Threshold - Subsurface. 2004 England

Subsurface is the 7th studio album from the English prog metal band Threshold. This is a band I've heard about for 25+ years, but inexplicably never heard a note of their output until today. Ostensibly a Dream Theater styled prog metal, Threshold manages to separate themselves from the pack rather nicely. Instead of a million-notes-a-second, Threshold restrains the impulse to do so, and rather puts that energy into songwriting instead. There are times the band falls into all-too familiar tropes, and during the chorus sections, I find myself asking them to put a sock in it. But otherwise there's quite a bit of thought within these compositions. 'Ground Control' is the winner of the bunch, and I heard snippets ranging from Voivod to... early 80s UK synth pop! All within the familiar confines of a progressive metal song. 'Opium' has some slight Supertramp references. And so it goes. Subsurface is a fine entry into the there-are-just-too-many-prog-metal-bands genre. I found subsequent listens more enjoyable than the last, always a hallmark of an excellent album.

Ownership: CD: 2012 Nuclear Blast. Recent acquisition from an online retailer. This version contains one new bonus track and 2 live renditions.

1/18/19 (first listen / review / new entry)

Eiliff. 1971 Germany

Eiliff's debut is one of the gems of the Krautrock underground. Seems that in 1971, at least one brilliant album a week was released in Germany. Even with such competition within the country, perhaps only Ash Ra Tempel and Embryo managed to do better in this most landmark year. What separates Eiliff from most of their competition is their musical background, namely jazz rather than rock. As we talk about in the Kraut Fusion (1970s /early 80s) list, Germany had an abundance of underground rockers who turned to jazz. Eiliff was about a year ahead of the pack, and they did it the other way: Jazzers playing Krautrock. If looking for a guidepost, they were closer in spirit to Xhol Caravan than Wolfgang Dauner.

'Bird-Night of the Seventh Day' is the most traditional progressive rock oriented track here, clearly taking their cues from early King Crimson, but with the delicious atmosphere that only comes from Germany at this time, and it's delivered on the very first notes. 'Gammkelloni' is a hot fusion number, but also represents the album's sole flaw - the sax is just too skronky to appreciate. It's a pity, as the guitarist (the brilliant Persian Houschäng Nejadépour) is on fire here. 'Uzzek of Rigel IV' enters into instrumental Italian prog rock territory for its first 3 minutes, with herky jerky metrics, before it goes into slow burn mode for the remainder.

At this point, Eiliff's debut is excellent, but certainly more in line with the high expectations that are set for the time and place.

Then comes 'Suite'. I don't think it's an exaggeration for me to say that this 21 minute opus is a high water mark of my collection. If not the single best long form track, it is in the discussion. From the very first note you know you're in for something special. If you're not drawn in by the 3rd minute (and already 2 or 3 killer moments have happened), then either a) you're not paying attention or b) we probably don't have much in common musically speaking. Because this is exactly the kind of music that puts me in a trance like state, exciting my mind in multiple ways. That driving organ, and then the huge electric sax chords, just evokes images of a strobe lit club with psychedelic screens, dancing girls, and the world flashing by in snippets of images. What's absolutely phenomenal about the entire piece, is that it never stops changing. There's at least one peak moment a minute. Yea, that's right, something like 20 peak moments - in one track! Most bands are lucky to get one or 2 of those in a career, not one-a-minute. One other incredible moment: There's a sitar piece that slows things down a bit, until Nejadépour of course goes wild on the instrument, this is then followed by a few second drum beat. Then... a thunderstorm of Hammond organ. Literally. I don't think I've heard the instrument so thick and wedgy as in this moment. It's breathtaking just writing about this opus, much less when listening to it. Even Thirsty Moon's most stunning 'Yellow Sunshine' doesn't quite measure up. Masterpiece if there ever was one.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Philips. Gatefold. Acquired at the Austin Record Show (1990). This convention, one of the largest in the world, was a giant magnet for folks like me. Drawn to it like a moth to light. And the fact that Austin was only three hours drive from where I lived at the time in the Dallas area, made it a mandatory twice a year pilgrimage. The gentleman I bought it from was someone who turned me onto to a number of great albums back then. The album was expensive for its time (something like $20 - yes, true, the appreciation of value has been enormous). Back then you could still get bargains (shoot many times you could find rarities for $1 or $2). Anyway this guy - who was a spitting image of Conny Veit - always had pretty ladies hanging around him even at these shows. Who was he? Well, he later moved to Seattle and went by Dusty Lee, most famous for the Ventricle label and all the subsequent acts he created (commonly with female vocals and mellotron).

