Bubu - El Eco del Sol. 2018 Argentina

Bubu's debut album Anabelas is considered by many as Argentina's finest progressive rock album. Released in 1978, it combined complex compositions with an energetic rock style, that makes the music timeless.

40 years later, they return with the followup album. Not a moment too soon. What's most interesting is that El Eco del Sol sounds every bit like a followup to the debut. So, yes, it could have been released in 1979. The first thought one might have here is, OK, then it must be a retro prog album right? Nope. And the reason for that is Anabelas is not a record that "dates" itself. What that means to my ears at least, is there isn't an overabundance of period instrumentation like Hammond organ, mellotron, or wah-wah fuzz guitar leads. Anabelas could have come out yesterday, and still sound contemporary. And so does El Eco del Sol.

What makes Bubu so special is their (or in reality chief composer and only original member Daniel Andreoli's) uncanny ability to mix complexity with melody and warmth. It's these latter two elements that is mostly missing in what is now known as "avant prog", a made up designation from the late 90s to distinguish a sound from what was more commonly known prior as RIO (Rock In Opposition, which was an event, not a movement as it were). This is not the cold, clinical, and angular sound that the style now calls for. And there are no free improvs or cartoonish bits to make it seem superficially fun.

All of this to say, there are no obvious comparisons for Anabelas, nor El Eco del Sol. But it's most certainly a breed of progressive rock. And with no less than 7 full participants, some guests, and a choir, the album is chock full of various sounds, all within a familiar context. Prominent melody instruments such as violin and flute go a long way in assisting with that feeling. And make no mistake, this album is rocking hard. The rhythm section is on fire, and the electric guitar can be fierce at times. There are some vocals in Spanish, which gives it a Mediterranean flare, similar to what we experience often in Italy. Every track is excellent, and a couple are exceptional, most notably the title song and the closer.

One of the best comebacks of our time. Don't miss it.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Viajero Inmovil

10/27/18 (new entry)

Scherzoo - Scherzoo 04. 2018 France

When it was announced that Scherzoo 04 was to be a departure from their recent avant prog past, and rather more toward a traditional Canterbury sound, I pounced on the new album first chance. With a quartet that consists of two musicians focused solely on electric piano, organ, and mellotron, I had envisioned a Soft Machine II meets 'Nine Feet Underground' Caravan meets In The Court of the Crimson King. Fuzz organ, gymnastic meters, and lush mellotron. Bzzt. Nope. OK, time to get another beer and try this again...

So what do we have here then? Is it Canterbury at all? Yes, yes it is. The electric piano is the dominant instrument (both keyboardists are credited with it as primary), and the organ plays a key role in the melody lines. Mellotron is definitely relegated to cameo status. The music is quite pleasant, with excellent songwriting, and fine melodies. Most of the tones are played straight, so there's no raucous fuzz solos, or crazy time changes, though it's far from static. Every track is excellent in its own right, though there are no standouts either. It does take a couple of listens to penetrate through, so it takes patience to appreciate for certain. Something akin to Gilgamesh, but more exciting than that may imply.

Scherzoo - and band leader Francois Thollot - are tough to figure out. Thollot has a history that includes Heldon like fierce guitar/electronics, Zeuhl, avant prog, and now Canterbury. Would be most interesting to hear a combination of all the above. And I'm more than fine leaving the squonking sax of album #2 out of the picture, as they have done here.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Soleil Zeuhl

10/26/18 (new entry)

Malo. 1972 USA-California

In late 1997, while still a "road warrior" consultant, I had a 2 month gig at California State University Los Angeles (CSULA). Go to Google Maps and check out where that fine institution resides. Exactly. The only "motel" nearby (at the time) that was remotely safe, was an ancient Quality Inn in Alhambra that still sported their trademarked 1960's sunburst logo. A nice motel - if this were the Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice era. I had been transported back 25 years in time. It was a most surreal experience.

As I was cruising the streets of East Los Angeles in my 1972 El Camino Super Sport (no silly, it was a 1997 Chevy Shitty from Hertz, but I have good story cooking here...), there was a radio station, which I now forget the call letters, that basically played "Lowrider Classics", and yes that was their tagline. Its signal didn't seem to last past the immediate area. 'Suavecito' received regular airplay. For us traditional males who love women, and like to woo them, this song is ground zero for that emotion (note album cover). For the modern emasculated man who cannot get his nose out of his smart phone, and doesn't even notice Miss America standing next to you, you will not understand (most of my nieces are beauty queens, and I've witnessed this over and over - it's ridiculous!). For this track alone, Malo is worth the money. But there's so much more.

