History:

Strombecker Lighthouse was a lounge outfit based in New York, most likely in the Syracuse area. The outfit’s core was Pat Geno on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Gary Bouton on vocals, bass, and keyboards, and Gary Eden on lead guitar and vocals. The group supposedly featured several drummers and additional keyboardists before settling on the addition of drummer Jim Pratt.  Strombecker Lighthouse originally started out as a garage rock band, but slowly morphed into a full on lounge rock band performing mainly British invasion hits in the early 1970’s. At some point during this period, the group was a five piece band. 

An acetate recording was discovered recently at a record store and sold online. The acetate had to have been recorded prior to 1975 as Pratt is not on the cover. The purpose of the recording is unclear: several songs were recorded live (some in a club and some at another location), several were done in a studio, and an out of place progressive rock instrumental is performed. The acetate came housed in a blank cover with a paste-on with the band and a title of “Traditional Rock & Roll”. It also featured a spoof (fake) “Capitol Records” demo label. The album features standard lo-fi lounge with some light folk and experimental influences.

At some point after this acetate’s production, Pratt joined and the group began performing disco and exclusively top 40 hits as a four piece. The band then appeared on a compilation entitled “Sounds ‘79” where they covered the Orleans hit “Reach”. The compilation is notable for an appearance by the band Harlequin who released a very desirable metal single on the same label. The band most likely lasted through the 80’s and died out at some point.

Review:

Traditional Rock And Roll (Not On Label [Capitol Records Spoof Label], 1972?)

Rating: 3/10

An absolutely strange and bizarre lounge album with a crude production, a ton of electric piano usage, oddball vocals, and even a little fuzz (that’s cut off at the end of “It’s For You”). The first track, “Inadrea Dornae, Song For Laurie”, is a super out of place progressive rock instrumental with three keyboard layers: moog flute, electric piano, and electric piano on the harpsichord setting. I have no clue why this was recorded or included on the album and evidence suggests it’s an original composition. “Monday, Monday” is extremely bizarre with terrible vocals, no drums, heavy keyboards, and barely audible guitars. Some spots, mainly the bridge, shine. “Barbara Anne” and “Glad All Over” are mediocre cuts and “Surfer Girl” has some charm courtesy of some laughing girls and pots and pans audible in the background. As previously stated, “It’s For You” has some fuzz growling towards the end but is abruptly cut short as it fades into a fine rendition of “She Loves You”. All in all, super weird and not so great lounge that may have been produced in a small run despite it being an acetate.