13-05-07 - 20-05-07
Saturday, May 19, 2007
The Chocolate Watch Band - 2nd and 3rd album
Take a bit of the The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Yardbirds with a tiny bit of The Who ; shake them all and put them in a psychedelic environment and you'll have an idea of the sound of the Chocolate Watchband.
The Chocolate Watchband was a mod-outfitted garage punk unit par excellence, their sound founded on English-style R&B with a special fixation on the Rolling Stones at their most sneering. After hooking up with producer Ed Cobb, a former member of the 1950s vocal ensemble the Four Preps, the group released No Way Out in mid-1967, though the Watchband had already begun breaking up. A new incarnation carried them through 1967, though the band's existence as a viable performing unit were all but over. The group's producers had other ideas, however, releasing two more albums (The Inner Mystique, One Step Beyond) in 1968 and 1969 , sporting the band's name but not too much else associated with the group. That would probably have been the end of the group's story, but in the early '80s, record buyers and, more particularly, young musicians discovered the Watchband. A set of Australian reissues of the group's albums quickly found a market in America and Europe. Thus, it was no surprise when, in 1994, Sundazed Records reissued the complete Watchband catalog on compact disc.
The Chocolate Watchband was a mod-outfitted garage punk unit par excellence, their sound founded on English-style R&B with a special fixation on the Rolling Stones at their most sneering. After hooking up with producer Ed Cobb, a former member of the 1950s vocal ensemble the Four Preps, the group released No Way Out in mid-1967, though the Watchband had already begun breaking up. A new incarnation carried them through 1967, though the band's existence as a viable performing unit were all but over. The group's producers had other ideas, however, releasing two more albums (The Inner Mystique, One Step Beyond) in 1968 and 1969 , sporting the band's name but not too much else associated with the group. That would probably have been the end of the group's story, but in the early '80s, record buyers and, more particularly, young musicians discovered the Watchband. A set of Australian reissues of the group's albums quickly found a market in America and Europe. Thus, it was no surprise when, in 1994, Sundazed Records reissued the complete Watchband catalog on compact disc.
The Inner Mystique - 1968
Tracks
1.Voyage of the Trieste 3:38
2.In the Past 3:06
3.Inner Mystique 5:35
4. 'm Not Like Everybody Else 3:42
5. Medication 2.06
6. Let 's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go 2:15
7. It's All Over Now Baby Blue 3:11
8. I Ain't No Miracle Worker 2:49
Bonus
She Weaves A Tender Trap 3.29
Misty Lane 3.16
Baby Blue 3.12
Sweet Young Think 2.55
Inner Mystique seems to be the Chocolate Watchband album that fans and casual listeners know best, even though it was the one of their three records that was most disconnected from any active incarnation of the group. Slapped together in late 1967, in the wake of the virtual collapse of their lineup and rushed out in February of 1968, its original first side contained not a single note played or sung by the Watchband itself. Instead, engineer Richie Podolor assembled a group of studio musicians, playing a pair of languid psychedelic instrumentals — "Voyage of the Trieste" and "Inner Mystique" — in which the sitar flourishes and flute arabesques hung like jeweled ornaments, sandwiched around a new recording by singer Don Bennett (who'd already supplied some vocals without the group's knowledge or approval on their first album) of "In the Past," the latter a song originally written and recorded by the Florida-based psychedelic-punk band We the People. The second side was comprised of a hodgepodge of superb finished Watchband sides — most notably "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" and "I Ain't No Miracle Worker," mixing punk bravado and angst, which have long been the album's selling points — and outtakes such as "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" and "Medication," with Bennett's vocals replacing David Aguilar's, and one remixed and partly redubbed version of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." As with the group's first album, however, Inner Mystique is sort of "guilty with an explanation" — yes, it's a mess in terms of continuity, with two different singers and three different vocal/instrumental combinations present, but the three full Watchband tracks are killer recordings that can hold their heads up with the best rock records of 1967; what's more, even the Bennett-sung/studio band played "In the Past" is worthwhile, Watchband or not, as a piece of shimmering psychedelia with a great beat and arrangement; and even "Voyage of the Trieste" and "Inner Mystique," as pieces of psychedelic background music, were good enough that one of them ended up on Rhino's Best of the Chocolate Watchband collection. And that's not bad for a 28-minute album with only eight cuts on it, pieced together with only the barest (if any) participation by the band.
Download Link @320
chocolate_watch_band__1968-_the_inner_mystique.rar
-----------------------------------------------------------------
One Step Beyond - 1969
Tracks
1. Uncle Morris
2. How Ya Been
3. Devil's Motorcycle
4. I Don't Need No Doctor
5. Flowers
6. Fireface
Bonus
Don’t Need Your Lovin’ 2.36
Sitting There Standing 2.20
Blues Theme 2.21
Loose Lip Sync Ship 3.01
The third and final of the original studio albums by the Chocolate Watchband, One Step Beyond is a bit misleading and contradictory. On the one hand, it's as close as any performing group called the Chocolate Watchband ever got to making a finished album of their own, which is reflected in the fact that all but one song here was an original by the bandmembers; but on the other hand, this is a different Watchband lineup, assembled by Sean Tolby and Bill Flores, including guitarist Mark Loomis and drummer Gary Andrijasevich (both of whom had left in 1967 to join the Tingle Guild), and original, Foothill College-era Chocolate Watchband member Danny Phay (who'd also been in the Tingle Guild). Missing is David Aguilar, the band's one-time lead singer and most visible songwriter up to that time — and the result is an album that has almost none of the influence of the Rolling Stones, and, instead, shows the greatest folk-rock influence in their history. The overall sound is brittle but melodic, reminiscent in some ways of the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Charlatans, Moby Grape, and the Jefferson Airplane. Danny Phay isn't nearly as charismatic a singer as Aguilar, but he's not bad, either, and there are lots of interesting shared vocals. There's also quite a bit more guitar noodling here than on any previous Watchband recording — that's not necessarily a bad thing, though it does dilute some of the impact of the punkier moments. "Devil's Motorcycle" is also of special interest to fans of Moby Grape, as it features the Grape's Jerry Miller subbing for Loomis on lead guitar. They shined on Ashford & Simpson's "I Don't Need No Doctor" as well as the Loomis/Andrijasevich original "Uncle Morris," and "Flowers" was a beautiful piece of folk-based psychedelia, while Sean Tolby's "Fireface" recaptured some of the original band's thicker rock textures. Original Foothill College-era member Ned Torney was also present on the sessions playing keyboards, but his work was left out of the final mix of the album, which meant the guitars got even greater exposure than intended
Download Link @320
Chocolate_watch_band_-_1969_-_one_step_beyond.rar
Liverpool Five - 1967 - Out of Sight
Any Way That You Want Me/My Generation/Piccadilly Line/I Can OnlyGive You Everything/Baby,Out of Sight/Gotta Get a Move On/She's( Got Plenty ofLove)/Do You Believe/The Snake/I'm Your Hoochie Cooche Man/Get Away
In spite of their name none of the Liverpool Five were from Liverpool!
Dave McCumiskey (aka Dave Burgess) was a Cumbrian, formerly with The Ramrods of Carlisle, which is why they appear on this site. The other lads, Steve Laine, Ron Henley, Jimmy May and Ken Cox, were all Londoners.
The Liverpool Five had more success abroad than in England. They played across Europe in Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Germany they appeared with the top German band of the time The Rattles and recorded for CBS. It was while they were in Germany that they successfully auditioned to tour Japan and perform at the Tokyo olympics. They played for crowds of six to eight thousand and performed their final gig at the vast K ouraken Ice Palace. While in Japan they also played at the Camp Zama American military base.
The band stopped over in the Philippines on their way back from Japan and played at a party held by the American ambassador.
The ambassador was impressed with them and arranged for visas for them to enter the USA to play for the American troops. They performed on several mini tours, appearing with such acts as The Loving Spoonful, Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones. The highlight of their American adventure was playing at the Hollywood Bowl with the Beach Boys, The Righteous Brothers, The Byrds, Sam The Sham and the Kinks.
Source : http://www.btinternet.com/~fenderstrat/Liverpool5.htm
Download It Here :
http://rapidshare.com/files/32156236/liverpool5.rar
Labels: innocent76, L 
Archimedes Badkar - 3 Albums
Arcimedes Badkar - Badrock Far Barn i Alla Eldar (1975)Tracklist
01 Det stog en karring uppa torget (1:56)
02 Aumba (2:58)
03 Sweet Love (3:04)
04 Wago Goreze (13:53)
05 Yelir (1:19)
06 Samepojkens jaktlat (3:06)
07 Del tre (0:24)
08 Lat tusen taxar springa (2:56)
09 Mister X (3:14)
10 Sammansmaltning (4:54)
11 A Love Supreme (3:10)
12 Jarnet (2:46)
13 Kjelles lat (1:45)
14 Morgonstjarna (3:28)
15 Repris (1:35)
Archimedes Badkar - II (1976)Tracklist
01 Fortryckets sista timme (11:17)
02 Efter regnet + vattenfall (10:17)
03 Rebecca (1:33)
04 Jorden (6:13)
05 Charmante Yerevan, en lat fran Armenien (3:25)
06 Afreaka II (10:40)
07 Radio Tibet (9:17)
08 Tva varldar (9:26)
09 Jugoslavisk dans (2:15)
10 Indisk folkmelodi och ett tema av Ingemar (7:05)
11 Tva hundra stolta ar (9:46)
Archimedes Badkar - Tre (1977)Tracklist
01 Badidoom (8:36)
02 Varldens Liv (2:07)
03 Akombah (3:04)
04 Bhajan (3:29)
05 Slum (3:55)
06 Thumb Piano Music (4:13)
07 Suite (Pharoah - El Legend - Marrakech) (6:53)
08 Desert Band (3:13)
09 Tzivaeri (2:53)
Overall: Archimedes Badkar (Archimedes Bathtub) was a Swedish group formed by percussionist/pianist/composer Per Tjernberg that existed between 1972 -1980.World Music was not yet a household term, but for once that description seems perfect for what Archimedes Badkar must definitely be regarded as one of the pioneering bands. Several of the members had travelled and studied music in North and South India, Morocco, Mali, Ghana and other countries, and several of them were well educated in the languages of jazz and contemporary music.Their style is fairly unique,combines folk, ethnic/traditional music, rock, jazz and even experimental elements.
