Duffy Power & Argent: Hell Hound - The Lost 1971 CBS Album

English soulful blues singer Duffy Power was one those artists who came close to a breakthrough, only to be denied entrance to the lofty pastures by a mix of bad luck, a crippling drug habit, and coping with depression. He started as a rocker in the early 60s, took part in a lot of package tours that were all the rage back then (each act was allowed 15 minutes or less, except the headliner). When the British blues boom gained traction he set his sights on riding the wave as well. He wrote a slew of pretty good originals and hoped to become an album artist in his own right.

Being respected among his peers that dream seem perfectly feasible, but after the Hell Hound b/w Hummingbird single for CBS failed to trouble the charts, he got dropped by the label, even though he two former members of the Zombies Rod Argent and Chris White to help him out for a spicy mix of blues and gospel-tinged songs. Power's range enabled him to be gruff and gentle, giving his all for what would become his big break. After the tapes got shelved, he sought relief in heroin once again. It seemed that he was as lost as his album was. He kept recording and performing, but his mental issues got in the way of becoming a regular live performer, which might has raised his profile. He died in 2014.

Power is now a cult artist and many of his recordings have been unearthed over the years, but the work for CBS was never available in its intended format. Hell Hound: The Lost 1971 CBS Album fills a large gap in his discography. The 2CD and digital versions come with a wealth of fine sounding demos and outtakes, showcasing his versatility as harp player. Had he run into Frank Zappa in the 70s, he could have been the guy who got the call to play on Joe's Garage. Power's story is a sad one, but thanks to carefully curated releases like this, his legacy lives on.

Hell Hound: The Lost 1971 CBS Album is released via Think Like A Key Music (vinyl, 2CD, digital). Extensive liner notes by Colin Harper, plus shorter contributions about the recording sessions by Rod Argent and Chris White.

Tracks:

1. Hell Hound
2. Lover's Prayer
3. Hummingbird
4. Lawdy Miss Clawdy
5. Lilly
6. The River
7. Love's Prescription (aka Dr. Love's Happiness)
8. Love Song (Swansong)
9. Corrina
10. Song About Jesus
11. Halfway
12. Sally Plain (2024 Mix / Single Edit)
13. The Great Pretender
14. Motherless Children
15. Love Is Shelter
16. The River (demo)
17. Sally Plain (demo)
18. Roberta
19. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (alternate version)
20. Halfway (demo)
21. The Sky Is Crying (original mix)
22. La La Song
23. Lover's Prayer (first mix)
24. Milk Cow Blues (demo)
25. Motherless Children (1971 edit)
26. The Sky Is Crying (2024 Remix)
27. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (2024 Mix)
28. Sally Plain (2024 Mix)
29. Love Is Shelter (Instrumental)

» Duffy Power on Wikipedia