I've encountered plenty of musical mysteries over the years, but this one's clearly in the obscure pile ... Other than a brief and not particularly enlightening write-up in Vernon Joynson's The Tapestry of Delights, there doesn't seem to be any real reference material on this artist. About all I can say is he was apparently from Widness where he attracted some local attention playing clubs and local festivals before winning a contract with Red Bus Records. He then hightailed if for London where he somehow scored a contract with Regal Zonophone (Vogue in France, and Pink Elephant in Holland). How he managed to attract a first-rate set of English sessions players to play on his sole 1972 album is an even bigger mystery. Co-produced by Ellis Elias and Roberto Danova, "Ballad of a Simple Song" featured a collection of eleven Schunge originals. Most of these tracks were heavily orchestrated singer/songwriter folk-tinged tunes that bore a resemblance to the stuff Donovan, Cat Stevens, Al Stewart, or occasionally even Seals and Crofts were known for. Seals and Crofts were an interesting comparison given Schunge's dry, crackly voice bore a strong resemblance to the duo. So at this point you're probably thinking "rare, but worthless". And here's where it gets interesting. Normally I'm not a big fan of sensitive singer/songwriter moves, but Schunge had a real knack for crafting catchy melodies and once you got over his nasally voice, the collection became quite enjoyable with virtually every one of these tracks sneaking up on you in some strange and unexpected fashion. Best of the lot were the songs where he abandoned the stark singer/songwriter moves for a more rock oriented approach - 'Enter the Violins' and 'Only a Midnight Train'."Ballad of a Simple Love" track listing:(side 1)1.) Ballad of a Simple Love (Schunge) - 2:52The title track was a bright singer/songwriter ballad that managed to turn the title into a catchy refrain (which was repeated over and over and over). Not exactly the album's creative zenith, but it was tapped as an instantly obscure UK single. rating: *** stars2.) Castles In the Sand (Schunge) - 3:10'Castles In the Sand' was a track where Schunge's nasally delivery was going to make listeners decided whether they were in or out. The charming melody, sweet harmony vocals, and nice orchestration were enough to make me overlook his vocal limitations. rating: **** stars3.) Enter the Violins (Schunge) - 4:10One of the isolated tracks with full rock band instrumentation, 'Enter the Violins' was also an album highlight. Showcasing one of Schunge's best performances (the multi-tracked harmony vocals were simply gorgeous), it also featured one of the album's best melodies. I would have tapped this one as the single rather than the title track. rating: **** stars4.) Only a Midnight Train (Schunge) - 4:32Another song with a rock feel, 'Only a Midnight Train' had the album's strangest song structure and vibe - not really psych, but definitely on the strange side with an on-and-off start and stop structure, some wild feedback electric guitar, and some funky trumpets in the background. rating: *** stars5.) As I Close My Eyes (Schunge) - 4:10Opening up with strumming acoustic guitar and pedal steel touches, 'As I Close My Eyes' showcased a touch of country in the mix before opening up into an extended scat refrain. Loved Roy Babbington's simple bass line. Very commercial. rating: **** stars(side 2)1.) Joseph Demanio (Schunge) - 3:09I've always wondered why Greek music became so popular in early-'70s pop music ... Complete with balalaikas 'Joseph Demanio' was a worthy addition to the subgenre ... Easy to imagine Mary Hopkins taking a stab at this one. This one was also tapped as a single. rating: *** stars2.) 1971 (Schunge) - 3:12Nice pop tune, but the orchestration was way over-the-top and detracted from the overall effect. rating: *** stars3.) Rosemary Came (Schunge) - 3:59A stark, haunting ballad with lots of acoustic guitar and some multi-tracked lead vocals, the highlight on this one was Chris Spedding's searing, economical lead guitar lines. rating: *** stars4.) Take It As a Dream (Schunge) - 3:56'Take It As a Dream' sounded like an Irish folky who'd fallen on love with The Free Design - the song had the same sort of retro-cool pop-jazz feel. Quirky as all and another album highlight. rating: **** stars5.) Joanna was Hung Up (Schunge) - 2:31Hum, the title was definitely a timepiece ... the first half of the song wasn't all that great, sounding a bit like an unfinished demo, but when the rest of the band kicked in things improved a bit. rating: *** stars6.) Misty (Schunge) - 3:20The album ended with a pretty, but conventional singer/songwriter ballad that was also one of the album's most pedestrian performances. rating:** starsThe album was tapped for a pair of UK singles:- 1972's 'Joseph Demanio' b/w 'Misty' (Regal Zonophone catalog number RZ 3066)- 1973's 'Ballad of a Simple Love' b/w 'Enter the Violins' (Regal Zonophone catalog number RZ 3077)And that seems to have been the entirety of this guy's recording career .... Shame since this was a fascinating debut. Wonder what happened to the guy ... I'm sure someone out there knows.From:RDTEN1At:https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/schunge/ballad_of_a_simple_love/