Daughters of Albion -

Daughters of Albion were an American vocal-pop/psych duo from Los Angeles that released a 1968 album on Fontana.

Members: Greg Dempsey (vocals, guitar), Kathy Yesse [aka Kathy Dalton] (vocals)

Background

Daughters of Albion emerged from the Los Angeles pop circuit in 1968 as a duo comprised of Greg Dempsey and Kathy Yesse (aka Kathy Dalton), both alumni of Gas Company—a quartet that cut four singles between 1965 and 1967 on Mirwood and Reprise. With a name inspired by William Blake’s Visions of the Daughters of Albion—a probing, early Romantic meditation on freedom and sexuality—the duo aimed for a sound that fused baroque folk-pop with psychedelic theatricality.

They caught the attention of Asylum Choir mastermind Leon Russell.

Daughters of Albion (1968)

Daughters of Albion released their self-titled album in 1968 on Fontana. The album blends baroque arrangements with studio effects and lyrical introspection.

Songs pulse with sudden shifts in rhythm and texture: ornate piano and horns, whispered refrains, playful stereo panning, and quirky interludes. The closing suite, “1968: John Flip Lockup,” breaks into comedic skits and sound effects while merging psychedelic folk with satirical commentary.

Greg Dempsey wrote everything apart from five tracks (A1, A4, B1, B3, B5) co-written with Dave Luff (aka David Linden, the co-writer of Lou Rawls much-covered 1966 hit “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing”).

A1. “I Love Her and She Loves My” (2:59) – Begins with shimmering strings and lush harmonies; piano and vocal counterpoints shift the tempo between measured and buoyant, reflecting early optimism.
A2. “Still Care About You” (3:10) – Whispered lead vocal adds intimacy; mid-song doublespeed transition introduces sudden drama; orchestral layering enhances emotional tension.
A3. “Yes, Our Love Is Growing” (2:55) – Shared vocal lines intertwine; flute-colored instrumentation and textured backbeat give way to layered harmonies mid-verse.
A4. “Candle Song” (3:06) – Slide guitar adds a pastoral undertone; piano phrases illuminate whispered couplets as vocal lines intertwine across stereo channels.
A5. “Ladyfingers” (3:19) – March-like rhythm underpins playful baroque-pop; stately horns and piano punctuate sudden shifts in vocal intensity.
A6. “Sweet Susan Constantine” (2:54) – Two independent vocal lines overlap; staccato piano and whimsical effects pad the fading outro.

B1. “Hat Off, Arms Out, Ronnie” (2:54) – Dual-channel vocals counter and complement; full-band pop undertones shift suddenly into playful vocal ad-libs mid-song.
B2. “Good To Have You” (3:16) – Slow and contemplative; saxophone accents and vocal harmonies build a layered emotional tide before a gentle fade.
B3. “Well Wired” (3:09) – Starts sparse, with stuttering vocal phrases; sporadic studio dial twiddles create tension before bursting into fuller instrumentation.
B4. “Hey, You, Wait, Stay” (2:57) – Whispered chorus vocals create intimacy; mid-track doublespeed interlude fractures the tempo, introducing sudden shifts.
B5. “Story Of Sad” (2:49) – Minor-key pop ballad with delicate piano motifs; somber vocal lines alternate with warmer harmonies.
B6. “1968: John Flip Lockup (Medley)” (6:59) – A playful spoken-word saga, complete with British accent and theatrical sound cues; piano and marching beats intermittently resurface between spoken skits and satirical rhymes, closing the album on a surreal note.

Leon Russell produced Daughters of Albion in his Asylum Choir basement studio.

The album appeared in a gatefold designed by Loretta Leong and Tracy Young. It shows a wayward monochrome photo of the hippie duo (front), distorted zoom shots of Kathy Yesse, and a color collage of grass-set photos. Original copies contained three inserts of au naturel cosmic illustrations.

Fontana lifted “Well Wired” as a single (b/w “Story of Sad”).

Wrap-Up

Following the album’s release, Dempsey and Yesse quietly disbanded. Yesse re-emerged in 1973 under the name Kathy Dalton with Amazin’, a solo album issued on the Discreet label co-run by Frank Zappa and Herb Cohen. The album featured members of Little Feat and was reissued the following year with an additional track under the revised title Boogie Bands & One Night Stands. Dalton’s recording career ended soon after Discreet folded.

Discography: