Penny Nichols
Album: Colors of the Sun:Penny Nichols Sings the early songs of Jackson Browne
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 12
Website: http://pennynichols.com/

My first encounter with Penny Nichols' music was through her wonderful but neglected 1968 psych-folk-pop album "Penny's Arcade", which I bought on the recommendation of those knowledgeable people at Probe Records in Liverpool. "Penny's Arcade" is a classic of its time and features such luminaries as Dylan sidemen Bruce Langhorne and Al Gorgoni, as well as members of legendary psychedelic outfit The Peanut Butter Conspiracy. Penny was part of the Orange County folk scene, which counted Tim Buckley and Linda Ronstadt among its number. Penny formed a duo with Kathy Smith called The Greasy Mountain Butterballs and toured Vietnam in 1966. Upon returning from Vietnam, she met Jackson Browne at an open mic session at The Paradox in Tustin, California .They became close friends and still are.

Penny's new album, "Colors of the Sun" features Penny singing a selection of her favourite early songs by Jackson , some well-known and some less well-known.

Jackson has been one of my favourite songwriters since I saw him as opening act for Asylum label-mate, Joni Mitchell on her superb "Miles of Aisles" tour in 1974 . Jackson's first three albums, "Saturate Before Using", " For Everyman" and his masterpiece "Late For The Sky", are among the best singer-songwriter albums of the 1970's, so Penny had plenty of excellent songs to choose from for this album, in fact, it must have been difficult selecting only twelve. Indeed, Penny has chosen not to include some of Jackson's best-known [and frequently covered] early songs such as "Jamaica Say You Will", "Doctor My Eyes" and "Take It Easy".

As well as Jackson's superb songs, Penny has also had the benefit of recording this album with many of the musicians who have sung and played with Jackson over the years. The album starts with a trio of some of the best of Jackson's early songs, " These Days", "A Child In These Hills" and "Song For Adam", all beautifully sung by Penny, her voice as sweet and melodic as on her debut album over forty years ago.

Next up are a pair of songs that Jackson recorded as demos but did not record himself at the time. The first is "The Birds Of St.Marks ", which was inspired by Nico, for whom Jackson worked as backing guitarist before his own solo career. The second is "Shadow Dream Song", which was recorded by Tom Rush on his classic "The Circle Game" album [it also appears on "Allman and Woman" by Greg Allman and Cher].

From the excellent "Late For The Sky", Penny performs the superb "For A Dancer " and "Fountain Of Sorrow " with great panache, her clear voice beautifully emoting the very personal lyrics. These are followed by another of Jackson's very early songs that was only originally recorded as a demo [in 1970], "Gone To Sorrow" . It's a lovely song and it is somewhat surprising that it has not been commercially released before now - thanks Penny. We return to more familiar territory for the final two songs- "Something Fine " from "Saturate" and the title track "Colors Of The Sun " [from "For Everyman"]. Both are gorgeous, the former features some great acoustic slide guitar and lovely harmonies, while the latter brings the album to a fine conclusion with atmospheric piano and string arrangement.

In summary, this is a glorious album, which covers both classic early Jackson Browne songs, together with less well-known demo songs which Jackson did not release himself at the time. All are beautifully sung and played by Penny, who clearly, as a long-standing friend of Jackson, has a great empathy for and understanding of his often very personal lyrics. It will, of course, appeal to Jackson's many fans but will also serve as a great introduction to those who are not familiar with his early songwriting.

Peter Cowley