Archimedes Badkar - Badrock Far Barn i Alla Eldar: Their debut album, shows an already mature band that tries to integrate ethnic music, jazz, rock and folk. An exchellent album.!
Archimedes Badkar - II: In this album the band displayed a much wider range of styles.The instrumentation here is half acoustic, half electric.besides guitar, bass, piano/organ and percussion, a wealth of other instruments such as violin, mandolin, trumpet, flutes, cello, bouzouki, saxophones, etc. can be heard.Their music is partly energetic and lively, while other tracks have a much more raga-like drone or even a cosmic, trippy Krautrock vibe.(At my eyes, this album is even better than their superb debut).
Archimedes Badkar - Tre: More sedate tracks follow with references to various ethnic music styles.Maybe ? some of the tracks have a jazzy feel to them as reed instruments are used frequently. Another excellent album showing no signs of compromise or lack of musical ideas.
01 Badidoom (8:36)
02 Varldens Liv (2:07)
03 Akombah (3:04)
04 Bhajan (3:29)
05 Slum (3:55)
06 Thumb Piano Music (4:13)
07 Suite (Pharoah - El Legend - Marrakech) (6:53)
08 Desert Band (3:13)
09 Tzivaeri (2:53)
Overall: Archimedes Badkar (Archimedes Bathtub) was a Swedish group formed by percussionist/pianist/composer Per Tjernberg that existed between 1972 -1980.World Music was not yet a household term, but for once that description seems perfect for what Archimedes Badkar must definitely be regarded as one of the pioneering bands. Several of the members had travelled and studied music in North and South India, Morocco, Mali, Ghana and other countries, and several of them were well educated in the languages of jazz and contemporary music.Their style is fairly unique,combines folk, ethnic/traditional music, rock, jazz and even experimental elements.
Archimedes Badkar - Badrock Far Barn i Alla Eldar: Their debut album, shows an already mature band that tries to integrate ethnic music, jazz, rock and folk. An exchellent album.!
Archimedes Badkar - II: In this album the band displayed a much wider range of styles.The instrumentation here is half acoustic, half electric.besides guitar, bass, piano/organ and percussion, a wealth of other instruments such as violin, mandolin, trumpet, flutes, cello, bouzouki, saxophones, etc. can be heard.Their music is partly energetic and lively, while other tracks have a much more raga-like drone or even a cosmic, trippy Krautrock vibe.(At my eyes, this album is even better than their superb debut).
Archimedes Badkar - Tre: More sedate tracks follow with references to various ethnic music styles.Maybe ? some of the tracks have a jazzy feel to them as reed instruments are used frequently. Another excellent album showing no signs of compromise or lack of musical ideas.
What still seems unique and fascinating about this band is that there seemed to be NO LIMITS in terms of musical styles and instrumentation. All three albums is highly recommended !!!
At my humble opinion, Archimedes Badkar deserve a place among the 5-6 best bands in Europe. Discover them ...
Download Links :
Archimedes Badkar - Badrock Far Barn i Alla Eldar (1975).rar
Archimedes Badkar - II (1976).part1.rar
Archimedes Badkar - II (1976).part2.rar
Archimedes Badkar - Tre (1977).rar
At my humble opinion, Archimedes Badkar deserve a place among the 5-6 best bands in Europe. Discover them ...
Download Links :
Archimedes Badkar - Badrock Far Barn i Alla Eldar (1975).rar
Archimedes Badkar - II (1976).part1.rar
Archimedes Badkar - II (1976).part2.rar
Archimedes Badkar - Tre (1977).rar
Labels: A, B, WeBuilTArks
The Bystanders - Pattern People_The Pye Anthology
Bystanders - Pattern People_The Pye Anthology
1 That's The End
2 This Time
3 (You're Gonna) Hurt Yourself
4 Have I Offended The Girl
5 My Love...Come Home
6 If You Walk Away
7 98.6
8 Stubborn Kind Of Fellow
9 Royal Blue Summer Sunshine Day
10 Make Up Your Mind
11 Pattern People
12 Green Grass
13 When Jesamaine Goes
14 Cave Of Clear Light
15 This World Is My World
16 Painting Time
17 Stay A Little While
18 You're Ready Now
19 Cheryls Going Home
20 Little Girl I Onve Knew, The
21 Dang Me
22 My Way Of Thinking
23 Grapevine
Review
This 23-song compilation shows a group who had the pop sensibilities and range of the Tremeloes, and who could do credible soul covers and more than decent psychedelia, but somehow never developed a distinctive sound of their own. The result is an almost dizzying array of styles, represented by eight singles that were perfectly good records but which seldom sounded like each other. The Bystanders' early sides, from 1965, were heavily Beatles-influenced, their debut recalling the Liverpool quartet's early-1963 recordings, but also displaying smooth pop hooks reminiscent of Herman's Hermits on their better singles. By the time of "Have I Offended the Girl" in 1966, they start to sound more like the early Who vocally, but the other side of the same single is the dramatic pop ballad "My Love -- Come Home," and their next single, "If You Walk Away," is somewhere midway between Unit 4+2 and Tom Jones, while their cover of "98.6" is cheerfully upbeat in a way that recalls Herman's Hermits at their most embarrassingly upbeat. And then they come up with a decent cover of "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" in 1967. Beyond that point, the group turned toward a gentle brand of psychedelic pop, represented by "Royal Blue Summer Sunshine Day," "Pattern People" (where they sound a bit like the Association), and the poppish, upbeat "Green Grass," moving into ethereal psychedelia on the sitar-laden "Cave of Clear Light." And then, just as their history as the Bystanders was coming to an end, they plunge into the Bee Gees-inspired sides "This World Is My World" and "Painting the Time" (think the trio's late-psychedelic era). This CD is filled with moments like that, little pop/rock jewels that are widely scattered and don't exactly spell out a full story of anybody, but are pretty satisfying on their own terms. The disc also includes a brace of unreleased tracks, among them a rocking cover of "Cheryl's Going Home" and interesting renditions of "The Little Girl I Once Knew" (where the harmonies intermingle well with the lean instrumental sound) and "Dang Me," plus the two prizes of the 23 songs here, "My Way of Thinking," a hard-rocking piece of U.K.-style garage rock, and "Grapevine," a blue-eyed soul classic that shows what this group was truly capable of in the way of original songs, when they aimed that high. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
Biography
One of the few Welsh bands to release records on a fairly regular basis in the mid to late '60s, the Bystanders are chiefly notable not for their own derivative music, but because they evolved into the Welsh progressive rock group Man. As the Bystanders, they managed to release eight singles in the U.K. between 1965 and 1968, competently plugging into Merseybeat, blue-eyed soul, and harmony pop trends without developing any clear vision of their own or landing any superb material. Slight psychedelic hues colored some of their final tracks, which pointed the way into more original and progressive directions that the group would embrace when it mutated into Man.
The Bystanders formed long before the dawn of Man in the South Wales town of Merthyr Tydfil in 1962. They made one Merseybeat-Four Seasons hybrid single for the independent Pylot label (in fact, it was the only record the company ever released) in 1965 before picking up a new manager, George Cooper, who had handled major British pre-Beatles rock singers Joe Brown and Marty Wilde. In 1966 they got a contract with Pye, who put out seven singles by the group over the next couple of years without breaking them as a significant seller.
