Plain and Fancy: Revival - Revival (1972 us, ravishing hippie country folk rock)

Monday, September 12, 2022

Revival - Revival (1972 us, ravishing hippie country folk rock)

Revival is a country-rock band founded by the East Coast folk duo of Dan Daley and Michelle Conway. They built around strong two, three and four part harmonies, this group touches more bases than the country‐rock which dominates the album. There are two beautiful ballads—”I Was, You Were” and “Words No. 1”—and an exciting pop jazz number, “Barbara.” Mi chelle Conway's gutsy vocal solo on the latter serves as much as a musical instru ment as the coneyor of the lyrics.

All but three of the songs contained herein—Gerry Se gal's comment on deception, “Darrell Heywood,” Merie Haggard's classic “Mama Tried,” and Bobby Flax and Lanny Lambert's tuneful if innocuous “One Too Many Goodbyes” — are originals from the pen of lead singer and guitarist Dan Daley, who shows promise in all three areas. As a composer he moves freely between the country and pop idioms. As a vocalist he is clean and straight‐foward.

Rounding out the group are bass player Paul Guzzone and drummer Mike Malfesi, both of whom also sing. Though the quartet is moving in sev eral directions at once, the vocal harmonies hold every thing tightly and happily together.

by Ira Mayer, March 26, 1972