Consuming the Tangible

Sometimes there is no explanation for why one band rockets into stardom and one band just…simmers. Certainly listening to the self-titled debut from The Damnation of Adam Blessing (or Damnation, if you’re streaming services) you’d be hard pressed to find any fault: killer lead vocals, solid grooving rhythm section and plenty of fun guitar work shaped around covers and originals. Is it just case of so much music exploding at the time for every one big band grabbing the spotlight a dozen others get lost in the dark? are lost in the shuffle? I don’t know, and while I admit to getting blinded by terms like “underground” or “cult” when it comes to the rock of the late 60s and early 70s there’s a lot in The Damnation of Adam Blessing that convinces me these guys were huge in another reality.

If no wheel is being reinvented, “Cookbook” shows the world that the band were certainly good at ensuring its execution was spot-on. Under a locked tight groove the highlight is Adam Blessing’s yelping, gravel shot voice which is the epitome of classic rock and roll. It’s a strong opener, with Jim Quinn and Bob Kalamasz’s guitars holding steady with a solid riff and some slick solos. Strong drumming by Bill Schwark and an upfront bass line by Ray Benich give a tight sense of arrangement, and Schwark’s cymbals stand out during the song’s breakdown in the last verse.

Like a lot of band the debut is heavy on covers, and the choices here reflect how adept Damnation of Adam Blessing were at working within different genres. I was familiar with “Morning Dew” from the countless live renditions on Grateful Dead releases; here Blessing’s voice anchors the entire piece, keeping the folk elements in place while that voice injects a healthy wolf quality. “You Don’t Love Me” is a fantastic blues shuffle, showing the band could impart a light touch when necessary. And their pop credentials shine through on a driving, slinky version of The Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville”.

In some ways the covers help reinforce a potential complaint about the record: this could serve as a glorified demo for the band’s abilities rather than a musical statement for a band’s debut. There’s more variation in the originals, too. “Strings and Things” is an intriguing piece of chamber pop a la Moody Blues, while late track “Dreams” really brings the psychedelic pop up front. It ensures Damnation of Adam Blessing has a lot of variety, and further lets the more blues-drenched rockers like “Le voyage” and “Hold One” cut through.

I’m really drawn to the more obscure hard rock of this time period, though I’m still working through whether its the actual talent and unique voices behind the music (Atomic Rooster, Captain Beyond) or maybe just it’s fresher to my ears than the giants and titans who pervaded FM radio when I was a a kid (May Blitz, Point Blank). I’m putting Damnation of Adam Blessing in the former; there’s no denying how great Blessing’s voice is, and the band knows how to put a song together (check out those harmony vocals on closer “Lonely”). If you’re looking for something of the era that’s slightly off the beaten path, this is definitely worth checking out.