Perhaps, surprisingly given their later excursions in Man, the Bystanders were very much a pop group, giving the impression of sailing whichever way the wind was blowing, and writing little of their own material. Their early singles showed the pronounced influence of American harmony groups with high vocal lines, such as the Four Seasons, Beach Boys, and lesser known pop acts like the Happenings. In 1967 and 1968 they moved into somewhat more sophisticated, but still poppy, material that recalled the fluff of late '60s California sunshine pop. The group, which had not recorded any of their own compositions prior to 1968 (except on their debut single), finally did write their two final B-sides, which staked out a psychedelic pop direction. With the departure of singer Vic Oakley and the addition of guitarists Deke Leonard and Martin Ace (both from the Dream) in the late '60s, the Bystanders changed their name to Man and embarked on a different course. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
1 That's The End
2 This Time
3 (You're Gonna) Hurt Yourself
4 Have I Offended The Girl
5 My Love...Come Home
6 If You Walk Away
7 98.6
8 Stubborn Kind Of Fellow
9 Royal Blue Summer Sunshine Day
10 Make Up Your Mind
11 Pattern People
12 Green Grass
13 When Jesamaine Goes
14 Cave Of Clear Light
15 This World Is My World
16 Painting Time
17 Stay A Little While
18 You're Ready Now
19 Cheryls Going Home
20 Little Girl I Onve Knew, The
21 Dang Me
22 My Way Of Thinking
23 Grapevine
Review
This 23-song compilation shows a group who had the pop sensibilities and range of the Tremeloes, and who could do credible soul covers and more than decent psychedelia, but somehow never developed a distinctive sound of their own. The result is an almost dizzying array of styles, represented by eight singles that were perfectly good records but which seldom sounded like each other. The Bystanders' early sides, from 1965, were heavily Beatles-influenced, their debut recalling the Liverpool quartet's early-1963 recordings, but also displaying smooth pop hooks reminiscent of Herman's Hermits on their better singles. By the time of "Have I Offended the Girl" in 1966, they start to sound more like the early Who vocally, but the other side of the same single is the dramatic pop ballad "My Love -- Come Home," and their next single, "If You Walk Away," is somewhere midway between Unit 4+2 and Tom Jones, while their cover of "98.6" is cheerfully upbeat in a way that recalls Herman's Hermits at their most embarrassingly upbeat. And then they come up with a decent cover of "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" in 1967. Beyond that point, the group turned toward a gentle brand of psychedelic pop, represented by "Royal Blue Summer Sunshine Day," "Pattern People" (where they sound a bit like the Association), and the poppish, upbeat "Green Grass," moving into ethereal psychedelia on the sitar-laden "Cave of Clear Light." And then, just as their history as the Bystanders was coming to an end, they plunge into the Bee Gees-inspired sides "This World Is My World" and "Painting the Time" (think the trio's late-psychedelic era). This CD is filled with moments like that, little pop/rock jewels that are widely scattered and don't exactly spell out a full story of anybody, but are pretty satisfying on their own terms. The disc also includes a brace of unreleased tracks, among them a rocking cover of "Cheryl's Going Home" and interesting renditions of "The Little Girl I Once Knew" (where the harmonies intermingle well with the lean instrumental sound) and "Dang Me," plus the two prizes of the 23 songs here, "My Way of Thinking," a hard-rocking piece of U.K.-style garage rock, and "Grapevine," a blue-eyed soul classic that shows what this group was truly capable of in the way of original songs, when they aimed that high. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
Biography
One of the few Welsh bands to release records on a fairly regular basis in the mid to late '60s, the Bystanders are chiefly notable not for their own derivative music, but because they evolved into the Welsh progressive rock group Man. As the Bystanders, they managed to release eight singles in the U.K. between 1965 and 1968, competently plugging into Merseybeat, blue-eyed soul, and harmony pop trends without developing any clear vision of their own or landing any superb material. Slight psychedelic hues colored some of their final tracks, which pointed the way into more original and progressive directions that the group would embrace when it mutated into Man.
The Bystanders formed long before the dawn of Man in the South Wales town of Merthyr Tydfil in 1962. They made one Merseybeat-Four Seasons hybrid single for the independent Pylot label (in fact, it was the only record the company ever released) in 1965 before picking up a new manager, George Cooper, who had handled major British pre-Beatles rock singers Joe Brown and Marty Wilde. In 1966 they got a contract with Pye, who put out seven singles by the group over the next couple of years without breaking them as a significant seller.
Perhaps, surprisingly given their later excursions in Man, the Bystanders were very much a pop group, giving the impression of sailing whichever way the wind was blowing, and writing little of their own material. Their early singles showed the pronounced influence of American harmony groups with high vocal lines, such as the Four Seasons, Beach Boys, and lesser known pop acts like the Happenings. In 1967 and 1968 they moved into somewhat more sophisticated, but still poppy, material that recalled the fluff of late '60s California sunshine pop. The group, which had not recorded any of their own compositions prior to 1968 (except on their debut single), finally did write their two final B-sides, which staked out a psychedelic pop direction. With the departure of singer Vic Oakley and the addition of guitarists Deke Leonard and Martin Ace (both from the Dream) in the late '60s, the Bystanders changed their name to Man and embarked on a different course. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Cryan' Shames - 1967 - A Scratch In The Sky
The Cryan' Shames:
Isaac Guillory (vocals, guitar, cello, accordion, keyboards, bass guitar)
Jim Fairs (vocals, guitar, flute, bagpipe, bass guitar)
Lenny Kerley (vocals, guitar, bass guitar, tambora)
Toad (vocals, autoharp, bells)
J. C. Hooke (vocals, French horn, cowbells, tambourine)
Dennis Conroy (drums, percussion)
Just like scientists posturing the existence of an unknown particle or detecting a planet through its gravitational pull, you knew this had to exist - a Chicago psychedelic pop-rock album. Okay, maybe you did not know it, but it does exist and if you can accept the fact that the Cryan' Shames never had an original idea in their entire lives, you'll enjoy A Scratch in the Sky. The album succeeds because Fairs and new bassist Larry Kerley did a great job writing hooks, coming up with catchy melodies, and getting the group's vocal harmonies into shape. Instead of the Byrds, the Chicagoans now echoed West Coast harmony groups like the Beach Boys and the Association, as well as British psychedelia. So, the group gathered up every conceivable instrument they could play, and went on a psychedelic pop-rock binge. A Scratch in the Sky is not a masterpiece by any means, but it was more cutting edge than Paul Revere and the Raiders ever got. The band's flexibility is apparent, from happy little tunes like "The Town I'd Like to Go Back To" and the cosmopolitan "In the Cafe," to more Beach Boys influenced songs like "It Could Be We're In Love." The group had enough chops to successfully venture into more rock territory ("Sunshine Psalm" and the humorous "Dennis Dupree from Danville") and their psychedelic jams are rather, erm, pretty (the intricate "The Town I'd Like to Go Back To"). Fairs and Kerley just cranked out a pile of fine pop songs such as "A Carol for Lorelei", "In the Cafe", "Cobblestone Road" and the tripped out "The Sailing Ship," among those already mentioned, and the band's playing is credible and detailed enough to enable the Fairs/Kerley songwriting team to present all this without it coming off as crude. Sure, there is plenty of outright copying: "Mr. Unreliable" is a fine Beatles knockoff and "I Was Lonely When" is a dead-on impression of a Marty Balin led Jefferson Airplane track, and there's an unnecessary cover of the Goffin/King "Up on the Roof". Still, if you like psychedelic pop-rock (or think you might) check this out - it's rather good, even if unoriginal. (Isaac Guillory (guitar) replaced Stone as well.)
source : http://jhendrix110.tripod.com/CryanShames.html
Download It Here :
http://rapidshare.com/files/31832036/cryanshames.rar
source : http://jhendrix110.tripod.com/CryanShames.html
Download It Here :
http://rapidshare.com/files/31832036/cryanshames.rar
Labels: C, innocent76
Discolor
Label September Gurls
Released 1997
Time (minutes) 58
Musicstyle Psych Folk
Discolor is the solo project of Stefan Lienemann alias Limo of Shiny Gnomes and Fit+Limo (supported by friends on moog, cello, violin). Combination of new space travelogue with Fit+Limo folk sensibility. Songs expand into pastoral, multilayered guitar landscapes. Solar distortions, white noise acoustics, hypnotic sitar-driven Eastern Kraut dub and chamber string drones create a deeply psychedelic space trance experience. Album ends with a beautiful, haunting version of Beach Boys' "In my room." Discolor shows influences of new UK/US/NZ space rock/drone scene (FSA, Jessamine, Amp, Montgomery etc.), which in itself is influenced by Kraut Rock of the 70's, so the circle closes...
discolor_-_l.rar
Enjoy
Many Bright Things - Birds of Impossible Colour
Label Aether records
Released 1999
Musicstyle Psychedelic
Remark Limited Edition of 450
Long floating psychedelic fairytales with wailing backwards guitars, heavy tribal rhythms and beautiful female vocals...90's US psychedelic renaissance of outstanding beauty. One of the essential releases of 1999!" - Crohinga Well
http://www.myspace.com/standenski
many_bright_things-birds_.rar
Enjoy
White Noise - 1968 - An Electric Storm
Perhaps one of the most important steps to another definition of music.
This is an amazing experimental work -- way ahead of its time
"spacey, proto-electro-techno, psychedelic"
"spacey, proto-electro-techno, psychedelic"
Listen in the dark!
Listing in the 50 most mind blowing LPS of all time by Mojo magazine.
Tracks
A1 Love Without Sound 2:57
A2 My Game of Loving 3:38
A3 Here Come the Fleas 2:31
A4 Firebird 2:43
A5 Your Hidden Arms 4:25
B1 The Visitation 11:45
B2 The Black Mass-An Electric Storm in Hell 7:04
A2 My Game of Loving 3:38
A3 Here Come the Fleas 2:31
A4 Firebird 2:43
A5 Your Hidden Arms 4:25
B1 The Visitation 11:45
B2 The Black Mass-An Electric Storm in Hell 7:04
This album is an unbelievable classic from the late sixties from many listeners' point of view.
