17-09-06 - 24-09-06

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Blonde on Blonde - 1971 - Reflection on a Life

track list :

01.) Gene Machine (Gareth Johnson) -
02.) I Don't Care (Gareth Johnson - Dave Thomas) -
03.) Love Song (Dave Thomas) -
04.) Bar Room Blues (Dave Thomas) -
05.) Sad Song for An Easy Lady (Dave Thomas) -
06.) Ain't It Sad Too (Graham Davies) -
07.) The Bargain (Dave Thomas) -
08.) The Rut (Dave Thomas) -
09.) Happy Families (Gareth Johnson) -
10.) No.2 Psychological Decontamination Unit (Gareth Johnson) -
11.) Chorale (Forever) (Gareth Johnson) -


1971's "Reflections On a Life" was recorded in the wake of a personnel shakeup that saw original guitarist Ralph Denyer replaced by multi-instrumentalist Graham Davies. With drummer Les Hicks and guitarist Gareth Johnson sharing production responsibilities, the result was the band's most conventional, commercial and too some extent pedestrian release. With a couple of exceptions ('Happy Families' and the sound collage 'No.2 Psychological Decontamination Unit'), the band's earlier progressive moves were largely absent from their third set. That said, the album certainly started out with a bang. Complete with backward tapes, bizarre sound effects and ominous vocal treatments, the Gareth Johnson penned 'Gene Machine' was easily the wildest thing the band ever recorded. From there on it was far less experimental and less interesting (though side two's 'The Rut' continued the psych mood). With Johnson, Dave Thomas and Graham Davies splitting songwriting chores tracks like 'Love Song' and 'Bar Room Blues' found the band exploring a modest country/folk-rock orientation, while 'I Don't Care' and 'The Bargain' pursued a surprisingly conventional AOR sound. The performances were never less than sterling and the band excelled at injecting interesting touches throughout the collection (check out the Eastern influences that cropped up at the end of 'Ain't It Sad Too'), making the entire album worth hearing. In case anyone cared, propelled by a killer lead guitar 'Sad Song for An Easy Lady' and the pretty ballads 'The Bargain' (which I could swear I've heard elsewhere) and 'Chorale (Forever)' were easily the album's standout performances.

Magma (French) - 1971 - Live Theatre 140, Bruxelles

Concert 1971, Bruxelles - Théâtre 140 (Live, 1996)

Line-up
- Christian Vander / drums, vocals, organ, percussion
- Francis Moze / bass
- Klaus Basquiz / vocals, percussion
- Teddy Lasry / clarinet, sax, flute, vocals
- Jeff Seffer / sax, bass clarinet
- Louis Toesca / trumpet
- Francois Cahen / acoustic & electric piano

Track listing
1. Stoah (5:23)
2. Kobaia (7:24)
3. Aina (6:17)
4. Riah Sahiltaahk (19:09)
5. Iss Lansei Doia (11:20)
6. Ki Iahl O Liahk (9:36)
7. Sowiloi (Soi Soi) (6:58)
8. Mekanik Kommandoh (17:19)
(for the very first time live)
Total Time: 83:26
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This album is an 'official' bootleg recorded in Brussels at Theater 140 the 12th of November 1971. This was the first public performance of Mekanik Kommandoh which became the basis for their landmark Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh.

It is a offficial bootleg so don't expect 100% perfect sound quality. This album is probably for Magma fans only.

The album contains three songs off of Kobaia. Stoah, Kobaia, and Aina. The whole of the 1001 Degrees Centigrade album, and two works in the formative phases at that point. The aforementioned Mekanik Kommandoh, and Sowiloi which would turn up later on the outakes album Inedits.


Magma is a French progressive rock band founded in 1969 by classically-trained drummer Christian Vander, who claimed as his inspiration a "vision of humanity's spiritual and ecological future" that profoundly disturbed him. In the course of their first album, the band tells the story of a group of people fleeing a doomed Earth to settle on the planet Kobaïa. Later, conflict arises when the Kobaïans — descendants of the original colonists — encounter other Earth refugees. A remarkable aspect of Magma's albums is that Vander actually invented a constructed language, Kobaïan, in which most lyrics are sung. Later albums told different stories set in more ancient times; however the Kobaïan language remained an integral part of the music.

Part I
Part II

The Pink Fairies - 1971 - NeverNeverLand

track list :
01. Do It
02. Heavenly Man
03. Say You Love Me
04. War Girl
05. Never Never Land
06. Track One, Side Two
07. Thor
08. Teenage Rebel
09. Uncle Harry's Last Freakout
10. The Dream Is Just beginning
11. The Snake
12. Do It - Single Edit
13. War Girl - Alternate Extended Mix
14. Uncle Harry's Last Freakout - First Version

