MacArthur - II. 1982 USA-Michigan

Recorded between 1977 and 1982, the music on MacArthur II is remarkably similar to the debut, and not a surprise given the time frame. Except II is even better, thought out, and more mature. By 1982, this kind of music here in America was extinct, so it's always fun to see an album like MacArthur II appear on the landscape. Primo-era late 70s Rush remains the primary influence, though there's a distinct space rock jam element this time, which is even more unusual for the time.

Ownership: LP: 1982 private. Single sleeve. Acquired from a friend (2017).

This album remains without a reissue (6/17/24).

1/29/17 (new entry)

Ange - Caricatures. 1972 France

It all starts here for the French theatrical progressive rock movement. Prior to Ange landing on the scene, most of the French bands of the era were singing in English and, more or less, were copying their European brethren across the Channel. Anyone who knows their history should know that isn't going to last long. And Ange is French with a capital F, despite originally forming from the borderlands of Switzerland and Germany. The music is as much about the language than it is the instrumentation. Even for those who don't speak French, the intonations, drama, and enunciation of words is fascinating. The general assumption is that Ange were looking to emulate Genesis, and there's some truth to that. It's a guidepost, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Ange brought back national pride, and arguably are the most famous progressive rock group to have ever emerged from France - not counting those who speak Kobaian of course. So if all instrumental albums are your bag, you've definitely arrived at the wrong place. But that's not to say there aren't long stretches of vocal silence, and one can certainly appreciate Ange strictly on that level too. The sound is raw and grimy, especially the organ, and is closer to what we now call proto-prog than a fully fledged Foxtrot. Yes, the production is muddy (see last paragraph), but that's part of its charm. Ange were to improve from here, but this is a very fine debut that has aged well.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Philips; CD: 2013 Mercury/Universal (Japan) Originals come in a single sleeve and is a relatively common album in France. The CD I own is part of a 7 CD mini-LP box set that is gorgeous (the box is Au-Dela du Delire). That was probably my last big purchase for mini-LPs, as I paid retail when it first came out. And it was worth every single penny. I had been limping along with that Disques Marianne CD prior (1989). Believe me, the Japanese CD kicked its ass. When I went to sell it, I thought I might get 10 cents for it. On the contrary, it's quite collectible. OK then.

On this listen I heard the Japanese mini and the original LP one after the other. No matter what format and version you listen to, it will not clear up the production. So don't try too hard to find the perfect copy. It is what it is, as they say.

Jane - III. 1974 Germany

Hanover's finest come back with their 3rd album, a marked changed from the blues rock of Here We Are and further from the Krautrock sounds of the debut. Keyboards were a big part of Jane's early day (and latter day) music, and with those out of the way, the band got down to a straightforward hard rock style. Like their neighbors, the Scorpions, Jane was gobbled up for international release - including the USA. Jane got a slot on Capitol while the Scorpions found themselves on RCA. Well we know who won that battle, now don't we? Even still, their albums aren't that far apart in terms of general mindset. With Uli Roth on board, the Scorpions did not let go of their psychedelic past for many years. And the same can be said for Jane here, and tracks like 'Comin' Again', and the first three songs on Side 2 are all winners that point out that, yes, Jane are a Krautrock band indeed. The music is still drenched in psychedelics and phasing, and there's much to enjoy here. Given that they got booted off the US roster in one year, Jane began to look toward Pink Floyd for inspiration going forward. So an interesting one-off experiment from Jane, whose 15 minutes of fame in the US were used up. A good hard rock album on the whole, but often times misunderstood given Jane's progressive rock pedigree.

Ownership: LP: 1974 Brain. Gatefold. Online acquisition (2014). I later picked up the CD (2004 Brain/SPV) which made up the above review but have since let it go. The music doesn't warrant keeping both formats. I did preserve, however, the excellent liner notes.

2014; 1/29/17 (new entry)

Armaggedon. 1970 Germany

Truth be told, much of what we now revere as Krautrock, was nothing more than simple blues rock drenched heavily in psychedelics. Whether with studio trickery or the band's ingestion before performances. Armeggedon gives us an example of what that sound contains prior to treatment. This is raw and heavy blues rock played with passion. Frank Diez is on fire here, laying out incendiary guitar licks anywhere he can. Interesting to note that their cover of Spooky Tooth's 'Better by You, Better than Me' is just as heavy as Judas Priest's version some eight years later. These guys weren't kidding around. Of course, one can fantasize what their sound would have been in an early Guru Guru like setting. And it's because this album wasn't the Kosmische I was so enamored with, it took me many years to get my head around this one. But if the UK blues rock underground is your bag, starting with Cream and ending with Elias Hulk, then Armaggedon is a sure fire bet.

Ownership: CD: 1991 Kuckuk. Jewel case

2009 (first listen); 3/22/12; 3/30/16; 1/29/17 (review / new try)

Here & Now - Give and Take. 1978 England

The more I listen to Here and Now's debut, the more I realize just how groundbreaking an album it is. Certainly Gong provides the original base recipe, but Here and Now modernized it with new ingredients, more spicy and relevant. When looking at the UK Festival Psych scene of the 1980s, it becomes more and more apparent that Here and Now were the primary influence, though Gong usually gets the credit (which is fair too). Whether it be the free concerts, the trippy female vocals, the hard rocking Hawkwind styled riffing, or the psychedelic solos - Here and Now's stamp is all over the future scene that remains with us to this day. Ozric Tentacles, Omnia Opera, Mandragora, Soma, and countless others borrowed heavily from Here and Now. In addition, their influence could be found further in faraway Italy - with the superb band St. Tropez (a fine archival release from Mellow). For 1978, this is an extraordinary release for music of this kind.

