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.
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
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