The Cottage Tapes, Book Two

Description

The Cottage Tapes – Book Two: And the Rampion Runs Wild is a compilation album by the American singer and songwriter Larry Norman, released on Solid Rock Records in 2004. The tracks are basically lifted from Larry Norman’s two custom albums released in 1970 and 1972 respectively, Street Level and Bootleg. As well featuring seven live tracks recorded by Randy Stonehill. The first part of the anthology, simply entitled The Cottage Tapes – Book One, was released in 2000.

If truth be told when I saw the track listing for this CD I was disappointed. But then I played the disc. Many of Larry’s tracks had featured on the first book or volume of ‘The Cottage Tapes’. However on this I really liked the way the tracks had been assembled and fitted together. Larry’s songs are taken from the ‘Street Level‘ and ‘Bootleg‘ albums. Many of the tracks sound like demos, rougher, looser and edgier than their more polished later incarnations. The band numbers sound more or less live in studio and in a few cases I prefer some of these recordings to the well produced wonderfully arranged but slightly more sedate versions that would appear later on some of the trilogy albums. When the band are dropped and Larry is on his own for «Six Sixty Six» on guitar or «Even If You Don’t Believe» on piano these solo acoustic performances carry great weight and power contrasting nicely with the fun, energy and wild abandon of the band recordings. A few of the tracks have never been on CD before (eg, the live version of «Blue Shoes White»). This release will also be of interest to Stonehill fans as the final seven tracks are the live songs from the ultra rare ‘Judgement Day At Speedee Mart’ album appearing on CD for the first time. For the most part they find Randy covering Larry’s songs as well as engaging in some humour with the audience and playing around with his own Jesus music classic «Norman’s Kitchen». The release is also notable for its 20 page CD booklet with previously unpublished photos of the duo and further reminiscences from Larry on the Jesus Movement era. There are still several great songs from ‘Bootleg’ and ‘Street Level’ which have yet to be officially released on CD, so who knows if a Book 3 may appear in future. the first two instalments have certainly been enjoyable so here’s hoping! [Dougie Adam, Cross Rhythms, August 2005]

CD tracklist:

01. What Goes Through Your Mind – 2:05
02. Why Doncha Look Into Jesus? – 2:18
03. I’ve Searched All Around The World – 2:29
04. Sigrid Jane – 2:06
05. She’s A Dancer – 3:20
06. Taking My Time – 1:01
07. Six Sixty Six – 2:49
08. Blue Shoes White – 2:43
09. Even If You Don’t Believe – 2:05
10. Without Love You Are Nothing – 2:51
11. With A Love Like Yours – 1:12
12. Peacepollutionrevolution – 3:15
13. Song For A Small Circle Of Friends – 2:30

Randy Stonehill in Concert:
14. Dabbles/Pardon Me – 3:48
15. Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus – 2:29
16. Lonely By Myself – 3:56
17. I Am A Servant – 3:12
18. Norman’s Kitchen – 6:27
19. Upside Down Outside My Mind – 3:49
20. Talking Intro – Blue Shoes White – 2:38
21. Forget Your Hexagram – 2:58

Note: Solid Rock Records’ Cottage Tapes were actually made from the original master tapes of the respective sessions covered by the two CD compilations. Available at Bandcamp: https://larrynorman.bandcamp.com/album/the-cottage-tapes-book-two