CD: 1994 World Wide. Jewel case. No extras whatsoever. However, it does sound quite good and is taken from the masters. Surprisingly, it remains the only one on the market.

1990 (first listen); 1/11/19 (review/new entry)

Gideon - Eight Reasons Why. 1981 Canada

Not sure how I got this far in life without at least hearing of Gideon, but I suppose it's never too late. From the Toronto area, Gideon unleashed this one privately pressed album onto the public in 1981 and seemingly disappeared without a trace afterward.

What's most striking about this album is just how high the professionalism is. In most cases like this, you'll get a muddy or tinny recording, and a record sleeve from an artist that may or may not have been paid, if there was even artwork to be had at all. On Eight Reasons Why you are treated to a gatefold cover and one incredible production. I just cannot get over how well this album sounds. Big, fat, and analog.

The music is of a familiar variety for 1981, that of the North American proggy AOR genre, but it's the execution that separates this album from the pack. This one lays off the saccharine bits (i.e. no lame ballad for track A3 here) and, if anything, has more of a hard rock streak than most. But it's the keyboards that really shine here - brilliant synthesizer tones, and excellent Hammond organ gives this one a strong progressive rock flavor. The guitarist is crisp and loud, and the bass is also mixed up front, with an active and clean sound. Most of the songs are well crafted, with many ideas per composition. Definitely not one dimensional, yet would have fit perfectly for FM radio in that era. I think it just sailed under everyone's radar. There's a couple of more "ordinary" tunes here in 'Auf Wiedersehn' and 'I"ll Never Forget You', but nothing banal or pandering. If you are someone who likes this particular strain of music, then Gideon becomes a mandatory listen.

Needs a CD reissue! Adding to CDRWL Priority 2 now...

Fantasio Daze. 1960s/1970 Netherlands

The primary reason I sought out this compilation CD is the full inclusion of the Bag single, which I consider one of the highlights of the Dutch progressive psychedelic scene. And the fact that Group 1850 has one of their more obscure singles here (though I already own it as part of a larger Group 1850 CD compilation), I figured there were more gems to be uncovered.

And... I was right. Though truth be told, nothing here equaled or surpassed 'Tripdream', 'Nothing Will Remain', and 'Don't Let it Be'. For my tastes, the other great tracks found here come from Names & Faces, Cinderella, Crown's Clan, Phoenix, and Crying Wood. And there are no stinkers, everything is at least "good".

Ownership: CD: 2010 Otherside (UK). Recent online acquisition. This CD is a second issue as the first pressing is a double 10 inch LP comp from 2000. The track ordering is different, but otherwise it's the same music. And perhaps best of all, the liner notes have now been translated to English.

new entry

Beyond the Calico Wall. USA

The gimmick of this compilation is to find the weirdest and wackiest psychedelic sounds of the mid to late 1960s. Some are rare 45's, others are taken from albums, and there's even a modern cut by a band lead by the compiler.

And Erik Lindgren succeeded at doing just that! Which doesn't necessarily mean it's a great comp throughout, but you're almost guaranteed to find a few nuggets depending on your filters. I suppose some folks will just be turned off in general, but one would question why they are listening to such a comp in the first place.

For my tastes, I'm going to be looking for some compositions within the madness. With that, there are two brilliant pieces, one each from Spontaneous Generation and Duffy. In the merely great column, I would add Park Avenue Playground, Afterglow (whose sole album isn't nearly this good or radical as this track would indicate), The Pebble Episode, Bhagavad Gita, and Raik's Progress. Otherwise the tracks range from very good to average to disappointing (least favorite: The Waterproof Tinkertoy).

