I had totally forgotten I owned this album. The sticker on the cover shows I paid £8.15 in Our Price, which probably would have been their store in Hounslow.
I knew next to nothing about the band apart from they were from the US, but the song "Little Things In Life" was getting some airplay on the night-time radio stations I used to listen to from time to time, and as I liked that song, I went out and bought the album. I quickly thought that was a big mistake as I disliked everything else on LP so it was probably only played a couple of times.
Whilst Green On Red do have a page on Wikipedia with some history of the band, unlike 4 earlier albums from them, this album doesn't have a page of it own. Fortunately, one person has put the full LP on YouTube, with 531 views but no comments, so I will be able to listen to it !
I have seen Green On Red's style of music described as Americana, but I have no idea what that means.....
The album opens with "A Guy Like Me" and with a lush organ intro its is shockingly good. It made me think of Brinsley Schwarz and I was wondering how on earth I couldn't remember it and not like it !
The mellow "Little Things In Life" is next and still sounds great. I love the great percussion and the whimsical keyboard refrain over the simple acoustic guitar. Despite the sparse production, it is quite perky
"Two Lovers ( Waitin' To Die )" mainly features harmonica and electronic keyboards. It's quite a pleasant song to listen to despite the subject matter.
"Gold In The Graveyard" is a more rockier number, but its fairly ordinary and there is no memorable hook. The guitar playing is decent though.
Side One closes with the very slow "Hector's Out". The rising chorus hints at something from The Eagles "Desperado" period.
The pleasant toe-tapping Country & Western "Shed A Tear ( For The Lonesome )" opens Side Two but it goes downhill after that.
"Blowfly" is a plodding rocker in which the horns play the main riff and "Sun Goes Down" is very slow blues/country-rock number. It reminded me a little of Nick Cave's "Where The Wild Roses Grow" but without Kylie, it's obviously nowhere near as good !
"When The Rooster Crows" is a slow blues boogie which sounds like dozens of songs I can't name !
The album closes with the tender "Baby Loves Her Gun" with harmonica in background but the vocal is strained at times. It's not a bad song.
In conclusion "Scapegoats" is a lot better than I had initially considered. I'd now say there were two very good songs, four in the dull category with the rest being OK.
YouTube Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZTte9UnADQ&t=1716s
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. A Guy Like Me
2. Little Things In Life
3. Two Lovers ( Waitin' To Die )
4. Gold In The Graveyard
5. Hector's Out
2. Blowfly
3. Sun Goes Down
4. Where The Rooster Crows
5. Baby Loves Her Gun
Released 1991
UK Chart Position :-
Little Things In Life ( - 1991 )
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