Description
Label Review.
1971 album. Also available on CD.
Our Overview.
‘Coming From Reality’ is the second album from singer-songwriter Rodriguez. It was released in the United States on the Sussex label in November 1971. Whilst his first album ‘Cold Fact’ had failed to excite the record buying public, in those days labels usually gave budding musicians a second chance and this album was the result. A more mellow and less eclectic affair than his debut, ‘Coming From Reality’ is still a good album with some pointed lyrical observations riding over his early 70s folk rock pop vibe. Although a third album was begun it was never finished and he was dropped by his label and he quit the music business for a few years.
However, his records travelled around the world and he gained a good fanbase in Australia and Rodriguez was able to tour there twice in 1979 and ‘81. It was in South Africa though where his two albums became a huge cult success and in the pre-internet age, the common consensus there was that he died after the second album. In 1997 his eldest daughter came across a website devoted to him. She contacted them and discovered his fame at the foot of Africa. The following year he went to the country, performing to huge crowds. A documentary was made about his belated success and ‘Searching For Sugar Man’ was a popular film in itself.
Although Rodriguez has never followed up his two albums, he continues to tour and now the two records have been reissued by a major label for the first time.