(ripped by Opa-Loka @320)
Part I Part II

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

Released over a year after their formation, “Never Never Land” is one freakin’, rockin’-rollin’ monster. The group formed in early 1970 around ex-Deviants Paul Rudolph (guitar and vocals), Sandy Sanderson (bass), Russell Hunter (drums) and the recently ex-Pretty Things drummer and vocalist, Twink. At their first gig at The Roundhouse, April 5, 1970, they were met with thunderous applause before they had even played a note, and their continued support from the London underground press helped their already heavy underground credentials, dubbing them as “The People’s Band”. Their first single, “The Snake”, is—I won’t mince words here—complete punk rock for 1970, and seven years before its’ time. John Lydon once referred to The Pink Fairies as his “favourite of the old wave rock bands”, and once you hear “Never Never Land” or “The Snake” single, you’ll soon know why. Paul “Black George” Rudolph commands his Baby Gibson Les Paul effortlessly into virgin, un-navigated realms of controlled noise from pure silk to raw power as Tony Iommi, Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshend (circa “Live At Leeds”) all take roost in his head, and the complete abandon of Rudolph’s dosed-up guitar guides the whole ensemble into a series of abandoned freak and rolls previously unheard of in England. The album opens with “Do It”, the inflammatory, Twink-penned anthem that was the b-side of the previously mention “The Snake” single, here remixed and with an additional opening acoustic intro. It takes off into a get-off-yer-ass blistering rock out, Rudolph’s stunningly raw guitar builds and builds into a blinding coda that kicks everyone’s ass twice. Twink’s other tracks (“Heavenly Man”, “Wargirl” and “The Dream Is Just Beginning”) are quieter forays by comparison, but in no way any less addled.
“Say You Love Me” and “Teenage Rebel” are but two further examples of the tight but raw rock’n’roll that get spilled out at high speed, with Rudolph’s gruff vocals bayed over the ensuing loud, stomping free festival stomp-outs. An extended double-drum solo bridges into “Uncle Harry’s Last Freak Out”, their free festival closer. Running anywhere from 10-30 minutes live, it’s a little brief here at a mere 10 minutes 49 seconds, but no less raw or hectic. The double-drumming builds up a buffalo stampede in the background, drowning out Sanderson’s polite bass, but Rudolph’s guitar is all over the place. It’s far too loud, and it’s rocketing from speaker to speaker with stereo panning. It’s also filtered through Binson Echorec, distortion, wah-wah and infused with such a spirit of going for it that the surprise BRRRRRRRRING! synthesizer chord that breaks in gets you every time, bursting in like a manic pixie throwing fairy dust straight between your eyes. It then starts up again, but the echo unit is so heavy that it captures every single wisp of riffing and amplifies it into a freight train running through your head. It can only settle down from here, and it does, with Rudolph intoning: “Everyone should be so happy/everyone could be so merry/you and me could be so fairy…” It’s breaking down, then rising up again ever so slightly, and every small strum across the guitar bridge is a huge riff across the sky, the Binson on far too high. Before the other three Fairies know it, Rudolph is storming across the heavens in a chariot, and they’re holding onto the back of his black t-shirt for dear life, cause the echo is causing all his frenetic riffing to sound like hundreds of Rudolph’s playing at once and they can barely keep up. But they relax as all smears into a single mandied and echoed haze-out. “Never Never Land” originally came in a beautiful fold out 12” x 24” double-sided poster encased in a heavy, silk-screened PVC sleeve, and is a killer testimony of psychedelic punk rock.

Up the Pinks !!!

Friday, September 22, 2006

Ultimate Spinach - 1967 - Live At Unicorn Coffee House, Boston

Ultimate Spinach - 1967 - Live At Unicorn Coffee House, Boston

part I ~ part II

track list :
01 - Hey Joe
02 - Get Together
03 - I Don't Know Your Name
04 - Funny Freak Parade
05 - Don't Cry For Me
06 - Follow Me
07 - (Ballad Of The) Hip Death Goddess
08 - Mind Flowers

The Story of Ultimate Spinach by Ian Bruce-Douglas:

The first mistake I as a "virgin" bandleader made was that someone would introduce me to a guy who happened to play guitar and I would say "You play guitar? Cool! Wanna play in a band I'm putting together?" With the exception of Barbara Hudson...who I had heard play at an open mic at the UNICORN COFFEEHOUSE, in Boston...I had never heard any of these people play and I didn't have the sense to audition them or "feel out" their personalities beforehand. The drummer, Keith, was the brother of the local record store owner on Cape Cod, where I was living at the time. He, essentially, introduced me to the guitarist and bassist. Keith was a very nice, mellow, easy-going guy...and he played pretty well, too. Unfortunately, he had the good sense to leave the band right after we recorded the first album. Barbara was okay, too. However, I had nothing but problems with the guitarist and bassist. They were a couple of Cape Cod rednecks who played in country bands on weekends. They wanted no part of the Hippie Movement, didn't smoke cannabis or take LSD and had absolutely no concept of the psychedelic images I was trying to create. We nearly came to blows on a number of occasions and were on the verge of collapse when we were "discovered". In a word: I was sincere...if inexperienced...and was doing it for the passion and joy of creating and making music...well, maybe the sex and drugs were part of it, too! They, however, were only in it for the money. To put it mildly, there was something of a "culture shock" between me and the rest of the band. In fact, it ALWAYS seemed to be about "me against them"...and, having had a few really joyful bands since then, I know that it doesn't have to be this way...even if the band has a strong-willed leader, like me. I have always called my bands "benevolent dictatorships" since I reserve the right to make all decisions as I see fit...but, in my best bands, we have always shared a lot of laughter along with the hard work and as my respect and appreciation for my musicians grows, we tend to become friends outside the band and I end up considering their feelings whenever I make those decisions. In a word ULTIMATE SPINACH was a VERY bad mistake...even if it got me my "15 minutes of fame"!


"One of the best Psych bands, on an early Live recording !!!"

