BILL SODEN - AN ECHO IN YOUR MIND / RAINY DAY, APRIL 1967

This mellow and moody double sider features two great originals from the mystery man himself.  As mentioned in my previous post Bill Soden released a small handful of singles in the late 60's which were unsuccessful to say the least.  This was a highly sought after disc for me, mostly for the melancholy slice of brilliance 'Rainy Day' which I first heard on Fading Yellow vol. 11.  This downtrodden tune features some delicate acoustic guitar picking, tasteful orchestration and most importantly some wonderful songwriting and vocal delivery.  Some haunting harmonies are added near the end of the song making it a truly breathtaking piece.  Everyone can relate to a song about a rainy day, and sometimes simplicity gives way to indescribable complexity.  Such is the case with 'Rainy Day'.

'rainy day go far away
i'm tired of blues i've gone through
lonely nights, eight thousand sights
of times i once knew..

..transparent dreams, not what they seem 

float by in shades of grey"

Simply amazing..

The plug side, 'An Echo In Your Mind' was unheard of before I located a copy of the original single and to my knowledge isn't available anywhere else.  It's a very easygoing acoustic/folk tune, a bit of a downer once again, but that just adds to the charm.  It's really no surprise that this record didn't generate much airplay though it did receive a brief review in Billboard Magazine.  Both sides will be featured on my next podcast in all their monophonic glory so don't miss that..

MID DAY RAIN - WELCOME TO THE RAIN / FRIDAY MOURNING, 1970

Mid Day Rain are presumably a studio group, this being their sole release on RCA records sometime in 1970.  I have no information on the origins or personnel involved (aside from the label info) which is a quite impressive feat given that it's 2016 and obscurity is becoming obscure in its own right.  On to the music.

The warm, rich sounds of 'Welcome To The Rain' really seep into your mind as passages of flute and effected guitar wash over a distinguished drum and bass.  Rounding out this lush soundscape are the smooth vocals/harmonies and classy orchestration making this a production worth remembering.

The flipside 'Friday Mourning' is more of the same, and I mean that in the very best way possible.  This track is so lush and dreamy, you'd have to be a real asshole not to like it..  I'm very happy to own a copy of this, and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up the promo version if one turns up.

Both sides can be found on my most recent podcast where I converted them to mono.  I'm sure some folks would be unhappy about this, but I think it sounds quite lovely.