16-07-06 - 23-07-06

Saturday, July 22, 2006

MAL - 1983 - The Preacher From The Black Lagoon

MAL [= Michael A. LUCAS]

West Coast goth/psych/new wave Ca. 1983. Rare & obscure !!!
A must have !!!

I would apreciate it ,if you could find any information about this group.

Thanks in advance

RapidShare or SendSpace

V.A. - Ya Gotta Have Moxie! vols 1 & 2

As you know in 60's
there were a million of music diamonds,
so get them to have some of them !!
Must for all 60's garage maniacs !!!

Ya Gotta Have Moxie! vol. 1

CD 1
1 The Avengers - Open Your Eyes
2 The Badd Boys - Never Going Back To Georgia
3 The Basooties - You Didn't Try To Call Me
4 The Bassmen - The Last Laugh
5 The Bassmen - I Need You
6 The Beatin' Path - Original Nothing People
7 Beau Hannon - Who's Got The Right Of Way
8 The Beaver Patrol - E.S.P.
9 Beer - Some Kinda Rich Girl
10 Bees - Leave Me Be
11 The Big Town Boys - August 32nd
12 The Birdwatchers - I'm Gonna Love You Anyway
13 The Black Sheep - It's My Mind
14 Boo Boo & Bunky - Turn Around
15 The Boy Blues - Coming Down To You
16 Brand "X" - She Lied
17 The Brave New World - It's Tomorrow
18 The Bruthers - Bad Love
19 The Bush - Don't You Fret
20 Cave Dwellers - Meditation
21 The Centurys - Hard Times
22 Les Chantels - Shaggy Baggy Joe
23 Les Chantels - Have You Ever Felt Blue
24 The Chayns - Why Did You Hurt Me
25 The Checkerlads - Baby Send For Me
26 The Checkerlads - Shake Yourself Down
27 Cheques - To Stone

CD 2
1 Cherry Slush - I Cannot Stop You
2 Children - This Sportin' Life
3 Chocolate Balloon Company - Gotta Get This
4 The Outcasts - 1523 Blair
5 The Chosen Few - Asian Chrome
6 Chris Morgan & The Togas - Would You Believe (Love Is Dead)
7 The Chylds - Hay Girl
8 The Cindermen - Don't Knock It
9 The Claytons - Puttin' Me On
10 The Cobras - If I Can't Believe Her
11 The Collectors - Make It Easy
12 The Communication Aggregation - Freakout USA
13 Country Classic Esquires - Nashville Blues
14 The Country Gentlemen - Saturday Night
15 Dan Atello - Questions I Cannot Answer
16 The Deepest Blue - Pretty Little Thing
17 The Deepest Blue - Somebody's Girl
18 The Defiant 4 - Away From Home
19 Destiny's Children - For Me
20 Destiny's Children - The Collectors
21 Dewayne & The Beldettas - Hurtin
22 The Distant Cousins - She Ain't Lovin' You
23 Don & The Agitators - Going Back Home
24 The Down 5 - I'm Takin' It Home

grab and enjoy it !

Disc 1
Disc 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You Gotta Have Moxie! vol. 2

CD 1
1 Ebb Tides - Seance
2 Eddie & The Showmen - Come On Babe
3 Eddie & The Showmen - Danny Boy
4 Eddie & The Showmen - Sheila
5 The Edge Of Darkness - Mean Town
6 Eggheads - (Why Don't You Stop) Foolin' Around
7 Electric Train - Try Harder
8 Electric Train - Through Winter & Sunshine
9 The Emergency Exit - Why Girl
10 Enchanted Forist - It Don't Mean A Thing Anymore
11 The Escapades - Mad Mad Mad
12 The Ethics - (A Whole Lot Of) Confusion
13 Evergreen Blues - Three's A Crowd
14 The Fifth Order - Goin' Too Far
15 Five Cards Stud - Everybody Needs Somebody
16 The Five Of Us - Hey You
17 49th Parallel - You Do Things
18 The Fountain Of Youth - Don't Blame Me (For Trying)
19 The Gentlemen Wild - You Gotta Leave
20 H.B. & The Checkmates - Louise, Louise
21 Heart Attacks - Babba Diddy Baby
22 Huns - Long Way Around
23 Huns - The World You Cannot Hide From
24 Huns - I've Got You On My Mind
25 Huns - I Gotta Move
26 The Individuals - Monkey On My Back
27 J. Michael & The Bushmen - I Need Love
28 The Jackasses - Sugaree

CD 2
1 Jerry & The Landslides - Get Off Of My Roof
2 Jimmy Solley - I Just Gotta Get A Little More Sleep
3 The Laymen - Practice What You Preach
4 The Legend - Portrait Of Youth
5 Limey & The Yanks - Gather My Things And Go
6 The Little Boy Blues - It's Only You
7 The Liv'in End - The Orange Rooftop Of My Baby's Mind
8 The Liv'in End - She's A Teaser
9 Livin' End - You're My Woman
10 The Love Affair - Let Me Know
11 The Magic Mushrooms - Never Let Go
12 Man-Dells - Bonnie
13 Meddy's People - Sha La La La Lee
14 The Mersey Men - I Can Tell
15 Michel & The French Canadians - 'Cause I Believe
16 The Mops - Blind Bird
17 The Mystic Number National Bank - I Put A Spell On You
18 New Wing - I Need Love
19 Nikita The K - Go Go Radio Moscow
20 One Eyed Jacks - Love
21 Other Side - Streetcar
22 The Perils - Hate
23 Petrified Forest - So Mystifying
24 The Prodigal - You've Got Me
25 R. Rogues - The Sound
26 Rain - E.S.P.
27 Rain - Outta My Life
28 Randy & The Radiants - My Way Of Thinking

grab and enjoy it !

Disc 1
Disc 2

In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Moxie label was famous, or infamous, for its Boulders compilations of obscure 1960s garage rock. Boulders was to Pebbles what Pebbles was to Nuggets; an even rawer, more obscure approach to unearthing 1960s garage music, in both the rarities unearthed and the fidelity and graphics of the packages. More than a decade after Boulders' demise, AIP (which handles the Pebbles series) is anthologizing its one-time rival, this first volume presenting a whopping 52 songs (including one, the Checklads' "Shake Yourself Down," that did not appear on the original Moxie series) on its two CDs. The pressings of Boulders were notorious for their poor fidelity, and to its credit AIP (not exactly a bastion of digitized sound itself) have remastered from cleaner copies of these rarities when possible. This is one of the better bulky garage anthologies, as it is more flexible in its scope than many '60s punk comps (such as the later Pebbles volumes), which usually stick to standard snotty rants. There are plenty of those here, actually, but there are also some good folk-rockers, a Sonny and Cher soundalike (Boo Boo and Bunky), a cover of a song from the Mothers' Freak Out (the Basooties' "You Didn't Try to Call Me"), and a single that sounds like a Freak Out wannabe (Communication Aggregation's "Freakout USA"). There are also some touches of pop and soul, a in the Cherry Slush's outstanding "I Cannot Stop You," and the Down 5's "I'm Takin' It Home," produced by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. And there are a surprising number of entries recorded by major labels. For pure '60s punk dementia, it doesn't get much hotter than the Chocolate Moose's "Chocolate Moose Theme." The Avengers' "Open Your Eyes," which affixes some hypnotic psychedelia to the Byrds' jangle-folk-rock, is one of the great outstanding obscure mid-'60s singles of all; the Birdwatchers' "I'm Gonna Love You Anyway," with its
neat alternation of stomping verse and light British Invasion harmonies on the chorus, had (unlike most of the stuff on Boulders) actual hit potential.
~Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

