Voivod - Killing Technology. 1987 Canada-Quebec

My introduction to Voivod was the Rrroooaaarrr album real time in 1986. I thought it was terrible and couldn't understand the buzz the band was receiving back then. Subsequently I ignored the group, despite continuing rave reviews, until I walked into a local Dallas record store in late 1989 and their new album Nothingface had just been released. The store owner convinced me to buy it, saying it wasn't anything like what I'd heard from the band prior. Boy, was he right. I thought it was great (still do), and that's a story for another day. But what of the albums in between? Surprisingly, even to this day, I've never heard Dimension Hatross. I'll get to it (I think I've been saying that for 30 years now...). But it wasn't long after the event above, that a friend played me Killing Technology. I wasn't moved. I thought it to be noisy. For whatever reason, I've had a few opportunities to retry this album, but it just never captured my imagination. Now our local b&m has it on their wall from a recent metal buy, and shoot, I'm going to get it. It wasn't cheap of course, but I felt maybe if I owned/invested-in the LP and just focused on it intently, my opinion would soften.

And it was a solid premise that came through for me. It's still not my favorite type of thrash metal - and it is noisy. I think part of the issue I had was the date itself. 1987 is awfully late for this kind of post punky scratchy thrash with screamed vocals. I wanted some muscle in my music! Killing Technology is not heavy in my opinion. But it's definitely still thrash metal. Metallica was already on their 4th opus, and continuing to progress - at least technically. On close listen, Voivod is also technical, but it's lost in the barrage of sound. But I have to give Voivod credit - they just keep coming at you. This album is relentless in its riffing. There are no breathers here. They're going for broke for the entire 40 minutes. I hadn't really given this much thought before, but there are parallels here with the first Coroner album, another band that was a little late to the party, but improved exponentially in a short period of time. I could see this album growing in stature for me, now that I have my mind adjusted to the contents within. Gee, I really need to hear Dimension Hatross sometime...

Ownership: LP: 1987 Combat / Noise (USA). Single sleeve with lyric insert. Recent acquisition as noted above.

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 3 - Complete

***The following all came from a collection dump at a thrift shop, the same one mentioned in the X Wave post (Jun-Jul)

*Pink Floyd - Relics. 197? Sounds Superb (Belgium) (LP). There were lots of obscure Pink Floyd in this batch. Four Floyd bootlegs, a Roger Waters bootleg, a rare EP from him, More, and this Belgian release. But none of their more known albums. I've never owned Relics before, and my memory had this as a compilation. Which is true, but not a typical one. Today you can get most of these on a more modern CD reissue, but I don't have them, so this worked out perfectly. Relics is for fans of 60s Pink Floyd, and that's my favorite era of the band. 5 of the 11 tracks are on studio albums, and the others come from rare singles and comps. Just having the studio version of 'Careful with That Axe, Eugene' makes it worth keeping, and the other tracks are great as well.

?Pink Floyd - The Early Tours '70-'71. 1976 Space (Germany) (LP). This is one of the bootlegs referenced above. Title is a misnomer, as apparently the music here was all taken from one concert in Amsterdam on June 26, 1971. This is certainly prime Pink Floyd, though it only includes the music they were doing in 1969. I have to trust that the source credit is correct (from Discogs - and I'm sure other established bootleg sites). The titles don't actually reflect the songs here, but most of this is on the live side of Ummagumma, which is my favorite of all the Floyd albums (just disc 1 mind you). The other tracks are an extended version of 'Cymbaline' from More, a track that otherwise I was not familiar with. Its placement here is perfect though. And finally 'Embryo', a track that you find almost exclusively on live bootlegs. It too has the perfect "Cosmic Krautrock" sound - I say that in deference to Pink Floyd being probably the most influential of all bands for that scene. I'm going to keep at least one of these boots, but I'm going to hold off my decision on The Early Tours. The other two here are 2 and 3 album sets, and I'm hoping they surpass this. If so, I'll move this one out. (11/11/24 update: Three years later and I have yet to hear the other two bootlegs I bought that day. This one is still here undecided).

*Pink Floyd - More. 1983 Capitol (LP) (1969). Discogs says this is from 1983, but I question that. Seems awfully late for an album without a bar code. And 1983 would be too early to go for a "retro look", though it does use their old 60s rainbow label. Maybe it's from 1969 after all? Whatever the case, this is Pink Floyd at their druggy drifty best. This is the sound that Dom perfected on Edge of Time. I'd heard this album back in the day, but I was way too impatient for music such as this back then. I find side 2 the better of the sides, as it really captures the ethos of the times. Mostly acoustic guitar, tribal drums, and low-fi keyboards, with sparse vocals and the occasional rockin' burst. Love the trippy image windmill cover.

