tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82110857465655040042024-03-18T06:20:59.436-06:00Unencumbered Music ReviewsPurple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.comBlogger3217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-64714458587066591592024-03-16T04:57:00.002-06:002024-03-16T04:58:49.765-06:00LP Roundup Vol. 5.3<p>Recent acquisitions:</p><p>In the last month, I picked up a few albums for low prices around town and in Pueblo. Mostly to resell at the record show, but maybe a gem will reveal itself for the collection. More to come.</p><p>Golden Earring - Switch. 1975 MCA / Track. Ever since college, I've been curious as to what the Golden Earring albums sounded like after Moontan. This isn't what I expected. A rather mundane set of eclectic rock tunes without much consistency. Nor hooks. It does get better on Side 2, but only enough to take into the good category. Wasted opportunity.</p><p>Uriah Heep - Head First. 1983 Mercury. Kind of the same idea as Golden Earring, I'm curious what Uriah Heep was up to after 1974. I had owned Fallen Angel prior (1978) and thought it was very mediocre. I hear Head First better than that title, but it's clearly not in my wheelhouse either. Another wasted opportunity, Uriah Heep came from the same hard rock royalty as other early 70s bands, and thus was positioned to capitalize on the burgeoning metal movement. Or they could just pander for FM radio time. They chose that route, and were both artistic and commercial flops. They have a good sound here, but the songwriting is mostly mediocre. If the 2009 Sweden live album is a barometer (which I reported on a couple of years back), it would appear Uriah Heep rebounded nicely. Too late for critical acclaim and financial fortune, but good enough for the oldies hard rock / prog circuit.</p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2014/12/dies-irae-first-1971-germany.html" target="_blank">Dies Irae - First</a> (OK, not local nor cheap, this was a mail order acquisition from Europe).</p><p>Revisits:</p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/12/major-surgery-first-cut-1977-england.html" target="_blank">Major Surgery - The First Cut</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2023/04/spontaneous-combustion-triad-1972.html" target="_blank">Spontaneous Combustion - Triad</a></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-63373373505237782612024-03-13T05:33:00.001-06:002024-03-13T05:33:52.222-06:00St. Elmo's Fire - Artifacts of Passion. 2001 USA-Iowa<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIA25X6SBJ4bSAR2bhXO3_fu8sKTKdRd90oz-wyXiCZik4QkUrnb_sJQXYIh8JwekJZg2w1yPiP23oG1yf5dNKdH6oEgvQEBa14waXg6ytKzXMPezZN2z7ilBPs_s2eYcViCdGAvgtdozvbGx7OnvnOsjSA6MkMJ_pcxKi5SdUpZ0ivAmoHWkJI-lQ-eDR/s504/R-5669204-1399458900-7456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIA25X6SBJ4bSAR2bhXO3_fu8sKTKdRd90oz-wyXiCZik4QkUrnb_sJQXYIh8JwekJZg2w1yPiP23oG1yf5dNKdH6oEgvQEBa14waXg6ytKzXMPezZN2z7ilBPs_s2eYcViCdGAvgtdozvbGx7OnvnOsjSA6MkMJ_pcxKi5SdUpZ0ivAmoHWkJI-lQ-eDR/s320/R-5669204-1399458900-7456.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br />Four months ago, for Groovector's Ultramarine, I wrote: ""I have quite a few albums in the collection that I'm most excited to hear - many of them I anticipate are better than I have them rated. This is yet another album I haven't heard since it first came out. So 22 years later we have our second visit." - Part 2. In fact I think this was in the exact same CD order with the Hamadryad album that makes up the above quote."<p></p><p>Make that Part 3. For whatever reason there's a part of my collection from 2001 I never revisited. Artifacts of Passion represents a reunion effort, as it were, with mostly reworked versions of older compositions going back to the late 70s and early 80s. A couple of these made the Live at Cleveland Agora EP, but even those tracks are much different here. Though a modern recording in 2001, one could almost view this as an archival release. The sounds are pure analog, and it's as if the prior 20 years didn't happen. Plenty of mellotron and violin to offset the usual rock based instrumentation. Their music is very much a product of the American Midwest and overtures to King Crimson, Genesis, and Yes are apparent. The album is mostly instrumental with the exception of 'The Nemo Syndrome'. Artifacts of Passion is one of those albums that slipped through the cracks of time, but is a fine representation of the type of American progressive rock that existed in the late 70s.</p><p>Ownership: CD: 2001 Sprawling Productions. Jewel case with recording details and historical references. My copy came with two postcards, one signed by band leader Paul Kollar.</p><p>2001; 3/12/24 (new entry)</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-34011609438707251962024-03-12T05:06:00.002-06:002024-03-16T05:01:33.330-06:00Satin Whale - Desert Places. 1974 Germany<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvJTvi9zUxYSA4Lz7PC9wFKv79UYFmt-vceb4syQE5UgnukMg-wWvZERj7XMgz95L0LMZ0nTeAiimBIMboko0p6FJlWlKMTW44JtNSc64gSigFyyRKuWGzep6pE8dPz2Mk05NvNJb52FHQhbDGfBtoomuDy0QN9i3OZt-kAh0zNJYvnTlMfkfDHLrfFLf/s600/R-1022012-1366558155-9382.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvJTvi9zUxYSA4Lz7PC9wFKv79UYFmt-vceb4syQE5UgnukMg-wWvZERj7XMgz95L0LMZ0nTeAiimBIMboko0p6FJlWlKMTW44JtNSc64gSigFyyRKuWGzep6pE8dPz2Mk05NvNJb52FHQhbDGfBtoomuDy0QN9i3OZt-kAh0zNJYvnTlMfkfDHLrfFLf/s320/R-1022012-1366558155-9382.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Though I've owned Desert Places for 35 years, have rated it a Gnosis 13/5 stars, and the album was a charter member of the CDRWL, I never penned any notes about it. Desert Places is one of those rare albums that ticks all the prog rock boxes, and yet doesn't really sound like anyone else. The melodic quotient is higher than most, and their compositional approach is different, but not radical. The key ingredient here is that Satin Whale has an uncanny ability to groove, most evident on songs such as 'Seasons of Life' and 'Remember'. This is head bobbin' music. The band manages to go from one idea to another seamlessly, while never losing sight of the song or the rhythm. It's an agreeable sound, the type that makes it an ideal place to teach others about the beauty of progressive rock. In this way, they remind me of early Caravan, though this isn't Canterbury styled music. Other guideposts from Germany would be Eiliff and Twenty Sixty Six and Then. Not a minute wasted here. A gem of an album.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXvpaohzMQLkC_iG2gJnK_p4s_QDRUfo-bjpduFjWxW79FTbYWjhUFbXC009UUacXpA_CC_DqX9ZA-sWgufdmmHHCjUqsU7ru7Uir7NdqoeRMDfXdgpetn9S1yMyytAdZtylRoHlrE4IgLl9egKc_7O_dVwh-kTHLW_L5DFWIsqadjBgrMTaENsITS9oz/s600/R-1022012-1366558154-3487.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXvpaohzMQLkC_iG2gJnK_p4s_QDRUfo-bjpduFjWxW79FTbYWjhUFbXC009UUacXpA_CC_DqX9ZA-sWgufdmmHHCjUqsU7ru7Uir7NdqoeRMDfXdgpetn9S1yMyytAdZtylRoHlrE4IgLl9egKc_7O_dVwh-kTHLW_L5DFWIsqadjBgrMTaENsITS9oz/s320/R-1022012-1366558154-3487.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ownership: LP: 1974 Brain. Single sleeve. Green label. Acquired at the Mad Platter in Springfield, Missouri while passing through (1989).<p></p><p>CD: 2023 Made in Germany. 5xCD (The Studio Albums 1974-1981). Contains their first five albums in full with liner notes in German. Pity about this latter fact, as I'm sure many around the world would like to know their history. English translations are common and expected, so that's a disappointment.</p><p>Finally, after all these years, Desert Places received a CD reissue. It seems insane that it took this long. That leaves only the Gash album as the last classic green Brain album to not have been released on CD (legally). And the RMO albums... Maybe MiG will take care of those as well.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMqoib7mB46HMygmilpTKk5mxKSZnMr-SaHysPpwy7J4V3bdTABv8A0kURzbGWGklr7R5wkoOd4ZNMlWEhVwltwAzA_Swl_42tPt1m_36mEVhCho-dIAyYvwS_Bdvcb7GwllABuBRDEEwlrFvGBvf1ODnJMtU-8sEElUfONBpIkprRVj-dxLxDjjQ5M7v/s600/R-1022012-1366558169-8243.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMqoib7mB46HMygmilpTKk5mxKSZnMr-SaHysPpwy7J4V3bdTABv8A0kURzbGWGklr7R5wkoOd4ZNMlWEhVwltwAzA_Swl_42tPt1m_36mEVhCho-dIAyYvwS_Bdvcb7GwllABuBRDEEwlrFvGBvf1ODnJMtU-8sEElUfONBpIkprRVj-dxLxDjjQ5M7v/s320/R-1022012-1366558169-8243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />5/22/89; 1995; 3/11/24 (new entry)<p></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-36234174058044517942024-03-09T16:04:00.001-07:002024-03-09T16:04:45.270-07:00Camel - Rain Dances. 1977 England<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiXlGjmMn_Nd1UBkSau58dHmBiCjajU9AEzXlmpNZ9_F9H2Ih59ByL4UkPmcnAZGYJf8jxeoHww1UNvmuNL4wD8w-GtdkQbMyIKGSVMDU04Iam7w4En_n0h30FzyxSutx8tPrwDbpVZw1bZwUsHGUMuwkrZAo2AltRlIaExUldV1_cc-91C2ZufFOKZ1M/s598/R-411145-1352743942-7187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="598" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiXlGjmMn_Nd1UBkSau58dHmBiCjajU9AEzXlmpNZ9_F9H2Ih59ByL4UkPmcnAZGYJf8jxeoHww1UNvmuNL4wD8w-GtdkQbMyIKGSVMDU04Iam7w4En_n0h30FzyxSutx8tPrwDbpVZw1bZwUsHGUMuwkrZAo2AltRlIaExUldV1_cc-91C2ZufFOKZ1M/s320/R-411145-1352743942-7187.