Pentagram - First Daze Here: The Vintage Collection. 1972-74 USA-Virginia (archival)

Pentagram are a legendary band from the Washington DC area, who tooled around the 70s without much to show for it, other than a few very obscure singles. Finally by the mid 1980s, they got around to releasing their debut album. That debut album is considered a landmark in the modern doom genre. I've never heard it (I don't recall even reading about it back then, and I was a voracious student of metal at the time - it was that obscure), but at some point I hope to.

So what did the band do during the 70s? First Daze Here: The Vintage Collection is the answer to that question. For a group that seems like a bunch of aimless stoners, this archival album proves that they weren't that unorganized. And from a musical standpoint, I could see modern fans of the band shaking their heads a bit. And if you think about it, had one discovered Judas Priest in the 80s, then Rocka Rolla or even Sad Wings of Destiny would be most off-putting. And why is that? Because Pentagram were a band of the early 70s. Really the Black Sabbath-as-a-genre was still some 15 years away. And what that means is Pentagram isn't always heavy, and they're not always slow. It's 70s hard rock with elements of that thick wedgy Tony Iommi sound. In this way, Pentagram were more like a group such as Bang for example. Pentagram had the same influences as Black Sabbath themselves - the blues, psychedelic, and rock n' roll. This isn't the studied sound of Saint Vitus or Candlemass.

Once the mind is properly set, then Pentagram's 70s work is very good. The songwriting is intriguing, and the instrumentation is excellent. Just what you want from a raucous early 70s hard rock album. Be sure to pick up a version that includes the Macabre A/B single. This was Pentagram circa 1972, and definitely worthy of inclusion.

Ownership: CD: 2016 Relapse. Recent online acquisition. Superb archival release with copious liner notes, photos, etc.. Comes with a second mini-disc (full size though) of the Macabre 45. Interestingly, it does not include their 45s from 1973 and 74.

T2 - T.2. (Fantasy; 1970). 1970 England (archival)

Yet another album languishing in my collection with no recollection from me. T2 are one of those bands that have much more archival material than what was originally released. And as such I find myself not recounting which one I have. Also it doesn't help that this title has been released with at least 3 different names. Now with Discogs' help, the T2 catalog has come into focus. This archival release was recorded after their debut album, and was intended to be part of a second album that never came to fruition. As such the material is very similar. I'd submit it's more progressive than It'll All Work Out in Boomland, but less hard rocking. And it's truly archival, so the tapes are a bit shop worn, and it's not always the greatest of sound quality. But good enough, especially for material as strong as this. Much more mellotron use this time around as well. While the Boomland album most assuredly shines brighter, T2 fans won't want to miss out on this one.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Acme. Decent issue with a short history.

Melting Euphoria - Inside the Gardens of the Mind. 1997 USA-California

I'll be honest here - I bought way too many space rock albums over the years. I think I was always on the lookout for a new Ash Ra Tempel or Guru Guru experience. The revisits haven't gone well. I hear too much of the same thing. Aimless improvisations with competent, but uninspired soloing. It's not that they aren't any good, or even pleasant to listen to, it's just that it becomes boring after awhile. And this proved to be the case with Melting Euphoria's first 2 albums as well. I have the 3rd, but for whatever reason, their 4th release Inside the Gardens of the Mind came up first. Same result?

No! Now this is the kind of space rock that still matters to me. It gets down to the atmosphere of each piece of music. This is not something one can write in words, and yet it is exactly what defines the Kosmische movement itself. There's a subversiveness to it, but it's not anarchy. It's controlled chaos, a way of being that defines how I live my own life. Well planned - but random. Oxymoron? No. And Melting Euphoria captures the essence of 1971 Germany better than most American bands from the 90s and beyond. In this way they recall San Antonio's Pseudo Buddha. And Melting Euphoria are not afraid to let 'er rip. Not everything is a jam, and there's plenty of songwriting here, including some progressive rock segments. Each tracks winds around in random directions, yet never out of control. Yes, this is a keeper for sure.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Purple Pyramid. Basic jewel case layout. Purchased new at Mod Lang in Berkeley in 1998. Good memories of wandering around Telegraph Ave, and going to Mod Lang, Rasputin's, and Amoeba's. That was a full day right there.