You can skip over the opening 'Pana' which is banal Mexican Rock (no, not the generic Latin, I mean Mexico proper). This is the worst track and an inauspicious start IMO (worth noting that I see this and 'Cafe' more highly rated among those who enjoy this album - so there you have it). 'Cafe' is similar, but does possess some nice guitar work from Jorge Santana. 'Peace' is the closer, a bizarre mix of hard and soft rock, and is excellent on the whole.

That leaves the album's two big winners other than 'Suavecito'. We'll start with 'Nena', which has the most killer horn charts combined with machismo singing, pounding percussion, jamming Hammond, and molten guitar solos. A must hear.

And then we get to 'Just Say Goodbye', one of God's gifts to music. Now you're in the car with me cruising down Whittier Blvd. It starts off mellow, setting the mood for... no not that.... out comes the Santana guitar heritage, mixed with a Chango like intensity. Screaming guitars which then leads into a... WAR CALL. The hair goes right up on the back of the neck at this moment. What an amazing sequence. Then the music just inexplicably shuts down. We're now transported to a bar with a name like The Silver Dollar, and out comes the Beach Boys mixed with the 5th Dimension. This harmonic lounge 60's soft psych thing. It's placement within the song is stunning. And then... back to raucous heavy Santana styled rock to close the song. What a masterpiece.

Ownership: CD: 1995 Warner Bros

SFF - Ticket to Everywhere. 1979 Germany

Ticket To Everywhere is the final album from the trio of Schicke Fuhrs & Frohling. It is also likely to have been the last album heard by most collectors and fans, whether they were following real time in the 70s, or tipped to the band via The Laser's Edge complete collection 2 CD set of the early 90s.

In my case, Ticket to Everywhere came first. One of those albums I found in my initial buy-every-70s-import-that-looks-interesting record collecting phase of the mid to late 1980s. It's an important sequence of events, because as a first exposure to the band, I quite liked it. I didn't think it was great mind you, but I found it to be a fine collection of instrumental progressive rock. It was only a couple of years later that I discovered their brilliant first 2 albums. And as such, somewhere down the line, I fell into the trap of listening to the mass opinion, and decided it wasn't very good after all. It's been over 25 years since I last heard this album, which would have been via the above CD that I bought immediately upon release. And that CD was pulled down from the shelf for this event as well.

Ticket to Everywhere has no chance of impressing if one is to listen to this album immediately after the predecessors, as the CD invites one to do. I recommend an independent listen, and without the comparison. Think of it as a one-off independent album. Now going in with that mindset, Ticket to Everywhere has really aged well in my case. The instrumentals tend to be more atmospheric, even majestic at times. The drums can be a bit over synthesized, and the compositions do not possess a ton of depth, but it's still far from throwaway background music. I find all the songs have nice melodies, and one could also view this as an electronic album, but rocked out with real drums and electric guitars. I find all the tracks to be excellent, save perhaps the middling 'Song From India', though none are extraordinary either. 

I even enjoy the album cover, as I've come to appreciate more and more  "real time" art. A ticket drawer with a Pan Am voucher is a view into our past, one that has disappeared without warning.

Personal collection
LP: 1979 Brain
CD: 1993 The Laser's Edge (USA) as part of The Collected Works Of Schicke • Führs • Fröhling

Jody Grind - Far Canal. 1970 England

Far Canal is Jody Grind's second album, and is an excellent example of the kind of innovative trios that were coming from the UK in 1970. Starting out with a Baroque medley, it doesn't take long to hear the main theme, sounding every bit like something that would come from a band like Caravan or Web during this time. 'Bath Sister' continues though more in the blues rock vein. What comes across on both tracks is the quality of the band's songwriting, which is definitely a cut above. 'Jump Bed Jed' is the highlight of the album, and it's one true masterpiece. A lengthy track, it combines both the band's songwriting acumen with a keen sense of hard rock jamming containing energetic guitar and Hammond solos, with many peak moments throughout. 'O Paradiso' continues in a similar manner, even recalling Santana and appears to be yet another home run. But it contains the album's one misstep, a lengthy mid-section percussion/drum solo that is entirely boring and ruins the overall flow. Pity. 'Plastic Shit' demonstrates that Jody Grind could have competed on the world stage as one of the hard blues rock arena headliners. The swaggering vocals and guitar riffs would not have been out of place on either of the first 2 Led Zeppelin albums. From here, the band shuts their trap and goes instrumental with varying styles, all excellent. 'Red Worms & Lice' seemingly picks up where 'Jump Bed Jed' left off. And 'Ballad for Bridget' is a very fine jazzy piano/guitar piece, and a perfect closer to an overall excellent album.

