By Ken Paulson
I find myself flipping through albums at used record stores out of habit. I’ve bought pretty much everything I’ve wanted on vinyl, and most of the scarce stuff is now available as a CD or download.
Still, there are some elusive albums I’ve always wanted to hear. Over the past forty years, I’ve never stumbled across the first two albums from Clover, a Bay Area rock and country band that is best known for backing up Elvis Costello on his brilliant first album and as a precursor to Huey Lewis and the News.
The wait is over, thanks to a new two-fer from Real Gone Music bundling Clover from 1970 and Fourty Niner from 1971.
If you buy the collection because of either of those claims to fame, you’ll be disappointed. This is nothing like the pub rock band they evolved into later in the decade. Still, there’s a fun and loose vibe throughout, short on polish and long on promise.
Clover was signed to Fantasy Records on the recommendation of Creedence Clearwater Revival, the label’s biggest act. The bands are worlds apart, although there are some similarities between these albums and Mardi Gras, CCR’s swan song.
Highlights include a bold cover of Junior Walker’s “Shotgun,” “Love is Gone,” later recorded by Carlene Carter, and the truly goofy “Lizard Rock and Roll Band.”
Clover was a good band that could have been bigger. Four decades on, it’s nice to finally hear their music.
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