Speaking of forgotten albums from 1978 — as I was last week — here’s one that does still sound good today. 16-year-old Rachel Sweet was a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll, with a big voice that made her sound like a New Wave Brenda Lee (or was it Lena Zavaroni?) She was also a cutie with a certain jailbait sexiness that I had a bit of a crush on (I was only 16 myself at the time so there’s nothing creepy about that), and I’m pretty sure I bought her “Fool Around” album before I’d heard a note of it just because I liked the way she looked on the sleeve. Looking back at her now I think the appeal was that she looked like a girl I actually could go out with in real life (unlike that goddess Jackie Bolton), or would if I wasn’t such a loser with the opposite sex. She was the girl next door, but unfortunately it was next door to someone else’s house.

Whatever my reasons it turned out to be a wise purchase because “Fool Around” is a terrific album with Rachel belting out New Wave rockers and twangy Country ballads backed by Graham Parker’s band The Rumour. My copy of the album was on white vinyl which isn’t as valuable as it sounds because in a joke typical of her label Stiff Records it was the black vinyl copies that were the limited edition. I bet they thought they were being so bloody clever when they dreamt that gimmick up.

Download: Who Does Lisa Like? – Rachel Sweet (mp3)
Download: Wildwood Saloon – Rachel Sweet (mp3)