Kimio Mizutani - A Path Through Haze. 1971 Japan

In 1971, it seemed as if Kimio Mizutani contributed to at least 365 albums. So it's hard to imagine he also had time to release his first solo album. On A Path Through Haze, Mizutani brings along some of his like minded studio buddies such as Takeshi Inomata (drums), Masahiko Sato (organ, piano, Moog), and Hiromasa Suzuki (electric piano), along with 3 others on bass and vocals, a string quartet, and a woodwinds quartet. That's quite a crew! For a guy who is known for his unhinged fuzzy guitar solos as a guest, A Path Through Haze is remarkably subdued. Nonetheless, Mizutani puts together eight wonderful instrumental progressive rock tracks. Honestly this album has little to do with the experimental 1971 Japanese jazz/rock/psych landscape, but rather predicts the more measured prog rock scene of the mid 1970s. In particular I hear flashes of a band such as Camel circa Moonmadness. Often times you'll read that A Path Through Haze is a Canterbury album. While I doubt it was a major influence at the time, the musical conclusions of the two are similar. Fuzz bass, electric piano, searing guitar all within the confines of beautiful songwriting will draw those comparisons. Also of note is the very early use of the Moog synthesizer, still not a common presence in 1971, especially in Japan. 'Sail in the Sky' is my favorite of the eight tracks on display here, but every song is delightful. Easy recommendation to global progressive rock fans.

Ownership: CD: 1998 P-Vine. Wonderful thick gatefold mini-LP with an insert in Japanese. Also includes the original recording details in English. Purchased this real time at Other Music in Manhattan (which is sadly no more) - a nice brisk walk from my hotel in Chinatown. For all the summer of 1998 I had a DBA gig in Soho and would often times dine in Little Italy. Needed that walk.... 

BTW, if looking for an original LP, be prepared to get a second mortgage. I'm not sure I've actually ever seen this album. It looks like only one copy has sold on ebay over the years (the same album sold twice - lots of flakeroo buyers out there).

1998 (first listen); 6/28/15; 1/30/21 (review/new entry)

Cliffhanger - Mirror Site. 1998 Netherlands

I've spoken about Cliffhanger here before, on at least two other albums. While dozens of bands had their imagination captured by Genesis, most found their way performing music in the same manner as Marillion or IQ. What we now call neo prog is essentially an updated version of the master prog class of Genesis and Yes. Over time that sound eroded further towards an AOR like friendliness. But there were a microscopic few others who skipped the 80s and went right to the 1970-1976 source itself. Cliffhanger were one of those bands, and to date they have yet to be recognized as anything special. And that's too bad really, as they put a lot of great ideas and songwriting into each of their recordings. On Mirror Site, the 70s are alive and well in Rinie Heigen's guitar sound and playing - and especially Gijs Koopman's woody and edgy bass work. Not so much this time with Dick Heljboer's keyboards, though he does put the mellotron sampler to good use. Much is made of Heigen's unusual vocals, generally panned across the board. I find myself liking the imperfection as it is. Perhaps years of listening to Krautrock bands attempting to sing in English - and further on with the metal bands of the 80s - made my ears numb. All the same, I've always heard vocals as another instrument rather than a pleasant lyrical reader. And in this case, Heigen has this strange Dutch accented Peter Gabriel thing going on that I find compelling. Regardless, it remains unclear if Cliffhanger will ever be considered anything more than an "old 90s Dutch SI" group that will be washed away with history. Or will they one of the bands that is recognized and restored? Not a question that is likely to be answered in my lifetime. 

Ownership: CD: 1998 Musea (France). Purchased new online upon release. Jewel case with a fine booklet containing lyrics, band photos, photography, and recording details.

Rainbow Theatre ~ Australia

The Armada (1975)

I've spoken at length about Rainbow Theatre's sophomore effort Fantasy of Horses, but never did get around to putting any notes down for their debut The Armada. It's a similar style effort, a bit more unfocused and has less impact, but still a fascinating listen. In effect Rainbow Theatre is a combination of royal classical, progressive rock, and horn rock. Keith Hoban's vocals are operatic, and Julian Browning leads the group with his guitar, mellotron, and songwriting. There are two key lengthy tracks (each with four subsections) and three shorter ones sandwiched in between. The opener 'The Darkness Motive' is the winner here given its fast pace, heavy instrumentation, and constantly moving parts. It would be this track that provided the blueprint for Fantasy of Horses. As stated in the review for this second album, there really was (or is) no band like Rainbow Theatre, as unique a group as there ever has been. And it's not experimental, but rather they carved out their niche inside the confines of what is known and accepted.

Ownership: 

1975 Clear Light of Jupiter (LP). Gatefold

2006 Aztec (CD). Tri-fold digipack, filled with liner notes, photos, and memorabilia. As with Fantasy of Horses, the bonus track is a modern classical piece composed by Browning. 