The sound signature is very dark and leaves a reliable understanding of just how powerful the physics of music can be. It leaves you to believe the sounds are unearthly and allows you to enter a temporary state of mechanic fixedness with...well, everything! In terms of physics involving sound and music, technically this album leaves a permanent vacuum of a genre as in there's no sound in a vacuum, but this album breaks that rule because this a one of a kind genre breaking album that creates and thrives in it's own vacuum of musical space. The atmosphere and sounds produced were something I think would be hard to equal today even with all the technical equipment they have now. It still gives me the shivers just to think about it. Like many others I found it difficult to listen to the Visitation and could only rarely listen to Black Mass (and NEVER alone).
An extraordinary mixture of 60's type light pop (Game of Loving), tongue-in-cheek "Here come the Fleas" and truly frightening second side (and I mean frightening! ). Nothing is simple here though. Even the so-called light stuff is infused with fabulously vivid melody/harmony. I bought this on vinyl back in the early '70's. I've yet to hear any of the subsequent albums. Get this album !
The 1968 "White Noise -- An Electric Storm"LP became the holy grail amongst collectors of 'Science Dimension' music, a staple ingredient for lovers of cosmic electronic space-rock.
White Noise was really one David Vorhaus (b,sc,dip.elec) American born, son of a black-listed film director. He avoided the draft by coming to the UK. Later he became a post graduate doing an electronics degree at the Northern Poly whilst studying classical music playing the double bass. After having attended a lecture by the group Unit Delta Plus, Vorhaus was compelled to combine his love of music with his scientific background and start making his own music. At the time Unit Delta Plus were Brian Hodgson and Delie Derbyshire who were persuaded to collaborate with Vorhaus on his early recordings whilst they continued their day jobs at the BBC's radio phonic workshop, itself a shrine to new electronic music and birthplace of the famous Dr. Who theme. After recording two tracks on a six-revox set up all synchronised by one remote control, (i.e. the mains on/off switch), Vorhaus found himslef introduced by chance to Island Records' Chris Blackwell. Chris was so captivated by the white noise experience that he shunned their appeal for a one-off singles deal and demanded that they do a whole album of material. An instant cheque for £3,000 quenched their fears about not earning a quick buck through a hit single and our band of merry pranksters set about building theur own sonic laboratiry in London's Camden Town out of 'borrowed' gear, home made gizmos and equipment more assiciated with a scince lab than a recording studio. 'Songs' took ages to build, each note being a compilation of various tape edits painstakingly stuck together. After a year Island Records became nervous and demanded a conclusion in a matter of days which, luckily, White Noise managed to pull off. The album was released in a total vacuum. Vorhaus played no gigs and did no interviews. Word of mouth over many years caused this album to sell tens of thousands of records. Like stablemates Art and Nirvana, this album remained on catalogue deep into the seventies and became the hit of many a bedroom and sicth form commonroom. Five years after its release Vorhaus made a second album on Virgin and a third in 1980 for the Pulse label. He continues to make music, a good deal for film and television work, and threatens a new album for the nineties. One album per decade is hardly a Prince-like output but when the quality is this high does it really matter?
Download Link :
White Noise was really one David Vorhaus (b,sc,dip.elec) American born, son of a black-listed film director. He avoided the draft by coming to the UK. Later he became a post graduate doing an electronics degree at the Northern Poly whilst studying classical music playing the double bass. After having attended a lecture by the group Unit Delta Plus, Vorhaus was compelled to combine his love of music with his scientific background and start making his own music. At the time Unit Delta Plus were Brian Hodgson and Delie Derbyshire who were persuaded to collaborate with Vorhaus on his early recordings whilst they continued their day jobs at the BBC's radio phonic workshop, itself a shrine to new electronic music and birthplace of the famous Dr. Who theme. After recording two tracks on a six-revox set up all synchronised by one remote control, (i.e. the mains on/off switch), Vorhaus found himslef introduced by chance to Island Records' Chris Blackwell. Chris was so captivated by the white noise experience that he shunned their appeal for a one-off singles deal and demanded that they do a whole album of material. An instant cheque for £3,000 quenched their fears about not earning a quick buck through a hit single and our band of merry pranksters set about building theur own sonic laboratiry in London's Camden Town out of 'borrowed' gear, home made gizmos and equipment more assiciated with a scince lab than a recording studio. 'Songs' took ages to build, each note being a compilation of various tape edits painstakingly stuck together. After a year Island Records became nervous and demanded a conclusion in a matter of days which, luckily, White Noise managed to pull off. The album was released in a total vacuum. Vorhaus played no gigs and did no interviews. Word of mouth over many years caused this album to sell tens of thousands of records. Like stablemates Art and Nirvana, this album remained on catalogue deep into the seventies and became the hit of many a bedroom and sicth form commonroom. Five years after its release Vorhaus made a second album on Virgin and a third in 1980 for the Pulse label. He continues to make music, a good deal for film and television work, and threatens a new album for the nineties. One album per decade is hardly a Prince-like output but when the quality is this high does it really matter?
Download Link :
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The Sopwith Camel - 1967 - The Sopwith Camel
A west coast rock band with a lot of psychedelic and sunshine pop elements.
Tracks
1. Hello, Hello
2. Frantic Desolation
3. Saga Of The Low Down Let Down
4. Little Orphan Annie
5. You Always Tell Me Baby
6. Maybe In A Dream
7. Cellophane Woman
8. Things That I Could Do With You, The
9. Walk In The Park
10. Great Morpheum, The
11. Postcard From Jamaica
12. Treadin' - (bonus track)
2. Frantic Desolation
3. Saga Of The Low Down Let Down
4. Little Orphan Annie
5. You Always Tell Me Baby
6. Maybe In A Dream
7. Cellophane Woman
8. Things That I Could Do With You, The
9. Walk In The Park
10. Great Morpheum, The
11. Postcard From Jamaica
12. Treadin' - (bonus track)
The Sopwith Camel's eponymous debut is a tepid, under-produced effort that alternates between strained pastiches of pre-World War II pop and lukewarm San Francisco folk-rock/psychedelia. "You Always Tell Me Baby" is an affecting folk-rock number, but played and produced as though it's a rehearsal demo; "Maybe in a Dream" and "Cellophane Woman" have some psychedelic guitar riffs that sound more gratuitous than inspired; and the hit "Hello, Hello" is here, although it's not really any better than most of the rest of the album. The One Way reissue adds a bonus cut with a Byrds-like guitar on "Treadin'," that counts as one of their better tracks. 
Formed in 1966, the Sopwith Camel was the second San Francisco band to be signed by a major record company right after Jefferson Airplane and before the Grateful Dead. They might also have been the first San Francisco group to break up, disbanding after only one album and a "wildly commercial" single "Hello, Hello."
The Sopwith Camel began in a San Francisco bookstore when Terry MacNeil met Peter Kraemer. Peter had been writing poetry for some time and, remembers Terry, "I met him at the Big Little Bookstore on Polk Street. He was bopping around with some lyrics he'd written. 'Well,' I told him, 'I play guitar.' We got together at a party later that evening and again the next day." A month later they decided to audition musicians for a group.
With Norman Mayell and Martin Beard the band was together and it was time to choose a name. Peter just happened to have one available. "A while earlier, I had been living at Chet Helms' house. He had a band that he was trying to launch, and we all came up with names for it. My idea was Sopwith Camel. Everybody laughed at me; they thought it was trite and dumb. Their band was finally named Big Brother and the Holding Company. Ours became the Sopwith Camel."
Because the Camel shared the same label and producer (and similar musical tastes) with the Lovin' Spoonful, most people thought they were from New York. Their friends in San Francisco groups "accused us of being sellouts. That's absurd; back in those days, we were all looking for hits. It's just that ours was the first." The Camel's big return to San Francisco met with disaster. "We were headlining over the Airplane and the Dead. The Dead did one of their long, long sets, and by the time we were on, we were only able to do three tunes before the cops pulled the plugs before curfew. We took it to be a sign of some sort."
Before that, the Camel had toured the country, appearing with the Rascals, the Rolling Stones, the Who and, of course, the Lovin' Spoonful. They even wrote and performed a couple of commercials for Levis. But finally inner frustrations disbanded the group; there wasn't even time to record an album to capitalize on "Hello, Hello." It wasn't until several months later that they got together in the studio and assembled enough tracks for an album before finally going separate ways.
Download Link :
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The Maze - 1968 - Armageddon
Rare acid psych killer by obscure San Francisco band from the late '60s.Their all-original material emphasized heavy organ, long drawn-out fuzzy guitar solos, despondent stoned vocals, and minor-key melodies.
Then as a bonus you get to hear what the band sounded like a year or two earlier on a few tracks- the two or three old songs are more folky with a femal vocalist.
Tracks
1. Armageddon
2. I'm So Sad
3. Happiness
4. Whispering Shadows
5. Kissy Face
6. Dejected Soul
7. As For Now
8. Right Time - (previously unreleased)
9. Rumours - (previously unreleased)
10. Whispering Shadows - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
11. Dejected Soul - (previously unreleased, TRUE instrumental)
12. As For Now - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
13. Kissy Face - (previously unreleased, TRUE instrumental)
2. I'm So Sad
3. Happiness
4. Whispering Shadows
5. Kissy Face
6. Dejected Soul
7. As For Now
8. Right Time - (previously unreleased)
9. Rumours - (previously unreleased)
10. Whispering Shadows - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
11. Dejected Soul - (previously unreleased, TRUE instrumental)
12. As For Now - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
13. Kissy Face - (previously unreleased, TRUE instrumental)
The Reviews
1
An obscure San Francisco-area group that cut one extremely rare album in 1968, Armageddon (recorded at Leo Kulka's Golden State Recorders, and issued on MTA), which is highly valued in some collector circles. Actually, they don't rank as a very impressive find, in fact epitomizing some of the period's least enduring excesses. They originally recorded under the name Stonehenge, with a female vocalist, before assuming their more familiar name, and left behind a good deal more than an album's worth of tracks, some of which turned up on the 1995 Sundazed CD reissue of Armageddon. Their all-original material emphasized heavy organ, long drawn-out fuzzy guitar solos, despondent stoned vocals, and minor-key melodies, somewhat in the mold of Iron Butterfly, though not as bombastic. An alternate take of "Whispering Shadows," written by Wayne Gardner-who composed all but two of the 10 songs on Armageddon, fellow members Jensen, Boyd, and Eitrreim dividing two songs between the three of them-was included on Gear Fab's 1997 Psychedelic Crown Jewels Vol. 1.
