Tin Pan Alley (Irmin's Way). 1981 Germany

Like many folks, my introduction to Tin Pan Alley was via Kissing Spell's mid 90s issue known an Irmin's Way. On that first encounter I quite liked the music, but something wasn't right about it. The backstory looked like some more of that made up BS that we were seeing all too often in the 90s, as it seemed every label was looking for an angle to get the customer to separate money from their wallet. Primarily they stated it was from 1976 and they were from both Germany and England, but it didn't sound like it to me. I started to believe it was a new recording made to sound old, and ultimately sold off the CD disgusted with the constant lies that had enveloped the industry.

Context matters. Especially in those crucial years from the late 60s to the middle 80s. My conclusion was partly right - this was definitely no mid 70s release. We have to remember that the 80s were considered anathema to the collectors of the day. If it wasn't from the 60s or 70s, then it wasn't very desirable. Might seem a silly notion now that it's been 33 years since we left that decade, but in the 90s it was still very fresh on the minds of the true believers. 

But it was an authentic recording as it turns out. From 1981. Ah, now the sound makes sense. As I said context matters. When hearing this again for the first time in 25 years, I picked up some other references that didn't occur to me before. Primarily that these guys were really hard rockers versus a progressive rock band. The synthesizers and long tracks certainly point to the latter heritage, but when putting yourself in the 1981 chair, other influences become apparent. Like Rush for example. And this brings to mind other underground bands with similar ambition like Message (New Mexico), UHF (Florida), Trilogy (England), and Seiche (Chicago). The leader of the band Ernst Sinn was something of a guitar hero type, and it really shows in his playing. The band does put in some meter shifts giving it that proggy hard rock feel. Where Tin Pan Alley went wrong was the singing style. Had Sinn screamed through this like other hard rocking bands, the comfort zone of the style becomes more apparent. But instead he tries to sing in English in a melodic fashion. Not his strong suit I'm afraid. The other influence that becomes apparent is the German progressive rock scene of the early 80s, which is far different from the wild and wooly Krautrock of the 70s that the original label had hoped to secure. Bands like Anyone's Daughter, Eden, Amenophis, Faithful Breath, Tonic, Zebulon, and a host of others come to mind. It's an interesting mix of styles, and one that was unique overall. Thus the phony backstory did the band absolutely no favors on reflection.

With a new perspective, I enjoyed a +2 listen. Very much worth hearing again if your conclusion was similar to mine from the past.

Ownership: LP: 2020 Garden of Delights. Gatefold. Recent online acquisition. Would normally get the CD, but this LP was offered at a cheaper rate, so why not. Comes with GoD's usual superb historical insert filled with great info and photos. GoD for their part has exonerated Kissing Spell and put the blame on a European bad operator. Apparently Garden of Delights was offered an opportunity to issue Tin Pan Alley back in the mid 90s, but at that time the label was still small and there wasn't enough money to invest in the project compared to the scores of albums that still needed a quality reissue at the time. Unfortunately someone else got ahold of a copy of the tape, and offered it up where he should not have. And made up the backstory while at it. Thus the truth was hidden for 25 years. 

1995; 5/27/23 (new entry)

Valhalla. 1969 USA-New York

Another former CDRWL entry that I've checked in for the collection recently. My original notes:

Valhalla's sole album is more typical of the "USA confused year of 1970" than 1969. You can tell they are shedding their psychedelic past, yet that sound is still very prominent in Valhalla's repertoire. Certainly UK bands like Deep Purple had a profound influence on Valhalla and there's also an obvious - what we now call proto-progressive sound with a strong organ presence. Comparisons to bands like Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly wouldn't be out of place either. Definitely worthy of a professional reissue. At this point, the album is languishing in the gutters of the pirate market.

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And the latter sadly remains true. As far as overall sound goes, there's a lot of parallels with the Yesterday's Children album I'd recently reported on. This kind of "hard psych" didn't seem to get a stronghold here in the States and the major labels moved away from the sound quickly, thus their rarity today. There's a lot of great tracks here, with 'I'm Not Askin' and 'JBT' as notable highlights. There's some mild string presence proving they did consider a hedge bet on the overall heaviness.

Interesting to learn that Valhalla's first group moniker was Yesterday's Children, though unrelated to that band.

Ownership: LP: 1969 United Artists. Gatefold. Acquired from JL before the Austin Record show (2023). Nice cover (and not cut like Discogs' stock photo). As noted above, no legitimate reissues have surfaced.

