MYSTIC MERLIN-MYSTIC MERLIN.

dereksmusicblog ♦ July 15, 2012 ♦ 7 Comments

MYSTIC MERLIN-MYSTIC MERLIN.

Many times, I’ve mentioned how when you’re crate digging in a record shop, desperate for something new to listen to, but finding nothing inspirational, you’ve got to think laterally. One thing I, and many other people I know do, is look for an album cover that stands out. Ideally, you’re looking for something very different, maybe something totally leftfield. Whether it’s something almost psychedelic, striking or downright wacky, then sometimes, you’ll unearth a real hidden treasure. Conversely, the opposite can happen. I’m one of these people that likes to buy a couple of albums a week at least. I remember one time, having searched the usual record stores, I’d found nothing of interest. I was getting quite desperate, needing to feed my need for new music. Then I saw it, an album cover that fitted the bill. The cover was really striking, a mixture of psychedelia, with the members of band dressed in outlandish garb. I’d never heard of the band, but they had a really unusual name. That was even better. Sometimes, a band with an unusual or weird name can prove interesting. Many a hidden gem of an album I’ve found in this way. However, not this time. I took the album home, unwrapped it and played it. What I discovered was an album of excruciatingly unlistenable free jazz, played by a group of musicians who sounded as they’d spent a lifetime smoking twenty jazz cigarettes a day. So my theory fell down that time. Recently, my theory was tested again, when I received Mystic Merlin’s 1980 debut album Mystic Merlin. Here was a group with a great name and a really striking, unusual album cover. Straight away I was intrigued, would my theory of unusual name and album cover equal a hidden gem of an album? Here’s what I found when I listened to Mystic Merlin’s debut album Mystic Merlin, which will be rereleased on 30th July 2012 by BBR Records.

Mystic Merlin were a New York band, formed in the mid-seventies when funk was hugely popular. Bands like Parliament, Funkadelic, Brass Construction, B.T. Express were among the best funk bands of the time. Soon, there would be a new kid on the block, ready to challenge for funk royalty for their crown. However, this was a band with a difference. Formed by bassist and magician Clyde Bullard, guitarist Jerry Anderson, saxophonist and keyboard player Barry Strutt plus drummer Sly Randolph. The name came about because the band used to include magic tricks in their concerts. Chris Bullard was the man with the magic tricks, which gave the band what would now be called a unique selling point. However, with gimmicks like this, sometimes this detracts from the main thing…the music. This wasn’t a new idea, Screaming Jay Hawkins had pioneered this.

Having spent time perfecting their sound in practice studios, Mystic Merlin started playing live. Their combination of funky music and magic tricks drew in a curious audience. Once they heard the music, they were hooked. Soon, the band built up a large, loyal following. Sadly, all wasn’t well behind Mystic Merlin’s magic cloak.

Soon, the group needed a new lead singer. Their original lead singer left the group, so other members would join Mystic Merlin’s Magic Band. Vocalists Betty Brown and Lesley Dorsey who also played keyboards. The final member was Keith Gonzales, vocalist and harmonic player. Now Mystic Merlin’s Magic Band  had the lineup that would eventually record their debut album. With their live shows attracting attention from music fans, record companies also started checking the band out, including Capitol Records.

By the time the band attracted the attention of record companies, two things had happened. One was the band shortened their name to Mystic Merlin and were on the verge of splitting up. Thankfully, the record deal happened just at the right time. Once the contract with Capitol was signed, Mystic Merlin were ready to record their debut album which would become Mystic Merlin.

With a sense of detente, the now settled lineup of Mystic Merlin set about recording their debut album. Producing the album was Charles Kipp, who previously, had worked with Gladys Knight and The Pips, David Ruffin, Melba Moore and Aretha Frankin. The members of Mystic Merlin wrote or cowrote seven songs, which they recorded at New York’s Penny Lane Recording Studios. They brought in four session musicians, including keyboard player Richard Turner, percussionist Oseiku, harpist Corky Hale and Gary Valente to play trombone solos on two tracks. With seven tracks recorded where Mystic Merlin fused funk and soul, which Charles Kipp moulded into their debut album Mystic Merlin was ready to be released in April 1980.