The Crystals - Best of the Crystals

The Crystals - Best of the Crystals

Among aficionados of the girl group sound, there can't be five acts more beloved than the Crystals. Their best-known songs, which include "He's a Rebel," "Uptown," "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Then He Kissed Me," and "There's No Other Like My Baby," are among the finest examples of the best that American rock & roll had to offer in the period before the British Invasion; and decades into the CD era, the group's records are still prized in their original vinyl pressings even by non-collectors, who seem to recognize that there was something special about the Crystals' work. The group was originally a quintet consisting of Barbara Alston (born 1945), Dee Dee Kennibrew (born 1945), Mary Thomas (born 1946), Patricia Wright, and Myrna Gerrard, organized by Benny Wells while they were still in high school. All of whom had started out singing in churches; Barbara Alston was Wells' niece, and although she later became known as their lead singer on many of their records, Alston was actually recruited as a backup singer by her uncle. Under Wells' guidance, they began performing in more of a pop vein, and one of the gigs that they got was cutting demos for the publisher Hill & Range, which brought them to the Brill Building in midtown Manhattan. It was there, while they were rehearsing, that they chanced to be heard by Phil Spector, who at that time was just starting up his own label, Philles Records. He was in the market for new talent and the Crystals — who, by that time, had lost Gerrard and added La La Brooks to their lineup as lead singer — were just what he was looking for, sort of. He liked their sound and their range, but he didn't initially like Brooks' voice and insisted on Alston taking the lead, somewhat reluctantly on her part. In September of 1961, the slightly reconfigured group cut their first hit, "There's No Other Like My Baby," which rose to number 20 nationally. It was a promising beginning, putting the group, Spector, and his new label on the map; although another song cut at about the same time, "Oh, Yeah, Maybe, Baby" (which featured Patricia Wright on lead), pointed the way to the group's future, with its understated yet boldly played string accompaniment. In early 1962, the Crystals recorded a Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil song called "Uptown," using an arrangement that was a tiny bit lighter on the percussion (except for castanets, of which it had many) but pushed the guitar and the strings out in front more than "Oh Yeah, Maybe, Baby" had. Barbara Alston's strong-yet-sensuous vocals enunciated lyrics that were as steeped in topical subject matter, especially about the frustrations of life in the ghetto, as they were in romance. This gave "Uptown" a subtly two-pronged appeall; it was a gorgeous pop record, but also a new kind of pop record, eminently listenable yet serious in its subtext. No, it wasn't "Blowin' in the Wind," but it seemed to evoke a social realism that heretofore eluded the pop charts. "Uptown" reached number 13 nationally. Its production marked a major step forward in the making of rock & roll singles in its production, and heralded a newer, bolder era in pop music and R&B, very much of a piece with such hits as the Drifters' "Up On the Roof," but with an undercurrent of frustration that the latter song lacked; it all pointed the way toward the more sophisticated and socially conscious kind of songs that Sam Cooke would soon be generating. It was at this point, in the wake of "Uptown," that the history of the Crystals gets a little more complicated. It wasn't until June of 1962 that they had another single ready to go, and it engendered all kinds of problems that "Uptown" had avoided. If that song had gotten a serious lyric across with an elegant and quietly passionate setting, "He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)" (co-authored by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, no less) was the reverse, presenting a disturbing lyric about infidelity and the physical abuse of a woman by a man, in a dark, ominous manner. Barbara Alston and company gave it everything they had, and Spector came up with a surprisingly subtle, bolero-like arrangement, but it was a lost cause. Radio stations simply wouldn't play it, and the public didn't like the song, period; according to Barbara Alston, the group didn't like it either, and to this day nobody understands exactly what was in Spector's mind when he cajoled them into cutting it. The following month, Spector was back in the studio running another Crystals session, except that this time it wasn't really the Crystals that he was recording, but Darlene Love. As the owner of the Crystals' name and, as their producer, possessing the right to record anyone he wanted (or anything he wanted) and label it as being from "the Crystals," he decided to forego any further battles over who should sing lead, and forego using the group entirely for "He's a Rebel." A celebration of street-level machismo like no other, it was an upbeat number with gorgeous hooks and, with none of the baggage of its failed predecessor, became a number one hit, as well as engraining itself in pop culture history as a quintessential girl group classic. Darlene Love was the lead singer on the next hit by "the Crystals," "He's Sure the Boy I Love," as well. It wasn't until early 1963 that the group again sang on one of their own records, "Da Doo Ron Ron," and by that time, Spector had accepted La La Brooks in lieu of Alston as lead singer. That record rose to number three in America and became their second biggest British hit, reaching the number five spot in the U.K. That placement, along with the U.K. number two position for "Then He Kissed Me" (which also got to number six in America), was very important, because at the time a lot of major British bands were about to break onto the charts at home, before coming to dominate American music a year later. "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me" became among the most popular American rock & roll songs of the period in England, covered by all manner of acts on-stage and on-record. The Crystals were in a seemingly enviable position, except for the fact that they and Spector were increasingly at odds over what he was doing with them. They'd been unhappy from the time when Spector began using their name on behalf of records made by Darlene Love, and every time they were obliged to perform those songs on-stage it grated against them, and in 1963 they were almost constantly touring and performing. By 1964, they also perceived Spector's growing inattention; he had lately discovered a girl trio called the Ronettes on whose music and lead singer, Veronica Bennett, he was lavishing ever more of his time and energy. Meanwhile, the Crystals were making good and interesting songs, such as the beautiful "Another Country, Another World," "Please Hurt Me," and "Look in My Eyes," the latter a bluesy ballad that showed a side of their sound that Spector seldom tried to explore. The group had released two LPs hooked around their major hits, Twist Uptown and He's a Rebel, in 1962 and 1963, respectively, that had some good songs on them, but Spector's attention and enthusiasm was increasingly directed elsewhere. Spector's seeming dismissive attitude toward the group may have been best illustrated by the most bizarre record with which he, the group, his label, or almost anyone else in the music business had ever been associated: "(Let's Dance) The Screw." Spector had never been one to keep business partners very long — in that regard, he was a lot like the movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn — and in 1964, he'd settled a lawsuit against Lester Sill, the man with whom he'd started the Philles label. As a parting shot at Sill — and, it is rumored, to fulfill the terms of a settlement that required him to pay a share of the proceeds from the next Crystals single — he devised an otherwise un-releasable single that Philles pressed, called "(Let's Dance) The Screw." On it, Spector talked the lyrics while the Crystals sang backup, in a five-minute musical joke that is also one of the rarest records of the 1960s (supposedly only a handful were ever produced, one of which was sent to Sill). Personal jokes by their producer were all well and good, but by 1964, following the failure of two consecutive genuine Crystals singles, the group — with Frances Collins replacing Patricia Wright — was no longer interested in working with Spector. The following year they bought out their contract and headed to the seemingly greener pastures of the Imperial label, where they found no success; by that time, the only girl groups that were still competitive in the music marketplace were associated with Motown. By 1966, the Crystals had disbanded, and for five years no one heard anything about the group except in airplay on oldies stations. Spector had even closed down Philles Records, and the resulting unavailability of their records except on the radio only raised the value of the old copies that were out there, and made his periodic reissues of the group's work that much more prized by fans. Then, in 1971, with the rock & roll revival in full swing, the groupmembers reunited and spent a few years delighting audiences on the oldies circuit. Various incarnations of the group resurfaced every so often in the late '70s and 1980s, but at the dawn of the 21st century, Dee Dee Kennibrew was still leading a version of the group and had even managed to get them recorded.