Boud Deun ~ USA ~ Virginia

Fiction and Several Days (1994)

I waxed on below about Boud Deun for the Astronomy Made Easy album. The debut is a bit rougher and less focused, but no less pleasurable. Great guitar and violin work can be heard here, with some inventive songwriting. These guys were at the forefront of the 90s American progressive rock renaissance. As an aside, it appears this is two albums sewn together. Quite literally Fiction ...and... Several Days.

To add, I enjoy covers like this one, with the rusted farm equipment and a chicken on the back. Real America.

Ownership: 1995 E.H.P. (CD) 

1995 (acquired); 6/18/20 (review)

Astronomy Made Easy (1997)

Boud Deun represents - for me at least - the optimism of the late 1990s. Both in life and in music. In particular, progressive rock had really found its footing again, and new and exciting bands were cropping up all over the world. Boud Deun's privately pressed debut was met with great enthusiasm, so much so that America's premier progressive rock label at the time, Cuneiform, scooped them for their roster rather quickly. Because of this association with the label, you'll often see Boud Deun tagged with the Avant Prog genre, but that is simply not the case here. Cuneiform, especially in those days, were promoting various kinds of progressive rock, beyond their core base. And it didn't hurt that Boud Deun were practically neighbors with the label, hailing from northern Virginia.

The regional note plays a role in their music as well. One can point to the Dixie Dregs as perhaps the blueprint for their sound, at least when The Dregs were focused on jazz fusion verse country rock. But it also becomes clear that Boud Deun had a knowledge of worldwide progressive rock. Their sound mixes in European styled jazz rock but with a touch of Appalachia. And a sophisticated kind of symphonic fusion, that we also find in Europe and Japan. Let's be clear: Astronomy Made Easy does not pull a single punch - it's very intense folks. But here's the kicker - it's also highly melodic, so that it does stay in the memory banks. Technical plus melody plus regional folk customs + rockin' out = success.

On a personal note, I brought along a pile of CDs before I was to be married in April of 1997. It was the long road trip from Denver (where I resided at the time) to Dallas (where I grew up). If I were to associate one album from that period of time - it's this one. So nostalgia plays a big role in my own subjective viewpoint. What's more interesting here for those reading this is... I hadn't heard the album in 22+ years since then. And guess what? I remembered much of it. It came back as each track unwound itself. I often read this is one of those highly technical albums that is academic overall. I beg to differ.

Ownership: 1997 Cuneiform (CD). Die-cut booklet

1997 (acquired); 11/15/19 (review)

4/15/20 (new entry)

Churchill's / Jericho Jones / Jericho ~ Israel

Churchill's (1968)

Churchill's were one of those big name bands when I first started collecting in earnest in the late 1980s. When I finally did manage to hear the album, I was somewhat nonplussed. Once again it was a case of the wrong expectation being set. Churchill's is by no means a radical psychedelic album, which is what I had thought the descriptions were telling me. Rather it's a measured album, very similar to many psych artists from the USA and England at the time. The songs are well crafted, and there's plenty of great period instrumentation to enjoy. The kicker here is the time and place. Releasing an album of this quality in war torn Israel circa 1968 is something to admire and behold. There just are no other examples like it. And for collector's, it's rarity is real, and the reward is great - which is not always a given. Especially back then when information was far more scant than today. So yes, it's understandable why it was hyped. Just be prepared to hear a very good psychedelic album - typical of its era - rather than to be completely blown away.

Ownership: 2003 Hed-Arzi (2xCD). Two full albums including Jericho Jones. Also contains four full A / B singles and four unreleased tracks. The liner notes are all in Hebrew and reads right to left. 

6/18/20 (acquired / review)

Junkies Monkeys & Donkeys (1971)

The Churchill's decided to relocate to England and changed their name to Jericho Jones. By 1971, the band had not only moved to a new country, but also moved their sound forward into the 70s. Mostly Junkies Monkeys & Donkeys is a hard rock album but with psychedelic undertones. It's a fine transitional album that leads to their 3rd album masterpiece - Jericho (see below). In some ways it's their most "safe" release, but there's plenty of meat on the bone here to enjoy.

Ownership: 2003 Hed-Arzi (2xCD). See Churchill's above.

