Bill Lloyd – Feeling the Elephant (1987): Forgotten Series

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Prior to partnering with Radney Foster and finding fame in the country field as Foster and Lloyd, Bill Lloyd cooked up a batch of demos between the years 1983-86 that were pressed as a full-length album in 1987.

Stuffed with ear candy, Feeling the Elephant demonstrates the Nashville-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s flair for choreographing shrewdly stitched pop rock in the time-tested tradition of the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the Byrds, while traces of like-minded successors such as Big Star and the Dwight Twilley Band are also occasionally referenced.

Winking to life with robust hooks and radiant riffs, “Nothing Comes Close,” “Lisa Anne” and “This Very Second” are buttoned tight with all the proper particles required to create perfect guitar pop. Bill Lloyd’s clear and concise vocals, which sparkle in harmonic bliss to the jangly spirit of these tunes, add even more appeal to the proceedings.

Further jewels include the experimental gothic drone of “Everything’s Closing Down” and “I Wanna Sit and Watch the Credits Roll” that bumps and grinds to power popping funk rhythms – along with the title track, which is propelled by quirky new wave styled arrangements and production values.

Sad to say, Feeling the Elephant didn’t receive the promotion it deserved because Throbbing Lobster Records was on the brink of going out of business at the moment the disc was released. But Feeling the Elephant was given a second wind in 1990 when DB Records reissued the collection on compact disc, and was greeted with instant applause.

A truly talented taskmaster, whose composition skills and melodic sensibilities rank among some of the finest, Bill Lloyd has continued to ably juggle his love of pop and country music, and that in turn have blessed him with loyal fans of both genres. While everything in his ample catalog demands a spin, those not familiar with his work are advised to start with Feeling the Elephant, which not only holds forth as a veritable pop-rock classic, but an impressive debut effort as well.

Beverly Paterson