Our Lady of Perpetual Obsolescence Vinyl Rescue Mission and Orphanage

‘Tis the Season for some reposts: A Cabbage Patch Christmas and the CPH Christmas Concert

mcpurvis — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:29:36 EST

Time constraints and a busy schedule have conspired to prevent me from posting anything new this holiday season, so I humbly point the way to a couple of seasonal shares we’ve featured here in the past.

First off is the insanely popular album A Cabbage Patch Christmas which never fails to burn up a chunk of bandwidth during this time of year.

Second, one of my all time favorite finds is an album of a Christmas concert put on by the children in the Music Therapy Program at the Inpatient Children’s Psychiatric Hospital at the University of Michigan. It’s just not Christmas to the Pastor without it.

Thanks to everyone who visits! This is Pastor McPurvis wishing you happy holidays and all the best in 2008.

Album Share: My Happiness – Carol Nelson

mcpurvis — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:28:49 EST

Our latest share features the dulcet tones and incomparable style of songstress Carol Nelson of Sarasota, Florida.

Using the stage name ‘Crazy Carol’, Ms. Nelson winds her way through a variety of popular songs with a voice that ranges from a gentle croon to a powerful belt. She is backed up in these endeavors by a fine seven piece band that provide the perfect compliment to Ms. Nelson’s unique interpretations. Be sure to have a listen to House of the Rising Sun and I Will Survive.

I have been unable to find much information about Ms. Nelson. I have found references that suggest that she is still performing and hosting karaoke in the Sarasota area, but she does not appear to do anything in the way of self promotion. There are some fantastic photographs of Ms. Nelson in action on what looks to be an abandoned blog, but I am not sure when the photos were taken. Information is also sparse concerning the many sidemen on the album, but it seems that the lead guitarist, Howlin’ Bob Fieberts is active and currently has an album on CDBaby.

The studio where the album was recorded, Strickland Sounds, is no more having been involuntarily dissolved by Florida’s Division of Corporations in 1988.

Although her pitch may falter, Ms. Nelson will win you over with her heart and spirit. Here’s hoping she is still out there entertaining audiences with her personality and charisma. Have fun listening and as always, Enjoy!

Download individual tracks:

1. My Happiness.

2. Me and Bobby McGee.

3. For Once In My Life.

4. They’re Stepping All Over My Heart.

5. House of the Rising Sun.

6. Anytime.

7. I Will Survive.

8. You Made Me Love You.

9. It Makes No Difference Now.

10. One Day At a Time.

Or download all the mp3s and cover art in one 41 MB zip file.

Album Share: There’s A Lot Of Lovin’ In This Old Boy Yet – A. J. Marshall

mcpurvis — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:43:05 EST

Currently up for your listening pleasure is this curious recording from 1969 by A. J. Marshall. This album isn’t all that obscure, but I’ve never seen it offered for sharity in its entirety and I really think it deserves a wider recognition.

All that really needs to be said is that this is a collection of contemporary (for the end of the sixties) tunes sung, without irony or humor, by an Al Jolson impressionist. That, in a nutshell, is the premise of the album.

I wanted to be able to write some insightful/witty comments, but I’m at a loss. My suggestion is to just listen to it. My favorites include Little Green Apples, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, and You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.

The liner notes curiously allude to but never mention Al Jolson by name. They were written by Sammy Cahn, who gushes about Mr. Marshall’s and the album’s merits. The arrangements by Bobby Gosh are well done, and perfectly offset Mr. Marshall’s vocal gymnastics.

Have fun listening and as always, Enjoy!

Download individual tracks:

1. There’s A Lot Of Lovin’ In This Old Boy Yet.

2. Little Green Apples.

3. I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.

4. This Guy’s In Love With You.

5. Last of the Great Old Hang Around Type Girls.

6. Didn’t We.

7. By The Time I Get To Phoenix.

8. Young Girl.

9. The Mr. In Your Mrs. Kind Of Life

10. Need You.

11. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.