Before Mystic Merlin was released in April 1980, Burned To Learn was released as the lead single in March 1980. It failed to chart however, as did the album Mystic Merlin on its release in April 1980. Worse was to come. The album was dropped in the US, meaning no radio play or promotion. May 1980 saw the release of Just Can’t Give You Up. Sadly, it too failed to chart. However, over in the UK, British music fans discovered the delights of Mystic Merlin. Just Can’t Give You Up reached number twenty in the UK in April 1980. Then in July 1980 Got To Make the Best (Of A Bad Situation), which described Mystic Merlin’s situation, also reached number twenty in the UK. With neither single nor their album Mystic Merlin charting, the members of Mystic Merlin must have been downhearted, despairing at the way their nascent career had turned out. One minute their record company were desperate to sign them, the next Capitol dropped them like the proverbial hot brick. One wonders what would’ve happened if Mystic Merlin had been promoted? Would Mystic Merlin have been more successful. However, did Mystic Merlin’s debut album Mystic Merlin deserve to be promoted more? Was Mystic Merlin an album of quality music? That’s what I’ll tell you, once I’ve told you about the music on Mystic Merlin.

Opening Mystic Merlin is the lead single Burned To Learn, written by bassist Clyde Bullard. Straight away, the sound is funky, but with a real twist. A pounding, funky rhythm section is joined by sinister vocals that laugh uncontrollably. They drop out, sizzling rock-tinged guitars joining, before we hear the song’s main course. Its a fusion of funk and soulful vocals. The vocal is shared, changing hands while equally soulful harmonies augment it. Percussion, the rhythm section, wah-wah guitars and keyboards provide the mainstay of the arrangement, while rasping horns and lush strings add a contrast. It’s an intriguing and compelling combination that grabs your attention. Saying it’s catchy is an understatement. Likewise saying it’s funky does the track a disservice. Best just say it’s a sizzling, irresistible track, with mystical properties.

Don’t You Want To Be A Star is an ironic title, given Mystic Merlin wanted to be stars but their record company weren’t seemingly doing their part. It’s a much more soulful track, with the funky sound of the previous track still present. The lead vocal is emotive, powerful and almost frustrated, while the massed harmonies of Mystic Merlin are soulful in the extreme, Sometimes, they’re dramatic, as if emphasizing their hunger. Searing guitars cascade across the arrangement, with a pounding rhythm section adding the track’s funky heartbeat as keyboards and percussion combine. Wah-wah guitars are added as the track his funk overdrive and the vocalists deliver the lyrics with passion and hunger. While the track is much more soulful, Mystic Merlin don’t forget one vital ingredient funk.

Dreams is a much more downtempo, soulful track. Just guitars, slow drums and swathes of lush strings combine, before a lone wistful horn solo signals the arrival of a heartfelt vocal. It’s delivered with a tenderness and sincerity, while the arrangement has a much more understated, soulful sound. The addition of cascading strings is a masterstroke. Later, backing vocalists add dramatic harmonies, while the vocal grows in power. From there, the track is six minutes of beautiful, heartfelt and dramatic soulful music. Of all the tracks on the album, Dreams is a one of the best, a real hidden gem, one that must be unearthed by many more people.

The title of this track is an accurate description of what’ll happen when you hear it. Can’t Stop Dancing (No Matter What I Do) is a track that’s guaranteed to fill a dance-floor. Mystic Merlin provide an infectiously catchy, funky track blessed with a real uplifting, feel-good sound. From the opening bars you’re hooked. Whoop, hollers, handclaps, bursts of horns and a funky rhythm section accompany a joyous vocal from Lesley Dorsey. Chiming guitars, percussion and a harmonica are added, and all work. Tight joyous harmonies play their part in ensuring you’re spellbound and swept away atop the swathes of lush strings. Resistance is absolutely impossible, you loose yourself in the music and Can’t Stop Dancing (No Matter What I Do).

