Bubblegum
The Jordan Parker Review - Ginger Bread Man
Sire Records 45, 1969
Are you guys familiar with these compilations called Bubblegum Motherfucker? There are a whole bunch of them making their way around the Internet, and it’s unclear to me whether or not they ever actually existed on CD; my intuition is “no,” as I’ve never seen any of them offered for sale. Anyway, it looks like there are 40+ volumes, and the compiler or compilers are clearly banana splits for this much-maligned genre. I’ve made it through about six, and it’s taken a couple of months. It’s not really something I can sit through for an extended period, as some of it is proof that “catchiness” alone does not equate to listenability. Really, some of the tracks could cause cavities, but others do the damage by inducing gnashing.
Like many cultily-adored sub-genres, however, there are enough gems and surprises that the effort is well-rewarded. This single by Ohio’s Jordan Parker Review was an immediate favorite. It fits within the parameters of bubblegum, but has an almost garagey sensibility that is seldom found on these things. Nice organ solo, too…
Jon Harrison
