Bob Darin-Commitment

Alright, this one is going to take a little longer to explain.
First of all, it's one of my favorite records that I have ever heard and i didn't even know it existed until about two or three years ago. Finding it was another task.
My old boss at the record store, Tim, used to play me Darin's first foray into the swampy sound, Born Robert Walden Cassotto, all the time. I couldn't believe that it was really "Mack the Knife" singing it. Then I heard the story behind it.

Apparently, when the 60's hit, Bobby got less involved in the pop music schmaltz and became much more politcally active. He attached himself to Bobby Kennedy during his run for president. They were dear friends and Darin was actually at the hotel the day Kennedy was shot.

Bobby was devastated. He sold all his shit, moved into a trailer in Big Sur, and started his own record label, Direction, which released this gem sometime later. Playing nearly all of the instruments himself, writing, and producing doesn't even seem to have phased the process. The song's flaws seem intentional and the goal of the recording seems realized.

This is a record that might seem odd at first, but one that has fit any situation I've tested it in. We listened to it EVERY SINGLE DAY while recording the new MM record, and our engineer Mike now swears by it. It represents everything I have come to appreciate about music. It's stark but solid, funny but not goofy, smart but not coy. Best of all, it's a man truly removing all the veneer. A truly great musician testing his mettle.

Whoa.
Fan boy.

1. Me And Mr Hohner
2. Sugar-Man
3. Saulsalito (Governor's Song)
4. Song For A Dollar
5. Harvest
6. Distractions (Part 1)
7. Water Color Canvas
8. Jive
9. Hey Magic Man
10. Light Blue

Commit to the Darin