Blubird S/T Private 1982

Nice headband, bro

Blubird S/T Private 1982 CAT# BB101

Internet research indicates these guys are from the Hays, Kansas area. Apparently, the two main songwriters, Tony Pfiefer and Fulton Calvery, were in a 50's retro-rock band called Jimmy Dee and the Destinations (I actually have an album, just haven't gotten to it) in the late-70's and early 80's. By 1982, they left the Destinations to form this band, Blubird. In addition to putting out a private press LP, they apparently made there way throughout Kansas in places like Manhattan to play to the K-State crowd. Following this band, it appears a whole bunch of Pfiefer's started a band called the Heat that made an appearance on Star Search. There may be some of those Pfiefer's on outside of Tony on this record, but I just got photos and songwriter credits.

Mullet City was apparently Hays, KS, 1982

The cover of this is just awful...the bad 80's graphics, the terrible clothes, and seriously, all 4 guys are rocking a variation on a mullet. It certainly stinks of Western, Kansas. Outside of the look, there isn't many clues as to what the Blubird were all about. Maybe there was a lyric sheet at one point, but there's nothing indicating who or where these guys are from.

The cover is also a good lead into their sound. Not a skinny-tie, new-wave, thing, but more in the vein of Loverboy power-pop. That could mean really awful things and in parts, like a cover of "Mony Mony", it is. But, for the most part, it's not that bad. It's pleasant middle-of-the-road power-pop teetering on some AOR influences.

On albums like this the hope is for one really killer track. Unfortunately, it's not here. Some of the more power-pop tracks get dangerously close, but the band is too reliant on the AOR pomp of influences like Journey and Foreigner. Again, it's not terrible, it's just nothing stand out and far too typical for rock music in the 80's.

THE HEAT ON STAR SEARCH

John Biggs The Roads We Travel Blue Valley Records 1979

John Biggs The Roads We Travel Blue Valley Records 1979 CAT# 001

Private press LP from Manhattan, Kansas.  I got this by posting records on Instagram.  There's an absurd amount of people that post, brag about, and talk about records on Instagram.  I got into it just recently, started following @soundtracksunday.  He posts a lot of soundtracks and his thing is he started the soundtracksunday hash-tag in which you listen, post, and hash tag a soundtrack on Sundays (obviously).  I posted a copy of the Rockers soundtrack and mentioned I had a double, @soundtracksunday asked if I wanted to trade.  I replied, sure, but sent it to him without committing to any sort of trade at the time.  A few months later I got this out of it, cool right?

It is decent.  John Biggs is a picker and falls a bit more on the country side of things than he does the bluegrass side.  I wish there was a larger scene for stuff like this in Kansas.  Many, many, years ago there was Big K Records out of Kansas City that did a lot of root driven country music.  There's also the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas.  It's a large acoustic music festival catering to pickers, bluegrass and old time music.  There's also an absurdly large scene that goes from Springfield to St. Louis, Missouri.  Some of it incredibly good.  Most of it a little too influenced by Jesus, the Ozarks, and Branson, Missouri.  But, the good stuff is really good.  Since the furthest I'm going to get away from Kansas is St. Joseph, Missouri, I wish there was more stuff like this available from Kansans.

Biggs is good when he keeps it on the country side.  His originals aren't too bad.  The traditional songs that make up the bulk of the album are the best moments.  My biggest complaint is that his voice is in the higher registers.  The arrangements are crisp and it tends to make his voice sound like a minstrel Renaissance fair singer.  That, and he's from Manhattan, Kansas, but that goes without saying.