1998 (acquired); 1999; 9/10/20; 1/28/21 (review)

Fantasy of Horses (1976)

---10/2/06

There are few albums that we can truly point to as being wholly original, but Rainbow Theatre’s second album would have to qualify. Not to say it uses made up scales or instruments, but within the common boundaries of what is considered melodic music, Australia’s Rainbow Theatre have most certainly created their own room in the house. An operating 8 piece rock unit (keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, sax, trombone and flute) accompanied by a string sextet, Fantasy of Horses makes full use of the large palette of instrumentation available, not to mention that Keith Hoban’s vocals are sung in operatic style. Overall it’s a spirited affair, not an academic high-brow run through, so rockers have much to sink their teeth into. In fact, the drumming is astounding, and propels the album to great heights of intensity. The four tracks presented here, including two lengthy multi-part affairs, chock full of mellotron and high invention, are a progressive rock lovers dream. At least for those who keep an open mind.

As well, an unusual bonus track has been added - a recent full-on classical work written by bandleader Julian Browning, that is the perfect conclusion to the rocked out album proper. I cannot think of too many albums where that would make sense, but naturally it would be apropos here.

---1/18/20 (update)

The original LP I own is a gift from Julian Browning himself after seeing my review of the CD (above). A personal treasure because of that. The cover says it's on Clear Light of Jupiter while the label says RTM (Rainbow Theatre Music?) with a different catalog number. 

Ownership: 

1976 Clear Light of Jupiter / RTM (LP)

2006 Aztec (CD). Multi foldout digi-pak with a full history and artwork. Includes one bonus track (detailed above).

1997 (first acquired); 10/2/06 (review)

1/18/20 (new entry)

Tangerine Dream - The Dominion Theatre Concert 6th November 1982

I was most looking forward to hearing this source recording of what ultimately became Logos. At twice the length, I was curious what segments were left out. You get your answer quick, because almost the entirety of the second disc is what makes up Logos. Other than the opening, the first disc is mostly unique, though still borrowing from then-current themes such as Exit's 'Choronzon'. They carefully edited some other sections, and there are times when only a minute or two were shaved off for the original LP. They also included two tracks from White Eagle, both verbatim to the album originals. They might as well have just played the record for the concertgoers. At this point of my life, of course, there would be no chance the original source would supplant the extract, because it's the latter that is imprinted in my mind. It's Logos the album that is part of my personal history. That said, the original concert is a burner, something that must've been an amazing experience for the audience at hand. 

Ownership: CD: 2020 Virgin. Part of the Pilots of Purple Twilight box set that I have detailed on the White Eagle entry. Interesting that they decided to put the archival release ahead of the existing album. I would have done it the opposite - and that's exactly what I did for personal listening.

Zopp. 2020 England

Just like yesterday's La Maschera di Cera, Zopp are a band designed specifically for a progressive rock sound of the 1970s past. In this case it's the music of Canterbury - and even more to the point, National Health. It's a two piece group lead by Ryan Stevenson, who plays every instrument under the sun, including a host of analog keyboards (or simulations thereof), fuzz bass, and lead electric guitar. Essentially Stevenson is Zopp. Joining him in this endeavor is drummer Andrea Moneta, who does a fine job of maintaining the polyrhythms expected of the genre. In this way Ryan Stevenson is emulating another Englishman, a one Andrew Marshall, he of Willowglass fame. Marshall is all about Anthony Phillips era Genesis in the same manner that Stevenson is all about National Health. A bit obsessive, but very welcome to these ears anyway. In addition to the two piece, Stevenson recruited no less than 4 others to join him, most notably Andy Tillison of The Tangent and others. The album has a full sound, what you would expect from a much larger ensemble. All the great qualities of Canterbury are present including the wedgy analog sounds, the insouciant melodies, and the complexity of composition. For what Zopp set out to accomplish, they nailed it! I seem to never tire of the Canterbury genre, as it's a timeless and beautiful sound. It doesn't seem fair that we only got two studio National Health albums (not counting DS Al Coda or archival material of course). I mean if precisely one million bands and artists can copy the same old American Idol fare, it's not too much to ask for some small Canterbury portions is it? Zopp fits most comfortably with contemporary Italian and Spanish artists such as Moogg, Homunculus Res, and Planeta Imaginario. Easy recommendation for genre fans.

Ownership: CD: 2020 Bad Elephant. Comes is a sturdy tri-fold digipak with recording details and photos.

La Maschera di Cera - S.E.I. 2020 Italy

La Maschera di Cera is arguably the band that best represents the Italian early 1970s progressive rock renaissance. I made that same point a few years ago for my modern Italian prog list. It's been a full 7 years since their last album, the fantastic Le Orme influenced Le Porte del Domani. So has La Maschera di Cera continued to improve or did the rot sit in? 

The album gets to business right away with thunderous woody bass, crunchy Hammond organ, complex rhythms leading to Martin Grice's (Delirium) flute, mellotron sounds, and Italian vocals. You just got your answer. Boom! And they don't let up from there. 3 tracks and 45 minutes later and there's nothing but greatness to reflect on and savor. This is an album made by retro prog guys for retro prog guys. No room to negotiate here. You're either in or you're out. With their 6th release in 18 years, I think La Maschera di Cera has somehow managed to top everything they've done prior. They continued to improve with age, and clearly are ardent students of their own native early 70's music culture. Brilliant really.

Ownership: CD: 2020 AMS. Comes in a fine mini-LP package with a booklet that contains Italian lyrics and a couple of photos. 

