UMR update

OK just a quick note here. I had to clean out my tape drawer which lead to some common group retrospectives. I expect to get back to regular UMR fare for a little bit anyway. Have some LP rarities here I'd like to cover off on.

If itchin' to do some research, check out Obscurus Subterraneum Musica (aka CDRWL), which right now is deep diving into the UMR archives. Once that's complete, I have 100's of titles here to go through for the first time.

---2/26/25

Alrighty I'm caught up on the 2025 listens that instigated the new band pages. Plenty of journals to publish when they're ready. And many more band pages as I get to them. I've been picking up commodity CDs and cassettes for 50 cents each, which allows me to check out lesser albums by bands like Pink Floyd and Rush (as examples). These will lead me to consolidate my reviews onto one page.

So many albums to go through. My listening stacks are enormous (including online). Thank goodness I was able to retire so I can actually get to these projects. 

And we have a wonderful LP reissue to share hopefully in the next few days. It's one you may not know about, so stayed tuned for that.

Obscurus Subterraneum Musica is the newly renamed CD Reissue Wish List (same URL as before), and I'm adding new items on a nearly daily basis. Tons of albums to add. All will link back to reviews here on UMR. I'm catching up on that front before adding all the new-to-me titles. There are hundreds to go!

---2/21/25

As you may have noticed, I've switched the posts from individual albums to band pages. I'll be doing this real time, so it will be years before all the posts get converted. I'm in no hurry. This format allows me to continue to add reviews and move everything forward. It keeps the older reviews fresh and also presents a perspective as a timeline of thoughts and opinions. As such, the reviews will be presented from newest to oldest in terms of the review, not the album release date. Since some bands only have one album, UMR will essentially function as before in those cases. This is the same format I use for Under the Radar and the CDRWL. Both will now link back to UMR for reviews. I'm going be to removing the year tag as I wasn't getting anything out of that. And consolidating some of my music genres / styles.

Albums I own on a physical media format will show the album cover, while the others only contain narrative (and I'll identify the source).

Journals will continue, mostly for bands outside of my primary interest area. They're being released 10 reviews at a time per genre. Same with revisits of older posts. I'll just call them out on a list (10 at a time) rather than move forward if I have nothing new to add.

Because of this new format, all obscurities will be included here rather than the old CDRWL. I've decided not to reimagine that blog. It will maintain its original function as a tracking device for new reissues and create awareness around obscurities that few know. The reviews will be here though, and I'll be sure to move older blog posts forward for a fresh perspective. Those without a CD reissue will earn the CDRWL label / tag, which exists here already.

With the above comment I have a backlog for dozens of new entries I'd been holding back. So you can expect a lot more activity on the blog. 

Van Halen (& related) ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Van Halen (1978)

Since I was already diving into the Van Halen back catalog, I figured I'd relisten to the album I constantly refer to, and that would be the debut. Part of this review would also make a good summary. Van Halen is not only an extremely important album in my overall music listening development, but I would submit it had the same impact from a music industry perspective as well. There just wasn't anything like it in the commercial market at the time. Feb 1978 is the release date RYM attributes. So 7th grade, and about the nadir of my existence. About the only thing I can say positive about my 13th year is that is the time when music became my most focused and important hobby, something that never wavered again, as I write this 47 years later. 

How was my reaction when I first heard Van Halen? It was too much for me. I wasn't quite ready for the heaviness presented. I know that sounds strange in retrospect, but we have to remember the era, and that I was also young with no foundation with metal (such as it was at the time). But I was becoming angrier by the day - being force bussed to the housing projects will do that - and I quickly found that Van Halen was allowing me to purge some of that internal angst. Remember when I said on the Windchase review that my record collection was my psychologist? This was an early example. Eventually Van Halen became one of my favorite albums by the end of 1978.

I can only speak for FM radio in Dallas, but there were four tracks from Van Halen that they played constantly: 'Running with the Devil', 'You Really Got Me', 'Jamie's Cryin'', and 'Little Dreamer'. The first one listed opens the album as well and is quite the statement, though not near as heavy as the album will become. The Kinks track is about as definitive a cover as you will ever hear. It's a great example of taking something from the 60s and amping it up 10 times. Fortunately it became de rigeur to include the preceding instrumental 'Eruption', which was groundbreaking at the time. A perfect segue too. One could argue that 'Jamie's Cryin'' was the blueprint for the future of Van Halen, though it is a very well penned song. But for Van Halen the album, it's one of the lightweight tracks. 'Little Dreamer' is a more simple song, but I always enjoyed the primary riff. Over time that track fell off the radio playlists, and in its place was an improvement. The blistering 'Aint' Talkin' 'Bout Love' which is a great representative of the album as a whole. To me it also indicated that audiences were craving more and more heavy and faster material. Today it's considered one of their best songs ever, even by fans of their later works.

'Ice Cream Man' introduces us to David Lee Roth's obsession with showtooney type tracks. While the premise doesn't fit the overall mood of the album, the instrumental sections absolutely do. Eddie Van Halen was possessed on this album, and probably was as angry as I was. All that early fame and fortune weakened his resolve quickly. The only dud track is 'Feel Your Love Tonight', which seems to have unanimous disapproval. It would have fit fine on subsequent albums but not here.

So that leaves us with the three best tracks that remain relatively unknown by those not familiar with this debut already. These were the three that I gravitated to without bias or influence, along with the aforementioned 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love'. 'Atomic Punk' is the next generation of Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song'. "Nobody walks these streets at night like me, I'm the Atomic Punk!". How I loved this song at age 13. And that crazy guitar scratching moment Eddie does - sounds like something Amon Duul II would have come up with. And Roth's vocals are perfect here. 'I'm the One' inches towards the Broadway play but instead just jams hard, and Eddie goes crazy on the solos. Brother Alex and Michael Anthony showcase their rhythmic abilities as well.

Which leaves the album closer: 'On Fire'. This is the heaviest recorded track in Van Halen's career, and remains my all-time favorite from them. It's also heavy metal, which ushered me into that direction, and one wonders how many other angry young men heard the same thing I did. When Roth screams multiple times "Fire" midway through he isn't playing around - he sounds serious, something that would have served him well later in his career. And Eddie unleashes his most angry solo as well. They were never to return to music like this. One wonders had they taken Van Halen II to the next level where would have Van Halen ended up? I'd suggest perhaps a little bit less sales, and a lot more artistic success. True music legends versus party boys that once were serious.

Brilliant album. Especially for its day.

Ownership: 1978 Warner Bros Japan (LP) original pressing; 2008 Warner Bros Japan (CD) papersleeve.

3/10/25 (review)

Balance (1995)

If I had no idea Van Halen were around on OU812, you can rest assured I really would have been unaware of them by 1995. It's only recently I've taken notice of this album, and it isn't the music, but rather from a collector perspective. Of all albums, Balance received a domestic LP issue on Warner Bros. in an era when no one was buying vinyl. And I'm sure it was more expensive too. Hence today its rarity, which is how I learned about (or paid attention to) its existence. I have a cheapie cassette here, so how did it go? It actually starts of intriguing enough with 'The Seventh Seal'. Could it be that Van Halen have matured into a thoughtful hard rock band? Blahahahah. Helllll no. I can honestly say I'd never heard one track from this album. And they all sound about the same. Each song less inventive than the last. It's better than its predecessor, not exactly a ringing endorsement. 

Source: 1995 Warner Bros (MC)

3/9/25 (review)

OU812 (1988)

This is the first time I've heard this title. By 1988 I would not even have known Van Halen were still around. I was safely in the workforce and deep diving into the European underground. 5150 isn't so bad, so how does the follow up rate? Oh good grief, 'When It's Love' sucks. You'd think by '88 that schmaltzy scene had played out, but it was actually the opposite. Oh hey, I actually recognize 'Cabo Wabo'. Guess I have heard something from this album after all. It's not an awful song, though Hagar crows too much for my liking. Side 2 gets off to a better start. Much more energetic, calling on their early 80s past. 'Feels So Good', OK yea, another one I recognize. Guess they were sneaking these tracks in my subconscious while I wasn't paying attention. I don't like it, though the organ emulation is interesting. Overall this album earned the disdain I had previously tagged Diver Down with.