THE GOD MACHINE : One Last Laugh In A Place Of Dying

Album Review - Melody Maker (17th September 1994)

Some things were never meant to be. After years of struggle against the vicissitudes of life in London and the tragic death of their bass player, The God Machine have decided to call it a day. Cathy Unsworth pays her last respect
It's hard to express feelings of loss in the printed word, still harder to pay adequate tribute to absent friends. As the title of the album suggests, "One Last Laugh In A Place Of Dying" is a more powerful testament to Jimmy Fernandez, the bassist who died in May this year at the tragically early age of 28, than any words could say.
In the space of two albums and four EPs, The God Machine reached higher, felt deeper and created more intense, eternal visions with their music than any of their contemporaries would ever have dared. This album is their peak, a thing of terrible, harrowing beauty that dips deep into the terrifying Pandora's Box of the human psyche to grapple with the raw nerve endings of existence. It brings back from the darkness in one, long howl of rage, pain and understanding the flaming torches of redemption, with a music that spans the worlds of the living and the dead. It surpasses Soundgarden's "Superunknown", Smashing Pumpkins' "Siamese Dream", even the back catalogue of Jane's Addiction, to whom they were initially compared.
"One Last Laugh ..." was recorded in Prague, and not for nothing does "The Unbearable Lightness Of Being" spring to mind. In the shadowlands of Europe TGM found the perfect surroundings for their haunted dreams, a place where secrets linger around dusty old architecture and winding streets, a place that has known the awful extremities of human evil : "Cut yourself so I can see the bleeding", is the opening line. "Tremelo Song" makes a sound like chandeliers falling, as Robin Proper-Sheppard, Jimmy Fernandez and Ron Austin turn guitar, bass and drums into one gilded eternity. You can sense the urgency and frantic release sought through the hypnotic "Painless" - "I'm sorry but that's not what I've found".

And so The God Machine move onwards through the rooms of your mind, unlocking doors where secrets fly around like ghosts. "The Devil Song" looks over its shoulders at a fork-tailed shadow moving ever closer, the clamouring of voices at its climax coming from an old, two-reel tape recorder Robin found in a junk shop in Prague.
"The Hunter" is a thing of sensual, aching beauty, a waltz with that devil in an old, forgotten ballroom, while "Evol" is the scariest evocation I've heard since Killing Joke's "Revelations" frightened the life out of my 13-year-old brain."Boy By The Roadside" is too painful to actually put into words, but the album drifts off to a beautiful piano elegy, "The Sunday Song", which sounds like the refrain from a ghostly carnival.
Three years ago, on a rainy night in King's Cross, The God Machine told me that the "Purity"EP was recorded as if it was going to be their last record. Their futures were so unsure at the time that they had to put everything into the one moment they had. "It's better to die on your feet than live on your knees", they said.

Track List :
1 The Tremolo Song 04:02
2 Mama 02:52
3 Alone 04:48
4 In Bad Dreams 03:09
5 Painless 03:58
6 The Love Song 03:55
7 The Life Song 04:41
8 The Devil Song 05:05
9 The Hunter 07:58
10 Evol 04:06
11 The Train Song 04:27
12 The Flower Song 05:41
13 Boy by the Roadside 05:50
14 The Sunday Song 08:34

Your Download-Link

Blonde on Blonde - 1970 - Rebirth

track list :
1. Castles In The Sky 3:30
2. Broken Hours 3:40
3. Heart Without A Home 5:25
4. Time Is Passing 2:40
5. Circles 7:13
6. November 3:11
7. Colour Questions 12:06
8. You'll Never Know Me/Release 7:40


Taking their name from Bob Dylan's 1966 LP, Blonde On Blonde were originally formed in Newport, South Wales in 1967 by vocalist/guitarist Ralph Denyer, drummer Les Hicks, bassist/organist Richard Hopkins and guitarist/sitar player Gareth Johnson. It was this line up of the band that signed to Pye Records in late 1968 and who released the single, 'All Day All Night'/'Country Life' (7N 17637) in November of the same year. The same foursome also recorded the band's debut LP "Contrasts" (NSPL 18288) which was issued by Pye in mid-1969 - complete with a colourful gatefold sleeve which housed twelve fine slices of psychedelic-tinged progressive rock that earnt the band strong critical acclaim and a slot on the same year's legendary Isle Of Wight Festival which was headlined by Bob Dylan.
By the time of 1970's 'Castles In The Sky'/'Circles' single (EMBS 279) and the LP, "Rebirth" (NR 5049), Denyer had left to form Aquila, who released one album, "The Aquila Suite" (SF 8126) for RCA Records later that same year, after which vocalist/guitarist Dave Thomas took over from Denyer, making his debut on the aptly-titled "Rebirth" LP, which once again was released in a striking gatefold sleeve with liner notes by future Radio 1 DJ Tommy Vance. Richard John (aka Richard Hopkins) only stayed with the band for another year and was replaced in mid-1971 by bassist/guitarist/banjo player Graham Davis. This Davis/Thomas/ Hicks/Johnson incarnation of Blonde On Blonde recorded October 1971's "Reflections On A Life" album (Ember NR 5058) at Monmouth's Rockfield Studios though the lack of commercial success finally took its toll on the band and they went their separate ways soon after the LP's release.

Today all of the band's releases are expensive highly sought after collectors items, not just because of their rarity, but because they contain some of the late 60s/early 70s finest progressive rock. However, the whereabouts of the various members of Blonde On Blonde remain something of a mystery though it is generally assumed that, following the demise of the band in early 1972, none of them pursued careers in music.

