SHIVA'S HEADBAND
''IN THE PRIMO OF LIFE''
JUN 2004
DOWNLOAD
1/Riverside/Spencer Perskin/5:14
2/Chili Verde/Spencer Perskin/2:26
3/Land of Strangers/Spencer Perskin/6:02
4/Banjoke/Spencer Perskin/2:05
5/Woman's Blues/Spencer Perskin / Suzy Perskin/4:01
6/Beginning/Steve Whitfield/4:42
7/Why I Sing the Blues/Spencer Perskin/5:08
8/Upside Down/Spencer Perskin/3:18
9/Afrodeez/Spencer Perskin/2:48
10/Dust to Dust/Spencer Perskin/5:44
11/Lost Austin Blues/Spencer Perskin/2:21
12/My Baby/Spencer Perskin/5:48
Elouise Burrell/Vocals
Mike Kearney/Guitar
Greg Lowry/Bass
Spencer Perskin/Guitar, Producer, Violin, Vocals
Suzy Perskin/Organ, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Shawn Siegel/Piano
Ed Vizard/Saxophone
Steve Whitfield/Drums, Producer
REVIEW
by Jo-Ann Greene
You never know what changes time will bring, least of all with bands, but few have
undergone the dramatic alteration of Shiva's Headband. Back in the '60s, the Texans
reeled out a heady psychedelic-rock brew, but unlike most of their contemporaries, they
kept on bubbling across the next decade and beyond. In the Primo of Life was originally
released in 1983, an album true to its title and brimming with viv, vim, and good humor,
so much so, that one can't help but savor every single minute within. But it's the diversity
of life that Headband celebrate here -- the joy of smoking ganja down at the "Riverside," the
sensuous bite of "Chili Verde," the possibilities of the instrumental "Afrodeez." However,
none of those songs's titles give wind to their actual sound; "Riverside" is indeed reggae
based, but reggae as fabulously played by a genre-challenged Eastern European R&B band;
"Chili" whirls through an urban-lite funk atmosphere, dragging that lost gypsy violinist
along for the ride, while "Afrodeez" blends pattering congos to what sounds like Asian
instruments, twittering birds, and evocative violin. Then there's "Banjoke," the joke being
the banjo sounds like it's being played by a Balkan.
"Beginning" is even more humorous, a sparkling '80s rocker resplendent with organ, but
driven by a bass riff ripped right out of the hands of Iron Butterfly's "Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida."
And neither "Woman's Blues," composed and sung by Suzy Perskin, nor bandleader Spencer
Perskins' own "Why I Sing the Blues really fit the blues bill, the former too fast paced, the
latter too sweet to be sorrowing, but both wonderful nonetheless. However, it's "Upside
Down" that really captures the set's soul, with its good-time rocking feeling, and pick-
yourself-up message.
Which makes the inclusion of two bonus tracks of later vintage totally extraneous and
decidedly out of place. This album stands brilliantly, and doesn't need extras to entice.
''IN THE PRIMO OF LIFE''
JUN 2004
DOWNLOAD
1/Riverside/Spencer Perskin/5:14
2/Chili Verde/Spencer Perskin/2:26
3/Land of Strangers/Spencer Perskin/6:02
4/Banjoke/Spencer Perskin/2:05
5/Woman's Blues/Spencer Perskin / Suzy Perskin/4:01
6/Beginning/Steve Whitfield/4:42
7/Why I Sing the Blues/Spencer Perskin/5:08
8/Upside Down/Spencer Perskin/3:18
9/Afrodeez/Spencer Perskin/2:48
10/Dust to Dust/Spencer Perskin/5:44
11/Lost Austin Blues/Spencer Perskin/2:21
12/My Baby/Spencer Perskin/5:48
Elouise Burrell/Vocals
Mike Kearney/Guitar
Greg Lowry/Bass
Spencer Perskin/Guitar, Producer, Violin, Vocals
Suzy Perskin/Organ, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Shawn Siegel/Piano
Ed Vizard/Saxophone
Steve Whitfield/Drums, Producer
REVIEW
by Jo-Ann Greene
You never know what changes time will bring, least of all with bands, but few have
undergone the dramatic alteration of Shiva's Headband. Back in the '60s, the Texans
reeled out a heady psychedelic-rock brew, but unlike most of their contemporaries, they
kept on bubbling across the next decade and beyond. In the Primo of Life was originally
released in 1983, an album true to its title and brimming with viv, vim, and good humor,
so much so, that one can't help but savor every single minute within. But it's the diversity
of life that Headband celebrate here -- the joy of smoking ganja down at the "Riverside," the
sensuous bite of "Chili Verde," the possibilities of the instrumental "Afrodeez." However,
none of those songs's titles give wind to their actual sound; "Riverside" is indeed reggae
based, but reggae as fabulously played by a genre-challenged Eastern European R&B band;
"Chili" whirls through an urban-lite funk atmosphere, dragging that lost gypsy violinist
along for the ride, while "Afrodeez" blends pattering congos to what sounds like Asian
instruments, twittering birds, and evocative violin. Then there's "Banjoke," the joke being
the banjo sounds like it's being played by a Balkan.
"Beginning" is even more humorous, a sparkling '80s rocker resplendent with organ, but
driven by a bass riff ripped right out of the hands of Iron Butterfly's "Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida."
And neither "Woman's Blues," composed and sung by Suzy Perskin, nor bandleader Spencer
Perskins' own "Why I Sing the Blues really fit the blues bill, the former too fast paced, the
latter too sweet to be sorrowing, but both wonderful nonetheless. However, it's "Upside
Down" that really captures the set's soul, with its good-time rocking feeling, and pick-
yourself-up message.
Which makes the inclusion of two bonus tracks of later vintage totally extraneous and
decidedly out of place. This album stands brilliantly, and doesn't need extras to entice.
