To some, Zephyr may merely be a footnote in the history of hard rock, as well as notable for the earliest appearances of guitar legend Tommy Bolin. Perhaps they’re right, but their original 1969 self-titled debut album makes it clear that they could have been so much more than that, and it’s undeniable that this album is good enough to be worth saving. Vocalist Candy Givens provides some truly underrated performances, sounding like a cross between Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, and Bolin, of course, lays down some truly thunderous licks and solos as expected. Purple Pyramid Records’ reissue of Zephyr’s first album will appeal to both fans of Bolin and 60s obscurities, alike.
Given both Bolin and Givens’ untimely deaths, this is the closest Zephyr will ever have to a reunion or reexamination. The original recordings have been remixed and remastered under the careful watch of original member David Givens. Unfortunately, it does seem a little too pristine and polished. Everything, especially the vocals, are so clean, it sounds as if there’s some sort of disconnect and something is lost. Maybe it’s truly just an example of an album that sounds better on vinyl, something only the forthcoming 180 gram vinyl edition will tell.
While Bolin’s guitar work is undeniably strong here, especially for such a young age, it lacks his signature style that would evolve shortly after. The album in general lacks focus and has a tendency to be all over the place stylistically, making it more of a noteworthy artifact than a lost masterpiece, and hinting at not only what Bolin would do in the future but Zephyr as well after his departure. Bolin was replaced by Jock Bartley for Zephyr’s 1972 album Sunset Ride, a jazzier effort and notably more consistent than their debut.
A three-CD version has already been released, and it doesn’t offer much value to anyone other than diehard Tommy Bolin fans, but the single disc version includes four blistering live recordings and studio rehearsals in surprisingly strong fidelity other than the vocals occasionally getting lost or muddled. The finest here is the guitar solo jam recorded at Reed’s Ranch in Colorado where Zephyr opened for the Grateful Dead, showing off Bolin’s towering ability. For these four bonus tracks alone, the reissue of Zephyr is at least worth an investigation.
~ Cody Alexander