Mark Brennan
Taken from the CD reissue of "Contrasts", 1994 Repertoire Records, REP4521-WP

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

When I was asked to write some additional sleeve notes for this re-release of "Rebirth", I thought of a good place to start, and found my diary of 1970. It was packed so tight I could hardly decipher my own handwriting! There was so much going on - a real buzz of excitement. We'd signed to Ember Records at the end of 1969. By January 1970, we were hard at work recording "Rebirth".

I remember it all so clearly, I'd joined Blonde On Blonde as their new singer a couple of weeks before the band was due to play at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1969.

We'd only just begun rehearsing for our forthcoming tour, so I concentrated on more songs for that and the next album. I had some ideas, but they developed through close collaboration with Gareth and Richard. "Colour Questions" was really a live 'tour-de-force'. Live we were a lot heavier than in the studio. It was only on record that we could experiment with the more subtle mixture of acoustic and electric sounds, the sounds that most characterised Blonde On Blonde's music. "Broken Hours" was the first song I'd ever written. It's a love song of course. "November" carries something of the way I felt about the magical atmosphere between the edge of Wales and the Forest of Dean where I lived and rehearsed.

It was a sharp contrast to our hectic schedule of recording, filming and gigging in 1970. Shortly after the completing the recording sessions, we began filming for the BBC television Saturday Night Special called "Whatever Next" - a completely oddball mix of performers from Marcel Marceau to Gilbert and George, to band-in-residence Blonde On Blonde. We were really busy working live too. At the Roundhouse, the Marquee, the Temple (formerly The Flamingo) in Wardour Street, in the heart of London's vibrant Soho. In addition, we were playing all over the country at universities and colleges, town halls and clubs. Just a glance at the diary brought back vivid memories of all those gigs and all the musicians and bands we played alongside with. Georgie Fame, Alan Price, Marsha Hunt, Deep Purple, Atomic Rooster, Wishbone Ash, Genesis, Roy Harper… We were once even supported by Fleetwood Mac!

There was something very special about being able to live a life split between two worlds, one quiet and countrified, and the other - on the road or in the heart of London's nightlife! I think you can hear that contrast in the music itself: a mixture of focused energy and laid-back calm. It was a reflection of the way we lived and worked. We all came from a heavily industrialised Welsh seaport that was closely surrounded by mountains and wild romantic countryside; it was the contrast that inspired us. And it still inspires me. I am about to release a new Blonde On Blonde album. The music's already 'in the can' and includes songs from Blonde On Blonde's live performances that were not previously released. It also includes some very recent material. The new album is called "Coldharbour" (another name for my hometown Newport). It was hearing "Rebirth" again that brought me determination to complete the project.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the sounds of 1970 so faithfully captured here on this reissued CD. When I listened to it again, it was like taking a ride in a time capsule in my own head. The sound and the memories are crystal clear.

David Thomas
Taken from the CD reissue of "Rebirth", TKO Magnum, 2000

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Discography :
Contrasts (1969) - Pye NSPL 18288, CD reissue: Castle/Sanctuary (Psychedelic Pstones) CMRCD257, 2001
Rebirth (1970) - Ember NR 5049, CD reissue: Spalax 14525, 1996
Reflections On A Life (1971) - Ember NR 5058, CD reissue: Spalax 14526, 1996

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Magma (French) - 1976 - Inédits


track list :
1. Sowiloh + KMX - E XII - Opus 3 (13:45) - Vander,Top
2. KMX - BXII - Opus 7 (6:13) - Top
3. Om Zanka (5:30) - Vander
4. Gamma (4:00) - Vander
5. Terrien Si Je T'ai Convoque (4:10) - Vander
6. Gamma Anteria (7:45) - Vander

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

Gerard Bikialko Keyboards (1,2,4,6)
Micky Grailler Keyboards (1,2,4)
Benoit Widemann Keyboards (3)
Francois Cahen Keyboards (5)
Jean Luc Manderlier Keyboards (5,6)
Francis Moze Bass (5)
Jean-Pierre Lambert Bass (6)
Janik Top Bass (1,2,4)
Bernard Paganotti Bass (3)
Claude Olmos Guitar (1,4)
Marc Fosset Guitar (6)
Gabriel Federow Guitar (3)
Didier Lockwood Violin (3)
Klaus Basquiz Vocals & Percussion
Rene Garber Vocals,Bass Clarinet (5,6)
Teddy Lasry Saxes (5)
Jeff Seffer Saxes (5)
Louis Toesca Trumpet (5)
Christian Vander Drums

NOTES: Live recordings spanning several years with varying lineups.