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Rain Dances, Camel's 5th album, is where Camel wandered over the line from all-in progressive rock to that of AOR/FM music. Well sort of. They could be considered what is now known as Yacht Rock, or even more to the point, Yacht Prog. So yes, you can place Camel now in the company of Fruupp, Kestrel, Sebastian Hardie, and the rest of them. Latimer gives the game away on the back cover, though they are a bit scruffy to allow on the boat it would seem. Maybe they can work in the steam room?<p></p><p>If we're honest, Camel had always leaned in to the melodic side of the house. Herky-jerky rhythms and impossible compositions were never their forte. They just mastered their craft better here. And I have to think Latimer spent a little time digesting some of Santana's guitar licks before heading into the studio. Adding Canterbury stalwart Richard Sinclair was the right move at the right time. One of the few British singers who actually sounds like he lives there, his soothing tone is perfect for the soundscapes Camel are painting. There are a couple of overt plays for radio that didn't really stick (I can't recall ever hearing Camel on the radio growing up in the late 70s), but they aren't soaked in saccharine pathetic whining, like so many of their peers were prone to do. They were to dive deeper into these waters on the also excellent Breathless, but even more brazenly commercial than here. The deal is, Camel were just damned good songwriters and musicians, so they were able to pull it off. I'd submit much better than Genesis did, though the latter clearly captured the corporate market far better. There's no accounting for good taste, now is there?</p><p>Ownership: CD: Deram (later pressing of 1991 edition). Jewel box reissue with a fine historical retrospective and one single edit bonus track.</p><p>The CD above was my introduction to Rain Dances (2004). Of course the LP was easily available in the middle 80s when I first started crate digging for prog albums. Based on the cover, song lengths, and year, I just presumed this was a pop album, which wasn't uncommon. I was to be proved wrong. I did finally buy the LP during the pandemic at a record show. But given I have no history with it on vinyl, the CD easily won the battle. The LP goes to the next record show with me.</p><p>2004; 6/14/20; 3/9/24 (new entry)</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-81334589986230309312024-03-08T14:08:00.002-07:002024-03-08T14:08:39.692-07:00Bella Band. 1978 Italy<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97tk6sjdMRpF9AYXRZcAetffKJklF88o56XXSBzpgf_f88sBhYmWPUw376mtCK0qRRT9tlovHG-o9TEHVQLUo4DlfKfZteHMMgDI-bsHgR0YAESml4TPBrMk71iuUA8CUJ8epSxJoHj6T_hbchrBrfqtgAbm36-j4Zz_bMDoASGXupjhtEKTo3PAh28Tu/s350/R-2724423-1304824206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97tk6sjdMRpF9AYXRZcAetffKJklF88o56XXSBzpgf_f88sBhYmWPUw376mtCK0qRRT9tlovHG-o9TEHVQLUo4DlfKfZteHMMgDI-bsHgR0YAESml4TPBrMk71iuUA8CUJ8epSxJoHj6T_hbchrBrfqtgAbm36-j4Zz_bMDoASGXupjhtEKTo3PAh28Tu/s320/R-2724423-1304824206.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Bella Band's sole album is always better than I think it is. Part of that thought process is the album was originally on Cramps, so my mind immediately goes to avant prog, and conclude it's more arty than I tend to prefer. But that's not the case at all. Bella Band is an all instrumental high energy jazz rock with saxophone, Clavinet, Rhodes, fiery guitar, and a busy rhythm section. Melody is front and center at all times. I'm most reminded of early Passport, when they were at their peak of rock creativity (Second Passport in particular). Less slick than the 1978 date infers. <p></p><p>Ownership: CD: 1994 Mercury / Cramps. Jewel box with no extras. </p><p>The first copy I owned was the original LP (1992). It was an early casualty of my CD replacement program (1995). At this point, I'm fine either way, but if a clean and reasonably priced LP is floated my way, I'll swap back since the CD offers little else.</p><p>1992; 1995; 2009; 3/8/24 (new entry)</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-4719500930602026802024-03-03T06:28:00.001-07:002024-03-03T06:28:26.019-07:00Catharsis (Volume II "Les Chevrons"). 1972 France<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCHRKft9KA2MfLngVZTPQMSd82SHmdpV2_gABhJoL4BwOfPxhbffQcBD0MPUSq67MrReyspHWBK2VcIU0tBxvPz_2BltcdG74v0Nfz_nKtDQAnyIUnyeAGESeJlpKMpLpG-LYKvUgSG3yWiAoWRxsvq_OcNgnK2uTwbn_p7QfllBE_e3lMVgH-UVj3jV5/s600/R-3424070-1441215065-5722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCHRKft9KA2MfLngVZTPQMSd82SHmdpV2_gABhJoL4BwOfPxhbffQcBD0MPUSq67MrReyspHWBK2VcIU0tBxvPz_2BltcdG74v0Nfz_nKtDQAnyIUnyeAGESeJlpKMpLpG-LYKvUgSG3yWiAoWRxsvq_OcNgnK2uTwbn_p7QfllBE_e3lMVgH-UVj3jV5/s320/R-3424070-1441215065-5722.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Catharsis' second album is quite simply music for liquid light shows. Head music as they would call it back in the day. I found this to be an improvement from their debut Masq. The instrumental psychedelic rock music of Les Chevrons is more compact, and demonstrate more compositional quality than the strictly atmospheric Masq. The title track, with its haunting organ melody, is particularly memorable. This isn't meant to be challenging prog music. Kick back, digest your beverage of choice, and let the music take you to new places you haven't been. Or at least enjoy the slide projector...<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcndNtpW7XeKIm6EAvq1mKikrtuwAM5gYLZmpEn7ZawzMafqR5Qu_qW0A8m83Fs6dvr7QClWI_-YaJv_LKyBNy_Qn_EL6XxW4oSdolK9w1epZSVmZDqrAPZc9yrVp8yJRBXRzpbwYJ8xHlnWiojNRIikpPMI24dUx42nIPmzDvAmakZU2ONxRvCyssKO0k/s600/R-3424070-1441215065-7536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcndNtpW7XeKIm6EAvq1mKikrtuwAM5gYLZmpEn7ZawzMafqR5Qu_qW0A8m83Fs6dvr7QClWI_-YaJv_LKyBNy_Qn_EL6XxW4oSdolK9w1epZSVmZDqrAPZc9yrVp8yJRBXRzpbwYJ8xHlnWiojNRIikpPMI24dUx42nIPmzDvAmakZU2ONxRvCyssKO0k/s320/R-3424070-1441215065-7536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ownership: LP: 1975 Festival. Gatefold. Acquired from a mail order dealer in France (1994).<p></p><p>CD: 1990 Griffe. Includes all of Masq and 3 different tunes from various singles.</p><p>Three of the early Catharsis albums were self-titled, so when Festival reissued their early albums in 1975, they appended titles to them. Those names stuck, as that's how most collectors refer to their albums by. Catharsis were a relatively popular band in their day with 6 albums and 13 singles, not counting the many collaborations they were involved in.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccioxqxBIVocJFrRW0CQ_acB8HPirj6KzDNpDdqVsqgvb-jCfCHRHQgodbtx8mb4L2dhdTPic5Pzp6VCoYeoMUDIe5A5xm6ifueqxZSVKhLnGExQ-uL8bQpjxakMpwoSSY6PjoQaKmkPloBVGJmgWss2fDPLZu_5kJX5cYtTZzd9uIARmgV-4CWDCvXjv/s600/R-3424070-1441215065-7140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccioxqxBIVocJFrRW0CQ_acB8HPirj6KzDNpDdqVsqgvb-jCfCHRHQgodbtx8mb4L2dhdTPic5Pzp6VCoYeoMUDIe5A5xm6ifueqxZSVKhLnGExQ-uL8bQpjxakMpwoSSY6PjoQaKmkPloBVGJmgWss2fDPLZu_5kJX5cYtTZzd9uIARmgV-4CWDCvXjv/s320/R-3424070-1441215065-7140.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />1994; 4/3/13; 3/2/24 (new entry)<p></p><p><br /></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-52391633748488408142024-03-02T12:53:00.006-07:002024-03-02T12:53:50.557-07:00The Masters of Deceit - Hensley's Electric Jazz Band & Synthetic Symphonette. 1969 USA-Indiana<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23vC6ZgEtrLLc7JpgrBU37F5X74pfBB1EDE9-WGPHPPKME1JYLPHmv6a2RRiXUGGmbaQkDMhanNc_G6kQ2Goi765-ASy5q4TEwaODLWEfxvn87gZtkv7IkCNvAw62jlpHC2tj6jzqsNPRiPR9cFedZVRcRTQFlP4yjE8fmiCydenfGjbVEPlLGkvjMjRx/s527/R-4001036-1351925316-6890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="522" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23vC6ZgEtrLLc7JpgrBU37F5X74pfBB1EDE9-WGPHPPKME1JYLPHmv6a2RRiXUGGmbaQkDMhanNc_G6kQ2Goi765-ASy5q4TEwaODLWEfxvn87gZtkv7IkCNvAw62jlpHC2tj6jzqsNPRiPR9cFedZVRcRTQFlP4yjE8fmiCydenfGjbVEPlLGkvjMjRx/s320/R-4001036-1351925316-6890.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br />The Masters of Deceit's sole album is yet another wonder from the interior of America, in this case Indiana. When hearing Hensley's Electric Jazz Band & Synthetic Symphonette, the first thought that comes to mind is Soft Machine's debut, an album they must've digested before heading to the studio. As with the origins of Canterbury, The Masters of Deceit are heavily influenced by both jazz and psychedelic, but their music squarely belongs to the early days of progressive rock. Plenty of jazz psych jams and whimsical tunes featuring clavinet, vintage organ, and electric guitar. The rhythms are distinctly from the jazz school. File alongside The United States of America, Listening, After All, Brimstone, The Spoils of War, and other pioneering American prog groups.<p></p><p>Ownership: CD: 2001 Vanguard / Comet. Stiff Karmapak textured gatefold.</p><p>This is one of those albums I keep hoping to find in the wilds, but never do. Though in this case, the CD is just as rare and expensive, as it remains the only pressing. But if I ever do score a copy, I'll probably swap them out. Of course I can mail order for it, but that isn't any fun. I bought the CD 21 years ago, and didn't hear it again until last night and this morning.</p><p>2003; 3/2/24 (new entry)</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-29005695167711487212024-03-02T06:06:00.005-07:002024-03-08T16:49:26.619-07:00Libra - Musica e Parole. 