#cotton roller

[No label] | NR 13373

Worth Waiting For presents an interesting dichotomy about its creators. The band is named after Joel LaRiccia, who provides arrangements and production and is the band's sole lyricist. However, the supporting musicians are featured prominently on the LP's sleeve (including in beautiful illustrations by Joseph Rutt), and lead vocals are shared by several members (my copy also appears to be autographed by guitarist Jeff Bloomer). Focusing only on the music, Worth Waiting For sounds like a collective effort instead of a showcase for a band leader. The frequent appearance of marimba and percussion keeps things mostly mellow, and the freeform hippie vibe throughout is epitomized by "Friends," containing a gang vocal on the hand-holding chorus and a cheering drum circle in the fade out. The album sounds like it was performed by a Christian rock band playing secular material. Only a couple tunes seem to be overtly religious, but the band’s melodies and vocal stylings often bring to mind songs of praise (the stately bridge of “She Said Yes” is an example). The recording is primitive, to say the least, with the drums sounding particularly lifeless in the AM radio aural stew. A homemade sound can enhance the atmosphere of an album, but it's problematic here. First, the album was recorded in a studio over the course of nearly two years, but the cheap-o sound quality doesn't reflect that level of effort. Second, the sonic mushiness often hampers the album's highlights. The delightful "She Said Yes" shows promise with rich guitar voicings in the intro, tricky rhythmic shifts in the break, a unique Motown-meets-hard-rock feel, and an irresistible chorus, but the mix is flat and muddy, sinking the song's charms like quicksand. Pacing and (lack of) song selection are also issues. Worth Waiting For stumbles out of the gate with "Cinnamon's Song," a syrupy love ballad not representative of the bulk of the record, but it rebounds nicely with "Cotton Roller." This track features a chorus and vocal arrangement that will stick in your head for days and is one of the stronger offerings on the album. "All I Need" is a cold sweat, acid rock barn burner performed with real conviction, examining the rigors of the road and a struggle with faith. It is a winner in spite of its overly busy solo break, which sounds like five guitarists simultaneously trying to out-do each other. Taking a cue from the pop symphonies of the mid-'60s, the ambitious "P.M. Advances" finds the band pivoting between moods with ease, patching a number of musical forms together into a unified whole. After a false ending, a Chuck Berry-style rave-up provides a final shot of adrenaline and a dose of optimism with the repeated line “goodnight but not goodbye.” Instead of occupying the third slot in the song sequence, it would have been more effective at the end of the first side or perhaps as the album's penultimate track (with the closer "I Need You" a good comedown). "Rat Race" is the odd duck, a prog-influenced new wave critique of the 9-to-5 world and one of the few pieces not bearing a prominent Allman Brothers/CSN influence. Generally, the album could have been stronger with a bit of trimming and a slightly larger recording budget. Worth Waiting For requires some sifting, but I think patient fans of the style and era would be satisfied with its high points.