Ravin' Image - Echoes/ Woman of Misfortune

 

Atmospheric piece of yearning psychedeic pop

Label: Capitol

Year of Release: 1969

Here's a slightly odd and very minimal 45 with psychedelic tinges. "Echoes" is on the surface a delicate and very simple ballad, very close to a wind-up music box melody in its simplicity. It steadily builds on its original simple idea with added moody organ lines, reverb and increasingly desperate vocal lines. 

This was Texan group the Ravin' Image's solitary release, but in that name only - members John Esposito and Ronnie Tourso were also both in The Utopia Parkway who issued the single "Come With Me" on United Artists  the following year, and had also been in Gentle'Men who put out the garage punker "Come On (If You Can)" on Cameo in 1966. Why they were so keen on pushing out singles under a multitude of different names is something of a mystery and will probably remain one unless someone comes forward to help us get wiser.

None of their singles seem to have sold in particularly large quantities, yet the Ravin' Image and Utopia Parkway efforts have a haunting yet naive air to them, simple, sweet yet ever so faintly troubling around their edges. Had they been given an opportunity to progress further, it would have been interesting to hear what else they came out with.

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