Pete Dello and Friends (Honeybus) - Into Your Ears (1971) 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip

After tasting success in 1968 with the single "I Can't Let Maggie Go," Honeybus founder Pete Dello left the band to pursue a more settled lifestyle. His distaste for the rigors of touring left him with a surplus of un-recorded material that would eventually steer him back into the studio to record his first and only solo record. Into Your Ears features 14 songs, each under three-and-a-half minutes long, that prosper through a winning combination of goofy psychedelia and Beatlesque beauty. The sweet melodies and gentle harmonies of "It's What You've Got" and "Taking The Heart Out Of Love" are timeless, devoid of irony, and begging for placement in a Wes Anderson film. "Do I Still Figure In Your Life," which has since been covered by the likes of Joe Cocker, conveys the same irresistible form of melancholy that permeates a great Randy Newman or Harry Nilsson recording, and more than makes up for the wince-inducing "Uptight Basil" and "Harry The Earwig (the latter inspired the horrific Roger Dean cover art). Dello's voice is sweet and clear, with only a tinge of the British folk throatiness that ruled the era. The songs, while never complex, benefit from strategically placed string arrangements that rarely disappoint, and crisp production as exemplified on the set closer "Arise Sir Henry." Also included are the Magic Valley versions of "Taking The Heart Out Of Love" and "Uptight Basil," which differ only in sound quality (poorer) from the album renditions, and provide collector's with the definitive edition of this highly sought after (almost) masterpiece. James Christopher Monger, allmusic.

Track listing:

01. It's What You've Got
02. There's Nothing That I Can Do For You
03. I'm A Gambler
04. Harry The Earwig
05. Do I Still Figure In Your Life
06. Uptight Basil
07. Taking The Heart Out of Love
08. On A Time Said Sylvie
09. A Good Song
10. It's The Way
11. Go Away
12. Arise Sir Henry

Bonus:

13. Madame Chairman of The Committee (1972)
14. Here Me Only (1972)
15. I Can't Let Maggie Go (Honeybus) (1968)
16. Tender Are The Ashes (Honeybus) (1968)
17. Taking The Heart Out of Love (Magic Valley) (1969)
18. Uptight Basil (Magic Valley) (1969)

15 & 16 taken from Deram mono single DM 182

All compositions by Pete Dello, Uptight Basil co-penned with Ray Cane.
All arranged by Pete Dello except 2, 6, 9 and 11 which were arranged by Ray Cane.
Produced by Pete Dello.

Technicals:

Knosti RCM.
Michell GyroDec full version.
Funk Firm FXR II Tonearm.
Audio Technica AT33PTG/II MC Cartridge.
Harman Kardon HK990 Integrated Amplifier.
Gold Interconnects. E-MU 0204 Audio Interface.
Recording, split and manual de-click with Adobe Audition 3.0.1
Click Repair 3.8.4