4/26/11; 12/13/13 (CDRWL); 5/21/23 (new entry)

D. Beaver - Combinations. 1973 USA-Tennessee

Here's an album I'd forgotten about until I found a copy at the Austin Record Show for $3. My original notes:

Memphis based progressive rock band lead by keyboardist David Beaver, formed from the ashes of another obscure group called Edgewood. Beaver's group sounds like so many of the albums coming from England at this time, especially acts found on the Dawn or Neon labels. This isn't hyper complex progressive rock, definitely more song oriented, but with plenty of variety in the instrumentals (violin, harpsichord) and song structures (there are 16 tracks including intervals). I also hear distinct references to bands such as Flash and Morgan.

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And you can add Yes to that mix, especially at the beginning of the album. There is a strong AOR component throughout. As stated above, it's more song oriented with not too much instrumental interplay. Overall, Combinations is an enjoyable listen. My rating remains the same, but I can find room for this title in the collection.

Ownership: 1973 TMI. Gatefold. Acquired as noted above from my old friend Rich at Rockadelic (2023). Mint copy still in shrink. Interesting to note that David Beaver never once uses his full name in the lengthy credits on the back. Just D. Beaver. The album remains unreissued (as of 8/3/24), though originals have always been very affordable.

9/29/10 (first listen/review); 5/20/23 (update/new entry)

Rare Earth - Ecology. 1970 USA-Michigan

Just one year ago, May of 2022, I wrote the following:

OK, this is the Rare Earth album I've been looking for. Non stop kickass hard rock and organ. My copy is trashed (like all the ones I've seen), so I'll need to upgrade before commenting more. The only reason I have this copy at all is that I took a chance on one of those Goodwill auctions. It was predictably not a great experience. Fortunately the 2 records I thought I could resell turned out pretty good and will more than pay for the lot. But I'm not doing that again. I had to throw away the Eagles' Hotel California album it was in such bad shape. Goodwill sucks really. 

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So that day has finally come. There was an interim copy with the cover in shrink, but the vinyl once again barely made the VG level. I finally found a German copy, itself visually a VG, but it plays much better. So let's analyze the album a bit further.

In a lot of ways Rare Earth reminds me of Iron Butterfly. Not so much in sound, but lost opportunity. While both of these bands reached their peak long before my time, any kind of historical study will show that they were both huge in their day and highly influential. Motown named a sublabel after Rare Earth, as but one example. Had they been based in Europe they likely would have had more creative freedom, but the major labels here were laser focused on the next hit, and it appears that both of these legendary bands were all too willing to play ball. Bad for their legacy, and ultimately bad for their pocketbook. Rare Earth arguably fared better with their most known song coming one year later in 'I Just Want to Celebrate'.

While the previous Get Ready had a side long track, it's here on Ecology where the band experiments the most. And the one track where that really becomes apparent is '(I Know) I'm Losing You'. Everything about it is so perfect, yet it feels like it should be so much more. It's on the verge of psychotic madness but holds back just enough to keep within sane levels. It's use of quiet space inside the proposed boundaries is brilliant. And while it does have some wicked guitar, one wishes for it to have gone off the rails while the impassioned vocals are being echoed throughout the halls. The whole album maintains this feel that they're holding back something special, yet it's still an excellent album. It should have been a masterpiece though. For 1970 America, Ecology was considerably ahead of its time. If only Del Jones had walked in and had some influence. Hoo-boy, wouldn't have that been something? Today dogeared copies of Rare Earth albums sit unwanted in dollar bins, awaiting their ultimate fate to the trashcan. A mere historical footnote in the annals of rock music.

Ownership: LP: 1970 Rare Earth (Germany). Single sleeve. Acquired from a local store for all of $2 (2023).

5/9/22 (LP 3.11); 5/19/23

The Michael Schenker Group. 1980 England

Like countless other albums of recent reportage, Michael Schenker's debut is an LP I bought real time but didn't survive my evolution into all things progressive rock. But in 1980 I played it endlessly, and in hearing it for the first time in probably 30 years, I can hear that this album has a strong relistenability factor. 'Armed and Ready' is a great hard rock opener and the whole first side is clearly thought out with not a dud among them. 'Cry for the Nations' is a powerful track. Side 2 starts off with an excellent instrumental, the one track that almost had me keeping this so long ago. The next two tracks are the only breakdowns until the killer closer 'Lost Horizons'. If you listen closely you can hear some of Schenker's Scorpions heritage coming through, though UFO is more obvious, naturally. While Schenker himself is of course German, he was fully entrenched into England by this time. The album itself is almost a studio project with only vocalist Gary Barden fully onboard. The remainder of the band were session guys roaming the hard rock streets playing in bands like Rainbow, Whitesnake, Judas Priest, etc... +2 nostalgic listen here. I never did hear anything else by MSG, and I suspect they became more formulaic as the 80s dragged on, but I'm certainly game to check them out anyway.

