Curt Boettcher - Another Time (1969 us, remarkable orchestrated sunny psych, 2013 Blu Spec, fourth part of eight discs box set)

Based around the ’69 recordings for the supposed solo album on his own Together label, co-owned with soulmates and collaborators Gary Usher and Keith Olsen, Another Time is quite possibly the closest you’ll get to an actual Curt Boettcher album, even though there was an official one soon to follow.

The Spector-cular opener Baby It’s Real is a song rescued from the Millennium days, the title song is a stripped down acoustic arrangement of the Sagittarius classic followed by the “hurdy-gurdy” piece of psych called Lament Of The Astral Cowboy, given away to Curt’s Ballroom bandmate Michele O’Malley, just as was the “misty” popsike ballad Misty Mirage, considered one of his highlight performances.

That’s The Way It’s Gonna Be is, of course, his second attempt at the Phil Ochs/Bob Gibson-written shoulda-been HIT song, already recorded with Lee Mallory, which is as psychedelic and jazzy as bubblegum could ever get, while Tumbling Tumbleweeds is another sparkling cover, turned into a SMiLE-ing Americana.

Also present is Curt’s softish country sophistication Share With Me, coupled with Sometime for a Together single release, as well as a pair of songs from another aborted solo album sessions, 1973’s Chicken Little Was Right, recently also reissued by Sonic Past Music. The first of these, Louise, is probably among the closest Curt got to the traditional folky sound after his GoldeBriars days, while the other one is a perfect slice of country bubblegum called Rest In Peace.

The furthest you’ll get into the past is through a bunch of groovy high quality ’67 demos of songs, later recorded by either Millennium, Sagittarius, Sunshine Company or Eternity’s Children, of which at least one not only matches but outshines the officially released version (If You Only Knew), and as a special bonus, there’s also the ’65 demo acetate of Along Comes Mary, featuring Curt on vocals, backed by the author Tandyn Almer on piano and The Association’s own Gary Alexander on guitar, along with an unknown drummer.

Considering the amount of unreleased Boettcher-related material that has re-surfaced in the recent years, it seems as if “another time” might as well be the subtitle to each one of his recording, foreseeing the date of its release.

by Garwood Pickjon

Tracks
1. Baby It's Real (Curt Boettcher, Michael Fennelly, Sandy Salisbury) - 2:43
2. Another Time - 2:40
3. Lament Of The Astral Cowboy - 2:16
4. I Just Want To Be Your Friend - 2:21
5. Louise (Jerry Netkin) - 2:41
6. Share With Me (Lee Mallory, Joey Stec, Gary Usher) - 3:06
7. Along Comes Mary (Tandyn Almer) - 2:39
8. Sometimes (Curt Boettcher, Lee Mallory) - 2:58
9. That's The Way It's Gonna Be (Bob Gibson, Phil Ochs) - 3:30
10.The Know It All - 2:07
11.Misty Mirage - 4:15
12.If You Only Knew - 2:39
13.Rest In Peace - 2:40
14.Tumbling Tumbleweeds (Bob Nolan) - 3:50
15.You Know I've Found A Way (Curt Boettcher, Lee Mallory) - 1:52
16.Another Time (Curt Boettcher, Lee Mallory) - 2:59
17.Meanwhile Back At The World - 2:53
All songs by Curt Boettcher except where noted

Musicians
*Curt Boettcher - Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Harmony Vocals
*Lee Mallory - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Doug Rhodes - Piano
*Sandy Salisbury - Vocals
*Ron Edgar - Drums
*Jerry Scheff - Bass
*Ben Benay - Guitar
*Mike Melvoin - Piano, Organ
*Toxie French - Percussion, Vibes, Marimba
*Red Rhodes - Pedal Steel
*Waddy Wachtel - Electric Guitar

1965-68  The Millennium - Voices Of The Millennium (2013 Blu Spec)  

1967-68  The Millennium - Pieces (2013 Blu Spec)
1968  The Millennium - Begin (2013 Blue Spec edition)
1966-68  Sagittarius - Present Tense
1967-72  Michael Fennelly - Love Can Change Everything (2013 release)
1970  Crabby Appleton - Crabby Appleton 
1971  Crabby Appleton - Rotten To The Core
1973  Michael Fennelly - Lane Changer (2015 issue)

Free Text
Just Paste