England's Eclectic Discs prides itself on reissuing titles "notable for their innovation and quality, with the emphasis being on providing the best possible CD remastering and artwork available." Mission accomplished with the debut album from folk-rocker Colin Scot. Never before available on CD, this self-titled debut (erroneously referred to as Colin Scot … And Friends in the annals of history, according to Matt Watkinson's almost-thorough liner notes) was originally released by United Artists in 1971. It's packed with sprightly acoustic ditties and solemn reflections, highlighted by "Hey! Sandy," a musically bouncy but lyrically frustrated song about the killing of Sandra Scheuer at the hands of Ohio National Guardsmen during the Vietnam War protests at Kent State University in 1970. Eclectic's version of Colin Scot also comes with four bonus tracks, including the highly listenable "Long Time Gone," plus less-intriguing alternate takes of three album tracks ("Do the Dance Now, Davey," "My Rain" and "Nite People.")
Scot's influences include Don McLean and Buddy Holly, and if you add Al Stewart and Elton John to the mix, you'll get a pretty good idea of what sensitive singer/songwriter Scot sounded like 35 years ago. Scot even borrowed Elton John's future guitarist Davey Johnstone, as well as a heady arsenal of other musicians and vocalists who revealed their own folk leanings – Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Rick Wakeman, Robert Fripp and Jon Anderson among them. Scot, a notorious overweight drinker who died in 1999 (Watkinson's liner notes fail to deliver the details, or any info about Scot's other recordings), took some flak from folk purists who thought his cavorting with rock's elite clouded the beauty and message of his music. But Colin Scot proves that it did not; if anything, it makes the argument that the music biz dealt Scot a bum hand.
Track Listing:
1) Do the Dance Now, Davey
2) My Rain
3) Take Me Away
4) Confusion
5) Baby in My Lady
6) Lead Us
7) You're Bound to Leave Me Now
8) The Boatman
9) Nite People
10) Hey! Sandy
11) Here We Are In Progress
12) Long Time Gone (Bonus Track)
13) Do the Dance Now, Davey (Take 3) (Bonus Track)
14) My Rain (Take 1) (Bonus Track)
15) Nite People (Take 2) (Bonus Track)
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