Genre: bizarre
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title:  The Singing Psychic
Company: Cannon
Catalog: --
Year: 1987
Country/State: Dallas, Texas
Grade (cover/record): M / M
Comments: sealed
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6172
Price: $125.00

As you can see from my catalog and record reviews, I have a penchant for the aurally bizarre. That said, I have to admit that Frances Cannon is in a league by herself. In fact this one's so goofy you have to wonder whether it's not simply a complete fabrication. Regardless of whether it was really Ms Cannon seriously trying to carve out a music career (everyone needs a break from saving lost childrend), or just someone's idea of a big joke, this is one of those rare albums that I literally struggled to get through ...

Just to set the picture, here's a quote from the liner notes on Cannon's second album: "Frances becomes psychic after a lumber truck hits her in 1979. She soon began to levitate objects spontaneously over hundreds of miles. Psychic healing has occurred from her God-given talents. She has been studied by nine different scientists. She has been proven over 85 percent accurate. She has found over 200 missing children." [For anyone interested, Cannon now goes by the name Frances Baskerville and according to her website, she's found over 9,000 missing children - http://www.detectiveinvestigator.com]

Cannon's sophomore LP, 1987's "The Singing Psychic" showcased the Dallas-based psychic on a collection of eleven originals. Co-produced by 'Swami Bob' and Cannon, the album found my favorite psychic moving in a new musical direction. While her debut "Music From Cannonville (A Brand New Sound)" showcased a largely acoustic-folk sound, the second LP found Cannon and company taking a stab at a vaguely new wave attack. To be perfectly honest, the combination of her southern, little-girl, speak-sing drawl and synthesizer-propelled new wave-ish arrangements made tracks like 'Stars', 'Discoveries' and Spaceships Have Landed (Rock)'' simply irresistible. Sure, occasionally the plotlines became a little difficult to follow; witness 'Lincoln's Ghost' which somehow managed to weave together Presidential elections, Libya's Muammar Ghadaffi, and extraterrestrials. Mind you, her voice was liable to irritate pets and anyone into top-40 radio, but anyone with an ounce of musical adventure in their souls should get a kick out of this. Add in the off-the-wall lyrical content, exemplified by tracks like 'Come Step thru Space' and 'Spirals of Time', UFOs and extraterrestrials remained popular topics. Besides, it was almost impossible to not be won over by Cannon's unique and largely upbeat outlook on life. Okay I'll admit 'Children of the Street' was kind of a downer, while her vision of California dropping into the ocean might have been a cause for concern ('Earthquake').  

Clearly not for everyone, but there are folks out there who will cherish this album - last copy I sold went to Italy !

"The Singing Psychic" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Stars (Frances Cannon) - 4:33
2.) A New Race (Frances Cannon) - 2:55
3.) Earthquakes (Frances Cannon) - 3:10
4.) Discoveries (Frances Cannon) - 3:25
5.) Lincoln's Ghost (Frances Cannon) - 3:45
6.) Spaceships Have Landed (Rock) (Frances Cannon) - 2:40

(side 2)
1.) Come Step thru Space (Frances Cannon) - 3:38
2.) UFO's are Here (Jazz) (Frances Cannon) - 4:00
3.) Spirals of Time (Frances Cannon) - 4:47
4.) Children of the Street (Frances Cannon) - 5:40
5.) Miracles (Frances Cannon) - 3:36