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From the Vault...
12/07/2008
#1128 |
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info
Clover
"Unavailable"
© Lemon Records
Year of Release: 1976
Rating:
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track listing
Love Love
Take Another Look
Streets Of London
I Lie Awake
(And Dream Of You)
The Storm
Child Of The Streets
Leavin' Is
Fairweather Fan
Sante Fe
Show Me Your Love
(Live)
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WSVNRadio Archives
Clover related sites:
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Clover
"Unavailable"
Clover, a band from California, would record two albums in 1970 and 1971.
The band would reform, and by 1977 they recorded two more albums, with a young
vocalist by the name of Huey Lewis. He would share vocals on various tunes
from the two albums they recorded -- Love On The Write [1977], and
Unavailable [1978]. Clover never recorded again, and Huey Lewis would
become a household name in the nid-1980s, with Huey Lewis & The News. Although
the personnel of Huey Lewis & The News has changed throughout the years, they
still tour and record. I was very fortunate to see them earlier this year
with my fiancee (September 20, 2008, at The Venue, Hammond, Indiana). It was
my first time seeing HLN, (3rd for my fiance, as she saw the original HLN).
As expected, they performed an outstanding show.
I was lucky to find both of Clover's albums on vinyl from ebay. Amazon.com
would resurface the Clover albums as import CDs. The Unavailable album
was entitled Clover on vinyl. I noticed that the Unavailable CD
had the same song titles as Clover, and Huey Lewis was one of the vocalists.
(The original lineup's first album was titled Clover, released in 1970.)
"Love Love" starts off the album, and it definitely has a feel of
what Huey Lewis & The News would later become, with its happy-go-lucky Pop sound.
"Take Another Look" is pretty good. "Streets Of London" has a more
soulful approach. "I Lie Awake (And Dream Of You)" is a very nice ballad,
the vocals (both lead and background) are very well crooned; easily seeing how
Huey Lewis would later sing accapella with the band that made him famous.
"The Storm" is a cool and grooving tune. "Child Of The Streets"
definitely has the sound of what would later become Huey Lewis & The News.
Likewise, the early years of HLN is the style on the next track, "Leavin'
Is." "Fairweather Man" is another nice Pop number. "Santa Fe" is
another slow sounding tune, and it once again has great vocals from both lead
and background. "Show Me Your Love" is a live recording, having a
fast-driving Pop style.
Clover's Unavailable had two vocalists: Alex Call (original member)
and Huey Lewis. It's hard to determine which songs they sang on, but it's
quite obvious the future of the Huey Lewis & The News sound is there on every
song. Unavailable would be Clover's last major studio album recorded,
and it's easy to hear how Huey Lewis would continue this particular sound into
his own.
There is an interesting fan site for Clover:
http://www.clover-infopage.com.
There is a live album available (Live At The Paridiso, and The
Sound Sessions. Looking at this site, there was a Best Of, from the
first two albums (pre-Huey Lewis). All of the Clover albums are listed on
this site, but not all of them are available on CD. Some of the band members
purused successful careers after leaving Clover: Alex Call went solo, (although
I don't know of his solo music). Guitarist John McFee would join The Doobie
Brothers, bassist Johnny Ciambotti would become a session musician, performing
with Elvis Costello (which Clover was the session band for Elvis Costello's
first album, My Aim Is True, minus Huey Lewis; he was on vacation at
the time). He also worked with John Prine, Carlene Carter, and Lucinda Williams.
Keyboardist Sean Hopper would join Huey Lewis & The News. Drummer Mickey Shine
would perform with Tommy Tutone.
Of course, the most famous membrer on his own would be Huey Lewis. It's
intersting enough to hear how Clover's sound would emerge into what would be
one of the greatest "happy-go-lucky" bands in music history. Huey Lewis & The
News is one of my all-time favorite bands. They still record, and when seeing
them in concert this year, they mentioned that they would be working on a new
album of new material, hopefully scheduled to be released in 2009.
Clover was the humble beginnings of what would become "The Heart Of Rock And
Roll." -- Huey Lewis & The News.
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Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Lemon Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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