Your Download-Link:
http://rapidshare.com/Crystals.rar

Dragonmilk - 1973 - Lion And The Unicorn

Dragonmilk - 1973 - Lion And The Unicorn

Tracks :
01 The Unicorn
02 Dragon Introduction
03 Dragon
04 Werewolf
05 Salamander Introduction
06 Salamander
07 Gorgon Introduction
08 The Gorgon
09 Chiron Introduction
10 Chiron
11 Sphinx Introduction
12 Sphinx
13 Phoenix Introduction
14 Phoenix

After the demonise of post-FLIES band INFINITY in 1971.
Ian Baldwin & Clive Richards teamed up with a new progressive, Hammond & Drumm duo already named DRAGON MILK.
Four strong, the band's distinctive English PROGRESSIVE edge quickly made the popular on the London Pub scene in 1973.

The legendary album 'Lion & The Unicorn' was recorded around this time!

Flaviola e o Bando do Sol - 1974 - Flaviola e o Bando do Sol

Flaviola e o Bando do Sol - 1974 - Flaviola e o Bando do Sol

Another great example of Brasilian psychedelia from the collective of underground musicians in Recife, featuring Flávio Lira in the lead role, along with Lula Côrtes, Pablo Raphael, Robertinho of Recife, and Zé of the Flute. Of the crazy albums from this period, this is one of the rarest jewels. Although it was recorded the same year (1974) as Lula Côrtes and Zé Ramalho’s 'Paêbiru' album, and with most of the same musicians, this is mainly an acoustic album, rife with poetic language and regional instruments, but also demonstrating the abundant energy of people involved in making something fresh and new. The cauldron of influence in Recife resulted in some very intriguing music, and the Flaviola album is no exception it’s more intimate a trip than 'Paêbirú', and more accessible an experience than 'Satwa'; this is a brilliant album, full of strange moments (cellophane crinkled into the microphone as percussion), some deft acoustic guitar, and some of the prettiest songs this side of Vashti Bunyan.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Pinnacle - 1974 - Cyborg Assasin

Pinnacle - 1974 - Cyborg Assasin

Tracks :
01 - Assasin
02 - Time Slips By
03 - Cyborg
04 - Astral Traveller
05 - The Chase
06 - Thumbscrew
07 - The Ripper
08 - Bad Omen
09 - Forest
10 - Pendulum
11 - Parlour Maid
12 - Love Is Lost

Rare privately-pressed album by a Liverpool heavy rock band.
The spelling of the title is theirs. Musically,
this is a sonic assault with pounding drums and bass and frenzied keyboards.
Powerful stuff indeed.
A sort of prototype heavy metal album that was originally only available as a demo.
Clearly of interest to heavy rock/metal fans .

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Philamore Lincoln - The North Wind Blew South

Philamore Lincoln - "The North Wind Blew South"

Tracks :
1. The North Wind Blew South
2. You're The One
3. Lazy Good For Nothin'
4. Early Sherwood
5. Rainy Day
6. Temma Harbour
7. The Plains of Delight
8. The County Jail Band
9. When You Were Looking My Way
10. Blew Through

The sole 1970 album from a British singer-songwriter that was also only released in the US on Epic. Good songs and there are some very nice bursts of garage type guitar which perhaps confirm rumors of Yardbirds involvement. Kitchen sink production with lush strings by Glyn Johns and 2 tracks by Philamore have turned up on the Rubble series. For all you completists out there, this album includes the Mary Hopkin hit "Temma Harbour.".

Look 4 Philamore Here

Infinity - Collected Works 1969-1970

Infinity - Collected Works 1969-1970

Side One:
Venetian Glass
Space Shanty
Same Girl
Taxman
(I'm In Love With) A Girl Like You (stereo)
I've Got You Under My Skin (instrumental)

Side Two:
Time Keeper
Venetain Glass (instrumental)
Pattern People
(I'm In Love With) A Girl Like You (Mono)
I've Got You Under My Skin
Taxman (instrumental)

Unissued studio material recorded by members of the legendary UK bands THE FLIES and CYMBALINE! Killer psych/prog with hammond organ
GREAT UK PSYCH, ALSO INCLUDED SOME BEATLES COVER.

Blow Your Mind Here

Lodovico Ellena - Good Morning Mr. Barrett

Lodovico Ellena - Good Morning Mr. Barrett
Italy Psych Out 2001 14-track tribute

A tribute to Syd Barrett from the leader of ex Effervescent Elephants. Some tracks are taken from the Syd solo albums, others from the floydian "The piper at the gates of down". A guitar and a voice except in "Interstellar Overdrive" where Mr. Ellena is accompanied by the complete band Astral Weeks. For all fans of the crazy diamond.

Tracks :
01 - Golden Hair
02 - Baby Lemonade
03 - It Is Obvious
04 - Dominoes
05 - See Emily Play
06 - Terrapin
07 - Lucifer Sam
08 - Arnold Layne
09 - Julia Dream
10 - The Gnome
11 - Astronomy Domine
12 - Mathilda Mother
13 - Take Up Thy Sthetoscope And Walk <[*Is that a Barrett's song ?]
14 - Interstellar Overdrive

The Gitanes - 2005 - Cloudy Draw

The Gitanes - 2005 - Cloudy Draw

Everyone can be misled after the decades of counterfeits, imitations, plagiarisms, edulcorated ersats and livestock products sold for savages. The Gitanes offers a traceability without fault, the insurance that the chain of (very) hot was never broken.