Ownership: LP: 1980 Chrysalis. Single sleeve with lyric inner. Been on the hunt for this title since I started back in the crates 4 years ago. I've found it alright - 100% of the time beat to hell - and 8 bucks at that. No thanks. So imagine my surprise when I found this in a local store's dollar bin (2023). The cover is NM and certainly better than the copy I likely donated in the 90s. And the best condition I've ever seen of it in the wilds (and nicer than the Discogs stock copy as shown here - no promo stamp either). The vinyl is, alas, VG. For a record like this, not so bad since the music overpowers any faults, but I'll continue to look for an upgrade. A trashed cover and NM vinyl will work out just fine now...

1980; 5/18/23 (new entry)

Yesterday's Children. 1970 USA-Connecticut

Here's a late era CDRWL entry. My original notes stated:

Yesterday's Children were a band from central Connecticut, who play a mix of hard blues rock and heavy psych. Very consistent of the type of album that came out of the 1970 cultural transition year in America. Final track 'Hunter's Moon' is an absolute killer, predating the metal movement by a decade. Yet one more American band from this era that was one and done. On the Map City label, perhaps most known among collectors for the equally obscure Purple Image. I think Yogi Berra might have appreciated that last sentence.

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Still kinda proud of that last sentence. Have to keep myself entertained apparently. In any case, Yesterday's Children is one of the more consistent heavy rock albums on the market from this era. Strong instrumentation, and plenty of leftover psychedelic guitar. One surprise I picked up on this time is the track 'What of I'. That was one of the songs that first drew me to the Wilkinson Tricycle album, released one year prior. Such a strange song to cover, but it's definitely a cool trippy psych number. Obscure bands covering obscure bands. Seems to be the theme here.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Map City (Germany). Single sleeve. Acquired from JL before the Austin Record show (2023). Paid Discogs retail but what the heck, why not. In addition to the American and German pressings, the album was also released in Italy and was set to be pressed in Finland. Odd decisions. Still hasn't been reissued legit, not counting gray issues of course.

4/28/15 (CDRWL); 5/18/23 (new entry)

Brand X - Moroccan Roll. 1977 England

Second album from well known fusion troupe. The first side is quite creative indicating both a world fusion and progressive rock side, including vocals, and is a departure from their traditional sound. Side 2 brings back the familiar Brand X styled fusion, with Percy Jones and Phil Collins proving to be one of the great rhythm sections of the era. John Goodsall demonstrates once again he's the "X" factor in Brand X. I've been enjoying a +1 with all of these early Brand X albums. I'll probably even try for their lesser regarded later works, given that they are usually available on the cheap.

Ownership: LP: 1977 Passport. Single sleeve. Picked up the first 3 albums from the same vendor in Austin. All in the $2 to $5 range. And I never owned any of these on vinyl prior, just on CD. The only Brand X I ever had on LP from back in the day was Livestock, long sold off. This kind of fusion has never really taken off in the used marketplace and are going for the same rate as they did in the 80s. 

1996; 2014; 5/17/23

The Young Bros. - High Energy Rock. 1978 USA-Illinois

Here's an old CDRWL entry (main list only). Let's look at the original notes:

The Young Bros. are more aggressive hard rock than most Christian albums. So much so, that I didn't even realize it was of the Faith until I heard some of the lyrics. Midwest group from Illinois, that fits well with other hard rocking albums from the area.

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Last night's listen added a +1. The review above is rather simple, and so is the music presented. Just like it says on the tin - high energy rock. One of the most consistent hard rock albums you'll ever hear. No messing around with ballads, boogie, or progressive ideas. Just riffing hard rock with solos, the way you wish all albums like this would go. Great sound too even though it was recorded in their home. You can file this with a myriad of other hard rock albums from the region like Full Moon, Granmax, Amulet, and IOU.

Ownership: LP: 1978 GDS. Single sleeve. Yellow vinyl. Acquired from JL before the Austin Record show started (2023). This album remains relatively affordable even after all these years. Still hasn't been reissued in any format.

4/13/11 (CDRWL); 5/14/23 (new entry)

Johannes Schmoelling - Wuivend Riet. 1987 Germany

Much was made at the time when former Tangerine Dream member Johannes Schmoelling released his first album. "It's far better than anything Tangerine Dream has done... in years!" hyped the dealers of the day. I bit on that bait hard... ...and found myself on the boat ready to be cleaned and cooked. To my ears at the time, Wuivend Riet was no such great shakes at all. Boring and nothing like Tangerine Dream. Of course the label did their part too splashing Tangerine Dream's name on the front cover in a desperate attempt to generate sales. I think it was Rich at Rockadelic that let me bring a box to sell at his table in Dallas way back then. This was in it.

Ah - to be 23 again. No patience and you have it all figured out - right? I guess I still had that $5 still in my pocket, as that's what this copy cost me some 33 years later. Let's try this again, shall we?

