On July 10th Varese Sarabande will issue the previously unreleased second solo album from Mamas and the Papas mastermind John Phillips. Sessions for the abandoned album took place between '72 and '73 and, according to the label, "Although that album was never completed, Jack of Diamonds contains an approximation of what it might have been."
Phillips first solo album, John, The Wolfking of L.A., was somewhat of a cult classic for record collectors until gaining wider recognition with last year's excellent reissue. Fans of Wolfking may be in for a shocker, however: The second solo album was a major departure from the country-rock of Wolfking and pop sound of The Mamas & The Papas, pushing a more urban, gritty, jazz-rock style (suggestive of later work by Steely Dan), reflective of time spent in New York with members of Andy Warhol's Factory.
Jazz-rock? Steely Dan? Interesting...
Although we haven't had the pleasure of properly judging Jack of Diamonds, we can highly recommend one of its bonus tracks. "Last Of The Unnatural Acts" comes from the 1970 Robert Altman film Brewster McCloud. Clocking in at just 1:28, its jaw-dropping beauty fleets far too quickly.
MP3: John Phillips - "Last Of The Unnatural Acts"
Find more information on Jack of Diamonds here.