Personal collection
LP: 1970 Transatlantic
CD: 1988 Line (Germany)

My first exposure to Far Canal was the Line CD that I picked up not long after release. A very basic reissue, like all on the label, the album has never been treated to a specialist release. Many years later I picked up the original LP, as I tend to do for favorite albums.

Lumerians - The High Frontier. 2013 USA-California

The High Frontier is essentially the Lumerians' second album, and is largely a continuation of Transmalinnia. The band continue to straddle the line between early 70s motorik styled Krautrock combined with a songcraft and vocal style that sounds every bit like the 1968 American psychedelic scene. There's even the odd Zeuhl bass riff, which is probably unintentional. The production is modern, though the sound is decidedly analog. Fat and fuzzy keyboards remain the centerpiece, with inventive but rigid rhythms and wailing guitar providing the perfect trimming. While none of the songs are what one would call deep, the overall portrait remains excellent.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Partisan

10/26/18 (new entry)

Blå Lotus - Tube Alloys. 2018 Sweden

Blå Lotus are a new trio from Sweden who play music in a decidedly retro prog style. There are no guitars, so it's the Hammond organ that does all the heavy lifting. Blå Lotus have successfully tapped into the 1970 UK mindset that produced bands like Atomic Rooster, Aardvark, and of course first album ELP. I also detect a distinct Swedish take on the sound ala Bo Hansson or even the debut by Solar Plexus. If looking for modern references, probably Italy's Areknames comes the closest. I quite like the progressions here, and as such hear unique sounds within a familiar context. This contains some of the best old school organ based prog I've heard in years.

The full album is available on Bandcamp as I write this. I suspect it's a bit lo-fi compared to the official release. The band has been signed to Melodic Revolution Records (USA), but no word of them releasing this on CD. The vinyl - as mentioned in a few places - actually didn't get released as the band couldn't raise enough money via crowd-funding to support. Better they release it on CD anyway...

Of Petra - So Onto Itself. 2018 England

Of Petra is currently an unsigned band from London, England and So Onto Itself is their second album. The band themselves list Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock as influences, so its something of the "usual suspects". However, as is usually the case, a band like Of Petra finds their own voice within these parameters. The music is instrumental, slight jazzy - even funky - but with a strong psychedelic streak. This is most notable with guitarist Cyril Meleiro's decidedly acidic tone. I feel he does a fantastic job throughout the album, giving it the rough-hewn sound the band needs. There's a distinct UK festival styled neo psych here, though not near as slick and synthesized as say Ozric Tentacles, but more toward some rundown club in East London. The heavy use of samples recalls the 90s UK group Ship of Fools. The instrumental psychedelic nature of the music also points me to fellow countrymen Lunar Dunes. Of the big name artists the band lists, I would say Led Zeppelin is the least influential, and Pink Floyd and early 70s Miles (minus the trumpet of course) is the most.

Bandcamp

10/18/18 (new entry)

ARC - Fleet. 2017 England

Fleet is the 8th proper album from ARC, the English duo of Ian Boddy and Mark Shreeve who specialize in the Berlin School of progressive electronic music. During the 2000's, ARC often explored other avenues such as adding real drums, or even trying their hand at abstract electronics. For those who like the traditional Berlin School sound, then Fleet will delight. The setup is very similar to their last 2 CD releases: Church and Umbra. That is to say this is an improvised concert recorded and released for the masses. Fleet was recorded on May 13, 2017 at the E-Scape festival. The album is remarkably consistent, with some fantastic and innovative Moog sequences as provided by the master of the instrument (Shreeve). Other than the relatively dull, yet majestic opening title track (even the crowd applause seemed perfunctory at this point), the remainder of the album could only be considered excellent, with no obvious high points. Easy recommendation for fans of the genre.