10//06 (first listen); 6/18/20 (acquired / review)

Jericho (1972)

---11/2004

Yet another early 70’s hard rock / psych album that has prog rock crossover appeal. Dual guitar with plenty of changes and dramatic solo sections, that recall bands like Cargo, Clear Blue Sky, and Janus. Other than the short throwaway ‘Don’t You Let Me Down’, most of this contains inventive instrumental interplay. ‘Featherbed’ is the kind of late heavy psych piece that fills the void between Electric Ladyland-era Hendrix and Agitation Free’s Malesch. Only five tracks, so plenty of room to stretch. Sparse use of piano, strings and flute provide color and contrast. This one is a goodie and has stood the test of time in my collection."

---5/2/20

What a blistering set this is from the 3rd incarnation of The Churchills. These Israelis deliver the goods. Some of this is proto-metal honestly. There's some blues and more than a nod to their psychedelic past, but mostly this is non stop hard rock with gruff vocals. And the tracks are long, filled to the brim with great soloing. If you're into early 70s hard rock, and haven't heard this, then you'll want to move it to the top of your list.

Ownership: 1972 A&M UK (LP)

1997 (acquired); 11//04 (review); 5/2/20 (update)

5/2/20 (new entry)

Telegraph - Mir. 2018 Israel

From the very first moments, it's very apparent we're in Mirage or Moonmadness era Camel territory. Highly melodic guitars and 70s analog keyboards drive the music. The album is mostly instrumental, but on the few vocal moments, Telegraph take on a psychedelic disposition. While comparisons could be made to a band like Sanhedrin with their also-Camel styling, Telegraph is far more retro in outlook. A great debut. Let's hope for more.

Ownership: CD: 2018 private. The booklet is made to look like an old school inner gatefold, with black and white photos and instrumentation detail. Even the CD face looks like the first run of 1980s reissues. Love the cover art as well.

6/18/20 (new entry)

Thieves' Kitchen - Genius Loci. 2019 England

Thieves' Kitchen are back with their 7th album in roughly 20 years. Still in tow are some former members of Änglagård, and so the expectation is we'll be treated to another analog prog delight. As far as the analog part goes, this remains true. But the music on 'Genius Loci' is far more mellow than what we've come to expect from Thieves' Kitchen. It's dare I say - almost an Adult Contemporary take on classic Änglagård. Had I read that somewhere, I may have taken a pass here. Except that would have been a mistake. It's still Phil Mercy and Änglagård, so it's not really radio friendly. But it's very peaceful. The breathy vocals of Amy Darby remain (she'll never change), but it does fit the soothing nature of the music. Multiple plays reveal more each time. There are moments  of the past sprinkled throughout to keep a biting edge. It's a bit of a departure overall, but one I enjoyed. Not sure we need more of it, but as a one time experiment, it is worthy.

Ownership: CD: 2019 private. Comes in a digifile package with a fine lyrical booklet and reflections from Phil Mercy.

6/18/20 (new entry)

Mecki Mark Men ‎- Running In The Summer Night. 1969 Sweden

Jimi Hendrix had a profound influence on musicians in Sweden, perhaps more than any European country other than his base in England. And it shows up most prominently here with Mecki Mark Men's second album. If you enjoy compact, well-written, heavy psychedelic music, then Mecki Mark men is considered by many to be one of the best. Hard to argue that position. Not sure what took me so long to pick this one up.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Universal/Mellotronen. Recent online acquisition. Excellent tri-fold digi-pak with lengthy liner notes. 15 minutes of superb bonus tracks, that are oddly called "For the US Release". Was there another?

Bow Street Runners. 1970 USA-North Carolina

Bow Street Runners were a band from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who released this one album, and out they went. The album sounds like 5 A/B 45 singles - from 1968 - stitched together. Loads of fuzz guitar and well penned tunes. 'Rock Fish Blues' and 'Spunky Monkey' could have been left off as far as I'm concerned, but the rest is aces. The female vocals on the opener 'Electric Star' showed tremendous potential, but alas that would be her sole contribution. For 1970, this kind of psych was way out of date, and it's not surprising they didn't sell many copies to begin with. This was doomed to be a collector's item from the moment it was released. 

Ownership: CD: 1996 Sundazed. Not a great reissue from Sundazed. They're usually very reliable, but in this case, it almost seems like a bootleg. No info, bonus, or anything else, and taken from vinyl. I bought this not long after release, and since originals are impossible to find, and all the reissues blow, this will have to do.

Kraan. 1972 Germany

I can never think of words for this album, even though I've owned it forever and a day. It's a fine Krautrock meets Kraut Fusion type album. Certainly it's excellent, and that's how I remember it, but I've never focused on it much. This listen didn't change that pattern. 