1/25/21 (new entry)

Forza Elettromotrice - Mutazione. 2018 Italy

Mutazione is the second full album from the band sometimes known as FEM Prog Band. This latter moniker has all kinds of conflicting connotations in English, so it's good to see the band moving towards their actual pre-acronym name. Musically speaking, the album is a bit more subdued than its predecessor, though still very much entrenched in the Italian style. New band members Alessandro Graziano and Pietro Bertoni provide two of the more distinctive sounds of Mutazione. The former brings a strong voice and occasional violin, while the latter adds trombone to the proceedings. Anytime I hear trombone mixed into Italian prog I first think of Jumbo's Vietato, and the instrument is utilized in a similar brassy way here. Primary songwriter Alberto Citterio provides some gorgeous piano lines along with the usual synthesizer kit. Highlight songs include 'Il Cielo Di Sé' and the closer 'Se C'É Una Buona Ragione'. Overall Mutazione proves to be an excellent entry for the genre.

Ownership: CD: 2018 private. Recent online acquisition. Jewel case with booklet containing Italian lyrics and member photos. There's a scanner code to retrieve the lyrics in English (maybe other languages too), but I didn't try it. 

1/24/21 (new entry)

Forbidden ~ USA ~ San Francisco, California

Twisted Into Form (1990)

After hearing Forbidden Evil I was most excited to check out this sophomore effort. By all accounts, Twisted Into Form features better songwriting, production, and was even more complex than its predecessor. And given this was from 1990, right in the epicenter of the prog thrash movement, I figured this would go into my all-time favorites stack for the genre. Everything proved to be true from my above statement, except the conclusion. I preferred Forbidden Evil. It starts off - as one person humorously stated about another metal album - with the Federally mandated clean acoustic guitar instrumental. And of course this leads to the inevitable bludgeoning of 'Infinite'. At this point my hopes were super high, as this track just kills with riff after riff, and multiple thematic changes. After this comes 'Out of Body', and the album begins to lose its luster. I'm waiting for the quirks of the genre to show up, the make-it-up-as-we-go-along aesthetic. But it's all too... too... professional. In this way, I'm most reminded of Testament and their transition from the rough and ready Legacy to the polished New Order. From a pure ratings perspective I find Twisted Into Form about the same as Forbidden Evil, but the latter has more potential for growth in this area. Other great tracks include the lengthy 'R.I.P.' and the closer 'One Foot in Hell'. It's a great album, yes everyone is correct on that front, but it's not unique enough to stand out as a pillar. Bummer.

The CD also includes a reissue of their EP entitled Raw Evil 1989 - Live at the Dynamo. On paper this looks great, as it features three tracks from their debut plus Judas Priest's masterpiece 'Victim of Changes'. Had I bought this real time after Forbidden Evil, I would have been completely disappointed. It starts with the Priest track. Quick history of 'Victim of Changes': This was a blues rock piece, going back to the early 70s, written by Judas Priest founder and original vocalist Al Atkins. It made its debut on Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) and proved to be a superb hard rock meets progressive rock number while still maintaining its blues foundation. But it was on 1979's Unleashed in the East, that the track became one of the greatest metal songs of all time. Priest amped it up from hard rock to metal, and added an incredible amount of emotional intensity. Gives one goose bumps just thinking about it. So what will a talented thrash band do with such a masterpiece? Ruin it, that's what. 'Victim of Changes' calls for subtlety and proper pacing. Forbidden rushes through it as if they have to go to the bathroom. It's a horrible rendition and they would have been far better served to cover something like 'Exciter' or 'Killing Machine'. I think only a progressive rock band could tackle 'Victim of Changes' and make it unique and exciting. The other three tracks are typical metal concert fare. With a husky voice: "This song is [about][comes from]" (unintelligible) blaaahhhhhrraa (cue high hat) - then huge racket ensues. It's not that they can't play live - they most certainly can - it's just so much gets lost in translation. The studio brings out the best of most bands like this.

Ownership: 2008 Nuclear Blast Germany (CD)

1/23/21 (acquired / review)

Forbidden Evil (1988)

By 1988 my interest in metal had waned significantly. I was interested in new and different kinds of metal, but primarily my focus had shifted almost entirely to international progressive rock, in particular Italy had become my new drug of choice. So when Forbidden showed up on the stage, they were touted as yet another Bay Area thrash metal band. That ship had already taken off as far as I was concerned. Having been a diehard for the previous five years starting with Metallica's Kill 'em All, I had absorbed quite a bit of the style up to that point. My personal bookends to this scene were two new bands at the time: Testament and Death Angel. The last semester in college, they were to be my swansong of managing my anger while trying to get my engineering degree. After that, a new day was born.

I provide this introduction for context. For if Forbidden Evil had been released just one year prior, it would have been my favorite from the current new crop of bands. In reality, Forbidden were tapping into the progressive thrash market, something that bands like Metallica had dabbled in, but never focused on. Over the years, I continue to add metal albums from the late 80s and early 90s that were performing music similar to what Forbidden are here. It's complex, yes, but also heavy (in a rough sort of way) and the tunes are very interesting, constantly weaving in different directions. 'Through Eyes of Glass' in particular sees Forbidden at their most creative. Of course the solos tend to be a million miles an hour, which was de rigueur for the day, so those tend to lack impact over time. And there's also this strange pig squeal guitar noise that pops up here and there, which begins to sound like a gimmick after awhile. Small gripes on an otherwise excellent effort.

