Lisa Mychols would go on to make a name for herself with the Masticators, but about eight years before that, when she was just a kid, really, Mychols would go through her first breakup. To cope, she began writing melancholy songs with a winter theme. She showed them to Darian Sahanaja and Nick Walusko, soon to be known as the key players in Wondermints, and the wheels were in motion for 'Lost Winter's Dream'. Sahanaja and Walusko would co-write songs with Mychols to fill out the album, and bassist Steve Kobashigawa would write the real gem of the collection, album opener "Listen to the Bells Ring". The album would be released in 1990 as a limited edition cassette and later on as a CD-R, gaining a cult-like popularity among the indie-pop community, but the first official release wouldn't come until Rev-Ola rescued it in 2002. These days, it's a pretty tough find again, at least in its physical form. There are a couple of copies on Discogs right now, and the cheapest is going for $34.
One of the lasting legacies of 'Lost Winters's Dream' is that it gave Sahanaja and Walusko an opportunity to educate themselves on the recording and producing process. In the liner notes of the Rev-Ola version, Sahanaja wrote, "For Nick and I, it became the blueprint for a sound that we would eventually explore as a band only a few years later." Indeed, you'll hear the influence of Phil Spector, the Beach Boys and Wondermints all over 'Lost Winter's Dream'. All these years later, the album is considered a power-pop masterpiece. In John M. Borack's power-pop encyclopedia 'Shake Some Action', the writer ranks 'Lost Winter's Dream' No. 177 all time, calling it "an album of unparalleled passion, beauty and innocence." Here's a little something for your stocking. Merry Christmas to all.
"Listen to the Bells Ring"
4 comments:
Very festive, and she has a lovely voice. I can certainly hear the Phil Spector influence as you say. And so we're nearly there... therefore all that remains is for me to wish a very merry Christmas to you and your family, Brian - have fun!
Brian, I wish you and your family all the best and I have to say that it was a great pleasure to spend time with you back in May even though I nearly caused you to contract hypothermia or food poisoning from the Scotch pie, it is time that I will always treasure.
Happy holidays and all the best for 2018, Brian. I spent a lot of time this year reading and enjoying the blogs of the illustrious attendees of the Glasgow summit and others, but I don't think anyone matches your pure devotion and excitement for the music we all love, or should love. And that's saying something among this crowd. Looking forward to more tracking in the new year, linear or otherwise.
C, Drew and JTFL, Thanks for the kind words, and my best to you all. Johnny, no jokes to you about cozying up to the fire this Christmas. Hope all is well down there. Been thinking about you guys.
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