ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Album # 35 is Alias Boona, by Terence Boylan from 1968.

Take a look at the cover. Does it look like you'll get some hard-hitting heavy metal? Some gospel tinged soul? Avant garde jazz?

A guy and his dog... Looks more like a singer-songwriter LP. Or maybe a dose of country music?

Well, Terence Boylan is still around, even if the apparent early buzz regarding his talents didn't result in a big profile successful rockstar career.
But back in the day Terence attended Bard College upstate New York, where he became friends with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, playing the occasional gig together.

When Terence got a recording contract he called upon Donald and Walter to arrange and play on the album. So here's the first professional studio work from the two who'd eventually form Steely Dan.

Not much Steely Dan sounding stuff on this album though. Terence is a singer/songwriter that take the accoustic route most of the time. Don't miss Terence's version of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homsick Blues" - a reworking that got Mr Dylan's sign of approval!

It's an album not that easy to find, and the same goes for his remaining output:

Terence Boylan followed in 1977 and two albums melded into one named Suzy in 1980.

In 1999 a mix of tracks from Terence Boylan and Suzy were released on a CD called Retrospective. It also features a couple of new recordings.
Alias Boona was released on CD in Japan a few years ago.

More on Terence here:
http://www.terenceboylan.com

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