Genre: pop
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Primordial Lovers
Company: Reprise
Catalog: RS 6377
Year: 1970
Country/State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: gatefold sleeve; minor cover and edge wear' minor hissing in soft parts; no skips
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 280
Price: $20.00
Best time to play: Sunday mornings
Urban legend has it that Warner Brothers vice president Mo Ostin discovered Mohawk (still Sandy Hurvitz at the time), playing at Steve Paul's New York City club The Scene and signed her to Warner Brothers' Reprise label right there. I have no idea if that's true, but I can tell you that before she'd finished the album, she'd married producer Mohawk, hence the album was released under her new surname.
The resulting project, 1970's "Primordial Lovers" is the album that's garnered Essra Mohawk her reputation amongst critics and the recording collecting elite. Produced by then-husband Frazier Mohawk, the album is a perennial on "best of" and "critics choice" lists, though relatively few folks have every heard it. With backing from an impressive cast of known and lesser known L.A. based musicians, the album's far more accomplished than her 1969 debut "Sandy's Album Is Here At Last". While it wasn't particularly commercial, the album showcased Mohawk's nifty voice (hearing a track like 'Spiral' you were left to wonder how a small Philly-born white chick could sound so soulful) and her willingness to experiment with different genres, oddball timings, and a wide array of out of the ordinary subject matter including the life of Austrian psychoanalysts Wilhelm Reich who was supposedly the inspiration for the song 'Spiral'.
- Prime early-'70s singer/songwriter material, ' I Am the Breeze' should carry significant appeal for anyone into Janis, Ian, Carole King, or Laura Nyro. Curiously lots of folks have labeled this one as having jazzy overtones. I don't hear it. To my ears it's a pretty, but stark ballad - just Mohawk accompanying herself on piano with some tasteful oboe from George St. John. Yeah, pretty and a nice introduction to Mohawk's enchanting (yes, I'll say it), sexy voice. rating: **** stars
- Backed by a restrained rock arrangement (Mel Graves turned in a dazzling bass line), the dark and ominous 'Spiral' was the perfect vehicle for Mohawk's unique, multi-tracked voice. One of the album highlights which probably explains why it was tapped as the second single. rating: **** stars
- 'I'll Give It To You Anyway' incorporated touches of country, jazz, and gospel along with her singer/songwriter moves. A bit on the schizophrenic side, but interesting. rating: *** stars
- Folks have accused David Crosby of having based 'Deja Vu' on Mohawk's 'I Have Been Here Before'. Guess you'd have to ask Crosby about it, though he apparently knew Mohawk and was familiar with the song. Mohawk has discussed playing the song for Crosby on several occasions). I guess I can hear a certain degree of similarity given both tracks share a weird, non-traditional song structure (doesn't ever Crosby song?); they both exhibit some jazzy textures, and both seem to have been inspired by reincarnation. I'd argue 'Deja Vu' is the better track, but what do I know ... rating: **** stars
- Another Mohawk and piano ballad, 'Looking Forward To the Dawn' was pretty, but nothing particularly memorable. rating: *** stars
- I read somewhere that the ballad 'Thunder In the Morning' was inspired by Stephen Stills. It might well be true given Mohwak and Stills were apparently briefly an item and Mohawk and CSN&Y shared the same manager. Add to thatt husband Mohawk had managed The Buffalo Springfield and was a close friend of Stills. Regardless of the inspiration, this one was pretty painful. The musical key was just way out of whack for Mohawk's voice and when she tried to hit the high notes, it made your fillings rattle. rating: ** stars
- The album's most experimental composition, 'Lion On the Wing' somehow managed to blend Carole King-styled confessionals with a quirky jazz arrangement that wasn't a complete bore. rating: *** stars
- The album's more commercial number, ' It's Up To Me' had a breezy, likeable melody and was actually quite commercial; probably explaining why it was tapped as the lead-off single. rating: *** stars
- My pick for standout performance, 'It's Been a Beautiful Day' was quirky, but catchy. rating: **** stars
As mentioned, the album spun off two instantly obscure singles:
- 1970's 'It's Up To Me' b/w 'Jabberwock' (reprise catalog number 0913)
- 1970's 'Spiral' b/w 'Image of You'' (Reprise catalog number 0948)
The album attracted strong reviews among critics, but did little commercially.
"Primordial Lovers" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) I Am the Breeze (Essra Mohawk) -
2.) Spiral (Essra Mohawk) -
3.) I'll Give It To You Anyway (Essra Mohawk) -
4.) I Have Been Here Before (Essra Mohawk) -
(side 2)
1.) Looking Forward To the Dawn (Essra Mohawk) -
2.) Thunder In the Morning (Essra Mohawk) -
3.) Lion On the Wing (Essra Mohawk) -
4.) It's Up To Me (Essra Mohawk) -
5.) It's Been a Beautiful Day (Essra Mohawk) -