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Golden Butter. 1972 Elektra (2xLP). Golden Butter is a compilation of his music up to this point of Butterfield's career, which was pretty much over by then anyway (and he died young in 1987). The first side is dedicated to their 1965 debut, while the second side is all about their pioneering 1966 East West album. Both albums are way ahead of their time, and could be considered the homewreckers of the festival folk scene that still permeated the American underground at that time. I doubt my dad even knew who Paul Butterfield was, but had he known, he would have hated him for that. I'll have to ask RT as well, given I have yet to find any of his albums in his collection. Butterfield mixed south Chicago blues with folk and, God forbid, rock 'n roll. We're talking electricity here. The tool of the devil. When I first heard the jam cycle known as East West (2005), I was in complete shock that something like this existed here in the States in 1966. I was 40 years of age when that happened. It's still somewhat unknown that Butterfield more or less created psychedelic rock, and that the genre's roots are in the Blues. BTW, I encourage everyone to hear Many Bright Things' 21 minute rendition of East West. It's jaw dropping. I had to hear it again last night after hearing the original. The other disc from Golden Butter briefly covers the years from 1967 to 1971, and two tracks from an obscure 1966 comp. I heard enough to certainly explore any Butterfield album that comes my way, but these tracks pale in comparison to his early work. I already have the LP of East West, so I'll let this one go.

***end of sale

The Neon Philharmonic. 1969 Warner Bros / Seven Arts (LP). From RT (Jun). Neon Philharmonic is an orchestrated soft rock, light psychedelic themed album. Geared more for mainstream "safe" nightclub audiences, and miles away from the underground. What they call "Baroque Pop" but even that's generous. It was OK at first, but as the album played on, I found myself going from bored to sleepy. Not for me. Incidentally one of the two leaders of the band is named Tupper Saussy. Now there's a name! I had always wanted a cool name like that. For those who actually know my real name, it's incredibly boring. Now that we live in a creepy information age that includes lots of voyeurs and spies, I'm completely grateful for my boring name. 

*Jimi Hendrix - Rainbow Bridge. 1971 Reprise (LP). From RT (Jun). One of the earliest of the posthumous Hendrix albums. Features a good set of tunes, and some excellent jamming from Hendrix. Pretty much what you would want from a Jimi album. Comes in a fine gatefold cover. Keeping this one. 

Traffic - Last Exit. 1969 United Artists (LP). Also with The Music Machine (May). Third album from Traffic, a mix of studio and live tracks. The first side is made up of five new tracks that are clearly still in their 60s phase. They're pretty decent but they do feel like leftovers. The second half is live, and shows Traffic stretching out in Soft Machine mode. It's quite good if not a little lethargic in places. I've been keeping titles such as this, but the collection space is too tight, and need to start thinning the herd. So off you go Last Exit. 

*Rare Earth - Get Ready. 1970 Rare Earth / Motown (LP). With the Music Machine (May). Here is Rare Earth's breakthrough 1969 release. Like with Iron Butterfly, Rare Earth were a band that was positioned for a long great career, only to let it slip through their hands. Similarly their albums are relatively easy to find, and demand remains light. All the same, they are to hard to find in nice condition, as they are usually partied out by now. And taking the comparison further, one could look at Get Ready as Detroit's response to Southern California's In-a-Gadda-da-Vida. Some rockin' tracks on Side 1 followed by a near 22 minute opus on the flip. It's more direct than the oftentimes esoteric Iron Butterfly, but that speaks to the region itself. This isn't my first go round with Get Ready, an album I first picked up back in the 80s. I thought it was OK, but it should have been better, and moved it out. Some 40 years later, and I still agree with my original assessment. The songwriting is a little light, and the cover tracks aren't particularly compelling. But it's also hard not to appreciate the excellent fuzz guitar throughout. I'm appreciating Get Ready more today than prior, but it isn't near the level - or as influential - as Iron Butterfly's masterwork. (6/24/23 update - I found the CD and decided to keep that version instead).

*The Music Machine - Turn On. 1966 Original Sound stereo version (LP). Thrift shop find (May). This is my first time to hear the album throughout. Way back in the late 80s, a local Dallas FM station (with a metal slant) would occasionally throw 'Talk, Talk' into the mix. It seemed to be a new discovery for those guys, and given that it was 22 years old by then (and long forgotten), it certainly would make sense. I was very much intrigued by its combination of garage, 60s punk, and psychedelia. All genres that I was some years away from truly appreciating. Now we're 55 years from its release, and it sounds as fresh as ever. The Music Machine were definitely on the cutting edge of what America and England were about to experience. The band leader and primary songwriter was rhythm guitarist Sean Bonniwell, whose recorded music career only lasted about three years. One of those guys you'd have to think was dropped to Earth by aliens to get things moving along. There are also some covers (de rigueur in its day), most of them well performed, and perfect for the band's sound like 'Taxman' and 'Hey Joe'. For me the highlights include 'Cherry, Cherry', with some fine (uncredited) flute, 'Talk, Talk', 'The People in Me', and especially 'Wrong'. You don't hear too many folks call out the latter, but it's downright sinister and predicts the oncoming heavy psych / acid rock movement. Great album.

More 45's from the RT collection (Apr)

Illinois Speed Press - Get in the Wind (vocal). 1969 Columbia promo (SP). Different than the versions on Discogs, as this has the same track on both sides. It's a kick ass heavy psych track though.  I've never heard the album, but in reading the reviews, this appears to be something of an outlier. Bummer. This is a keeper. Off to a good start.

