From the rare album “Through You” on Rok Records, 1967

The Contents Are released their album sometime in 1967/68 with a tiny private pressing of 100. They hailed from Quad City, Iowa and remained virtually unknown until a copy of “Through You” turned up for sale at a 2005 Austin Record Show.

So it was decades in the long-lost wilderness until less than twenty years ago. Re-issue label Machu Picchu Ltd promptly gave it wider exposure with their limited one-time pressing, along with exact reproductions of the group’s two non-album 45s.

The music on offer sounds like a low-budget and quite primitive collection of mostly introspective and reflective folk-rock numbers. Definitely not a polished studio effort, more like decent quality demo material.

The album has received unadulterated praise since it’s re-discovery both online and the usual music publications. There are plenty of places to go and read up on The Contents Are album but I just want to focus on “Country Roads,” the opening track on side one.

“Country Roads” is the best song leader Craig Hute wrote for his teenage hippie folk-rock group. This Nazz-style cut should have been on a mono single.

It’s a dynamic number, bursting with creative ideas and has one of those devastating wild ‘n’ primitive fuzz guitar breaks as the song reaches its end. If only the fuzz lasted longer though!

line-up:
Craig Hute – lead guitar and vocals
Dave Neumann – guitar and vocals
Mick Orton – bass, keyboards, vocals
Paul Staack – drums and vocals