Music history is littered with under-appreciated, undervalued and under the radar artists who could have been, might have been, should have been a bigger deal. Going by decades, one of the most obvious examples from the 1970s is Van Duren. A Memphis-based musician and bandmate of post-Big Star’s Chris Bell and Jody Stephens in the short-lived Baker Street Regulars, he released his stellar debut Are You Serious? in 1978. It was certainly well received by critics but didn’t sell a ton of copies (much like the also under-appreciated Big Star). A second album, the equally impressive Idiot Optimism, was recorded and then put on a shelf for two decades, (this serves as a solid example to those who complain that record executives today know nothing about good music. They apparently never did.)
Omnivore Recordings, the patron saint of brilliant artists who deserve a second chance, has just released Van Duren’s first two records. The label also released the soundtrack to Waiting: The Van Duran Story, a documentary that came out last year about this criminally overlooked musician. Both records are remarkable collections of Power Pop. Musically, the influence of the Beatles is obvious, as is Badfinger and the Raspberries. As for the sharp witty lyrics, you can’t help but think of Harry Nilsson or Andrew Gold.
The opening track off Are You Serious?, “Chemical Fire,” serves as the perfect calling card for Van Duren: tight, addictively catchy and hooks for days. But just a few tracks in, on a song like “Waiting,” he shows his versatility with the beautifully vulnerable piano ballad. Across a baker’s dozen of songs, he boasts a near perfect debut, an album that manages to be sweet, ‘70s sensitive and catchy as hell.
Idiot Optimism is almost as strong. It’s got a slightly harder sound with louder guitars. It builds off nicely from the debut. The record, after being shelved for 20 years, was released in Japan with no input from Van Duren. He did have plenty of input into these two reissues though (and tacked on “Make A Scene,” a Chris Bell song, onto the second record). Idiot Optimism ends with a medley of “Love At the Heart Of It” and “Mad At The Moon,” a solid swansong.
Both albums have been remastered and sound incredible. Forty-plus years after the release of his debut and the should-have-been release of its follow up, the adage “better late than never” doesn’t quite seems adequate enough. But hopefully this re-release gives Van Duren the audience he should have gotten decades ago and solidifies his reputation as one the great Power Pop artists of the 1970s.