They were , Vietnam Veterans only psychedelic French band of the 80's, always object of worship in 2005. Six albums of legend are there to punctuate this period and, in spite of the pressures, the name will not be taken again any more.

Lucas Trouble and Mark Embatta always changed name for each one of their projects or not. The Gitanes is the last adventure of the lysergic duet, the most complementary to all times. Their new album, « Cloudy Draw », is that whose Vernom Joyson told about the Vietnam Veterans in his bible of the du Rock'n'Roll Garage : « the Punk psychedelique at his Top ».

Might be that someone “sold souls for this result” ((Bucketful of brains) but the fact will be there before long. The Gitanes ' album will probably be regarded as a new Vietnam Veterans album, especiallyas Music maniac republishes four albums of the band in the next months. It does not matter if Trouble & Embatta are subject to influence of Embatta & Trouble. It will change usual references to Seeds, 13th Floor Elevators, Love etc.

Lucas Trouble became Kaiser, a large producer of Rock'n'Roll. Mark Embatta is more skinned that never and alchemy goes at the first of the album.

The legend is again on the way…

Dave Waite & Marianne Segal - 1968 - Paper Flowers

Dave Waite & Marianne Segal - 1968 - Paper Flowers

Tracks :
1 Paper Flowers
2 It's Really Quite Alright
3 I Can't Love You More
4 Safe In Your Castle
5 It's Not Really Fair
6 Miranda In The Sun
7 Percy's Song
8 Tom Thumb's Blues
9 Dawn Song
10 Milkwood Dragon
11 September Song
12 All The Reasons
13 Rainbow
14 I Think It's Going To Rain Today
15 Miranda In The Sun (version 2)
16 I Can't Love You More (version 2)
17 Shine A Candle Light
18 Circles
19 Paper Flowers (version 2)


Dave Waite and Marianne Segal - 'Paper Flowers'
Released 21st November 2004

Before the legendary '70's UK Folk Rock band Jade, there was a folk duo - Dave Waite and Marianne Segal. Well known on the live circuit of the mid to late '60's Dave and Marianne slung guitars in the boot of their Triumph and travelled the University and Folk Clubs of England at a time when folk was groovy and Carnaby street was still swinging. Their music was a fusion of English and American contemporary folk artists such as John Renbourne, Bert Jansch Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Mamas and The Papas and Peter Paul and Mary but it also contained a spark of ever-so-English vocal purity that gave the duo a sound more suited to the label "folk pop".

Whilst searching Marianne's archives for the re-issue of Jade's "Fly On Strangewings" album a whole batch of tapes were uncovered that contained recordings by Dave and Marianne recorded whilst they were a duo between 1967 and 1969. Further searching revealed three fully arranged and orchestrated tracks in the vaults of Jade Producer Jon Miller. Together these tapes revealed a whole previously unreleased collection by Dave and Marianne. This collection of songs is now being issued by Lightning Tree under the title "Paper Flowers" and as such is it a glimpse at one of the great lost UK folk albums of the 1960's. In part comparable to Sandy Denny and the Strawbs and with the folk pop sensibilities of US West Coast contemporaries such as The Mamas and Papas "Paper Flowers" is a rare acoustic snapshot of an era known more for it's volume and wild theatrics than for it's gentle rustic melodies. "Paper Flowers" is the sound of summer days in Hampstead, beautiful people, beautiful clothes, incense, innocence and mythic '60's mystery.
Marianne and Dave weave magical harmonies on original and contemporary '60's folk material and fans of '60's psychedelia, pop or folk will find much to enjoy on this timeless release.
Remastered from the only surviving tapes.

More info > http://www.spincds.com/old/paperflowers.html

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

The Fuzztones - Ward 81



This actually is from the CD-ROM version of Knights of Fuzz book. You can see a full-resoultion version on the new Knights of Fuzz DVD, available from www.purple-cactus.tv FUZZ ON!

V.A. - Hippie Goddesses

V.A. - Hippie Goddesses
(U.S. Female Hippie Folk-Psych 1970's)

1. SALLY EATON: "Flowers In the Air"
2. COLLEEN LOVETT: "Birds with Broken Wings Pt 1"
3. CHERYL DILCHER: "All Woman"
4. COLLEEN LOVETT: "Women Liberation Blues"
5. CHERYL DILCHER: "High"
6. CAROLYN HESTER: "I'm Magic, Man"
7. LILLY & MARIA: "EveryBody Knows"
8. MICHELE: "Smilin'"
9. MARGO GURYAN: "Love"
10. TOBIE COLUMBUS: "Come In My Mouth"
11. RUTH COPELAND: "Your Love Been So Good To Me"
12. COLLEEN LOVETT: "Asleep In His Arms (part)"
13. COLLEEN LOVETT: "Love Man"
14. MICHELE: "Believe You"
15. LINDA PERHACS: "Parallelograms"
16. COLLEEN LOVETT: "Birds with Broken Wings Pt 2"
17. XAVIERA HOLLANDER: "The Hippie"

Wow -- they don't make 'em like this anymore. A semi-legitimate compilation at best and mastered from vinyl, Hippie Goddesses is a collection of psych-pop tunes from the late '60s and early '70s, all fronted by women. The women's liberation movement and the sexual revolution were in full swing, and this collection is sort of a distillation of those newfound attitudes. Of course, attitudes toward women have undergone many changes since that time, and most of these tunes are dated to the point that they would probably horrify any self-respecting riot grrrl at the end of the 20th century. That's a big part of the reason why this is such a great collection. Things kick off with Sally singing "Super Psychedelic Trippy Acid Technicolor," one of the most over-the-top tunes ever, on a number of levels. Sitar, super-fuzz guitar leads, tabla, and Sally's overdone vocals really do justice to the ridiculous psychedelic lyrics. And that's just the first track; they're all funky, excessively soulful, sometimes very psychedelic bits of fluff with a come-hither attitude that screams early '70s. "Come in My Mouth" by Tobie, replete with musical orgasm, truly has to be heard to be believed, as does Xaviera's (the Happy Hooker) encounter with "The Hippie." This collection is almost certain to ruffle the feathers of more politically correct listeners, but it could also prove to be the perfect antidote to the angry chick rockers of the '90s and beyond.
~Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Nite People - P.M. - 1969 (Uk psych/prog)

Jimmy Warwick: guitars, vocals
Barry Curtis: keyboards, recorder
Scott Kirkpatrick: bass
'Fergy' Ferguson: drums, percussion, vocals

Freddy Staff: trumpet
John Hockridge: trumpet
Jeff Evans: trumpet
Roy Sidwell: tenor, baritone, soprano saxophones
Allan Dilly: baritone saxophone
Danny Elwood: bass trombone
John Kirkland: string leader
Colin Frechter: bass and string arrangements

1 P.M.

2 Rock Island Lane

3 Train And A River

4 Reach Ou I'll Be There

5 Funky Hoe

6 Season Of The Rain

7 Native Land

8 North Canadian Paradise

9 Delilah

10 Peaches En Regalia (Frank Zappa)

GET IT

Standarte (Italy) - 1994 - Standarte

Standarte (Italy) - 1994 - Standarte

Hard Psych concept with floating Mellotron and aggressive Hammond.

