Demian Self-Titled Vinyl Review

“What does the band Demian sound like?” my brother asked me. Well…

Ingredients:

1 part Ten Years After                                                                      1 part James Gang     

1 part CSNY                                                                                      1 part Head East         

1 part Cream                                                                                    1 part The Kinks

1 part Buffalo Springfield                                                                 1 part Flying Burrito Brothers

Add a pinch of James Taylor

And a dash of Jimi     

A teaspoon of Steely Dan*

Season with your favorites herb(s)

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients in a studio, set amplifiers to 11, and bake for about 54 years. Put on stereo and let simmer. Enjoy! Good for repeat listening.

Demian’s self-titled release from 1971, being issued by Riding Easy, is like a good friend you’d have over for a few beers, comfortable, familiar, and intimate, in all the really good ways, and still fun to hang out with, even after 50 years.

Originally inspired by 60’s acts such as The Stones, and The Yardbirds, Demian, named by former Steppenwolf bassist Nick St. Nicholaus for the 1919 novel of Herman Hesse’s with the same title, originated in Texas, at a moment in time when the psychedelic sound coming out of the States included acts such the 13^th Floor Elevators, the Moving Sidewalks, Golden Dawn, Spiny Normen, and others. St. Nicholaus managed the band after they changed their name from Bubble Puppy. Bubble Puppy scored a Top 20 single with the hit “Hot Smoke & Sassafras” in ’69, but failed to repeat that success on ensuing releases, then moved the L.A. and added a second guitarist, precipitating the name change.

Influenced by bands from the ‘60s, but with feet firmly planted in the ‘70s, Demian recorded the album live in studio in one six-hour, midnight session. The production may be minimalist, but the sound certainly isn’t. These songs are fully realized, individual compositions that each stand on their own. No two are alike and the record is imminently listenable over and over. Capturing this sound in such a limited time-frame likens to capturing lightning in a bottle. Fantastic stuff.

The album opener “Face the Crowd” was a regional hit in So-Cal. The guitars are heavy, but in that ‘70s bluesy style, minus some of the distortion. Vocals are crisp and clear. Very AOR friendly. I really thought about the Philadelphia band Bang when listening to this track. There are a lot of similarities, but I honestly believe Demian has the better songs, despite Bang’s greater success, though limited it was.

Some of Rod Prince and Todd Potter’s guitar tones on “Windy City,” in a couple of instances, reminded me of a little of the guitar work present on Steely Dan’s debut Can’t Buy a Thrill (1972). Now granted, Steely Dan was known for exceedingly high production values, but Demian somehow invokes that association without spending the big bucks in post. (*And yes, I realize this is a retro listen, and that Demian predated Steely Dan.) Perhaps recording at the Record Plant, which opened December 4, 1969, with top-of-the-line equipment and a 16-track recording system, four more than the New York Record Plant, played a role.

A true high point of the record is the third track, the acoustic “Love People.” A relatable message, resurfacing at an apropos time, “Love People” is stripped dow to just an accompanying guitar alongside the band’s vocal harmonies.

The Bang parallel is again present in the side one closer, “Coming,” a song that reflects shades of Bang’s “Death of a Country” from the album of the same title, about man’s relationship with their environment and the fall of Mother Nature. Bassist Roy Cox absolutely smokes on this tune. A funky, meaty bass line, that carries the song along. Near the midpoint Cox’s bass is in your face with a pummeling solo, that leads into a refrain before the guitars trade incendiary solos themselves to draw things closer to the denouement. There, drummer David Fore pounds the skins, bringing the song to a rollicking, satisfying conclusion.

“No More Tenderness” has to be my favorite track on the record. A song about relationships and what loving a “good woman” can do your mind, the jangly guitar work is stellar; the solo is Hendrix-esque. The ensuing track, “Are You with Me Baby,” contains the album’s second-best bass line, and another smoking hot guitar solo.

The album closer is “Only a Loner,” a nearly five-minute tribute to loners fighting to survive in a collapsing society. Vital, and full of bounce, boogie and beats. Early ZZ Top springs to mind here. The solo outro though is reminiscent of some Skynyrd.

Demian have found themselves on repeat on my turntable. Outstanding find from Riding Easy.

Standout tracks: “Face the Crowd,” “Love People,” “Coming,” “No More Tenderness,” and “Only a Loner.”

~Mike