Layers of slow, lush strings are accompanied by bursts of horns and the rhythm section as the Clyde Bullard penned Dark Side of Your Love begins to reveal its beauty. Here, Keith Gonzales takes charge of the lead vocal, as Mystic Merlin reveal their tender, soulful side. Just a piano, strings, rhythm section and harmonica combine with the heartfelt harmonies. Later flourishes of harp are added as Mystic Merlin demonstrate a very different and quite beautiful side of their music, with another of the highlights of Mystic Merlin.

Got To Make the Best (Of A Bad Situation) has more of a funky and dramatic side to the track, with the rhythm section, chiming guitars, keyboards and percussion combining. Then rasping horns punctuate the arrangement, before the impassioned, powerful vocal enters. It’s accompanied by harmonies delivered sharply, as the rhythm section drive the track along, providing a pounding heartbeat. Swathes of strings add a contrast, as does moody, broody half-spoken vocal. It adds drama, before the arrangement rebuilds, building in drama with the impassioned, powerful vocal at the track’s pounding heart.

Closing Mystic Merlin is Just Can’t Give You Up gave Mystic Merlin a number twenty hit single in the UK, but failed to chart in the US. Given the quality of the track, this seems strange. Punchy harmonies, delivered unaccompanied are joined by melodic keyboards, rasping horns, chiming guitars and a pounding rhythm section. They provide the track’s funky heartbeat, although there’s a jazz-funk sound to the arrangement. Tender harmonies and percussion combine with the rasping horn that drifts above the arrangement. Flourishes of piano, sweet swirling strings and chiming, Chic inspired guitars join, before a deep, impassioned vocal. It’s delivered with emotion, and although it works well, the track would’ve worked as well without a lead vocal. Instead, the harmonies drifting in and out would’ve worked as well, if not better, giving the track a Salsoul sound. Having said that, Mystic Merlin have kept one of their most magical tricks to last with Just Can’t Give You Up.

Sometimes, when you listen to an album like Mystic Merlin’s debut album Mystic Merlin, you can’t believe the album was a commercial failure. From the opening track, Mystic Merlin cast a spell over me. Seven times they weaved their wand, and seven times the result was a quality soul and funk music. Not once did I ever consider skipping a track. Instead, I was listening to track two or three times, so much had I enjoyed them. While Mystic Merlin were a talented funk band, they were even better when they revealed their soulful side. The ironically titled Don’t You Want To Be A Star, Dreams and Dark Side of Your Love let us hear the soulful side of Mystic Merlin and these are three of the highlights of the album. Just Can’t Give You Up sees Mystic Merlin fuse soul, funk and jazz funk, with the track having a slight Salsoul sound. If there was no lead vocal, which wasn’t really necessary, given the harmonies worked beautifully, a great track could’ve been much, much better. Of the other three tracks Burned To Learn was the funkiest on Mystic Merlin, while Got To Make the Best (Of A Bad Situation) was funky and dramatic. Can’t Stop Dancing (No Matter What I Do) was a fusion of funk and soul that resulted in a joyous, uplifting dance-floor track with an infectious feel-good sound. Overall, the seven tracks on Mystic Merlin are an absolute hidden gem of an album, which will be rereleased on 30th July 2012 by BBR Records. For anyone who loves soul and funk music, and wants to either discover or even rediscover Mystic Merlin’s debut album Mystic Merlin, then remember to pick up a copy on 30th July 2012 and let then let them weave a spell over you. Of all the reissues available just now, then Mystic Merlin is one not to miss. It also proved my theory about  unusual name and album cover equaling a hidden gem of an album. Once you’ve put Mystic Merlin, let the them weave their wand and a cast a music spell over you, then believe me, you’ll find you Can’t Stop Dancing (No Matter What I Do). Standout Tracks: Don’t You Want To Be A Star, Dreams, Dark Side of Your Love and Just Can’t Give You Up.

MYSTIC MERLIN-MYSTIC MERLIN.