Cartoone -  Mr. Poor Man / Knick Knack Man. 1969 Atlantic promo (SP). Pretty lightweight stuff here. A) is pretty much MOR pop music. The flip is better, though hardly essential. 

The American Revolution - Come On and Get It / Cold Wisconsin Nights. 1968 Flick Disc promo (SP). Flick Disc had The Boston Tea Party and The American Revolution. I sense a theme. Unfortunately this is lightweight sunshine/baroque pop.

* - Keeping for the collection

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 2 - Complete

45's from the RT collection (Apr)

The Nickel Revolution ‎- Oscar Crunch / What Do You Want To Be (Nothing). 1968 Philips promo (SP). First we have The American Revolution, and now we're rebelling against (or for) nickels. Let's just hope no one names their band Nickelback. Yea. This one almost didn't get past the sample, as the A) side is just stupid. B) side is nice melancholic psychedelia. It just needed a fuzz break, and I probably would have kept it. They just let the premise keep going throughout unfortunately. 

The Sweet Bippies ‎- Bubblegum Music / Love, Anyway You Want It. 1968 A&M promo (SP). I think we can presume the name of this band came from the Laugh-In gag. It was, after all, a huge hit in its day. And the band is completely transparent about who they are on 'Bubblegum Music'. The b) side is similar, but I'm digging the organ and echoed voices. Not enough here to keep though. 

The Peanut Butter Conspiracy ‎- I'm A Fool / It's So Hard. 1968 Columbia promo (SP). I've read some good things about this band, so I was pretty excited to hear this one. I like me some soft psych, but this seems more geared towards the Vegas set. I'm reading reviews that suggest this 45 is an outlier. OK, that's good.  

---end 45s

These all came from the RT collection (Feb-Apr)

The Great Society with Grace Slick - Conspicuous Only In Its Absence. 1968 Columbia (LP). For some reason I had it in my head that The Great Society were pre-Jefferson Airplane and that they were a folk rock act. Wrong on both accounts - well sort of. When sampling the record for condition, I heard something completely different than expected, and put it in the listening stack. Last night came that full listen. Recorded in 1966, these live shows are more akin to The Butterfield Blues Band than anything else. A variation of Indo-rock, and very psychedelic for its era. The facts that I had discombobulated were of course that Jefferson Airplane were indeed the folk rock band starting out. And - of course - Grace Slick then famously became their lead singer just as they were going psychedelic on Surrealistic Pillow. All of Side 1 is great as are the last two tracks of Side 2. Included in the premier selection would be the true originals of 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit'. The cover highlights what a dream babe Slick was back then. She didn't age well, however. Hard livin' woman. 

The City - Now That Everything's Been Said. 1968 Ode (LP). Carole King could be looked at as a younger female contemporary of Burt Bacharach. She learned her trade at the Brill Building, and has a very high number of top hits credited to her name. Unlike Bacharach's optimistic melodies juxtaposed against Hal David's oftentimes sad lyrics - King comes across as a woman scorned. Because she is a woman scorned. As with Janis Joplin, King isn't my kind of girl. I had high hopes for this album, thinking the group effort and a recent relocation to sunny California would have changed her outlook and music. Nope. It just sounds like it should have been King's debut instead. Boring.

*Morning Glory - Two Suns Worth. 1968 Fontana promo (LP). If only RT had been a psych collector, we'd be sitting on a collective goldmine. Even when I do find anything that is psych related (1 in a 100), it's usually from a "name" band such as The Byrds or Stones or Beatles, or even the Velvet Underground. Morning Glory is the first psych obscurity I've found on LP from him (45s are a different story). They are a completely new name to me as well, and I have a pretty good knowledge of psychedelic. Coming from the Bay Area, and fronted by a strong female vocalist, this will earn the Jefferson Airplane comparison. And it's true to an extent. But Morning Glory is much more psychedelic, with electric guitars way out in front. The songwriting is good as well. The production is weird - it's truly stereo, in that sometimes only one speaker will be working. In any case, I really enjoyed this one. 

The Animals - Animalization. 1966 MGM (LP). Here's the second one from RT's stacks. This is a year later than Animal Tracks, but is very similar in construct. In fact, this record didn't have any recognizable songs, or at least less recognizable. I didn't go for this title either. We'll see if he has anything later.

The Animals - Animals Tracks. 1965 MGM (LP). This is their 3rd album. And it's the US release which is completely different than the UK release of the same name. I recognize two tracks from this: 'We Gotta Get Out of This Place' and 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'. Those aren't my favorite Animals songs to begin with, but they are by far the best songs here. The rest is boring British blues. So this one isn't for me, but I know there are some that will be.