Tracks :
1. Dream Love Sequence Nr 9 (7:53)
2. One Strange December Evening (4:55)
3. As I Wandered (3:24)
4. Tolerance Town (3:40)
5. Beat Pimp Muzak (5:07)
6. A War Was Declared (7:22)
7. In My Time Of Dying (6:33)
8. Traumland (5:20)
9. I Want You (2:39)

Line-up
- Daniele Caputo / drums, vocal
- Michele Profeti / organ, Mellotron
- Stefano Gabbani / bass

Releases information
Black Widow Records, BWRCD 007-2

Standarte is a 90's band with a 70's sound reminiscent of Atomic Rooster. They are an Italian trio featuring the strong keyboards of Michele Profeti, solid percussion and vocals from Daniele Caputo and scorching bass guitar (and additional keys) by Stefano Gabbani. They produce a 70's retro sound complete with Hammond organ, harpsichord, piano, 2 Mellotrons, 2 Moogs and vocals sounding like The Doors (or actually more like Atomic Rooster from 'In Hearing of...'). Both albums are hard driving but with a smooth structured feel and the concepts are very dark and surreal, but yet the music is surprisingly uplifting. The first self-titled album (1994) is dedicated to the late Vincent Crane, keyboardist from Atomic Rooster. Both have some spoken words (English w/British accent) interspersed with some excellent vocals that set the tone of gothic horror. The Hammond organ dominates almost every track, followed by hard-edged vocals, scorching bass and tight percussion. There is good change of pace and plenty of variety to keep you on your toes. Maybe one thing that is intriguing about this group is the stark contrast between dark and light, old and new, etc. A third album called 'Stimmung' is due out in September.

Plus (UK) - 1969 - The Seven Deadly Sins

Plus - The Seven Deadly Sins - UK - 1969

One look at the cover and it should be clear that producers Simon Napier Bell and Ray Singer (who also penned about six of the tracks here) were trying to capitalize on the look and feel of Jesus Christ Superstar with this concept album that is laid out like a Catholic mass. The only musicians credited are Tony Newman (g), Max Simms (b), and Mike Newman (d); there’s also vocalists (an entire choir on a couple tracks), piano, organ, violins, cellos and much more – which naturally leads one to believe this is more an album by the two producers, than that of the “band”, although the Newman brothers are credited with writing the remaining five songs. So what’s it all about? Imagine an eclectic mix of sixties styled rock and pop songs (early Who or pre-psychedelic Beatles might be a fair comparison) separated by short dissonant string quartet interludes, short spoken introductions, with some classical rips (the “Toccata” with the choir singing the names of the sins over and over is quite ridiculous, as is the silly doo-wop meets Elvis “Dismissal”, but the bombastic “Devil’s Hymn” for choir and band is quite cool, with its jazzy center section). The meat of the album is in the songs though, all of which sound a little dated (even by 1969 standards) but are still quite good. From the poppy “Envy: I’m Talking as a Friend” and “Pride”, to the out-and-out rockers “Sloth: Open Up Your Eyes” and “Gluttony: Something is Threatening Your Family”, the song-craftsmanship and arrangements throughout are at a very high level. Probably not for everyone, but those into sixties styled eclecticism might do well to check it out. - Peter Thelen

A rare concept psych album about the 7 deadly sins!

Get your sin right here

McCully Workshop Inc. - 1969 - McCully Workshop Inc.

McCully Workshop Inc. - Same - 1969
(South African Garage/Psych)

Excellent debut album (the first of four by this South African Group) and a real rarity from 1969. A great album with a Pretty Things meets The Beatles vibe; psych blended with R 'n' B and garage punk tunes. Excellent songs with lovely vocals strong harmonies and super distorted guitar work.

The Psychedelic-Music.com Website describes McCully Workshop's first album like this: "Of all the albums we've heard from South Africa this one is topscore. What a beautiful masterpiece. Pepper-influenced Underground music with great songs, lovely vocals, strong harmonies, great distorted guitarwork."

Since 1965, the McCullagh brothers, Tully (born Terence on 31st May 1953) and Mike (born Michael on 7th April 1947), have become an integral part of the South African pop and rock scene.

"My brother [Mike] who plays drums and myself would play around and record ourselves in the lounge, I was about nine at the time. We recorded a track called 'Swinging Time' with some other friends when I was thirteen and sent it to a record company. The track didn't get anywhere but it was quite interesting. We grew a bit more and when I was sixteen (and Mike 22) we started a band called McCully Workshop and a whole string of other bands and I started a garage studio." – Tully McCully

McCully Workshop have had many line-up changes over the years, but the brothers have always surrounded themselves with superb musicians.

In 1965 they started as a folk-rock trio with Richard Hyam and called themselves the Blue Three. Richard had been in a folk duo, Tiny Folk, with his sister Melanie.

After a few personnel- and name-changes, like The Blue Beats and Larfing Stocke, the line-up settled down (for a while) in 1969 and they called themselves the McCully Workshop because they used to rehearse in Mrs McCullagh's garage.

Glenda Wassman later married Richard, and they formed the pop band Pendulum and had a big hit with 'Take My Heart' in 1976. Glenda then went on to major success with the all-girl group, Clout, who had a huge hit with 'Substitute' which went to #2 in the UK in 1978.

'McCully Workshop Inc' was produced by the great South African singer and producer Billy Forrest. The cover photo was taken by Sigurd Olivier and the cat's name was Sirikit.

'McCully Workshop Inc' was released in June 1970 and included the epic and powerful 'Why Can't It Rain' which went to #12 on the Springbok Radio charts in July 1970.

The follow-up to 'Inc' was an album titled 'Genesis' released in 1971. It was a concept album based on the book of Genesis from the Bible and included a number of long tracks with sub-sections, typical of other prog-rock albums of the time.

Crocodile Harris (real name Robin Graham, from Cape Town), recorded the brilliant haunting pop classic 'Miss Eva Goodnight' (Springbok #5, April 1974) which was written by Mike & Tully and featured the musicianship of all the then current McCully Workshop members.

'Ages' was released in 1975 and reflected musical styles from different ages of music and various influences could be heard: Uriah Heep, The Beatles, The Kinks and The Beach Boys, for example.