A keeper for sure, but its consistency is only in the inherent weirdness among the tracks.

Ownership: CD: 1993 Voxx. Jewel case release with liners about each track. Recent online acquisition (2018).

1/11/19 (new entry)

Tomas Gye - s/t. 1976 USA

Tomas Gye is a relatively new name to me, having seen auctions screaming the words PROG, 70's PRIVATE PRESS, ACID ARCHIVES, and fetching large sums of moolah. And the fact they are mentioned to be from the great Midwest (Kansas), and an album that features a 10+ minute closer. This must be a winner!

Time for the reality check - the actual music. Mostly this is a type of low key folk rock, perhaps even an underproduced 70s era Rolling Stones comes to mind. There is some fine synthesizer work here and there giving off a whiff of progressive rock leanings, but they never really let loose honestly. The final track is indeed the epic closer, pretty good on the whole, and certainly 'Can I Play' is the best thing here for moi. Overall, there's not much meat on the bone to rationalize any kind of high stakes bidding. I mean it's not even in that loner / real people category that inexplicably draws hordes of collectors. These guys are pros all the way, and we'll explain that shortly.

Now finding info on Tomas Gye is not easy, but Detective Ashratom is on the case! So what did I learn? We'll start with the easy one that is already known - Tomas Gye is a pseudonym for Tom Guy and he plays most of the instruments here. The LP itself affords no other data, in terms of its provenance. But the label will surely give something away. The name: Turkey Knob Orchard Enterprise.

Well that leads us to yet another expensive private press progressive rock album (allegedly) by a band called Emerald City and their album Pieces released in 1981 (which I intend on hearing soon enough). This time Tom Guy is joined by his brother Danny. Now this album yields results. Turns out the album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. And then we learn more about these two. They actually have a major label (Columbia) pop album from the early 70s and they donned themselves (oh get ready for this): Brothers. They sure did their best to conceal their heritage. And where are they from? Tennessee. So there you have it. Not sure where the Kansas myth began, but it's propagated often.

Honestly the Tomas Gye album sounds far more like it's from the South than the Midwest to my ears. And it appears the brothers (now just known as Tom & Danny Guy) even have a more recent album from 2002, though not much seems to be known about it. Obscure to a fault I guess.

Time to get on the next case... and Tomas Gye, it was nice to meet you. But not my thing I'm afraid.

No reissues exist.

Alshia - s/t. 1980 USA

Alshia were from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and had one privately released album under their belt before disappearing into the annals of history. Frequently tagged as progressive rock, psych, or hard rock, they are none of the above. Acid Archives trashed the album as well, stating it was nothing but dealer hype. And they are right if expecting the terms above, but it isn't such a bad album really. It's mostly a laid back folk rock, with a rural underpinning. Acoustic guitar drives most of the songs, but there are some really fine electric guitar leads throughout, played mostly in a soulful manner. There's a bit of an AOR feeling here, but mostly this sounds like the kind of music one would like to hear on a freezing winter evening by the lake, inside the lodge with a crackling fire; A glass of wine, and sitting closely with a pretty Wisconsin blonde in a form fitting turtleneck...  (gets cold towel).

Right... the music. Well I think you get the idea here. Interestingly enough, Alshia closes the album with a decidedly progressive rock instrumental, and quite good at that. A glimpse of what could have been.

No reissues exist.

Whiplash - Getting to Know Us. 1980 USA

Whiplash were a band from Santa Rosa, California, and whose one album is a real head scratcher. Not too many albums open up with a 9 minute soft rock ballad! 'Crossroads' picks up things considerably with a mix of fusion, southern rock, even blues. It's here that the predominant instrument reveals itself: Violin. There's also plenty of nice guitar and piano solos. 'Rock n' Roll Me Till I Die' continues with a bit more hard rock and a little boogie. There's some very odd synthesizer work as well throughout the album. The tracks are very lengthy, but Whiplash doesn't do much with the extended time other than noodle. And the songs themselves are rather dull, with flat singing.