Biography

Perhaps the all-time peak of prog pretentiousness was when drummer Christian Vander, of the French band Magma, invented his own language to express the post-apocalyptic story lines of the band's albums. Despite the inherently unnecessary nature of this activity, it definitely contributed in the immense and overbearing atmosphere of Magma's music. The pioneering 70s French band was one of the most experimental, artistic and fiercely uncompromising bands of the progressive era. Their music combined elements of jazz, opera, minimalism and 20th century classical music into a highly idiosyncratic mix of exceedingly dark, yet emotionally rich and undeniably powerful sound that eventually brought on the Zeuhl sub-genre of progressive rock. Their expanded ensemble included heavy emphasis on horns and choirs. The compositional style of the group reflected a mastery of sophisticated musical concepts; their use of gradual repetition as a tension building tool was unparalleled, as well as subtle rhythmic innovations and minimalist techniques as atmospheric devices. Though the music will definitely sound exceedingly odd at first, just because they are so different from anything else, their sound has a certain addictive quality to it, and developing a taste for their eccentricity is not particularly difficult. All their albums fit together into some concept which causes them all to hang together. I'm not sure what the particulars are, but it has something to do with humanity leaving a desolate Earth for the new utopian world of Kobaia (hence Vander's language, Kobaian) and the complications that came along with the transition. Their first two albums, Magma and 1001 Centigrade, dealt more with a jazzier sensibility, and are comparatively lighter in tone than some of their later works. Magma's next work would kick off their most notable and distinctive period, the immense Mekanik Destructiw Kommandoh (MDK). This album features all the hallmarks for which Magma are recognized. Martial beats, militaristic pounding and a heavy emphasis on a huge, orchestral backdrop replete with choirs and layers of horns. The overall mood of doom, death and destruction is undeniable. The sound is carried over into a Vander solo album (in name only), Wurdah Itah, as well as their next opus, the magnificent Kohntarkosz, which features less vocal dependence but is an overall masterpiece of desolate moods and stark atmospheres. The live album, Hhai, is supposedly excellent, but I haven't heard it yet. After that, the albums from Udu Wudu on are something of a step down. Overall Magma produced some of the most important and groundbreaking music of the decade. - Greg Northrup [2002]

V.A. - Echoes In Time

Both Volumes (500 each) orginally issued on LP in 1983

The musical creative excellence which infused rock'n'roll during the mid to latesixties is difficult to describe retrospectively. It was an atmosphere of energy & sensation which one had to exprience rather than interpret This comp capturesa few of the finer rarities of that psychedelic era. Some of the tunes were locally only or privately released.

The groups featured on this compilations contributed to the musical magic of an era witch coalscad into a legend.

V.A. - Echoes In Time vol. 1
01. Human Expression - "Optical Sound" (2:25)
02. West Coast Branch - "Spoonful" (2:42)
03. United Travel Service - "Wind & Stone" (3:18)
04. The Deep - "Trip #76" (2:33)
05. Skunks - "The Journey" (2:13)
06. Fapardokly - "Gone to Pot/No Retreat" (4:03)
07. Unfolding - "Play Your Game" (2:50)
08. Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck - "Somebody Think" (3:43)
09. Raves - "Mother Nature" (2:21)
10. Jerry & the Others - "Don't You Lie to Me" (2:52)
11. Ferguson Tractor - "12 O'Clock High" (2:48)
12. Lemon Pipers - "Quiet Please" (2:25)
13. Blue Scepter (SRC) - "Gypsy Eyes" (4:51)

V.A. - Echoes In Time vol. 2
01. Outcasts - "Set Me Free" (2:52)
02. Nova Local - "Games" (2:06)
03. Iguanas - "Mona" (2:41)
04. King-Beezz - "Gloria" (2:49)
05. Avengers - "Reflection" (2:49)
06. British North American Act - "Don't Run Away" (2:36)
07. Mijal & White - "I'm In You" (3:52)
08. Crystal Rain - "You and Me" (3:14)
09. Fruit of the Loom - "One Hand in Darkness" (2:27)
10. Frederic - "Five O'Clock Traffic" (2:13)
11. Soulbenders - "Hey Joe" (3:30)
12. SRC - "Badazz Shuffle" (3:17)
13 - Leviathan - "Second Production" (5:01)

Monday, September 18, 2006

The Legendary Pink Dots - 1991 - The Maria Dimension

The Legendary Pink Dots - 1991 - The Maria Dimension

Formed in London in 1980, the Legendary Pink Dots moved to Amsterdam in the middle of the decade. Members throughout the band's career have been Edward Ka-Spel (vocals, keyboards) and Phil Knight (keyboards), also known as the Silver Man, with a shifting supporting cast over the years. The Dots' music is by turns melodic pop and exotic psychedelia, with classical influences, sampling, and relentlessly dark, violent, apocalyptic lyrics. After several releases for Mirrodot and Inphaze during the early '80s, the group signed to Play It Again Sam distribution for 1985's The Lovers, and released much of their best material (1990's Crushed Velvet Apocalypse, 1991's The Maria Dimension) on the label. Even as the Legendary Pink Dots neared their two-decade anniversary, the group continued to tour Europe and America quite consistently.After releasing Your Children Placate you From Premature in spring of 2006, the band embarked on their 25th anniversary tour.

YOUR DOWNLOAD LINK :

http://rapidshare.de/files/33572837/lpd.rar.html

Happy Dragon Band 1978 Happy Dragon Band

Happy Dragon Band 1978 Happy Dragon Band

Track List :
01 - 3-D Free
02 - Positive People
03 -In Flight
04 - Long Time
05 - Bowling Pin Intro
06 - Lyrics Of Love
07 - Disco American
08 - Inside The Pyramid
09 - Astro Phunk
10 - 3-D Free (Electronic)

