Sal’s Boutique

Delbert McClinton cut his chops in the late 1950’s as a guitarist and harp player for the Straitjackets; they were the house band at Jack’s Place in Forth Worth. Along with playing their own Monday night shows, the Straitjackets supported the blues artists who passed through town (guys like Howlin’ Wolf and Jimmy Reed).

After cutting a few local singles and playing harmonica on Bruce Channel’s 1962 hit, Hey Baby, McClinton took off for L.A. in the early 70’s with his friend, Glen Clark.

While McClinton’s career went on to include Grammy Awards, Top 40 singles and blues cruises, Clark’s bread-and-butter has always been as a session player and touring musician. In the studio, he’s supplied everything from keyboards to graphic art for performers ranging from Kris Kristofferson to Jim Belushi; on the road, he’s played keyboards and sung with a number of artists, most notably Bonnie Raitt.

This album, the second of two that McClinton and Clark cut for WEA, came before McClinton’s fame and Clark’s many miles on the road. Interestingly enough, this album from McClinton’s “California Period” was actually recorded in New York.

Critically acclaimed but largely ignored by people with money in their pockets, Subject To Change is a fun, well-executed record full of country rock and blues.

My scratchy copy starts with Oh My, a lazy country blues tune featuring the boys singing in fitful harmony: “we can’t talk about the things we need to talk about, baby, ‘cuz we don’t see nothing the same”. With its lilting two-step rhythm and steel guitar, it’s straight out of the New Riders of the Purple Sage songbook.

If You Don’t Leave Me Alone (I’m Gonna Find Somebody Who Will) sounds more like the classic Delbert we’ve been hearing for years. Kicking off with a chooglin’ rhythm guitar lick (a la B-Movie Boxcar Blues), the tune cooks along for the first sixteen bars until the horns pull in, the harmonies take over and Delbert knocks out a nasty harp solo. It’s classic party blues that mixes nicely with Tower of Power and just about anything from the Rolling Stones.

There’s a bit of peace, love and religion in the song Too Much as Delbert and Glen witness a world where people play too many games and take too much (proving that things haven’t changed much in 30 years). Delbert digs out the harp and the bullet on Sidewalk Diploma another tune that fits nicely into the Rolling Stones meets William Clarke vibe.

There are a number of other good tunes on the record that dabble in a couple of different styles and sound like a couple of different artists. But the two songs that truly standout on this fall right in the middle: Cold November, which ends side one and I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore, which kicks off side two.

I’m a sucker for an acoustic ballad, so I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore stands out as my favorite. Also covered by Loretta Lynn, his song has the hook of a song you’ve heard before…but have never heard before (if you know what I mean).

When I first listened to this record, it struck me as a fun but not very deep record. With a few more passes, it reveals much more below the surface that one might think.

I recommend buying it and giving it a spin.

MP3 Taste Test:

California Livin’

Oh My

Too Much

BUY-O-METER

LP - $1.50 at Salvation Army - Even in scritchy-scratchy condition, this was well worth the money.
CD - $6.66 to $11.99 at assorted retailers - Always go cheap, I say.
DOWNLOAD - Doesn’t appear to be available

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