Not blues, but psychedelic folk pop. Not entirely unlike the young David Bowie.
The slight vibrato in his voice, the sometimes gently declamatory style of his delivery – it is actually reminiscent of David Bowie of the late 1960s. The debut work of the American Scott Fagan, published in 1968, could also have been the beginning of a pop career, but unfortunately it remained in the subjunctive. There are rumors of a lack of support from the record company, but nothing is known for certain.
Just this much: The ten songs, some with subtle brass and strings, are largely convincing, especially “Nickels And Dimes” and “In My Head”. Anyone who likes jokes like this: With “Madame-Moiselle” you can fool all Bowie fans who think they are all-knowing when it comes to repertoire knowledge. Just say it was planned as a B-side, but Tony Visconti didn’t like it, so it was considered lost for decades.
Could work! In any case, it’s pleasing that SOUTH ATLAN TIC BLUES is now available on vinyl again, even with the original cover artwork. Fagan is currently planning a new album, and his story is currently being made into a film. Which in turn is reminiscent of another late resurrection: that of Detroit “Sugar Man” Sixto Rodriguez.