*The Rolling Stones - Out of Our Heads. 197? London (LP). This is clearly their transition album from Chicago blues to psychedelic and hard rock. Here's where you'll find 'Satisfaction', as well as 'The Last Time'. The Jagger/Richard originals are much better than the covers. It seems they weren't quite ready to take off the training wheels just yet. Keeping this one. (Apr)

The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man. 1965 CBS (UK) (LP).This is the first - of probably many more - of a background project I have going with RT's collection. It was messy enough, but he also had tons of loose albums stored all over the place. And empty covers. So I built out a spreadsheet to combine as I find them. I have a long way to go, with trash bags filled with vinyl, and covers stacked elsewhere. I asked him how it happened. "I couldn't be bothered to find the cover, so I didn't". We're not all wired the same, that's for sure. Fortunately most of the vinyl is in fine shape (Colorado is a cool dry place, if it was Texas they'd be ruined), but just need a cleaning. Anyway, that leads us to The Byrds debut, a very fine British original at that (cover and vinyl both in excellent shape). Most of the songs sound pretty much the same here, and you all know at least a couple of these. It becomes apparent that The Byrds were like a combo of same era Beatles with the early 60s Greenwich Village folk scene. This album, more than any other by The Byrds, explains why RT was a fan. Definitely not of interest for me, but glad to have heard it all the way through. (Mar)

The Road. 1969 Kama Sutra (LP). The Road were a psychedelic band based in Buffalo, New York. Out of the 12 tracks, only three are originals, which is usually a turn off for me. Not sure if the band lacked confidence to go forth with their own material or the label was just looking for a compilation of hits. In either case, once I heard the Zombies' opener 'She's Not There', I knew the band's arrangements were going to be unique enough to warrant a full listen. Organ and electric guitar are out front, and there's some horns as well. An enjoyable listen throughout. I would have rated it higher had the band performed more originals. (Feb)

* - Keeping for the collection

2021 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

Supertramp - Even In the Quietest Moments... 1977 A&M (LP). Thrift shop find (Apr). Supertramp have become quite collectable in recent years - even their most commoditized albums are going for a tenner. Other than their out-of-nowhere 1985 prog(gy) album Brother Where You Bound, I've never had any use for Supertramp. But I'm trying to keep an open mind, and listening throughout to albums that I've dismissed in the past. To quote a part of my review for Brother: "And here comes along Supertramp - one of those bands that contributed to the dire state of the radio in the first place." Yep. The opener 'Give a Little Bit' is exactly what I was talking about there. Most folks will point out the album's closer as the grand progressive rock moment. 'Fool's Overture' is 10 minutes, and about double the length it needs to be. It's of the slow symphonic type, nothing overly progressive in my book. 'Lover Boy' is probably my favorite track, and I would call that one "good". It's not a bad album overall, but it's fairly average really. Oh well.

America - Hearts. 1975 Warner Bros. From RT (Apr). America are a band that I've passed on many times - even in thrift stores. Odd in that they have at least 4 songs that I think are superb - some of the best songs to ever be played on radio. In college, my roommate bought the America's History album, which is of course their famous greatest hits collection. Even then I loved those four songs. So when I went to our local used record store back then, I bought Holiday, which had one of these gems. I don't remember liking anything else, and sold the record off not too long after. Not surprised to see America in folk collector RT's stack. Maybe to amend that, I'm more surprised this is the only one I've run into so far. Now this album doesn't have any of those great 4 songs (which I won't mention until we get to their albums - if we get there). But it does have the 5th favorite, and that would be 'Sister Golden Hair', which is pretty good. In hearing the album opener 'Daisy Jane' - also on History - it's better than I recall. The best track for me is 'Company' and was that fuzz bass on 'Woman Tonight'? The rest is boring folk rock. So that assessment I made about America way back in 1986 seems to still hold court. Bummer.

Lighthouse - Can You Feel It. 1973 Polydor (LP). From the same estate sale (Mar). Being an enthusiastic horn rock fan, Lighthouse of course is a band that I do enjoy. Especially the debut album which has some fine horn charts, great melodies, and excellent lead guitar. By 1973, while Chicago is still cranking out hits, Canada's Lighthouse is desperately clinging on for survival, trying hard to regain that magic. The first thing you notice, while looking at the cover, is the band could have used a good dental plan. Then on the back cover, the producer is making excuses as to why it doesn't really sound that good. Too much music I believe was the lame excuse. He's right about one thing - it doesn't sound right. It has no heft whatsoever. It's a shame that a large talented band like this couldn't have come up with something more innovative. They should have gone full-on prog or funk or hard rock or something. But jeez, hearing them try so hard for radio airplay that sound like they're from 1970, just doesn't work. I think one track did manage to do OK on Canadian radio, and it's probably the best one here ('Pretty Lady'). I hesitated to buy this for fear of being stuck with it. But it does have the large poster, so that will help. Of course the giant 4 panel poster replicates the album cover... which highlights their teeth. Some guys just never do get plugged in right.