This gets us to Side 2 which is... all instrumental! Like I said, a strange album. From here on out, it's essentially a fusion album with occasional violin, guitar, synthesizer, and drum solos. There's a pervasive Appalachian/Southern feel, recalling a band like Fred for example. Completely unexpected given their Wine Country backdrop. The first two parts of 'Fugitive' are good for certain, but could use a bit more spark. The last portion of this track and 'Tutti Frutti' are finally where Whiplash lives somewhat up to their name, and gives us a glimpse into what I suspect is a Mahavishnu Orchestra fetish.

Overall a typical late 70s / early 80s mixed bag, in which the band wasn't sure who their audience was to be, so they hedged their bet and threw everything out there. A more focused effort would have yielded a better result.

No reissues exist.

Decadence - Savagery and Grace. 1980 USA

Decadence were a band from Chicago, who managed to get out this one album and are now the sole fodder of obscure archivists like moi. On paper this one looks irresistible. The black and white private-looking cover alone indicates a masterpiece awaits. It possesses long tracks, has female vocals, and the titles of the songs point toward a more thoughtful release. Obviously it's a creative early metal album - or perhaps a grandiose progressive hard rock piece? Bzzt.

It's definitely not prog rock, and it certainly isn't metal. The music belongs to hard rock, primarily due to the extended guitar soloing and lightweight chord structures. There's an overarching pop theme within the lyrics, yet the album doesn't feel commercial at all. It's definitely a private press underground type recording. The band has talent to spare, as the female vocals are strong yet sultry, the guitarist can hold his own within those lengthy solos, and I really enjoy the woody bass sound and he's more than up to the task of driving the music forward. So what's the problem? A familiar one: Songwriting. There's not enough ideas in these songs to justify the lengths. Especially on 'War of the Roses' where one begins to look at the clock for when will it finally end. It's very rare that I recommend the short tracks on any given album, but in this case, that's exactly what I'm going to do. Decadence would have been better off crafting 3 to 5 minute songs rather than lengthy opus'. On the whole, a good album, but it's really hard to identify the target audience here.

No reissues exist.

Rose - A Taste of Neptune. 1977 Canada

Rose were a band from Barrie, Ontario who managed a 4 album run, including the last two on major label Polydor. And it's easy to see why they were signed up, as 'Ride Away' is the perfect hook laden hard rockin' opener. 'Snakes and Ladders' begins to erode their sound though, as the late 70's styled chorus' were cliched back then, much less today. Still, one cannot ignore the fantastic instrumental work, especially between the guitar and organ. As for the next track, I'm sure the band said to the label "How about we put the lengthy title track here?". "No, no. Label rules state that a lame ballad must go in slot A3". And so it was done. Even here though, a fine guitar solo near the end saves it from the dire straits it was clearly in. And so the album goes between hard rock, AOR, and progressive styled mid sections... basically a Crystal Ball-era Styx combined with the instrumental backdrop of Boston. 'Bangin' My Head Against the Wall' performs an excellent hard rock jam towards the end of the tune. The final track promises an epic length progressive rock extravaganza, but unfortunately it's more of the same, and disappointment ensues. A good album on the whole, one that would have been for certain welcome on the radio in 1977. But it wasn't to be, and Rose was tossed into the trash heap with countless others, remembered fondly by a loyal few. At least they got a fair shot and went for it.

This one did manage one legit CD release from Si-Wan in Korea during the 90s. As you can imagine, given the scarcity of that product these days, it's become expensive.

Mistral - Fortunes of War. 1982 USA

Mistral were a band from the north Chicago area who released one album on cassette and disappeared into obscurity. 25 some years later they resurfaced and ultimately reissued the album themselves on CD-R (so still not on CD technically).