Source: 1988 Warner Bros (MC)

3/8/25 (review)

Diver Down (1982)

I had this title rated really low. April '82 is when it was released. Second half of my high school junior year. There's no way I ever gave it a chance. I had already walked back my appreciation of Van Halen a couple of years earlier. I wanted heavier material by '82. After some 43 years, let's give it a more objective listen. So it it really that bad? Not at all. What's intriguing are the instrumentals, many more than usual. 'Pretty Woman' is one of their trademark cover tunes, and the instrumental 'Intruder' is the perfect setup, and usually not included (like 'Eruption' was), which it should have been. My memory had it that Diver Down was much more lightweight than its predecessor. That's not true either, though it most certainly is more friendly. The Dixieland and Happy Cowboy moves are more puzzling than embarrassing. Overall it's a bit more experimental than prior, while not losing focus on their commercial sensibility. Will I keep it? Nooo, but once again, much better than my original assessment. Other than the debut, that's the case for all of them from the past.

Source: 1982 Warner Bros (MC)

3/8/25 (review)

David Lee Roth - Eat 'em and Smile (1986) 

For Roth's follow-up Skyscraper I stated: "Hey - not bad at all. Better than what same era Van Halen were up to... ...Roth sounds like Roth and to me that means he's always "hot for teacher". Having Steve Vai on board was a stroke of genius. Vai gets a fat paycheck and Roth earns credibility while still acting out his macho bad boy routine. Good hard rock on the whole, though nothing revelatory." A fair assessment of this full length debut too (there's an EP prior). Perhaps Vai's own solo style is more on display than prior. A Van Halen with Stevie instead of Eddie wouldn't be an unfair conclusion. Roth was out there earning his paycheck, gotta give him that. Good stuff, just nothing I need to own at this point. 

Source: 1986 Warner Bros. (MC). Also have a sealed LP that I will be selling now.

1/30/25 (review)

5150 (1986)

Better than I remembered hard rock with Sammy taking over. Side 1 is the better of the two. A little too poppy at times, but not an embarrassment.

Source: 1986 Warner Bros (LP)

7/29/24 (review)

David Lee Roth - Skyscraper (1988) 

Hey - not bad at all. Better than what same era Van Halen were up to I believe. And do I hear organ on that first track? Didn't expect that. Roth sounds like Roth and to me that means he's always "hot for teacher". Having Steve Vai on board was a stroke of genius. Vai gets a fat paycheck and Roth earns credibility while still acting out his macho bad boy routine. Good hard rock on the whole, though nothing revelatory. The conclusion? The premise was accurate - reselling it for a profit.

Source: 1988 Warner Bros.

10/21/23 (review)

 

Van Halen II (1979)

As I stated on Def Leppard's High 'N' Dry: "One year later, during the summer of 1981, out came High 'N' Dry which I purchased on the spot. Had you asked me on Day 1 what I thought of the album, I would have told you it was great. But I knew it wasn't. Over the next year, my interest in the album had started to wane. As did my interest in the group in general. I was looking for heavier material, and more bands were cropping up to offer just that." Replace summer of 1981 with spring of 1979, and High 'N' Dry with Van Halen II and you have the exact same scenario. I was 14 and the testosterone was really starting to cook.

One of these days I'm going to write about Van Halen's debut, which I consider one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time. Unfortunately for us who enjoyed the band's heavier material, they more or less abandoned that for more radio friendly fare (the exception being parts of their 4th album Fair Warning). For whatever reason Van Halen didn't embrace 'Atomic Punk', 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love', 'I'm the One' and 'On Fire' - but rather they followed the path of  'Jamie's Cryin'' and 'Ice Cream Man'.

Van Halen II's drop is more precipitous than Def Leppard's, at least from a heaviness perspective. 'Dance the Night Away' and 'Beautiful Girls' was the sound of the new Van Halen. There are a couple of notable exceptions: 'Outta Love Again', and in particular, 'Light Up The Sky' bring the hard rock goods. Even the one / two punch of 'Spanish Fly' and 'DOA' are emasculated. Hardly 'Eruption' and 'You Really Got Me'. 

Nostalgia plays a big role in me keeping this (for now). As noted above, I bought it new in 1979 having fallen hard for their debut. In playing it last night, I knew every note of the album though I don't think I've heard it in over 40 years.

Ownership: 1979 Warner Bros (LP). Picture innersleeve. Club edition.

9/5/22 (review)

Fair Warning (1981)

I spoke some of my history with Van Halen on the Women and Children First album. Though I never bought that album real time, I did splurge for Fair Warning upon release. And that's because they were playing the heaviest songs on the radio. And those would be 'Mean Street' and 'Unchained', both I would consider at the top of the heap for Van Halen. A nice return to form, recalling their massive debut. At the time, I wasn't so enamored with the rest, looking for more heavy material. In reacquiring this title, I found myself enjoying the whole thing. Most assuredly their second best album.

4/28/22 (review)

Women and Children First (1980) 

Good ol' Van 'Alen. Ask me what the best hard rock album ever is, and I may very well say it's Van Halen's debut. What a mind blowing release that album was when it was released (and still is). That's a tale for another day. They dropped significantly on VH II, which I purchased and sold. So when the 3rd album came out, I just recorded it off the radio. And that was my copy for a few years, deciding not to buy the album. In reflection, that was the right move. However, I can afford to be more lenient now - and the album is exactly as I remember it. And well I should, since it gets constant airplay. I would argue that Women and Children First is a distinct improvement on II, but a far cry from the debut. Solid muscle hard rock, and the band hadn't lost their way just yet. They were still a "man's band", inching ever closer to winning over the ladies. 

Ownership (LP): 1980 Warner Bros.

1/31/22 (review)

9/5/22 (new entry)

Triumph ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

  

Allied Forces (1981)

OK, now we're getting to the heart of the matter. I would say their four albums from 1977 to 1981 are where I'm going to have the memory synapses firing off. I owned all four on LP, most purchased real time or shortly thereafter. As noted at the beginning of this post, I hadn't heard the debut prior though I thought I had. Looks like Allied Forces was released in September, so this would be the beginning of my junior year of high school. The tail end of my interest in this kind of commercial hard rock. Per their protocol, they start with a rather mundane try for a radio hit. 'Magic Power' has more than a slight resemblance to Rush, a parallel one can make throughout their respective careers. Then the title track gets us to where we want to be with Triumph: Barn burning hard rock with a few more ideas than your garden variety bonehead act. Then back to boogie rock, which is always dull. Their proggy heritage comes out again on 'Fight the Good Fight', another Rush-like number, with a killer mid song riff. They continue to keep their brain switched on with 'Ordinary Man'. The album closes as it starts, a hedge bet to keep the label execs happy. No matter, I was already sold.

Ownership: 1981 MCA (MC). I'll get this on LP next time I see it cheap in the wilds.

3/8/25 (review)

Never Surrender (1983)

On my review for their 1976 debut, I proposed that I might be in for a Triumph renaissance. Even their 1987 album Surveillance had me looking upwards (though not enough to keep, mind). This one I thought would grab a nostalgia pull since it was released at the second half of my senior year of high school, a bit late where such occurrences might happen. So did it? Sort of. Like with Rush, Triumph had started to become toothless as the 80s rolled on. They didn't go synth pop like their Canadian contemporaries, and stayed with power pop rock. Their prog heritage does show up here and there, but not enough for me to stick in a tape drawer. Still, I'm rating this higher than I had prior. 

Source: 1983 RCA (MC)

1/30/25 (review)

Surveillance (1987)

Keeping with my promise below, I'm starting my retrospective of Triumph. Eleven years from their debut, and after many years of radio success, what could Triumph possibly offer at this late date? Def Leppard apparently. Naw, it's better than that band's later works but it's essentially the same kind of juiced up commercial hard rock. Kind of a last hurrah from Canada's other finest trio (Rush being the other of course...). By 1987, Triumph were irrelevant, but at least they gave it a respectful try.

Source: 1987 MCA (LP)

10/14/24 (review)
 

Triumph (1976)

Triumph's debut is one of those odd albums where the beginning of each side is the dud track, and each song thereafter is better than the last. Somewhere along the line I thought I'd heard this debut back in the day but I hadn't. This album was never released in the US. Some of the songs were via the Rock & Roll Machine compilation (which I did hear), but not the album itself.

Even if I had heard it, my tastes have changed to really appreciating this type of hard rock. The inauspicious openers are party rockin' bar n' roll. No thanks. After that though, you'll hear influences such as Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix (Frank Marino probably). But perhaps most relevant is fellow Toronto heroes Rush. By the end of each side, Triumph shows a proggy heritage, with both 'Street Fighter' and 'The Blinding Light Show' being the highlights. Plenty of synthesizer on here too. It's time for me to revisit all of the Triumph works. I suspect my viewpoint will be far more favorable than it was in the 80s.