Or download all the mp3s and cover art in one 50 MB zip file.

Album Share: Schony – Jim Schoenfeld

mcpurvis — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:10:36 EST

Presented for your enjoyment is this somewhat obscure vanity release from 1971 by NHL player/coach Jim Schoenfeld.

Although Mr. Schoenfeld seems to be most famous for cussing out NHL referee Don Koharski, we at the Orphanage feel that the recording offered here is an achievement deserving of a great recognition.

As golden throats go, Mr. Schoenfeld’s larynx is 24 karat. He throws himself with complete abandon at the material he covers. He displays a wide range of vocal talents, ranging from primal screams to quiet, introspective musings. He even includes an original composition, Before, that ponders the age old question of what life was like before there were so many humans populating the earth.

The album was produced by John Valby (aka Dr. Dirty), who, I’m assuming is responsible for the unusual but oddly satisfying arrangements that permeate the recording.

Have fun listening and as always, Enjoy!

Download all the mp3s and cover art in one 49 MB zip file.

Album Share: Branch Two – The Family Tree

mcpurvis — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:34:14 EST

Our album for March is this solid offering from The Family Tree, a Country/Pop act hailing from the great state of Tennessee and spearheaded by identical twins Jerry and Larry Needham. There’s no date on the album, but judging from the style of clothing and the selection of tunes, I’d put it smack dab in the middle of the 1970s.

The album is mostly made up of recordings that feature simple but serviceable arrangements that serve to showcase the singing of Jerry, Larry, and the uncredited female member of the group. The group really shines when tackling some of the more ‘novelty’ tunes like She Taught Me How to Yodel and Auctioneer. I don’t know if it is Jerry or Larry, but one of them has an impressive set of yodeling pipes. On some of the other tunes, the quality of the singing tends to drift a bit, but the group’s personality and enthusiasm more than makes up for any less than polished moments. I was a little disappointed that they failed to breakout the trumpets that they are wielding on the back cover, but I’ll cut them some slack.

Nowadays, the Needham Twins are performing as a duo based out of Mesa, Arizona, and currently enjoy a very active concert schedule. Be sure to check out their website for more information. Have fun listening and as always, Enjoy!

Download all the mp3s and cover art in one 48 MB zip file.

The Trilogy Tribute Site Launched!

mcpurvis — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:11:36 EST

My good friends Joe and Darlene just unveiled a spectacular new site dedicated to The Trilogy, a South Florida lounge group that was active in the seventies. The site is chock full of fantastic images, sounds, and information. I’m going to step back and let their press release speak for itself:

One of the great pleasures in life for music lovers is not so much to find a great recording, but to have a great recording find you. We first heard “Two Sides of the Trilogy” through a vinyl sharing site. The album was rare: it was a souvenir made to be sold at the Trilogy’s South Florida shows in 1973, and only 500 copies were pressed.

Intrigued by its high level of musicianship and the charisma of its three members, Kurt, Lori, and Ike, we decided to create a tribute site to the album and the band. We contacted Kurt and Ike and they turned out to be two great guys: they collaborated with us to make an awesome website, and personally digitally re-mastered the album to CD with all new artwork and liner notes.

Sadly, Lori, Kurt’s wife and lead singer, passed away a few years ago. The memory of her, however, lives on in her music, which is beautifully restored for this release.

Be sure to check out the Trilogy’s site at: www.twosidesofthetrilogy.com for samples of their cool lounge music, two free downloads, stories about the band, the 70s South Florida music scene and lots of groovy photos! And don’t forget to order a copy of this collectible CD!

Album Share: Michael Quint In Concert

mcpurvis — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:05:47 EST

Up this month we’ve got the vocal stylings of South Florida entertainer Michael Quint ready to tickle your aural sensibilities.

This album, recorded in 1977, sees the impressively pompadoured Mr. Quint performing a concert in front of a polite if not enthusiastic audience. Mr. Quint has a unique singing style that includes several unusual vocal effects including tongue rolls, spoken interjections, unintentional yodeling, and an especially wide vibrato. He also treats the audience to a few impressions during his Elvis medley.