Ownership: CD: 2017 DiN. Digipak

10/18/18 (new entry)

The Loose Enz - The Black Door / Easy Rider. 1968 USA-Pennsylvania

Right in the heart of Amish country Pennsylvania, The Loose Enz recorded one of the most electric (oh the irony) 60s psych singles. And I mean electric both literally and figuratively.

The Loose Enz had me already by second number 3, with its gothic chorus. On 'The Black Door' these guys absolutely nail the Doors sound - especially the variation that closed their first 2 albums, which is of course my favorite aspect of Morrison and Co.

'Easy Rider' is heavy fuzz guitar, snarling vocals (what happened to the Morrison imitation?), and carnival organ. Great guitar solo toward the end too. This track sounds more like early 70s hard rock, than late 60s psych.

Someone needs to start rummaging through the farms near York to see if there are more tapes... What an archival release that would make!

The Black Door' is part of the compilation above titled 30 Seconds Before the Calico Wall!

'Easy Rider' is part of the 1997 compilation above titled An Overdose of Heavy Psych

10/18/18

The Sound Sandwich - Apothecary Dream / Zig Zag News (single). 1967 USA-California

You gotta like a band with a name such as The Sound Sandwich! The Los Angeles based band, however, hated the moniker (they were originally known as The Chosen Few). Apparently they started as a horn rock band, but the producers didn't want anything to do with them, stating they don't belong on rock albums (ha! I know a lot of people who still feel that way). I would have loved to hear that version myself. In any case, The Sound Sandwich fell apart like so many bands, due to Vietnam, and their guitarist was killed 3 weeks into duty. The others were always going to do a comeback, but it never came together.

'Apothecary Dream' is just simply great. The organ, harmony vocals, and fuzz guitar effects are awesome. There's a bit of The Electric Prunes sound here. A seriously great melody too. Apparently the band spent 2 weeks working on this track, and it was meant to be played on American Bandstand, but the druggy references knocked it out of contention. Apparently they didn't know what 'Zig Zag' meant then... (lol)

And it was the flip side that indeed did the get the exposure. They only spent one day on this track. 'Zig Zag News' starts off in jangly mid-paced garage form. Then it picks up the pace considerably, before slowing down... and picking back up for the finale. Despite this, there's not much of a song here to grab onto. It's a decent track, but the other side is far better and it's too bad it didn't get the radio airplay.

'Apothecary Dream' is part of the compilation above titled 30 Seconds Before the Calico Wall!

10/18/18 (new entry)

The Brain Train - Me / Black Roses. 1967 USA-California

The Brain Train were from Los Angeles, and later renamed themselves to the more known band Clear Light (I prefer the former honestly). 'Me' is one of the most forward thinking of the psych singles I've heard (hence, the appropriate band name I think). The driving organ and guitar with raspy vocals are fairly typical, and then the chorus goes gothic, while furious drum rolls create a racket in the background (they had two drummers which becomes apparent). Sounds like something from 1973 Italy!

'Black Roses' isn't near as inventive as the predecessor, but certainly is quality 1967 era psych. There's a couple of mid section breaks, though the guitar soloing is more avant garde than intense.

Ownership: CD: 2016 Big Beat (UK). Both tracks are bonus' on this fine reissue of the Clear Light album.

10/18/18 (new entry)

The Looking Glasses - Visions / Migada Bus. 1967 USA-California

The Looking Glasses were a band from Los Angeles that time has forgot. They also used the name The Clouds as well. 'Visions' is an extraordinary psych single, capturing the exotic nature of the times, with incredibly tripped out harmony male voices, and fuzz guitar shards everywhere cutting right through the wall. The haunting organ only adds to the vibe. If looking for that perfect "opium den" 1967 soundtrack, then hear you go. Brilliant in every way. One hopes that out of the blue, a canister full of tapes shows from this session!

Despite having a cool name like 'Migada Bus', the flip side can only be considered a disappointment when compared to the tripped out front. It's mostly an acoustic guitar lead instrumental rock song, with some harpsichord and a bit of fuzz toward the end.

'Visions' is part of the compilation above titled 30 Seconds Before the Calico Wall!

