LET THE BAG LADY SWING

After releasing 2 live albums (1987's, 'In the Walls of Eryx' and 1988's, 'Random Animal Parts') the band recorded their first studio album, 'Let the Bag Lady Swing'. Most songs are heavily guitar driven rock with frequent guitar solos, though there are a couple keyboard heavy prog standouts. The first, 'Lovecraft' is 6+ minutes long with lyrics that describe a birds eye view of the worlds HP Lovecraft created, and 'Mermaid's Crimson Bough', the longest track on the album. This one's a classic sea tale where a mariners sailing ship is destroyed and at the point of drowning he encounters a mermaid in the deeps of the ocean. Of the two, 'Mermaids Crimson Bough' is the most adventurous with multiple sections of varying volume dynamics and a recurring flute laden bridge which yields to ripping guitar solos over a heavy progression. A prog related comment I heard about this album when first released was from a friend who said the guitar solos reminded him of Mike Holmes (IQ). Another prog quotient on the guitar driven songs comes from the solo in "Death Comes Knocking". Many songs display a playful sense of humor in the lyrics that show the band doesn't take it itself too seriously at this point. Case in point is the title track that opens with the lyrics, 'When I was 3, I sat on Santa's knee. He said, 'When you grow up what would you like to be?' I said, 'Let me see! A bag lady, a boxcar queen, hag lady, a gutter thing'. Also lyrically amusing is the song, "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" that explores a marriage and relationship between 4 people, "Let's swap rings, let's swap things...4 live cheap as one".

While overall the album is a fun listen and a really good rock album, it's not heavily prog biased so based on the PA guidelines gets 3 stars. It's especially a good find for the ears of those existing fans looking to complete their Mutiny in Jonestown collection or hear how the band started it's long studio album history, or those who prefer their prog with a hard guitar edge. Also, as the album was recorded in 1988 on a 4 track cassette studio, the sound quality is not as good as the bands albums from 1990's, "Lost in Line" and after when the band made a serious upgrade in recording technology.

Note, three of this albums songs: 'Mermaid's Crimson Bough', 'I Do, I Do, I Do' and 'Bag Lady' appear on the compilation album, 'Anthology I 1988 - 1992' available on BandCamp. The album itself is also available on BandCamp.