25 Demos
When25 Demoswas released in 2001, songwriter Margo Guryan had only recorded one album in her entire career, the 1968 minor classicTake a Picture. This collection of demos from the '60s and '70s (plus one from 2000) proves that the LP wasn't a one-off fluke. The compilation features versions of a number of songs fromTake a Picture, but it also includes other fine material from the '60s: "Thoughts," "Come to Me Slowly," and the exquisite "It's Alright Now" are standouts from that period. The '70s tracks show that Guryan still had her touch during the Me decade. A version of "I Think a Lot About You," which was released as a single byMama Cass, gets a pleasant reading here, while "I'd Like to See the Bad Guys Win" evokes the sly sensibility of earlyRandy Newman. Possibly the best (and definitely the oddest) '70s song is "The Hum," a piece inspired by the infamous 18-minute gap found on one of the Watergate tapes. Its nearly wordless chorus is both catchy and strange.25 Demosis a must for Guryan fans.--Fred Cisterna