JohnTem82387976

8 August 2018

52nd Precinct - Time Is Tight/ Feel It



Vast, ever-evolving library track featuring fuzz guitars and flutes. Nice!

Label: Dart
Year of Release: 1973

Now here's a treat. This appears to be a different treatment of Simon Park's track "Precinct" (issued under the name Simon Haseley) on the DeWolfe LP "Hogan, The Hawk and Dirty John Crown". 

Clocking in at four-and-a-half minutes long, a fuzz guitar introduces the proceedings before the track slowly unveils puffing flutes, groovy beats, and foreboding brass lines. Slinky, sleek and atmospheric, it's a complex and genuinely lovely bit of work which is clearly inspired partly by Isaac Hayes' soundtrack to "Shaft".

If it sounds halfway familiar, that's because elements of it have been used in soundtracks - even recently, "Bargain Hunt" has apparently utilised its charms during an episode (Yes, I know).

The B-side isn't a complete wash-out either, being a piece of slightly plastic Northern Soul which might act as an unlikely source of dance floor action on a good night. A single you can pick up reasonably cheaply and is one worth treasuring, this. 

It almost doesn't need to be stated that prior to this track flopping in 1973, Simon Park and his Orchestra had a huge number one hit with "Eye Level" in 1972. Personally speaking, I prefer this record. 



2 comments:

Doctor Gaz said...

Interestingly, although released earlier "Eye level" reached the top spot in the autumn of 1973 - maybe that had some bearing on the timing of this release.

Mark G said...

If this was subject to a "blind tasting", I'd guess 99% of people would think it was CCS, complete with Alexis Korner vocal.