2
The Maze seek a sense of drama, with long songs, prominent organ, eerie harmonies, heavy lyrics and a singer who becomes unhinged here and there. If you're in the right mood for it, it's pretty enjoyable, especially since there are some crazed fuzz guitar breaks. One truly terrible semi-novelty song, "Kissy Face", destroys the mood, which makes the rest a little harder to take seriously. The overall effect is similar to the album by The Phantom, though the best songs here, especially "I'm So Sad", are more worthy of semi-serious respect than anything on that album. The short songs take a poppier approach, and they're reasonably good, with the one above-mentioned exception. Pretty cool, though not distinctive enough to really stand out in the genre.
Download Link : (@224 + Art Work)
Maze_-_1968.rar
Paul Roland - 1988 - Happy Families
Happy Families.rar
Gothic-psych-baroque-rocker waxing demented in a way only an Englishman can...impeccable." (Goldmine magazine, USA).
"Sublime, fabbo and very, very in. Don't get left behind." (Melody Maker, UK)
"Enigmatic gothic/baroque troubador with the psychedelic fringe" (Ptolemaic Terrascope,UK)
"For some 15 years the enigmatic Paul Roland has carved out a niche in peculiarly ornate British pop music." (Record Collector, UK)
"He must be ranked with the most creative and unique songwriters of his generation...the work of an exceptional talent." (Bucketful Of Brains, UK)
"The male Kate Bush" (Robyn Hitchcock)
"If pop music had existed in the 19th century Roland would have been a star." (Music Week, UK)
"England's popmeister and future King" (The BOB, USA)
from Paul Roland's site:
Since 1979 Paul has been spinning his bizarre tales against an evocative backdrop of rock, psychpop, folk and, occasionally, baroque strings. His most memorable character creations include a crotchety Regency magistrate, various 19th century murderers, a retired executioner, an opium addict, and an entire court of medieval grotesques. But not all his dreams are dark. Among his more whimsical creations are the eccentric characters on the largely acoustic album 'Happy Families' and its prequel 'A Cabinet of Curiosities'.
In England he is better known as a writer of mass market books on mysticism and the occult for major publishers. However, his reputation as a uniquely imaginative and consistently fascinating figure on the psych-pop circuit has substantially increased with each album. Other cult figures such as Robyn Hitchcock, Nick Saloman (Bevis Frond), Nick Nicely, and Andy Ellison (John's Children) have made guest appearances on his albums, several of which are now listed as highly collectable.
Tracks : The Curate Of Cheltenham/Journey To The Pole/Nursery Crimes/Cousin Emilia/Builder Of Follys/The Best Years Of our Lives/Aunty/Animal Crackers plus extra tracks from CD : Beau Brummel (re-recorded)/Go Down You Murderers/ I Can't Control Myself (radio session)/Captain Blood (radio session)
Happy Families released 1988 in the french label New Rose
Liner notes
Paul Roland: Vocals, Accoustic Guitar Cris Randall: Organ, Harpsichord, Bass, Keyboard Mauris Memmond: Violins, John Gallagher : Cello
Recordet at Elsewhere Studios, Kent, August 15-22 1988 Organ&Boys Chorus Recorded in the Chapell of St Trinians School for Backward Boys Canterbury, Kent
Note: Most of the songs are based on the lives of real eccentries who lived during the Victorian Period.
This is for 'Tydalwaves' who is "desperately searching for it". He has the great new blog Hidden Among The Leaves with a lot of out of print records from the 80s (and 2 or 3 Roland LPs).
Update: Gomonkeygo informed us that in his excellent Time is a Disease That Only Space Can Cure blog you can find the Happy Families album, as well as the (better) Danse Macabre album (and many other great records).
Labels: P, R, Rainy Day Sponge
Gandalf - 1969 - Gandalf
Quality: 4 out of 5
Trip-O-Meter: 4 out of 5
Gandalf is one of the more sought after pieces of late-60's vinyl. This album itself is prime 1967 psychedelia, but as you may note from the date above, a almost-two year delay (by which time the band had long since dissolved!) relagated Gandalf to obscurity. It probably didn't help that the band's name was somewhat of a misnomer anyway as the group spent 98 percent of their existence as the somewhat unfortunately named Rahgoos.
Still, the name Gandalf easily conjures up images of wizardry and songs about elves and gnomes. Strangely enough, we find none of that here. Instead, the band resembles an American version of the Zombies trapped in an acoustically superior well with a predilection towards showtunes about women's accessories ("Golden Earrings," "Scarlet Ribbons," "Tiffany Rings"). Much of the psychedelia on these cover songs involve an amazing amount of echoey reverb on the vocals. Another lynchpin of Gandalf's sound is some extensive use of the Hammond B3 organ. How much you like that particular instrument will likely influence your opinion of Gandalf.
The strange thing about Gandalf, especially for late-1967 (the recording date), is their lack of original tunes. The two present here, "Can You Travel In The Dark Alone" and "I Watch The Moon," are by no means lacking in songwriting chops. In fact they are some of the best songs here, sporting a great west coast-style (even though they were from Jersey) psych-pop structure as opposed to relying on production tricks alone for an altered sound. Apparently, the band simply didn't have enough original material. It's too bad they couldn't have spent 1968 writing and recording more instead of just waiting for the existing album to be released.
Still, Gandalf's cover selections are outstanding, and even the choices that look questionable on paper end up sounding great. Peggy Lee's hit "Golden Earrings" and "Nature Boy" from the interminably strange Eden Ahbez are transformed from what could easily be novelty numbers into dreamy, floating meditations. "Golden Earrings" in particular ended up being Gandalf's single and is probably their signature number. The band also seems to have outsourced three songs from a fellow named Tim Hardin. In fact, the lurching rhythm of "Hang On To A Dream" is an early highlight of the album. "Tiffany Rings" is the only track her which really doesn't do it for me. On this one the group seems to cross the line from mysterious into twee, which for me disturbs the flow of the album.
The album ends with a pair of deeply psychedelic rock songs. Gandalf was not really a showcase for instrumental prowess, but they were able to lock into a great groove which they take time to draw out a little more on "Me About You," and "I Watch The Moon." "I Watch The Moon" in particular is a goldmine for lovers of the Hammond B3 organ, which on the track is matched with some blazing fuzz guitar.
Also of note is the flamboyantly insane cover art. It seems to depict some kind of tripped-out butterfly god or something. The cover alone catapulted Gandalf to the top of my shopping list. The emotionless expression and yellow eyes actually scare me a little bit. The music isn't really wacked out enough to match this prime display of pop art, but it certainly catches one's attention.
Gandalf is far from the top of the 60's rock pile, but it deserves to be heard. The band managed to carve out a sound similar to the Zombies, but with enough of their own touches to keep from sounding like a knockoff.
As a side note, Gandalf 2 saw release from Sundazed early this year. Apparently, it's a collection of demos, live tracks and such, but it interestingly contains far more original songs. I'd be curious to know how the sound quality holds up on the new disc.
Buy Me:
Gandalf- Gandalf (1969)
Listen To Me:
Gandalf- Gandalf (1969)
Review from Dr. Schluss Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities:
http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Gandalf is one of the more sought after pieces of late-60's vinyl. This album itself is prime 1967 psychedelia, but as you may note from the date above, a almost-two year delay (by which time the band had long since dissolved!) relagated Gandalf to obscurity. It probably didn't help that the band's name was somewhat of a misnomer anyway as the group spent 98 percent of their existence as the somewhat unfortunately named Rahgoos.
Still, the name Gandalf easily conjures up images of wizardry and songs about elves and gnomes. Strangely enough, we find none of that here. Instead, the band resembles an American version of the Zombies trapped in an acoustically superior well with a predilection towards showtunes about women's accessories ("Golden Earrings," "Scarlet Ribbons," "Tiffany Rings"). Much of the psychedelia on these cover songs involve an amazing amount of echoey reverb on the vocals. Another lynchpin of Gandalf's sound is some extensive use of the Hammond B3 organ. How much you like that particular instrument will likely influence your opinion of Gandalf.
The strange thing about Gandalf, especially for late-1967 (the recording date), is their lack of original tunes. The two present here, "Can You Travel In The Dark Alone" and "I Watch The Moon," are by no means lacking in songwriting chops. In fact they are some of the best songs here, sporting a great west coast-style (even though they were from Jersey) psych-pop structure as opposed to relying on production tricks alone for an altered sound. Apparently, the band simply didn't have enough original material. It's too bad they couldn't have spent 1968 writing and recording more instead of just waiting for the existing album to be released.