Their 4th album, 'Workshop Revisited', released in 1977 shot them to prominence when it introduced South African fans to hits like 'Buccaneer' and 'Chinese Junkman'. The album also saw Mike McCully winning the 1978 'Songwriter Of The Year' award.

They used to play in the late 70s at the Canterbury Inn in the Fairmead Hotel in Cape Town and wonderful renditions of classic rock songs could be heard on a Sunday night. Chicago's 'I'm A Man' (with a lo-o-ong percussion solo), Barry Ryan's 'Eloise', Grand Funk's (or Traffic's) 'Feeling Alright' and of course their own brilliant 1977 hit single 'Buccaneer' could all be heard; of course no dancing was allowed on a Sunday in those dark days, so the audience had to just sit and listen... and listen they did.

In 1998 the line-up from the late 70s reformed and re-recorded the old McCully Workshop classics and hits as well as 6 new songs and released the album 'Buccaneer'. 'Why Can't It Rain' also received a make-over losing none of its power and gaining an even stronger production.

In 2002 Tully is still running his successful Spaced-Out Sounds Studio in Cape Town and Mike regularly packs out concert halls with his nostalgic revue shows 'Sixty Something' and 'Music Of The Millennium'.

McCully Workshop is a band that deserves to be listened to, over and over again.

GET IT

Melting Ashes - 1991 - Green Fuzz 1987

Melting Ashes - 1991 - Green Fuzz 1987

Melting Ashes :
Giorgos Afthinos
Vasilis Pagounis
Leonidas Papadakis
Makis Faros

The Melting Ashes were formed in 1986 and did a limited number of gigs
enlivened by slide shows and audience participation before splitting up in the spring of 1988.
Their only vinyl appearance had been on a rather low-fi sampler called "12 Raw Greek Groups".
They had recorded a few demos in the last months of their existence,
and Wipe Out decided to do a posthumous album in order to please the band's hard-core fans.
"Green Fuzz 1987" was released in early 1991 and is well worth getting,
even if it represents the hard side of the group rather than the psychedelic notes their music was shot through with.

The group was formed in 1986 and split up in 1988. Some years later their manager (Theodore Kritharis, owner of label)
reworked the recorded demos of 1987 along with some x-members of the band and released this "diamond".

A psychedelic garage record. One of the most important bands in their kind.
It contains 2 fantastic cover versions (GREEN FUZZ & I'M ON MY WAY).

Thnx tsatsos_21 for this one

Monday, July 17, 2006

Alexander's Timeless Bloozband - 1968 - For Sale

Alexander's Timeless Bloozband - 1968 - For Sale

(UNI US 1968)

Tracks :
1 Love So Strong
2 Horn Song
3 Plastic is Organic
4 Swannanoa Tunnel
5 Rosie
6 Front Man
7 Tight Rope Walker
8 Life
9 Darlin'
10 Help Me
11 Firefly

Personnel:
CHARLES LAMONT A
C. LOCKHART A
L. MARKS A

ALBUMS:
1(A) ALEXANDER'S TIMELESS BLOOZBAND (Smack 1001) 1967
2(A) FOR SALE (Uni 73021) 1968

45:
1 Love So Strong / Horn Song (Matamat 101) 1967
2 Maybe Baby / Maybe Baby (Kapp K 967) 1967

NB: (1) also released on Uni (55044) 1967. They probably released other 45s.

A bluesy outfit with some psychedelic influence. Charles Lamont also released a solo LP in 1969, A Legend In His Own Time (Uni 73076), which consists of melodic psyche/pop with orchestrations. All the songs were written by Lamont and it features a version of Love So Strong which can also be found on the Alexander's Timeless Bloozband For Sale album. Both albums were produced by Tony Cary, but Lamont's solo effort cannot be recommanded.

The second 45 was a cover of the Buddy Holly/Norman Petty classic.

(Clark Faville / Stephane Rebeschini)

Sunday, July 16, 2006

The Klubs - Midnight Love Cycle

The Klubs - Midnight Love Cycle 1967
Tenth Planet TP046

Side One
CAN'T EBENEZER SEE MY MIND #1
INDIAN DREAMS
THE STRIPPER
ONLY JOHN TRING
I FOUND THE SUN
EVER NEEDED SOMEONE

Side Two
MIDNIGHT LOVE CYCLE
FIRE
CAN'T EBENEZER SEE MY MIND #2
OH BABY
INDIAN DREAMS (acoustic version)
LIVIN' TODAY

All tracks recorded 1968 except 'Livin' Today' (1967), 'The Stripper' and 'Can't Ebenezer See My Mind #2' (1969).

All tracks written by the Klubs except 'Fire' (written Hendrix).
Digitally remastered by Denis Blackham at Country Masters.
Artwork by Noz & Scotty

This release . Tenth Planet, 1999.

Limited edition of 1000 copies:

Tenth Planet, 13 Barricane, St Johns, Woking, Surrey GU21 1RB

Get It Here

The Rolling Stones - 2000 Light Years from Home (Video-Clip)

2000 Light Years from Home
(Video-Clip)

Optical Sound's hymn for this specific track:

Therefore video clip that should all we remembered and have in our possession, that constitutes one from the leading psychedelic music pieces that were ever written!!
Many of you, your possibly not it's considered something important, because your continuous searching in more underground musical paths, as myself, other will not never cease constitutes one from the amazing compositions of 60's and not only, taken from gorgeous psychedelic album ' THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST of ' all seasons, that so much has been wronged by the friends of music !!!
Beautiful video clip in order to splendid this music piece, which recorded somewhere in the dues August, beginnings September of 1967.
It is worldwide known that this song written and composed by Jagger & Richards but it is less known that the bigger part of its melody is inspired from my ultra beloved Brian Jones. In addition,the same happened in other music marvellous pieces of Rolling Stones, deliberate remains in doomed to oblivion concerning the Jagger and Richards, that to him did not leave also a lot of margins, for obvious reasons!!

Furthermore, in this song contributed the following artists :

Drums:Charlie Watts
Bass: Bill Wyman
Electric guitars: Keith Richards
Lead vocal: Mick Jagger
Background vocals: Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Piano: Nicky Hopkins

Mellotron: Brian Jones

Synthesizer: Bill Wyman
Maracas: Mick Jagger
Claves: Eddie Kramer

Some additional info for this specific and wonderful song:

Jagger once said that the words to this song were written while he was in jail after the Redlands bust.