Ownership: 1976 Attic (LP). Blue label original. 

6/7/24 (review)

6/8/24 (new entry)

The Rolling Stones ~ England

As you will quickly realize reading the below, I'm no fan of The Rolling Stones. Nonetheless they do have a few albums and 45s worthy of pursuit (for me anyway). I decided to start compiling my thoughts in one listing, latest to earliest (reviews that is). I'll be doing more of this as the blog goes forward. Looks like I never penned any notes for my favorite Stones album Her Satanic Majesties Request. 

Sticky Fingers (1971)

Continuing on with our 50 cent CD finds is The Rolling Stones highest rated album Sticky Fingers. RYM also has it as #13 for all of 1971, arguably rock's greatest year of innovation. There are four bonafide hits to be found here, so it's one of those albums you already know even if you don't think you do. I'd heard it in full back in college, but the truth remains, I'm just not a Stones fan, and this is not the album that will sway that opinion. 'Sway' is a track here too, hmmm... As is often the case with The Rolling Stones, their charted singles are usually the best tracks. 'Brown Sugar' assuredly is the most famous cut here, and it's one of my least favorite - a track I've had to endure since the first day I dialed into the FM radio. 'Wild Horses' is a nice ballad, not extraordinary though. Hardly 'Stairway to Heaven' but for a band with an attitude like the Stones it does provide nice contrast. 'Bitch' has a good riff and is my second favorite song on the album. The gem of the album though is 'Can't You Here Me Knocking' that not only is the best composition, but they get into a rare jazzy jam while at it. Really the Stones should have done more of that (see 'Time Waits For No One' at the bottom of this post). They certainly had talent, but they kept everything compact and tight for the most part. I remember recording this song from the radio when I was 12. I had no idea it was the Stones until years later. I liked it then, and I like even more now. As for the other six songs here, you can keep them. More of the standard blues to country blues that I suppose their fans ate up at the time, but retrospective reviews aren't as kind.

Source: Rolling Stones Records (CD). Late 80s pressing

3/4/25 (review)

Beggars Banquet (1968)

One of their highest rated albums (4th according to RYM), I haven't the slightest idea why that would be the case. Mostly this is blues, and really country blues. Not where I want to be with The Rolling Stones. Most of their albums have a hit or two, and in this case they are 'Sympathy for the Devil' and 'Street Fighting Man'. Those are my fave two from this set as well, and they're not that hot to begin with. At this point in my Rolling Stones journey, this is the bottom of the stack.

Source: 2002 ABKCO (SACD). Also had the LP once from RT but sold it off before digesting the contents.

2/14/25 (review)

Between the Buttons (1967)

This is the second copy I've had float in here. The first was from a collection buy at the end of 2019. It wasn't in very good shape, so when this much nicer LP showed up in RT's collection, I pulled it aside for another listen. My opinion remains unchanged. I find this album fairly static and boring, and the radio hits here are more annoying than pleasurable.

Source: 1967 London (LP)

12/31/21 (review)

Black and Blue (1976)

Not a big fan of the Stones as it is, but I figured something from this period would have no chance. Boy was I right. This was worse than I expected, and that is a very low bar. Talk about a "throw in" album. Contractual obligation and all that. I guess the guitar audition aspect is its only redeeming factor. My least favorite along with Beggars Banquet.

Source: 1976 Rolling Stones (LP)

7/17/21 (review)

Goats Head Soup (1973)

Earlier recording and a little bit better than the above. Still there's nothing here that I would want to return to. Side 1 is average and Side 2 is disappointing. The big hit here is the ballad 'Angie', a song I could go a lifetime without hearing again.

Source: 1973 Rolling Stones (LP)

7/18/21 (review)

Out of Our Heads (1965)

This is clearly their transition album from Chicago blues to psychedelic and hard rock. Here's where you'll find 'Satisfaction' (on album), as well as 'The Last Time'. The Jagger / Richards originals are much better than the covers. It seems they weren't quite ready to take off the training wheels just yet.

Ownership: London (LP). 70's pressing

4/12/21 (review)

Emotional Rescue (1980)

This is the second copy of this album I've found in the last couple of years. I forced myself to listen to it all the way through. I don't remember one thing about it. That was last night. Less than 12 hours ago. I can't imagine the allure of this era of the band. As I said about The Who, the albums by the legendary 60s bands coming into the 80s were rarely of note.

Source: 1980 Rolling Stones (LP)

1/21/21 (review)

The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)

I've been going soft on these early titles, stating that they mostly fall out of my interest area, but I can still appreciate what they're doing. But on this, their 3rd release, I couldn't find much to hold onto. Mostly it's old-timey blues and rock-n-roll. They were still in the midst of the Hit Parade, and hadn't found their unique sound yet. All the same, this isn't for me.

Source: 1965 London stereo (LP)

12/28/20 (review)

Jumpin' Jack Flash / Child of the Moon (1968)

The a) side is almost as ubiquitous as 'Satisfaction'. I'm just not as keen on it. It's 'Child of the Moon' that's the money piece here, at least for us psych fans. I'd never heard it until now. It's not awesome by the way, but pretty good on the whole. The final conclusion though tells me I can live without. 

Source: 1968 London (SP)

12/20/20 (review)

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction / The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man (1965)

If you don't know the A) side you are then a very young person, otherwise an impossible situation. And it really is the draw here. The flip is bluesy rock with harmonica, nothing special

Source: London (SP). Later 60s pressing

12/20/20 (review)

12 x 5 (1964)

Yea, this is too early for me. At this point the Stones are not really the Stones. They're finding their way, playing music that was popular in its day. Blues rock, pop, RnB, mod, even rockabilly! A respectful effort, but out of my comfort zone. 

Source: 1964 London (LP). This was a unique pressing that I added to Discogs and since sold.

12/5/20 (review). I just realized the day I heard this. How crazy is that?

Aftermath (1966)

OK, so this is where 'Paint it Black' comes from. If I were to name my favorite Stones song, this would probably be it. 'Under My Thumb' also appears here. Usually that track ends up being covered somewhere, and never that great.  But this version has an odd jazzy feel that I like. But mostly the album is blues rock, and for certain ahead of its time, including the eleven and a half minute closer.

Ownership: 1966 London mono (LP)

11/29/20 (review)

It's Only Rock N' Roll (1974)

Well I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I have very little use for the Stones. I do need to spend a bit more time with their 60s work, but to date, I can't really stomach any of their 70s / 80s albums. And this is no exception. However.... there is one great track that I couldn't believe was the Rolling Stones. A jazz rock number called 'Time Waits For No One'. A great six and a half minutes buried in the middle of this teenage wasteland. All these years, and I never once heard this on the radio. 

Source: 1974 Rolling Stones (LP)

10/9/20 (review)

2/16/25 (new entry)

Helstar ~ USA ~ Houston, Texas

Burning Star (1984)

Helstar were one of the classic metal bands that I got into about 13 years after their debut. Coming from nearby Houston, I probably should have shown more Texas pride and picked this up upon release. But funds were short in my early days of college, and I didn't read anything that stated they were that much more original than any of the other bands emerging during that era. In hearing this album for only the second time, I can understand that sentiment from the metal journalists of the day. However vocalist James Rivera (known here as Bill Lionel) could scream with the best of them, and his unique approach definitely adds points. The guitar tones and production aren't particularly heavy, even for the era, but the riffs and solos are inventive. And they do manage to throw a few ideas in per song. One could argue that Fates Warning simply took Burning Star as a blueprint and upped the ante on the complexity for their breakout The Spectre Within release. Early classic metal like this still has a place in the collection.

Ownership: 1984 Music for Nations (LP). Different artwork than the US release.

10/19/14 (first listen); 12/23/24 (review)

Nosferatu (1989)

Helstar's 4th album is considered by many to be their masterpiece. Not sure I disagree, though I'm not all that intimate with the band's body of work. There's a compact progressive thrash component here mixed in with the power metal sounds of Helloween for example. No question, though, that James Rivera has one of the all-time great voices for heavy metal.

Ownership: 1996 Metal Blade (CD). With full lyrics and a million "special thanks".

1997 (first listen); 4/19/20 (review)

Remnants of War (1986)

Remnants of War is  Helstar's second album. And is precisely the type of 80s metal I love - it's raw, heavy, inventive, a little messy, and extremely engaging. And... yes, progressive too as there's quite a bit of riff and tempo variety within each track. To my ears, Remnants of War sounds like a heavier version of Fates Warning's The Spectre Within, an album that remains one of my favorite metal albums ever. And James Rivera's soaring vocals even recalls John Arch at times. The relistenability factor is very high for recordings such as this.