Still, Gandalf's cover selections are outstanding, and even the choices that look questionable on paper end up sounding great. Peggy Lee's hit "Golden Earrings" and "Nature Boy" from the interminably strange Eden Ahbez are transformed from what could easily be novelty numbers into dreamy, floating meditations. "Golden Earrings" in particular ended up being Gandalf's single and is probably their signature number. The band also seems to have outsourced three songs from a fellow named Tim Hardin. In fact, the lurching rhythm of "Hang On To A Dream" is an early highlight of the album. "Tiffany Rings" is the only track her which really doesn't do it for me. On this one the group seems to cross the line from mysterious into twee, which for me disturbs the flow of the album.
The album ends with a pair of deeply psychedelic rock songs. Gandalf was not really a showcase for instrumental prowess, but they were able to lock into a great groove which they take time to draw out a little more on "Me About You," and "I Watch The Moon." "I Watch The Moon" in particular is a goldmine for lovers of the Hammond B3 organ, which on the track is matched with some blazing fuzz guitar.
Also of note is the flamboyantly insane cover art. It seems to depict some kind of tripped-out butterfly god or something. The cover alone catapulted Gandalf to the top of my shopping list. The emotionless expression and yellow eyes actually scare me a little bit. The music isn't really wacked out enough to match this prime display of pop art, but it certainly catches one's attention.
Gandalf is far from the top of the 60's rock pile, but it deserves to be heard. The band managed to carve out a sound similar to the Zombies, but with enough of their own touches to keep from sounding like a knockoff.
As a side note, Gandalf 2 saw release from Sundazed early this year. Apparently, it's a collection of demos, live tracks and such, but it interestingly contains far more original songs. I'd be curious to know how the sound quality holds up on the new disc.
Buy Me:
Gandalf- Gandalf (1969)
Listen To Me:
Gandalf- Gandalf (1969)
Review from Dr. Schluss Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities:
http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Labels: Dr. Schluss, G
Monday, May 14, 2007
Oliver - 1974 - Standing Stone
http://rapidshare.com/Oliver-_Standing_Stone.rar
Couldn't find too much info or a decent cover picture for this album. I stumbled upon this one inadvertently and it blew me away; it's a true gem of the acid-folk genre!
Here's a brief commentary from http://www.marmalade-skies.co.uk:
Recorded in 1974 on a farm in the heart of Wales, a limited vinyl edition of 'Standing Stone' recieved ecstatic reviews in 1992. 'Wholly original, pure and surrealistically sublime', drooled the NME; 'a lost gem', suggested Record Collector; 'an indispensable item in any adventurous person's collection', noted Ptolemaic Terrascope; while John Peel descibed it as 'the find of the year' on Radio One. A maelstrom of folk and acid rock with distinct Beefheartian overtones
Labels: Lanchester, O
V.A. - Wayfaring Strangers_Ladies from the Canyon
Following acclaimed compilations of obscure soul and power pop, the record collectors at Chicago's Numero Group label have turned their attention to female folk singers from the 1970s. One singer on Wayfaring Strangers: Ladies from the Canyon sounds almost exactly like Joni Mitchell. Her name is Caroline Peyton, and her "Engram" is one of the best tracks on the CD. In recent years Peyton's voice has apparently been heard in some Disney cartoons, but you'd never guess that from hearing the song. Barbara Sipple's "Song For Life" reminds me a lot of Kath Bloom, and other artists on the collection sound similar to Judee Sill and Shelagh McDonald. Aside from Ellen Warshaw, whose cover of "Sister Morphine" closes the CD, all of the singers collected here had albums on extremely small private press labels; Warshaw's album came out on Vanguard. There are a lot of pleasant and pretty songs on here, and you're not likely to find them anywhere else. [RH] (March 15, 2006) Tracks
1. A Special Path - Becky Severson
2. Cricket - Collie Ryan
3. Sunlight Shadow - Linda Rich
4. Engram - Caroline Peyton
5. And I A Fiarytale Lady - Carla Sciaky
6. Window - Judy Kelly
7. Eternal Life - Shira Small
8. Maybe In Another Year - Jennie Pearl
9. Dedication - Mary Perrin
10. With All Hands - Priscilla Quinby
11. Rain - Marj Snyder
12. Song For Life - Barbara Sipple
13. Wildman - Ginny Reilly
14. Sister Morphine - Ellen Warshaw
Enjoy !!!
Labels: JANISFARM, Various Artists
Entheogens - 1995 - The Gnostic Mass
Entheogens - 1995 - The Gnostic Mass
01 The Dance of the Priestess
02 Fire At Will
03 IO Pan!
The Gnostic Mass (XMLP-8 1995)
Recensioner:
"Two long oriental esoteric jams with sitar, flute and percussion. This is a really psychedelic party where almost all of Xotic Minds members contribute. The improvisations that were recorded at Adam Axelzons home and at the Babalon Bar in Stockholm reaches orgiastic crescendos, especially the “Io Pan”, a primordial invocation to Pan, with polyrhythmical structures that grows and grows. Reminds one of such masterpieces as “Seven Ate Sweet” or “Taxim” by the mythical Kaleidoscope (USA). The Entheogens LP is a cleansing dip in a oriental acid distortion. A kind of record you seldom see nowadays." – Rockerilla, Italy
Personal fave of LP on the label; as appealing as any US private press monster. All of the label's talent gathered for extended tribal acid oriental jams, partly recorded live. Strange cult inspiration adds an eerie vibe. Never reprinted and hard to find. Has insert. – Patrick ”The Lama”/The Lama Reviews
Medverkande musiker:
Adam Axelzon: pot drum, slagverk
Stefan Kéry: gitarr, bouzoki, sitra, kalimba, klaviatur, sång, FX
Stefan Kälfors: darboka
Lisa: flöjt
Måns Månsson: sitar, sång, FX
Anna Nyström: flöjt, sång
Anders Paulsson: bas, klaviatur
Mikael Sundström: sitar, klaviatur, tablas, sång
Patrik Unge: glockenspiel
Far East Family Band - 1975 - Nipponjin_Join Our Mental Phase Sound
Far East Family Band - 1975 - Nipponjin_Join Our Mental Phase Sound
1 Nipponjin
2 The Cave
3 Undiscovered Northern Land
4 Timeless
5 The God Of Water
6 River Of Soul
7 The God Of Wind
8 Movin' Lookin'
9 Yamato
10 Mystery Of Northern Space
- Fumio Miyashita: guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Akira Ito: keyboards
- Masanori Takahashi (Kitaro): keyboards, percussion
- Hirohito Fukushima: guitar, vocals
- Akira Fukakusa: bass
- Shizuo Takasaki: drums
http://rapidshare.com/Far_East_Family_Band_-_Nipponjin.rar
1 Nipponjin
2 The Cave
3 Undiscovered Northern Land
4 Timeless
5 The God Of Water
6 River Of Soul
7 The God Of Wind
8 Movin' Lookin'
9 Yamato
10 Mystery Of Northern Space
- Fumio Miyashita: guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Akira Ito: keyboards
- Masanori Takahashi (Kitaro): keyboards, percussion
- Hirohito Fukushima: guitar, vocals
- Akira Fukakusa: bass
- Shizuo Takasaki: drums
http://rapidshare.com/Far_East_Family_Band_-_Nipponjin.rar
Thanks Michael for this one !!!
Labels: by Friends and Visitors of this Blog, F
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Fat Mattress - 1969 - Fat Mattress
Fat Mattress was a solid, sometimes folky/woodsy, sometimes mystical rock band - very English and very stripped down, without pyrotechnics or pretensions.
Just like Clear Light and Skip Bifferty, Fat Mattress was a short lived band that made a strong impression with their great songs. With the rhythm section of Englebert Humperdinck's band and Noel Redding on guitar they put together a solid band.
There are a lot of influences at work here: Small Faces, Traffic, The Byrds, The Who. If you're gonna crib, crib from the best-it rubbed off on them because these songs are just great! Listen and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Tracks
1. All Night Drinker
2. I Don't Mind
3. Bright New Way
4. Petrol Pump Assistant
5. Mr. Moonshine
6. Magic Forest
7. She Came in the Morning
8. Everythings Blue
9. Walking Through a Garden
10. How Can I Live
BONUS TRACKS ~ Previously Unissued
11. Little Girl in White
12. Margerita
13. Which Way To Go
14. Future Days
15. Cold Wall of Stone
Fat Mattress' first album must have come as a surprise to fans expecting something at least somewhat related to the former activities of its most famous member, ex-Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding. But Fat Mattress doesn't sound at all like Jimi Hendrix (and, for that matter, Redding plays guitar on the album, not bass). Instead, it's passable, pleasant late-'60s psychedelia with a far lighter touch than the hard bluesy psychedelic rock Redding played with Hendrix. From the sound of things, Redding (who had a hand in writing much of the material) and his new cohorts were doing some heavy listening to California psychedelic rock and folk-rock, as this is far breezier and more oriented toward harmony vocals. It's often like an amalgam of the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Moby Grape, and Love, with some passing nods to British psychedelia by Traffic (whose Chris Wood plays flute on "All Night Drinker"), the Move, and the Small Faces; there's even a bit of a Monkees-go-spacy feel to "I Don't Mind." In the manner of Forever Changes-era Love, the lyrics have a fleetingly opaque feel, easy on the ear but not really about anything, save soaking up good-time vibes. The problem, at least inasmuch as playing this back to back with something like Forever Changes, is that the words and music don't penetrate nearly as deeply, or coalesce into nearly as strong a group identity. They're pleasing but indeed fleeting in their impression, lacking the indelible hooks or songwriting brilliance of their apparent inspirations, the songs tending to run together in their similar moods. All that said, this isn't a bad album at all; had it not been dismissed by many Hendrix collectors as irrelevant, it might well be getting rediscovered by revisionists and championed as a minor nugget of obscure British light psych. The 1992 reissue on Sequel adds five previously unreleased bonus tracks, undated but from the sound of things cut around the same time as the album or slightly afterward, most of them using a heavier instrumental approach.