Lyrics

Sun turnin' 'round with graceful motion
We're setting off with soft explosion
Bound for a star with fiery oceans
It's so very lonely, you're a hundred light years from home

Freezing red deserts turn to dark
Energy here in every part
It's so very lonely, you're six hundred light years from home

It's so very lonely, you're a thousand light years from home
It's so very lonely, you're a thousand light years from home

Bell flight fourteen you now can land
See you on Aldebaran, safe on the green desert sand
It's so very lonely, you're two thousand light years from home
It's so very lonely, you're two thousand light years from home

Brian Jones on Mellotron, with the rest of the band filling in on guitar, drums, bass, and maracas. One of the chord changes is missed on the Mellotron at 1:58 (Jones pauses for a second). There is quite a bit of improvised drumming at the end.

grab and enjoy it !!!

Harper & Rowe - 1967 - Harper & Rowe

Harper & Rowe - 1967 - Harper & Rowe

Personnel:
HARPER vcls A
ROWE vcls A

ALBUM:
1(A) HARPER AND ROWE (World Pacific WPS-21882) 1967

A psyche pop duet, nothing is known about them and their backing group.
Their only album was produced by Ed Ver Schure and Ralph Murphy (who also wrote eight of the twelve tracks)
and they were managed by William McEuen (who also managed Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sunshine Company, Hourglass).
The album is quite patchy and contains folk/pop (Hello Sleepy Sidewalks), rock (Love Machine, penned by Gordon and Griffin),
and orchestrated pop (Here Comes Yesterday Again).
One of the best track is The Dweller, with flute and guitars, composed by Marcellino and Larson.
It is beginning to interest some collectors.
(Stephane Rebeschini)

Crippled Pilgrims - 1984 - Head Down Hand Out EP

Crippled Pilgrims - Head Down Hand Out EP (1984)

Track List EP :

1. Black And White
2. Under The Ladder
3. People Going Nowhere
4. Out Of Hand
5. Dissolving
6. A Side He'll Never Show

This six-song EP, Crippled Pilgrims' debut release, was a little too out of sync with the mid-'80s indie scene to attract much notice. Though the group was downbeat enough to fit into the early post-punk era, there was more of an influence from flowing, classic rock-influenced guitar work and melodies than most such bands had, and few of the attributes of classic punk. There's enough lyrically nebulous indie guitar rock on here to appeal to, say, the early R.E.M. fan, or followers of some of the more guitar-based indie rock bands that arose in the South in the mid-'80s. It's also easy to see why Crippled Pilgrims never scaled the heights of R.E.M. -- the songs aren't as fully developed, inhabiting a fuzzy netherland between tense hard-rocking folk-rock and the edge of '80s guitar-grounded new wave.

Story

After being kidnapped by the savage noise troubadours Death Camp 2000 (featuring the rhythmic styling of Jay Spiegel a.k.a. the Rummager and the not yet famous thrashings of sound impresario Don Fleming), Jay Moglia's path shifted from its idyllic moorings onto an uncertain carousel of melody and mayhem. The 21-year-old Moglia took a crash course in guitar to color his vivid wordscapes and began looking for bandmates. Meanwhile, Scott Wingo sat at home drinking and wallowing in self-pitying gloom. His housemate Charles Steck had recently enlisted as bassist for Fleming's phenomenal pop combo the Velvet Monkeys - a fact that made Wingo's inability to fulfill his adolescent fantasies of rock stardom all the more agonizing.

As Moglia's embryonic attempts at song emerged, he was lucky to have the Velvet Monkeys help in fleshing them out with background noise. He lived in the room directly adjacent to the Monkeys' rehearsal space and spent many days lurking in the corner hoping for an invitation to jam. In time, whether for the good of rock or just to get him out of their ascending orbit, the Monkeys suggested that Moglia get together with Wingo for a musical chemistry check.

Scott arrived at Jay's house fully expecting to meet a circa 1982 standard-issue punk/alternative type but was instead greeted by a clean-cut young man in a green golf sweater with a stutter on his tongue and a phantom in his eye. This was Jay Moglia.

It wasn't long before the two started blending ideas. Wingo had cut his teeth in the influential DC punk band Trenchmouth, but his musical leanings were as much Beatles as Ramones, and Moglia's meandering yet forceful compositions allowed plenty of space for the outcast guitarist to sharpen his knives. Prominent among these knives was a recently acquired affinity for modal psychedelic noodling. Despite a valiant Punk/British Invasion-hardened resistance to all things Dead, a recent chance encounter with a particular ergot-derived substance combined with a well-timed Aoxomoxoa turntable spin had opened Wingo's ears and fingers to a whole new palette of six-string possibilities. The wide-open nature of Jay's pieces seemed to provide an apt canvas for somehow combining the alcoholic glee of pure hard rock with the lysergically-damaged wanderings of the not-so-distant past. (Whether this was actually achieved is an entirely separate question.)

The duo's joy in their well-meshed "sound" overshadowed more earthly concerns like song structure and length. An early Pilgrims show could easily last an hour as they whipped through their six-song set. It took bassist Mitch Parker, previously with the legendary DC punk outfit Government Issue, to bring some focus and direction to the raw strands of tune. Parker's ability to slice through musical excess coupled with his local scenester par excellence credentials quickly landed the group a slot on Fountain of Youth's compilation LP Bouncing Babies, immediately leading to the recording of their EP Head Down Hand Out (also on Fountain of Youth).


Through all of this, one central question remained unanswered: Who was the Crippled Pilgrims' drummer? The Velvet Monkey's Rummager (who shortly afterward reached heartthrob status as drummer for DC boy band HE) handled some of the crucial early gigs and sessions (including the first Inner Ear demo which yielded the Bouncing Babies track). At other times it was hard-hitting Tommy Carr of the powerful quartet Black Market Baby stepping in at the last minute to rescue the Pilgrims on show night. Ultimately, Dan Joseph, who had been with the group only two weeks before recording Head Down Hand Out, would become the drummer of record. Joseph never became an "official" member of the band due to his commitment with the progressive horror rock ensemble 9353. Though generous with his time, Joseph was reluctant to be affiliated with the Pilgrims. Jay, Scott, and Mitch's "regular guy" personas were no match for the preening charisma 9353 brought to the stage. Plus, Crippled Pilgrims' reputation for flowing melody and the occasional extended guitar solo had burdened them with a comparatively uncool reputation amid the rigid conformity of the then thriving harDCore scene. At 17 years old, Dan Joseph could certainly be excused for downplaying such a potentially credibility-busting association.

The revolving-door drummer status meant gigs for the Pilgrims were infrequent. Shortly after the release of Head Down Hand Out, Moglia, stifled by inactivity and bolstered by the EP's positive reviews and healthy college chart rankings, set out for NYC hoping to expand the group's profile and ultimately relocate the band. Unfortunately, he neglected to tell Wingo and Parker about his ambitious plans and was surprised when they didn't join him in Manhattan. Instead of extending the ranks of New York's rock elite, Jay found himself dazedly wandering the city's avenues carrying a can of blue spray paint and a cardboard "Crippled Pilgrims" stencil. Scott and Mitch were left back in DC with the proverbial question marks hanging over their heads.