Ownership: 2008 Nuclear Blast Germany (CD). Contains a short history, lyrics, photos, and memorabilia. There's also four live bonus tracks. Like most metal bands, they tend to be raw run-throughs of the studio material. Improvisation is not one of the major tenets of the thrash genre.

1/21/21 (acquired / review)

1/21/21 (new entry)

Tangerine Dream - Hyperborea. 1983 Germany

Hyperborea was the second "new" studio album from Tangerine Dream to be released after my first  discovering of the group and buying up their back catalog. By this time I had entered college, and without a doubt, Tangerine Dream would be the band I proudly stated were my "favorite". Just as White Eagle was received warmly upon initial impact, so was Hyperborea. Perhaps even a bit better in my mind at the time. It seemed a bit more adventurous, though unlike anything else in their catalog. Objectively speaking, I would still make those claims. Subjectively, the album hasn't moved upward like White Eagle has. Some of that can be chalked up to the time and place. But honestly the music is getting colder and more mechanical by each release. They certainly hadn't yet gone on auto pilot, but that was to come a mere two years later. The clues were here already. No question that I would still recommend the album on its own, but I would acquire everything in front of it first.

Ownership: LP: 1983 Virgin; CD: 2020 Virgin. As part of the Pilots of Purple Twilight box set that I detailed on the White Eagle post. The LP purchased that day in late 1983 was part of the commodity LP replacement program. I finally found a replacement copy at a record store near Denver. 

As for the bonus tracks, they are taken from the Risky Business soundtrack. This movie was released during the late summer of 1983 right before I was to enter college. It's one of those "my generation" movies though in retrospect, it's pretty dumb. I still like it. But for me, what was even cooler, is that Tangerine Dream's music was all over it. And at the best times during the movie. Some of the music is taken from Force Majeure and Exit, while just that much more is original material of a similar nature to Tangram/Thief. With this, and Nicolas Cage wearing a Tangerine Dream T-Shirt in Valley Girl, it felt like a form of acceptance. Old times...  

new entry; 2/1/22

Tyburn Tall. 1972 Germany

Tyburn Tall is one of the true legends of the European LP collector's underground. Fetching obscene amounts of cash, the album by default could only be met with derision when finally heard. A fresh spin does demonstrate, however, an excellent album when compared to its peers - that of the amateur private release. Organ is the dominate instrument and there's plenty of electric guitar followup. Deep Purple is the blueprint here (including classical rips), and if the idea of an unpolished raw MK. II captures the imagination, then certainly Tyburn Tall will satisfy. Much is made of Klaus Fresenius' impassioned vocals, generally panned across the board. Personally I think they're great - perhaps not technically of course - but from the human perspective. To me he sounds like a proto thrash singer, screaming in a high pitch, perfect for any self-respecting 80s metal band. Clearly Ian Gillan is his role model here, and he doesn't have the pipes, but he goes for it anyway. It's just this kind of X factor that makes albums like Tyburn Tall endearing.

Ownership: CD: 1994 Penner. Jewel case with full liner notes and plenty of photos. No one does CD reissues better. Includes two bonus tracks, both renditions of Colosseum tracks and are excellent as well. Though the CD doesn't sound great, the liner notes point out that the original isn't any better. Not that I've heard one - who has? It's as rare as they come. So I'll trust them on that assessment. This was part of a collection buy I picked up in the late 90s. It seems to be perpetually on the weedout stack, but it has now found its way to a permanent place in the collection.

Eric Johnson - Tones. 1986 USA-Texas

Eric Johnson burst onto the scene in 1986, seemingly out of nowhere. He was part of the mid to late 80s guitar fronted band scene along with many others such as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Like most folks, my introduction to Tones was the fine instrumental 'Zap'. In hearing this album for the first time all the way through, I didn't recollect anything else from the album, though I'm sure others were played on the radio at the time. Even though I enjoyed 'Zap' back then it never occurred to me to pick the album up. By 1986 I was moving fast and furious into the world of obscure European progressive, and underground music in general. I didn't think the guy with the spikey hair was going to give me what I wanted at the time. And in retrospect that would be a true statement. The time for me to hear this album is now, as I can reflect on the era in a more objective manner. Johnson's album is not really a guitar hero album, especially given the number of songs with vocals. It's AOR music for the most part, but with a definite slant towards the time and place. What I now call simply 80s Music. Most of the FM friendly tracks feature some excellent jazz fusion styled breaks, giving the music a fresh sound. Overall Tones is much better than I expected, and I've decided to keep it for now.

From the above, I purposely left out what I knew about Johnson's history. I said "seemingly out of nowhere" and that's exactly what I knew in 1986. But by 1988, as I'm now deep in the rare catalog world, I learn that Johnson was the guitarist for the very obscure - but very good - Austin based psychedelic band Mariani (1970). He was only 16 at the time, but clearly he was head and shoulders above most kids his age here in America. Then a couple of years after that, I learned he was the lead guitarist for Electromagnets, yet another excellent group, this time in the field of jazz rock (1975). So by the time of Tones, Johnson was a grizzled veteran at the age of 32. That experience really comes to fore on the album. Eric Johnson's path to stardom was circuitous, but fascinating. It was also fleeting. Though he enjoys a cult following to this day (especially considering the follow-up Ah Via Musicom, which I've not heard), Tones was to be his 15 minutes of fame. Good for him.

