Rodriguez - Coming From Reality

Rating: * * *

Known as the Hispanic Dylan, Detroit-born folky Sixto Rodriguez released two albums in the early 70s.

Coming From Reality (1971) was the second of these and the follow-up to his 1970 debut Cold Fact. Sadly, because of low sales, that was the extent of his album output and he was dropped by his record label.

Despite a stint in obscurity he never stopped doing music and toured Australia with Midnight Oil in the early 80s. However, thanks to die-hard fans around the world, and helped along in 2002 when his tune Sugar Moon (from Cold Fact) was picked up by stylish Belfast DJ and producer David Holmes, he is now having a more prominent renaissance.

And this reissue of Coming From Reality makes for a welcome return. As well as the poetic Dylan guitar and vocal stylings, there are hints of the sashaying jazz of Sergio Mendes and Jose Feliciano's rousing Latin pop in Rodriguez' music. I Think Of You is one of the world's long-lost romantic anthems; the surging string arrangements of the lovely Cause are stunning; and the dramatic blaxploitation bent of Can't Get Away is like a laid-back Across 110th Street.

While it's not all essential, the stream of consciouness jaunt of A Most Disgusting Song, I Think Of You, and I'll Slip Away (a bonus track here) are vital listening for those in search of some excellent long-lost folk tunes.

Scott Kara