Ownership: LP: 1976 Spiegelei. Gatefold. Acquired from a friend (1997).

I;ve also had the 1972 original, but this copy was in slightly better shape.

1997 (first listen); 6/18/20 (review/new entry)

La Maquina de Hacer Pajaros - Peliculas. 1977 Argentina

Definitely one of a kind. Intriguing mix of hardcore prog like Yes, Latin jazz fusion, and sweeping singer songwriter material. Everything is good and some of this is extraordinary.

Ownership: CD: 1991 Microfon (USA). Straight reissue with original lyrics. Part of a large collection buy in the late 90s.

Remedy - The Golden Voice Sessions. 1970-1974 USA-Illinois (archival)

Like last week's Freedom North, Remedy were yet another band I recently discovered via a 45 rpm release. In this case, it lead me to an obscure archival album called The Golden Voice Sessions. Of the two tracks on the 7", only one was really any good. Fortunately, the excellent track 'Prayer for the People' was the representation of the album, and the weak song (both tracks are here) is the only one like that. This is a very strong early 70s styled Midwest hard rock album with progressive rock aspirations. Plenty of great organ and guitars. Good songwriting too. One of many bands that should have made it. It's never too late to discover right? There's some moments here that recall the great Micah. Some of you are probably thinking that the Golden Voice Studios sound familiar, and you would be right. Many famous Midwest bands found themselves down in Pekin to record their albums (Head East, Styx, Starcastle, and many more). Definitely one to seek out.

Ownership: LP: 2016 Alona's Dream. Recent online acquisition. Single sleeve. Comes with a very informative insert with a full history of the band. Unfortunately they don't date each of the tracks, except for the single which is from 1974. In fact, the insert says the recordings go to 1975, so there's some inconsistencies as well. Nevertheless, a great archival release (excellent sound too).

Seiche - Demo Press. 1981 USA-Illinois

Years ago, CD Baby featured a release by a band called "The Seiche". I never could figure out if it was a CD or a CD-R, though I'm pretty sure it was the latter. To this day, it's still not in Discogs. Whatever the case, my impression upon hearing it was very favorable. Then I forgot all about them. Until I read about this reissue from Jackpot. Given that a CD release wasn't on the horizon, I plunked down for the LP (straight from the label), and here we are.

And where are we? At the very best of the late 70s and early 80s American grassroots creative hard rock movement. Right before the NWOBHM scene hit the States, many bands were forming in the garage and making a go at a Rush like sound, with perhaps a bit of early Van Halen intensity. Other bands from my collection that we've featured on the UMR in this style would include Message (New Mexico) and UHF (Florida). Long tracks, lots of invention, and some incendiary guitar leads. It was a creative and exciting time, one that lead to an explosion of interesting underground music throughout the 80s. Unfortunately we have scant examples of music such as this. That unique strain of progressive hard rock. Not progressive rock. Not hard rock. It's something different and both styles are blended together. Other references would be fellow Chi-Town underground obscurities Proteus and Ariel.

Buy it.

Ownership: LP: 2019 Jackpot. Recent online acquisition. Single sleeve with a 4 page insert filled to the brim with information about the band. Great sound. No bonus, though I'm sure for most everyone, the album itself is a bonus. 

Stanley Steamer ~ USA ~ Michigan

Stanley Steamer (1973)

Not even sure where to start with this one. I've had the album on a curiosity list for many years. It's not an expensive album, and so when a sealed one came up recently for cheap, I decided to take the plunge. Finding information about the album is difficult. Stanley Steamer are a nine piece band with horns and a female vocalist. Side 2 is one track that is close to 18 minutes long. On paper it would appear the album is marrying two of my favorite styles together: Horn rock along with female vocal led proto-prog.

And... that's not too far off from what you get! Though it's not really either in the traditional sense. It's more pop oriented than progressive, and the horn rock never really takes off like Chicago or McLuhan for example. Most of Side 1 is satisfying, though I could do without the second part of 'Rainbows on My Face' and 'Desperation, I Love You'. Side 2 is superb throughout, and the track length is never padded with any kind of aimless solos (I had dreaded the insipid drum solo, but none to be found). It takes a couple of listens to adjust the ears on this. It's unique, though not unfamiliar. The songwriting is at a high level, though none of the melodies are particularly memorable. That is to say, there's no single track here you'd want to play over and over, yet hearing in full is very satisfying. Holly Vaughn is a true vocal talent, and most certainly could have been a major pop or jazz singer. The (sparse) orchestrations on side 2 reminded me most of Burt Bacharach's arrangements, and in that light, Vaughn recalls Dusty Springfield.