Personal collection
CD: 2009 Victor (Japan)

The above CD is a mini-LP.

Horse. 1970 England

Horse were a legendary hard rock band from England, with a growly charismatic lead singer, and a ripping guitarist who was one of the first to play in a metal riffing style. They purposely eschewed the blues, to try for something more aggressive and different. Turns out a nasty head cold had much to do with the vocal performance, due to RCA forcing a time schedule to get the album out by 1969. Being the corporate sloths they were, they didn't release it until the summer of 1970, to no fanfare, and the album was quickly forgotten, with RCA later questioning their value and dropping them from their stable (did I really just say that?). Which lead to their demise. Might have helped had they put a little support behind it, and ensuring the best performance possible. So into the ledgers of history Horse went. In some ways, one can hear a proto Judas Priest, especially when Halford was in lower register mode. At times the album can be a bit ordinary and trend sideways, but there's nothing that goes south. Despite all the imagery and groundbreaking references, this is not an album that will necessarily surprise historians.

Personal collection
CD: 2016 Rise Above (as For Twisted Minds Only)

The only official reissue is entitled For Twisted Minds Only (the band refers to themselves in the liner notes as (in effect) off-center, and they played often with Comus, which is telling in of itself). There's copious bonus tracks which demonstrate a complete different sound for Horse. Here they possess a psychedelic sound, and one can hear a definitive Doors influence - very unusual sound for a British band at that time.

Not a mindblowing album per se, but overall an essential purchase if interested in pursuing the roots of hard rock and heavy metal.

Pan & Regaliz- s/t. 1971 Spain

If someone blindfolded me and asked where this band was from, I'd say Germany around 1971 or so. There's almost nothing here to point to its Spanish heritage, not even towards other bands operating in those days under the Franco regime. No, this is squarely in the Krautrock school of music, with flute as the lead melodic instrument, some droning-almost spoken vocals, and at least one freaky jam. A mixture of Rufus Zuphall, first album Mythos, Haze and even some early Amon Duul II can be heard here.

Personal collection
LP: 2000 Wah Wah

Gatefold originals are very rare and sought after. The 1979 reissue comes in a single sleeve. The Wah Wah reissue restores the FOC to glory.

Last listen: 2010

People - Ceremony: Buddha Meet Rock. 1971 Japan

People's sole album is the "front door" for most folks hearing the Japanese underground sounds of 1971 for the first time. There were a series of albums from this era that mixed various indigenous cultural music with that of psychedelic rock. And almost all of them involved the "busiest man in Japan" - guitarist Kimio Mizutani, who seemingly played on an album a day back then. In this case, one hears the Tibetan Buddhist tradition blended with loose jams and fuzz guitar. In Japan, albums like this are often regarded as "exploitation" similar to what us Americans perceive albums like Psychedelia - A Musical Light Show to be. But to my ears, predictably I suppose being the xenophile I am, these albums are far more intriguing.

As an introduction to the style, Ceremony: Buddha Meet Rock is a good one. If looking to deep dive further, and in some cases better, I would suggest Primitive Community, the Rock Joint albums from Hiromasa Suzuki, Akira Ishikawa and the Count Buffaloes' African Rock, Naniwaya Tatsumaru & Warner Beatniks, and Azabu Ongaku Shudan (among others). Have fun!

Personal collection
CD: 2000 P-Vine

The original LP is impossibly rare as are all the original albums in this particular space (none could be found in Popsike for example). But it's had good reissue coverage, starting with the P-Vine CD release in 2000. This CD is rare in that the liner notes are in English and give a full explanation of the album and the tracks. Though as one RYM user states, there is no mention of the David Axelrod samples, which is very strange (perhaps they didn't know it either?).

Watch out for bootlegs of this title - as there are many. If it's not pressed in Japan, it is likely not authorized, including one LP from an otherwise legitimate enterprise, who shall remain nameless.

Last listen: November 4, 2016

I Califfi - Fiore di Metallo. 1973 Italy

I Califfi are yet another band that spawned from the beat/pop tree of Italian prog rock. "The Caliphs" were actually quite popular in the 1960s, having released up to 11 singles. They reformed in 1972 right at the heart of the progressive movement happening in Italy. As such, their sound bridges the gap between the two eras. Their sound is somewhat similar to other bands of its ilk like I Santoni, Capricorn College, and Delirium's debut. It's a mixed effort with all-in progressive rock, singer songwriter ballads, and straight up rock n' roll. But there's a lot of "great" in this one, especially the instrumentals, so it's not one to overlook when doing your doctoral studies in Rock Progressivo Italiano.

Personal collection
CD: 2004 Strange Days (Japan)

Original LPs are very rare, more so than even the usual case. It's generally attributed to the lack of initial sales. The above CD comes in a fine mini-LP sleeve.

Last listen: November 1, 2016

Shingetsu. 1979 Japan

It all starts here when talking the 1980s Japanese symphonic progressive movement. While certainly Japan had tons of underground, hard rock, jazz, fusion, and psychedelic bands throughout the 70s, most of them were informed by the German Krautrock underground and UK hard rock bands, along with a strong amount of indigenous injection. This is a genre that is still being mined even today as I write this. But the more known 1980s Japanese music took the sounds of Genesis, Yes, and the European symphonic bands of Western Europe (Netherlands, France, Italy, etc...) for a new style of "warm" progressive rock. Mellotrons and melodies are where it's at with the new breed that came along, right at the time when the LP collector boom hit Tokyo by storm. But in 1979 Shingetsu still stood alone. It's Genesis filtered through that patented Japanese video game styled bounciness. If 'Oni' doesn't raise the goosebumps on your arm at least twice, you may want to consult your doctor. You may be missing your ability to feel.