1975 Italy<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqstfjRCZlmAKMfBoracNIdovUKWmBuqC1hlkioQvUWDfMtPhx_GMBDnwPql2BJ3hdqAOVB_tzW62c8PvVbEu1xAmXLcleUWgCZsCNiGARJVYqnD7jcJeXhfMd9Qt1nI7tArSxarRacQpNuj1zxQ7f2SNF87Oxb4QodlLJAmItx8dKH1vxoXf2mvEzc2V/s600/R-1373273-1445271810-2354.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="600" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqstfjRCZlmAKMfBoracNIdovUKWmBuqC1hlkioQvUWDfMtPhx_GMBDnwPql2BJ3hdqAOVB_tzW62c8PvVbEu1xAmXLcleUWgCZsCNiGARJVYqnD7jcJeXhfMd9Qt1nI7tArSxarRacQpNuj1zxQ7f2SNF87Oxb4QodlLJAmItx8dKH1vxoXf2mvEzc2V/s320/R-1373273-1445271810-2354.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />19 years ago I wrote: "Late entry to the Italian prog game. Related to Goblin and inexplicably signed to Motown in the US. A mix of classic complex prog (Lanzetti era PFM, Come In Un'Ultima Cena era Banco, and Cherry Five come to mind), singer songwriter, mid 70’s raw fusion, and yes, even a bit of funky business with clavinet (which would be the tie-in with the Motown crowd). 14 minute final piece 'Inquinamento' ties it all together nicely for the album’s winning cut. Not an album to change anyone’s opinion about a particular music scene, but an easy purchase for those into said scene."<p></p><p>---</p><p>In hearing the album for the first time since (and I didn't even realize I penned any notes prior), I found Libra's debut a very pleasing set of tunes (+1). Classic Italian prog with a fusion edge. It was released at a time when prog was waning in Italy, but still had enough of an audience to allow this kind of creativity to exist. Motown signed them to a 10 album contract, which doesn't make any sense at all (also - didn't they know Italian bands rarely last more than two albums?). Seems like the chemical enhancements were flowing down nicely. The funk touch on this debut is very light. I have their second album in my sell bin (for a long time since no one wants it), and it's geared more towards AOR.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65x5Xu8i65ZZaC-BljRFxRzpYiAw-ZSpBmAPV4OkA08Rjh7QVEISX9_MaSHcFdSGtuAJZGkt_XEEzVdVKG86TQObqtnxm8K9aeAmbAawETBL9AoLlxDk640z7zrxhSGdKXRlZM_b1G9HP7s72MB5NbnpSFyqm1gnPh7rbzBnsQIh-cjdqFJPkYPqCoX5Q/s600/R-1373273-1213919282.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65x5Xu8i65ZZaC-BljRFxRzpYiAw-ZSpBmAPV4OkA08Rjh7QVEISX9_MaSHcFdSGtuAJZGkt_XEEzVdVKG86TQObqtnxm8K9aeAmbAawETBL9AoLlxDk640z7zrxhSGdKXRlZM_b1G9HP7s72MB5NbnpSFyqm1gnPh7rbzBnsQIh-cjdqFJPkYPqCoX5Q/s320/R-1373273-1213919282.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br />Ownership: CD: 2004 BMG (Japan). Gatefold papersleeve edition.<p></p><p>The above was my introduction to the music. This is the type of album I would normally replace with an original. But finding the Italian pressing isn't cheap, surprising perhaps. But then again I don't recall ever seeing it for sale - even in rare catalogs of the day. I like the album, but getting an original here isn't imperative. The American press on Motown is a $10 to $15 record. But it has English vocals, so I'll pass unless I find it thrifting, which is certainly possible. But that would be a supplement copy in that case.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix79ldOSREL_sT1bvQINEvk7vRLCL1HmXSCBEAHbMJCSYEBm9-tHpsEYyz7eeQvgiuTGcBdmRkSReZADCnWgCv6dGuPj0gK3S_3hfB4tXMGs5vYxwjb8KUABch002p23PPe9-nNdReE3e-UmGtcskpmezcKWA-Npv8s9yk54___kQtXT3dirAQLhMQz8AS/s599/R-1373273-1445271373-2724.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix79ldOSREL_sT1bvQINEvk7vRLCL1HmXSCBEAHbMJCSYEBm9-tHpsEYyz7eeQvgiuTGcBdmRkSReZADCnWgCv6dGuPj0gK3S_3hfB4tXMGs5vYxwjb8KUABch002p23PPe9-nNdReE3e-UmGtcskpmezcKWA-Npv8s9yk54___kQtXT3dirAQLhMQz8AS/s320/R-1373273-1445271373-2724.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br />4//05; 3/1/24 (new entry)<p></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-91564946399183435892024-03-02T05:48:00.000-07:002024-03-02T05:48:42.626-07:00CD Roundup Vol. 5.6<p>Going through some more thrift shop finds as well as bulk buys from the last few years. </p><p>Metal Majesty - This is Not a Drill. 2004 Lion (Finland). From The Netherlands, Metal Majesty is essentially a solo project with additional drums. Imagine Queen as a light metal band. Usually I take a dim view of all-instruments-played-and-sung-by-one-guy albums, but this isn't so bad really. Objectively it's well done and thought out, but it's not for me.</p><p>Iron Mask - Hordes of the Brave. 2005 Lion (Finland). From Belgium and led by guitarist Dushan Petrossi. He's one of many European guitarists who mastered the instrument and can play faster than what seems possible. And he proves it over... and over... and over. The music is typical Euro Power Metal, with choruses, digital keyboard symphony orchestras, and a neoclassical styling (chromatic scales, man). Like a heavier and faster Blind Guardian. There are a couple of vocalists featured, one has a Bruce Dickinson fixation, the other James LaBrie. Hard to be too critical here, as this is a very professional release with good songwriting. I prefer my metal a bit more messy and unpredictable. I feel like I've heard this album before - many times in fact. </p><p>Revisits:</p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2012/11/eskaton-4-visions-1979-france.html" target="_blank">Eskaton - 4 Visions</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2018/06/redshift-colder-2011-england.html" target="_blank">Redshift - Colder</a></p><p>Albums I kept: Superior - Behind</p><p>Albums I didn't keep: Osanna - Suddance; Kraan - Live</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-68061887395412202022024-02-27T06:34:00.001-07:002024-02-27T06:34:48.989-07:00CD Roundup Vol. 5.5<p>Revisits:</p>Bobak, Jons, Malone - Motherlight. 2006 Air Mail (1969). Another quirky Morgan Blue Town release, closer to psych than prog, but no mistaking the progression. Whereas Pussy Plays took the first album Soft Machine approach, Motherlight had their ears glued more to Syd era Floyd, minus the lengthy instrumental bits. <p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2016/07/french-tv-11-ambassadors-of-good-health.html" target="_blank">French TV - 11: Ambassadors of Good Health and Clean Living</a></p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2011/07/free-system-projekt-moyland-2005.html" target="_blank">Free System Projekt & Dweller at the Threshold - Passenger 4</a> </p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2015/08/pierrot-lunaire-st-1974-italy.html" target="_blank">Pierrot Lunaire (1974)</a></p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2017/09/electric-orange-germany.html" target="_blank">Electric Orange - Krautrock From Hell</a> </p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2023/12/cooperativa-del-latte-italy.html" target="_blank">Cooperativa del Latte - Il Risveglio</a> </p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/ragnarok-st-1976-sweden.html" target="_blank">Ragnarok (1976 Sweden)</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2017/10/arc-fracture-2007-england.html" target="_blank">ARC - Fracture</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2017/10/flor-de-loto-imperio-de-cristal-2011.html" target="_blank">Flor de Loto - Imperio de Cristal</a></p><p>Others I kept: Bella Band; Kebnekaise - Resa...; Tempano - Atabal Yemal; Ted Nugent - Free-For-All; Camel - Rain Dances (decided to sell the LP in this case)</p><p>Others I let go (downsizing in full force now - all of these good to very good): Hermeto Pascoal e Groupo (1982); Passport - Hand Made; Dream Theater - Octavarium; Paternoster; Saint Just - La Casa del Lago; Boud Deun - The Stolen Bicycle; Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes; Samla Mammas Manna (1971) </p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-18157453593614142492024-02-23T16:57:00.001-07:002024-02-23T16:57:23.017-07:00Online Roundup Vol. 5.8<p>Continuing our trek through the American 45 landscape:</p><p>x - The Nurks - Another Rainbow / When You Can. 1968 Modoc. From Anderson, South Carolina (I was just there last year in fact). Opens with a haunting organ until we get into the familiar garage beat. Nice melodic vocals. This track has been anthologized. B) side adds in a bit of sax. The Nurks have a nice touch of harmony. I'll go 3.5 / 3.0 for these two. Not bad at all.</p>The Movement – Combination of the Two / Riding on a Sunday. 1969 Century. Custom pressing from Buffalo, New York. Psych collector's dream opening with wild fuzz soloing. Roughhewn vocals follow, while the rhythm guitar rips away. Nice heavy solo towards the end. Hyperactive drumming too. B) gets right to business with a Steppenwolf styled hard rocker. Both sides exist on compilations.<div><br /></div><div>The Challengers - Moon, Send My Baby / Dream. 1971 Kix. From eastern North Carolina. What a strange opening to a 45. Vocalist croons "Let's go to the moon" followed by a bluesy guitar solo. Eventually it rips into a fast soul like dancer. It's kind of a mess, but intriguing all the same. B) side sounds like a rip of The Everly Brothers. Dream, dream, dream. </div><div><br /></div><div>x - Wilderness II - Strange Kind of Woman / In Medley. 1972 Darkhorse. From Tulsa, Oklahoma. Both tracks are badly produced Deep Purple covers. B) side is 'Lazy' with some extending jamming. 2.5</div><div><br /></div><div>x - Doug Mays & The Sticky Kids - Raining in My Heart / Part Time Lover. 