Download Link :
fat_matress_-__st__1969_.rar
Rainbow Ffolly - Sallies Fforth (1968)
Quality: 4.5 out of 5
Trip-O-Meter: 4.5 out of 5
No, the double "f's" above are not a typo. This fleeting psych pop band from 1968 chose these strange looking words in honor of a British cartoonist named Wally Ffolks. Fortunately, and unlike many wacked out obscuro bands, these guys had the songwriting chops and atmospherics to shore up their nomenclature.
Sallies Fforth is the sole full length release from this band out of High Wycombe (can't say I know where that is, other than somewhere in England). The album is at heart a collection of demo recordings, and was put out as such by an impressed Parlophone. The only other existant track, included on the Rev-Ola CD, is a great non-LP single called "Go Girl."
The Rainbow Ffolly's musical style does stand out from the rest of the British psych-pop pack. Most bands of the era seemed to use Revolver-era Beatles, Syd Barrett, or the Yardbirds as their basic template to build a psychedelic sound. These guys seem to build their psychedelia more off of the folk-rock sound of Rubber Soul. The ballads in particular are in a distinctly McCartney-esque vein. In fact, there's a song present here called "Drive My Car," although strangely enough it's a completely different song than the Rubber Soul track of the same name.
On top of this template, the Ffolly throw on some well-done music hall touches and echo effects and then stitch the whole album together with some strange British humor and sound effect interludes. In fact the opening of the disc makes me think of the intro tracks often found on Hip-Hop albums, although markedly less funky and more British here.
Also pushing the Ffolly ahead is some great songwriting. There's not a bad song present on the album and most of it is first rate. "Drive My Car," "Hey You," "Sun Song," and "No" are phenomenal rockers. "No" benefits from a strange rubbery beat and fuzz bass, while "Drive My Car" is propulsed by a skiffle like rhythm. Even better are the ballads "Montgolfier" and "Goodbye." These have a bit of a Brazillian touch to my ear and feature perfect arrangements. The band manages some English music hall arrangements that don't come across as dorky-sounding on "I'm So Happy" and "They'm."
As mentioned earlier, Sallies Fforth is basically demo recordings. Parlophone rushed this album out much to the band's dismay. Although the recording is quite good, and much better than typical 60's demo quality, the folks in Rainbow Ffolly wanted to add some more overdubs to flesh the album out. I have to say that I'm glad Parlophone ran off with the unfinished album. I can see where the band might have added soome more stuff, but I think doing so would make Sallies Fforth far less distinctive. Many songs have a truly psychedelic, yet-sparse sound that I don't recall hearing many other places. At times it seems like a more together version of Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs.
Also of note is the tripped-out cover art. It was produced by the band and sort of makes me think of something a relatively talented high schooler would come up with. It's nicely representative of both the music insine and has a basic signifier of British psychedelia.
Those of us plunging through the depths of obscure psychedelia often have to sift through lots of dull or simply "ok" stuff to get to the real gems. Sallies Forth is the kind of disc that makes the searching worth it.
Buy Me:
Rainbow Ffolly- Sallies Fforth
Listen To Me:
Rainbow Ffolly- Sallies Fforth
Review from Dr. Schluss' Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities: http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Trip-O-Meter: 4.5 out of 5
No, the double "f's" above are not a typo. This fleeting psych pop band from 1968 chose these strange looking words in honor of a British cartoonist named Wally Ffolks. Fortunately, and unlike many wacked out obscuro bands, these guys had the songwriting chops and atmospherics to shore up their nomenclature.
Sallies Fforth is the sole full length release from this band out of High Wycombe (can't say I know where that is, other than somewhere in England). The album is at heart a collection of demo recordings, and was put out as such by an impressed Parlophone. The only other existant track, included on the Rev-Ola CD, is a great non-LP single called "Go Girl."
The Rainbow Ffolly's musical style does stand out from the rest of the British psych-pop pack. Most bands of the era seemed to use Revolver-era Beatles, Syd Barrett, or the Yardbirds as their basic template to build a psychedelic sound. These guys seem to build their psychedelia more off of the folk-rock sound of Rubber Soul. The ballads in particular are in a distinctly McCartney-esque vein. In fact, there's a song present here called "Drive My Car," although strangely enough it's a completely different song than the Rubber Soul track of the same name.
On top of this template, the Ffolly throw on some well-done music hall touches and echo effects and then stitch the whole album together with some strange British humor and sound effect interludes. In fact the opening of the disc makes me think of the intro tracks often found on Hip-Hop albums, although markedly less funky and more British here.
Also pushing the Ffolly ahead is some great songwriting. There's not a bad song present on the album and most of it is first rate. "Drive My Car," "Hey You," "Sun Song," and "No" are phenomenal rockers. "No" benefits from a strange rubbery beat and fuzz bass, while "Drive My Car" is propulsed by a skiffle like rhythm. Even better are the ballads "Montgolfier" and "Goodbye." These have a bit of a Brazillian touch to my ear and feature perfect arrangements. The band manages some English music hall arrangements that don't come across as dorky-sounding on "I'm So Happy" and "They'm."
As mentioned earlier, Sallies Fforth is basically demo recordings. Parlophone rushed this album out much to the band's dismay. Although the recording is quite good, and much better than typical 60's demo quality, the folks in Rainbow Ffolly wanted to add some more overdubs to flesh the album out. I have to say that I'm glad Parlophone ran off with the unfinished album. I can see where the band might have added soome more stuff, but I think doing so would make Sallies Fforth far less distinctive. Many songs have a truly psychedelic, yet-sparse sound that I don't recall hearing many other places. At times it seems like a more together version of Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs.
Also of note is the tripped-out cover art. It was produced by the band and sort of makes me think of something a relatively talented high schooler would come up with. It's nicely representative of both the music insine and has a basic signifier of British psychedelia.
Those of us plunging through the depths of obscure psychedelia often have to sift through lots of dull or simply "ok" stuff to get to the real gems. Sallies Forth is the kind of disc that makes the searching worth it.
Buy Me:
Rainbow Ffolly- Sallies Fforth
Listen To Me:
Rainbow Ffolly- Sallies Fforth
Review from Dr. Schluss' Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities: http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Labels: Dr. Schluss, R
Sagittarius - The Blue Marble (1969)
Quality: 3.5 out of 5
Trip-O-Meter: 3.5 out of 5
Although Sagittarius' first album Present Tense has gained somewhat of a reputation over the years, The Blue Marble remains largely unknown. The album debuted on the fledgeling Together Records, which unfortunately folded shortly after the release of this record and forced the music into a nose dive into obscurity. This is quite a shame as The Blue Marble features some great sunshine pop and is a worthy follow up to Present Tense.
Present Tense is more of a peaks and valleys record. While some songs there make me cringe, the high points are among the best that 60's music has to offer. The Blue Marble is a lot more consistant. There's nothing here with the punch of "My World Fell Down," but we are spared another "Musty Dusty."
The Blue Marble seems to have Gary Usher firmly in the driver's seat. Whereas Present Tense ended up having Curt Boettcher working practically as a collaborator, he appears here with only one songwriting credit, three production credits, and a smattering of vocals. Usher wrote a good 80% percent of The Blue Marble, five of them alone.
Usher really was one of the best producers in the late 60's, and that is apparent here with awesome multi-track layering and some tasteful use of the Moog synthesizer. The pitfall on The Blue Marble is that the songwriting tends not to stand out very much. Still, nothing here is embarrassing, and the lyrics aren't too bad.
The lead off track here is a "cover" of the Beach Boys' "In My Room." Since Usher co-wrote the song with Brian Wilson, I'd say he has full rights to play with it, and does so here recasting it in an almost Smile-like baroque-pop arrangement. On "From You To Us," we hear a ripping Moog bass-line, and I'd say if The Blue Marble has one major improvement over Present Tense, it would be in Usher's use of this synth. In fact, I don't recall the Moog being used in a better manner on any other 60's pop album. On the title track the Moog provides an really cool atmospheric atmosphere, while it makes for a nice retro-futuristic lead on "Lend Me A Smile."
It's really hard to choose highlights here as there's an extremely consistant, although far from dull sound. The closing track, "Cloud Track," could speak for the entire album as it's a pretty dreamy affair. The bonus section on my disc provides a few singles and alternate versions, but it does serve up a should-have-been-standout track with "Navajo Girl." There's a nice wall of sound present and the track almost rocks (as much as sunshine pop is going to). It recalls something like the Beach Boys' "Darlin'." The lyrics do seem a touch un-PC in the modern world however.
