The Morrigan - Hidden Agenda. 2002 England

And The Morrigan's recording career appears to have concluded with Hidden Agenda. Featuring a capture-the-imagination medieval city center painting, and with a title hinting at a possible byzantine hidden agenda, perhaps we can expect this to be The Morrigan's most progressive and thought provoking album to date? The answer is no, it's more of the same: A solid mix of progressive rock originals and unique rocked out interpretations of English and Celtic folk traditional music. Which is hardly a bad thing. I've always appreciated The Morrigan more for their handwritten material, and tracks like 'In the End', 'The Other', and the 10 minute 'A Night to Remember' do not disappoint. In fact the latter track is arguably The Morrigan's finest moment. If this is indeed their swan song then they went out on a good note. 

Former ownership: CD: 2002 English Garden. Jewel case. Lyric and artistic booklet with photos and recording details.

5/5/13 (first listen); 8/26/14 (review / new entry); 12/3/24

The Morrigan - Masque. 1998 England

Masque continues in the same manner as The Morrigan's two previous releases. There is the usual blend of original material mixed with creative progressive rock arrangements of traditional medleys. Whereas Wreckers sounds like an extension of Rides Out, Masque sees The Morrigan stretching out to new horizons - with more sophisticated arrangements and an overall heavier sound. Like Wreckers, The Morrigan held back their more adventurous material until later in the disc. Highlights include the heavy and complex progressive rock track 'Moonghost', the Cathy Alexander dominated 'The Traveller' with its Hackett-esque guitar, the jazzy variation of the traditional 'Dribbles of Brandy', and the Ozric Tentacles (with vocals) inspired 'The Demon Lover'. A very fine album.

Ownership: CD: 1998 English Garden

8/26/14 (new entry)

The Morrigan - Wreckers. 1996 England

Six years after everyone ignored Rides Out comes Wreckers which basically sounds like a re-recording of Rides Out - though the tunes are indeed different. There hasn't been much progression since, and it appears they are trying to re-energize or regain their old audience - or perhaps attain a new one with their first CD on the established English Garden label (which incidentally was an offshoot of the Background reissue label that was focused on some of the most obscure 1970s UK folk rock rarities). I also hear a timid try in a few places for a Dead Can Dance styled Darkwave sound, though they were a day late and a dollar short on that front. There are two odd tracks towards the end of the CD (both originals) that show that The Morrigan are looking to break out from their standard sound. 'Wheels Turning' is a good try at the 80's New Wave of British Progressive Rock sound as popularized by Marillion and Pallas. And 'When the Rain Comes Down' has a reggae base complete with Moog synthesizers, once again demonstrating their Festival Scene roots. So given this premise, I'd have to say Wreckers is the most superfluous album in their canon. Certainly it's a fine work, and if you haven't already heard Rides Out then the sound will be most revelatory on initial impact I'm sure.

Former ownership: CD: 1996 English Garden. Jewel case

8/26/14 (review / new entry); 4/4/24

The Morrigan - Rides Out. 1990 England

On paper at least, England's The Morrigan doesn't sound like my cup of tea. In essence, The Morrigan play rocked out versions of English traditional folk songs. Or self-penned tracks that sound like English traditional folk songs. Fortunately I happened upon Rides Out not long after the CD release, and was captivated immediately. Not only are these spirited reproductions - or originals - but there is definitely a psychedelic/heavy rock slant to their approach (and guitar sound), reminding me of some of the early 70s greats like Mellow Candle or The Trees. The female vocals and recorders - heck the entire production - are crystal clear and one can be forgiven for breaking into a jig mid-song. It's apparent the band had roots in the UK Festival scene of the mid 80s, though by 1990 the band had honed their sound to a professional level. Not surprisingly I found myself enjoying the original material best, but if in a positive mood, the whole album works well together. A wonderful find, especially if you tire of the endless Public Broadcasting Company's tepid vision of said sound.

Ownership: CD: 1997 English Garden. Part of a large collection buy not long after this release. Jewel case with 2 page booklet containing detailed recording info plus a photo on the back. Originally released on LP in 1990. The CD features one relevant bonus track recorded at the same time as the album.