Ownership: 1986 Combat (LP); 1999 Century Media Germany (CD). 

12/4/16 (review)

12/4/16 (new entry)

Rush ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Rush were one of the first bands for me to get into, not surprising given my progressive rock disposition, even if I had no clue what that would have even meant in 1978. That year, Rush released Hemispheres and I bought it upon release. I must have listened to that album hundreds of times, pouring over the lyrics, and immersing myself in the instrumental 'La Villa Strangiato'. In addition, as was my pattern, I began to collect the back catalog, including 2112 (my school peers' favorite choice), Caress of Steel, and A Farewell to Kings. A buddy picked up the first two, but I wasn't too much into them back then. When Permanent Waves hit the shelves, I was there on Day 1. Loved it - still do. And a year later came Moving Pictures. Well now, hmmm, yea OK, I like it, kinda, well sort of, maybe not. Maybe. 

Over time, I've reconciled in a big way with Moving Pictures. As it turns out, that is also where I got off the Rush bus. I was entirely disgusted with Signals and even worse was Grace Under Pressure - both albums I've also long reconciled with. By Power Windows I didn't even know who Rush were anymore.

Counterparts (1993)

As the years rolled on, many of my music buddies were still hanging onto Rush, hoping against hope that they really were still a great band. I can remember the buzz around Counterparts in 1993. I was so hopelessly deep into the underground by then, Rush seemed like a blurry memory of my childhood. I could care less what they were up to, but a friend was thrilled. He proclaimed enthusiastically "It has a couple of good songs!" Down to that are we? A couple of good songs. That's something I've noticed with rabid fans of their favorite groups from their youth. Apologists to the core. Whether it be Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Rush, what have you, as long as they're still breathing, playing live, and releasing new albums, all is OK. Even if those new albums aren't really anything special. So with that, I heard Counterparts for the first time recently. Hey you know what? It has a couple of good songs! lol. I will say it's miles better than Presto to my ears, which isn't saying much. Rush seems to have this irrational desire to be hip and relevant, when their fan base holds them to their past. Their live shows are filled with classics not new stuff. Why didn't they get that? Who knows, but Counterparts is heavier than they've been in a while, and the first couple of cuts are well done. Then off to plastic land they go and the fast forward button gets some use. The great track here (have to wait until #9) is the rare instrumental 'Leave That Thing Alone'. One wonders why they didn't do more of this? According to RYM, Counterparts is their best album between Power Windows and their swan song Clockwork Angels. That doesn't bode well for the others. Though same website has Counterparts better than their debut and Caress of Steel. That's insane.

Source: 1993 Atlantic (CD)

2/27/25 (review)
 

Caress of Steel (1975) 

This is a foundational album for me, having first purchased it in 1979 at the ripe old age of 14. 'The Necromancer' is one of those epics that shaped my musical tastes versus satisfying them. Brilliant in every way, I spent my youth looking for similar sounds. 'Bastille Day' makes for a great hard rock opener, and 'The Fountain of Lamneth' was their first attempt at a side longer. A bit awkward in places, it's still a fine piece. They would later nail the long form composition perfectly on Hemispheres. For the first time ever, I even heard some decent progressions on 'I Think I'm Going Bald', one of their worst early era tracks. After all these years, nostalgia pushed this to a +1 as well.

Ownership: 1976 Mercury (LP). Gatefold.

1979 (first listen); 10//06; 7/26/23 (review)

Grace Under Pressure (1984) 

---Mar 2005

This one came out after I’d pretty much written off the group altogether. So this is really the first time I’ve heard the album with any kind of objective presence. Definitely a continuation of where the band had been heading since Permanent Waves. A more mature, confident, and consistent work than Signals. ‘Distant Early Warning’ is the right kind of radio hit – one that sticks with you in a good way. The transformation from 70’s big idea prog to 80’s sophisticated slick rock was completed here. They would go too far on Power Windows and the long, painful journey to obsolescence had begun.

---7/26/23

I mentioned recently that Signals was the first Rush album for me not to buy real time and that Power Windows was their first for me to outright reject. But what about the one in between those two? I was now three years away from embracing anything new from Rush, but I have to admit that Grace Under Pressure sounded better back then to my ears than its predecessor. Seemed punchier and more melodic. Essentially it was here they had mastered what they had set out to do - release a commercially viable product for the 80s. However by 1984 I wasn't regressing back to the radio albums but was boldly going forward towards the Euro underground. It would be another 20 years before I bought Grace Under Pressure and heard it throughout. Last night I enjoyed a +1 listen and I now hold it at the same level as Moving Pictures. And it's the last excellent album by them, at least of the ones I've heard plus what I've read about those I have not.

Ownership: 1984 Mercury (LP); 1984 Mercury (MC)

3//05; 7/26/23 (review)

Exit...Stage Left (1981) 

Exit...Stage Left makes for a great compilation and setlist, but the music is exactly the same as the studio versions. I saw them live in Dallas in 1981, and even that potential nostalgia pull doesn't happen here. I didn't buy this album real time, and I didn't need to now either.

Source: 1981 Mercury (2xLP)

7/18/23 (review)

Presto (1989)

When I would first hear any Rush album from Power Windows on, I immediately had a dislike for them. And in fact, my recent revisit of Power Windows confirmed my initial findings, but I did think it was better than I originally thought. What about Presto? OMG no. This is just not for me. It's one thing for Rush to have shed all of their hard rock leanings, but the songwriting here is almost non-existent. It's as if The Police decided to release an album of their trademark sound, but without any melodies. No matter how much rationalization I bring to listening to this, I can't reconcile any of it. One wonders if anyone would have paid attention to albums like Presto if it didn't carry the Rush brand? 

Source: 1989 Mercury (LP)

7/16/23 (review)

  

Fly By Night (1975) 

As I stated on the debut, the key to enjoying the early Rush albums is to view them through a mid 70s Midwest hard rock lens, versus a full blown prog act. Now songs like 'By-Tor and the Snow Dog' sound incredible in that context. And a major reason why Rush built a cult audience early.

Ownership: 1977 Mercury (LP)

12/7/11; 7/10/23 (review)

Power Windows (1985)

If Signals was the first Rush album for me to not acquire real time, then Power Windows was the first album for me to entirely reject. As with Saga's Behaviour, once you get past the shock of the middle 80s slick-as-a-butter-dish production, the music isn't so bad. The problem here is most of the songs sound exactly alike. I couldn't tell you one from the other even after a headphones listen. So yea, I still don't need this.

Source: 1985 Mercury Germany (CD)

6/22/23 (review)
 

Permanent Waves (1980)

One of those origin story albums for me. Bought this on the day of release, while still in high school (early high school at that). It never transcends the Gnosis 11 I have on it, but I always expect it to. As I said on the Moving Pictures review, it's really amazing how they were able to tap into the future of music without letting go of their principles. I think they finally lost the plot by the middle 80s, but in 1980 this was some stellar music. Thoughtful hard rock with a commercial sensibility. Not their best album (I still go with the predecessor to this) but close to it.

Ownership: 1980 Mercury (LP). Lyric insert; 1980 Mercury (MC)

1980 (first listen); 2//05; 9/22/14; 1/17/23 (review)

Rush (1974)

Like with many debut's, Rush's entrance into this world was much different than who they became and what they were known for. Though some do not like that I linked Ontario with the American Midwest for my RYM list, the fact remains that the landscape was very similar throughout the 70s. And Rush was very much part of that scene, playing clubs and small venues. Straight up hard rock was the best game in town, and interest in the band was nominal at best. Along with their management, they were able to scrape together just enough scratch to record and release both an album and a 45 on their own (both go for a small fortune today). One of those scarce copies managed to get to Cleveland's WMMS, and a female program director by the name of Donna Halper placed the song 'Working Man' into their regular rotation, figuring it would appeal to their blue collar fan base. Imagine that? She also was able to get the attention of Phonogram, based in Chicago, and the rest is history as they say.

Drummer John Rutsey was not just a tagalong member, but rather he was one of the two founders (along with Alex Lifeson) and was a major part of their original sound. He wanted to stay the course with the driving hard rock the band had established a small reputation for. But Lifeson and Geddy Lee (nee Weinrib) wanted to add prog rock elements and go a different direction. Along with Rutsey's health problems, it was decided a change was needed. Auditions were held, and they selected brainiac Neil Peart as their new drummer and lyric writer. The die was cast.