It would appear the blueprint for the band would be Saga, who were chart topping during this time. The music has a similar early 80s  MTV rock vibe, with plenty of synthesizer work - and quite good at that. The guitarist has a bit of a hard rock streak especially in the solo department, yet another parallel with those from up north of the border. The vocalist has a strong resemblance to Ian Anderson, and thus the Jethro Tull comparisons are frequent, but honestly the music doesn't indicate otherwise. The shorter songs are pretty straightforward (and dull to be honest), but the longer ones show that Mistral had a few decent ideas up their sleeve, thus earning their progressive rock badge.

Where it breaks down is the production and choice of tones. The drums are horrid sounding, hollow and lifeless. The guitar - other than when soloing - has that toothless riffing that was somewhat prominent in the early 80s FM world. As a veteran of the cassette tape culture that was predominant in England during this time, my ears have built up tolerance for this kind of production. But even by those low standards, Mistral comes up short. It's the worst aspect of the 80s and it's all over this recording like an XLarge dress.

The band talked of reformation, and it would seem that had they pulled it off, their newer recordings would have been so much better. Well, it's never too late...

Orchid - The Mouths of Madness. 2013 USA

There's a lot to admire about the San Francisco based group Orchid. Unlike many modern bands, Orchid took the time to absorb the influences of Black Sabbath rather than just the output, so the possibilities of sound are much greater than what we usually receive. In effect, they are more of a "70's Metal" band, bordering hard rock, prog, psych, and blues rather than generic Stoner or Doom metal. The band are clearly talented, and Theo Mindell emulates a good Ozzy, not plagiarized, but rather influenced by.

The trouble is (no pun intended) that Orchid doesn't do anything with the premise. There are no songs here, no melodies of consequence, no creative breaks, and almost nothing sticks. The long tracks could be half the length, and one would not notice the difference. Sabbath aren't legends just because they were heavy, but rather they could pen a mean tune. Who doesn't get goosebumps on the first air raid sound of 'War Pigs'? There's none of that here. 'Silent One' offers a glimpse of what that could be and 'See You on the Other Side' demonstrates a band who can play within loose jazzy structures, but that's about it. Mind you, everything here is good, no question. But there's no more room in my collection for albums like this anymore. They played it too safe. Perhaps commercially it was the wise thing to do, but creatively it falls short of the mark. And that's where the legacy comes in.

Verto - Krig / Volubilis. 1976 France

Verto is the one man guitar/electronic pseudonym of Jean-Pierre Grasset with multiple guests (the group Potemkine primarily, but also Dague) that seems to be modeled directly after Richard Pinhas and Heldon. 'Krig' opens up in Zeuhl territory, but it doesn't take long for it to drift more into the arena of progressive electronic. The Potemkine influence looms largest in 'Locomo'. The long track namesake 'Volubilis' sounds like Archaia emulating Gottsching's Inventions for Electric Guitar. Deep subversive underground sounds here. Krig/Volubilis could be considered Verto's very own Electronique Guerilla. It's probably still on file in Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's government watch list.

Ownership: LP: 1978 Tapioca. Single sleeve. Purchased new at VVV in Dallas (1987).

Despite being a new album, it's a terrible pressing. They call the label Crapioca for a reason. This would be a good title for a master tape CD reissue.

1987; 1/11/19 (new entry)

Pop Workshop - Song of the Pterodactyl. 1974 Sweden

Pop Workshop were an all-star fusion band that included Janne Schaffer, Mads Vinding, Tony Williams, and Polish luminaries associated with a one Michal Urbaniak (and where two of these compositions will end up on his Fusion III album a year later). Strong overtones of Mahavishnu Orchestra era fusion and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters funk - with some Coltrane-ish sax. A nice mix of fusion/jazz/funk and not too far removed from another Swedish based international jazz rock ensemble: Ablution (minus the Santana influence perhaps). For those that like the early 70s jazz fusion sound, this album will most certainly be well received.