About the band, deep in the web, I found this article. If not reading closely, you would presume the band to be from St. Louis, but it turns out they're from Lansing, Michigan. Jolly Rogers is none other than Kenny Rogers' label. At the time, Rogers was fronting a band called The First Edition (an interesting band in their own right, and not something one would associate Kenny Rogers necessarily with). He was anxious to expand his label, and Stanley Steamer was his first major signing. Then things went awry with The First Edition, and that was the end of the big dreams. For both the label and the band. Given the amount of supply of (mostly) promo copies, it appears Rogers (or his company) did try their best to promote the album.

Since it's an inexpensive album, and a reissue doesn't seem likely, I would suggest grabbing one of those LPs while they're still out there.

Ownership: 1973 Jolly Rogers promo (LP). Gatefold. 

6/11/20 (review / new entry)

Tømrerclaus. 1978 Denmark

Here's an album I've owned since the CD first hit the shelves, and one I was unfamiliar with prior to that. I never knew quite what to make of it at the time. Even had it on a sale pile at one point. But times have changed...

One gets the impression that had Claus Clement Pedersen chosen the traditional path of obtaining a business degree, cutting his hair while working in corporate Europe, that he would have been your classic vice-president/CFO. Instead he takes on the Carpenter Claus image, and creates a do-it-yourselfer empire inside of Europe's most notorious hippie commune: Christiana. This background helps shape the impression of the music itself. It's a throwback to a bygone era. I would have thought something more progressive rock oriented by 1978, but Tømrerclaus (Tomrerclaus) was anything but conventional. Much of the album has the ghost of Jimi Hendrix within, and the old term "acid rock" comes to mind here. At other times, Tømrerclaus is mumbling in Danish on some sort of folk blues type number. Then there's 'Cellokarma',which is the highlight of the album for me, and one of the most interesting psychedelic tracks ever. It's basically a solo piece for cello. Jacqueline du Pré this is not. Rather the cello is fuzzed out and psychedelic to the maximum. It captures the imagination wildly and begs the question why isn't there more of that in music? Anywhere! The CD comes with no less than 8 bonus tracks, mostly in the style above (and much of it excerpted from a cassette called Snydt, released one year prior).

Overall such a unique album really - and one that has aged well for me.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Ad Perpetuam Memoriam (Sweden). Great reissue with original artwork, photos, lyrics, 8 bonus tracks, and a biography.

Trouble - The Skull. 1985 USA-Illinois

I bought this LP when it first came out, though I have to admit it didn't overwhelm me much. In 1985 I would have been looking for something heavier, and most certainly faster. The genre of Doom Metal was still in its infancy, even if the granddaddy of all metal bands themselves were technically the founders (Black Sabbath of course...). With prog and Krautrock calling my attention more and more in college, metal bands struggled to gain favor. This was the only Trouble album I bought back in the day. It more or less sat unwanted in the collection for some 25 years, until one day I plopped it on the turntable, and it finally opened up to me. There were a few metal LPs like that, ones I was fortunate to keep, mainly out of neglect. Hearing it on CD for the first time this week hasn't changed my perspective at all. There are some good riffs here, a few changes per track, and I really like Eric Wagner's unique preachy delivery. Much is said about the lyrical content - even back in the 80s they were referred to as "white metal", which was a reaction to the more prominent term "black metal". Religion is of course what we're talking about here, not skin tone. But it's an interesting juxtaposition, primarily because it comes from a rooted Catholic perspective rather than the expected hollow born-again nauseam. It's different for certain, and makes the music just that much more powerful. A fine album that continues to age well.

Ownership: LP: 1985 Metal Blade. The original LP is a single sleeve with a lyric inner sleeve. Cool artwork. As noted above I bought this new real time while still in college. 

6/11/20 (new entry)

Ashby Ostermann Alliance ~ USA ~ Chicago, Illinois

Ashby Ostermann Alliance (1981)

Chicago based Ashby Ostermann Alliance is a good example of early 80s fusion mixed with a strong rock aesthetic. This latter element is often missing in the progressive rock & jazz rock genres. In fact the AOA album doesn't give that indication early. It seems to be pointed in the direction of Latin Jazz, but about midway through Side 1, the guitarist (that would be Ashby fyi...) begins to take over. Then the compositions take on more complex forms, and before you know it, you have a mighty fine progressive fusion album on your hands. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that these guys knew or played with fellow Chicagoan group Proteus. Hard to grab a story line here, but I think this one would go down a storm with the obscure fusion LP buying community. Neat cover art too.

