Tin Pan Alley (Irmin's Way) ~ Germany

Tin Pan Alley (1981)

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.

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. 

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: 2020 Garden of Delights (LP). Gatefold. Historical insert info and photos. 

1995 (first listen); 5/27/23 (review / new entry)

Judas Priest ~ England

Ram it Down (1988)

There are a lot of parallels with Point of Entry / Screaming for Vengeance and Turbo / Ram it Down. The former albums were commercial in nature whereas the latter of each pair starts off (literally) screaming that "we're back, and heavier than ever!". I've already noted the great memories I have with Screaming for Vengeance, and that nostalgia factor bumps it into the collection. With Ram it Down I have no such feelings. And for 1988, it's almost comical what they're attempting to do here. The title track and 'Hard as Iron' are great, the perfect remedy for what ailed Turbo. But some of these songs are ridiculously simple during arguably heavy metal's great era of innovation. With track names that were cliché in 1981, much less 1988, you have to wonder what they were thinking. 'Heavy Metal', 'Love Zone', 'I'm a Rocker', 'Love You to Death' and a useless cover of 'Johnny B. Goode'. Really? Gee, I'm a Rocker! Dee Snider made a career out of that. Judas Priest isn't a novelty act like Twisted Sister. And they didn't necessarily run away from Turbo like they did Point of Entry. There's still much use of synthesizer as if the band thought they had a winning formula going. Just goes to show how clueless they were in recognizing their own place in metal history. To this day, it seems they never did get plugged in right. Whatever the case, they nailed it on their next album Painkiller - only to subsequently breakup and give up the momentum they had going. Ram it Down has some fine moments, but I hear it at the same level as Turbo. Nothing I need to keep. 

Source: 1988 Columbia (LP)

5/21/23 (review)

Turbo (1986)

I didn't have high hopes for Turbo, vaguely recalling its contents from my college days. And my low expectation was met. The metal world had changed drastically throughout the 80s, and Judas Priest appeared to throw in the towel and join those seeking cash versus artistic - or underground - credibility. Defenders of the Faith was already pushing their reputation by 1984, but they really sealed the deal with Turbo two years later. Consider that Metallica had already released Master of Puppets, which followed Ride the Lightning and Kill 'Em All. These were the children that Judas Priest bore. Metallica didn't fall out of the same metal tree as Poison and Motley Crue. I don't think anyone expected Priest to try and emulate Metallica, but they could have (or should have) focused on the metal sounds that were responsible for the Iron Maiden's of this world. Instead they looked to the likes of Def Leppard for inspiration. I agree with those that state that Turbo is better than Point of Entry, which was the last time Judas Priest made a conscious attempt to move away from the underground. There are some good tracks here like A2, B3, and B4, and overall I'd give it a good rating (in retrospect). As noted here quite a bit (especially recently for whatever reason), by 1986 I was either deep into my Euro prog discovery or the heaviest metal I could hear. So I scoffed - perhaps even laughed at - Turbo when it was released. "Kiddie Metal" was a term us grizzled veterans were using back then. Hey, I was 21 - one of the "old guys" of metal in 1986. Funny to recall that all these years later. In any case, Priest would gather themselves by 1990, but it was a day late and a dollar short (real time, its legacy is now stellar). 

Source: 1986 Columbia (LP)

4/7/23 (review)

Point of Entry (1981)

I bought this immediately upon release and was very disappointed. I was almost certain I wouldn't keep this revisit LP, but maybe my views have softened, so I gave it a shot anyway. Well those views have softened to some extent. This is one of those rare albums where I appended a +2 and it's still nowhere near at a keepable level. That's how much I hated it on initial impact. On the plus side I can now accept that it's more of a hard rock album than metal, something that disappointed me when I was 16. On the other, most of the songwriting here is 3rd rate. So much filler. Even the big hit 'Heading Out to the Highway' is a rewrite of 'Living After Midnight', one of my least favorite tracks on British Steel. The three tracks I liked back in the day are still very worthy: 'Hot Rockin', 'Desert Planes', and 'Solar Angels'. Otherwise average at best.

Former ownership: 1981 Columbia (LP)

1981 (first acquired); 3/29/23 (review)    

Screaming for Vengeance (1982)

Now we’re getting serious about personal history. As noted a few places already, my heavy metal journey began with Judas Priest’s Hell Bent for Leather real time in 1979. I consider Unleashed in the East the greatest live album ever – again recalling that I have so much history with it. British Steel was mixed, but still very good. And then they laid a major egg with Point of Entry. No idea what the band were thinking, but they clearly weren’t plugged into why they were so popular. However, I saw them live in the summer of 1981, and I’m not even sure they played one song from their new album, realizing their mistake. The show consisted of the tunes from Unleashed in the East with a generous helping of British Steel. Now it’s time to get back in the studio, would Judas Priest deliver? Heck yea! Those opening three tracks are as fine a start to a Priest album as any they ever did. And sure they mixed in some other lighter styles, just as they did with British Steel. It’s probably never going to transcend that "very good" level for me. But the nostalgia rating is off the charts. When we were partying with a group of cute girls on the beach at Port Aransas – and they’re playing ‘You Got Another Thing Comin’ nonstop in the background – it was destined that I would always treasure this album. Our time had arrived. It was March 1983 – 18 years old. And real heavy metal was going mainstream. I mean... Cute Girls!

