CD - Rodriguez: COLD FACT

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Without turning into a history lecture, the story behind 'Cold Fact' is pretty bloody interesting. When it was originally released by Detroit singer-songwriter Sixto Diaz Rodriguez in 1970, the album made about as much of an impact as a NO BLOOD 4 OIL text message at an Iraq War protest. When Rodriguez's follow-up did about as well, he decided to hang up his guitar for good and (among other pursuits) get a BA in Philosophy. But time has a way of salad-spinning forgotten talent back into the spotlight. Rodriguez found a solid following in South Africa and a scattering of fans across Australia - culminating in DJ David Holmes using the album's lead track 'Sugar Man' in a 2002 compilation, which hurtled the artist into the spotlight and paved the way for this rerelease of his first album. Phew.
 
And this time around it deserves popularity. Laid-back but infinitely engaging with just a few hints at psychedelia, 'Cold Feet' manages to sound as timeless as only certain music from the late 60s / early 70s can. The laziest comparison to make is with Bob Dylan's folk releases, and while 'Cold Feet' never manages to quite reach those levels of genius, tracks like 'Crucify Your Mind' - with its beat poetry and subtle instrumentation - certainly bring it close. Underlined by warbling, echoey vocals, the plodding rock of 'Gommorah' and stream-of-consciousness protest of 'This Is Not a Song, It's an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues' reveal a kind of relaxed agitation about Rodriguez that's so infectious it hurts just a little bit. Album highlight 'I Wonder' pairs an insistent refrain with a catchy bass line as Rodriguez bares his soul - and all in an unobtrusive two and a half minute package. 
 
Let's hope Cold Fact doesn't get forgotten this time around.