Coke Belda “4”
Coke Belda certainly wears his love of McCartney on his sleeve. Opening with an unapologetic fanboy love note on “Thank you, Paul,” you can have a fun time counting how many Macca songs are mentioned by name. But this doesn’t take away from the fact that Coke writes catchy melodies that just stick. “Another Day” is a gem that adds a little ELO to the mix with its deep chords about avoiding internet trolls. The short “Believe” is a bouncy acoustic ballad, and the rich production and vocal harmonies take center stage on the mid-tempo standout “6×8 Basement.”
Belda varies his style enough on the impressive Hollies-like “Just A Dream,” and the hippie folk tune “1968.” So far this album is really good, but on “Harlan, Kentucky” Belda takes it up a notch. The catchy verses build on each other, the riffs are infectious and by the middle eight it’s transcendent. At another time, this would be a huge hit song. He also indulges with a syrupy six-minute love song on “Watching You,” which eventually builds to a flowing guitar solo. Simply no filler here, and it makes my top 10 list this year for sure. Super highly recommended.
Andrew Gold “Something New: Unreleased Gold”
Andrew Gold was best known for hits “Lonely Boy,” and Golden Girls theme song “Thank You For Being A Friend.” He was a great songwriter and helped rocket Linda Ronstadt to fame. His genius was often overlooked, and he passed away in 2011. But his widow Leslie Kogan discovered a collection of demos Gold recorded in 1973. These songs would ultimately land him a deal with Asylum Records who would release his first album in the fall of 1975. Thanks to Omnivore Recordings, it’s seeing the light of day.
The potential hit here “Something New” was eventually given to Playboy model Barbi Benton in 1976, but Andrew’s version is fresher with less studio gloss. Additional “finished” songs include the country-pop of “Prisoner” and “Resting in Your Love.” These are not typical Gold, but very enjoyable. The remain tracks are all solo demos and not everything here sticks. Highlights include the fine melodies of “Come Down To Me,” “The World Tomorrow Brings,” and “Don’t Bring Me Down.” Despite the fact that these songs are underdeveloped, they all hold potential. This collection will mainly appeal to Gold fans. Others should start with Essential Gold.