1981 Rock Island. From Biloxi, Mississippi. About as bad as you would expect. A) side is straight up early 80s dummy hard rock. B) side is worse with a bluesy angle that makes you want to forget the decade altogether. 2.5/2</div><div><br /></div><div>x - Aquilla - Rock the Night / Running Down. 1985 private. No idea where this is from. All potential, no delivery. Starts off great with a wonderful metal riff only to devolve into a boogie track complete with one note pounding piano. Hey - they're going to rock the night! pfft. B) side is better, high energy, but still average for the era. Keyboards are a nice touch. 2.5/3<br /><p>The - x is my reference for 45s not in RYM.</p></div>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-79899426457143421342024-02-19T07:18:00.003-07:002024-02-25T16:49:53.573-07:00CD Roundup Vol. 5.4<p>Gamma Ray - No World Order. 2003 Metal-Is (2001). This was a thrift shop find that I picked up sometime in the last couple of years. Just getting to that part of my inventory. This is the 8th album by the German power metal band, and the second for me to hear. Musically you can expect a cross between Helloween, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden. All ace groups for me. The presentation here is well done, but a bit too familiar to maintain continued interest.</p><p>Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands: The Dark Secret. 2004 Steamhammer. Another thrift shop find from the last couple of years. Completely overblown over the top symphonic metal. Orchestras, choirs, narration by Christopher Lee. <strike>Directed by Cecil B. DeMille</strike>. :-) Well if you're going to do this whole symphonic metal thing, you might as well go big. And Rhapsody does. I'm not too keen on their variation of light speed metal, so it's not for me really. But it's hard to be too critical.</p><p>Revisits:</p><p>Collegium Musicum - Live. 1998 Opus (1973). All-in organ-bass-drums trio. Pretty much the logical extreme of what you can accomplish with the instrumentation. Melody isn't their strong suit, but texture is. I own the first two Collegium Musicum's on one CD, which includes their single, and that's enough for me.</p><p>SBB - Ze Slowem Biegne do Ciebie. 2012 Metal Mind (1977). All these years later, and I never could connect with this album (having owned the original LP years ago). There's one melodic sequence on the opening suite that begins to draw me in, and then off they go into the wilderness from there. At this point, I'm content with the first three SBB albums, as well as some of their work with Niemen. But I haven't heard everything by them, not even close really.</p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2024/02/zero-hour-usa-california.html" target="_blank">Zero Hour - Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond</a></p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2016/09/deus-ex-machina-italy.html" target="_blank">Deus Ex Machina - Cinque</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2016/10/eden-erwartung-1978-germany.html" target="_blank">Eden - Erwartung</a></p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2012/09/quantum-fantay-bridges-of-kukuriku-2010.html" target="_blank">Quantum Fantay - Tessellation of Euclidian Space</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2018/10/la-coscienza-di-zeno-la-notte-anche-di.html" target="_blank">La Coscienza di Zeno - La Notte Anche Di Giorno</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2017/05/circus-st-1969-england.html" target="_blank">Circus (1969 England)</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2022/01/dream-theater-dramatic-turn-of-events.html" target="_blank">Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events</a></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-20542677022052882352024-02-14T16:46:00.004-07:002024-02-14T16:54:46.418-07:00Online Roundup Vol. 5.7<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrVFVCL6lIyWNWBBrg3ryzoTD-_x7XseVIjpu-EGcZxl3W36GCFNqueI6_bTDhubHPqn8UqCwGPdeZvv6wwlirrKokZz-tHswfcLvaBbIHP1mHiirHAiset6-m1H36PN9wpzfmz_jZXm2rydpdE7b-q7x88PlNzzAeUDerE7PsdbuHnw-qse9tH3xlhkG/s544/unnamed.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="544" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrVFVCL6lIyWNWBBrg3ryzoTD-_x7XseVIjpu-EGcZxl3W36GCFNqueI6_bTDhubHPqn8UqCwGPdeZvv6wwlirrKokZz-tHswfcLvaBbIHP1mHiirHAiset6-m1H36PN9wpzfmz_jZXm2rydpdE7b-q7x88PlNzzAeUDerE7PsdbuHnw-qse9tH3xlhkG/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ascension - Jazz Rock Fusion for the New Millennium. 1992. Bassist Grant Whatford had reached out some time ago and asked me to check out his band's outing from 30 years ago. I dawdled longer than intended, but I finally lent an ear. The album exists out on many platforms, and you can also buy the CD from Wayside for only ten bucks. I chose YouTube for my source as I'm in downsize mode (with exceptions of course...). From London, Ontario, Ascension offers up a fiery fusion highlighted by superb guitar solos, woody bass, and complicated rhythms. They're a trio and they create a storm of sounds! They were at the vanguard of the new wave of fusion that was to become more prominent in the 90s. Guitarist Mike Schiffman can shred with the best of them, and has no mercy for those not prepared to be pummeled. There's some nice atmospheric interludes as well recalling David Torn. I also enjoy Whatford's bass style, offering far more than keeping the pace. As you can imagine, the 12+ minute 'Rabbit Backwards Romp' closes the album with a burning jam. Some fellow era artists that leaped to mind here are Groon, Contrevent, Mathematicians, Fire Merchants, and Dark/Mark Nauseef. If you like action packed, energetic, instrumental jazz fusion, then Ascension will certainly satisfy.<p></p><p>Let's close the day with a couple of vintage 45's:</p><p>Chase - Evensong / Evermore Pt. II. 1983 Corduroy Mouse Wax (England). From the endless well that was the NWOBMH scene, Chase offer a more thoughtful romp with keyboards and thematic changes, straddling the line with both progressive rock and AOR. Chase has ties to Diamond Head and there are similarities to their respective sound.</p><p>Golgatha - Dies Irae / Children's Game. 1972 Ohr (Germany). An anomaly for the great experimental Krautrock Ohr label, as Golgatha are primarily a hard rock group, similar to how fellow labelmates Pilz got its start. 'Dies Irae' uses the familiar monkish chant combined with narration and horns. B) is more committed to the horn rock genre, recalling countrymen Round House, Emergency, and For Example. Nice Terry Kath styled guitar as well. A very good example of the style.</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-79026457686221214932024-02-14T14:57:00.000-07:002024-02-14T14:57:25.052-07:00Online Roundup Vol. 5.6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl7SoXPkKHK78BUrrWB6elDev4f2pfGMs8HPoih-NbrQ4s58v0MO6S2kFHf7WbKvRwkn8WvgF8D2YrlGTW8kNZUIvTViGJvs7Yx0UA-hwmArrX9gZueu_lx1i53Mjz5gUS8kDcIqTVSLUoSr7FV2riVub2XSSiNDrhDgqBYxDs8LZVxVQ4FG4v2GGBvCI/s600/Folder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl7SoXPkKHK78BUrrWB6elDev4f2pfGMs8HPoih-NbrQ4s58v0MO6S2kFHf7WbKvRwkn8WvgF8D2YrlGTW8kNZUIvTViGJvs7Yx0UA-hwmArrX9gZueu_lx1i53Mjz5gUS8kDcIqTVSLUoSr7FV2riVub2XSSiNDrhDgqBYxDs8LZVxVQ4FG4v2GGBvCI/s320/Folder.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Patrice Guenat / Laurent Beguelin - Les Reflets du Lac (1986 Switzerland). Recently I posted about my revisit to the second Kashmir album Histoire Cruelle. That was an old CDRWL entry, and while researching the band again, I had finally found some info about the third Kashmir album Les Reflets du Lac. Except it wasn't really a Kashmir album at all. I decided to reach out to my friend (Strawbsfan) who had provided me with the Histoire LP originally. As it turns out, he did have a copy to share with me (online)! So let's see what the contents contain: After the electronic rock of Kashmir's debut, and the bizarre 80s amalgamation that was Histoire Cruelle, it should come as no surprise that this third effort is different than both. The first side (I think) is made up of eight short vignettes. Starting off mostly as a pleasant new age album with the unfortunate 80's digital synth technology being pushed towards the front. It does get interesting in the middle section with the French narration and an orchestral brass movement. This leads to the 18 minute lengthy suite 'Les Oiseaux du Parc', the music does appear to be a classical oriented symphony about "birds in the park". Throughout one can hear Klaus Schulze (especially the use of digital percussion), Deuter, Jean-Michel Jarre, Jerome Froese era Tangerine Dream, and a host of others from the middle 80s. Unpredictable as ever, Guenat offers up challenging music for the discerning listener.<p></p><p>Some Under the Radar entries of new(er) albums:</p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2024/02/cinema-styge-italy.html" target="_blank">Cinema Styge - Tra di Noi (2023)</a></p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2024/02/polis-germany.html" target="_blank">Polis - Weitklang (2020)</a></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-13328492498021471892024-02-13T06:33:00.001-07:002024-02-14T09:22:09.445-07:00Online Roundup Vol. 5.5<p>And even more 45s from the wilds of America...