Tarbaby - February (1973)

Tarbaby was a local band from the Tallahassee area consisting of Patrick Muth (guitar, vocals), Brewster Banks (bass, piano, vocals) and Wally Knoelke (drums, trumpet). Their single “ Gotta Find Me A Woman” got into the Top 20 in Panama City and in the Top 5 in Tallahassee. This album “ February” dates from 1973 and was originally released on the New South label.  Supporting the Raspberries in Panama City was one of the highlights for the band. Tarbaby disbanded in 1975 after which Muth turned up in bands like “ Crybaby” and the “ Cove Hotel Band”. Banks released eight solo albums in total. The sound on this CD is dual. On one hand Tarbaby played blues, a modal sort of blues.The opener “ Have You Seen My Baby” is a jazzy blues shuffle, easy on the ear but not spectacular.The same goes for  the lazy, funky babbling “ Swing” and “ New Song” which reminded me of the old Fleetwood Mac a bit. Tarbaby sounded better in the heavy psychedelic rock songs. Their cover of the Wilson Pickett hit “ Mustang Sally” sounds like the better Steppenwolf tracks with raw grooving guitar and a jazzy break.“ I Need Your Love” is a psychedelic ballad with great harmony vocals with a sound similar to Love. The single “ Gotta Find Me A Woman” is a raw garage rocker with slight “ What’d I Say” influences and their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “ Bootleg” again sounds like a steaming Steppenwolf track.The piano ballad “ So Long” has great floating harmony vocals and is a ballad of which Eric Carmen would be proud! (source)