Surprising about-face from the Phantom "Divine Comedy" guys, this avant-flavored basement late 1970s trip mixes synth-led proto-new wave songs with social commentary lyrics and a sense of a lot of things being possible. Vocal effects are in an abundance while several moogs seem to play off against each other, yet the whole thing is tight and controlled enough never to degenerate into freeform chaos. Strange "Eraserhead"-like moods creep into your skull as eerie vocals serenade a fucked-up world much like sardonic space aliens might. The band achieves an impressive effect by playing big, moody chord sequences and harmonies on crude analog synths, which enhances the experience of alienation and telescopation. Some 70s glam-pop and raw guitar riffs can also be picked up among the electronics and drum machines. Very clearly a product of its era (including some tentative reggae backbeats), I find this an enjoyable LP and for all its weird, angular sounds, a lot less challenging than much of the lame "rock" stuff that was being released at the time. Psychedelic in its use of contradictory and unusual moods, but even more likely to appeal to fans of 1970s synth-punk/avant in the Ohio/Eastcoast style. [PL]
~~~
This bizarre freaky rock album is as different from the Phantom album as Relatively Clean Rivers is from Beat of the Earth. It mixes several 70s styles and buries them under sound effects, synthesizers and weird vocal arrangements. There are a few electronic instrumentals, some lyrics that are as obtuse as the arrangements, and some very faint nods to the disco/funk trends of the time. Despite an occasional "Dark Side Of The Moon" influence, they are more psych than prog or space rock, and at times they have the same feel as some early new wave synth bands (i.e. the Units, Assassin Of Silence.) It takes a number of listens to grasp the actual songs because they're so disjointed and because the melodies are somewhat hidden behind the walls of noise. Once the songs finally sink through, it's almost a surprise to discover that they're very good, and the electronics enhance them rather than mask their weaknesses. Like the U.S.A album, even the most insane synth noises here have been well integrated into the flow of the songs and don't sound random at all. This is my idea of a synth album! [AM]

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Joel Vandroogenbroeck (ex Brainticket)
1978 Images of Flute in Nature



track list :
01 Great Valley
02 Magic Adventure
03 Plaine Du Jura
04 Forest Spirit
05 Hobbits
06 Minor
07 Magnetic Blues
08 Electronic Jungle

This LP issued in Italy only on Cenacolo M721, is a different music from usual Brainticket. Idilliac landscapes with lots of keys, synths and the voice of Carole Muriel.

Swiss Joel Vandroogenbroeck has been especially confessed thanks to its link Brainticket. Beginning years seventy delivered this group three particularly vaporous albums, with as spectacular figure the intriguing ' Celestial ocean ' from 1974 - I wrote already earlier. After falling apart Brainticket Vandroogenbroeck occupied themselves with the most divergent matter. He composed music for ballet shows, learned sitar play in India, lived some years on bali (where he qualified himself in gamelanmuziek), wrote composities for several corn, went for a ride as a jazz musician the world concerning and was artistic Leader of an experimental dansgezelschap in San Francisco. The last years Vandroogenbroeck have paid themselves on new media and Internet (to see being site brainticket-art.com) and consider he technology as dé new manner yourself to develop as an artist. Were its albums vervreemdende trips psyhedelic with Brainticket, with it's solo-album stocked Vandroogenbroeck complete other. ' Images or flute in nature ' from 1978, of its first solo-albums, a rural, thoughtful album has been interlarded, with a head role for the flute, with electronic sounds, mellotron and indian rhythms. In contrast to many new age-albums that a decade later as mushrooms from the ground shoot, Vandroogenbroeck will go varied and capriciously work; ' Hobbits ' and ' Minor ' characterise themselves by a stubborn electronic rhythm and it almost 13 minutes lasting ' Magic adventure ' swings himself by almost extraterrestrial striking as, feeërieke[?] landscapes. On clincher ' Magnetic blues ' moreover Brainticket singer Carole Muriel emerges still even.

Michael Angelo - 1977 - Michael Angelo

track Listing :
01 - oceans of fantasy
02 - the world to be
03 - lost in the pain
04 - check it out
05 - flight of pegasus
06 - bon jour mr. v.i.p.
07 - journey
08 - inner reflections
09 - field of lonely eyes
10 - future

MICHAEL ANGELO (Kansas City, MO)
"Michael Angelo" 1977 (Guinn 1050) [1000p]
"Michael Angelo" 1997 (Guinn, Germany) [bootleg; 450#d]
"Michael Angelo" 2005 (Void 036) [+1 track]

Fabulous dreamy psych-flavored folkrock and anglo-pop shrouded in the early hippie vibe despite the vintage. Light and melodic in an L.A '67 & Donovan direction, while the lyrics hint at darker dimensions beneath the seductive surface. Possible points of reference are Bobb Trimble and the 2nd side of Marcus-House Of Trax, and don't doubt for a minute this is just as good. Use of piano on some tracks bring in a singer/songwriter sound, while retaining the 60s feel. Very solid and well-written LP that is loved by many, one of the classics of the local/private press field, and one that may also appeal to fans of the Shoes and similar melodic mid-70s pop sounds. Sespite its deluxe profile the German reissue is somewhat inferior in sound. An album of previously unreleased material titled "Sorcerer's Dream" (Void, 1999) may be worth checking out for fans of the Guinn album. [PL]
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Side one of this album is as good as anything, a truly lovely blend of pop, folk-rock and light psychedelia. Like the best music, it's of its time but evokes many great artists from before its time. He has a terrific voice too. Like Anonymous this is just plain great songwriting and performance, and whatever may or may not be psychedelic is secondary. Side two is pretty great too, but repeats a few of the ideas from the first side, and overall this maybe ends up being a notch below Zerfas or Anonymous, which still makes it in the top 10 or so for private press LPs. It's something everyone should hear. [AM]