Personal collection
CD: 1989 Victor

I've had this on CD since it first came out in 1989. The original vinyl was something of a legend back then, only because it was such an unknown and the mail order channels hadn't opened up yet.

Last listen: October 30, 2016

Clearlight - Forever Blowing Bubbles. 1975 France

Following the success of their debut, Clearlight (the Symphony moniker removed) continued on where the '2nd Movement' (from the debut) dropped off, with an emphasis on more rocked out cosmic themes. 1975's Forever Blowing Bubbles opens with 'Chanson', a bizarre five minute piece, and quite a bit different from anything found on the debut. Somewhat of a straight song with vocals, electric violin (from King Crimson's David Cross), and flute. The listener must have been surprised by this new found interest in traditional songwriting (for Clearlight anyway). 'Without Words' has Clearlight back on the path towards heavy duty space jamming, driven by Cyrille's piano and plenty of overlays from guitar, synths, mellotron, and saxophone. And so it goes through the course of the album: Tripped out jam sequences offset by more somber songcraft. Listen for the "synth bubbles" that connect each composition. This album certainly has more variety, in terms of both songwriting and instrumentation, than the debut. Though perhaps not quite up to the same standard consistently throughout. A classic all the same, and a must own.

Personal collection
LP: 1975 Virgin (UK)
CD: 2003 Arcangelo (Japan)

As an original LP, Clearlight's second is about as easy and inexpensive to find as any European import will ever be. If you're just getting into vinyl, this is a great entry point, considering the quality of the music. I've had my copy since the mid 80s. Even though there is a domestic French press on Virgin, the UK release is generally regarded as a true original. There are multiple Japanese presses as well. The Arcangelo Japanese mini-LP is the same mastering as the Spalax CD from 2001. I didn't do a sound comparison against the Clearlight reissue before selling it years ago. Oh well.

Last listen: June 2, 2016

Holocausto - Aleluya. 1974 Puerto Rico

Holocausto are an obscure Christian band from Puerto Rico who released this one very intriguing album. At times, there are bursts of complex and heavy Italian styled prog with guitars and keyboards raging over the crazy rhythms. At others, there's a bit of machismo Latin soul rock, that is obviously more song based. Overall, it reminds me somewhat of the Peruvian band Tarkus. It's a very rough recording, but the reckless abandon of youthful exuberance takes this one up a notch. Apparently the band had started to work on a remix for a possible reissue, but no recent word has surfaced that I could find anyway. I could see this easily going up a half point or more with repeated listens. Definitely recommended for a CD reissue.

This is another late era submission from The AC.  His notes to me were: "This Christian-themed underground Latin American rarity is an interesting blend of progressive, psychedelic, hard rock/proto metal and latin rock styles.  Heavy riffing, organ/keys, flute/sax and impassioned vocals battle it out over a set of relatively concise but atmospheric and thoughtfully constructed tracks, where the undeniably cool "aura" of the whole thing helps to make up for the somewhat primitive execution. Great cover art as well (both front and back). However, the sound here could really use a good cleaning up, as it's hard to even hear some of the more interesting instrumental details at times. It seems the band themselves were working on doing just that a few years back, but I'm not sure if this is still an ongoing effort. Lets hope so, because this one is definitely worth it."

Last listen: September 12, 2016

Melisma - Like Trolls. 1978 USA

Like the Mercury Magic album, Like Trolls features an eye-popping cover that promises an undiscovered prog rock gem. And once again, that is not what you'll find here. But it is a very interesting album all the same. Melisma is a group from Philadelphia lead by academically trained composers, and that's the disposition of the entire album. The word Melisma means "a group of notes sung to one syllable of text". That should give you an idea of what we're dealing with here. Best genre description I could tag for it is "Classical Pop", but all original material, not some Hooked-on-the-Classics cash in job. At its best, it has this Gentle Giant meets The 5th Dimension type sound. Very complex, but yet highly melodic and radio friendly - if it were 1968 that is. The rock components are almost nil, but most welcome when they do arrive. This is an album I wanted to like more than I did, and that's primarily due to the overabundance of female/male vocals that become very annoying over the course of the album. It's quite Glee Club-ish, and eventually one starts envisioning the Oral Roberts show with way too many white teeth smiles and fancy gowns. You lose points for that.

Last listen: September 12, 2016

Kjol - Take It On. 1979 Switzerland

Kjol were a Swiss based jazz rock quartet, lead by renowned saxophonist Brigeen Doran, and her brother Dave on drums. That would be her image on the front cover. Kjol is a Swedish word for "skirt", so it appears this is how the band wanted to announce their feminine leanings. Whether it was an inside joke, or a sincere defiant statement, it's safe to say the moniker hasn't aged well in these politically correct times.

Musically, Kjol are playing a mid 70s styled jazz rock, as one might hear on the German MPS label during this era. Other than the somewhat trite funky opener, the remainder is long form, sax driven, heavy fusion with some fine guitar and keyboard leads. A good one for the genre, and a new addition for my Kraut Fusion list!