10/18/18 (new entry)

Haymarket Riot - Trip on Out / Something Else (single). 1968 USA-Oklahoma

Wow. Going through these obscure psych era US singles can be revelatory. So it turns out Haymarket Riot are from Enid, Oklahoma. Now there's the center of the psychedelic universe eh? My old man was in the laundry business, and one of his top clients was in Enid, so I went there a lot more than your average big city kid. I'll just put it this way - psychedelic is not the first thing one thinks of when in Enid. 'Trip on Out' is great - very much in the spirit of the era. There's a killer fuzz riff, followed by a great solo. 'Something Else' kind of blows honestly. Apparently they only had one song when it was time to record, so they put this together in 15 minutes. And it sounds it too. Lost opportunity.

'Trip On Out' is part of the above compilation called 30 Seconds Before the Calico Wall!

10/18/18 (new entry)

The Running Man. 1972 England

The Running Man features jazz guitarist Ray Russell, and was originally released on the progressive oriented UK based Neon label. Overall their sole album is a progressive rock affair in the understated UK style that I find highly appealing. Given its jazz heritage, The Running Man have more in common with Tonton Macoute or Catapilla than say... Spring. Truth be told, there really isn't any other album quite like it. There are some rather plain rockers (usually short), mixed with longer jazzier pieces, and then onto some radical screaming Hendrix styled fuzz inspired numbers. Russell goes Sonny Sharrock on the 8 minute 'Spirit' - essentially psychedelic free rock. The Angel Air / Air Mail CDs add an 11+ minute version of 'Spirit', with further improvisational guitar stacked up front.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Air Mail (Japan). Comes in a fine gatefold mini-LP jacket with no extras.

Removed from collection (2022)

2005; 10/18/18 (new entry); 7/17/22

The Spacious Mind - The Drifter. 1997-2005 Sweden

The Drifter is a compilation made up of previously released tracks from Sweden's The Spacious Mind. However, this is the first time any of them have been released as a proper CD, excepting one track from an obscure compilation. So if you're a fan of the band - and you are a CD collector - this goes from "repetitive compilation" to "must own" status.

The opening title track and 'The Players in the Band' come from an obscure 10 inch EP called Reality D. Blipcrotch (a name taken from a chief songwriter of an obscure 1972 US Jefferson Airplane influenced band simply known as "1"). 'The Drifter' is The Spacious Mind at their best. A driving bass rhythm propels the track forward, while various instruments create a psychedelic mood. Of course it's not long before the lead guitarist lays down some delicious wicked acid-laced solos. 'The Player in the Band' is the only track here that I'm not overly fond of, and is a bit twee in that English 60s way. The Spacious Mind always had a penchant for the late 60s psych sound, and would often dabble in vocal folk psych. You'll hear this type of sound on their Sleepy Eyes & Butterflies and Sailing the Seagoat albums. As presented here, it's roughly half the length of the original, so your mileage may vary as to if that's complete enough for a "full reissue". In this case, I'm willing to accept the truncation.

'Euphoria, Euphoria' comes from a little known 1997 LP called Garden of a Well Fed Head that is housed in a stenciled cutout made to look like the Yatha Sidhra - A Meditation Mass album. Of all the tracks presented here, this is the only one I currently own. However it makes its CD debut here on The Drifter. As the cover indicates, this is The Spacious Mind taking on the Kosmische wing of the original Krautrock sound. In other words - the perfect mix of ingredients!

'Floatin' Down the River Whistlin' on a Tune' is the most obscure track here - but as mentioned before - the only one released on CD prior. This song comes from an obscure 2003 compilation called 'Copenhagen Space Rock Festival 2002' originally out together by future Oresund Space Collective band leader Scott Heller. This track possesses a slightly jazzy and moody vibe, very calm with some fine Fender Rhodes, organ, and drifting electric guitar. When it comes to creating psychedelic chill atmospheres, The Spacious Mind are hard to beat.

The last two tracks come from a band released live CD-R circa 2005 called Take That Weight Off Your Shoulders. 'The Drifter' reappears, but this time in more raw form, as to be expected from an undoctored live show, complete with audience background talk. The track does benefit though from the rougher edge, especially during the solo sections. 'Spirit Roots' closes the album, this time clearly in Kosmische mode, sounding every bit like 'Set The Controls' era Pink Floyd blended with early Ash Ra Tempel. The original is over 20 minutes long, and is pared back here to just over 9.

In conclusion, the overall vibe of the compilation befits the name "The Drifter", and is somewhat mellow, yet very psychedelic.

