The Freeborne - Peak Impressions. 1968 USA

The Freeborne represents some of the finest songwriting of the 60s psychedelic movement. There's echoes of the Doors, but in general, The Freeborne were one of the more innovative of the groups of the day - all operating with the context of relatively short songs (final track on each side sees the band stretching out a bit). Fine guitar, organ, vocals - everything you want in a psych album, but rarely get. Highly recommended.

Personal collection
CD: 2014 Arf! Arf!
CD: 199? Distortions

The definitive reissue, with a booklet filled with historical liners, mono bonus cuts, as well as 3 reunion tracks. You will often times see this album listed as from 1967. However the CD corrects the record so to speak. There are multiple references and proof of a 1968 release. For example: "Notes on the master tape box imply that the mixing and editing of the album occurred on March 27, 1968". Another reference is a half-page advertisement in the July 1968 "New England Scene" magazine that blares out that Peak Impressions is "Just Released !!"

Earthen Vessel - Hard Rock Everlasting Life. 1971 USA-Michigan

Earthen Vessel were a band from Lansing, Michigan who got caught up in the "Jesus Rock" movement. Whereas 99% of the bands operating in that territory are pretty wimpy, Earthen Vessel cranks up the amps and the guitars just wail on here. One of those albums that fall between hard rock and heavy psych, the first 25 minutes of this album just blazes throughout. Only the final short 'Get High' (On Jesus) will remind one of a typical church youth group hymn. And these guys aren't "sort of Christian" either, they're preaching the Gospel from the mountaintops, with dual female/vocals all through. And yet it doesn't distract in the slightest, unless you have religious issues. Easy recommendation to fans of the aforementioned genres.

Personal collection
CD: 1999 Gear Fab

Fine reissue with historical liner notes written by one of the members of the band. Original LP's are a small fortune.

Snakes Alive. 1975 Australia

Snakes Alive were a group that I discovered in my early CDRWL research days. There was much question of its authenticity at the time, especially given the obvious photoshop cover. But it was real, a demo pressing from a circle of Australian musicians who had access to a recording studio and took advantage of it. About nine years ago I wrote the following in the blog days:

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In the early 70s, the music world was teeming with jazz fusion / jazz rock bands. The major two schools were a) The technically proficient, as defined by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and Weather Report. And b) The Miles Davis long track deep groove, with many followers in Germany (in particular the MPS label), Poland, Italy, USA, and beyond. These were jazzers who were fascinated with rock's rhythms and power. But finding rockers who were fascinated by jazz was a much more rare breed. Snakes Alive are a rock fusion band. Of course bands like Mahavishnu still come to mind. Even early Zappa and Xhol Caravan to be honest. But, you know, Finch came to mind too. There are vocals, but they are sparse. Trumpet, sax, flute, organ, and guitar are the solo instruments. And it rocks with a capital R. This is a good one, that's now receiving its just notoriety.

Ownership: CD: 2017 Belle Antique (Japan). Papersleeve edition and the first readily available copy to market. Originals are extremely obscure and was only a demo pressed in a quantity of 50 without a cover. A cover therefore has been appended in modern times (via the Poor House Record shop and subsequent bootleg), and this is what this CD issue used as well.

2008 (review); 9/13/10 (CDRWL); 12/26/17 (new entry)

Yajuh Ohkoku - Live. 1997 Japan

Yajyu Ohkoku - often times stylized as Yajuh-Ohkoku, in kanji 野獣王国, literally translates to Beast Kingdom, or colloquially Animal Kingdom - are a hard hitting fusion band from Japan. Unusual in that they debuted with a 2 CD live set. So this is nearly 100 minutes of instrumental jazz fusion, which is a monthly dose for moi. The style is 1990s digital all the way, so for those looking for 1970's raw wah wah guitars, fuzzed out Rhodes, or Hammond organ, you'll have to look elsewhere. This is Yahama land and pig squeal guitar all the way. Still, for what they set out to accomplish, Yajyu Ohkoku does an admirable job at doing such. If you're a fan of the Japanese fusion scene of Side Steps, Prism, Fragile, and Exhivision, then "Beast Kingdom" is well worth seeking out. The band continued on to release 6 more studio albums, each more obscure than the last.

