Finally! A proper reissue of Donnie & Joe's debut, courtesy of the good folks at Light In The Attic. Originally self-released in 1979 by the Emersons (fully funded by their super supportive farmer father), Dreamin Wild encapsulates the sonic vision of two teenage brothers full of wide-eyed ambition and tons of talent. Isolated in the Pacific Northwest, Donnie & Joe weren't influenced by the punk or disco scenes that were booming in the major cities, but rather cultivated their own unique brand of bedroom pop, raw funk, and lo-fi soul. The sound is really something special (you really gotta hear it in its entirety) and has gained a wide range of fans in recent times, including Ariel Pink and Dam-Funk(!) who actually covered their ballad "Baby". The original version is contained here, as well as the grooving rock vibes of "Good Times," and "Don't Go Lovin Someone Else," the funky "Give Me The Chance," Feeling Like The Sun" and more. This rare slice of bedroom-funk gets the usual Light In The Attic treatment with newly remastered audio, detailed liner notes, and expanded original album art with loads of photos from the Emerson’s collection. 8 tracks in all, recommended.

• music label: Light In The Attic 2012

reviewed by TKB 07/2013