As a listener, it helps to put your mind into the 1974 landscape (which I did last night resulting in a +1 listen). Wet T-Shirt night and jammin' guitars was the name of the game. The cheaper the beer - the better. More for the merrier, that is to say. In that light, the great tracks here are opener 'Finding My Way', 'What You're Doing', and 'Before and After'. Best of all is the track that Ms. Halper thought would appeal to Cleveland's hard working industrial base: 'Working Man'. This song would remain as the sole representative the band took forward for their live set from their debut. If you don't go in expecting 2112 or Hemispheres, and you like hard rock, then there's a good chance to you might really enjoy Rush's debut.

Ownership: 1976 Mercury (LP)

12/7/11; 8/14/22 (review)

Moving Pictures (1981)

On Moving Pictures, Rush were clearly moving away from their 70s prog rock roots and entering the 80s decade. In retrospect, they were pioneers, a band with the foresight and wisdom to predict the mood and whim of the fans. It's Side 1 that everyone knows from the album - 'Tom Sawyer', 'Red Barchetta', and 'Limelight' being instant radio hits. Ones you still hear to this day everywhere. A close study reveals a lot of invention and thought, wrapped around a commercial sensibility the band had lacked prior. The move to synthesizers proved to be prescient. "ygrek ygrek zed" (the Toronto airport of course) was the one track that took me in instantly, and recalled my fave 'La Villa Strangiato' from the beginning of my Rush journey. But in compact form, like everything else on the album  So in recent listens (twice in three years - amazing regularity!), it's been side 2 that requires my focus, as I rarely remember anything about it. Ironically it's the more progressive rock oriented side and has aged incredibly well for me.

I still have the ticket stub of the concert I saw in April 1981 at Reunion Arena in Dallas (funny that it was still a new arena then. Been out of service for over 18 years now), which adds more nostalgia points to the formula.

Ownership: 1981 Mercury (LP). 1988 Mercury (MC)

2//81 (first listen); 2//05; 7/15/14; 12/20/18; 1/12/22 (review)

A Farewell to Kings (1977)

---Feb 2005

This is in the breadbasket of their classic era. Longest track, the eleven minute ‘Xanadu’, is the template for the classic Rush power prog sound. Many theme and rhythm changes without compromising any heaviness. ‘Closer to the Heart’ was one of the original Bic-lighter swaying songs. Who cares about the next two songs cause who could wait for ‘Cygnus X-1’, perhaps their greatest composition ever and heralded the arrival of Hemispheres, certainly their finest hour. What an ending!

---8/4/19

Rush's 5th studio album A Farewell to Kings represents core music from my adolescent years. Hard to imagine the needle moving much by this point. It's an excellent album that will always be, never to improve or to decline. 'Cygnus X-1' remains my favorite of a great set of tunes.

Ownership: Mercury Netherlands (LP). Gatefold with lyrics in the centerpiece. 

1979 (first listen); 2//05; 2/7/15; 8/4/19 

8/22/20 (new entry)

Pink Floyd (& related) ~ England

Many consider Pink Floyd the greatest band of all time, and Dark Side of the Moon the greatest album of all time. I don't agree with either assessment (though I own two copies of the album in question) but it's not hard to understand why both of these remain true. Pink Floyd are not an easy band to pigeonhole, and they went through various incarnations of sound and style. Some I love, others I find incredibly dull and boring. I've heard most of their output, including various solo albums. But I haven't documented them all (by a long shot). This post will be updated and forwarded many times before I'm done.

The Division Bell (1994)

I've clearly avoided writing about any of the Floyd albums post The Wall (and including that album which I don't like). I'll try to make a concerted effort to get down a few words at the very least going forward. One wonders what the point of superstars like Pink Floyd putting albums out like The Division Bell? It's not a terrible album by any means, but it's just so... so... ordinary. Gilmour gets in some nice bluesy licks, and Mason is mailing it in on the drum kit. He was never a jazzer, but c'mon, I could play drums on this album. And I don't how to. There's some smooth jazz, and more than a few references to Dark Side of the Moon, trying to capture a moment in time from 20 years prior. 30 years on from that, it just looks like a desperate writer turning out the same scripts from their blockbuster New York Times Bestseller from the 70s. Boring and unnecessary.

Source: 1994 Columbia (CD)

2/26/24 (review)

Obscured by Clouds (1972)

The last of the classic Pink Floyd albums for me to reacquire. And the first back out the door. I thought I liked this one more than I do. Atmospheric, but ultimately dull effort. I think had it been totally instrumental psych I'd be more enamored with it. Maybe if I find a cheap cassette or CD I'll hold onto it, but I'll take the money for the LP.

Source: 1972 Harvest (LP)

8/13/24 (review)
 

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) 

Famous psychedelic album from the creative mind of Syd Barrett. Sort of random in its songwriting approach, it is just that quality that makes this album special. Clearly (ironically) it came from an addled mind. Bizarre and completely out of left field for 1967. Pink Floyd never really sounded like this again once the remainder of the brain trust took over, though there are elements on Saucerful of Secrets. One of a kind.

Ownership: Columbia / EMI Germany (LP). 70s pressing.

1985 (first listen); 7/21/23 (review)
 

Wish You Were Here (1975)

I knew I had this album rated too high. And sure enough a -1 ensued, putting it right into the 11 category. Not first division for me. But I have to say that Richard Wright's synthesizer performance here almost pulled it over the threshold anyway. He really should have spent some time with Klaus Schulze. Who knows what he would have conjured up if he had. 'Welcome to the Machine' still captures my imagination though - a brilliant track. Even with this critique, I'd offer that this album is my favorite Floyd except for album #1 of Ummagumma. A very important release by a band that were selling out arenas and were incessantly played on the radio. Not a commercial album at all, and yet they managed to make it one. Impressive.

Ownership: 2011 Harvest (LP). Outer bag packaging, and all sorts of other goodies like posters and postcards. Much better than my original 80s commodity LP that's for sure. 

1985 (first listen); 2/15/23 (review)

Ummagumma (1969)

If there's a single source that one could point to as the origin of cosmic Krautrock, I think Ummagumma may very well be that album. Along with their Dutch counterparts Group 1850 - and a shoutout to Frank Zappa's Hot Rats - you can hear the sounds that Germany took and ran with in their earliest days, especially the bands circling the Ohr label. Depending on one's view, Ummagumma is a live album with bonus tracks - or one cohesive album with a completely different focus for each disc. I think it's best to take the former approach, and it's the live album that is significant here.

There are very few albums that possess two bona fide monster tracks, but here we have what I consider the definitive versions of both 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene' and 'Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun'. The former is a textbook example of how to build a solemn mood and then absolutely destroy it with one of the most intense climaxes in history. 'Set the Controls...' is about as trippy a number as you can find on any album, anywhere. If Pink Floyd were some obscure group that few had heard about, and these numbers were played back for the first time, it would be a natural reaction to think it was German made. 'Saucerful of Secrets' is no different from an atmosphere perspective, and in fact one could point to none other than Ash Ra Tempel's Schwingungen side longer as but one follower. The opening track is 'Astronomy Domine', the Syd Barrett composition that makes one wonder what direction would have the Floyd gone with him still at the helm.

The other album could best be described as "guys dickin' around in the studio". Which is not to say the album is worthless, as there's some good moments to be found from all four. They would have been better served to distill the best parts (if they would even know what those were) and disperse it evenly around the album. Similar to what Yes did on Fragile a few years later. Because it's separate like this, and the very nature of the type of music being presented, this is why I think it's best to view them as bonus material versus a part of the main album. Otherwise my score would be lower in aggregate.

Ownership: Harvest (2xLP). 70s pressing. Gatefold; 1986 EMI / Harvest Germany (2xCD). Fatbox. One of the first LPs I replaced with a CD, and even today, that decision makes total sense to me. Some albums were meant to be on CD, and this is one of them. I reacquired the LP later just because.

1985 (first listen); 8/7/22 (new entry)

Animals (1977)

I'm not sure I've heard this album since the late 1980s, even though I've consistently owned a copy that whole time. For me this is the end of the Pink Floyd I enjoy. I never could stand The Wall, an album I've had a chance to revisit in the last three years. I'll never understand its allure beyond a couple of good tracks. Animals, however, is their final non commercial stance. Not to play on titles here, but it's also dog slow. This is music to kick back, turn down the lights, and absorb. It misses the dynamism of its predecessor, and is not an immediately likeable album. Which I believe is the point. Gilmour gets a chance to really shine here, and taps into his late 60s blues repertoire. It's one of a kind in their discography. Even though it's been 30+ years since I last heard it, I felt like I knew the contents anyway. And the rating of excellent remains unchanged. Love the industrial Britain gatefold cover with the flying pig. It's wall worthy really.