Last listen: September 5, 2016

Ides of March - Common Bond. 1971 USA-Illinois

The Ides of March's second album could be described as a mix of Crosby, Stills, and Nash combined with Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Definitely a prototypical North American pop rock sound of its era. There are two great tracks here though, that make it well worthwhile. First is 'Superman', which was the mandatory followup to their massive hit 'Vehicle'. It may be a rewrite, but it rocks out in the same fashion, and the horn charts are killer here. Second is the lengthy progressive jam of 'Tie-Dye Princess'. It's too bad we have such few examples of The Ides of March performing long form music, because in each case, they are a very entertaining unit with expert musicianship. Personally I find the lyrics charmingly antiquated. 'Ogre' is also a good track, with its raunchy soulful hard rock sound. As for the rest, it's mostly folk based pop rock. Contrary to the "Rolling Stone standard" type review, I find the horns are about the only saving grace to what are otherwise ordinary compositions.

Ownership: CD: 2003 Rhino Homemade. See Vehicle entry for more info.

4/24/20

Mountain Ash - Moments. 1980 Germany

Mountain Ash were an obscure German band who play a very simplistic form of late 70s rock, but with long stretches of instrumental work, thus giving off a whiff of progressive rock, or even fusion, styles. There's an enormous amount of what sounds like an ARP Solina String Ensemble on display as well, which dates the heck out of this one. It's a very pleasant and inoffensive album, with a reasonable amount of quality melodic composition interspersed throughout. But, of course, every time they open their mouth, trouble is around the corner. Apparently the band have ties to Jane - at the very least it was recorded in their studio. And honestly, it's not much different than what they were doing during this era. So you now have - what they call in the corporate world - Guidance.

Last listen: August 29, 2016

Manfred Wieczorke - Transfer. 1987 Germany

When I saw this rather obscure CD come across the wire, I was most intrigued. I hadn't realized Manfred Wieczorke had any solo albums, and given that his work with Eloy and Jane in the 70s was exemplary, I was most curious what this would be like, so I snapped it up. Looking at the cover, it was apparent this would be of the electronic music variety. And indeed that is exactly what it is. Of course, anything from 1987 comes with the hazard of thin sounding digital tones. And while there is certainly some of that here, in particular the opener and closer, I think many will be surprised at the quality put forth. There's some nice sequencer work, most notably on 'Qued', but I wouldn't necessarily categorize the album as from the Berlin School. The compositions are well thought out, with plenty of variety, and an eye on melody. Not a classic of the genre by a long shot, but certainly no better or worse than what Klaus Schulze was releasing in the mid to late 80s.

Personal collection
CD: 1987 In-Akustik

Last listen: August 25, 2016

Fragile - Phantom. 2006 Japan

Fragile are a long running fusion band from Japan, and Phantom is my first encounter with the group, a mere decade after its initial release. Fragile are from the modern school of Japanese fusion, where the technical ability is astounding, and the compositions are strictly a foundation to support that. Rather than the other way around, which would be my preference. It's a tough genre to break new ground, as many before them have tread similar paths with varying results. So it was with much surprise that the opening two tracks caught my attention. Indeed this is inventive fusion, and as expected, the playing is exemplary, in particular the guitarist. However, as the disc continues on, ear fatigue begins to set in. And despite the band's best attempts at lightening the mood with intervals, one begins to look for a bit more depth in the songwriting department. Experience tells me that albums like Phantom are best heard in snippets to best appreciate. It seems an EP length would serve them better. In any case, this one rises near the top for an album such as this. If bands like Prism, Side Steps, and Exhivision get your heart started, then it would appear Fragile should go straight to your buy/want list. At least based on the strength of Phantom.

Personal collection
CD: 2006 VEGA Music

This is a very obscure CD that I added to Discogs myself a few months back.

Last listen: August 25, 2016

Opa - Goldenwings. 1976 Uruguay

If you read enough of my reviews (painful as it may be), you'll note I often refer to certain fusion albums as "light, breezy, and tropical". One would have to go to great lengths to find a more apt group that fits this description than Uruguay's Opa. These terms should not be viewed upon as a pejorative however. When done right, as is the case on Goldenwings, the results can be sublime. The melodies are superb here, and I find the songwriting to be considerably above average. This is a borderline 4 star release, and the only thing holding it back is the stubborn reliance on certain late 70s cliches and tonalities. Overall, Goldenwings makes a fine soundtrack to your next Love Boat excursion, whether on a tropical island or watching it on TV...

Personal collection
CD: 1996 BMG (Argentina)

In addition to a native press, originals can be found in the US and Japan. I added the BMG disc to Discogs a few months back and I remain the sole owner and contributor. However, 3 have since added it to their want list.

Last listen: December 28, 2017

Trampled Underfoot - s/t. 1998 USA

Trampled Underfoot were an obscure metal band from Charlotte, North Carolina, who were lead by guitar instructor Kyle Harrison. Contrary to what one would think knowing this tidbit, the album is actually a really fine melodic heavy metal album, with some added complexity, along the lines of mid 80s Iron Maiden or Savatage. There's a few "lookee what I can do" moments of shred, but they are placed tastefully, so fortunately this isn't a guitar hero album, which are often boring to anyone but students of the instrument. The songs are well written, the tones are heavy (in an 80s way), and the vocals are fantastic*. An interesting moniker the band chose, but unfortunately there are no links musically to Led Zeppelin's hard rock staple.