Dusty Groove, the superb record shop from Chicago whose primary focus is in the soul-jazz-funk-fusion fields of music, had a used copy of AOA album that had recently sold (this was years ago, at the time of the CDRWL entry). Their quick review says "Obscure fusion from the Chicago scene – played by a group with heavy guitars from Vince Ashby and wailing keyboards from Dennis Ostermann! The sound is jamming, but with some nice tight moments that almost get funky." That's spot on as well.

Ownership: 1981 Divide (LP)

2/22/12 (review); 6/11/20 (update / new entry)

Brimstone - Paper Winged Dreams. 1973 USA-Ohio

From Canton, Ohio, Brimstone's Paper Winged Dreams is at that perfect point where psychedelic was transitioning to progressive rock - though by 1973 that would be a bit late for such a move. There wasn't a lot of this kind of music coming from the States, which makes this private press Christian album all the more curious. Concerning the latter, it's not very obvious, so you can enjoy it on a secular level as well. I found the songwriting here to be exemplary.

Ownership: CD: 199? private. Not quite sure when the CD came out (I got this copy in 1997), but it is for certain band released. They didn't even mention the bonus tracks, but the two here are from their 45 single and pretty good at that. Otherwise you get a very short history and some faded newspaper articles. Decent reissue (and the only legit one).

Shiva - Firedance. 1982 England

I'm such a sucker for the older NWOBHM bands, before they felt compelled to be in lockstep with the "scene", and here they just sort of made things up as they went along. Very much like my favorite progressive rock bands of the early 70s. Has more of a Rush influence than usual for a UK band from this era. There's some commercial stuff here that keeps it from a higher rating (especially on Side 2), but it's still a great listen. It'll probably grow on me over time (and it has!). File this one in the innovative early metal category next to Legend (UK), Diamond Head, Sacred Blade, and Manilla Road.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Heavy Metal Records. Recent online acquisition. Single sleeve with lyrics. My initial copy was the Russian bootleg CD acquired unwittingly. Just put it up for sale (cheap), and it was gone in one day.

1/6/14 (RYM)

Freedom North ~ Canada ~ Montreal, Quebec

Freedom North (1970)

In what has to be a new precedent for the UMR, I first discovered this band via a 45 single. When I first heard 'Doctor Tom', by a band called Freedom of Choice, it was such a perfect fit for my Post Psych, Proto Prog with Female Vocals list, it could practically be the sound sample for the entire genre. So I promptly purchased the 45 (not expensive and from a local friend no less) and looked forward to promoting it here. And then... after a bit more research - discovered that Freedom of Choice was in fact the same band as Freedom North. And taking it even further than that, the 'Doctor Tom' cut was released simply under the name of Freedom. What? Discogs has it messed up - wrongly attributing Freedom of Choice as an alias verse an ANV (Alternate Name Variation). RYM has it listed under both names as well. Best guess here is the band was named Freedom and changed it Freedom North to avoid confusion with the more established English band at the time. In the US, the Wand label probably thought Freedom North was too "Canadian sounding" and went with Freedom of Choice. OK, once that all was sorted out, I found out that the Freedom of North album had been reissued on CD just recently - and with bonus cuts. Cool!

So here we are, and not all is lost on my 45 investment, as the 'Doctor Tom' is a slight variation on the LP version. The better news is the album itself is excellent. Right from the horn rockin' opener 'Ordinary Man' through to the psychedelic closer 'Vancouver' (the band were from Montreal incidentally), the album is filled with inventive tunes and excellent instrumentation. Freedom North are sailing way under the radar, and it's high time for them to get noticed.

Ownership: 2018 Unidisc (CD. Mini-LP sleeve. Feature four bonus tracks, though only two are noted on the back of the sleeve (the hype sticker has all 4 however). The first two tracks are from 45s, and the last two have no provenance. 