Ownership: LP: 1974 Midnight Sun. Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition. Like their debut, this album was pressed for the domestic market and for "export". Honestly I think the only difference is the label name is in English. No legit reissues exist. Need to add our copy to Discogs as the photos there are no bueno.

new entry

Koenji Hyakkei - Dhorimviskha. 2018 Japan

Tatsuya Yoshida has a similar problem that he shares with Makoto Kawabata: Restraint. Based on memory, there are at least a couple of Koenji Hyakkei albums I enjoy, primarily the two that precede this one (I've heard and own them all going back to 1994 - yes, 25 years of familiarity and that doesn't even count Ruins). So the talent and ability is there for certain. And there are times when Dhorimviskha is indeed excellent, particularly the breaks that feature the fine piano work of Yabuki Taku. And like Kawabata, Yoshida does know how to play his instrument of choice, and so his drumming remains excellent throughout. It must be said though that Sakamoto Kengo's bass work breaks rank from the style, and his playing is more in line with jazz fusion than Zeuhl.

The issue here is the band finds it necessary to bash everything into the turf over and over. Zeuhl requires style. Flair. I want a fine glass of wine not to mainline heroin. The Los Angeles band Corima has proven one can go fast all the time, and still be fascinating Zeuhl. At times, this is like a thrash metal album that goes 200 MPH with the same riff. The vocals, perhaps the most crucial ingredient to Zeuhl, are more irritating than transcendent. And having a saxophonist in the band is way too dangerous for Yoshida. For those who like to shock and awe, Dhorimviskha is a fun play for unknowing guests. That's a trait of youth, not maturity - something Koenji Hyakkei should posses by this stage of their career. It's tiresome on the whole.

CD: 2018 Skin Graft (USA)

1/11/19 (new entry)

Sinto - Right on Brother. 1972 Germany

Sinto's debut is an interesting multi-national rock-funk album, similar to the American band Rare Earth, but released during the heyday of the Krautrock scene. Most of the songs are fairly straightforward, but the instrumental sections keep things hopping in a progressive manner. And speaking of that, the one instrument that stands out is the heavy use of violin (from Hannes Beckmann, who it appears would be the leader), which is unusual in this setting, and creates a nice contrast to the usual pseudo-hippyisms that abound (like the lyrics of the title track - woof!). Sinto went on to release 3 more albums, that presumably are more commercial Latin styled efforts, if covers and song titles are any indication. I have yet to hear them to date.

No legit reissues exist.

Atoll - Musiciens-Magiciens. 1974 France

When I first started collecting French progressive rock 30+ years ago, Atoll were a band that were often lumped in with Ange, Mona Lisa, and their various followers. But to my ears, Atoll comes from a different lyrical branch of the UK progressive rock tree. Whereas Ange and their lot took on Genesis, and further added a huge dose of French theatrical sensibilities, Atoll were much more influenced by Yes, and without the theatrics. I cannot understand at all the subtle, and in some cases blunt, accusation that Musiciens-Magiciens isn't even progressive rock at all. Are we listening to the same album? How does one hear 'Au-delà des écrans de cristal' and come away with a different conclusion? Or any of Side 2 for that matter? If there's a spot on the LP where it might be a bit tough sledding it's the bookends of the 'Le baladin du temps' opus, where the vocals can get a bit whiny. Though honestly any veteran of Italian progressive rock will recognize the SSW crooning from the off. It was of-the-era. Otherwise what one hears is the pure definition of progressive rock - complex meters, woody bass, great guitar and organ work, and energetic drumming. This is really the only album like this in Atoll's canon, as their next LP, L'Araignee Mal takes on a more sinister stance along with fusion elements, and is arguably their masterpiece. On this point we all agree. From there the band moved onto more accessible waters, with Tertio closing out in fine style before the band lost the plot altogether. But I maintain my stance that Musiciens-Magiciens is essential progressive rock from France.

Ownership: LP: 1974 Eurodisc (gatefold); LP: 1975 Eurodisc (single sleeve); CD: 2009 Arcangelo (Japan). The original LP comes in a gatefold sleeve and isn't as easy to find as you might initially think. I had it once, sold it, and took forever to find another. This one came from an online purchase in 2015. I kept the single sleeve all these years mainly because it's perfect mint. And it's also on my "wall of albums". This version was an online purchase from 2000. The mini-LP CD is particularly nice because not only do you get the beautiful gatefold LP design, you also receive the Musea release, complete with historical liners. The live bonus tracks are really rough here in the sound department, not even good enough for bonus honestly, but they can be skipped.

new entry

Sky Dancer - Alive. 1977 USA-Nebraska

"Deep Purple on the Prairie" I read from one online auction. That's worth quoting and repeating for posterity. Sky Dancer only released just this one album, recorded live in front of an enthusiastic audience in Lincoln, Nebraska one fine evening in 1977. The album opens inauspiciously enough with the crowd pleasing straight-up rockin' 'Rock and Roll Sweetheart'. But even here the guitarist begins to light things up. Once you hear 'Get Down' you know the band has serious chops and a lot of ideas to process. You just don't get to hear this much chunky organ and jamming guitars this late in the 70s - especially from these shores. 'Fear No Evil' has one of the most intense superb second halves of any track I've heard in ages. 'Hang on To Your Life' and 'Hot Rocks' are similar. This is the kind of hard rock you constantly look for - and rarely find. And 'Never Want to Be Tied Down' is the kind of thoughtful melancholic closer I was hoping it would be. All 5 of these tracks are lengthy, and feature extensive soloing on guitar and Hammond. 'Rock and Roll Circus' is also a solid hard rocker, if not a bit normal for Sky Dancer. The only throwaway here is the mercifully short boogie rock of 'Goody Two Shoes' and even it features some nice guitar work. Essential hard rock here.

This album is screaming for an archival type reissue. One hopes they may have some studio material, or even more from this live set. Sky Dancer strikes me as the type of band who were more progressive than they were allowed to be in public. The perfect setup for front loading the monster tracks, and leaving the more ordinary tracks to wallow in "bonus track" territory.

Ownership: LP: 1977 All in One. Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition (2022). Never been reissued.

1/4/19 (first listen / review / new entry); 4/22/22

Avalon - Voice of Life. 1977 Canada-Ontario

Avalon were a band from Ottawa who managed to get out one very professional LP in 1977, and unfortunately that was to be it. 'Celebration Day' opens up in Equinox-era Styx territory and it appears we're in for that unique North American proggy AOR sound, often times pegged with the derogatory pomp tag. A fine opener that quickly gets one engaged. 'Mother Russia' is similar, but there's more of a prog edge here, and yea sure, we can point to early Starcastle if you wish. Fine with me. 'Lady of My Dreams' is the obligatory lame ballad, but at least there's a fine synthesizer solo. In fact regarding the latter, there are many great synthesizer moments to be had on Voice of Life. The title track and 'Land of Mordor' bring out the band's James Young identity, and we're on the heavy side of AOR. Great break/riffs here that require repeat-play. Then whoever was supervising the group fell asleep, because Avalon decided to just go prog rock with 'Smoke and Fire', perhaps the highlight of the album for moi. 'Shadowcaster' is not a one minute interlude, but rather a fully realized song and quite good at that! 'Maranatha' then blends all the elements of the disc so far into one delicious whole. There's a killer riff half way through that sounds so much better on albums like this - primarily because it isn't what is expected.

Avalon had the songs to be radio staples in their day but for whatever reason they were ignored by "those that controlled all". This isn't an album that's going to register with hardcore AOR, hard rock, or progressive rock fans. But if you like all 3 in one, then this album goes to the great column. And I would be one such person.