Moglia eventually recovered from his spray-painted daze and began laying down tracks for an atmospheric collection of electronic folk songs under the name Geezer Park. The music was actually pressed and was poised to become the first release on Bar/None Records when Jay inexplicably pulled the plug on the project. In the meantime, Head Down Hand Out gathered momentum, garnering notable amounts of airplay in obscure and far-away markets. This came as a surprise to the group as their local DC following was less than massive. In mid-1984, with a fair number of Pilgrims' tunes never given a proper recording and Fountain of Youth pressing for a follow-up to Head Down Hand Out, Jay, Scott, and Mitch tentatively decided to revive the group.

With Jay commuting from NY to DC for gigs and recording sessions, Mitch and Scott both unwilling to abandon their relatively comfortable DC existences, and the continuing "who is our drummer" plague, the future did not bode well for the band. However, the trio (along with the drummer of the moment) managed to squeeze out a few more shows--the final being a pairing with LA's Gun Club at DC's 9:30 Club on September 7, 1984.

Recording and mixing of tracks continued sporadically throughout the fall of 1984. When Under Water was released the following spring, it was met with strong reviews and college radio airplay, but Crippled Pilgrims as a performing and recording unit were history.

In the ensuing years, Jay, Scott, and Mitch continued to make music together in various combinations and permutations. Notable among these was the full-frontal, testosterone-drenched stance of CPU (Crippled Pilgrims Unlimited), who, disappointingly, never performed beyond a few private parties. More fortunate in outreach was the crystalline rock perfection of Rambling Shadows whose initial mid-90's stirrings saw Jay and Mitch mining the urban underbelly for inspirational fuel. For reasons that remain murky, Mitch, in early 1996, abruptly quit the project, never to be seen or heard from again. The aforementioned Charles Steck (Velvet Monkeys, High-Back Chairs, Lida Husik) and Scott Wingo stepped in to salvage and retool, adding their own unique marks to the sound. This time around, the drummer was official - the multitalented Davis White (Foundation, Lorelei, Alice Despard Group among many others). Though the quartet never attained the popularity of Crippled Pilgrims, it gigged regularly in the DC area and even managed to have a couple of tunes released on obscure compilation CDs (Welcome to the Big Ring and Bumper to Bumper Hits, Vol. 2), with many other excellent tracks still awaiting release. After a five year hiatus, in early 2004, the Rambling Shadows re-emerged from the depths fully primed for yet another round of amplified truth promulgation - walking hard and thinking wrong.

The music encoded on this CD is the towering pinnacle of 1980's alt-rock. That few realized it at the time of its original release matters not a whit. What matters is that you now listen and know the glorious truths awaiting within.

Arthur (Arthur Lee Harper) - 1967 - Dreams and Images

Arthur (Arthur Lee Harper) - 1967 - Dreams and Images
(produced by Lee Hazlewood)

This is a relatively obscure artist from the US who recorded two albums in the late 1960s and then one more in the mid 1970s. The first and most known two are collected here on one reissued CD and were produced by Lee Hazlewood, the famous arranger and musician of the period. These two albums are introspective loner folk-based music with a whimsical acoustic song of guitar and gently yearning vocals complemented by understated strings and woodwinds. These songs have a distant, late night quality being simple and rather delicate in style. On the first album there is perhaps a doomed romantic aspect with the instruments providing a touch of chamber music to the songs. Fans of Melanie, early Simon and Garfunkal or UK musicians like Duncan Browne would probably enjoy the songs a lot. Lyrically the album is often hippie fey such as on 'Sunshine Solider' with it's fugal horn and electric organ. However at this distance this is perhaps charming rather than irritating. Songs such as 'A Friend Of Mine' are quietly moving and realised in a quite beautiful way.

If there is a genre of 'ambient folk chamber music' then this would be its prime exponent. Like Love or Tim Buckley there is also a quest to explore different arrangements and instruments with 'Open Up The Door' having a dulcimer sound trying to be like a harpsichord. 'Dreams and Images' introduces mysterious flute melodies. 'Pandora' has a dream like quality with electric piano, cello and an air of strangeness. 'Wintertime' is gorgeous seasonal folk with a simple, direct arrangement of guitar, plucked strings and violin.

On the second album the hippie whimsy seems to have turned more to protest with 'new day, revolution, new day, everybody is arming' lyrics from the off. The music is a little more folk-rock though still fairly light in touch but with more obvious electric guitar, drums and violin. Unfortunately the second album doesn't have the variety of the first and instead carries on the light folk-rock throughout with a protest element, however this isn't exactly MC5. 'Strange Song' stands out as more like the first album but with somewhat annoying religious lyrics that the do not do justice to the melody such as 'come recreation, save the nation'.

There is little wrong with these folk-rock backings but the voice is just to fey to carry them off, it needs the soaring roaring quality of a Tim Buckley or Sandy Denny and often the arrangements do not carry a strong melody. On 'Annie Moore' there is piercing fuzz guitar that seems to liven up the track considerably and add a missing component allowing the voice not to carry the melody and work much better. On 'I/Soldier/Time Love' we see the vocalist more obviously trying to copy Tim Buckley but without the same depth of personality. 'Eleanor' harks back to the first album and it's a poised ballad of wonderful quality though perhaps by now it is out of place on the more jazzy folk-rock second album.

I imagine these will be promoted as 'psych folk' or something similar and while there is perhaps a whiff of illegal substances this isn't psychedelia but folk based pop music sometimes of exquisite quality. It reminds often of early Tir Na Nog, Heron or Waterfall (reviewed in this site) and is worth picking up if you like the late 60s folk pop sound.

Thnx "Optical Sound" for this one

Cosmic Michael - 1969 - Cosmic Michael

Cosmic Michael - 1969 - Cosmic Michael

Cosmic Michael is a hippie who flipped after the “Wow, I have seen Woodstock” idea. -The world is a great place now, so let’s boogie woogie blues our lives away.- The simple, happy innocence sounds like it is being inspired out of almost nothing and made up on the spot (“I’m a child of Woodstock generation” & "That's because she's my girl.."). The way some instruments like harmonica are recorded much louder than the voice makes the music even better, and a funny, and a somewhat enjoyable, trippy-hippie-on-the-background experience. With all simplicity of inspiration, the first couple tracks of the recording in this way sounds pretty “real”, but when the guy keeps on playing covers he also shows something of his banality and a lack of enough ideas to maintain its loner simple originality throughout the whole album.

This was his second album.

Another description (by Ron Moore) :
"NYC idiosyncratic piano guitar basement psych rock jamming realness. The followup is stoned acoustic folk psych and was done in Los Angeles. It's not as jawdropping as the debut but "Woodstock Nation" is hilarious."

Info : http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/cosmic.michael.html
& http://www.spincds.com/archives.asp?id=4110