Ownership: 1982 CBS Netherlands (LP). Lyric inner bag; 2001 Columbia Legacy (CD). Liner notes and two bonus tracks.

1982 (acquired); 8/14/12; 2/20/23 (review)

Sin After Sin (1977)

Sin After Sin is Judas Priest's 3rd album, and the one where they really began to shape their sound of the future. As for me personally, once I acquired Hell Bent For Leather as an impressionable 14 year old, I went about looking for all the Priest I could find. Sin After Sin was readily available and may have been the second one I heard by the band (either this or Stained Class, I can't remember for certain). So it's an album that's part of my DNA at this point. But going back to 1979 on that first exposure, Sin After Sin was a bit lesser in the metal crunch department than what I'd hoped at the time. But of course I didn't realize that I was sitting on the metal revolution. With an historical lens, Judas Priest were way ahead of the pack in 1977 - branching far off mainstream hard rock, and beginning to hone what ultimately became known as "the riff". They were also beginning to trim off the prog tendencies of Sad Wings of Destiny. Blessed with one of the most perfect vocalists in history in Rob Halford, Judas Priest slowly but surely began to cultivate a cult audience that lasts until this day. 'Sinner', 'Let Us Prey / Call For the Priest', and 'Raw Deal' each took the idea of revolving the songwriting around the almighty riff. The truly groundbreaking moment, though, comes at the end with the jaw dropping 'Dissident Aggressor', arguably the heaviest and fastest track recorded to tape up to that time. The beginning of power metal and even thrash. As for the other tracks, Priest's cover of Joan Baez's 'Diamonds and Rust' was a fan favorite and concert staple for years. 'Starbreaker' is a solid mid album hard rocker, and 'Here Comes the Tears' is a strong power ballad, one that sets up the smashing 'Dissident Aggressor' perfectly. Only 'Last Rose of Summer' hasn't aged well, a dull ballad that doesn't play to any of Judas Priest's strengths. Overall Sin After Sin is a must own for fans of the band, and ranks among their top releases. Also - I wonder if Game of Thrones didn't get the idea for the House of Black and White from this album cover?

Ownership: 1977 Columbia (LP); 2001 Columbia Legacy (CD). Liner notes and two bonus tracks.

1979 (acquired); 10//05; 12/17/12; 7/27/22 (review)

Rocka Rolla (1974)

Judas Priest's debut is an album that is usually dismissed by avid fans of the band. Primarily because of what it isn't. Rocka Rolla is no metal album, and there are few hints of their future here. But as far as dual guitar hard rock goes, Rocka Rolla is a major player in this game. Anyone who has listened to early 70s English hard rock (and you well should have since it still dominates rock radio to this day), will know the sound is heavily based in the blues. In that light, Judas Priest adds a bit more pace, and even some thoughtful introspective psychedelic numbers (The 'Winter' suite in particular, and the eight and a half minute 'Run of the Mill' might be the best track here). In this way, they are similar to Budgie's early albums. For myself, Rocka Rolla was purchased after already buying all of their albums up to that point, which included Unleashed in the East. The only exception was Sad Wings of Destiny, which is really not that far from Rocka Rolla in sound with perhaps a bit more prog thrown in. Oddly though, I wasn't disappointed at all. More like fascinated. I didn't really have a lot of examples of music like this in my collection to that point, and I heard Rocka Rolla as something unique. And "Bob" Halford (with long hair no less) is an exceptional vocalist, and he shows that off very early in his career. While I'll never likely coronate their debut and claim it's one of the best albums I've ever heard, I can honestly say that this listen represents me owning this album for 42 years straight, and I have yet to tire of it. If you're not a fan of heavy metal or what you would associate Judas Priest with, I would encourage you give this one a spin. As for metal fans, it's always best to go in with an historical perspective.

