VA - Deep Ear (1974)

While there are plenty of new names to be found on Deep Ear, what had become apparent by the mid-70s was just how long Warners Bros. was willing to stand behind and support acts that still weren’t moving many units for the label. Artists like Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt and others were, more often than not, given time to grow and develop – until they found their audience – a luxury not always afforded great recording artists. After all, guys like Newman don’t become sought-after, Grammy-winning, Disney soundtrackers overnight. The sad truth is that many of this collection’s now established talents would’ve been booted into oblivion as modern upstarts. That the Loss Leaders series continued to celebrate the unique and esoteric (under the guise of selling more vinyl) is one of the reasons these comps are still valid today. One of this set’s more unusual tracks is Van Dyke Parks’ composition, “Come To The Sunshine,” a minor hit for Harpers Bizarre that Warners had to borrow from MGM to even include here. Van Dyke specially edited the 1966 45 for inclusion, so it’s probably not available anywhere else in this form. That’s obviously for fans and collectors, and was not designed to sell records back in 1974. By the way, Van Dyke produces Little Feat’s essential “Spanish Moon,” too. The Maria Muldaur track comes from the 1972 movie, “Steelyard Blues.” Allen Toussaint writes and/or produces four tracks on Deep Ear, and pre-Sir George Martin produces America. Dr. Demento, who returns to compile, annotate and, in his own weird way, perform on Deep Ear, can be heard on the opening track introducing the album to follow. BIG thanks once again to Rebecca for ripping this rarity and scanning the artwork for all of us, for which we’re very appreciative.