Ownership: LP: 1986 Reprise. Single sleeve with lyric inner. This came from last week's (rather small) haul of thrift shop pickups. I fast tracked this one to the front of the stack as I was most curious of the contents within.

Faust ~ Germany

Faust (1971)

Similar to my thoughts about Can, Faust has never been my favorite kind of Krautrock. But whereas Can were an authentic band with wild experimentation, Faust could be looked at more as an art project than an operating touring troupe. This is no secret. Faust were a manufactured group and were basically instructed to create something new and different. To do that in 1971 Germany would have been to put out a "normal" album lol. Most of the Faust catalog leaves me cold, but I've always been fond of the debut. Primarily Side 1 where Faust is more of a cohesive rock band verse studio manipulators. In an era where experimentation was the norm rather than the anomaly, I hear Faust as middle of the road in that scenario. But as one could predict, Faust has become legend. Fair enough, it most certainly is a fascinating listen throughout. I'm keeping it that's for sure. But not anywhere near my personal list of masterpieces.

Ownership: 2003 Polydor Japan (CD). Papersleeve

1/16/21 (review / new entry)

Pyramid ~ England

Pyramid (1997)

I've railed against the authenticity of these Psi-Fi releases in every platform I could find, where it was stated they were somehow authentic - since about 1997. So I'm going to leave that topic alone here, other than to point out this album's silliness. Let's see... unknown personnel (but with very detailed instrumentation); engineered by "The Mad Twiddler"; and of course the album cover looks like a photoshop of a 1920's Art Deco Fritz Lang poster. But hey - there are 100 of them out there! Send me a copy when you find it. I'm sure those who put this out are having a good laugh. The downside to the sophomoric antics is that it takes away from the music itself.

Of the six supposed authentic releases, 1997's Pyramid remains my favorite. This is one 35 minute track that absolutely oozes the atmosphere of early Krautrock. Though they claim the date to be 1976, the sound they achieved sounds more 1971. And the reality is it's from the same studio that Sun Dial were recording in during the late 90s (don't forget Ohr Musik and Quad!). 

I'm most reminded of Steven Wilson's IEM project, a band that had released their debut near the same time. Though I own it, I don't currently have a review. However I do have some notes down for Have Come For Your Children (2001). To quote "So if the idea of lengthy cosmic psychedelic Krautrock jams - with an enormous amount of studio gadgetry and tricks - are your bag, then boy do I have a recommendation for you. The album kicks off with a 35 minute number which defines everything IEM is about.... the piece does a remarkably great job of filling that time with intriguing jams and a variety of cool sounds, including way-fuzzed out psych guitar, flute, pounding drums, and mellotron". 

Other than the flute we pretty much have the description for 'Dawn Defender' as found here. What is a dawn defender anyway? A pyramid! Clever British lads. But are we defending for it or against it? Questions.

Ownership: 1997 Psi-Fi (CD)

1997 (acquired); 1/16/21 (review / new entry)

Skin Alley. 1969 England

One of the more unheralded progressive rock albums, Skin Alley's debut laid down the blueprint for what the English scene was to sound like for the next 3 years. For the subtype of music Skin Alley is doing here - namely flute, saxophone, mellotron, maudlin vocals, guitars, and jazzy rhythms all weaving through complex compositions - one could argue they were first. One year later and bands like Marsupilami, Indian Summer, T2, Goliath, Cressida, Raw Material, and many others would follow suit. Every track here is excellent, not a dud among them. One wonders how this album has fallen through the cracks when lesser others have been elevated. An historical breakthrough and a thoroughly enjoyable listen, this album is long overdue in receiving any kind of recognition. 

Ownership: CD: 2011 Esoteric. Part of a 2 CD compilation called Big Brother is Watching You that also includes their second album, a 1970 single, and an unreleased album entitled Stop Veruschka. Comes complete with full liner notes. Purchased new online upon release. This replaced the old Audio Archives CD which was very basic (and possibly unauthorized). I've never owned the original LP, which is not cheap. The cover doesn't inspire me much to be honest. Esoteric unfortunately has earned a checkered reputation due to some questionable mastering jobs and cd-r repressings, but I must say this is one of their crowning achievements. The source material helps with that assessment, but for certain everything about this reissue / archival release is great. At some point we'll review the other albums in the set. I did also check out the 1970 single and it's very good as well. It features one new track 'Better Be Blind'.

Pat Martino - El Hombre. 1967 USA-Pennsylvania

I was a little bit familiar with Martino as his name has been bandied about when talking the kosmigroov genre, a style that I'm tangentially interested in. The one previous album I heard didn't leave much of a mark, though a relisten most certainly is in order. But this one did leave an impression. Immediately I was reminded of Gabor Szabo and Wes Montgomery, as Martino gently leads these jazz instrumental tracks with his fine lightly amplified guitar style. Complementing him on the album are a 5 piece including no less than three on drums and percussion. But the two members that put this one into the excellent category are organist Trudy Pitts (check out the cover of Introducing the Fabulous Trudy Pitts - my kind of woman!) and Danny Turner on flute. The latter is known more for his saxophone work, but the instrument is not to be found on El Hombre. Wonderful late evening listening, a superb chillout close to the night. This was Philadelphia native Pat Martino's debut, though as the original liner notes point out, he was a veteran by this point. 