Mose Jones - Get Right. 1973 MCA / Sounds of the South (LP). From an estate sale (Mar). Mose Jones were a southern rock band, though they did have some groove to them. Probably the oddest aspect of their sound is the copious use of mellotron, hardly a southern rock staple. The music is as eclectic as their instrumentation, and is a mix of gospel, rock, funk, r'n'b, and folk. Highlights for me were the haunting acid folk of 'Ode to Drugan' and the jamming 'Julia's Beautiful Friend'. Interesting album, but not one for me to keep. Looks like Sounds of the South was a Al Kooper directed imprint back in the day, though it's new to me. The main group to have been on the short-lived project was Lynryd Skynryd. Nice gatefold cover.

Styx - Return to Paradise. 1997 CMC (CD). With the other Styx (Mar). This is a double live album that heralds the return of Styx to south Chicago. It features four out of five of the key protagonists, with only John Panozzo missing (who had recently passed away).  This is one of those live albums that prove the band know how to play the songs they wrote. And nothing else. No improvisation, alternate arrangements, or different energy levels. Essentially one is hearing a play list. There are a couple of newer tracks thrown in, but given they aren't anything special, it's hardly a reason to buy it. Not for me.

Styx - Cyclorama. 2003 CMC (CD). Thrift shop find (Mar). I've been long curious what Styx sounded like after Kilroy, but never took the chance on buying one of their new CDs. So the thrift shop is perfect for just this kind of album. Based on the contents of Cyclorama, it's a good thing I hesitated. Sometimes you wonder why they even bother with new albums. They should just do the Oldies Tour thing and hang it up. The magic of songwriting is gone. In Styx's case, the personnel is mostly gone too. Styx without Dennis DeYoung is already stating it's a different band. Drummer John Panozzo and original guitarist John Curulewski are long RIP. Bassist Chuck Panozzo has had serious health issues for many years, and only does cameo's for the band. Original guitarist James Young is still on board, and he was the hard rocker of the bunch, but unfortunately he takes a backseat role on Cyclorama. That leaves Curulewski's 1976 replacement Tommy Shaw as the de facto leader of Styx. And it pretty much sounds like a Shaw solo album with guests. Mostly this is boring folk rock or ridiculous ass-kissing AOR music (there's even a song with a title similar), without any decent hooks. The latter was irrelevant by 2003 anyway. There are a couple of good tracks, namely 'These Are the Times', and if you hang in to the end, 'One With Everything'. This last track shows Styx in full-on progressive mode, even more so than their classic 70s albums. More of that would have resulted in a late era classic. In the end, I can only rate the album as a disappointment. It should have been much better really, as they had the freedom to do what they wanted. 

Queen - A Day at the Races. 1976 Elektra (LP). Thrift shop find (Mar). The more I hear Queen, the less I like them. I figured it would be the opposite. They're just not for me. I find myself liking Brian May's guitar work... and little else. I've had good luck finding their albums at thrift shops and garage sales, which is great because they're easy to flip. I haven't heard them all yet, but A Day at the Races is my least favorite of their 70s output that I've heard to date.

Janis Joplin - Pearl. 1971 Columbia (LP). Thrift shop find (Feb). I don't know if I've ever been able to sit through a Janis Joplin album all the way through, which would include Big Brother and the Holding Company of course. It's obvious she puts everything into her singing. But ugh, that voice. She's just not my kind of girl (in any way, shape, or form). Her singing is both annoying and irritating. My favorite track on the album is 'Buried Alive in the Blues', which is instrumental lol. If she had been able to conquer her demons, my best guess is she'd eventually found her way to Country music, and obtained more fame there for the long haul. You can hear that twang in her singing. Just needed some control. Alright, so now I've heard one of her albums throughout. An accomplishment in of itself. 

J. Geils Band - Love Stinks. 1980 EMI (LP). One more from the 1980 era RT stack (Jan). There's a fine line between opportunist and selling out. Whereas REO Speedwagon is a clear example of the latter, J. Geils is more the former. At least that's how I hear Love Stinks. The title track is the most known song here, and 'Just Can't Wait' was another hit. Jay Geils and crew were from Boston, going back to the 60s, and clawed their way to the top with a fine mix of early rock n' roll, funk, and R'n'B. They're meant to be a fun group and yet they do bring some edge with them too. Of course they were smart to latch onto the late 70s AOR sound. I can respect this album, though it does stray from my personal interest area. A well spent 37 minutes before heading to the sell bin.

REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity. 1980 Epic (LP) Ha. Early 60s folk collector RT would just buy about anything on occasion it appears (Jan). This album is more like the 38 Special album below, in that it was played so often, it's pretty much part of my DNA. Unlike 38 Special, this is pure dreck. One of the most obvious pandering to the great FM radio god there ever has been. Even Journey put some elbow grease into their pop slop. I really tried to be objective, but it's just dentist-office painful to sit through. A couple of decent guitar solos I suppose. I had to spray down the stereo after playing this.

Shoes - Present Tense. 1979 Elektra (LP). Also from RT (Jan). This is exactly the kind of power pop that has gained a following in the last few years. Borrowing from the happy late 60s but with a modern indie styled vocal and songcraft approach. I kind of remember these guys back then, but they didn't make a mark. This really isn't my thing, but it wasn't painful to get through at least. I'm a bit surprised this album isn't more expensive, as most LP's in this genre have gone way up.

The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue. 1980 Rolling Stones Records (LP). More from RT (Jan). This is the second copy of this album I've found in the last couple of years. I forced myself to listen to it all the way through. I don't remember one thing about it. That was last night. Less than 12 hours ago. I can't imagine the allure of this era of the band. As I said about The Who, the album's by the legendary 60s bands coming into the 80s were rarely of note. Comes with the giant poster at least.

Blind Faith. 1977 RSO (LP) From RT (Jan). Another one of those albums that is highly praised (and has been all my life) but leaves me scratching my head. Early supergroup (1969) of Cream, Traffic, and Family but it doesn't remind me of any of them. Maybe a more bluesy Traffic. Like the Beck / Bogert / Appice, this album lacks bite. This has the girl cover, but is a later reissue. Not for me.

Jeff Beck / Tim Bogert / Carmine Appice. 1973 Epic (LP). Thrift shop find (Jan). Unlike the other Beck's, I hadn't heard this one prior. Kind of a power trio / blues rock hybrid. For such a lineup it seems kind of toothless to me. There is some great stuff here, in particular their version of 'Superstition'.

The Who - Face Dances. 1981 Warner Bros. (LP) From RT (Jan) Face Dances is not a critic or fan favorite, and has generally been panned across the board. And while I'm certainly not going to fall on my sword for it, I don't find it any better or worse than most major artist albums from this era. This was the first studio album without Keith Moon, so you know how that goes with the die-hard fans ("It's not The Who without Keith Moon" grumble, grumble, grumble...). But the year 1981 had more to do with the output than the personnel methinks. 'You Better You Bet' was the big hit of the day and it's pretty good. 

38 Special - Wild-Eyed Southern Boys. 1980 A&M (LP). From the RT collection (Jan). 38 Special were a band from Jacksonville, Florida, so they are often compared to The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. And certainly 38 Special have southern rock tendencies, but mostly they are a rocking AOR band, pretty far removed from the above groups. Once again, 38 Special were a band that enjoyed great radio airplay success while I was in high school. In hearing this album for the first time throughout, tracks like 'Hold on Loosely' and 'Fantasy Girl' were already etched into my DNA due to repeatedly listening to them for 40+ years. On the whole though, the album isn't so bad. It has a bit more muscle than others of its ilk, and the guitar work is a cut above. And since it's from 1980, the music definitely has a 70s sheen to it. 

Giant Step - Giant on the Move. 1976 Indonesia

Giant on the Move is one of a small handful of progressive rock releases coming out of 1970s Indonesia. Others include Guruh Gipsy and Abbhama. And Giant Step is also a vehicle for one of Indonesia's primary musical movers and shakers: Benny Soebardja. Soebardja's first recordings were with Shark Move, before moving to Giant Step, and then ultimately going solo with a band called Lizard as his backup. The beauty of progressive rock being created in no-market countries such as Indonesia, is that the band pretty much has complete creative freedom. Which is, of course, perfect for the style. There are 9 cuts here totaling close to an hour, and most of them go in directions one would not predict. The high creativity of the ambitious amateur I would submit. In this way, Giant Step recalls some of the Italian classics of the early 70s. It's not intentional of course, just a consequence of the mindset of the era - one of great imagination and the possibilities were endless. You can expect all sorts of wild instrumentation throughout. If looking for the utmost in professionalism and commercial viability, Giant Step should be avoided.

Naturally enough Giant on the Move is not perfect either, and every Indonesian group seems to include a certain amount of romanticism - a product of their own native club culture. Also the recording itself is pretty rough - still very listenable, but more what we would expect from a cassette demo here in the States. All of which is entirely understandable given the time and place. An excellent historical document, and the kind of progressive rock that grows in stature with each listen. My type, that is to say.

Also of major note to original vinyl collectors - the real-time LP is only half of the full album. The original cassette had the full album as intended.

Ownership: LP: 2021 Strawberry Rain (Canada). Online acquisition. 2 LP / 3 sided set released in a fine gatefold, with photos and news clippings of the band in the center. This of course has the full album, as originally released on cassette (see above). On the downside, there are no accompanying liner notes. 

I didn't even realize Strawberry Rain were still in existence, and it looks like I missed out on the 3 LP reissue from Peter Wale from last year (which we first announced in the CDRWL heyday). Who knew? Oh well.

There also exists a legit CD on a local label called Rockpod (2017). Another under the radar release apparently.