Ownership: 1978 Import (LP). According to Discogs, this was the first US pressing of the album; Koch (CD). 2000's pressing

7//79 (acquired); 10//05; 12/23/21 (review)

British Steel (1980)

As a primer, if you read my thoughts about Def Leppard that I recently penned, then you'll know British Steel came about right at the same time. Still a freshman in high school, and winding down the year. The difference here is that I already knew about Judas Priest. One year prior, Hell Bent For Leather was the new album, and after hearing a couple of choice cuts from that, I ran out to buy the album. And I became a dedicated fan pretty much on the spot. I went about filling in their back catalog including Rocka Rolla. Then came Unleashed in the East, an album so important to my ever increasing music knowledge, it became part of my DNA. There are few albums in my collection - if any - that I've played more than this album. I'll tell these stories as I revisit them. So by the time British Steel came out, I owned five of the six Judas Priest albums (Sad Wings of Destiny was scored in the summer). Whatever the case, my anticipation was through the roof for this new album. The result? Yea, OK, it's good for sure. But I wanted more. Way more. Though it opens auspiciously enough with 'Rapid Fire', which features a killer mid section, the kind of breaks all the best metal bands were to follow for the rest of time. And the album closes as it starts, with the rampaging 'Steeler'. That's the kind of metal I wanted from Priest back then. What about the rest? Well certainly 'Metal Gods' and 'Grinder' are heavy duty slow metal pieces, that satisfy at that level. 'The Rage' is kind of the oddball track, recalling their earlier, often quirky efforts, like on Sin After Sin. Over time, it's become one of my favorites from the album. 'You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise' is decent, though Priest was starting to show their tendency to dumb things down (ironically given the title). 'United' is one of their "football styled hymns". Very annoying. Must be an English thing. And that leaves us with their two big hits from the album, which arguably took heavy metal to its next level in terms of popularity. 'Breaking the Law' was the perfect track at the time, even if it wasn't so much to my taste. Short, punchy, good breaks and solos. It's bonehead for sure, but good bonehead. For my tastes 'Living After Midnight' is the second worst song after 'United'. And unfortunately it was the track that propelled Priest to its highest ratings. So it's no surprise that they were starting to become a confused group. All this lead to their next disastrous album Point of Entry, one of the greatest disappointments in my music listening career. They got back on the rails quickly with Screaming for Vengeance, but that's a tale for another day. 

The bonus tracks on the CD can be skipped. 'Red, White & Blue' is similar to 'United' and the live track of 'Grinder' doesn't add anything to the original. 

Ownership: 1980 Columbia (LP); 2010 Columbia (CD). 30th Anniversary Edition. Liner notes, two bonus tracks, and a full DVD that includes a 2009 concert + a 30 minute interview. I haven't seen it yet, but will eventually. 

1980 (acquired); 3/22/21 (review)

Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)

I've had Sad Wings of Destiny on LP since 1980 (same copy as listed below!), and I was all of 15. However... I had already digested the live Unleashed in the East, which features further developed and super energized versions of most of the classics found here. So at the time, the album sounded quite tame to my ears, and while I still enjoyed it, I never gave it the proper due. Over the years, I was able to digest the album more objectively, and thus was able to hear its brilliance. As for the legacy, who can deny its place in metal history? If I had been born four years earlier, and heard the album when it came out, it would seem to be revelatory. But would have I heard it back then? Probably not, as I would imagine being a dyed-in-the-wool prog fan who wouldn't have given it a second thought. And I think that applies to most everyone - the album didn't have an audience in 1976. Which is why this album is almost universally appreciated in retrospect more than it was real time. In art, that is generally known as genius. I wouldn't label Judas Priest that of course, and they certainly were able to capitalize on their forward thinking music only a few years later, but they should be commended for having the original vision of merging heavy with fast - and with some real songwriting as well. Yes, a classic for certain.

Ownership: 1980 Ovation (LP); 2006 Victor (CD). Papersleeve; 1983 RCA (MC)

1980 (acquired); 10//05; 11/25/15; 9/7/18 (review)

Other albums I own and need to review: Stained Class; Hell Bent For Leather; Unleashed in the East; Defenders of the Faith; Painkiller; Demolition

9/7/18 (new entry)

Valhalla ~ USA ~ New York

Valhalla (1969)

---12/13/13

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.

---5/21/23

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: 1969 United Artists (LP). Gatefold. 

No legit reissues as of 5/21/23.

4/26/11 (first listen); 12/13/13 (review); 5/21/23 (update / new entry)

D. Beaver ~ USA ~ Memphis, Tennessee

Combinations (1973)

---9/29/10

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.

---5/20/23

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 (LP). Gatefold. Interesting to note that David Beaver never once uses his full name in the lengthy credits on the back. Just D. Beaver. 

No reissues exist as of 3/31/25.

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. 

---

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 ~ USA ~ Connecticut

Yesterday's Children (1970)

---4/28/15

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.

---5/18/23

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: 1971 Map City Germany (LP). 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. 

No legit reissues as of 3/31/25. I see Hellion reissued it, but no license info afforded. Loofs iffy.

4/28/15 (review); 5/18/23 (update / 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. ~ USA ~ Illinois

High Energy Rock (1978)

---4/13/11

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.

---5/14/23

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: 1978 GDS (LP). Yellow vinyl.

No reissues as of 3/31/25.

4/13/11 (review); 5/14/23 (update / 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)

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)