Sunday Funnies - "Benediction" (1972)

This is an album I just found the other week, in one of Uppsalas stores for used records. A find that made me very happy! The price of 7$ made me even happier. I bought it without a doubt. Some faithful readers might remember one of this blog's first posts that was on Sunday Funnies debut album from 1971. Benediction was their second, and last, LP. I knew about this record through the internet but I had never seen it IRL, so it was a big event to find it.

Sunday Funnies originated from Detroit and was Richard Fidge (song), Ronald Aiken (guitar), Richard Kosinski (keyboard) and Richard Mitchell (drums). Wow, three Richards and a Ron! My first impression is that their first album is better then the second one, but I haven't owned Benediction for a long time and records sometimes have a tendency to grow on you. The label is Rare Earth which was a sub label of Motown, and focused on all-white bands.

Side A is a pretty funky creation where the band and the singer hits it hard in every song. The singer has a really raspy voice which makes me want to clear my throat. I guess it's Richard Fidge who sings on these songs, on the backside of the album cover it says that Aiken and Kosinski also do some singing, so I won't make any promises on who sings on what song. On some songs you clearly hear that someone else than the raspy-voice man is singing, the singing is done much more softly on these and often in harmonies. I like these better.
Compared with their first album side A of Benediction is more up-tempo and funky. I was somewhat disappointed in this since I like the first album's more calm and beautiful songs.

Side B gives the listener a new experience since the songs are totally different from side A. The soul/funk is almost gone and it sounds more like their first album. That's good. The songs a more beautiful, a little more complex and more interesting to listen to compared to the "simpler" funk on side A. The opening track Reach Out I'll Be There is the only song on the album that's not written by Kosinski-Aiken, instead Holland-Dozier-Holland are named as writers. It's less feeling of gospel on Benediction compared with their first album, even though a Christianity might be hinted here and there. The record's last words, and therefore Sunday Funnies last words to the world, are: 'Oh, dear God'. What do you say about that?

A difference compared to their first album is that strings are used on some songs on Benediction. Tom Baird is given the credit for arranging these and also some horns. This gives a certain feeling to these songs since string arrangements affects the sound quite a lot. Suddenly it sounds more produced, more professionell and the smell of th 70s becomes stronger. This can be good or bad depending on taste. Personally, my dominating feeling was surprise since it sounds different from the Sunday Funnies I've gotten used to earlier.
But overall you still recognize the Sunday Funnies sound. The electric organ is a important part in this since it's there in almost all the songs and plays an important role. The raspy voice and the bass playing are also parts that makes you recognize Sunday Funnies. No doubt it's them on Benediction.

It can be mentioned that Andrew Loog Oldham is the producer of the album, yes, the same man who was the manager of Rolling Stones in the 60s. Another, less amusing, curiosity is that the drummer Richard Mitchell ended up as a homeless and died in a halfway house in Detroit in the 90s. Richard Kosinski on the other hand contributed to albums with Aretha Frankling, Bonnie Riatt and The Temptations. He also created music for Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw and the Hanna-Barbera series Gravedale High.

In summary, Benediction is no doubt worth buying, at least for the make-me-happy price of 7$. In my world the B-side is the highlight of the album. Finally I want to mention the cover of the album. An angel with black wings, sitting on a motorcycle wearing two bandoleers in front of a mountain is alone worth 7$. On top of that she wears boots that goes all the way up to her thighs. Unbeatable.

Tracklist
Side A
1. Get Funky 3:52
2. Double Grace 3:36
3. Two Halves of a Whole 4:40
4. Keep on Truckin' 4:48
5. Rock Me Lord, Friends Indeed 6:04

Side B
1. Reach Out I'll Be There 3:28
2. We're All On The Same Side Of the Fence 4:44
3. Power & the Glory 2:44
4. Brother John 4:38
5. The Pillow 5:38

I only found this short clip, someone else might be luckier...

Sunday Funnies (1971)

I go too far if I call this album a rarity, but it is a record that I am proud to own. Although it is possible to find used copies on the web, they are not that easy to find and I have seen prices of $100 asked for one (although I have seen it sold much cheaper too).

It found its way to my record collection in a way that one might perceive as dishonest. My mother bought the album in the early 70's. When I at the age of ten first heard it (it was the second track It's just a dream), it was among the most beautiful music I had ever heard. Later I began to explore the rest of the album and found it very good. One day in my 20s I moved away from home, and in some strange way this record followed me to my new home. Now it has lived with me for 20 years so probably I can call myself the rightful owner.
My mom makes the following comment regarding this:

"I bought the record Sunday Funnies at Kvantum in Uppsala (Sweden) for a very reasonable price. I had no idea what kind of music it was but thought the album cover was nice. I have not played it so much and don’t miss it at all. So consider it yours! Love, Mom. "

Good to hear! Well, the album is Sunday Funnies first album on the Rare Earth label (the Sunday Funnies are thus the name of both the group and the record). They released a second album in 1972, Benediction, which was their last.The label Rare Earth existed between 1969-1976, the music fans may also know the band Rare Earth belonging to the label, who also gave it its name. I should also mention that there was an earlier and different Sunday Funnies - a band existing in the 60s. The band this text is about came from Detroit and consisted of Richard Fidge (vocals), Ronald Aitken (guitar), Richard Kosinski (keyboards) and Richard Mitchell (drums).

Definitions are often difficult, especially when it comes to music. If you read about the Sunday Funnies, often pop-rock and psych-rock is mentioned. Actually it doesn’t matter much what you call a certain music, but the problem still pops up when you want to describe your music to someone else. Then it's nice to be able to use a well established label, which in this case is difficult.
The album opens up with a pretty tough rocker, Walk down the path of freedom, and continues with the earlier mentioned It's just a dream, which is much calmer. In general, I think that the record has the sound of the late 60s and early 70s (no wonder when it was recorded in 1971!) and some tracks have an element that is almost gospellike, or at least reminds me of religious music. By that I mean the rather epic / bombastic verses or choruses, which I personally like very much, and with texts that can be interpreted religiously. The name Sunday Funnies could well mean that the members have a Christian faith, but this I leave unsaid. Simultaneously there is a strong taste of 60's psychedelia in the songs, which makes it all even more interesting.

I highly recommend this album as it is one of my favorites, maybe it’s the sweet and magic memories of childhood which helps create this feeling. But even when I am objective to the content of the album it is very good, so if you manage to get your hands on a copy, I can only congratulate you.

Favorite Tracks
It's Just A Dream
You & I
Let The Sun Shine In

Tracklist

Side A
1st Walk Down The Path Of Freedom
2nd It's Just A Dream
3rd You & I
4th Tell Me

Side B
5th The Axe
6th Crack In A Bell
7th Let The Sun Shine In
8th Child Of Mine