8/26/14 (new entry); 2/1/21

Steve Maxwell von Braund - Monster Planet. 1975 Australia

Monster Planet is arguably Australia's first electronic album. Influenced by the German Cosmic Courier LPs (all of which were imported to Australia), and Braund's own time spent in the English and German underground, Monster Planet mixes both rock (including vocals, sax, bass, and drums) and electronik elements. The latter proving to be the main characteristic of the album. The synthesizer was limited to strictly a Korg-700, so the possibilities were quite limited - and the album is a bit monotonous in places because of it. There are no sequencers, organ, or mellotron - just static and spacey electronics. Shortly thereafter Braund began to assemble a full arsenal of synthesizers, and thus the Cybotron legacy was born. All the same, the album has its charms, and is a good example of the pioneering 70s electronic music movement.

Ownership: LP: 1975 Clear Light of Jupiter. Single sleeve. Online acquisition (1999). The album was pressed in a quantity of about 2000. Braund wasn't too keen on the cover design (nor the Von designation), and so he had approximately 500 of the albums reprinted with a more favorable cover (black and white with him on the front). So convincing was the German styled cover design, that when I first read about the album from a catalog in the mid 1980s, it was simply listed as Monster Planet on the Cosmic Couriers label. For many years, dealers told me such an album didn't exist. And finally the puzzle was resolved for me, and eventually I bought the original LP. At one point I also owned both the Aztec and Dual Planet reissues, but moved them out since they were superfluous. The CD does however feature a very telling 14 minute radio interview from back then. I have to admit to wondering why Aztec would reissue such an obscure album, especially after falling into financial trouble. And the answer is provided in the extremely informative liner notes: Label head Gil Matthews plays bass and drums on the album!

1999; 8/23/14 (new entry); 7/8/23

Irish Coffee. 1971 Belgium

Irish Coffee's debut is practically the definition of the Continental European rock sound of the era. Heavy guitar and Hammond organ are the main instruments, while the English vocals are delivered in a forceful gruff style. The music is deceptively complex, and a casual listen will likely result in labeling the album as "hard rock" and it definitely rides that fence. Tracks like 'Can't Take It', 'When Winter Comes', and 'Hear Me' pack a lot of ideas and meter shifts into their sub 5 minute time frames. The single tracks are indeed more straightforward, and the last recordings come from 1974 where it appears the band hadn't progressed at all.

Ownership: CD: 2007 Thors Hammer / Garden of Delights. Full historical liner notes, new photos, scans of all their singles (and all 7 extra singles are here as bonus tracks), and great sound. 

My first taste of the album, along with dozens of other people I'm sure, came via the Voodoo CD reissue (1992) which I picked up sometime in the 90s. Over the years, this reissue had been tagged a pirate edition, but I was pretty certain it was legit. And sure enough, the band themselves reissued it in a limited edition (Voodoo was an early name for the band). It featured 7 bonus tracks and a small history. Naturally it vanished into various collections over the years, and the bootleggers hit the market hard. 

Fortunately Garden of Delights came to the rescue (under their non-German Thors Hammer moniker), and this is the de facto reissue. Here we learn of the authenticity of the original CD (but points out one glaring recording error), as well as confirming the original LP release date as July 1971 (I still see 1972 appended on some discographies). It would be great to get an original, but that's not likely to ever happen. While I think it's a great album, I don't think it's worth four figures honestly (and yea, I do think some albums are worth that - personally speaking of course).

8/20/14 (review / new entry) 

Light Year - Reveal the Fantastic. 1974 USA (archival)

Today we have a real gem. And it's been out there for 4 years now, and I'm just hearing it for the first time!(?) I discovered it the old fashioned way: Research. This is the type of album I'm usually tipped to ahead of time by my loyal friends and researchers. So perhaps today I can return the favor? I hope so. I think all of my readers will adore this one.

An extraordinary find, Light Year were a band from San Francisco circa 1974 that played a cross between heavy fusion and progressive rock, with dominant female vocals. To me it sounds like the Belgian band Cos playing the music of Mahavishnu Orchestra! Yes... I'm serious - Pascale Son fronting John McLaughlin and crew. A 6 piece of guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals, and percussion (much of it tuned). Mixing a Bay Area band with an additional percussionist will call to mind who? Yes, that's right, Santana. And guitarist Randy Sellgren certainly possesses that hyper kinetic electric technique of Mahavishnu John meets Carlos type sound. The music is jazz oriented, but with ferocious rock segments, in the same manner as Santana's "Lotus". And the final track, clocking in at a whopping 20:20, has a distinct space rock element - propelling the album to its greatest height.