Ownership: LP: 1985 Prestige. Single sleeve. As mentioned in my last commodity update, I found a pretty good pile of rare jazz at a thrift shop late last week. Most of them were originals, which makes this reissue that much more curious. But the positive side of the situation is this album is in NM condition - both cover and vinyl. Off to a good start - hope to find more treasures like this in that batch.

Tangerine Dream - Logos. 1982 Germany

Logos represents for me the best album of the post Baumann years. Whereas Exit and Thief were soundtracks to my late high school years, Logos became the background music for my early college days of 1983 and 84. In looking at Discogs, the album had already been out some 10 months before I acquired it, as its distribution back then was pretty light in the area I lived in. Musically it's unlike the other albums of the era. I'm not reminded of Tangram, Exit, Thief, or White Eagle while listening, though clearly it's well within their 80s style and instrumentation. That is to say there's no mistaking Logos as a throwback to the Stratosfear era. I find the music highly melodic and the sequences very inventive. There's an innocence surrounding Logos, a feeling one doesn't usually walk away with when talking Tangerine Dream. Logos stands tall within TD's discography, and is the one post 70s album (IMO of course) that challenges their best work from their formative decade.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Virgin (Germany). Single sleeve. Purchased at a Baltimore record shop while there on business (2021). The first LP I acquired was from Metamorphosis Records in Dallas (1983).

CD: 2020 Virgin (as part of the Pilots of Purple Twilight box set). This incredible boxset I have detailed on the White Eagle entry. There are no bonus tracks for the album proper, but the entire concert is also in the box on two discs. 

9/4/83; 7/3/01; 9/18/19; 1/8/21 (new entry); 12/19/21 (LP acquire)

Yes - Time and a Word. 1970 England

The older I get, the more I appreciate psych-era Yes - part 2. Once again Chris Squire's bass takes the lead, whereas Banks goes a bit more psychedelic in the solos. And Bruford really shines here, more so than on the debut. The orchestration was probably a bit too much addition, and it's a shame they didn't employ the mellotron instead. One can imagine the instrument being interjected to great results. 'Them' and 'Astral Traveller' are brilliant, and represent two of my all-time favorite Yes songs. Other great tracks include 'Everydays', 'Sweet Dreams', and 'The Prophet'. Great album.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Atlantic. Similar to what I said on the Yes debut entry, right down to the outlet mall CD pickup in the late 90s. These two albums are inextricably linked in my world. In fact I listened to both back to back last night, which I often do. I picked up this LP online in 2016. Single sleeve with lyric insert. It's not the first edition (generally known as the "plum" label), but it is an early green/red label UK gatefold pressing as you can see. Once again, the American censors couldn't handle the original topless lady cover and came up with something... atrocious. 

1/7/21 (new entry)

Yes. 1969 England

The older I get, the more I appreciate psych-era Yes. I'd even suggest I like their first 2 albums better than their much heralded prog breakthrough The Yes Album. The debut has some great songwriting and you can hear Jon Anderson singing in a distinctly British style. Chis Squire's bass is already very prominent and demonstrates his leadership. Love Tony Kaye's old fashioned organ and Peter Banks jazzy solos as well. 'Survival' is the recognized great track here, and I'm with the majority. But there's plenty more to savor including 'Looking Around', 'Harold Land', and The Byrds' 'I See You'. Excellent album throughout.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Atlantic (UK). Gatefold. Second pressing, first with the green and orange label. Recent pickup (2022) from the Denver Record Show from a well known record shop in the area. Interestingly enough I'd never owned this on LP prior. Back when I first discovered Yes as a young teen, I bought Yesterdays on LP, and that ended up being the representation of the first 2 albums until the CD era.

The first CD I owned was a mass produced US release picked up at an outlet mall in Commerce  (Los Angeles area 1997). Long sold off.

1997; 1/7/21 (new entry); 10/11/22 (LP acquisition)

Shiva - Continuance. 1983 England (archival)

I've spoken about Shiva's sole album before, as I found it to be one of the NWOBHM's more intriguing releases. A combination of heavy metal and Rush-like textures and more complex songwriting. The aptly named Continuance was ultimately meant to be the second album. The label (Heavy Metal Records) were struggling financially - as were the band - so things weren't going too well to begin with. After recording the first five centerpiece tracks found here, they excitedly played them for the label, only to be rejected. Not "heavy" enough they claimed. Ha! There's a twist from the usual not "commercial" enough. In hearing this, the label wasn't wrong, if heaviness was to be the deciding factor. If anything Shiva had honed their songwriting skills and offers up more ear-friendly tracks. But the key ingredients of Firedance remain, that of the complex breaks and extended guitar soloing. I've read some counterpoint reviews stating that Shiva really weren't influenced by Rush. Listen to the 9+ minute 'Eden (Silent Running)' and get back to me on that. These guys have Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures written all over them, minus the synthesizers of course. Filling out the disc are two more demo tracks featuring a different drummer, and five other demos from various parts of their career - all from the earlier days. I found most of these just as good as their "two" albums proper. So if you're a fan of Firedance, you'll want this too. If unfamiliar with Shiva, then start with Firedance and go from there.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Majestic Rock (Europe). Recent online acquisition. Jewel case with booklet containing lyrics and a full history (in microscopic print crammed onto 2 pages. With a normal font it would have been 8 pages I think!).