Personal collection
CD: 2003 Steelheart (Italy)

One reason the album is so obscure, is the only release it obtained initially was via Pony Canyon in Japan (first scan), which would have guaranteed it to be an expensive import for most fans at the time (and still not in Discogs as I write this). And 1998 was not a good year commercially for this kind of metal anyway. 5 years later, the Italian label Steelheart picked it up for wider distribution. But with the band in mothballs and metal not quite in "nostalgia mode" yet, the audience was predictably light, and into the mists of obscurity Trampled Underfoot went to be discovered at a later date. And it will be, mark my words. I have to say the Japanese cover is more alluring.

* - An interesting footnote here. Based on internet comments from singer Shawn Perlata, he states that he only sang on three of the songs. He goes on to note that the singer on the other vocal tracks was a gentleman named Rod Hendrix. Hendrix himself is not listed anywhere in the credits of the Steelheart CD, and Perlata is the only person photoed and credited with vocals. Bizarre.

Last listen: August 24, 2016

Naniwaya Tatsumaru & Warner Beatniks - Keiantaiheiki (Yoshitatsu Kyounobori) Rock Roukyoku Rock. 1971 Japan

Such a catchy title, eh?

In any case, Tatsumaru is performing what is known as Roukyoku, which is a narrative type of singing accompanied by a 3 stringed lute known as the shamisen, providing an aural incense-burn like setting. For those cultural neanderthals like myself, the only way I can describe his performance here is to imagine an anguished JA Seazer (well, that's self-defining isn't it?)... on his 6th bourbon.

But of course, there's more than traditional Japanese music here. It's the early 70s, so the "Warner Beatniks" is yet another name for guitarist Kimio Mizutani (who must have played on one album a day back then) and his motley crew of studio performers. The psychedelic rock bits are exciting, but all too short, and leaves the listener wanting more. Way more.

An interesting artifact for certain, and definitely one to find if doing the deep dig in Japanese archaeological rock studies. Might require a few extra shovels to actually find however... If looking for an original, there's currently one copy available on Discogs for the low low price of $2,200. I think I'll await a reissue... This would have scored a Priority 0/None, though once again, it's a very interesting listen.

This was another late era CDRWL submission from the AC. His notes below:

"Another of the many "New Rock" era attempts at a cross-cultural fusion between rock and traditional Japanese music, in this case roukyoku, a type of narrative singing usually accompanied by the shamisen. Tatsumaru barks, growls and whines out the running monologue, alternating between sly humor and extreme agitation as the text calls for, accompanied by his tsugaru-shamisen strumming/thrashing and occasional heavy prog/psych outbursts, or more cinematic sounding backdrops of strings, flute, etc. The rock sections come courtesy of the Warner Beatniks, which was just another name for the "usual suspects" studio crew of Yusuke Hoguchi, Kimio Mizutani, etc. It's a fairly interesting experiment, but does have some serious drawbacks. The main problem being that the rock bits tend to kind of jump in and out rather quickly, making for a somewhat disjointed sound, and leaving the listener to sit through lengthy sections of traditional unaccompanied roukyoku narration and shamisen plucking. Which is fine if you're a dedicated fan of the style, but will probably try the patience of the more general prog/psych listener. It's an expensive item these days (more so once it gets into the hands of hyperbolic western record dealers than in its native Japan), so I feel a "buyer beware" is in order here, despite my own general amusement with it. Great sinister cover art, duplicated in even more evil looking red on the back. As a side note, the sleeve states this is the second release in the "Bikkuri Series" ("surprising series"). If memory serves correctly, the first was the thoroughly ridiculous (but entertaining) "Rock Christmas Rock", which as you might have guessed is an album of rocked-out Christmas songs performed by the Warner Beatniks and featuring one of the most hideously eye-scarring record covers in human history."

Last listen: August 22, 2016

Tatsuya Takahashi & Tokyo Union Orchestra - The Rock Seasons. 1972 Japan

Lead by saxophonist Tatsuya Takahashi, The Rock Seasons is basically instrumental electric big band music. There's a minor fuzz edge here, but in principle, this is rock music for the coat and tie set. The themes are decidedly mid 60s, and one could hear this as being a soundtrack to a frivolous film of that era. Being a former stage band performer myself, music like this can be challenging to play, and the horn charts are often complicated. It's all a bit of good fun though, and truth be told, there isn't a whole a lot of this kind of music on the open market.

Like many Japanese rock albums from the early 70s, The Rock Seasons is about as common as finding government employees working on official holidays.

This was one of the last CDRWL submissions from the AC (early 2015), who has gone missing since. We definitely miss his contributions - not just to that blog, but to my overall knowledge. Come back man!

His comments are: "Late saxophonist and band leader Takahashi appeared on about a million different recordings in his heyday, but seems to be most known outside of Japan for some of his mid 70s work on the Three Blind Mice label. From my perspective however, his most interesting work might be this obscure set recorded with his Tokyo Union big band during the height of Japan's "New Rock" era of major label experimentation. There's some kind of seasonal/elemental theme going on here, but it's not too relevant honestly, as what we're presented with is a fun sequence of instrumental electric big band/jazz rock pieces that are propelled along by melodic sax/flute, tight horn charts, groovy bass lines and even the occasional fuzz/wah guitar lick. Lacks the depth and atmosphere of a contemporaneous work like Toshiyuki Miyama's "Tsuchi no Ne", but is quite an entertaining listen nonetheless."

