About Us Review

07/13/2005 4:22 AM, AMG


Stories had a minor hit off their debut album, "I'm Coming Home" getting substantial airplay in Boston circa 1972. Michael Brown and Ian Lloyd had the luxury of producing their own self-titled debut, no doubt due in part to the success of Brown's days with Left Banke. Eddie Kramer co-produces five of the initial 12 songs on this wonderful follow-up album entitled About Us -- initial because the recording had two lives. Michael Brown left the band and the new Stories went into the studio with former Music Connection magazine editor and producer of Gladys Knight, Kenny Kerner. He and Richie Wise recorded a song written by Errol Brown/Tony Wilson and released by their British band Hot Chocolate. The song was "Brother Louie," a strange concoction of the Hot Chocolate sound found on their latter-day hit "Emma" and the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie." Kama Sutra later put the 45 in the original pressing's sleeve before adding it as a 13th track on About Us. That unique Hot Chocolate song was a far cry from the Paul McCartney-ish pop of opening track "Darling" or closing track "What Comes After," and the hit song's production was a lot heavier than the light pop which was Michael Brown's trademark, something Ian Lloyd translated very nicely. It's interesting that with "Brother Louie"'s success in the summer of 1973, masterful pop songs like "Love Is in Motion," so very Beatlesque, and "Don't Ever Let Me Down" couldn't find a huge audience. Though from New York City, the album sounds like Britain's answer to David Gate's Bread. Had Kama Sutra pursued that avenue, the band may have had a number of hits that their hard work and superb musicianship deserved. Instead they created Traveling Underground as a followup, with the "Brother Louie"-sounding "Mammy Blue," again, removed from the pure pop that was "Hey France" on this disc. Guitarist Steve Love leads off side two with his "Changes Have Begun," and it continues the early formula the band was working on. The piano-heavy instrumental "Circles" and out-and-out heavy pop/rocker "Believe Me" all pointed toward a music that should have at least been as big as the Raspberries with Eric Carmen. "Words" almost sounds like the Moody Blues with both Denny Laine and "Justin Hayward." Stories did release a followup to "Mammy Blue," a single entitled "Another Love." Rather than explore the interracial theme of Janis Ian's "Society's Child" again, "Another Love" was about a gay relationship. It should be included on a Stories compilation. Till then, the rock & roll pop of "Top of the City" is indicative of most of the music on About Us. Michael Brown would go on to produce Boston's Reddy Teddy, and the Cars' Ric Ocasek would help Ian Lloyd attempt a solo career; however, About Us is representative of the two sides of Stories and, despite all the changes happening to the group at the time, is a very fine record. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide