The mid-tempo, jangly “Remember” was another highlight. That isn’t to say that there aren’t good songs here – the churning “Keep Me Happy” was probably the closest the guys got to Cleveland’s native sons, the Raspberries. Without the production magic, the tracks end up sounding more like demos. While Leonetti gave them a more stripped-down sound, he also took away the appeal of the multi-layered harmonies and guitars. Instead, the band turned to Ed Leonetti, whose track record wasn’t as storied as his predecessor (he’d helmed albums by Rex Smith and Moxy). And, there’s one theory that Columbia Records was too busy grooming fellow labelmate Bruce Springsteen for stardom, to concentrate on Artful Dodger’s career.Īny hopes of building on their work from the first album were thwarted when Douglas was unavailable to produce their followup, Honor Among Thieves. So, in a sense, Artful Dodger fell through the cracks. Timing is everything – Cheap Trick and Billy Squier were still a few years off, while the Raspberries and Badfinger had both run their course. “Follow Me” was another excellent rocker, while “Silver and Gold” was a gorgeous ballad that should’ve been a hit, and was so intricate, that it almost sounds like ELO.īut, keep in mind, this record came out in 1975, when the rock world was dominated by heavy groups like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, or the shock rock of Kiss and Alice Cooper. “You Know It’s Alright” is powered by a nice guitar riff and hook in the chorus (which reminds me of more modern bands like Sloan). Their entire debut album is very good, including the darker “It’s Over,” which was a showcase for vocalist Billy Paliselli – he’s a lot closer to Steve Marriott than Eric Carmen. He’d already had success with Aerosmith, and would go on to produce Cheap Trick and John Lennon, and it’s his clever use of layered guitars and vocals that really elevates these sessions. If the band had only recorded one song, they’d still be remembered for “Wayside.” This jangly masterpiece with a harmony-laden chorus led off their debut album, which was helmed by Jack Douglas. Real Gone Music has just collected the first three albums of this under-appreciated group on a two-CD set, Artful Dodger – The Complete Columbia Recordings. Despite all this going for them, the band never had a hit single or even an entry on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. They had a treasure trove of radio-ready songs, a killer frontman, a producer with a proven track record, and the backing of a major label. Artful Dodger is one of rock’s biggest head-scratchers. It’s baffling how some bands make it, and some don’t.
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