My 2001 CD reissue mostly does justice to Usher's production and crystaline arrangements. The album does seem to have a touch of vinyl noise here and there, so I'm pretty sure the master tapes were not available for remasering. The bonus tracks are in a too-compressed mono, but they're stilll quite listenable. It is a shame this album remains unknown as it is a sparkling example of sunshine pop.
Buy Me:
The Blue Marble
Listen To Me:
The Blue Marble
Review from Dr. Schluss' Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities: http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Trip-O-Meter: 3.5 out of 5
Although Sagittarius' first album Present Tense has gained somewhat of a reputation over the years, The Blue Marble remains largely unknown. The album debuted on the fledgeling Together Records, which unfortunately folded shortly after the release of this record and forced the music into a nose dive into obscurity. This is quite a shame as The Blue Marble features some great sunshine pop and is a worthy follow up to Present Tense.
Present Tense is more of a peaks and valleys record. While some songs there make me cringe, the high points are among the best that 60's music has to offer. The Blue Marble is a lot more consistant. There's nothing here with the punch of "My World Fell Down," but we are spared another "Musty Dusty."
The Blue Marble seems to have Gary Usher firmly in the driver's seat. Whereas Present Tense ended up having Curt Boettcher working practically as a collaborator, he appears here with only one songwriting credit, three production credits, and a smattering of vocals. Usher wrote a good 80% percent of The Blue Marble, five of them alone.
Usher really was one of the best producers in the late 60's, and that is apparent here with awesome multi-track layering and some tasteful use of the Moog synthesizer. The pitfall on The Blue Marble is that the songwriting tends not to stand out very much. Still, nothing here is embarrassing, and the lyrics aren't too bad.
The lead off track here is a "cover" of the Beach Boys' "In My Room." Since Usher co-wrote the song with Brian Wilson, I'd say he has full rights to play with it, and does so here recasting it in an almost Smile-like baroque-pop arrangement. On "From You To Us," we hear a ripping Moog bass-line, and I'd say if The Blue Marble has one major improvement over Present Tense, it would be in Usher's use of this synth. In fact, I don't recall the Moog being used in a better manner on any other 60's pop album. On the title track the Moog provides an really cool atmospheric atmosphere, while it makes for a nice retro-futuristic lead on "Lend Me A Smile."
It's really hard to choose highlights here as there's an extremely consistant, although far from dull sound. The closing track, "Cloud Track," could speak for the entire album as it's a pretty dreamy affair. The bonus section on my disc provides a few singles and alternate versions, but it does serve up a should-have-been-standout track with "Navajo Girl." There's a nice wall of sound present and the track almost rocks (as much as sunshine pop is going to). It recalls something like the Beach Boys' "Darlin'." The lyrics do seem a touch un-PC in the modern world however.
My 2001 CD reissue mostly does justice to Usher's production and crystaline arrangements. The album does seem to have a touch of vinyl noise here and there, so I'm pretty sure the master tapes were not available for remasering. The bonus tracks are in a too-compressed mono, but they're stilll quite listenable. It is a shame this album remains unknown as it is a sparkling example of sunshine pop.
Buy Me:
The Blue Marble
Listen To Me:
The Blue Marble
Review from Dr. Schluss' Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities: http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Labels: Dr. Schluss, S
Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends (1968)
Quality: 4 out of 5
Trip-O-Meter: 1.5 out of 5
Sunshine pop does not necessarily equate to psychedelic as this 1968 release attests. It's an odd disc that often earns favorable comparisons to Pet Sounds but in the end remains pretty square. If Laurence Welk ever tried to bring out a rockin' group to show he was "hep and with it," these folks must have been on the top of his list. And if my grandmother could still hear, I'd have no problem playing this one for her. This is not the place to look for anything that would be considered experiementation, but the sound is as sundrenched as anything you'd expect from A&M Records and Herb Alpert's guidance in the 60's.
Even without any particularly new sounds, Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends is a high quality product that takes more attitude from the Sinatra dominated era of pop than the rock age. The arrangements here use a little bit of electricity and occasionally louder drums, but once the tight harmonies are in full effect, the songs tend to resemble a really good toothpaste commercial. The production is top flight and often has a dreamy sheen (hence the 1.5 on the Trip-O-Meter).
Roger Nichols carved out most of his career as a songwriter, penning Carpenters' hits such as "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days And Sundays." For a few years in the 60's he teamed with siblings Murray and Melinda MacLeod for a vocal duo that must have been in it's element in a slightly more upscale Holiday Inn lounge.
Fortunately on this album he cowrote four songs with Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds lyricist Tony Asher and the songs have a little more depth than I usually associate with such breezy pop. Still, don't expect anything close to the emotional whallop of Pet Sounds. There are a few more original numbers present, along with a slew of covers, including two Lennon/McCartney songs, two Lovin' Spoonful tracks, and one composition each from Burt Bacharach and Goffin/King. They do a pretty good job fitting all these songs into their signature sound, and I don't come off wishing that they'd included more original material. The Beatles songs in particular include a fine version of "With A Little Help From My Friends" (I certainly enjoy it more than Joe Cocker's version) and a rendition of "I'll Be Back" which includes an original and unexpected tag at the tail end of the song. In fact, it's my favorite moment on the album.
The Rev-Ola reissue includes 8 bonus tracks and makes a pretty nice addition to the set. We get two mono single versions of songs on the proper album while the other tracks are proper outtakes and obscure tracks. They maintain the consistancy of the album with the exception of the completely stupid "St. Bernie The Sno-Dog." But can one really expect much from a song with that title?
This is properly acknowledged as a sunshine pop classic, but don't expect any psychedelia here. The 5th Dimension sound like Captain Beefheart compared to these folks. But Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends is immaculately produced, almost sickeningly consistant, and is a good place to seek out the breezy A&M sound of the 60's.
Buy Me:
Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends
Listen To Me:
Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends
Review from Dr. Schluss' Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities:
http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Trip-O-Meter: 1.5 out of 5
Sunshine pop does not necessarily equate to psychedelic as this 1968 release attests. It's an odd disc that often earns favorable comparisons to Pet Sounds but in the end remains pretty square. If Laurence Welk ever tried to bring out a rockin' group to show he was "hep and with it," these folks must have been on the top of his list. And if my grandmother could still hear, I'd have no problem playing this one for her. This is not the place to look for anything that would be considered experiementation, but the sound is as sundrenched as anything you'd expect from A&M Records and Herb Alpert's guidance in the 60's.
Even without any particularly new sounds, Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends is a high quality product that takes more attitude from the Sinatra dominated era of pop than the rock age. The arrangements here use a little bit of electricity and occasionally louder drums, but once the tight harmonies are in full effect, the songs tend to resemble a really good toothpaste commercial. The production is top flight and often has a dreamy sheen (hence the 1.5 on the Trip-O-Meter).
Roger Nichols carved out most of his career as a songwriter, penning Carpenters' hits such as "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days And Sundays." For a few years in the 60's he teamed with siblings Murray and Melinda MacLeod for a vocal duo that must have been in it's element in a slightly more upscale Holiday Inn lounge.
Fortunately on this album he cowrote four songs with Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds lyricist Tony Asher and the songs have a little more depth than I usually associate with such breezy pop. Still, don't expect anything close to the emotional whallop of Pet Sounds. There are a few more original numbers present, along with a slew of covers, including two Lennon/McCartney songs, two Lovin' Spoonful tracks, and one composition each from Burt Bacharach and Goffin/King. They do a pretty good job fitting all these songs into their signature sound, and I don't come off wishing that they'd included more original material. The Beatles songs in particular include a fine version of "With A Little Help From My Friends" (I certainly enjoy it more than Joe Cocker's version) and a rendition of "I'll Be Back" which includes an original and unexpected tag at the tail end of the song. In fact, it's my favorite moment on the album.
The Rev-Ola reissue includes 8 bonus tracks and makes a pretty nice addition to the set. We get two mono single versions of songs on the proper album while the other tracks are proper outtakes and obscure tracks. They maintain the consistancy of the album with the exception of the completely stupid "St. Bernie The Sno-Dog." But can one really expect much from a song with that title?
This is properly acknowledged as a sunshine pop classic, but don't expect any psychedelia here. The 5th Dimension sound like Captain Beefheart compared to these folks. But Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends is immaculately produced, almost sickeningly consistant, and is a good place to seek out the breezy A&M sound of the 60's.
Buy Me:
Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends
Listen To Me:
Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends
Review from Dr. Schluss' Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities:
http://psychedelicobscurities.blogspot.com/
Labels: Dr. Schluss, N, R, S
Shocking Blue - 20 Greatest Hits
Dutch Power-Pop PioneersA great collection of some of the most appreciated Shocking Blue recordings. All their hit singles are here, as well as lesser known songs from their various albums, recorded in the first halt of the 1970`s.
Though "Venus" was their only international hit, a lot of these songs had the same potentials. Songs like "Never Marry a Railroad Man", "Mighty Joe", "Dream on Dreamer", or "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" could have been equally big hits, had the wind blown in the Shocking Blue direction, when they were released.
Guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen had an unique skill for writing catchy pop-rock tunes, and their music still sounds fresh and appealing today.
The arrangements are mostly the classical bass, guitar and drums line-up, with occasional piano or saxophones.
They never fell into the trap of overproducing their records, like many of their contemporaries. I guess this is one of the reasons that they have aged so well.
This is a must buy for any fan of melodic power-pop.Labels: innocent76, S
