Wilkinson Tri-Cycle

The album alternates between stripped-down electric blues and more elaborate arrangements, some with orchestration. Soundwise, Wilkinson Tri-Cycle falls midway between hard-rock and the psychedelic fringe.

Wilkinson Tri-Cycle features three songs each by Richard Porter (“What of I,” “Pourscha Poe,” “9–5, ’59”) and David Mello (“David’s Rush,” “Antique Locomotives,” “I Like Your Company”) plus the group-written “Yellow Wall” and the Sleepy John Estes cover “Leavin’ Trunk.”

A1. “What of I” (3:30) – Shifting meters and descending riffs alternate with a mid-section ballad passage. Porter’s lead vocal is met with discordant female backing lines.
A2. “Leavin’ Trunk” (3:15) – Originated as “Milk Cow Blues,” an October 1930 Victor side by Tennessee bluesman Sleepy John Estes. Taj Mahal re-titled the song for his 1967 version, which inspired 1969/70 covers by Harvey Mandel, Johnny Jenkins, and the Keef Hartley Band. Wilkinson Tri-Cycle do a sparse, stomping version with clipped bass and syncopated drums.
A3. “David’s Rush” (2:50) – Acoustic-led piece with somber string overlays arranged by Schlaks and Schatz.
A4. “Pourscha Poe” (2:52) – Opens with slow guitar drone, then shifts into fast, uneven rhythms and sharp instrumental turns.

B1. “Antique Locomotives” (3:13) – Fast rocker with coordinated vocal lines and clean snare patterns from Clemens.
B2. “9–5, ’59” (3:43) – Features staccato bass runs, reverb-heavy guitar, and a mid-song instrumental break.
B3. “I Like Your Company” (3:00) – Begins as a blues figure and moves into a major-key chorus. Drums keep a steady, brushed pattern.
B4. “Yellow Wall” (3:30) – Fragmented chords and falsetto vocals build into a subdued, cyclical closer with shifting rhythms.

Sessions occurred at Associated Recording Studios, New York City, where Stephen Schlaks co-produced the album with Warren Schatz, a soundman for Archie Whitewater, Banchee, and Yesterday’s Children.