Roberto Colombo - Sfogatevi Bestie. 1976 Italy

About 6 years ago I spoke of Colombo's second album Botte da Orbi. The debut is similar in its approach, that of densely written compositions, and that are clearly charted for the participants at hand. Of which there are twelve musicians on this outing. Once again, Frank Zappa must be front and center in this discussion, as is other Italian contemporaries such as Franco Battiato and Tullio de Piscopo. Since it's a debut effort, Sfogatevi Bestie is much more rough around the edges, and there's more room for letting the hair fly. The album is more jazz than chamber influenced that is to say, though clearly it still belongs to progressive rock. Though not the classic Italian style that we're more familiar with. Side 2 also shows Battiato's influence with some free improvisation bits, without ever going too far to the point of annoyance. Sfogatevi Bestie definitely fits in that weird grouping of "unclassifiable" late 70s Italian albums - a record that has improved with age, to my ears anyway.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Ultima Spiaggia. Recent online acquisition. Single sleeve. According to my database, I first purchased this on vinyl in 1993 - likely from Jeff Baker. When the BMG CD came out in 2004, I decided to replace it, as this album fit my model for LPs that could be let go. But when a NM copy was floated by me at a fetching price, I couldn't resist. Now in looking at the CD, it doesn't offer anything new at all, except a mini-LP replica of the cover, which is one of the reasons I allowed the LP to go in the first place. Might as well just keep the LP then, no need for both.

Don Shinn - Departures. 1969 England

It was about a year ago that I reported on Shinn's other 1969 album Temples With Prophets. I purchased that one first as it had the reputation of a quality early progressive rock effort. But no one spoke of Departures. To quote that earlier review "...it becomes apparent that Shinn probably wasn't trying for a progressive rock album at all - it just worked out that way... It could be argued that he was simply following in the footsteps of other creative organists of his era, and ended up with an album that is just as much The Nice as it is something perhaps an early Krautrock band would come up with." And guess what? Departures fits this model perfectly. In fact some of the organ work recalls Mike Ratledge, minus the fuzz pedals. Here we have four long tracks. Three of the members are dedicated to drums and percussion, so it's heavily slanted that way, but remarkably there are very few solos. It's definitely Shinn's show. The 3 unreleased bonus tracks are excellent, one featuring female vocals, that almost puts it into bossa nova territory. Excellent album and just as good as Temples with Prophets.

Ownership: CD: 2020 Sunbeam. Recent online acquisition. Digipak. Excellent reissue with extensive liner notes, photos, memorabilia (it's the same booklet as Temples with Prophets, so not much gain here if you already have that), and 3 bonus tracks.

Second Direction - Four Corners + Steps Ahead. 1976; 1978 Germany

Coming from the jazz wing of the ever large Kraut Fusion movement, Second Direction provides the listener some of the genre's finest moments. In particular when band leader Fritz Münzer pulls out the flute (primarily on 'Storm Flute', 'Flying Carpet Ride', and the title track), the results can be divine. Second Direction have perfectly encapsulated the optimism of the era, with gorgeous melodies and sublime rhythms. Hearing this makes you want to take a ride through the countryside, and enjoy a picnic with a bottle of wine and a beautiful girl by your side. Overall I'd submit that Second Direction ties closest to the two Sunbirds' albums, though all remnants of Krautrock have been filtered out here.

The above was written a few years ago upon acquiring the CD. Now I own the 2 album archival set that includes an unreleased album called Steps Ahead (1978). It's definitely a fully realized album and well produced, but it never made it to vinyl originally. By this time, Fritz Münzer had entirely rebuilt his band. The two key changes are Toni Rabold on trumpet and Pit Löw on keyboards. The trumpet is a welcome addition, and I feel the electric piano has improved from the debut. Unfortunately Münzer put away the flute entirely for this session, and sticks to saxophone. Even worse, though, is that all the compositions, save maybe the album's best track 'Tony's Choice', have that predictable funky rhythm backbone, that was all the rage in the late 70s. The lack of sublime melodies that defined Four Corners really hampers Steps Ahead. Overall it's a fine album, and makes for great bonus tracks. On its own, however, Steps Ahead would have to be considered unnecessary.

Ownership: LP: 2018 Sonorama. Recent online acquisition. 2 LP set in a single sleeve. Like with the Fable, not the best way to package a double LP. There are unique liner notes on the back of the sleeve, which are different (and more thorough) than the Spinning Wheel CD (2000). The sound is very good, a little bit soft / no-noised, and you can hear (with headphones) that it's taken from vinyl. This replaces the aforementioned CD.

2/18/18

Abraxis. 1977 Belgium

And speaking of synchronicities... in my Light Year review I refer as a comparison, to the band Cos. Abraxis has a direct lineage to Cos (in addition to other Belgian legends such as Placebo, Pazop, and Waterloo). Unlike Borne, I did feature this album in the CDRWL. My scratch off notes from way back when: Formed by members from the band Cos, this album is a cross between flute jazz, Canterbury inspired fusion, and 70s funk. Somewhere between Chris Hinze, Cos, Cortex, and Herbie Hancock is where you'll find the sound of Abraxis. Flute drives the melody and solo lines, but there's plenty of introspective piano sections as well. Which play nicely against some of the ferocious electric guitar. A nice discovery on the always surprising IBC label.

Well, that does pretty much sum things up. I really appreciate the strong melodies here, along with the rougher instrumental edges. This is an album that grows in stature with each listen.

