Phil Trainer - Trainer (1972) (2007)

Phil Trainer was an American folk-rock singer-songwriter. He released his first album when in the UK, with backing by members of UK folk group, Trees. It was originally released in 1972 and it is rated as a world classic of the genre by many. Some good fiddle, piano, electric guitar.
A New Yorker who had apparently travelled the world playing in groups and had tasted chart success in Japan, Phil Trainer turned up in England and somehow ended up joining forces with the revised line-up of the folk-rock band Trees on this album, one of only a small number which seem to have been issued on BASF (despite the ridiculously long catalogue number!).

All music and lyrics were by Phil Trainer himself, who was no beginner, having written the score for the film “The Road To Salina”, and according to the sleeve notes, having nearly become a member of The Doors at one point. Indeed, one of the songs here, Beautiful Jim, is a farewell to Morrison, and not as mawkish as such efforts can be. Overall, the ten songs on the album are of mixed quality ranging from the horrible Stud, even if it is meant to be a satire on macho attitudes, to the sublime and wistful Leave Me Alone, which features what is accurately described as the “angelic vocal” of Celia Humpris, the Trees’ singer. The sleeve notes ambitiously describe this as the “first of many fine releases” from Trainer; however, in the event it was the final bow on disc for the much-lamented Trees, whose playing is enjoyable throughout…