I developed a taste for “oldies” thanks to my father. I
still remember listening to Dick Bartley on Saturday nights on
WFYR-FM, long before his show went national. It’s gotten to the
point where I know the music of my father’s time better than he
does – and he takes great joy in the times he’s able to stump
me.
So, it was a bit of a surprise to me when I showed him
Dreams, Pleas & Blues by The Ravens, and Dad told me he
had never heard of them before. One spin of the disc, and he gave
it back to me, telling me he really didn’t like it. (Then again,
that’s why my father doesn’t write for this site.)
A compilation of sides recorded in the early ’50s, The Ravens
are definitely a precursor to the world of rock and roll that was
just a few short years away. Their style of rhythm & blues is
similar to the works of groups like The Drifters in some areas, and
the low bass of Jimmy Ricks’s voice also conjures up memories of
many early bands in the days of rock’s infancy.
This collection of 21 songs will most likely be an introduction
to The Ravens for most listeners. And while it is very much an
acquired taste (I recommend breaking the disc up into two or three
listens), it is not an unpleasant experience. Tracks like “Walkin’
With The Blues” (can
someone explain to me why the key of the song suddenly
shifts down right near the end?), “Midnight Blues”, “Time Takes
Care Of Everything” and “Oh Babe!” all make one question why The
Ravens isn’t a band whose name is spoken with reverence today.
Two songs suggest why this may be the case: “The Calypso Song”
and “The Whiffenpoof Song”, two numbers that captured the
popularity of those themes in 1950 and 1951. Maybe back then these
were cute, but in 1999, they really sound dated. Yes, I’m fully
aware that my grandkids will someday look through my music
collection and shake their heads in disbelief at some of the things
I listened to. Hell, I do that these days.
Still, the majority of the music on
Dreams, Pleas & Blues is enjoyable – but this is a
difficult CD to get through in one sitting. Billy Vera’s liner
notes are quite detailed, though I really would have liked to have
seen a listing of band members, seeing that I knew nothing about
this band going into the disc, and I don’t know too much more
afterwards.