Last listen: August 22, 2016

Wind Wraith - The Fortune Teller's Gaze. 2001 USA

Wind Wraith were an obscure metal band from Long Island, who like many, were lost in the shuffle when seemingly 100's of these albums were coming out every week during this era. The couple of reviews I did find were somewhat middling, though it would appear they were hoping for a power metal classic, which I believe were the fans the album was marketed to. To my ears, this sounds like old fashioned mid 80s post-NWOBHM metal, particularly Iron Maiden around the time of Piece of Mind or Powerslave. There is a certain epicness to their songwriting, even if the track lengths are relatively modest. I was quite impressed with the performance, production, and composition style here - and the concept of melody was never lost. A very nice surprise.

Personal collection
CD: 2004 Iron Glory (Germany)

Iron Glory were also responsible for many of the Manilla Road albums/reissues. They folded roughly around 2005 or so.

Last listen: August 9, 2016

Opus 1 - Opus. 1983 Germany

Opus (aka Pur) were an obscure German band from the early 80s who released this one quite intriguing album. Imagine Marillion doing their updated take-on-Genesis bit, but as a Neue Deutsche Welle band singing in German, rather than as a neo prog outfit. Yea, I know, but try.... There..... Now you get it... right? There's even mellotron on a few tracks. Jeez, these guys were hedging bets all over the place.

Discogs has the original as 1981, and RYM as 1983. The latter is the copyright date on the CD, and the music certainly sounds more like 1983 to me. I had no idea it was already reissued on CD, because of the name switch. Discogs put that together for me (RYM doesn't list it). I'm not sure it's worth pursuing to be honest, but an interesting album all the same. I'd keep the CD if it showed up. They should have stuck with the original artwork though.

Last listen: August 8, 2016

Rittenhouse Square - s/t. 1972 USA

Rittenhouse Square were a band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that were named, best I can discern, from a popular rock nightclub in the area at that time. The name itself comes from Philadelphia, and is one of the first natural parks in the area, dating back to the 1600's.

With that forensic data out of the way, the band Rittenhouse Square were primarily a straight rock and roll band, done up early 70s style. The two notable tracks here are 'King Battle of the Bands', which is an excellent hard rock number... and 'The Plant Song' which features some superb extended jamming, though the song itself is fairly pedestrian.  A nice find for deep divers (like myself), but certainly not exceptional.

A former ebay auction informs us (which is where the photo above comes from): "1972 self-released six-song 12" EP on their own R-2 (or R-Squared) Records label, with a catalog number of CCSS 1214... The band featured Mitch Easter (later of Let's Active), Peter Holsapple (of The DB's), Chris Stamey (The DB's) and drummer Bobby Locke who also produced the record. The music featured is not at all like the later work of its most famous trio. It's kind of blues rock dueling guitar riffs and progressive rock stylings, mixed with some Beatles harmonies and hand claps in places, and crazy drumming throughout. I believe that Mitch Easter sings on the five songs that he wrote and Peter Holsapple sings on his. I hear that the band were in high school when this record was released. That's some serious skills for a bunch of kids if that's what they were. It's very much a music of its time... Of the sleeve so much has been written about the many versions that it's tricky to place its value with the different editions of the EP that were made. My front cover features the R-2 logo and the back cover has a reverse of this logo. As far as I can tell from research and from a comment by Easter my custom-made version of the sleeve with the R-2 logo is a silk screen that raises the print slightly from the card cover. The ink sits on top of the card rather than printed into it. This may be an extremely rare version of the cover, as Easter quotes elsewhere that only twenty were made, but was it of this version? I could not say. The blue duct tape that covers two sides of the sleeve was also of the bands' invention, with Peter Holsapple acknowledging elsewhere that they made the sleeves slightly larger and with the duct tape in order to ensure that it would not fit on to your record shelves. Some versions of the EP came with an insert featuring a photo of the band but I don't have that here."

Last listen: August 8, 2016

The Way We Live - A Candle For Judith. 1971 England

The Way We Live was Version 1.0 of Tractor. A solid mix of prog, hard rock, psych, and folk is what you'll find in these grooves. Some really good ragers in 'King Dick II' and 'Willow', though most of the album could be considered somewhat mellow. Not a particularly riveting album, but not egregious either. Worth your time to hear for certain. They were to improve as Tractor, but the roots are clearly planted on A Candle for Judith.

Last listen: July 31, 2016

Ergo Sum - Mexico. 1971 France

Ergo Sum arrived onto the Parisian scene (though their roots were in Aix-en-Provence) at a time when rock music in France was not much more than an extension of what was happening across the channel in London (exempting, of course, the juggernaut of creativity that was both Magma and Catherine Ribeiro). Recorded and released in 1971, Ergo Sum offer up one of France’s earliest progressive rock experiences, and is easily on par with others from that period like Sandrose, Eden Rose, Alain Markusfeld, Travelling, Ame Son, etc… Before Ange brought national pride back, English was still the lingua franca of French rock music, and Ergo Sum’s Lionel Ledissez (who appropriately enough grew up in Mexico) had truly one of the most unique voices to ever grace a record. Somewhere between Family’s Roger Chapman and a road rage Champs-Elysees taxi driver, his guttural delivery will scare even the most hip modern black metal fan. The music is all delivered at a relaxed pace, with some incredible guitar, flute, piano and violin work. Along with Family, it’s obvious they were fairly informed of what Traffic and East of Eden were doing in those days. The compositions are uniformly strong, and they allow the music to slowly simmer, as albums from that era tend to do. Bonus tracks on the Musea CD are not mere throw-ins either. The superb 'All’s So Cosmic', one of the highlights of the Puissance 13+2 anthology, is included as well as both sides of a musically relevant 45 rpm. In all, Mexico will take many listens to absorb, but the rewards are great for the patient.

