Gary Wilson is the rare cult musician who appeals both to indie-rock and electronic-music fans. His quirky music has been rereleased in this century by both the Feeding Tube and Stones Throw labels. The former company reissued Another Galaxy, Wilson’s 1974 debut album, which does not prepare you for what came after. Playing piano and stand-up bass, Wilson led a trio through four instrumentals of spare, questing, groove-intensive jazz that flashed deceptive traces of funk. The thing is, nobody really heard this record until 2016, so it hit with serious WTF? impact.
Wilson is much better known for his 1977 full-length, You Think You Really Know Me, a twisted collection of women-obsessed tunes that constantly keeps you wondering if Wilson is parodying lovestruck lounge-pop or if he’s genuinely revealing his idiosyncratic personality. Whatever the case, these songs ooze a peculiar charm that’s aged well over the last 43 years.
