Friday, August 3, 2018

Dave Mason - Dave Mason / Split Coconut (1974-75 uk, wonderful blend of folk soft classic guitar rock, 2008 remaster)



Using his touring band, which included keyboard player Mike Finnigan and guitarist Jim Krueger, Dave Mason turned in a strong pop/rock collection on his second, self-titled Columbia album. "Show Me Some Affection" was one of those songs that should have been a hit single, Mason recut a fuller version of "Every Woman," originally heard on It's Like You Never Left, and the album also included Mason's version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," in an arrangement patterned after the one by Jimi Hendrix, on which Mason had played six years earlier.
by William Ruhlmann

Split Coconut is Mason's first successful attempt to diversify that style; the result is a mixed bag of fine, listenable rock.While Mason's singing hasn't changed much over the years, remaining pleasantly untrained and unaffected, he demonstrates here that his is continuing to experiment and grow as a guitarist.

While a couple of the songs display the fluid, comfortable style he's mastered over the years ("Sweet Music," "You Can Lose It"), others are more innovative. "Split Coconut" is an irrepressible disco stomp and "Save Your Love" has a funky Lee Michaels flavor with some effective use of the wah-wah pedal. Other novelties include "Crying, Waiting, Hoping," which omits the guitars altogether and substitutes marimbas, a guest appearance by Manhattan Transfer and the use of organ on a light calypso number, and "Two Guitar Lovers," in which Mason and second guitarist Jim Krueger swap effective leads.

Split Coconut also boasts David Crosby and Graham Nash on backing vocals, but unfortunately they're so lost in the mix as to be almost inaudible. Still, this is for the most part a very entertaining LP.
by Alan Niester, Rolling Stone, 12/4/75 
Tracks
1. Show Me Some Affection (Dave Mason) - 4:23
2. Get Ahold On Love (Dave Mason) - 2:47
3. Every Woman (Dave Mason) - 3:04
4. It Can't Make Any Difference To Me (Lane Tietgen) - 2:19
5. All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 4:06
6. Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke) - 2:58
7. Harmony & Melody (Dave Mason) - 3:39
8. Relation Ships (Dave Mason) - 5:06
9. You Can't Take It When You Go (Dave Mason) - 4:10
10.Split Coconut (Dave Mason) - 3:41
11.Crying, Waiting, Hoping (Buddy Holly) - 2:46
12.You Can Lose It (Dave Mason, Jim Kreuger) - 3:07
13.She's A Friend (Dave Mason) - 2:57
14.Save Your Love (Dave Mason) - 4:19
15.Give Me A Reason Why (Dave Mason) - 5:03
16.Two Guitar Lovers (Maureen Grey) - 3:35
17.Sweet Music (Dave Mason) - 3:22
18.Long Lost Friend (Dave Mason) - 4:28

Musicians
1974  Dave Mason
*Dave Mason - Guitar, Lead Vocals, Horns Arrangements
*Mike Finnigan - Keyboards, Vocals, Horns Arrangements
*Bob Glaub - Bass
*Rick Jaeger - Drums
*Jim Krueger - Lead Guitar Solo (Tracks 4,6,7), Vocals
*Richard Bennett - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Gary Barone, Jerry Jumonville, Jock Ellis, Sal Marquez - Horn Section
*Tim Weisberg - Flute
*Nick DeCaro - Strings Arrangements
1975  Split Coconut
*Dave Mason - Vocals, Guitar, Slide Guitar
*David Crosby - Vocals, Background Vocals
*Graham Nash - Guitar, Background Vocals
*Rick Jaeger - Drums
*Gerald Johnson - Bass
*Mark T. Jordan - Organ, Keyboards, Clavinet
*Jim Krueger - Guitar
*The Manhattan Transfer - Vocals, Background Vocals
*Emil Richards - Percussion, Marimba
*Jai Winding - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards

1970  Dave Mason - Alone Together (Japan remaster) 
1971  Dave Mason And Cass Elliot (2008 remaster)
1972  Dave Mason - Headkeeper (Japan SHM-CD 2010 remaster) 
1973  Dave Mason - It's Like You Never Left  
1976-77  Dave Mason - Certified Live / Let It Flow (2011 double disc edition)  
With Traffic
1969  Traffic - Last Exit (SHM remaster)
1971  Traffic - Welcome To The Canteen (SHM remaster)
1973  Traffic - On The Road (SHM remaster)

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