OK - yea, I like this now. Schmoelling's classical training really comes out in his piano playing on Side 1. And Side 2 is definitely more experimental than anything Tangerine Dream had done since the early 70s. This isn't Berlin School sequencer driven sounds, nor is there a rock base here. Wuivend Riet is pure electronic music with an avant garde classical slant. Difficult listening for the general public honestly. Excellent late night sounds. +3 listen, though the base was skewed from the start.

Ownership: LP: 1987 Lifestyle. Single sleeve. Acquired as noted above at the Denver Record show a few weeks ago (2023).

1988; 5/14/23 (new entry)

Brand X - Masques. 1978 England

Masques is the third studio album from well known session jazz fusion group. Collins and Lumley are gone but the sound more or less is the same. Keys man Peter Robinson came from Quatermass, another interesting ingredient to add to the stew. Some fiery guitar work from Goodsall as usual. 'Deadly Nightshade' is a stone cold classic. Not much else to say - table stakes for any reputable fusion collection.

Ownership: LP: 1978 Passport. Single sleeve. Mint copy from the Austin Record Show for $4. Strange as it may sound, I can't recall ever owning this on vinyl before. I wasn't a big Brand X fan in my original foray into the prog underground during the 80s, and I only picked up a used commodity CD sometime in the 90s that's long gone. I'd been on the lookout for a clean LP in the wilds, but they're usually pretty beat. Nice to finally find one.

5/13/23 (new entry)

U.K. - Danger Money. 1979 England

Way back in 1984 I purchased Danger Money from a store based on someone's recommendation (he was standing next to me). I thought it was great on first impact. I had yet to hear the debut, something I was to pickup a couple of years later. For whatever reason in the 90s I soured on both and sold them off. I reacquired the first album in 2020 and now I've finally found this one. Though common online, it's surprisingly elusive in the wilds. I probably should have held off further as this copy isn't the best, but I only paid $4, which is about right. I'll eventually find an upgrade I'm sure.

In any case, I hear the music like I first did when I was 19 years old. Terry Bozzio on the drumkit adds more energy than Bruford did, and Eddie Jobson plays a surprising amount of organ for such a late date. His violin is always welcome. John Wetton brings his familiar voice and strong bass work. There's some very nice melodic songwriting here as well, with 'The Only Thing She Needs' being the highlight. You'll hear a strange mixture of ELP and King Crimson throughout, though the embryonic stages of Asia are buried deep within. Great album.

Ownership: LP: 1979 Polydor (USA). Single sleeve. Purchased at the Denver Record show a couple of weeks ago (2023). That first copy referenced above came from Metamorphosis in Dallas (1984).

1984; 5/12/23 (new entry)

OSI - Office of Strategic Influence. 2003 USA

On paper OSI looks to be a typical prog metal supergroup along the lines of Liquid Tension Experiment. Let's see, you've got Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and Cynic all in the same room, doing primarily instrumental metal. There are two X Factors going in that need to be considered first: Jim Matheos usually transcends genre norms and uses his guitar more for innovation rather than showmanship. Then there's keyboardist Kevin Moore, probably prog metal's foremost Renaissance Man. As quirky as they come, he's lived all over the world doing different things, and today he resides in North Dakota as a Psychiatrist. When you blend these two minds together, you're probably not going to end up with a jam session proving how many notes you can play in a minute.

And sure enough, Office of Strategic Influence is not an easy album to digest in one setting. There's so much going on, with Moore providing more of an electronic lens to his keyboards. He also does most of the singing, which is sparse and affected, as that's not his strength. Matheos definitely keeps it metal, but brings along a lot of creative leftover ideas he didn't or couldn't fit in Fates Warning. Sean Malone and Mike Portnoy provide the expert rhythm section but they aren't the focus. 

So it's an interesting album, but is there any kind of payoff track making it worth the investment of time? And the answer is a solid yes. 'shutDOWN' is a monumental piece of music that features one of Matheos' most massive riffs of his career. One can hear early Pink Floyd's atmosphere to provide the awesome contrast. And yes, there is one more X Factor here that I didn't mention as it appears he was only involved for parts of the recording. That "he" is none other than Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) who seems to be largely responsible for this particular track. Overall Office of Strategic Influence takes time to marinate, but worth the effort. +1 from me.

Ownership: CD: 2010 Metal Blade (Europe). 2xCD. Second press digipak with 19 page booklet. I picked this up in a metal buy a few years later (2014). The second disc features Pink Floyd's 'Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun' which is exactly the song I was thinking of when listening to 'shutDOWN'. So no coincidence. I didn't listen to the second disc for this session.

2014; 8/15/22; 5/1/23 (new entry)