Ownership: Columbia (LP). Gatefold. 80's pressing with barcode. 

1985 (first listen); 1/21/22 (review)

Meddle (1971)

Well, you all know this album. Features two excellent proggy space rock numbers in 'One of These Days' (the only song from this album, incidentally, you would have heard on the radio back in the day) and 'Echoes'. And then there's four rather boring folk rock tracks sandwiched in between. These are far more prosaic and backporch-y than the mystical dazed folk of More, for example. They're definitely no longer a psych band by this time. I particularly enjoy the second movement (as it were) of 'Echoes' with its excellent organ and guitar jam. The interesting aspect of this album is just how ordinary it is for 1971. No doubt that Pink Floyd were major influencers throughout the 60s. But on Meddle, they seem to be followers. There's many more examples of music like this from 1970 and '71 that is much more interesting. And this blog is full of them. After this, it seemed Pink Floyd realized this situation as well, and went about making Dark Side of The Moon. I'm not really a fan of the latter, but it's hard to argue that it wasn't groundbreaking. They were leaders once again.

Ownership: 1986 Capitol (CD) In the summer of 1986, I was working as a summer intern at a major US government military defense contractor in the Dallas area. It was a great gig, and I was very lucky to get it. I had mediocre grades (electrical engineering, to be fair...) and not much else going for me. But a very close buddy of mine's dad was one of the four owners of the company (see Al Di Meola's Elegant Gypsy post for more about this friend). Yes, it's true, it's who you know... In any case, I did thrive at the job, and was making serious money for a 21 year old intern. So what does a 21 year old dude in 1986 with money do? He buys him a new stereo, that's what! With a CD player! Wow - I was rich. We forget now how expensive CD players - and CDs - were at the time. Of course since I bought a new player, I needed product to go with it. There was a limited selection of CDs at the time. And, of course, there's no way I'm buying a CD of something I already have on LP. Meddle was one of the few Pink Floyd albums I didn't have at the time. So... it was the first CD I ever owned! In fact, it's so old, it has a smooth jewel case with no ridges. Those have become collectible now too, of all things. 

---1975 Harvest (LP). Gatefold

7//86 (first listen); 8/28/21 (review)

The Early Tours '70-'71

Title is a misnomer, as apparently the music here was all taken from one concert in Amsterdam on June 26, 1971. This is certainly prime Pink Floyd, though it only includes the music they were doing in 1969. I have to trust that the source credit is correct (from Discogs - and I'm sure other established bootleg sites). The titles don't actually reflect the songs here, but most of this is on the live side of Ummagumma, which is my favorite of all the Floyd albums (just disc 1 mind you). The other tracks are an extended version of 'Cymbaline' from More, a track that otherwise I was not familiar with. Its placement here is perfect though. And finally 'Embryo', a track that you find almost exclusively on live bootlegs. It too has the perfect "Cosmic Krautrock" sound - I say that in deference to Pink Floyd being probably the most influential of all bands for that scene. 

Ownership: 1976 Space (LP)

7/7/21 (review)

More (1969)

This is Pink Floyd at their druggy drifty best. This is the sound that Dom perfected on Edge of Time. I'd heard this album back in the day, but I was way too impatient for music such as this back then. I find side 2 the better of the sides, as it really captures the ethos of the times. Mostly acoustic guitar, tribal drums, and low-fi keyboards, with sparse vocals and the occasional rockin' burst. Love the trippy image windmill cover.

Ownership 1983 Capitol (LP) 

7/13/21 (review)

Relics (1971)

I've never owned Relics before, and my memory had this as a compilation. Which is true, but not a typical one. Today you can get most of these on a more modern CD reissue, but I don't have them, so this worked out perfectly. Relics is for fans of 60s Pink Floyd, and that's my favorite era of the band. Five of the 11 tracks are on studio albums, and the others come from rare singles and comps. Just having the studio version of 'Careful with That Axe, Eugene' makes it worth keeping, and the other tracks are great as well.

Ownership: Sounds Superb Belgium (LP)

6/20/21 (review)

8/28/21 (new entry)

Mandragora ~ England

Earthdance (1992) 

You can read my thoughts about Mandragora in the reviews below. I don't have too much to say beyond that. To summarize, Mandragora are one of my favorite bands from the original UK Festival Psych scene. They had a unique disparate approach though their sound is largely familiar. Earthdance is their 4th album (counting their debut cassette), and is closer to the previous Head First than the follow up Temple Ball. Mostly it's the eclecticism that makes me think that. This is the kind of album you just hit play and let 'er ride. Good music from a good era. This is a title I first bought on LP and switched to CD quickly. Today they're worth about the same.

Ownership: 1992 Mystic Stones (CD) 

1992 (first listen); 1/20/25 (review)

Phil Thornton with Mandragora - While the Green Man Sleeps (1993)

--- 9/29/09

Phil Thornton is the main man behind Mandragora and they were one of the great UK festival psych bands. And while this goes under the Phil Thornton name, most of Mandragora is on it, and it sounds like a Mandragora album to be honest. Or perhaps a more electronica version of the band, something the group eventually moved to anyway on their 1998 opus Pollen. This particular release reminds me a bit of Ship of Fools actually, given the relaxed nature and flow of the music. 

--- 10/7/22

As noted already in a couple of places, I'm quite fond of Mandragora, who I felt added a bit more than your garden variety space rock and UK festival act. And this listen resulted in a +1 as well. I didn't mention this above, but While the Green Man Sleeps is a mixed release. The first two tracks are from a concert in Scotland circa 1987. And for whatever reason they included 'Xylem' from Earthdance which is superfluous. The remaining three tracks are newer recordings and apply more to my initial review. The final track 'Rainbow Chant' is nearly 25 minutes, and is worth the price of admission alone.

Ownership: 1993 Mystic Stones (CD)

1994 (first listen); 9/29/09 (review); 1//10; 10/7/22 (update)

Head First (1991)

There was a time - in the early days of the UK Festival Psych movement - that Mandragora were one of the bigger names of the scene. Perhaps only second to Ozric Tentacles in name recognition. But by the end of the 90s, the band more or less died like most of the genre. And are now largely forgotten. Which is really too bad.

Head First is Mandragora's second proper album, and possibly their first fully realized one. It's disparate in style, but unmistakably Festival Psych. For example 'Pendulum & the Pit' is a solid hard rock number, not too far removed from a late era Hawkwind sound (the aforementioned were Mandragora's idols). 'Talking to God (Pt 2)' is one of the more wacky pieces here, very psychedelic with phasing, warbled voices, and wicked fuzz guitar. 'Raga' goes out East for the obligatory Indian psych trip. Both 'Yesterday's Tomorrow' and the title track offer the best representation of the album as a whole, and includes all of which they bring forth here. 'Grooving in the Dog House' gives us a glimpse to their sound at the end of the decade - more electronica and less rock influenced.

Overall a very solid entry into the English late 80s / early 90s psychedelic underground. I've owned this CD since it first came out, and it only gets better with age.

Ownership: 1991 Resonance (CD)

1991 (first listen); 1/1/19 (review)

Temple Ball (1994)

For my money, Mandragora were one of the top UK festival / space rock bands of the 1980s and 90s, perhaps only bested by Ozric Tentacles and Omnia Opera (though really obscure bands like Crow and Blim were just as outstanding, but those are more recent discoveries for me).

Mandragora's trajectory was a bit different, however. On album at least, they started with hard rock, moving ever slow slowly to space rock, then onto ethnic tinged electronic rock, some techno, etc... I like all of their albums, but it was on Temple Ball that the band finally unleashed their ferocious guitar fronted space rock style. Like many of the bands of their era, Mandragora mixed in recorded TV and radio bits to add to the ominous atmosphere, before launching into another intense jam.

The banger (hipster talk) here is 'Talking to God (Part IV)', but other great pieces include 'Zarg', 'Inside the Crystal Circle', 'Rainbow Warrior', and the title track. The album claims to be recorded live "in the Crystal Feb '94", but I don't think it's an actual concert. If it was, then it's been completely edited like a studio album and there's no audience noise. I prefer it this way myself.

This is definitely the best album on the space rock specialist Mystic Stones label, and sadly, very close to the label's last release.