Ownership: CD: 1995 Pacemaker. Recent online acquisition. A difficult CD to source, as this is the only reissue of this fine album. I was able to do so for less than $5 (sealed no less) while no one was looking. But generally it's collectors prices out there, and quite high at that. The photo here is of the LP, but need to add the CD at some point to Discogs. There are 2 bonus tracks as well that I need to revisit.

new entry

La Maschera di Cera - LuxAde. 2006 Italy

Hard working bassist Fabio Zuffanti has many bands (Finisterre, Hostsonaten, Aries, Zaal, etc…), and each one represents a certain sound that he likes to explore more in detail (his initial band Finisterre is the one that is truly eclectic). La Maschera di Cera is his vehicle dedicated to the early 1970s Italian progressive rock scene, with only vintage gear being deployed. Along with the usual keyboard (Hammond, Mellotron, Moog), fuzz bass and guitar sounds, there’s quite a bit of flute, an instrument that was predominantly featured in 70s Italian music. In the end, the group achieves what it sets out to do, though I’d say LMdC are not quite as complex of some of the finest bands of the 70s (Jumbo, Semiramis, Banco, RRR, etc..). LuxAde is their 3rd album, and is arguably one of their finest (as I update this in 2019). It's really hard to imagine being a fan of Italian prog and not walking away from LuxAde completely satisfied. The style has been well-studied and executed here by the band. There's a reason why I chose La Maschera di Cera as my primary group for the renaissance of Italian Progressive Rock list: Italian prog from 1987 and beyond.

Ownership: CD: 2006 Immaginifica. Acquired upon release from online retailer. The CD is stored in a fine gatefold mini-LP sleeve.

1/4/19 (new entry)

Champignons - Premiere Capsule. 1972 Canada-Quebec

Champignons were a band from the Montreal area, and who released this one album that is now much sought after by progressive rock aficionados. The LP starts off in an almost go-go 1960s way, with an energetic keyboard lead instrumental number. This is followed by a very slow, depressing, blues song with French vocals. J'ai eu le blues, j'ai eu le blues vraiment mauvais. There is some nice electric guitar work however to keep one's interest throughout. From track 3 on the first side to the conclusion of the record, it's all aces. The music becomes primarily instrumental while taking on a darker stance. The guitar has that ominous fuzz tone, and there's an underlying jazzy structure lead by the fine flute and sax work. For these excellent tracks I'm reminded of the Eden Rose / Sandrose family out of France, and the relative progression from one to the other. If Champignons were lead by a female vocalist, that would solidify the Sandrose comparison.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Les Jeunes Artistes Associés. Single sleeve. Mail order acquisition from a record store in Montreal (1994). 

Worth noting that the band is Champignons, not Les Champignons. There's one place in the liner notes that refers to Les Champignons, and that's because it begins the sentence that way! As if to say "The Mushrooms...". In another section of the same liner notes it states "...les Champignons..." which is mid-sentence this time.

No CD reissue as of 6/11/24.

1994; 1/4/19 (new entry)

Crystal Haze - s/t. 1977 USA

Crystal Haze is an obscure demo type release from Decatur, Illinois circa 1977. Some really good hard rocking tunes here with above average guitar work - particularly on 'Truth of the Ages', 'January', and the latter part of 'Two Times Under'. There's also some folky ballads, a little boogie, and an opening guitar fronted instrumental. The creaky old organ is way too buried in the mix. A good one for private hard rock collectors, though not mandatory.

Never been reissued legit though a pirate LP does exist (with new art work)

Mandragora - Head First. 1991 England

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

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

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

Ownership: CD: 1991 Resonance. Jewel case.

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

Roadmaster. 1976 USA-Indiana

Roadmaster were a band from Indianapolis who managed to put out 4 albums from 1976 to 1980. There's no question that the group had FM radio on their mind when recording these tunes, and I can guess that they were probably quite popular within the regional club circuit. The opening two tracks here are the kind of AOR I think many of us would have been glad to hear during the era - and there's some great melodies, guitar, and synthesizer work at play here. 'AM-PM' is the obligatory blues track that doesn't inspire. 'Who Can Sing Like Fat Boy Do', despite the borderline PC police title, is a nice hard rock track and refreshingly a bit odd. And sure there are throwaways here that are really quite atrocious - and they all have titles that give the game away (Hint: They contain the words Baby and Love... yea, it was 1976 after all). But in aggregate not a bad way to spend 40 minutes, and if you're a "local AOR" collector (not I), then this one goes into the must-have column.

1/1/19 (new entry)