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Swans - 1991 - White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

Swans - 1991 - White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

MUSCIANS:
Michael Gira - voice, acoustic guitar, sounds, samples, keyboards, arrangements
Jarboe - voice, keyboards, background vocals, choral / orchestral arrangements
Christoph Hahn - acoustic and electric guitar
Clinton Steele - acoustic and electric guitar
Jenny Wade - bass guitar
Anton Fier - drums, drum programming
Nicky Skopelitis - acoustic and electric guitar, baglama, bazouki, banjo
Vincent Signorelli -percussion
Hahn Rowe - violin
Steve Burgh - mandolin, 12-string guitar
Norman Westberg - electric guitar

SONGS:
Better Than You
Power And Sacrifice
You Know Nothing
Song For Dead Time
Will We Survive
Love Will Save You
Failure
Song For The Sun
Miracle Of Love
When She Breathes
Why Are We Alive?
The Most Unfortunate Lie

Crawling out of the same noisy, arty New York underground , Swans created a dark, abrasive, murky, slowed-down noise rock that served as a starting point for their ruminations about alienation, depression, depravity, and the disturbing side of human nature. Singers Michael Gira and Jarboe have been the group's only constants over the years.

The opening track "Better Than You" almost says it all: Starting with the wail of an infant, then suddenly crashing into surging music that mixes quick, energetic drums with bells and other instruments, the song turns into a dramatic acoustic guitar/percussion piece with Gira's brooding voice and Jarboe's haunting backing; after some re-developments of the themes, it ends with a beautiful restatement of the sung section with additional guitar and bell sounds. At once incredibly destructive and astoundingly life-affirming — and worth the entire Burning World album several times over — "Better Than You" demonstrates that Swans had emerged even more powerful and artistic than before, aiming for an awesome, all-encompassing majesty in their music that the admittedly hypnotic earlier versions of the band, in their brute forcefulness, simply could not have achieved. Interestingly, a number of players from Burning World and other Bill Laswell associates participate on White Light, but hereas sole producer marshals everyone's collective efforts to heights that Laswell either was unwilling or unable to do. Also notably, Westberg is all but absent on guitar, with new arrival Clinton Steele taking the fore as the major instrumentalist after Gira and Jarboe themselves. Picking out all the highlights from such a stunning disc is practically impossible, but three of the flat-out classic marvels here are: "You Know Nothing," with its simply lovely introduction and Gira's commanding singing; "Song for Dead Time," a gentle Jarboe-sung number filled out by a simple but effective string-synth arrangement; and "Failure," carried by a buried guitar strum, Gira's Sisyphean lyric, and brief, lush choruses. Simply put, this is out and out brilliant as the clear starting point for the second half of Swans' unique career.

Your Download-Links :
http://rapidshare.com/Swans_-_White_Light.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/Swans_-_White_Light.part2.rar

Muddy Waters - 1968 - Electric Mud


track listing :
1 I Just Want to Make Love to You (4:19)
2 (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man (4:53)
3 Let's Spend the Night Together (3:12)
4 She's Alright (6:36)
5 Mannish Boy (3:50)
6 Herbert Harper's Free Press News (4:40)
7 Tom Cat (3:42)
8 Same Thing (5:42)

In an attempt to make Muddy Waters more sellable to his newly-found White audience, Chess lumbered him with Hendrix-influenced psychedelic blues arrangements for Electric Mud. Commercially, actually, the results weren't bad; Marshall Chess claims it sold between 150,000 and 200,000 copies. Musically, it was as ill-advised as putting Dustin Hoffman into a Star Wars epic. Guitarists Pete Cosey and Phil Upchurch are very talented players, but Muddy's brand of downhome electric blues suffered greatly at the hands of extended fuzzy solos. Muddy and band overhaul classics like "I Just Want to Make Love to You" and "Hoochie Coochie Man," and do a ludicrous cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together"; wah-wah guitars and occasional wailing soprano sax bounce around like loose basketballs. It's a classically wrongheaded, crass update of the blues for a modern audience. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide.

____________________________________________

MUDDY WATERS -- Electric Mud (MCA/Chess)

MCA recently reissued the album hailed by some blues purists as the worst blues album ever recorded--Muddy Waters' Electric Mud. Originally released in the spring of 1968, Electric Mud was Waters' first excursion into the world of 'psychedelia.' Since they were marketing Waters (at the time) primarily to the white hippies, it made sense to Marshall Chess (son of Leonard Chess, founder of Chess Records) that Waters should do an album like this. Unfortunately, it presented a problem when Waters tried to play the songs live. He didn't like having to perform in front of a huge stack of amplifiers to achieve the sound of the album.

Is Electric Mud really as bad as they say? It depends on the context in which you listen to it. As a blues/rock album, it's not that bad. As with most albums from the psychedelic era, there's a lot of channel fading (vocals in one channel, music in the other, then vice versa, etc.). However, there are still some great guitar licks being thrown around, especially on "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "She's Alright" (which segues into a "My Girl" jam), and "Mannish Boy." The interesting thing here is that, according to the liner notes, none of the guitar work is by Waters himself.

As a straight blues album, it's a joke. The majority of the players on Electric Mud were actually avant-garde jazz musicians, and most of them were not able to adequately span the two genres. Gene Barge's wailing tenor sax on the album is out of place and annoying. It just doesn't work. The cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together" is probably more noteworthy than any other cut on the album. It's been called 'unintentionally hilarious,' among other less-than-flattering remarks. I'll just call it . . . different. Imagine Waters trying to sing the lyrics to the music of "Get Ready." You get the idea.

