Emitt Rhodes

Wednesday October 22, 2008 - 22 months ago

Posted by James Ellis / Filed under Music

Lately we have been obsessed with Emitt Rhodes, an American singer/songwriter active in the early seventies. It all started when we discovered Dylan Gaughan’s fantastic write-up on Rhodes’ career, which includes a rip of Rhodes’ 1970 self-titled solo debut. Since then this lost pop gem has been in heavy rotation here in the studio.

The record is a total pleasure. Perfect, really. 12 tracks in 32 minutes. No rambling, no filler.

What makes Emitt Rhodes such an interesting record is its derivative nature, as Rhodes’ Beatles/McCartney influence cannot be overstated. Rhodes nails every detail: the voice, songwriting, production, guitar lines, even the lyrical content. Each track is an exercise in what-would-Paul-do, and Beatles fans could easily confuse Emitt Rhodes for an actual Paul McCartney record.

There is a serious Faul dimension to the record.

With the Beatles/McCartney influence being so strong, it’s difficult for Rhodes to establish his own voice, or a strong sense of authorship. However, there is something endearing about Rhodes’ clear obsession with Beatles pop. And upon close observation one does find a lot of honesty in the tunes; it’s almost as if Rhodes wrote the songs without quite realizing he was directly channeling Paul McCartney.

Rhodes vs. McCartney:

In 1970, both Paul McCartney and Emitt Rhodes released their solo debuts: McCartney and Emitt Rhodes, respectively. Both records were one-man-band affairs recorded in home studios. Being Paul’s first post-Beatles release, McCartney was highly anticipated. Rhodes, on the other hand, was a relatively unknown 20-year-old Californian recording out of his parents’ garage.

Thus, it’s fascinating to A/B the two records and hear Rhodes out-McCartney McCartney. While McCartney has its merits – “Maybe I’m Amazed” is a bonafide classic – the record is, for the most part, a rambling collection of musical doodles. I don’t think it’s worth debate: Emitt Rhodes is the record Beatles fans wished Paul had delivered.

Top tracks: With My Face On The Floor, Fresh As A Daisy, Live Till You Die, You Should Be Ashamed.