In recent years, enigmatically reclusive artists like Rodriguez and William Onyeabor have experienced explosions in popularity thanks to new reissues, and here's the latest in that lineage: Lewis, a mysterious Canadian performer whose 1983 album L'Amour is being rescued from obscurity by a new reissue from Light in the Attic.
The album initially came out on a tiny label called R.A.W., and it was recently found in an Edmonton flea market by collector Jon Murphy, who in turn passed it to Weird Canada's Aaron Levin. Before long, the record began making their way online and presumably caught LITA's attention.
An announcement from the label compares the album to Angelo Badalamenti, Arthur Russell and Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, noting that L'Amour is made up of "smooth synthesizers, feather-light piano, ethereal, occasionally inaudible vocals and the gentle plucking of acoustic guitars."
LITA attempted to uncover Lewis' identity, and found that the man in the cover photograph was named Randall Wulff. He was staying in the Beverly Hills Hilton and paid photographer Ed Colver $250 for the picture, but the cheque bounced.
Wulff has been traced back to Alberta, where an apparent nephew said that he had been a stockbroker. He was also traced to a Vancouver studio where he apparently recorded a few albums of "soft religious music."
Royalties from this album are being saved in case Lewis reveals his identity. Scroll past the tracklist below to hear a few tunes.
The album will be out digitally on April 8, on CD on May 13 and on vinyl on June 24. The various formats are available to pre-order here.
UPDATE: For those thinking this is all a hoax, please see our update, as Lewis has been found.
L'Amour:
1. I Thought the World of You
2. Cool Night in Paris
3. My Whole Life
4. Even Rainbows Turn Blue
5. Like to See You Again
6. Things Just Happen That Way
7. Summer's Moon
8. Let's Fall in Love Tonight
9. Love Showered Me
10. Romance for Two
The album initially came out on a tiny label called R.A.W., and it was recently found in an Edmonton flea market by collector Jon Murphy, who in turn passed it to Weird Canada's Aaron Levin. Before long, the record began making their way online and presumably caught LITA's attention.
An announcement from the label compares the album to Angelo Badalamenti, Arthur Russell and Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, noting that L'Amour is made up of "smooth synthesizers, feather-light piano, ethereal, occasionally inaudible vocals and the gentle plucking of acoustic guitars."
LITA attempted to uncover Lewis' identity, and found that the man in the cover photograph was named Randall Wulff. He was staying in the Beverly Hills Hilton and paid photographer Ed Colver $250 for the picture, but the cheque bounced.
Wulff has been traced back to Alberta, where an apparent nephew said that he had been a stockbroker. He was also traced to a Vancouver studio where he apparently recorded a few albums of "soft religious music."
Royalties from this album are being saved in case Lewis reveals his identity. Scroll past the tracklist below to hear a few tunes.
The album will be out digitally on April 8, on CD on May 13 and on vinyl on June 24. The various formats are available to pre-order here.
UPDATE: For those thinking this is all a hoax, please see our update, as Lewis has been found.
L'Amour:
1. I Thought the World of You
2. Cool Night in Paris
3. My Whole Life
4. Even Rainbows Turn Blue
5. Like to See You Again
6. Things Just Happen That Way
7. Summer's Moon
8. Let's Fall in Love Tonight
9. Love Showered Me
10. Romance for Two