Linda Perhacs – Parallelograms (1970)
At its western edge, Los Angeles borders the rugged hills of Topanga State Park. In the 1920s Hollywood stars found refuge in the quaint canyon. The 60s brought in the creatives of that time - Neil Young wrote most of his After the Goldrush there. Another resident those days was Linda Perhacs, a twenty something Californian working as a dental hygienist in Beverly Hills, writing songs in Topanga in her spare time.
Leonard Rosenman, film composer of among others Rebel Without a Cause and Star Trek, was one of Linda’s clients in those days. He liked her demos and together they recorded Parallelograms, the second Listenings pick. At the time, the album caused no stir, leaving Linda to her dental career.
Fortunately for us, some crate diggers in the late 90s somehow found this record, recognised its beauty and made sure the world knew about the record.
Listening to it now, I’m amazed how this album, released over 50 years ago, has stood the test of time, gripping as it still is. I can recommend enjoying it on a quiet morning with a cup of tea, as this is exactly what I’m doing now - but I’m sure there are many other perfect occasions for a record as singular as this one.
~Camiel