Album of the Week 5 - Painter

Another album I purchased just because of the cover.

Painter's self titled album from 1974. There's a decent amount of information about them on the web, but they suffer from a generic name problem. Its tough to google "Painter" and wind up with finding an obscurish 70s rock band from Calgary Canada.

Here are the tracks

A

West Coast Woman - I think of this as Painter's California Girls but singular. There doesn't seem to be much of a population on the west coast of Canada, so that could explain why there's only one. On the other other hand she does have "flowers on her cheeks" and "loves that back seat business".

Tell Me Why - not to be mistaken with the Bronski Beat song

Song for Sunshine

Goin' Home to Rock n' Roll - Is pretty great. It's basically an "anti-ramblin'" song. Things on the road are just messed up and hard and I'm tired, so I just want to go home to rock n' roll. It's a great message for the kids/

Space Truck - is a real gem, "drippin' moon dust in my space truck on my way to mars." Packing picnics and turning left at the milky way. It's up there with Steeleye Span's Rocket Cottage.

the B side is more of the same.

Kites and Gliders

Oh! You

Slave Driver

For You

Crazy Feeling

Goin' Down the Road

I do really enjoy this album. It has a good early 70s hippy blues rock feel combined with the politeness and good grammar of Canada.

One problem with Painter is a few too many "you"s in the songs. "She keeps you grinnin'", "that's where you'll find me", "would you like to ride?", "tonight I give my soul to you." I really don't like being implicated in other peoples songs, especially when I don't know them that well. Maybe it works better live? But do I want to take a ride in your Space Truck? I'm not sure, that's a big commitment who's bringing the picnic?. Sure the music is great but you don't need to drag me into it.