Artist: The Collage
Album: The Collage
Country: US
Genre: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Release: 1967 (2011)
Quality: FLAC | lossless

When The Collage signed with Mercury Records' Smash division in 1968 (also the home of The Left Banke), the group was on the verge of a breakthrough. Consisting of Jerry Careaga, Ron Joelson, Donna Byrd and Jodie Cline, the two-man, two-woman Collage was in the mold of The Mamas and the Papas, but with two ace songwriters instead of one; Careaga and Joelson worked as a team. Their songs - described by Careaga as "beat-poetry lyrics to show-tune-style melodies" - grabbed the attention of industry movers and shakers including Nik Venet at Capitol. But it was Steve Douglas, famed Wrecking Crew saxophonist and Mercury A&R man, who had faith in The Collage and produced their self-titled debut LP. This was a top-tier production all the way, with the Wrecking Crew working their legendary session magic (more on them here and here), and future star J.J. Cale engineering. While the basic tracks were cut at North Hollywood's Amigo Studios, additional recording was conducted at Hollywood's renowned United Recorders. Harry Nilsson's frequent collaborator Perry Botkin Jr. provided the arrangements. Hot on the heels of its acclaimed reissues of Paul Williams' Someday Man and The Cowsills' On My Side, the Now Sounds label will on February 28 release a deluxe expanded edition of this lost slice of late-sixties psych/sunshine pop, The Collage. Fans of The Mamas and the Papas, The Free Design or harmony pop: this one's for you!

The Collage was released in January 1968, but despite its rich harmonies, lush orchestrations and psychedelic touches, the album failed to take off in the charts. The group hit the television circuit on such programs on American Bandstand, The Joey Bishop Show, The Steve Allen Show, It's Happening and Playboy After Dark, and made appearances in Las Vegas at The Sands and Caesar's Palace before disbanding.

Tracklist:
The Original LP
1. Lookin' At A Baby
2. Driftin'
3. Rainy Blue Memory Day
4. Any Day's A Sunday Afternoon
5. My Mind's At Ease
6. Virginia Day's Ragtime Memories
7. Can I Go
8. She's Just Laughin' At Me
9. Ragged Clown
10.Would You Like To Go
Bonus Tracks:
11.Driftin’ (Mono 45)
12.Virginia Day’s Ragtime Memories (Mono 45)
13.Lookin’ At A Baby (Mono 45)
14.Any Day’s A Sunday Afternoon (Mono 45)
15.Hard Days
16.Leave Behind A Dream
17.Story Of Rock And Roll
18.Someday Man (Track Only)
19.Fly Big City Love Bird
20.What You Gonna Do

Tracks 1-10 from Smash LP SRS 67101, 1968
Track 11 from Smash single 2150, 1968
Tracks 12 & 17 from Smash single 2170, 1968
Track 13 & 14 from Smash single 2135, 1967
Track 14 also from Smash single 2150, 1968
Tracks 15-16 and 18-20 are previously unreleased