Zack Laurence arranged harmony pop 45
Label: Decca
Year of Release: 1971
Music Room managed two 45s on Decca; this was their debut in 1971, and the follow-up "Hook and Ladder" emerged in 1972. Neither were hits and nor were they issued in other countries, and after they came and went the group also seemed to evaporate completely.
The trail they've left is so utterly non-existent that it leads me to wonder whether they were just a studio session group and the clue was in their name. This single in particular highlights some amazing performances - those harmony vocals are as slick as they come, and Zack Laurence's arrangements are as intricate, careful and cotton wool soft as you'd expect. It achieves the almost impossible feat of making a rainy day sound appealing, with its swirling, pinging and joyous harmonies.
While this isn't the sort of single I can imagine myself returning to often, fans of The Carpenters or the softer, poppier end of easy listening will probably find themselves succumbing to its charms very quickly.
If anyone knows who performed on this record and what became of them, please do leave a comment.
Oh, and as always, if the previews below aren't working properly please go right to the source.
3 comments:
It's the kind of act that you can imagine being introduced in the interlude during a Benny Hill Show or other light entertainment programmes, talented yet very safe and family friendly. The only thing I've seen (you may have also) is a copyright entry for one Rick Moss - 2 songs "Beautiful Day" and "I Don't Mind the Rain At All", a possible connection?
Good Lord did Decca release a lot of singles that year. I agree this was probably a studio group, based on the songwriting credits on both their singles. (Rick Moss, as noted; and the totally unknowns David Colton and Mary-Ann Hughes on the other single). The Moss song did get covered by an American group under its full title, "I Don't Mind the Rain at All".
"Come Softly To Me" originally was done by The Fleetwoods
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