Wikipedia

The Further Adventures of Charles Westover

The Further Adventures of Charles Westover is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Del Shannon, released in March 1968 by Liberty Records. His final album for the label, it features the singles "Thinkin' It Over" and "Gemini". The album failed to reach the charts.

The Further Adventures of Charles Westover
Studio album by
Del Shannon
ReleasedMarch 1968
Genre
Length42:40
LabelLiberty
ProducerDan Bourgoise, Dugg Brown
Del Shannon chronology
Total Commitment
(1966) 		The Further Adventures of Charles Westover
(1968) 		Live in England
(1973)
Singles from The Further Adventures of Charles Westover
  1. "Thinkin' It Over"
    Released: March 1968
  2. "Gemini"
    Released: May 9, 1968

Bear Family included also the album in the 2004 Home and Away box set.[1] Edsel Records included the album in the 2023 Stranger in Town: A Del Shannon Compendium box set..[2]

Background and composition

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The album's title included Shannon's birth name, following the example of other artists like Bobby Vee. It was the first album on which Shannon wrote or co-wrote each song.[3] The recording sessions included Shannon on vocals and rhythm guitar, Dugg Brown as leader, Charles Wright and Al McKay (later of Earth, Wind & Fire) on guitars, Melvin Dunlap on bass, Bob Evans on drums, and Malcom "Mac" Rebennack (aka "Dr. John") on keyboards.[4] The album's composition was noted for being progressive and experimental.[5] It was produced by Magic Penny.[6]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [7]
New Record Mirror     [8]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [9]

The album was well received by critics at the time of its release. Chris Martin of the Los Angeles Times praised the vocals and composition of the album.[10] Billboard described it as "a hip Shannon with something to say and saying it musically well."[11]

It has also received positive retrospective reviews, with Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic writing that Shannon "uses the cinematic quality of psychedelic pop to provide a vivid backdrop for his songwriting."[12] In The Rough Guide to Cult Pop, Paul Simpson describes the album as "underrated".[13]

New Record Mirror notes "Psyche-Del Shanoon with a Iot of ponderous sounds everywhere menacing guitar work and some good arrangements and backin".[8]

Track listing

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Side one

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All tracks are written by Del Shannon, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Thinkin' It Over"Beau James2:59
2."Be My Friend"Doug Brown2:29
3."Silver Birch" 4:21
4."I Think I Love You" 3:24
5."River Cool" 3:54
6."Colour Flashing Hair" 2:49

Side two

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Gemini" 3:25
2."Runnin' On Back"Sharon Sheeley3:41
3."Conquer" 3:15
4."Been So Long"Brian Hyland3:04
5."Magical Musical Box" 3:42
6."New Orleans (Mardi Gras)"Jim Pulte5:19

References

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  1. ^ "Home and Away: The Complete Recordings 1960-1970". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Stranger in Town: A Del Shannon Compendium". allmusic.com. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  3. ^ Magazine, Goldmine (1999). Goldmine Roots of Rock Digest. Krause Publications. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-87341-775-4.
  4. ^ Young, Brian C. (30 June 2023). RUNAWAY - The Del Shannon Story. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9798369401477.
  5. ^ Blue Suede News. Blue Suede News. 1986. p. 11.
  6. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1968-02-24. p. 3.
  7. ^ ""The Further Adventures of Charles Westover" - Album Rating". Allmusic. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  8. ^ a b Herb's 'Beat Of The Brass' could be his biggest LP (PDF). Record Mirror. 1968-06-22. p. 8.
  9. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1250. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Del Shannon's River Still Flows". Los Angeles Times. December 23, 1973. p. H-51.
  11. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1968-03-09. p. 58.
  12. ^ "Del Shannon - "The Further Adventures of Charles Westover" Album Reviews". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  13. ^ Simpson, Paul (2003). The Rough Guide to Cult Pop. Rough Guides. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-84353-229-3.
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