Look/Listen

Photograph by Michael DeFilippo

Art by Dana Smith

Few bands in St. Louis are as fond of the 7-inch single format as The Union Electric, a band anchored by the songwriting and voice of Tim Rakel. Known as a popular KDHX host with his weekly “Mystery Train” broadcast, Rakel’s not afraid to bring a wide variety of sounds to his radio gig, often from the form of vinyl. And that’s just what he and his group are bringing to the world on Saturday at Mangia Italiano, with a show that will feature sets from The Union Electric, Theodore, and solo sets from the singers of both.

“It’ll be a long night of music,” Rakel admits. “It’s pretty safe to say that there will be music from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.”

In some respects, the two-sided 45 by The Union Electric might already be known by area vinyl collectors as the disc has been out since early June, in select stores since then. (This flies in the face of many release shows, for which the platter shows up on the night of the show.) On this release, two Rakel cuts are in play, “Tunnels” and “An Irish Orphan.”

The vinyl will be on the Los Angeles-based Rank Outsider label, which previously released music by Rakel, then a member of the May Day Orchestra’s spinoff project, The Ota Benga Family Band; together they produced a unusual “folk-opera” about the plights of famed 1904 World’s Fair pygmy Ota Benga. Rakel jokes that the label’s primarily known for “garage rock, but they still like us.”

For this show, Rakel’s joined by his usual cast of associates, with Glenn Burleigh on guitar, Melinda Cooper on bass and Mic Boshans and Beth Bombara on drums; when not on alternating in on drums, Bombara will be paying keys and accordion for this show. She and partner Kim Hamon recorded the songs last year in their home studio, adding to the tightly-knit fabric of The Union Electric’s working relationships.

Similarly, as in the past, the 7-inch will feature a cover by noted local rock’n’roll painter Dana Smith.

The work, Rakel hopes, will stand on its own, but it may also become part of a larger whole later this year.

“In the past, we’ve done 7-inches because we can afford to do a little bit at a time,” he says. “We are able to accomplish one and keep moving along. Recording a full-length can be tough on everybody.We are recording some new songs now, and what we may do is use the songs from our 7-inchers, then add then to some new songs later in the year, for a full-length CD and LP.”

The Union Electric Single Release Show will be at Mangia Italiano, 3145 S. Grand, Saturday, July 30, from 11 p.m.–2 a.m. Free for ages 21 and up.