Dave wrote "Iguana" in spring of 2021, in-between legal industry jobs. This snappy number tells the tale of a happy-go-lucky, recently separated breed down in the Brazilian Amazon, and his escape from captivity. The song takes inspiration from Hank Williams as well as the Brazilian country rhythm known as xote.

There are simply no two ways about it. Few things in the artistic world are more special than when two musical minds get together and create.
   One could easily write an entire encyclopedia jammed with the feats and histories of such combos, which would have to include legendary tandems like Lennon & McCartney, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Bacharach & David, and Phil & Don (Everly) as well as lesser-known ones like Loggins & Messina, Foster & Lloyd, and literally thousands of others.
   While the seasoned duo which makes up San Francisco’s Dave and Ray’s Magic Record Shoppe may not sit among such august company, even a quick glance at their biographies and a listen to their first digital ‘45’ of the single “Iguana” – along with the tune “Crissy Says” – shows that there’s depth, intelligence, imagination, and more than a little talent in these two transplanted Easterners.
   After being introduced in their then-new Bay Area city some 30 years ago, New Yorker Dave Ridnell and New Jersey native Ray Wilcox didn’t connect their musical talents until far more recently despite roaming in many of the same artistic circles all that time. And the inaugural single “Iguana” and its ‘B side’ show quite vividly that they should have plugged in and started working together decades ago.
   “Iguana” comes out on Wilcox’s own Pacific Soul Records and adds more glittering content to a PSC catalog which includes the Jersey native’s previous groups Zircus (San Fran noise-pop pioneers) and party favorites !Tang, a nine-piece funk group which simply must be heard to be believed. All in all there have been 15 Pacific Soul Records releases including Wilcox solo efforts, and the new digital release is nothing less than a superb addition to that pretty stellar lineup.
    When asked to describe his current duo, Wilcox states “It’s a jangle and echo from a lost musical era, combining Americana, Brazilian, R&B, and Power Pop into something we call ‘Psychonova.’ Our sound is East Coast moving West, listening for new sounds.”
    Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Wilcox’s broad musical taste and talents mix beautifully with those of Ridnell, who studied jazz, blues, and bossa nova with some of the finest musicians in the Bay Area. And the talented guitarist/vocalist has already tasted success in Japan in the form of a chart presence there with Coelho & Ridnell's exotic and grooving 2018 record “Sunny Day”, recorded with Brazilian artist Chico Coelho.
    Ridnell and Wilcox both play acoustic guitar - with the latter adding acoustic and electric percussion and a superb electric guitar solo – on the intriguing single “Iguana”, which at first might strike the listener as a riveting spin-off of that late 20th century ear-worm of a hit song “The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades” by the inventive Wisconsin band Timbuk 3. The layering of vocals is more than a little impressive, covering much of the vocal range, and the infectious rockabilly feel just percolates on this Ridnell composition. This song should absolutely have folks out of their seats and moving. It’s a catchy, quirky tune which demands multiple plays.
   The flip side  “Crissy Says” is a romantic number from the pen of Wilcox which examines the thoughts and potential intent of the titular Crissy from the male perspective, who the writer believes might be a potential relationship interest for him budding right there before his eyes. It’s an absolutely classic lyrical-spinning of the guy trying to figure out what’s in the mind of the pretty girl, and how the scenario might just play out. Call it “The Politics of Love” or “Women and Men” or whatever you choose, the listener becomes the male suitor trying to figure out what’s going on in the mind of a lovely lady and how things might advance. Great stuff.
    Ridnell is particularly enthused about the duo’s use of the classic Fender VI bass as a pivotal part of its sound.
    “Dave is convinced this (instrument) is the ticket to our success and cool factor,” joked Wilcox.
     As an initial taster these two tunes on Dave and Ray’s Magic Record Shoppe’s first release show the skills and chops and minds of two talented veteran musicians, what they can do together and individually, and what we the listener can get out of taking the ride with them. It’s a pretty fun, smooth, and grooving ride which listeners will doubtless hope continues in the future.

-Chris Pantazis, is a log-time newspaper journalist and music fan based in New England.