6/1/20 (acquired / review / new entry)

Midas Touch - Presage of Disaster. 1989 Sweden

Sweden is, pardon the pun, ground zero for most styles of heavy metal, and that continues to this day. Thrash metal, however, isn't one of them. Midas Touch may be the most well known, and they are still what one would call obscure. Their brand of thrash is a bit more hardcore than I typically prefer, recalling bands like same era Dark Angel, Sacrifice, and even early Exodus.  However, they are also pegged to the more specific progressive thrash group of bands. There's some interesting passages here, including synthesizers and multiple themes. Midas Touch doesn't demonstrate the patience needed to transcend to the next level. They quickly get back to bashing at 100 mph. So while it's not at the level of Psychotic Waltz or Mekong Delta, the album most certainly is entertaining for repeated listens. And that makes it worth keeping.

Ownership: CD: 2012 Divebomb. Super issue filled with historical info, photos, etc. It's a double CD and includes demos from 1988 and 1990. Also includes their first cassette Ground Zero from 1987. 

6/1/20 (first listen / review / new entry)

Modry Efekt & Radim Hladik. 1975 Czech Republic

I wrote an expose on most of the Blue Effect / Modry Efekt catalog when I obtained the box set 3+ years ago. I purposely left this out, as I already had it separately on CD, and decided to listen to it when its day arrived. And that day has occurred. In my mind, this has been my favorite Modry Efekt album since the beginning of discovering the group. That conclusion remains the same, though maybe not at the margin I originally thought. Some of this is sublime when the compositions and melodies are strong. But there is some typical jazz fusion noodling that I conveniently forgot about, taking it down a notch. But Hladik is certainly one of the era's finest guitarists, despite being stranded behind the Iron Curtain.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Bonton. Purchased online new upon release. Even though I have the box set, I'm keeping this CD primarily for the 2 entirely unique and excellent bonus tracks that were taken from East German compilation LPs. There are liner notes, but in Czech. I originally owned the LP, but as is the case with most Eastern European albums, I ditched it in favor of the CD when it came out. No regrets there.

Cycle - Cosmic Clouds. 1971;73;75 England (archival)

Yet another great archival release from Rise Above. Similar to Barnabus, Cycle primarily belongs to the hard rock genre, but the songwriting is a step above. The 1971 album shows tremendous potential, and it's a tragedy the band weren't snapped up. By 1973, Cycle's second album demos clearly show a band increasingly adding complexity. The use of electronics (primarily an oscillator) adds a unique twist. There are some serious progressive rock tracks found here including the title track and especially 'Tomorrow's World', sounding almost like an Italian band at times. References to Gracious and T2 would not be out of place here. The last 2 tracks dating from 1975 are also of a high musical value, though the recording quality is diminished.

Ownership: CD: 2020 Rise Above. Like the Barnabus, a brilliant package chock full of information. Everything but a picture of the original label... A lot of great music as well, and the sound quality is more than decent. According to Discogs, 3 people own the original and there's a magazine article that references the catalog number. Despite all of this, no picture has emerged of the labels (apparently issued without a cover). The album has never been for sale on ebay. It was originally a press of 100 according to the band (likely 99 as Rise Above points out). Would be great if one of the owners took the time to photo the labels. This one looks legit (unlike Crying Wood's original), but sure would be awesome to have visual evidence. SRT is like our own RPC, Century, or Custom Fidelity - essentially nothing more than a record pressing plant.

Omnia Opera - Red Shift. 1997 England

What separated Omnia Opera from the others of the scene (and it should be noted the band themselves state they weren't really part of the movement much at all) is they were one of the very few, if not the only one, to actually be heavier than the Ozrics. Omnia Opera were an aggressive bunch with thrashing guitars in the Hawkwind style, mixed with the ripping solos that Ed Wynne and crew are also noted for. While their debut received positive reviews, Red Shift was generally panned. In retrospect, their sophomore followup is no less worthy of recognition. Where some of the dissatisfaction came from, I’m sure, is the inclusion of techno elements, which many felt was the direction that killed the festival movement itself. Delerium Records seemed to almost insist every band on their roster at least incorporate some bits of electronica into their albums (Note: Omnia Opera has exonerated the label, stating they had nothing to do with Omnia Opera’s choice of utilizing techno). Now I personally see the rejection of Red Shift as more of an audience’s turning-the-back on the new electronica styles being force fed to them, verse an actual objective viewpoint of the album itself. I suggest everyone who has a fondness for this style to give it one more listen.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Delerium. Standard new jewel case release with lyrics and a photo of the band. 

1997; 10/8/07; 6/1/20 (new entry)