Cold Fact, the recently unearthed 1960's psychedelic folk album from obscure Detroit songwriter, Sixto Rodriguez, has been pretty much everywhere these days. Last week, in fact, I walked by John Atkinson's office to hear him blasting the outstanding opening track, "Sugar Man."
Most happily, however, the album has been in my hands and spinning on the Rega P3.
Thanks to the fearless music lovers at Light In The Attic, the forgotten album has become available to a new generation of fans. Theirs is the first official re-issue and comes dressed up in a heavy-stock tip-on sleeve and boasts 180-gram vinyl. The package includes a bonus 45, extensive liner notes, and a beautiful full-color poster. It is limited to just 1000 copies.
If you're interested, LITA has also made the album available on compact disc. As hard as it is for me to say this: I want you to experience this album, even if you have to listen on CD.
Buy the vinyl!
From the LITA website:
It's one of the lost classics of the '60s, a psychedelic masterpiece drenched in colour and inspired by life, love, poverty, rebellion, and, of course, "jumpers, coke, sweet mary jane". The album is Cold Fact, and what's more intriguing is that its maker—a shadowy figure known as Rodriguez—was, for many years, lost too. A decade ago, he was rediscovered working on a Detroit building site, unaware that his defining album had become not only a cult classic, but for the people of South Africa, a beacon of revolution.
It's really great stuff. I'll probably talk more about it later. And you might even maybe possibly look forward to a complete review in an upcoming issue of
Stereophile. Maybe.