Ownership: 1994 Mystic Stones (CD)

1995 (first listen); 11/17/11 (review); 7/6/22

11/17/11 (new entry)

The Chris Hinze Combination ~ Netherlands

Despite what it may look like below, I have a few Hinze albums in the collection. I just haven't written anything meaningful for any of them. We'll get there eventually.

Here is my summary from 7/18/09: Dutch flautist Chris Hinze was far more than just your usual jazz flute player. Especially on Mission Suite where he combines jazz and progressive rock very effectively. Stoned Flute and Live at Montreux are more steeped in the jazz tradition, but aren't standard by any means. Who Can See the Shadow of the Sun is a bit looser than the others during this period, and will appeal most to those into "out" jazz. Sister Slick is probably Hinze's heaviest album, with Philip Catherine on guitar, and is a good representation of the harder edged fusion style. His later 70s work strayed towards fuzak. Interesting to note that his other album from the early Seventies, 1972's Virgin Sacrifice, has been reissued on CD. I'm sure it earned a CD imprint (on his own label) since it foreshadowed his future work as a new age artist. It's very different from his other albums during the early 70s.

Stoned Flute (1970)

I've had this LP for well over 20 years but I think it's only the second time for me to hear it. I had such high hopes for this when I first obtained it. That most awesome title and the fact that I was already an established Hinze fan. But this falls to the free jazz side of the equation. It's not unpleasant at all, with plenty of standup bass and piano along with Hinze's flute. Everyone once in awhile they'll catch a groove and you begin to think there might be something here to grasp onto. But then it falls apart per protocol. Lot of folks I know into this scene, but I'm just not one of them.

Former ownership: 1970 CBS (LP). Gatefold

2003 (first listen); 1/7/25 (review)

Charlie Mariano with the Chris Combination (1973)

Straight up jazz session with American WWII veteran saxophonist Mariano joining forces with the Chris Hinze Combination from the Netherlands. This CD is a reissue of Charlie Mariano With The Chris Hinze Combination with the 18+ minute "bonus" title track improvisation thrown in the middle. Mariano himself was just taking baby steps into the European underground (see Osmosis for some American subversiveness) with jazz flutist Hinze's outfit. He was later to embark into an enlightening journey with Krautrock legends Embryo, and participate on some of their finest works shortly thereafter. 'Traditional South Indian (Carnatic) Kirtanam' is exactly the type of music he performed later with the underground Embryo. A real Hepcat, man.

Former ownership: CD: 1995 Black Lion (Germany) as Blue Stone. Booklet has original liner notes.

2003 (first listen); 12/10/15 (review); 4/23/24

12/10/15 (new entry)

Deep Purple (& related) ~ England

Deep Purple are arguably one of the best hard rock groups ever, going toe to toe with Led Zeppelin in the 70s popularity sweepstakes. The primary difference is that Deep Purple continued on into the 80s and beyond, and are still releasing new product. I haven't heard a Deep Purple album yet that I didn't enjoy at some level. Granted I haven't listened to anything new from the band in nearly 30 years, but I'm sure I will at some point. As you will see below, the later albums are new to me in the 2020's, that's how long ago I dropped Deep Purple from the buy category (1984). I have more of their classic albums here too, just haven't penned any notes for them yet.

As for the "& related" appellation, I'm casting a wide net. Mostly I'm thinking of groups and artists that I wouldn't likely separate anyway, so might as well include them here. The exception is Rainbow, and I'll get a page up for them the next time I review one of their albums or 45s. 

Whitesnake - A Slip of the Tongue (1989) 

As with their 1987 album, A Slip of the Tongue starts off strong. It doesn't take long, though, for Whitesnake to out-cliche the cliche. The title certainly is indicative of their mindset. One senses at this point that they're jealous not to have been from Los Angeles. They certainly sound like it. Depraved and all of that, but musically it's good hard rock. Nothing more though.

1/29/25 (review)

Source: 1989 Geffen (MC)

Tommy Bolin - Private Eyes (1976)

Tommy Bolin's albums show up quite a bit here in Colorado since that's where he first made his name. So what do we have here from Bolin's post Deep Purple life? It's an eclectic album mixing various AOR and classic rock styles. Most of the tracks are pleasant and well written. With excellent guitar work as to be expected. I'm not real keen on A2 and B3, but the rest is very good. The payoff cut here is 'Post Toastee' the only place that Bolin really lets loose on the guitar. I remember hearing this song on the radio while still in high school and wondering who it even was. Once I found out and then saw the album cover, instincts told me to avoid. And that was the right call at the time. Today I'm waffling on keeping this, but that one track is exceptional. So I'll keep it for today. Unfortunately this was to be Bolin's last work, dying of a drug overdose at the young age of 25.

Ownership: 1976 Columbia (LP)

4/28/15; 1/27/25 (new review)

The House of Blue Light (1987)

In recent years I've inexplicably acquired a taste for later era Deep Purple. As I reflect back, The House of Blue Light would have been the first album I'd ignored entirely and that remained the case until only the last few years. My reunion with Perfect Strangers went much better than expected, and I hear this album very similar to that one. So why would that be the case? I think real time, to my ears at least, these old dinosaur rockers weren't bringing anything new. Blues based hard rock was ever pervasive on the radio and honestly a bit tired by then. Forgetting my initial deep diving into the 70s European underground for a moment, I was also tracking current metal trends, in particular on the thrash side. That was where my high energy dollars were going. Not hard rock retreads.

Today I hear a band that was embracing their past while begrudgingly giving into some 80s trends. Essentially it's retro hard rock 15 years before anyone would think of such a thing. While some of the production techniques remind us of the 80s synth pop bands, Blackmore's guitar is still rooted in the 70s past. Gillan sounds great, though less emotional than his best works. He seems to be emulating Dio oddly enough. Sure 'Call of the Wild' can be skipped (not really a bad song, just the wrong band to perform it). 'Hard Lovin' Woman' has the right title but the perkiness doesn't match. The rest of Side 2 is where the revelation is. One wonders if many fans had the patience to get that far. Every track is a winner and Blackmore lets loose more than usual. 'Dead or Alive' is a great closer where Jon Lord finally shows up with his Hammond B3 and they get into an updated 'Highway Star' solo trade off.

Certainly not suggesting that The House of Blue Light is the pick of the Deep Purple litter, and I'll probably sell it at some point. But it's much better than I expected.

Ownership: 1987 Mercury promo (LP)

6/4/24 (new review)

In Rock (1970)

Below I wrote for the follow up album Fireball: "While seemingly half of Europe was copying Deep Purple - In Rock's innovations with hard rock, the band themselves regressed back into blues rock." In hearing In Rock for the first time in many years, I think I managed to underestimate it. Every track is a hard rock winner, with Blackmore and Lord trading the heaviest solos of their career. Ian Gillan provides the blueprint for every hard rock, and later, heavy metal vocalist. Paice and Glover are on fire here. 'Child in Time' is a track for the ages. 

Ownership: 1973 Warner Bros. (LP). Gatefold. 

1986 (first listen); 2006; 2/2/23 (review)

Deep Purple (1969)

Deep Purple's 3rd album is an odd bird to be sure. It's a ship without an anchor. Is it prog? psych? hard rock? The answer is yes. They really have a great sound here with Blackmore displaying more of an acid tone than usual and Lord's Hammond way out front. This was to be the end of Mk. 1, before the band decided to rip their shirts open to show their hairy chest while their balls clanged to the ground. It was the right move at the right time, and Deep Purple are legends because of the variation of the band known as Mk 2. What would have happened had they continued with Evans and Simper? Hard to know but likely they would have stayed regional and ultimately faded away - one more 60s English band that is more a footnote than one with a true historical legacy.

In any event, I like this 3rd album - as quirky as The Book of Taliesyn that preceded it. No major highlights but an easy album on the ears that doesn't ask too much from the listener.

CD comes with five bonus tracks, two from a single and three taken from BBC radio sessions.

Ownership: 2003 Purple Japan (CD). Extra thick gatefold papersleeve. 

7//05; 12/4/22 (review)

Whitesnake - Lovehunter (1979) 

A real outlier in RTs collection. "I liked the cover" he tells me. Well yea, can't argue that point! Lyrically these guys were really plugged into the macho oversexed culture of the day. Today they would be cancelled for being sexist pigs. Which is, of course, what they were... Musically it's still the same old bluesy hard rock that one would hear from 1973. So they had fallen way behind on that front. Ultimately they would catch up with the era they lived in (see our notes on the 1987 album). A pretty good album, but nothing that really stands out.