The CD (limited to 300 copies) is housed in a very fine tri-fold digi-pak, and features some rambling free association liner notes from band collaborator/writer Wilmot Clawson. Overall, an excellent archival document from the good folks at Trail Records, a label that has consistently sought out the best space rock has to offer around the globe.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Trail

10/13/18 (new entry)

Cargo. 1972 Netherlands

I think the key to totally appreciating the sole album by Cargo is to start with the last track, an absolute barnstormer of a song: The 15+ minute 'Summerfair'. It’s just relentless, like the very best of the Allman Brothers, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush rolled into one ball of fire. I’m not sure exactly why this track works so much better than others in the genre, though I suspect it has something to do with the soft vocals, hyperactive drumming, gymnastic bass, and blazing wah-wah rhythm guitar. And, of course, the frantic and ferocious lead guitar that leaves me in a sweat every time. By itself, this composition is absolute perfection. Working backwards, there's 'Finding Out', which starts out in 'Tobacco Road' territory before busting out of the gates for yet another intense jam. Then it's on to track number 2, the fascinating 'Cross Talking', which is a neat instrumental concept of wah-wah guitars "talking" back and forth with a cool funky rhythm. And finally, we hit the opener, 'Sail Away'. The first 4 to 5 minutes are fairly off-putting straight ahead rock (recalling their past when known as September), before it too finds its sea legs and gets the album going in the right direction.

The bonus tracks on the CD release demonstrate that the pre-Cargo group September were a simpler and more straightforward rock band. There are 2 demo tracks in addition, and both see September heading into the hard rock direction that would become Cargo.

In conclusion, Cargo is one of my all-time favorite albums.

Personal collection
CD: 1993 Pseudonym
LP: 1999 Pseudonym

This was one of the very first albums I learned of stratospheric prices for my (then) newly chosen hobby. Even in the late 1980s this album was a multi-hundred dollar rarity in the catalogs of the day. As such, I never had a chance to hear it until the Pseudonym CD came along a few years later. Pseudonym is a great label, and they do an excellent job with discography details and bonus tracks (no liner notes on this version though). Most of the bonus tracks were from an earlier incarnation when they were known as September. Later in the decade, I dutifully picked up the LP reissue, because I had an irrational desire to own it on vinyl ever since I knew of the exorbitant price of the original. Cargo has recently resurfaced on the market again via the Pseudonym imprint. The CD version adds demo versions of the original Cargo album plus many of the same bonus tracks as found on the '93 issue - as well as extensive liner notes this time around. I doubt it's worth upgrading for - though if you don't have it - I must say the album is essential to own! Vinyl hounds will be happy to know that another LP is on the market as well - with some demos added for the second LP of the set.

Originally reviewed: January 2005 (and updated significantly since)

September - various singles. 1970-1971 Netherlands

1970's 'Little Sister' is more rough and ready than the band's two 1971 singles, and offer at least a hint that the group that would become Cargo - and that they were hard rockers at heart after all. 'Walk on By' is definitely an inventive hard psychedelic version of one of Bacharach's best compositions. I kind of wish they'd flown in Dionne Warwick to sing on it though. Wow, now that would've been awesome. Anyway - easily September's best single.

'Yelly Rose' is a Beatles-esque pop psych number that offers no hints at all that the band would eventually become the hard rocking Cargo. 'If Mr. Right Comes Along' is an intriguing psychedelic instrumental, with a fine fuzz guitar lead, and sharp organ playing - an instrument the group would abandon for their future.

Hard to believe only one short year later, the band evolved into Cargo - and promptly released one of the all-time great hard rock jam albums. Though the lead guitar here does give hints of things to come, but mostly this is song oriented straightforward rock.

Ownership: CD: 1993 Pseudonym. All of the September singles can be found as bonus tracks on the above CD for Cargo (1972).

10/12/18 (new entry)

Peacepipe - Jon Uzonyi's Peacepipe. 1970 USA

Peacepipe were a psychedelic band from the Los Angeles area, operating mostly in the late 60s (they would also take on the name The Human Equation). Dates are fuzzy, but it's generally accepted that their sole released work - a 45 single - was released in 1968 (though no date is affixed) and these archival tapes were recorded for posterity "a couple of years later". Judging by the photos contained within the CD reissue, and the sound of the instruments, I could buy that 1970 is the recording year.