Mr. Quint sings in front of a band that includes keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, trombone, and various woodwind instruments. The arrangements (by two gentlemen named Morris Hubbard and Mike Lewis) are serviceable, but the band sounds under rehearsed overall. If I had to bet, I would say that this was probably some sort of pick up group hired to play only this concert.

I haven’t been able to find out any information about Mr. Quint. Some of the others listed on the back cover have gone on to bigger and better things, most notably the recording engineers Joe Foglia and Peter Yianilos.

Have fun listening and as always, Enjoy!

Download individual tracks:

1. Proud Mary.

2. Quando Quando.

3. You Don’t Have To Be A Star.

4. I’m Gonna Make It All The Way.

5. After The Loving.

6. Tie A Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree.

7. Impossible Dream.

8. Don’t Be Cruel – Teddy Bear Medley.

9. Swear To God

10. Release Me.

11. I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.

12. Hard To Handle.

13. The Way We Were.

14. Ebb Tide.

15. I Believe.

Or download all the mp3s and cover art in one 68 MB zip file.

Joe E. Neubauer’s ‘Love Got In My Way’ re-released on CD!

mcpurvis — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:07:31 EST

Long time visitors to the Orphanage will remember our share of the knockout 1975 album by South Florida’s own Joe E. Neubauer. Pastor McPurvis is excited to announce that the fine folks at Eabla Records, under license from Mr. Neubauer himself, have seen fit to give Joe E.’s opus the recognition and respect it deserves by re-releasing it on CD.

The album has been fully remastered directly from Mr. Neubauer’s original tapes and includes a 16 page, full color booklet that details the trials and tribulations our man went through in the pursuit of his artistic goals. All this for only $15.00 post paid in the United States ($17 world wide).

To get your copy, either PayPal the funds to eabla@eabla.com, or send a check or money order to:

Eabla Records
PO Box 13383
Portland, OR 97213

Questions or comments about the release can be directed to katrinka@sonic.net.

Pastor McPurvis has removed the mp3s and album art from this site and they will no longer be available for download. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to purchase this fantastic offering!

Album Share: Taking A Cruise With The Citations!

mcpurvis — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:36:37 EST

A recent rescue sweep turned up this island treat from The Citations, a calypso/popular group that used to entertain vacationers at the Grand Bahama Hotel during the 1970s and 80s.
The Citations were founded by the group’s drummer and lead vocalist, Wendell ‘Swain’ Armbrister in 1975. The group was a popular one in the Bahamas and worked in many of the hotels on Grand Bahama Island. The Citations played regularly until the 1990s but disbanded when their lead guitarist, Henry Garland, was murdered during a robbery in his home. Mr. Armbrister died in 2006 at the age of 63. There is a recorded interview with Mr. Armbrister where he talks about the Citations and his conversion to born again Christianity here, and some more information about Mr. Armbrister and the group here.

This recording is the first album (out of six) that the Citations recorded. The guys put out a lot of sound for a four piece, due to the seamless way their intricate individual parts fit together. Although they sound great on the ’standard’ tourist music, the more impressive tracks on the album are the ones where they either put a different spin on an older tune (Yellow Bird) or cover a tune not usually associated with island music (Annie’s Song).

One thing that I wish I could share with everyone reading this is the way the album smells. I don’t know if this is the result of where it was sold or the environment it was kept in, but the inner sleeve has a really strong incense aroma. Every time I take the album out I feel like I’ve stepped inside of a head shop. Have fun listening and as always, Enjoy!

Download all the mp3s and cover art in one 64 MB zip file.

Welcome Guardian Readers!

mcpurvis — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:09:18 EST

Pastor McPurvis offers a hearty hello to all the folks coming to us via our recent mention in the Guardian. A big tip of the hat to Chris Salmon for including Vinyl Orphanage among all the other great places to find free and fun music. Have fun poking around and as always, Enjoy!