a martian banshee or a demonic dog. The only thing more demonic is the livewire guitar playing, full of heavy distortion and tactile playing and great use of pauses for maximum effect. But the gem undoubtedly is Tomorrow's Memory Lane, a very solid rock power chord song that makes excellent use of cowbell, gospel 'Hallelujah' backing vocals and ecstatic vibratos form Henry Gross; the same falsetto that electrified Southern Band and even Shannon's soaring chorus. How can you not like a song that proclaims their love for Stax soulstars Sam and Dave as the song repeats often and in the glorious coda;"God Bless Sam and Dave" God Bless indeed, ridiculously exuberant mix of rock and soul tribute whilst remaining original.



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