CoronaVinyl Day 371 (L): El Rayo-X by David Lindley

For an explanation of CoronaVinyl, click here.

Today's CoronaVinyl category is "L," and it's another one from my most recent stack of records from my neighbor.  It's multi-instrumentalist David Lindley's 1981 solo debut album, El Rayo-X, which is Spanish for "the Rayo-X."

Lindley was a child prodigy who was winning banjo and fiddle contests in his teens.  In the late '60s, he was in the psychedelic rock band Kaleidoscope, and then he became a sought-after session musician in the '70s, thanks to the fact that he can play dozens of instruments, with a focus on stringed instruments.  He's particularly known for his slide guitar prowess.

He was a longtime collaborator and side man for Jackson Browne, playing on Browne's five studio albums between 1973 and 1980 -- and it's his falsetto that you hear on Browne's 1977 cover of Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs' "Stay."  He also played on three Linda Ronstadt albums in the '70s, as well as two Ry Cooder albums, two Crosby & Nash albums, two Rod Stewart albums, three Graham Nash albums, and five Warren Zevon albums.  Over the years, he has also played on albums by Bob Dylan, Ben Harper Leonard Cohen, Dolly Party, Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen, and America.

El Rayo-X was co-produced by Browne (who also sings backing vocals on a few songs), and it's a good mix of covers and originals.  I'm not sure how I'd classify it, other than maybe rock with a Caribbean, Zydeco, and reggae influence.  His covers aren't straight covers, which I kind of like.  He makes the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love" into a reggae ballad, and the Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout" into kind of a new wave reggae romper.  All in all, it's a pretty upbeat album and was a pleasant listen.  The album peaked at #83 on the Billboard album chart.

Lindley has continued to put out his own music and work as a session musician in the several decades since then.

Favorite Song on Side 1:  "Mercury Blues"
This one's a cover of a K.C. Douglas Trio blues song from the late '40s.  Lindley ramps up the pace and just wails on the slide guitar.  This song went to #34 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock tracks chart.

Favorite Song on Side 2:  "El Rayo-X"
The title track kicks off the second side.  Browne provides backing vocals, and The Band's Garth Hudson plays horns and keyboards.  This is a fun, Latin-inspired song.