The sound of Peacepipe is primarily of the heavy psych variety. A loud fuzzy guitar dominates, with organ (a Crumar maybe?) and piano accompaniment, and Uzonyi's baritone vocals (no idea where the Elvis comparisons are coming from - mostly you'll hear his voice in the same range as Morrison and Ingle, but not exactly the same - it's very much the American male voice of the late 60s). The songs are rich, dense, and sometimes downright psychotic. Highlights include the strong opener 'Sea of Nightmares', the proggy 'I Can Never Take Your Dreams Away', and the psychedelic dual rompers 'A Bikers Tune' and 'Open Your Mind'. 'Angel of Love' ups the ante further with a killer guitar sound and riff, something akin to Led Zeppelin II, and is a superior hard rock track. The gem of the album has to be 'The Day the War Ended', a track built on their single 'The Sun Won't Shine Forever', and features the type of metal riff one would find on an NWOBHM album 10 years later. The intense vocals and multiple themes and sections recall anyone from Music Emporium to Micah, with a dollop of primo Iron Butterfly. Brilliant.

Overall a must own artifact from the Southern Californian psych scene.

Personal collection
CD: 2002 Shadoks (Germany)

I first heard this album in 2008, and the CD (second scan) was scarce even then (and the Rockadelic LP even rarer (first scan)). Finally I was able to source a decent priced copy 11 years later. The CD includes liner notes (interesting, but not historically detailed), photos (mostly from one show it appears), and 2 bonus tracks, which is the 45 (and not to be missed!).

Peacepipe - The Sun Won't Shine Forever / Lazy River Blues. 1968 USA-California

Peacepipe's only released work during the band's lifetime, is one of those can't miss 45's for fans of inventive psychedelia. 'The Sun Won't Shine Forever' is stunning, with wah wah guitar, a killer riff, and psychotic vocals. One only wishes the track went on for more than 2 and a half minutes. Though the good news is that the main theme was expanded upon on their archival LP/CD release, and retitled 'The Day the War Has Ended'. 'Lazy River Blues' is just that - if it were stripped down to its bare essence. However on here it's completely psyched out beyond recognition, and is also quite good.

Ownership: CD: 2002 Shadoks (Germany). These are bonus tracks to the original Rockadelic archival release. There's no date on the 45 itself. 1968 is the generally accepted date, though Discogs places 1969 - but without any corroborating evidence to support.

10/12/18 (new entry)

Sun - S.U.N. 1980 Germany

Sun are a band from southwest Germany near Mannheim, who had a heritage going back to the mid 60s. In 1974, they managed to record two excellent lengthy tracks for the Proton 1 compilation put together by Kerston Records, and then disappeared again. Until 1980, when they finally released this one very private album, where no money was left for artwork, and that was hand glued together by the band themselves. Maybe not the most economically successful of German bands at that time, but musically speaking they were quite rich. In summary, it's ostensibly a jazz rock record, but with plenty of progressive and Krautrock elements.

The album opens up with the fiery 'Ohne Titte' (ouch), and we get to hear the fantastic lead guitar of Gunter Hubner. 'The Jester' is the most progressive oriented track, and the vocals - and overall style - recall that of Van der Graaf Generator. The next two 'Seeing Similaun' and 'On Holiday' are of the late 70s Kraut Fusion variety, and comparisons to Release Music Orchestra would not be out of place here. Further on, 'Neulich in Spanien' reminds me some of the Sunbirds when they too seemingly headed south to Spain for the winter. The final track 'Women's Lib Blues' (that's getting right to the matter isn't it?) is the only one here that recalls their Proton 1 days and I was reminded of early Nine Days Wonder as well. Overall a varied, but very satisfying album for fans of German underground jazz and rock.

The CD is the recommended way to go here, as in addition to the LP, one will receive no less than 6 bonus tracks, all essential. The first 2 are the aforementioned Proton 1 tracks (and which I reviewed on that entry). The next two come from the late 70s, where apparently the band has numerous tapes - mostly in tattered condition if I understand correctly - that was clearly a creative time for the band. And the last 2 are 1994 reworkings of earlier 70s tracks, and despite the late date, sound fresh as ever. One wishes they had gone on to record a full album at this time. Remarkably the band is still playing live as I pen this in late 2018. It would be wonderful to hear more archival material from this group - or perhaps even a new album!

