The Sidetrack - Baby (Reissue) (1969/2005)

Sidetrack ’s only known recorded effort is this 1969 demo album which originally appeared in a blank sleeve with the album’s labels glued to the cover! The story is that this is a demo pressing for an intended Elektra release that never happened, although after listening to the album, it is tempting to conclude that had the label gone ahead, Baby, with its classy, late ‘60s baroque pop/folk style, could have been an album of some significance. Sidetrack managed to combine oddball but accessible pop with far out experimentation and a distinctive keyboard sound (most songs have no guitars at all) courtesy of various permutations of piano, organ, harpsichord and harmonium . The song writing, often melodic and addictive, is always of the highest order, thus neatly avoiding the “ballad-type” band musical cul de sac into which guitarless bands so often blundered. The production is crisp, clear and supremely professional, the musicianship, including the up-front bass playing, is never less than exemplary and the songs, always veering towards the eclectic rather than the predictable, are a continuous source of interest. This album is something pretty special: a recording that makes one regret Elektra’s lack of foresight in not making it commercially available as well as the opportunity to develop Sidetrack’s considerable potential which slipped through the label’s fingers. An unusual album that is highly recommended