Thursday, March 18, 2010

Pete Dello And Friends - Into Your Ears (1971)


First off, shout to all the loyal readers. Your continued patronage to this blog is very appreciated. Now if we could just get those damn Russians to quit trying to sell us penis pills or whatever, we'd be A-OK. Anyway...

Pete Dello was the founder and leader of Honeybus, a former next big thing in 1968 with the single “I Can’t Let Maggie Go”. Really, they released quite a bit of good material (there are any number of compilations available on the innernette) but the band never really lived up to the commercial promise of their hit. Dello left the band after pressure to tour behind the single.

This release pretty well exemplifies Dello’s sound. At times overly precious, the songwriting and arrangements are solid and the production on point. The melodies are impressive, even incessantly catchy. Sillier songs like “Harry the Earwig” and “Uptight Basil” make the album memorable. Choice cuts like “It’s What You’ve Got” and “Do I Still Figure in Your Life” make the album great. And there’s just something about Dello’s breathy vocals that’s just so appealing. None of the songs surpass the three-and-a-half minute mark, making Into Your Ears a relatively quick listen. The songs ensure you’ll want to do so often.

Listen to "Harry the Earwig"





Download Into Your Ears