So what's the bottom line -- is this CD worth picking up or not? It depends on what type of blues you're into. If you're a purist, you probably already know to skip this one. If blues/rock is more your style, or you're just discovering the master, it's worth a listen, but check out some of Muddy's more traditional work first.

© 1997 Steve Marshall

Markos Vamvakaris - Fragkosyriani

MARKOS VAMVAKARIS - Fragkosyriani

Track List :

1.Atakti

2.Imouna magkas mia fora

3.Mia mikropantremeni

4.Pseftikos einai o ntounias

5.Dyo gyftopoules

6. Ta matoklada sou lampoun

7.Fragkosyriani

8.Mauri zoi mikroula mou

9.Gkriniara

10.Ti me ofeloun oi anoixes

11.Fora ta maura fora ta

12.Ta omorfa ta galana sou matia

Biography

Markos was born to a poor working family on the island of Syros in 1905. His father played the greek bagpipes called Gaida and Markos would accompany him on the dog-skinned drum. When Markos was eight years old he left school to work with his mother in a cotton thread factory, which he promptly ditched and started picking up odd jobs like newspaper boy, butchers assistant, eventually getting mixed up with the underworld of the streets.

When he was fifteen years old he stowed away on a ship to Piraeus and got a job loading coals on the docks. This was tough, low-down work, but the nights were all about hashish and women. He was kept in fine clothes by an older whore and hung out at the tekes((place where underground people gathered to listen to rembetiko music and smoke hasish) every night. In 1925, Markos heard Old Nikos play bouzouki and was immediately hooked. Six months later he was playing at a teke when Old Nikos stopped by, he couldn't believe it was the same kid who'd never even played a few months earlier. Nikos said they'd show Markos something i the morning and he'd come back and play it better than them in the evening.

Because the bouzouki was considered a low-class instrument, it had not been recorded until 1932 when Yiannis Halikias (aka Jack Gregory), a greek-american, recorded his "Minor Tou Deke". The record was very popular, so Spyros Peristeris, who was working as a record producer, composer and instrumentalist for Odeon records in Greece, convinced Odeon to record Vamvakaris. In 1933, Peristeris supervised, and played guitar on Markos' first recording session (although he had recorded two songs in 1932 for Columbia, they were not released until later). Markos recorded one zebekiko, O Dervises, and one Hassapiko, O Harmanes. Markos hadn't considered himself a singer but ended up doing the vocals on these records. They were very successful and Markos' rough and powerful singing became fashionable.

Markos eventually teamed up with singer Stratos Pagioumitzis, baglamatzis Jiorgos Batis, and bouzouki player Anestis Delias to form his famous Piraeus Quartet. His popularity was sustained throughout the 1930's, despite growing political turmoil. Eventually the style of rebetika that Markos had pioneered became more mainstream, and by the 1940's Tsitsanis had started changing the subject matter to be about love and less about hashish, prison and other rebetika topics. Likewise, Hiotis started changing the sound of the music, adding strings to the bouzouki in 1956 and moving towards a more flashy, electric and westernized sound. Markos continued to record in his older style through this period. He passed away in 1972.

Sources:
Vamvarakis, Markos. Autobiogrphia. Ed. Ageliki-Bellou-Keil. Athens, Greece: Ekdoseis Papazisi, 1978.
Emery, Ed; Petropoulos, Elias. Songs of the Greek Underworld: The Rebetika Tradition. London: Saqi,2000.
Holst, Gail. Road to Rembetika: Music from a Greek Sub-Culture; Songs of love, sorrow and Hashish.

Athens:
Anglo-Hellenic Publishing, 1975.

DownloadLink:

http://rapidshare.com/files/9508264/markos.rar

1000 Travels of Jawaharlal


1000 Travels of Jawaharlal was formed in Kita-Kyushu in the west of Japan in January 1999. Line-up was Koichiro Shimoda [Vocals, Guitar], Shinichi Iwata [Bass], Kenji Yoshida [Drum, Vocals]. This line up released a CD EP [October 1999] as well as a split CD with Minority Blues Band [November 2000]. Both records were released on the Japanese record label ImoMuShi Records, and a split with Bowfura we released ourselves [May 2000]. Among those records were released 1000 Travels of Jawaharlal had toured Japan several times. In April 2001 Kenji left the band. After half a year of looking out for a new drummer Yasuaki Nakazono was finally added in October 2001. In 2002 1000 Travels toured Japan extensively with the new line up. The band expresses the musical taste of its members. Emotive punk rock bands such as Rites Of Spring, Jawbreaker, Hüsker Dü, Leatherface were named. In early 2003 they recorded their first full length LP/CD which was released on ImoMuShi again for Japan as well as on Day After from Czech Republic for Europe. After the release of the record 1000 Travels of Jawaharlal toured Japan extensively throughout the spring, followed by a three weeks European tour with Light The Fuse And Run from the US.

(bio nicked from the band’s website =])

Discography:
demo - CT
Letter - CDS
split with Minority Blues Band - CD
split with Bowfura - CD
Owari Wa Konai - CD/LP
Light Your Way (Compilation) - CD
split with Aghast - CD
split with Aghast - 10"
split with Pear Of The West – CT

1000 Travels of Jawaharlal Owari Wa Konai
Nothing else here other than totally cheese-free, übertight, emotive and heartfelt hardcore, delivered by these jap punks. Pretty much in the vein of early DC emocore pioneers such as Rites of Spring, Dag Nasty or Ignition, with more than a passing nod to latter bands like Torches to Rome. Which means, really, really ace stuff.

Cheers! K. (curse ye all kidz!)

xxx

Band Website:

http://www.imomushi.jp/1000travelsofjawaharlal/

You can order this album and other punk/indie thingies from this really great distro:

http://www.novarecordings.net/

GRAB IT HERE PUNKER!!

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curse ye all kidz!