Ownership: LP: 2019 Replica (France). Recent online acquisition. Not a particularly great reissue. They "do the needful" by producing the album (with good sound, likely from vinyl) and original cover. But it's lazy without any written input from the band, or any other extras. The entire liner notes are on the hype sticker. On the other hand, it's suggested retail price is a fraction of an original in VG+ shape, so it does provide an affordable option. It's better than nothing as they say. However, if I can get my hands on an original, this will be an easy resell item. Still hasn't been reissued on CD. Too bad Musea didn't tackle this one in their 90s heyday, like they did with Cos.

11/18/09 (CDRWL)

Borne - Exprime La Naranja. 1979 Spain

Interesting that I've been absorbing tons of American jazz funk and fusion, when along comes this old chestnut from Spain. This isn't my first encounter with the album, as I was introduced to it when I first discovered (back in the early 90s) bands such as Iceberg, Ananga Ranga (Portugal), Secta Sonica, Musica Urbana, Companyia Electrica Dharma, and many others. It was too much at once, and many of them didn't make the first cut. Today, I hear this album with a different perspective. One that combines the aforementioned American fusion scene with that of Spanish culture. It's a winning combination, and Borne balances those two aspirations expertly. In particular, guitarist Victor Molero is enjoying the spotlight, and his rougher edged solos are much welcomed in an oftentimes all too sterile genre. It's not unfair to suggest Borne has tapped into the same well as Al Di Meola did on his classic first 3 albums. To American eyes, seeing the cover and a title that looks like something esoteric such as "Experimental Orange", it's a bit disappointing to learn that it simply means "squeeze the orange". OK. In any case, essential listening for all fusion fans who appreciate an edge, along with some indigenous melodies and sounds.

Ownership: LP: 1979 Chapa Discos. Recent online acquisition. Comes in a very fine gatefold sleeve. It appears this title has never been reissued either. I had it in my Original CD Reissue Wish List, but never featured it.

Light Year - Hypernauts of the Absolute Elsewhere. 1975 USA-California (archival)

One of my great personal finds of the last decade was Light Year, whose aptly named album Reveal the Fantastic, brought about a new combination of sounds I'd never heard before. In my notes for that album I referred to Light Year's sound as a combination of Mahavishnu Orchestra and the Belgian group Cos. The ferocious fusion of the former meets the higher pitched singing and insouciant manner of the latter. And while researching the album, we learned that the San Francisco based Light Year was involved in Mingo Lewis' Flight Never Ending masterpiece.

And now 10 years after that release, comes yet another archival find. Being that it's (likely) from 1975, the heavy fusion standards of the day were still accepted. And sure enough, Hypernauts of the Absolute Elsewhere is clearly a follow-up to their debut. Excellent in every way, and their patented sound remains. Perhaps there's a bit more funk than prior, in particular 'The Legend of Myth', which points to the times. And there's no mind blowing 20+ minute epic here, though 'Firebird' has the same gravitas, at half the length and represents the album's best number. The first part of '3:30 Tomorrow' is a fairly dull drum solo, though it atones itself with some lightning fast guitar from Randy Sellgren to close off the album. In conclusion, if you loved Reveal the Fantastic, then you'll also want Hypernauts of the Absolute Elsewhere.

Ownership: CD: 2020 New Music-Green Tree. Was sent along with Time of Commotion (thank you!). Comes in a single digi-pak with poster booklet insert. It's about as informative as Time of Commotion's liner notes, and is more esoteric than useful. Minor gripe, as it's just great to have music like this still coming at us. 

Time of Commotion - Live From The 70's ‎- Es Ist Nie Zu Spät. 1972 Germany (archival)

At times it seems the 70s were endless when it comes to unreleased music. Not only did we receive more officially released great music than any other decade, but the same holds true for those that didn't get around to it - or didn't have the opportunity. Time of Commotion is yet one more of these bands. The liner notes seem to indicate that Time of Commotion were poised for the big time. If Live From The 70's ‎- Es Ist Nie Zu Spät is the representative of their overall sound, then I'd suggest different: Time of Commotion sounds like countless Krautrock bands of the early 70s, none any more professional than the other. But still great throughout. There are 8 long tracks here, totaling close to 65 minutes. It's live and the sound has been pushed to the maximum - but for music such as this, the light distortion still works. Time of Commotion seems more like a compendium of Krautrock than a participant. The usual UK and US suspects can be held as influences, such as Uriah Heep ('Requiem'), Iron Butterfly ('Spectrum'), Pink Floyd ('Space Orbit'), Deep Purple ('The Boogie'), and even Genesis ('Fairy Tales and Other Stories'). 'Elegy' has some wonderful melodic interludes that are a bit unexpected in this setting. Organ is - as usual - the dominant instrument with plenty of guitar accompaniment. If the 1971/1972 German hard prog scene of the Bacillus, Philips, Polydor, Pilz, and Brain labels get you fired up, then Time of Commotion comes as an easy recommendation.

Ownership: CD: 2018 New Music-Green Tree. A recent gift from a great friend of the UMR. Comes in a sturdy quad-fold digi-pak. The liner notes are more generic high level, than detailed with recording notes and dates. The 1972 date is listed on the back of the digi-pak and on the disc face. Plenty of photos though.