Personal collection
CD: 2008 Garden of Delights

The original album - and this CD - are titled S.U.N., and yet it doesn't appear to be an acronym of any kind.

Skydog - Just Want to Make You Happy. 1974 USA-Georgia

Skydog were a band from the Atlanta area, and their sole album is a serious collector's rarity, custom pressed for family and friends. The music could be summarized as long form jamming, with plenty of compositional and tonal shifts, giving it a mild progressive rock flavor. Being from the south, Skydog naturally will draw comparisons to The Allman Brothers, and that's not entirely off the mark, especially when one considers the Allman's jazz background. However Skydog really do not have "southern tendencies", that is to say there are no country or folk influences here. Mostly the album falls in the hard rock category, with a blues base, something akin to South Carolina's J Teal Band. The production leaves much to be desired, but fortunately what does come through loud and clear is the awesome lead guitar, who solos wildly over the frantic rhythm guitar and superb drumming. The vocals are of the early 70s American soulful bluesy variety, giving off a whiff of lounge music, though the music is far different. Highlights include the opener 'Luck in Your Life' and the superb 'Ali Sahd', which despite its name, does not have a Middle Eastern feel. A very fine discovery for fans of arcane American hard rock.

Personal collection
CD: 2001 Red Lounge (Germany)

Germany is an odd place for this CD to be reissued (especially from a relatively unknown label), but it's definitely 100% legit. Comes in a wonderful hard bound 3 part digi-book with new artwork. There are full liners from the leader of the group. The band is clearly denoted as Skydog in these liners, though the original LP has it as Sky-Dog throughout. Apparently the CD has "cleaned" up the sound, which tells me the original LP must be really quite bad. The generic cover gives the game away on its custom provenance. Originals are incredibly scarce.  There are 4 bonus tracks on the CD, which are in worse condition than the album itself, but still listenable and worthy of bonus track status.

Nil - Nil Novo Sub Sole. 2005 France

Nil's last album (to date) is a very dense and complex prog rock. Though French and sung in the native tongue, their sound isn't distinctly of that region. The female vocals sound somewhat shrill like Henry Cow, but the music is not RIO/Avant prog, definitely more warm and lush than that - but still with an edge. You'll see many references to King Crimson, and that's a fair representation, especially if one were to cross Lizard with Red. There's a tremendous amount of ideas flowing through here, and most of it is instrumental. Excellent for repeated listens.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Unicorn (Canada). Recent online acquisition (2018).

10/12/18 (new entry)

Earthrise - s/t. 1977 USA

Earthrise were (are) an interesting band from New Jersey, who mix complex progressive rock and fusion seamlessly. In that way, they remind me of Minnesota's This Oneness. So the vocal sections do have this kind of "Midwest styled AOR progressive" sound that I've documented elsewhere on this site, and I find highly appealing. Earthrise doesn't qualify for the list simply due to the geography from which they hail. Instrumentally speaking, the compositions are very interesting, and many of their ideas are kinetic and creative (the organ and Moog progressions on top of complex rhythms specifically).

The new CD on the band's own ArcEden imprint shows considerable improvement in the sound department. It will never win any production awards, but it isn't as bad as the band's prior CD-R release. It's been too long since I heard the original LP to compare, but I suspect it's no better than the the CD-R.

Personal collection
CD: 2018 ArcEden
LP: 1978 Arceden

Other than the sound - which isn't great really, but OK - the CD has to be considered a disappointment. It comes with a single tray card and no information whatsoever. What a lost opportunity to tell their story and provide some unique photos while at it! And the fact they charge top $ for it is shameful - and they refuse to wholesale it to reputable dealers. One wonders why they even bothered really. Seems they did it to appease collectors like us, and at the same time a certain hidden punishment for asking for a professionally pressed CD, instead of the even more crappy CD-R. Fine. Let the historical record state that this is nothing more than an unprofessional, sloppy job. Hope you are proud of yourselves as I'm not a happy customer right now.

Original LPs have always been extremely scarce and expensive. This is due of course to what I would call "controlled supply". Via that supply channel, I had obtained 2 sealed ones back in my wheeling-dealing days of the mid 1990s, and promptly traded them off for albums I wanted more at the time. No regrets, as what I received in return is awesome, and I still own to this day. But I do wish I had an original all the same.