Personal collection
CD: 2013 Clinck

The CD is stored in a double mini-LP gatefold. My copy is part of a 4 title box set called J-Fusion Masterpiece Collectors' Box that includes the 2 Keep albums + the Hiroshi Mirukami & Dancing Sphinx album. I bought it for the Keep albums, and like the name itself, I'm keeping all of these for those 2.

Joe O'Donnell - Gaodhal's Vision. 1977 Ireland

Joe O'Donnell's debut is a much unheralded album, but it's quite good. All instrumental fusion driven by O'Donnell's electric violin. There are smokin' parts offset by what could be best described as cinematic atmospheric pieces. Best tracks for my tastes include 'The Exodus', 'The Battle and Retreat Underground', 'The Fair', and 'The Great Banqueting Hall'. One of Ireland's best albums.

Personal collection
LP: 1977 Polydor (Ireland/Germany)

There are a few LP pressings of this album. The Irish presses are all housed in German gatefolds strange as it may seem, and that's what I'm keeping. The UK press is a single sleeve. There's also a German pressing as well, which I will be selling shortly. There also exists an obscure CD reissue released by Rory Gallagher's Capo label in 2004.

Melody - Yesterlife. 1977 France

Don't overlook this one! Or rather - don't judge a book by its cover. Given the 1977 date, the band decided on - or were forced - to use the rather atrocious looking Earth & Fire styled disco album cover. But in the end, Yesterlife is a far more professional album than their debut Come Fly With Me, in both composition and production. There's a high level of sophistication beneath the gloss. In fact some of the songs are re-recordings of tracks from said debut. Sure it's mitigated somewhat by the ambition of its producers, but the end result predicted the best aspects of the upcoming neo prog movement. Recently I visited the superb Edge - Suction 8 album from my collection, and Yesterlife recalls that fine album many times over. Woody bass, complex rhythms, loud fuzzy guitar leads, Mini-Moog lines, and powerful female vocals.

Unbelievably - for those that already know the Tapioca mispress of Come Fly With Me - which contains half of the avant-garde Mahogany Brain album, would you believe that Vogue switched the first two tracks on this album? Yea, 'Welcome to Wonderland' is the opening track. Jeez, these guys got the same breaks as those trying to leave Gilligan's Island...

The older tracks that have been re-recorded include: 'Merry-Go-Round', 'Run Faster', and 'Yesterlife'.

Ownership: LP: 1977 Vogue. Gatefold. Recent online acquisition (2017)

The first copy I owned came from a Dallas area mall store of all places (1990). Not reissued as of 8/2/24.

1990 (first listen); 12/10/17 (review/new entry)

Quiet Sun - Mainstream. 1975 England

Quiet Sun's sole album is about as good as it gets when melding the tuneful Canterbury style with that of a ferocious jazz rock band. Love those thick fat analog fuzz tones throughout! The title seems to come from the rejection of the album by multiple record companies who were more interested in obtaining a hit record. Though it appears the A&R gentleman from Warner Bros quite liked the sound and was at least interesting in hearing them live. Island, on the other hand, trashed the sound so. And that's the label it ended up on. So go figure...

Personal collection
CD: 2008 Arcangelo (Japan)
LP: 1975 Antilles (USA)
CD: 1999 Expression

The above mini-LP is basically the exact same as the Expression reissue (Manzanera's own label) with similar liner notes and exact sound. The only difference is the better packaging of course.

Medina Azahara. 1979 Spain

One of the 3 pillars of the Rock Andaluz scene of the mid to late 1970's, Medina Azahara's debut is filled with the energy of southern Spain. Great fuzzy tones and an urgency similar to Mezquita, and the passionate Arabian vocals recall Triana at their very best. 'Hacia' Ti' is the 5 star highlight, but 'En la Manana' and the closing two tracks are in the running. A brilliant album throughout.

Ownership: LP: 1979 CBS. Gatefold. Acquired in a trade with a friend (1994). The cover is just as gorgeous as the music itself, and is a permanent fixture on my "wall of albums".

CD: 1994 CBS/Sony. Jewel case commodity release.

1994; 12/10/17 (new entry)