And the story doesn't end there. And this is perhaps the most fascinating aspect for me; the liner notes don't mention it. And there's only one reference to it on the label's home page. And (lots of ands on this one...) this is how I discovered it in the first place: I recently bought a second LP copy of Mingo Lewis' "Flight Never Ending" which I have listed in the CDRWL. This copy, however, included a promotional insert, where it says (typing it out literally): "Mingo's band lingo (sic) is a tight, young outfit: Drummer Dave Logemen (22), bassist Eric McCann (17), plus the remains of another San Francisco band called Light Year which includes guitarist Randy Sellgren, synthesizer specialist Michael Kapitan, and keyboardist Kincaid Miller." The latter two are not mentioned in the CD liner notes (Mingo's album came out two years later) - but then again, neither is Mingo Lewis. Holy smokes - who knew??

This album is absolutely essential.

Personal collection
CD: 2010 Green Tree (Germany)

The CD comes in a nice digipak and features newly written liner notes (from 3 of the members), lyrics, and photos. The sound is excellent. The LP is a gatefold, though I haven't possessed one myself. I know that Green Tree has a somewhat checkered past, but this one is clearly legit, and a superb archival album. Buy this one before it gets away. Special thanks is given to Doug Larson, who I presume had something to do with this release.

L'Orchestre Sympathique - En Concert a la Grande Passe. 1979 Canada-Quebec

L'Orchestre Sympathique's jazz rock sound (recorded live, but perfect sound) is defined by flute and tuned percussion, and thus draws comparisons to Pierre Moerlen's Gong and fellow Quebecois legends Maneige very easily. And those references are certainly on the mark. One band that isn't mentioned often, but I pick up in the more intense spots, is that of Dun's Eros. There's no hints of Zeuhl here, and it certainly isn't a dead-on reference, but there are a few similarities especially on 'Houmalaya'. As with any live jazz oriented album, there are a couple of loose improvisation spots that get stuck in the mud, but in general those moments are fortunately held at bay. About 15 years after this album, the Argentine band Las Orejas y La Lengua would release a similar type effort. Highly recommended.

Personal collection
CD: 2005 ProgQuebec

Original LP is a single sleeve cover. The album was included in their concert pricing  - a novel idea that helped fund the project. It's only been in the last couple of years that I was first introduced to the album. The CD features liner notes and wonderful sound like all of ProgQuebec's product.

Madder Lake - Stillpoint. 1973 Australia

Madder Lake's debut is a varied work, that references many of the influences of its day. Anything from the Oz standard of boogie/shuffle ('On My Way to Heaven') to catchy folk rock pop ('Goodbye Lollipop') onto Santana influenced jazz rock - it all can heard on Stillpoint. Perhaps the best track is the opening 8 1/2  minute 'Salmon Song' (wait a minute, was Steve Hillage...? Naw...), a primarily instrumental jazz rock piece that features some fantastic guitar and organ leads. Other highlights include 'Helper', which sounds like it could have fit in the middle of Blue Oyster Cult's Tyranny and Mutation album; the first half of 'Listen to the Morning Sunshine' is typical boogie, but the second half is all psychedelic goodness; and the two progressive oriented closers 'Song for Little Ernest' and '12-lb Toothbrush'. Ironically the latter track had a pop vocal motif that they filtered out for a hit single (as presented on the Aztec CD as a bonus track) - and became somewhat of a caricature sound for the band. They apparently never recovered their reputation locally because of it ("a millstone around their neck" as the liner notes put it). From my perspective, this is by far their better of two albums, and I could never reconcile with their sophomore effort Butterfly Farm despite a splendid cover.

Ownership: LP: 1973 Mushroom; CD: 2008 Aztec. The LP comes in a nice rough paper, non-laminated gatefold. Of historical interest, this was the first album on the Mushroom label, and was more or less created by the manager of Madder Lake. And of personal historical interest, this was the first LP I ever bought on ebay (Apr 1999 to be precise). Such an odd choice, but it remains the fact. The fantastic Aztec reissue comes with 8 bonus tracks. I've spoken at length already about how great these Aztec reissues are, so I'll stop here.