</p><p>The Chylds - No More Tears / Grey Days. 1968 Ivanhoe. From Canton, Ohio. Above average soulful hard rocking psych. What separates this from the normal 60s psych 45 is the use of Hammond organ. Much more common to hear a Vox or Lowery or any other cheaper variety. B) side offers a slight tilt eastward adding a bit of exoticism. A very good two sider and surprisingly not comped.</p><p>Accents - Friendly Stranger / People are Funny. 1969 Gazzarri. From Providence, Rhode Island. A) side kicks out the jams with some fine rhythm guitar and muted fuzz. B) side has more of a pop psych slant, but isn't unpleasant. Accents also featured a Hammond, which is a nice change of pace. </p><p>x Poor Richard - Good Time Music / Eyes. 19?? LBL. From Los Angeles. Starts off as you might expect in a boogie rock state, with some fine organ. The B) side is more introspective, still in pop rock mode with dominant vocals, piano, and organ. Doesn't appear to be related to any of the other Poor Richard's out there. 2.5/2.5</p><p>x Rhonghei - Long Time Gone / Assassination. 1970 Futura. Another southern Californian group. Fits loosely in the psych funk soul camp. B) side features some fine fuzz. A) has a deep groove with bluesy guitar. Not bad all. 3.5 for both.</p><p>Sangre Mexicana - Good Cause / Need a Mama. 1970 Latin Soul. Interesting one here. From Laredo, Texas, Mexican Blood released seven singles and three LPs throughout the 70s. Their primary stock in trade was Tejano, ranchera, cumbia, balada, that kind of thing. This appears to be their debut recording and is nothing of the sort. Hard psych fuzz blaster, completely the opposite of how they made a living apparently. Both tracks are great (4.0). A side was comped by Germany's World in Sound many years ago. I wonder what the story behind this 45 was.</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-68646663246138843212024-02-11T05:33:00.000-07:002024-02-11T05:33:08.860-07:00Trettioåriga Kriget - Efter Efter. 2011 Sweden<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8oAEsNkjtKYGNQ0PCJ-X1RSc6E5CC6OIQvVF-4GMKtMKmRBudsZWTXh_9a0L8hUguPkbvk7MVYnklHZwGEY0AAlZMTUqbYtCjcrTqu2rAuO6qV7aMSFpGX6em1XLC8Xkemb0hHXfz5JJi0io37bxbZ6IEuMH4g2ptxrcYCjtjcxjSLyEos3IRwYEp4Zw/s599/R-4342598-1490317668-9023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="599" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8oAEsNkjtKYGNQ0PCJ-X1RSc6E5CC6OIQvVF-4GMKtMKmRBudsZWTXh_9a0L8hUguPkbvk7MVYnklHZwGEY0AAlZMTUqbYtCjcrTqu2rAuO6qV7aMSFpGX6em1XLC8Xkemb0hHXfz5JJi0io37bxbZ6IEuMH4g2ptxrcYCjtjcxjSLyEos3IRwYEp4Zw/s320/R-4342598-1490317668-9023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Had this review written and unpublished from 13 years ago. I bought the CD upon release. <p></p><p>I've felt that all three of the 2000+ era Trettioariga Kriget albums have been very good. These are not clueless reunions or cheap cash-ins, but rather answer the question:"What would have TK sounded like after Krigssang in today's world?" Very few bands are able to capture the original spirit of their youth, while still possessing a keen understanding of modern times. It's unfortunate that more groups from the early 70s couldn't accomplish the same feat. And now time is running out.<br /><br />So bravo to Trettioariga Kriget for yet another splendid effort. For my money, Efter Efter is the finest of the latter trilogy. Even closer to their 1974-1976 work. For my tastes, their debut is a Top 10 ever album, and while they don't come close to that greatness here, it's still nice to hear an intelligent and relevant effort. </p><p>---</p><p>In hearing it again for the second time last night, my opinion remains similar. It's very melancholic, one of the trademarks of the Scandinavian progressive scene. This was the last album for me to hear from Trettioåriga Kriget. The band is still going with most of the original members intact. Remarkable really.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmETO7ZQpdYmMcqiMbrruJj9b-m76uymSmw1WPa1aXNd7lcbAEXarCcUW9hjwdG-Ry6ywrABzOYoQ7ByyhUBiN9Ircrqbk9jpiL6kU5hTfJbs_aJ989ke7YGVz13GIAKtetMgiPr74hELRSVOq888VNd6n2jfuOOYSCJ6L_ugjOH7HrIFAeVpBt8xV5uR/s534/R-4342598-1490317541-8545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="534" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmETO7ZQpdYmMcqiMbrruJj9b-m76uymSmw1WPa1aXNd7lcbAEXarCcUW9hjwdG-Ry6ywrABzOYoQ7ByyhUBiN9Ircrqbk9jpiL6kU5hTfJbs_aJ989ke7YGVz13GIAKtetMgiPr74hELRSVOq888VNd6n2jfuOOYSCJ6L_ugjOH7HrIFAeVpBt8xV5uR/s320/R-4342598-1490317541-8545.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ownership: CD: 2011 Mellotronen. Tri-fold digipak with poster booklet.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtntRGs12_x-bvUI0NOW1Jt1MECUQOV2NQIkSszDxxk9X8UIYNE8CZk9Q3gNxEbDSx_Oi5g2YPfrmIHNYFkyta13k5x2oJY0bVDMkrR2SafJPGn-erTTokVlWVeqCpB3D923-jeDVxHLSzeH1qC3r_LlLI0UEpQxDDcBHqTkD89DusCouJYTUEkloQfDB/s599/R-4342598-1490317465-3677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtntRGs12_x-bvUI0NOW1Jt1MECUQOV2NQIkSszDxxk9X8UIYNE8CZk9Q3gNxEbDSx_Oi5g2YPfrmIHNYFkyta13k5x2oJY0bVDMkrR2SafJPGn-erTTokVlWVeqCpB3D923-jeDVxHLSzeH1qC3r_LlLI0UEpQxDDcBHqTkD89DusCouJYTUEkloQfDB/s320/R-4342598-1490317465-3677.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />12/20/11; 2/10/24 (new entry)<p></p><p><br /></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-12965692525933239702024-02-08T05:55:00.003-07:002024-03-02T13:27:32.472-07:00St. John Green. 1968 USA-California<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18_HUqzXcZGCY1MfOAmsPKDkZLJKyyxeNY7oBYlWLEMKCSkSGvnALyC5cq0dqgnCyI-UJzbk-iAG5NKZd3H7m64ynYrsAqGFDJLjzZFNTr-ud0O7_IOAXtvyndILxxLj47jfo_u8CsVz-6t5JwQig8y0owvhxyQepcgNiBeGycQc5g9IVG_sjd5mFcqCs/s600/R-1919044-1624782463-3392.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18_HUqzXcZGCY1MfOAmsPKDkZLJKyyxeNY7oBYlWLEMKCSkSGvnALyC5cq0dqgnCyI-UJzbk-iAG5NKZd3H7m64ynYrsAqGFDJLjzZFNTr-ud0O7_IOAXtvyndILxxLj47jfo_u8CsVz-6t5JwQig8y0owvhxyQepcgNiBeGycQc5g9IVG_sjd5mFcqCs/s320/R-1919044-1624782463-3392.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br />About 32 years ago I purchased (or traded for) a sealed copy of this album. I listened to it, thought it interesting, and filed away. And here I am listening to it for only the second time. How strange. For whatever reason, I didn't even include it in the CDRWL project, yet no legitimate reissues exist. While I have a lot of albums that I haven't heard in 20 years, there aren't too many going on 30+ years. And yep, it's interesting alright.<p></p><p>St. John Green is a seriously flawed album and as I was going through side 1, I began to contemplate selling it. Which is something I rarely do with obscurities such as this. But eventually I was able to grasp its contents. It does improve, and there's some interesting Doors elements that crop up and there. It's very psychedelic, more of an overall attitude than sound I'd submit. In this way, it belongs to the American freaky underground of Friendsound or Blessed End. 'Spirit of Now' is often listed as the album's best track, and it reminds me of classic Strawberry Alarm Clock, so I'm not disagreeing. File this one under "unique" while trying to accept its contents without too much critical evaluation. It's a sincere attempt at capturing the ethos of the moment. Whether it does or not is how the album should be judged.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXV0r6_4zOUmQE9j5N6MijMK_CpglpyFWi-rUUv7RFnQtL_dl8euS-No2op2-er4SgDin6FREvlb_TKW93BC665LytGPCTjOrF6cVn6bNpMFMG1hQo574f2Vuswl0sKAOvYGkNWy0gVvRq8iv-L1MeG9fXqArNVUw6FJHrvMvBWk2QHv8ipS1xKRP80IZ/s599/R-1919044-1581378325-1514.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="599" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXV0r6_4zOUmQE9j5N6MijMK_CpglpyFWi-rUUv7RFnQtL_dl8euS-No2op2-er4SgDin6FREvlb_TKW93BC665LytGPCTjOrF6cVn6bNpMFMG1hQo574f2Vuswl0sKAOvYGkNWy0gVvRq8iv-L1MeG9fXqArNVUw6FJHrvMvBWk2QHv8ipS1xKRP80IZ/s320/R-1919044-1581378325-1514.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ownership: LP: 1968 Flick Disc. Single sleeve. Acquired as noted above (1992). My copy has now been played all of twice, and it certainly looks better than the Discogs stock photos as shown here. Be prepared for the right channel to go almost completely out on A1. I thought my headsets may have blown, but I did read that's how it goes. I put my stereo on mono for the remainder of the song. <p></p><p>As of this writing, the album remains without a legit reissue of any kind.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQszHHbs1AUBfEFofsjUtO165tlCqW2euKFHaQIyeuQ8CqirI_2hoRNbLmndAGgREZrLEIkKGIATE2jU-cDgfIvGZAis5tD8PrSmUOV0i8-aX8BxnHwHdMz-EgqGyqLeDuR9rIAY2y5wZZHXe07hIzpna_-Y0ZxYk1NXtb233Wr210RUcAlUuxV0AuayU/s600/R-1919044-1624782467-8259.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQszHHbs1AUBfEFofsjUtO165tlCqW2euKFHaQIyeuQ8CqirI_2hoRNbLmndAGgREZrLEIkKGIATE2jU-cDgfIvGZAis5tD8PrSmUOV0i8-aX8BxnHwHdMz-EgqGyqLeDuR9rIAY2y5wZZHXe07hIzpna_-Y0ZxYk1NXtb233Wr210RUcAlUuxV0AuayU/s320/R-1919044-1624782467-8259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />1992; 2/7/24 (new entry)<p></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-18353966908164658472024-02-05T05:57:00.002-07:002024-03-12T05:28:27.319-06:00LP Roundup Vol. 5.2<p>New arrivals:</p><p>More from that antique shop seller. I went back a couple of times to see if he/she put anything else out, but no such luck.</p><p>The Vapors - Magnets. 