WILL BEELEY
Gallivantin’/Passing Dream 7/10, 7/10 Two sides of lost Texas songwriter
Obscurity doesn’t quite capture the fare of Will Beeley, a texas songwriter who released two albums – Gallivantin’ in 1971 and Passing Dream in 1979 –before becoming a DJ and talent booker for the Midnight rodeo in Albuquerque. for the past 14 years he has been a long-haul truck driver, hauling cryogenic liquids across the US. All the while, the reputation of Gallivantin’ was thawing, helped by its scarcity. Only 200 copies were pressed, and Beeley sold them from the back of his car, before attracting the attention of the Mississippi label Malaco, which released his second album, Passing Dream in 1979. It made little impact, but develops the Dylan/tim Hardin folk stylings of his debut into something approaching New Country. Gallivantin’ explored the stark territory between its first and last tracks – Dylan’s “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and a spiralling, psychedelic reworking of Buffy SaintMarie’s “Little Wheel Spin And Spin/ Co’dine”. Passing Dream – recorded in a week with a five-piece studio band, including Dylan/Levon Helm guitarist Larry Campbell – is a warmer record. “rainy Sundays” is beautifully mellow, but is surpassed by “I Saw Jesus Peekin’ thru A Hole In the Sky”, which sounds like Sturgill Simpson in growling gospel prototype. Extras: None.