Timbercreek: Hellbound Highway (1975)
From what I can tell, Timbercreek were a few guys near Santa Cruz, CA, who released their sole album in a small pressing of a few hundred copies, later revived on a small reissue imprint. Imagine some local bar band circa 1975 whose entire record collection consisted of Workingman's Dead and American Beauty; this is what they might have come up with. Totally low-key, no-frills Americana, loaded up with harmonies and a swinging snare and Jerry-like solos and pedal steel. Nothing terribly memorable, but also surprisingly pleasant, the songs catchy and tuneful and flat-out fun. Shades of the Eagles, Little Feat, the Band, and the Allmans, but, at heart, it's a lot of Workingman's Dead redux.
A lot of familiar riffs will have 'heads playing spot-the-influence ("Promised Land" in "Tantra Queen," "Deal" and "Truckin'" in "Just One Quart," etc.); on the flip-side, while I have no reason to think Garcia ever heard of these guys, opener "Hellbound Highway" almost seems to foreshadow "Alabama Getaway." All that said, a few of these stand up as perfectly respectable even without a healthy love of the Dead -- I think "Stoned Cold Turkey" is a terrific little bar band romp, and "Nobody On The Streets" introduces a touch of white boy funk -- but, yeah, admiration of early 70s GD is a plus.
If you'd like to recreate the vibe of stepping into some seaside dive circa mid-70s to grab a can of Schlitz while some local band tried out a few new tunes, this one's definitely worth a spin.
Here's an audio rip of "Stoned Cold Turkey":
I was lucky enough to hang out with these guys. I lived in Steven's Canyon and really miss those times. If there are any other songs that were not publicly recorded I would love to hear them.. I am now a great grandmother that still rocks...love that country sound. I I raised my kids on a farm style life..I believe they are such good people due to the influences of the music in my life.
ReplyDeleteLynda Lightning
Wow, sounds like it would've been a great scene to have been part of.
DeleteGee I wonder who you are. The house on the back of the album was mine.
ReplyDeleteNo way! So random. I envision it being a pretty cool scene being there at the time.
DeleteI heard about this band for the first time while they were being talked about yesterday during the Grateful Dead Marathon on KKUP and downloaded a copy last night from iTunes
ReplyDeleteThe bass lines, drumming and guitars are reminiscent of the Dead circa Workingman’s Dead, but ghe overall sound reminds me more of Kingfish, and a little of Cat Mother too. I am hooked! Wish I could time travel. 1975 was the year I graduated high school.
Ooh, Cat Mother--another one I like from that genre of great lost Dead/CSNY/Band/Eagles-influenced bands. I was only 9 in 1975--the year I discovered music (courtesy of Queen, Sweet, Bay City Rollers etc.). But it's been fun dipping into some of the rarities I (and most people) missed at the time. I've got a lot of it on a playlist, BTW: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gcLEixDzLGkDxositErew?si=6fe36155366c4a01
DeleteThis unknown (to me) band appeared as a Spotify recommendation tonight. They looked like a band I’d enjoyed and liked the first songs enough to want to know more. So thanks for doing this post and let me
ReplyDeleteknow a little about this mystery band.