1981 Liberty. When I was in high school in the early 80s, one of the sax players in our school band - who was about a year older than me - had gravitated to the New Wave scene in a big way. "Jim" was one of those safety-pin-in-the-nose kind of guys. He was the "modern male" some years before it became fashionable to be so - at least back then in Texas, a cultural opposite to London. His favorite band was The Vapors. In hearing one of their albums for the first time ever, I was reminded of Jim. In fact the music sounds like he looked. How can music sound like someone's physical appearance? Meet Jim and listen to The Vapors... I think the cover is fantastic, which looks different up close than from a distance. Up on the wall it goes. The Vapors are somewhat like Dead or Alive in that they represent the era well.</p><p>Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill. 1980 MCA (1972). From a pure economic standpoint, this was my best find from that seller. Finding Steely Dan albums is like finding money on the floor. So at $2, it was a good "market move." But I was sure to keep this, Steely Dan's debut. I don't know what it is about groups like Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan, but there's something that rubs me the wrong way about them. Can't put my finger on it, but my thoughts on Rumours would go well here. There's this nagging feeling I get - something I recall while working in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 90s and early 2000s. It goes like this: "We all agree that Steely Dan is one of the greatest 70s rock band ever, right?" Well, wait, uhhh, no not exactly. "So you <i>don't like Steely Dan?</i>". Well sure I do, they're good and all, but... This is followed by a look of disgust and bewilderment. I ruined the narrative. How could I? It's obvious I'm just being obstinate and a contrarian. Leave us be, you neanderthal. But, but, but. Well anyway, I can't seem to escape that feeling while hearing this album. I tried to escape into the "I like Yacht Rock" trope, but failed at that too. There are three iconic tracks on here, including the one song I will defend 'Do It Again'. Electric sitar and analog synthesizer solos do still count for something. The rest is fine, but is it so great really? I think if you graduated high school or college anytime in the 1970s, probably so. Those years for me were the 80s. So I don't get it. I'll make my profit. I can always hear these songs the next time I'm at the grocery store.</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-84001590413358225922024-02-04T07:14:00.002-07:002024-02-14T17:00:52.137-07:00LP Roundup Vol. 5.1<p>New arrivals:</p><p>Found a few 80s albums in a local antique mall for thrift shop prices, all in superb shape. Let's see how they fare.</p><p>Dead or Alive - Youthquake. 1985 Epic. This album is about as representative of the 80s synth-pop dance culture as any you can possibly name. OK boys, get out your eyeliner. Music like this was the exact opposite of what I was into in 1985. Today I hear it as an encapsulation of the era in which it was released. Highly melodic, well composed, and very danceable. Not sure how many 80s albums like this I will keep, but this one is likely to hang on longer because of its iconic sound.</p><p>Bangles - Everything. 1988 Columbia. Bangles are one of those bands I find myself rooting for, but I just can't get into them. Their first two albums fell a little short of acceptance, but Everything - their 3rd effort - falls into the disappointing category. Straight forward begging-for pop hits and nothing more. Throw out 12 (12!) three to four minute boring tracks and hope for the best. Not for me.</p><p>Berlin - Love Life. 1984 Epic. This is the second time for me to try for this, the other came from the large collection buy in 2019. I've warmed up to their second album Pleasure (and this seller also had the rare small label pressing of that album that I picked up for the collection), so I thought maybe I'd feel similar about their 3rd release. Nope. It's a hair better than the Bangles' junior year offering, as there were a couple of decent instrumental moments. But otherwise they wasted Terri Nunn's hypersexuality to produce a rather safe New Wave album. Average at best.</p><p>Revisits:</p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2018/11/iq-tales-from-lush-attic-1983-england.html" target="_blank">IQ - Tales from the Lush Attic.</a> 1983 The Classic One Shoe Label</p><p>New arrivals:</p><p>Manfred Mann Chapter Three - Volume Two. 1970 Vertigo (UK). Wonderful original that I picked up (at the end of last year) from my friends at Tiger Records here in town. This replaces the Japanese CD.</p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2018/05/nico-gianni-frank-maurizio-new-trolls.html" target="_blank">Nico, Gianni, Frank, Maurizio (New Trolls) - Canti D'Innocenza Canti D'Esperienza.</a> 1973 Cetra. This also replaces the Japanese CD.</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-8465396717663251302024-02-02T13:22:00.003-07:002024-02-02T13:23:04.401-07:00CD Roundup Vol. 5.3<p>Revisits:</p><p>Strawberry Alarm Clock - Good Morning Starshine. 2005 Collectors' Choice (1969). SAC's final album is a major departure from the image and music the band is known for. Hear they attempt a bluesy hard rock sound. Some of the old pop psych magic is still there, but clearly the group is planning for the future. They had the right idea, but there wasn't enough interest to keep them going. Like most psych bands of the 60s, they couldn't find their audience much past 1970 / 71, and ultimately folded. I'm keeping this CD, but not sure if it's for the long haul. Their first two albums are among my all time favorites, so I tend to give more rope to these later and lesser efforts.</p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2017/01/djam-karet-usa.html" target="_blank">Djam Karet - Recollection Harvest</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/galliard-strange-pleasures-1969-england.html" target="_blank">Galliard - Strange Pleasure</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/buffalo-only-want-you-for-your-body.html" target="_blank">Buffalo - Only Want You For Your Body</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2017/10/garden-wall-assurdo-2011-italy.html" target="_blank">Garden Wall - Assurdo</a></p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2017/09/electric-orange-germany.html" target="_blank">Electric Orange - Orange Commutation</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2018/03/el-templo-del-dinero-st-1999-mexico.html" target="_blank">El Templo del Dinero</a></p><p><a href="https://undertheradarcds.blogspot.com/2011/09/oresund-space-collective-st-2005.html" target="_blank">Oresund Space Collective - Good Planets are Hard to Find</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2018/10/hills-master-sleeps-2011-sweden.html" target="_blank">Hills - Master Sleeps</a></p><p><a href="https://unencumberedmusicreviews.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-tony-williams-lifetime-ego-1971-usa.html" target="_blank">The Tony Williams Lifetime - Ego</a></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-46872959493760662202024-02-02T06:45:00.000-07:002024-02-02T06:45:46.136-07:00Iman Califato Independiente. 1978 Spain<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdXMOLaLNLJHVbet4H1U8gqXk0q7QFhdeUp2onwCjxZC7otNxx5avT0UVzvIR5cMJg11GBwKO49zBAQLr2bSFDF8EtnQdX-wVFGKGsgYJvyzEl-qXHivypPDlt0b0l2DQ6S0BUU_Q0RmzZCX-C1YGvYTZGNQaQKLBWb4zNeC042qBaMz-VkUwTEP2Ai5u/s600/R-2048098-1377621677-7836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="600" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdXMOLaLNLJHVbet4H1U8gqXk0q7QFhdeUp2onwCjxZC7otNxx5avT0UVzvIR5cMJg11GBwKO49zBAQLr2bSFDF8EtnQdX-wVFGKGsgYJvyzEl-qXHivypPDlt0b0l2DQ6S0BUU_Q0RmzZCX-C1YGvYTZGNQaQKLBWb4zNeC042qBaMz-VkUwTEP2Ai5u/s320/R-2048098-1377621677-7836.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />For the first time since I started <a href="https://www.instagram.com/purplepeakrecords/" target="_blank">adding photographs of my collection onto Instagram</a>, an album was selected that I had yet to feature here on UMR. As noted in my listening dates below, I've heard it a couple of times since the advent of the blog. So why didn't I pen anything? Beyond my usual laziness of course. Not sure. Well then, let's hear it again and get some notes down. <p></p><p>Yep, there are just some albums that don't trigger a thought for any kind of review. Iman Califato Independiente's debut is one of them. I remember having that same trouble with Carpe Diem's debut as well. Which is not to say it's a mediocre album, far from it, just not very memorable. I attempted three listens last night, but nothing really stuck with me. It's a very pleasant, somewhat typical progressive rock from the region. Nominally it also falls into the Rock Andaluz category, but this isn't Mezquita, Triana, or early Medina Azahara. More symphonic than that subgenre usually implies. Words like nice, agreeable, delightful, and lovely come to mind. Which, in my world, is A-OK. My excellent rating remains the same. Still can't tell you much about it though...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aYyfNzLnZ9friCgd340mfLx1CkhaZVr0g1txrnF4ZnsXAICST9JTjwnd4sHibI1TDuGQ22lfNmONrIwYqzu-V_jiBbiUBfgDXzj8AXuuPjW1NvffPC9kJSC7egO7Qc-pm9Vec9u-YTIJbEnZ5bRw0JeEqX1clmdKzYR_GDt5vyDyq1FEmjwiuJwORMjI/s600/R-2048098-1377621694-6690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="598" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aYyfNzLnZ9friCgd340mfLx1CkhaZVr0g1txrnF4ZnsXAICST9JTjwnd4sHibI1TDuGQ22lfNmONrIwYqzu-V_jiBbiUBfgDXzj8AXuuPjW1NvffPC9kJSC7egO7Qc-pm9Vec9u-YTIJbEnZ5bRw0JeEqX1clmdKzYR_GDt5vyDyq1FEmjwiuJwORMjI/s320/R-2048098-1377621694-6690.