Spun #1

If you've visited this blog before, you've probably noticed a general lack of focus and a ridiculously long time between posts, or what I like to think of as a charming and lackadaisical sense of randomness. But no longer.

I've decided to try my hand at this music blog thing. For the time being, I'll do my best to regularly present fairly obscure discs of vinyl, which hopefully haven't yet been brought into the digital realm (or at least in a listenable version). I hope you enjoy these spinning black circles half as much as I do.

Spun first is a 45 by the Moonglows, "In My Diary" b/w "Blue Velvet" Lana Records L-132. Based on my brief research, this was released in 1964 or '65, and maybe it sounded perfectly normal back then. But when I listen to it today, I can't help but wonder what was going through the minds of everyone involved. Whether it was just a lack of rehearsal, an over-indulged chemical inspiration, some intentional mischief-making, or maybe all three, something was not right. Out of tune guitars, microtonal vocals, liberties taken with rhythm and meter both. . . of course it's great.

As usual, repeated listenings start to make more sense, but there are moments here which will never cease to pull the rug out from under me, causing a chuckle or two in the process.

Retrieve it here.