Third Man Records is releasing a box set of rare and previously unheard recordings by the cult guitarist and songwriter Ted Lucas. Out May 22 on vinyl and streaming, Images of Life comprises three LPs; Strange Mysterious Sounds (1965-1970) centers on Lucas’ early bands; Rainy Days (1970-1974) gathers solo material from the lead-up to his 1975 self-titled album; and Impossible Love (1979) is a “lost” album produced by Don Was. Rainy Days is available to stream now. Listen to it below.
During the late 1960s, Lucas studied sitar with Ravi Shankar and found work as a Motown session musician. By 1975, though, two of his bands had been dropped by Warner Bros. and the label’s then-head, Mo Ostin, rejected his solo demo tape. Lucas decided to self-release the collection of demos, which became known as the The OM Album. Last year, Third Man put out an expanded edition of The OM Album under the title Ted Lucas.
Revisit the review of Ted Lucas (Extended), named Best New Reissue.
Images of Life:
01 Strange Mysterious Sounds (The Spike-Drivers)
02 It’s Love (The Misty Wizards)
03 High on Love (The Horny Toads)
04 High Time (The Spike-Drivers)
05 Often I Wonder (The Misty Wizards)
06 Harold Lloyd (The Misty Wizards)
07 I’m So Glad (The Spike-Drivers)
08 Can’t Stand the Pain (The Spike-Drivers)
09 Love Took a Trip (The Misty Wizards)
10 Blue Law Sunday (The Spike-Drivers)
11 Head in California (The Horny Toads)
01 You’ve Got the Power
02 Rainy Days
03 It’s Love
04 Nobody Loves Me Like My Baby Does
05 Stay High
06 It’s Not Easy
07 Anastasia
08 Take What You Need
09 Driftin’ Free
10 Images of Life
11 I Wish I Knew
01 Slow Motion Ocean (of Love)
02 Impossible Love
03 What Can I Believe in Without Love
04 Searching for Love
05 You Win Again
06 Sgt. Pinhead
07 If I Can’t Be Your Lover (I Won’t Be Your Friend)
08 How Does It Feel
09 I Can See It in Young Eyes
10 Impossible Love (Acoustic)