Tangerine Dream - Tangram. 1980 Germany

If I were to review my personal history with Tangerine Dream, and all the albums acquired between 1970 and 1983, Tangram would be the most neglected. Even though it was the studio album prior to Exit (where I started the journey), I ended up picking this one up dead last in that bunch. And a used copy at that, when all others were new. In the 90s when I went on a commodity LP replacement program, Tangram was also last. No idea why, since it was the LP in the least great condition. Unlike the first 3 albums I've covered from this box set - namely White Eagle, Exit, and Thief - I have no personal soundtrack history with Tangram. It was "just another" Tangerine Dream album to me.

The odd thing about the opening paragraph is that I hold - and have always held - Tangram in very high esteem. This of course is the album where Johannes Schmoelling entered stage left. His contribution to the band cannot be understated. He had classical training that brought both a discipline and a keen sense of melody to Tangerine Dream. Right from the opening bouncy synth notes onto the beautiful piano segment, Tangram was clearly a departure from the past. Elements of Force Majeure remained, but mostly Tangerine Dream was busy defining their role for the 1980s. Highlights include a devastating fiery guitar and sequencer mix on Side 1. And on Side 2, there are what I consider *two* of the finest sequences of Tangerine Dream's entire recorded career. Now that's quite a bold statement right there. It's a nonstop ride of goodness. Tangram is one of the few Tangerine Dream albums I can evaluate objectively, and I certainly consider it in the first division of their first 16 years of existence (after 1986, I don't really care much for the band's contemporary output). It's really too bad that Froese put away the guitar after this (and the subsequent Thief). He was cooking with gas at this point in his career.

Ownership: LP: 1980 Virgin (UK); CD: 2020 Virgin (as part of the Pilots of Purple Twilight box set). I've covered the box set on the White Eagle entry. No bonus tracks for this disc. I'll eventually get the LP again, if I find it in the wilds. Funny enough, it's possible it will be last again. I already have all the 70s albums (of course I never let go of the Ohr originals). Oh wait, I don't have Sorcerer on vinyl. As for the 80s, from Tangram to Underwater Sunlight, I only own Logos and White Eagle on LP. So it will be interesting to see if it does finish last. I'm not buying these online, so I won't have influence on the outcome.... And only 2 months after I wrote the above (now it's Mar 2021), in comes an LP copy of Tangram. It was a UK original at a dirt cheap price, so I did acquire it online, despite my earlier proclamation. So it did not finish last after all... Comes with the printed insert too, which I never owned prior.

3/28/21

As Is. 2000 USA-Florida

As Is (a name that is impossible to research) were a band from the Orlando area who released this one album before calling it a day. The album was sold to me as such (paraphrasing) "1976 archival prog metal from Tin House". I couldn't find it in either Discogs or RYM, so I pulled the trigger. Just as I enjoy finding unknown vinyl, I also love digging for unknown CDs. That was the original premise of the Under the Radar CDs blog over 10 years ago, before I repurposed it.

10 seconds into this, and I knew it wasn't from 1976. This is no analog recording and those synth patches scream the 90s. Which would explain the lack of any kind of history in the liner notes. In fact, the entire sales pitch was misleading. Do I think the seller purposely misled me? Nope, not at all. The 1976 part can only be considered some sort of miscommunication or misremembrance. Is it prog? No. Is it metal? No. Is it related to Tin House? Sort of - but not the 1971 version of the band. Tin House had a reunion and released their own obscure follow up in 2009. The guitarist for the resuscitated Tin House was a one David Mikeal, and he was the leader of As Is. And that's who the seller obtained this directly from. As for the musical style indicators, that can be chalked up to the seller's own background. For years, I watched psychedelic sellers refer to anything with a keyboard as progressive rock. And likewise, anything that has a slightly fuzzy guitar tone gets labeled as metal.

So what is As Is (so to speak)? Hard rock with AOR aspirations. They were part of the AOR revival scene that was active back in 2000 (and I'm sure still exists in some form or another). They were bringing back 1980 era FM radio. Melody and choruses, with hard rocking guitars and some extended ideas. For what they set out to accomplish, it's quite good. Mikeal does lay out some good licks and solos, and the remainder of the band fills in quite nicely. Most are singers too, so vocals play a key role, but do not dominate. This is not a field I have much experience with (retro hard rock/AOR?), so I'm lacking in comparisons. It really doesn't sound like a band from 1980 because of the modern instrumentation, but musically it could be tied to any number of groups like Saga, Toto, Styx, Blue Oyster Cult, etc... So while I was disappointed the album didn't match the intended premise, I'm certainly pleased to own this. Probably wouldn't have sought it out on its own, nor am I clamoring for more of it, but there's a place here in the collection for As Is.

Ownership: CD: 2000 private. Recent online acquisition. Jewel case with booklet containing lyrics and recording details. Very homemade looking. The photos on the back of the booklet do like they are from the 70s, so that could be where the seller got the idea. But its intention is probably more scrapbook related.