Source: 1979 United Artists (LP) 

11/24/21 (review)

Fireball (1971)

While seemingly half of Europe was copying Deep Purple - In Rock's innovations with hard rock, the band themselves regressed back into blues rock. At least for the first side. Though the opening title track is a burner, the rest takes us back to the late 60s pre-proggy era of Purple, and is shockingly ordinary. Side 2, however, makes up for it and picks up where the last album left off. Much more interesting and creative hard rock - though not trailblazing. When it's 1971, you are Deep Purple, and your album is named Fireball, one presumes you'll get more than this. Led Zeppelin, for their part, put out 'Stairway to Heaven' among other tracks etched into our collective DNA's. You think they created some separation there in the public's mind? Oh yea. Meanwhile Black Sabbath was dominating the underground with Master of Reality. Most people here couldn't name one song on Fireball, as none of these made it out of the early 70s as far as American FM radio was concerned. They were to make up for all of this in a big way the following year with Machine Head. But they lost some ground in 1971, a most pivotal year.

Ownership: 2000 Warner Bros. / Rhino (CD). Full written history, new photos, vintage posters, old reviews, and multiple relevant bonus tracks including a 45 single. An excellent reissue.

2//06; 8/13/16; 3/25/17; 10/23/22 (review)

Trapeze - Meduza (1970)

Trapeze's second album is a solid hard rock work, one step ahead of the more blues oriented competition. The band is most known for contributing Glenn Hughes to Deep Purple and Dave Holland to Judas Priest (later), though they had a nice career throughout the 70s. Guitarist Mel Galley found success with Whitesnake as well. Speaking of Judas Priest, one can hear their prototype on tracks like 'Jury' and 'Medusa'. Not a life changing album, but this is good meat and potatoes hard rock.

Ownership: 1970 Threshold (LP). Gatefold. 

8/26/22 (review)

Perfect Strangers (1984)

The hype sticker on my copy screams "Destiny Brought Them Together. Again." So we'll presume then that it was destiny that intervened and broke them up. Again. Or it could just be that Blackmore and Gillan couldn't stand each other. But on this reunion of the famous "Mk. II" band, their first together since 1973, the band sounded fresh. 1984 was an odd time for an old fashioned hard rock band to be trying to make a comeback in a world full of heavy metal bands and New Wave pop artists. Undeterred, Deep Purple did just that. The title track sounding more classic Led Zeppelin than Deep Purple, nonetheless they caught fire and Deep Purple were back in the limelight for the first time in a decade. Jon Lord's organ hasn't changed one bit (no need for cheap synthesizers), Blackmore is ripping solos in his inimitable way, and Gillan is still sounding like a virile young man. The only downside is that Glover and Paice did decide to sound more 80s, and the wide open beats are too simple for these guys. 'Burn' this is not. All the same, a triumphant comeback album.

Ownership: 1984 Mercury (LP). Lyric insert. 

1984 (first listen); 12/29/21 (review)

Purpendicular (1996)

One of my favorite pastimes of late is enjoying past-their-prime releases of known bands. Uriah Heep, Saxon, and... now add Deep Purple to that list. If nothing else, gives me something to look for while combing the thrift shop CD bins. I had a grade on this from before, but I don't remember a thing about it, which tells me I probably heard it real time. Back then I wasn't so keen on these "has-beens" trying to stay relevant. I also didn't give it a chance I'm sure. In reflection, I'm hearing the classic Deep Purple sound 20+ years from their best years. And when one looks at the line-up, it's Mk. 2 with Steve Morse instead of Blackmore on guitar. Which is sacrilege for many, but Blackmore left Purple behind a couple of times, and hasn't looked back since 1993. So what's a band to do - quit? No. Persevere. Bands as brands as I've said many times before. This is pretty much 70s hard rock with Hammond organ (yep, the old warhorse Jon Lord is still banging away on the heavy piece of wood) and Morse providing a more updated guitar approach (i.e. more notes per minute). Gillan sounds great, and his bluesy voice is timeless. Paice and Glover are a machine by this point. Good set of tunes. What else do you need? 

Ownership: 1996 Prominent (CD) 

10/22/21 (review)

The Book of Taliesyn (1968)

Clearly Deep Purple were going towards heady waters with a title and cover like this, especially for 1968. In fact, Deep Purple had to make a conscious decision to move away from prog and over to hard rock eventually, and it was there they found fame and fortune. I had my best listen in 35 years this go round (+1). Really appreciating Jon Lord's Hammond organ contributions at this point of the group's career.

Ownership: 1971 Harvest (LP). Gatefold. UK pressing

1986; 2//05; 10/19/21 (review)

Whitesnake (1987) 

I remember when this album first came out, and the track I heard was 'Still of the Night'. Based on that, I purchased the LP. To great disappointment. And sold the LP in the mid 90s (if not before). Once I saw this special edition, I thought this would be a good chance to hear it again. The CD opens with - you guessed it - 'Still of the Night'. Which is not how the originals started, but makes sense in retrospect. It's a foot stomper of a track. Huge fat chords, heavy beats, and creative passages. It's a no wonder I was drawn to this album originally. And that's pretty much it for that style. Certainly tracks like 'Bad Boys' and 'Children of the Night' bring it as well, and have earned their hard rock street cred. But boy is this an album of the 80s or what? Big hair, beautiful bodies, and little brain use. 'Is This Love?' is pathetic - gee, I don't know - is it? I'm pretty sure the only things these guys would have known is 'Is this Sex?'. 'Here I Go Again' is the kind of track one would think a time traveler would make about 80s music, it's such a caricature of the entire genre. We can criticize this album all day long, but this is exactly what audiences wanted back then. It does have a time and place charm, that's for sure. I'm keeping it. File next to your mousse can.

Ownership: 2007 EMI Europe (CD + DVD). 20th Anniversary Special Edition. Double digi-pak with four live tracks.

1987 (first listen); 3/6/21 (review)

Warhorse (1970)

The debut of Warhorse is quite a powerful tour de force for 1970. Bassist Nick Simper is the big name here, coming fresh off his firing from Deep Purple. Probably no surprise then that vocalist Ashley Holt is a screamer in the Ian Gillan mold, by then certainly Simper's arch enemy. The band also originally had Rick Wakeman in its ranks, but replacement Frank Wilson pounds on the organ with the best of them. But it's guitarist Ged Peck who steals the show here, and lays out a blueprint for the riffing style that was to come years later. There's little from 1970 that has the pure force of 'Burning', the album's highlight along with the raucous closer 'Woman of the Devil'. Of the seven tracks here, five are excellent or beyond. 'Ritual' is, as other's have noted, a bit too close to 'Mandrake Root' for comfort. 'St. Louis' is the only skip over track as it sounds like Deep Purple playing with.... The Partridge Family. I'm serious! Two small marks on an otherwise brilliant hard rock album, a pioneer of the genre honestly.

Ownership: 1999 Angel Air (CD). Liner notes, photos and five bonus tracks. Four are live versions from the album proper, and the other is the demo track 'Miss Jane', which was best left on the cutting room floor.

2005; 5/4/19 (review)

Warhorse - Red Sea (1972)

Add another name to those who feel disappointed by this effort. I had that somewhat cheap looking Thunderbolt vinyl reissue going back to the 80s, and sold it not long after, as I was nonplussed about the music from the get. However, I picked up the Angel Air CD about a decade ago, and thought it good enough to keep. This relisten validates my initial assessment.

In hearing it again, it becomes obvious why most folks tend to appreciate the album, including myself. The first two tracks are excellent, sounding exactly what one expects of Warhorse: That of Mk. 1 Deep Purple emulating Mk. 2. But the appropriately titled 'Confident But Wrong' shows the frayed strands of creativity, and introduces us to four very ordinary rock and roll tracks that are a slog to sit through. Though the lengthy 'Mouthpiece' looks alluring on paper, one quickly realizes there's not much but a skeleton of a song there, with an overlong drum solo to boot. 'I (Who Have Nothing)' begins to turn the corner with its shrieking Ian Gillan-like pleas, but it's clearly too late, and this warhorse has already sunk to the bottom of the sea. And this would be the end for the once promising hard rock band.

Given the pedigree of the band, this album was somewhat "mainstream" in real time, and was pressed in multiple countries. Surprisingly, though, it did not receive a US pressing.

Former ownership: 1999 Angel Air (CD)

2005; 7/10/16 (review)

1/1/17 (new entry)