Personal collection
CD: 1992 Musea

Worth noting that the Musea CD reversed the original order, deciding to start with the B side. Original LPs are quite rare,and I wouldn't mind having one myself. I consider this an historically important record. The album has been well served in the reissue market, with quality labels behind the scenes.

Last listen: May 31, 2016

Tusmørke - Fort Bak Lyset. 2016 Norway

Ført Bak Lyset is the 3rd studio album from Tusmørke. The band continues to move away from their obvious Jethro Tull beginnings, to something far more native. As if to respond to the critics, the album opens up with a musical quote from none other than Edvard Grieg himself. English is a thing of the past, and Tusmørke are now defiantly singing in Norwegian 100%. The Viking styled choruses from the second album are still here in abundance, but they've fortunately returned back to their debut when considering the progressive quotient. Flute continues to be the main instrumental driver, and the compositions have added a bit of complexity. There's an underlying hard rock muscle throughout. It takes awhile for the ears to adjust to this one, but Ført Bak Lyset is a step in the right direction as far I'm concerned. This album just basks in its Norwegianess (word of the day). If bands from the 70s like Host and Hades excite you, then you'll be pleased with this one.

Ownership: CD: 2016 Svart (Finland)

1/12/17 (new entry)

3PM - Better Late Than Never. 1981 USA

3PM reminds me quite a bit of another band I recently wrote about: The Fents. 3PM also starts out with some slap bass, and slick funky fusion. But it doesn't take long for the guitars to distort, and the rhythms to get jagged. There are some pretty wicked progressive rock compositions embedded throughout. Just when you think this is going to be a monster, they revert back to some cruise ship styled loungers. It was 1981 after all. Overall a very fine record that fusion fans won't want to miss.

3PM were based in Raleigh, North Carolina. After breaking up, the rhythm section formed the basis of the Steve Morse Band. However, drummer Doug Morgan left prior to their first recording.

Personal collection
LP: 1981 Ostinato

No CD reissues exist as I write this.

Last listen: April 29, 2012

Inserts - Out of the Box. 1983 USA-Michigan

A very interesting instrumental album from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Inserts are an improvisational guitar based trio, with a clear understanding of the value of a good production. The guitar is distinctly from the Fripp school, including the angry atonal fuzz tone. The bass work has an almost Zeuhl quality about it, though it doesn't rumble along the rhythm like Paganotti or Top would do. These kind of albums didn't typically exist in 1983, but other than the occasional Starless and Bible Black reference, I would say that the Inserts were ahead of their time. You could convince me a band such as Djam Karet may have stumbled onto their album in a used bin somewhere.

Ownership: LP: 1983 Nozzle. Single sleeve. Mail order acquisition (1994).

The album was pressed in Japan and released on their own label here in America. It's a first class job all the way. No CD reissues exists as I update this (6/10/24).

1994; 2008

Slychosis - s/t. 2006 USA

Perhaps the first progressive rock group to hail from Mississippi, Slychosis demonstrates a studious overview of the bigger name UK and Canadian groups. The band calls out as influences the usual suspects like The Beatles, Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis, ELP, Alan Parsons Project and Rush. It’s the latter group that holds the original grasp, starting right off with a Neil Peart-like narration and a hard rock meets progressive follow through. Genesis (or Marillion) and Yes are the early album targets. But fortunately it changes drastically from there. Despite a somewhat generic outlook, Slychosis figured out that the mellotron and organ are cool sounding instruments (even if both appear sampled). But, perhaps even more amazing, is the band has truly carved out a unique sound despite the predictable boundaries. Whether it was intentional or not, Slychosis have tapped into some of the more admirable qualities of space rock. Weird interludes, exotic sampled instruments (e.g. sitar), alien voices, etc... Certainly at least one or two Hawkwind albums made an impression. Also, additional points for the copious use of acoustic guitar. And metal-phobes will like the electric guitar tones utilized here (especially some delicious psych-o-delic soloing on ‘Meltdown’). Not a weak track on the album. They managed to avoid throwing in the requisite pop track, their restraint is to be admired. A very good album and a band that can only get better, especially if they focus on their creative instrumental side.

Personal collection
CD: 2006 private

I added this CD to Discogs awhile back, and I'm still the only owner. LOL. There are 6 who claim CD ownership on RYM. So yes, I guess it's very obscure. The band is still active.

Last listen: July 24, 2016

Xing Sa - Creation de L'Univers. 2010 France

Xing Sa is a new kollektiuw made up of members from the Zeuhl band Setna. This "brand name" as it were seems to have as its focus the music of Magma circa 1975 to 1977. That is to say, the post operatic Kohntarkosz sound, one that was heavily influenced by jazz fusion, as you'll find on albums from Live to Udu Wudu. Much of the music is driven by the patented thick and woody Zeuhl bass, and is overall heavy and energetic. There's also a strong atmospheric component that is blended throughout, recalling the spiritual quest Vander himself went through in this era, especially his continued fascination with John Coltrane (primarily in concept, not specific sound). Weidorje would be another good reference here. A very fine work, and let's hope this isn't a one-off activity - as was the case with Weidorje actually - as I personally found the music here better than the parent group Setna, who are also very good in their own right. Another fine release from the Soleil Zeuhl specialist label.

Ownership: CD: 2010 Soleil Zeuhl. Digipak with recording details. Purchased new upon release.