Twenty-Five Views of Worthing. 1972-1973; 1977 England (archival)

Twenty-Five Views of Worthing were like a lot of bands in the fertile early 70s - plenty of opportunities for live gigs, but no time for a proper recording. There were so many musically intriguing groups in those days, it was difficult to get noticed. And even when you did, such as the case with Twenty-Five Views of Worthing, the labels would often put you on the backburner. Had the band come around a couple of years earlier, most assuredly they would have been familiar to us all now. But by 1973, when it was show time, the label lost interest in their shiny new toy. They wanted more commercially oriented music that would sell copy, not another artistic band loved by the critics but the general populace could care less. That label in this case was Island, they of King Crimson, Traffic, and Jethro Tull fame most prominently (in the prog world), but of course many other big names too.

And the type of music that suddenly found itself out of fashion? That of Canterbury, or at least the sound the region is associated with. Twenty-Five Views of Worthing were very much entrenched in that genre. The psychedelic background, the pop sensibilities, the fuzzy analog instrumentation, and the jazzy instrumental breaks define their composition way. In looking for one best track to sample, I'd recommend 'Joke Without Words' which is, not surprisingly, the longest song on offer here. The first 3 tracks come from their earliest incarnation of 1972 to 1973 (including the above). This was to be the recording lineup that Island ultimately shunned. There's one track from 1973 (known as their Transition phase) that shows Twenty-Five Views of Worthing heading more towards a jazz career. Musically it's still not far from Canterbury, but having a full time trombonist will have that effect. The final 3 tracks do come from an existing (though incredibly obscure) 1977 EP entitled Rat Brain Incision. Of course with a name like that and considering the time and place, obviously this will be some sort of punk rock offering, right? Nope - more Canterbury. Never say die I suppose. And the material here is just as strong as what came before it. Remember that National Health were peaking during this era as well. So 48 years after we were to first hear of Twenty-Five Views of Worthing, we now have a proper recording. Hooray. Well worth your time in obtaining especially considering the overall package (see below).

Ownership: LP: 2020 Wind Waker. Gatefold with a lavish booklet filled with liner notes, photos, newspaper clippings, and concert bills. First class job all the way. Purchased this from our good friends at The Vinyl Archivist, who also first recommended it to me.

Mark Pierson Band ~ USA ~ Massachusetts

Songs for the Sirens (1976)

---1/14/15 review

I found this album to be an extremely pleasant piece of music. And there's an underground experimentalism found here that gives off a whiff of Ohr era Krautrockian glory. Perhaps the abundance of flute plays a major role in this perception. We tend to forget that many of the original German underground rockers had a jazz background before entering the studio stoned out of their frickin' minds. Now - to be clear - this is a straight up instrumental jazz rock album in the mold of MPS more so than a Kosmische Musik freakout session. But one that is wonderfully underproduced which gives it that underground garage feel.

Mark Pierson is one of a seemingly endless number of folks to consider use of the generic rainbow album cover. The kind of sleeve you expect to find at Goodwill for 10 cents fronting the "The Megachurch All-Stars Sing The Osmonds" (with one tube of toothpaste included!).

---1/2/21

In hearing this last night, I had a +1 experience. Songs for the Sirens has a vibe that is entirely European, and takes your mind to some unique places. Favorite tracks include 'Wind', 'Arabesque', and the title track. But there's not a stinker in the bunch. Highly consistent throughout, and a superb offering overall.

Ownership: 1976 Gothic (LP). Purchased directly from guitarist Mark Gordon. 

No reissues as of 7/19/25.

1/14/15 (review); 1/2/21 (update / new entry)

The Carolyn Hester Coalition. 1968 USA-New York

Carolyn Hester was an integral part of the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early 60s. Coming originally from Waco, Texas, she was among the royalty, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul & Mary - and Bob Dylan. She's credited with starting the latter's recording career, and as the legend goes, the famous trio was to be called Peter, Paul & Carolyn.

My Dad had a couple of Hester albums in his collection, and thus it's no surprise to find this one in RT's collection which is similar to what my Dad had (x100 mind you). To paraphrase the ad cliché - this is not your father's Carolyn Hester. Just the fact Dad only had 2 of them (and they were in really good shape) tells me he wasn't much of a fan to begin with. Had he somehow stumbled onto this one - and bought it on a whim - he would have screamed in anguish at how terrible it was. RT being about 10 years younger, enjoyed early rock (witness all The Beatles and Stones, acts that my Dad hated). He also loved Carolyn Hester, as I've found 5 to 10 copies of each of her early albums. Only one of these (so far) and haven't found Magazine yet. Long way to go still.

Apparently Hester's career nosedived when folk went out of fashion, so she decided to make a go at psychedelia, an unusual move for her running set. The "Coalition" proved to be quite good, and really does add psychedelic styled rock, with some excellent fuzz and good rhythm work. Hester has a gorgeous voice, and she makes both the covers and her (quite adept) original compositions shine. You can tell she's still a folky at heart, but at least she made a sincere attempt at psychedelia. The first 2 tracks are quite possibly the best, and it gives you an idea if this album would be for you. Given all the factors above, this is definitely a keeper for me.

Ownership: LP: 1968 Metromedia. Single sleeve. That's quite a sexy cover, demonstrating that Hester was all in for this new career direction. She was still only 30 at the time of this release. She was also extraordinarily beautiful for the folk scene, and definitely had her name attached to all sorts of love scandals in the early 60s, all of which she denies. It wasn't easy for career women in those days (think Mad Men era), so I'd be apt to believe her.