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br />Ownership: LP: 1978 CBS. Gatefold. Acquired relatively late in the game (for an accessible album such as this) via mail order (1995). It remains a relatively affordable album. My wife loves the cover and even featured it in our household at one point - which believe me is significant given that she wants the interior pristine, decorative, and perfect at all times. My man cave basement, on the other hand, is a "complete disaster that needs to be 100% renovated". lol.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDNkcHfdTh3zVXZw5rsG69VA_GI48Vb99YNLeMGUGVlkJwYf8x-DTZukivperi2ls5cFyWYTFaEq7zt1aYjTQTtyHo0o_pZegXovWTp9JjgFWZXZVX7lYjepfVoOkwagFGKpmAyL12Twyzw4fpIOtWTdTH9yiWZ9X-huXxY_s1HX9C6dkVPcvB386KlOU/s600/R-2048098-1377621765-7565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDNkcHfdTh3zVXZw5rsG69VA_GI48Vb99YNLeMGUGVlkJwYf8x-DTZukivperi2ls5cFyWYTFaEq7zt1aYjTQTtyHo0o_pZegXovWTp9JjgFWZXZVX7lYjepfVoOkwagFGKpmAyL12Twyzw4fpIOtWTdTH9yiWZ9X-huXxY_s1HX9C6dkVPcvB386KlOU/s320/R-2048098-1377621765-7565.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />1995; 10/15/12; 3/18/13; 2/1/24 (new entry)<p></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-33401017456100861092024-01-31T10:58:00.000-07:002024-01-31T10:58:22.995-07:00Popol Vuh - Hosianna Mantra. 1972 Germany<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqgp4OKJgMnqs-QA6Kv7FaI5-JNL79a-pzB3gNDG8nIo3tmhMLMz1OdinLl28tLkab-iPolf07x_q-fB2DUy9RMYItRc-U_AjbQytbeSlwCx1BQGmv6NRmZDY_cEAARw8EQ-32q2VZoujfIEQYkDHbFkXxape7dju1HOPKUcC1BZoWOxK_YgptfOzZX3r/s600/R-597206-1179003175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqgp4OKJgMnqs-QA6Kv7FaI5-JNL79a-pzB3gNDG8nIo3tmhMLMz1OdinLl28tLkab-iPolf07x_q-fB2DUy9RMYItRc-U_AjbQytbeSlwCx1BQGmv6NRmZDY_cEAARw8EQ-32q2VZoujfIEQYkDHbFkXxape7dju1HOPKUcC1BZoWOxK_YgptfOzZX3r/s320/R-597206-1179003175.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><br />About 19 years ago I wrote: "Most know the story here as Fricke sold off his electronic equipment and went all acoustic (save some electric guitar). Piano, guitar, chanted vocals, and Indian stringed instruments are the focus. Gets a bit trippy towards the end. Must’ve been quite a shock to those who bought In Den Garten Pharaos just prior. Serene and beautiful."<p></p><p>---</p><p>And that was my most recent listen until last night. Quite an about face for Florian Fricke. One could argue this is the beginning of New Age music. RYM has it as the second in chronology for "Neoclassical New Age". A very tranquil and peaceful album. They were to introduce far more percussion after this giving it more of a rock band feel, though they pretty much were "their own thing" back in the 70s.</p><p>Ownership: LP: 1974 PDU. Wonderful gatefold. Acquired from a mail order dealer (1989).</p><p>1989; 3//05; 1/30/24 (new entry)</p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-18232909234479260682024-01-30T16:04:00.001-07:002024-02-02T06:49:15.409-07:00Moira. 1981 Germany<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGzA6t2FeqTTv534hVC40kH5Qz_8HK5IqkhD6dbPxV62QNLaWOQo7SVkkEbi2UR-0dWZ0kcYyk_0dvkS6ohW4_QOLLezKY6lvOJWI4iJeBI5tPJr746TzSz-yB51b4LzoJTvOytA84VshfyLaCUtGhpu2SiDV55tjHkkEUwa9VbIIAiMPMBdN-dlt9JDD/s600/R-2490944-1459970558-2680.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGzA6t2FeqTTv534hVC40kH5Qz_8HK5IqkhD6dbPxV62QNLaWOQo7SVkkEbi2UR-0dWZ0kcYyk_0dvkS6ohW4_QOLLezKY6lvOJWI4iJeBI5tPJr746TzSz-yB51b4LzoJTvOytA84VshfyLaCUtGhpu2SiDV55tjHkkEUwa9VbIIAiMPMBdN-dlt9JDD/s320/R-2490944-1459970558-2680.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>See below for a fresh update (1/30/24)!</div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a title with a long personal history. One of those albums that I "discovered". What do I mean by that? Well I certainly didn't make the music nor was I the first person to own a copy - or even promote at some point in history. But I will take some credit for popularizing it during the internet era. I bought this copy from the German ebay in 2000 back when prices and postage were cheap enough to take chances like this. I knew Moira from their album Crazy Countdown, but never even heard about this title. The cover looked awesome, so why not try for it? And as we know now, the reward was immense. One of those great payoff listens. A year later, I penned the following for Gnosis (edited for relevancy):<p></p><p>---</p>Certainly one of the more obscure bands from the vast Gunderground*, Moira were a fascinating progressive fusion collective formed by veterans of the Krautrock scene including Edgar Hoffman (Embryo) and Butze Fischer (Missus Beastly, Guru Guru, Embryo). Both their albums were recorded for the Schneeball label, the record consortium setup by members of Embryo and Missus Beastly. Musically, Moira fit snugly into the label’s distinct school of fusion and are part of the German “M” scene of jazz rock groups (Morpheus, Missus Beastly, Munju).<br /><br />For the debut Crazy Countdown (ed: to be reviewed later)... Six years later the group had completely changed hands (see below for more explanation) and actually took on an older, more retro sound when absolutely no one was doing that in 1984. In an era when every band had the most tin-sounding, Casio-like, digital keyboard and every guitarist was going for the pig-squeal guitar hero motif, could a band possibly put an album out with Hammond organ, Moog and wah-wah guitar as its main ingredients? Sounding like a long lost recording from a smoky club in Hamburg, the band let loose with an unpretentious instrumental jazz rock album not found since the glory days of 1974. A truly astonishing release that beats their already excellent debut in every way. The opener Reise Nach Ixtlan** is a side long exercise in organ, analog synth, and guitar jamming with some incredible jazz drumming and a mighty fine bass player. This is followed by the short 'Oase', a flute, drum, and percussion piece that would not have been out of place on Yatha Sidhra’s album. Side two opens with 'Kristall', a more fusion oriented piece with some dirty organ and guitar shredding. 'Einsame Schatten', the only track with singing, follows with a blistering sequence that recalls the early Toto Blanke works. This track continues paradoxically with a funky jazz bit with German vocals recalling Embryo's Bad Heads and Bad Cats in their most silly mood. This section would be the album’s only misstep. The too short closer 'Resume' recalls the ending of Virus’ Revelation album complete with echoed German recitation and acid guitars.<div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>That's where the original review ended. Sometime during 2005 I sent over a lot of information to Alan Freeman, who was in touch with Christian Burchard back then (Embryo). He was kind enough to see if he could find out more. The end result is that Burchard had no idea what it was! Between Alan's own discovery and my own, I appended the review in 2006:</div><div><br /></div><div>---<br /><br />There’s been quite a bit of debate about this second album and its origins/authenticity. Anyone from Ultima Thule’s Cosmic Egg professors to Schneeball label owner/Embryo icon Christian Burchard have shrugged their shoulders and said “no idea?”. But the label clearly says Schneeball with a yellow background. The catalog number of 0025 was presumably used by polit-rockers Hammerfest on Hier Bei Uns, though careful steady shows that album was also on the Maulschnauz label, causing even more confusion. Then there was the small matter that neither album shared similar members. However there is a link: Some copies of Crazy Countdown come with a detailed Moira newsletter. The then current lineup of the band (1978) had already evolved and included one Eberhard Bronner on drums, who is in fact on Reise Nach Ixtlan.</div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>And that was the last time I revisited Moira's second album. Or really gave it much more thought. Here we are 18 years later, and I'm revisiting the LP for the first time since. Still as great as I remember it. Possibly even better to my ears today as my knowledge and appreciation of jazz rock has gone up considerably since those days. I even appreciate B2, the one song I wasn't as fond of originally.<br /><p>* - Someone usurped my Gnosis review as the biography on Discogs. Which I'm completely fine with. However, they decided I made a mistake by using the term Gungerground. My response: "Thank you to whoever published my original article. Anyway - Yes, "Gunderground" was correct. That was an old term used by mail order dealers in the 1980s and early 90s. It meant, of course, German Underground. So... can we leave it as I originally published it please? Mucho gracias amigos."</p><p>And that was the end of that.</p><p>** - The album was sold to me with this title: Reise Nach Ixtlan. That's what I used in my early journal keeping and reviews. However there's no evidence to support that. It was just the first track on the album. Discogs has it correct as self-titled.