And it's downright disconcerting to hear his lighter-than-light acoustic guitar vs. There's more than a touch of Colin Blunstone and Phillip Goodhand-Tate in "The Road To Understanding" even if there's just a tad too much Neil Diamond melodrama in its string arrangements. It's a little surprising even now to see that something as radio-friendly as this signature song for him 'didn't' hit the Top 40 in the UK? Still, debut album deep cuts like "Brand New Day" and "Names, Tags, Numbers And Labels" show a natural ability towards melody - and you can so hear why people rate Hammond's "Anyone Here In The Audience" - the Side 1 finisher that turned up as a melodic lyrically astute flipside to "It Never Rains In Southern California". Released Stateside first in September 1972 just before the LP hit the shops, British Mums Records waiting until January 1973 for both the 45 and LP. Such is its popularity and catchy hum-along chorus, "It Never Rains In Southern California" received four single issues - 1972, 1974, 19 (the last two outings with the track "A Job Is A Home To A Homeless Man" as its flipside.
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