Sunday, August 25, 2024

Hotspur - Sweet Fortune's Darling (1974 us, elegant west coast country rock)



Ted Munda was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, mid to late sixties he was member of two local bands. Round 1964 he formed The Enfields they were highly influenced by the British Invasion and folk rock. In 1967 the band split and Ted formed Friends of the Family he also joined the Blues Magoos, in 1973 together with Gene Barkin, Russ Smith and Ted Longstreth they signed to Columbia Records under the name "Hotspur".

In 1974 this talented quartet release their debut LP titled "Sweet Fortune's Darling". Exquisite harmonies and powerful, driving rhythms highlight. "I Lost My Wings Ir Memphis" is a fabulous rocker with a steady, repeating chorus that gives it enough strength to be considered as a single. Throughout the collection, Hotspur effectively makes use of percussion, in much the same way as the Stones, using accents to bolster the feeling of the song. "I Wrote This Song," "The Best I Can Do," "Countryside Ride," "You Can't Lose (What You Never Had)," and "We Need A Captain" are all well worked pieces of music, showing promise for the band.
Tracks
1. I Wrote This Song - 4:43
2. The Best I Can Do (Gene Barkin) - 3:13
3. Wings Of A Dove (Russ Smith) - 3:59
4. No Place At All - 4:19
5. Constant Weather - 3:24
6. Countryside Ride - 3:00
7. You Can't Lose (Gene Barkin) - 4:08
8. We Need A Captain - 3:27
9. All Along The Lake - 4:20
10.I Lost My Wings In Memphis - 5:00
All songs by Ted Munda except where stated

Hotspur
*Ted Munda - Lead Vocals, Rhythm, Acoustic, Lead Guitars
*Gene Barkin - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Russ Smith - Bass, Vocals
*Ted Longstreth - Drums