</p><p>---1/30/24 update</p><p>A kind reader from Germany wrote in to state that he bought the record real time - in 1981. That fits with the catalog #. Still not sure if that's when it was recorded. Apparently the 1984 "date" was a reference to George Orwell. </p><p>As it turns out, the album was not released by Schneeball, but rather it was distributed by them, even though Schneeball allocated the current catalog number (0025). Which would explain why the label doesn't feature their "snowball chicken" logo. It's also very clear from some newsletters that have been recently uncovered that the album was indeed their second recording - and it was recorded near the same time, in the same studio, as Didier's Cptn Coffee - who has a similar sound! Finally getting closure on the origins of Moira's second album.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjES1VLyDnegxzLEgLVvQqad0RCUOY9XyhoUmnJg05EAGvKh97Y_foX56-F5X31NkFcbdBpPERuqOVQhT_tY1jw4PLpl7_9mhN0HzyuizxVfZaSJgSTcfni7tl_LRE0atxn9LUkbldy6jveniepOe8U6NRZHSkPJoAohDtDsuXCTR4-y6whgiL2_vNW8HA3/s600/R-2490944-1459970562-6459.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjES1VLyDnegxzLEgLVvQqad0RCUOY9XyhoUmnJg05EAGvKh97Y_foX56-F5X31NkFcbdBpPERuqOVQhT_tY1jw4PLpl7_9mhN0HzyuizxVfZaSJgSTcfni7tl_LRE0atxn9LUkbldy6jveniepOe8U6NRZHSkPJoAohDtDsuXCTR4-y6whgiL2_vNW8HA3/s320/R-2490944-1459970562-6459.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ownership: LP: 1981 private. Single sleeve with the cool stenciled cover. Acquired as noted above (2000). Hard to believe that this was a $10 record even with expensive German mail order dealers back in the day. They were too caught up with the "1984"* date rather than taking the time to hear the music. </div><div><br /></div><div>*Since proven to be incorrect as well.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0U47KqwMA8bWvUDkwnOG7F4k_v1_FoYoYQiwHtSJ4GtFNLCEd7d3Y-rziPegJsR5sGFA5NbYKGFZr3Ac9JEE8XhyuzNkAFWc2yk0O77k3NiXtpHyHtDp7vaO-nubUNnOxq2GChvLbpExhP2O0x4cQOLzGInJLYwNmKHcWrUvDbP0TZqbICnF7zzYqkhCg/s600/R-2490944-1378125357-9103.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0U47KqwMA8bWvUDkwnOG7F4k_v1_FoYoYQiwHtSJ4GtFNLCEd7d3Y-rziPegJsR5sGFA5NbYKGFZr3Ac9JEE8XhyuzNkAFWc2yk0O77k3NiXtpHyHtDp7vaO-nubUNnOxq2GChvLbpExhP2O0x4cQOLzGInJLYwNmKHcWrUvDbP0TZqbICnF7zzYqkhCg/s320/R-2490944-1378125357-9103.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br />2000; 3/17/01 (Gnosis); 7/28/06; 1/24/24 (new entry)<p></p></div></div>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-80695543306572440792024-01-24T12:19:00.004-07:002024-03-12T05:33:54.380-06:00Igra Staklenih Perli. 1979 Serbia<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQxvRH2ku3J7rRSVBuRdzesgLXwjQfd8A7wGzUwJuyx-9Me0DdPApxPEEp1rM7983AjHw9Xh_A9IeMK0sGp8bNNFPqDKKZgINmMHtsrITOi4GQlxqN2OwnsVKcfj2NEHN7u-Bdixf0-3iBFJPbaOG_fl1111et7-DSodsjDPOwc3uw2irwnv2XyaDTVMe/s599/R-4711470-1612907605-6760.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="599" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQxvRH2ku3J7rRSVBuRdzesgLXwjQfd8A7wGzUwJuyx-9Me0DdPApxPEEp1rM7983AjHw9Xh_A9IeMK0sGp8bNNFPqDKKZgINmMHtsrITOi4GQlxqN2OwnsVKcfj2NEHN7u-Bdixf0-3iBFJPbaOG_fl1111et7-DSodsjDPOwc3uw2irwnv2XyaDTVMe/s320/R-4711470-1612907605-6760.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />My original scratch off notes stated: Along with Group 1850, Igra Staklenih Perli were the best group to emulate and expand upon Pink Floyd's sound from their Careful with That Axe Eugene / Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun days. Trippy, spacey,... a psychedelic dream. For me, the pinnacle of musical achievement from the former Yugoslavia.<p></p><p>---</p><p>Yep. That. Such an interesting album in that the band really studied and absorbed Ummagumma's album #1. Some folks call out Hawkwind, and even King Crimson, but I don't personally hear it. Maybe the first track has a bit of Hawkwind. Otherwise, this is live Pink Floyd 1968 to 1970 all the way. Also curiously they sing in English. One would think the Authorities would have taken a dim view of that. Maybe they all got high while listening to it, and didn't notice? Anyway, between this, their next studio album, and all three archival releases, ISP proved to be a wonder from the place and era. Timeless as they get.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPq3Y8I7VrozWZsrwMteyl8ghl87MH1blwGWZHjftfVGv-iNPoJoOpm3yddoh0-BW0thkqc9vAo7ubnNfydiTAqsEHp8SFmfGuNNMts41_5IQAi7FGzou9ku3KoXOHHiRSCH3lkhXvwaP-TLWPAoxhahLkKs7njwNkklnQX_Mz2j2qhX25kHCF1QZxeNX/s599/R-4711470-1612907604-6753.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="599" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPq3Y8I7VrozWZsrwMteyl8ghl87MH1blwGWZHjftfVGv-iNPoJoOpm3yddoh0-BW0thkqc9vAo7ubnNfydiTAqsEHp8SFmfGuNNMts41_5IQAi7FGzou9ku3KoXOHHiRSCH3lkhXvwaP-TLWPAoxhahLkKs7njwNkklnQX_Mz2j2qhX25kHCF1QZxeNX/s320/R-4711470-1612907604-6753.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ownership: LP: 1979 RTB. Single sleeve. Acquired in a trade from a well known Belgian dealer (1996). Great cover that I have featured on my wall of albums. This album used to go for much more than it does today. There's more supply than I think was realized back then.<p></p><p>CD: 2007 PGP RTS w/Vrt Svetlosti. There are many pirate editions out there for both the LP and CD, so you really have to be careful. If in the market for the CD, be sure to obtain this version, as it's the only legit one on the market. It's a fine tri-fold digi-pak, with embossed lettering, and full liner notes (in Serbian).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-96w51aLZNp9sQtFi1q7n9Mmk4rIpPsxLtESMxGDU9N4qW_pdoeZ22TOqsmtSXtAT_ty-jc1SKkoLV92H8Tqn2RR54NBqX2W0PG1OjVw_Its5lSRnR7fCj8eRDCjXzrrWvRpGFDCPfZhQ4_CZxu01WKJ41jbq-XKj8TQb42KlZRdCtpFMESoDO5oCcZO/s600/R-915516-1553596154-3891.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-96w51aLZNp9sQtFi1q7n9Mmk4rIpPsxLtESMxGDU9N4qW_pdoeZ22TOqsmtSXtAT_ty-jc1SKkoLV92H8Tqn2RR54NBqX2W0PG1OjVw_Its5lSRnR7fCj8eRDCjXzrrWvRpGFDCPfZhQ4_CZxu01WKJ41jbq-XKj8TQb42KlZRdCtpFMESoDO5oCcZO/s320/R-915516-1553596154-3891.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />1996; 2009; 1/23/24 (new entry)<p></p>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211085746565504004.post-4183212096409423352024-01-24T11:56:00.000-07:002024-01-24T11:56:16.550-07:00Iced Earth - Night of the Stormrider. 1991 USA-Florida<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcSZldGOw4MvhTB8NH5VVhD5WwKCQBb5ATW-51vYptMn5imK63DBBrWB-dBDGFVdJUhFi5p-E_ogf4xHYMYzoyomJ48cxnhkLj510mW-VdP1ZXG5rn5DgO-2_WQ8TO028rlm43-4VtUT6KQUHh3SXFVtqGOmnBP3SDjkoA-hvrCmhtpDrYHL_f94g63Y1/s600/R-14957455-1618612847-3331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="593" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcSZldGOw4MvhTB8NH5VVhD5WwKCQBb5ATW-51vYptMn5imK63DBBrWB-dBDGFVdJUhFi5p-E_ogf4xHYMYzoyomJ48cxnhkLj510mW-VdP1ZXG5rn5DgO-2_WQ8TO028rlm43-4VtUT6KQUHh3SXFVtqGOmnBP3SDjkoA-hvrCmhtpDrYHL_f94g63Y1/s320/R-14957455-1618612847-3331.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br />About 23 years ago I wrote the following about Iced Earth:<p></p>For a brief period in the early to mid 1990's, a music movement known as "progressive thrash" thrived in the underground clubs and magazines of the day. Take two parts Metallica riffing, one part Iron Maiden song craft and one part Fates Warning style invention and you have an idea what the sound entails. One of the best at this style were Florida's own Iced Earth... By their second album, Night of the Stormrider, Iced Earth had honed their craft. Each song contains speedy riff after riff and plenty of metronomic activity to challenge the discerning listener. The vocals are clean but deep and heavy.<div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems every time I hear this album, I give it a +1. I'm almost at the very top now. Everything about this album is perfect - from the atmosphere, to the riffing, the production, onto the compositions, even the much maligned vocals. And it's not even their best album! That goes to its successor Burnt Offerings. The album is super from the first note to the last.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVOlhHEDaQgeOVbSlYl4VSVee5xN5U610UEb1UOKI2uuHsQr1kbszcxanppVYpGz7UjJDDeI3lBOnxt5TMflpRFKiOpjzZocvFXH0HOzBnhIEreBLcoU1R_PIl2qaHX3SIROBb0092cYLDycY_oJ1WgXkDB3MFHN-O_ZRIW35aXsT1BwefL2Mv9m-wIRW/s599/R-14957455-1618612851-3079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="599" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVOlhHEDaQgeOVbSlYl4VSVee5xN5U610UEb1UOKI2uuHsQr1kbszcxanppVYpGz7UjJDDeI3lBOnxt5TMflpRFKiOpjzZocvFXH0HOzBnhIEreBLcoU1R_PIl2qaHX3SIROBb0092cYLDycY_oJ1WgXkDB3MFHN-O_ZRIW35aXsT1BwefL2Mv9m-wIRW/s320/R-14957455-1618612851-3079.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ownership: CD: 1992 Century Media. Jewel case with lyric booklet. Love the cover. Acquired at Life by Design here in the Springs on my first tour of duty living here (1994). Great store, but it didn't last but a couple of years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Best I can tell, this album didn't come out in the States until the following year. The first pressings were released in Germany and Europe. They were still pressing LP's in Germany, and this did get a vinyl release. They used a different cover, and I definitely prefer the US version.</div><div><br /></div><div>1994; 3/29/01 (Gnosis); 12//04; 4/1/16; 11/3/17; 1/23/24 (new entry)</div>Purple Peak Recordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07215603944746407312noreply@blogger.com0