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Apr 01, 2010 Essra Mohawk By Hays Davis

With her 1974 self-titled album, Essra Mohawk was recording with her third label in five years (Asylum) and hoping to see a change in fortunes and a bit of recognition. Her previous release, 1970’s Primordial Lovers, included what would prove to be the best work of her career, but was doomed by a lack of support from Reprise.

As hopeful as Mohawk likely was with this fresh start, it didn’t help that Essra Mohawk was not in a league with Primordial Lovers. In nearly comical contrast to the dreamy painting on the cover, Mohawk exhibits the worst kind of early ‘70s funky rockin’ singer excesses throughout the album. Taking an obvious Leon Russell influence and running wild with it, she stuffs every empty space between lyrics with wordless exclamations, punching in a variation on “Uh-yeah!” in addition to seeing that practically every line already ends with a groan or a grunt: “Every man I’ve known-ugh!”

With this being more of a rock record than her previous work, maybe Mohawk felt she was rising to meet the challenge of a harder sound, but it didn’t help that the songs were mostly middling fare. “New Skins For Old” could have burned a bit brighter minus the aforementioned insufferable emoting (including “skins” sung as “skilns”), and while “Openin’ My Love Doors” offers one of the album’s nicer moments, well, it’s hard to get around the fact that it’s called “Openin’ My Love Doors.” (www.essramohawk.com)

Author rating: 3/10