10//10; 7/2/16; 1/7/17 (new entry)

Morse Code - Je Suis le Temps. 1977 Canada-Quebec

Je Suis le Temps is the 3rd album by the renovated Morse Code sans Transmission band. Recorded in England with the hopes that they would somehow break out with an international hit record (and sung in French? Yea, good luck with that). Fortunately for the historical journal, they did sing in their native tongue, and the album avoids most of the pitfalls that befell many a great group before them. Je Suis le Temps is streamlined, but subtle. Despite the language, Morse Code are Anglicizing their sound, which sounds awkward. The pop bits seem forced, and the band's heart isn't into it. The good news is that almost every song wrestles out of its tight grip to let out a fine instrumental progressive passage. Even their homage to the disco mirror ball 'Picadilly Circus' (sic) has glorious mellotron, which by the way is all over this album like a dense fog. The beautiful 'Sommeil' recalls early PFM and is the highlight track of a very good, though not great, album. File next to Le Match's sole album.

Ownership: CD: 2007 ProgQuebec. Jewel case. Liner notes unique to this particular album, with photos and a nice sound. No bonus tracks could be found.

2009 (first listen); 1/05/17 (review / new entry)

Arco Iris - Los Elementales. 1977 Argentina

Arco Iris were always an unusual lot in the 1970s. All of their albums are different from each other, and often times different within the album itself. But not in that trite Beatles way which many bands fell victim too, but rather a much more exploratory element was present. The preceding effort Agitor Lucens V is one of the greats from the South American progressive rock scene, recalling other outsider works such as Paebiru from Brazil.

So when I first heard Los Elementales, my reaction wasn't that much different than some of the reviews I've read. Because it is after all 1977, and jazz fusion was all the rage. And on a cursory listen, that's what Arco Iris are doing here. But close inspection reveals far more than swapping synth, sax, and guitar solos over a breezy selection of tropical tunes. It's much more dense, sometimes angry, often times beautiful. The melodic component is high, and the technical chops are sound. In tow, of course, is their fashion model / spiritual guru Danais (Dana) Wynnycka providing guidance - and perhaps better for the rest of us, a few soft female vocals.

Don't overlook this one, if you have a taste for fusion, but looking for something more substantive.

Personal collection
CD: 2006 Leader

Not an easy album to find on CD, but if you can source one, get the Leader CD. 100% legit and comes in a wonderful thick digi-pak, including an interview of the band (in Spanish) and a couple of relevant bonus tracks. Took me a while to secure one, but finally was able to ditch the CD-R I had been limping along with.

Last listen: July 15, 2016

Finch - Galleons of Passion. 1977 Netherlands

When I first bought the LP of this album over 30 years ago, I was somewhat disappointed with the result. Of course, like most folks, I had heard the two albums preceding it, thus setting up the wrong expectation. And I feel this album still suffers for that same reason among the general progressive rock listening populace. The first two albums, of course, are barn burners - and Galleons of Passion is anything but. It's more a slow to mid-paced instrumental album, similar to many of the Neo Prog albums later to come from The Netherlands actually.

But on close inspection, one can hear that Finch had already moved in this direction on Side 2 of Beyond Expression. And what makes it successful is the superb guitar playing of Joop van Nimwegen. He clearly is one to wear his emotions on his guitar sleeve, and his playing here is incredibly expressive. In this way, Nimwegen could be compared to Mario Millo over in Australia. In fact, that to me is what Galleons of Passion reminds me of most: Sebastian Hardie. The appropriately named 'Reconciling' closes the album in more kinetic fashion, hence reconciling with their past Glories.

This proved to be the end for Finch, though fortunately some fantastic archival recordings would surface some 15 years later, including one that demonstrates a more raw version of this album. That's for another day...

Ownership: LP: 1977 Rockburgh (UK). Single sleeve with an awesome cover, one that I present on my wall of albums. Online acquisition (2011). The first copy I bought was in 1985 via Goldmine mail order. Purchased along with Agitation Free's Malesch and Finch's second album. I did sell that copy when I got the CD. Despite there existing a native press, the Rockburgh issue is generally considered the original.

1985; 3//11; 7/13/16; 1/1/17 (new entry)

Iron Butterfly - Heavy. 1968 USA-California

Iron Butterfly's debut is often flogged because of what came after it, not because of the album itself. The weighty expectations of a much forgotten album, and in retrospect, isn't heavy in the slightest. As stated elsewhere, heavy didn't mean "heavy metal" in 1968. Even philosophically no one will ever accuse Iron Butterfly of being Descartes. But that doesn't mean that the group didn't release a competent, if not extraordinary, late 60s psych release. There are 4 really solid tracks here in 'Possession', 'Unconscious Power', 'You Can't Win', and 'Iron Butterfly Theme' with fine organ, guitar, and vocals. Sure, there's some filler here too. Honestly, rare is the US major label psych album which didn't have filler. Keep expectations in check, and I think you'll find Heavy an album worthy of your time.

Ownership: LP: 1969 ATCO. Single sleeve cover. Acquired at a record store in Denver (2021). Decided to sell the papersleeve Japanese CD that made up the above review.

7/12/16 (RYM); 1/1/17 (new entry); 10/12/21 (LP acquire)

Warhorse - Red Sea.1972 England

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 (3rd scan), 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 4 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 it 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, and that continues to be the status today. Real originals on the swirl label are quite expensive, as is everything on the imprint. Otherwise, it's not a difficult album to find. Personally, I'm pretty much done with this album.

Last listen: July 10, 2016