East of Eden - Mercator Projected. 1969 England

About 12 years ago I wrote:

"Mercator Projected is one of the first, if not the first, really great world fusion - psychedelic rock albums. Most albums in this style, especially from this era, tend to be exploitation hokum. But Mercator Projected is the real deal - a true blend of heavy rock, psychedelic, and world music. And the album cover is damn near perfect. As is the music itself. One of the greats."

To add, for my tastes, this is the only East of Eden album I care for. I even lost interest in Snafu. A one time wonder is what it appears. The mixture of styles puts it squarely in the progressive rock zone, though this is a long way from King Crimson at this point. The album isn't perfect, but given what they're trying to accomplish, East of Eden is to be applauded for the effort. Many peak moments can be found.

Ownership: LP: 1969 Deram (UK). Single sleeve. Acquired online (2011). As noted above, I love the cover and it's on my "wall of albums".

CD: 2000 Deram (Japan). Papersleeve edition.

The first copy I obtained (1996) was the Si-Wan (Korea) CD and that was my introduction to the album.

1996; 2009; 12/31/10 (RYM); 11/29/23 (new entry)

Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno - Per… un Mondo di Cristallo. 1972 Italy

Over 18 years ago I wrote: "Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno reminds me of Jumbo’s 3rd effort in that every time I hear the album, it actually gets better. Every time. For Jumbo that started in 1988 – for RRR it was 1989. They share some of the same qualities… musically all over the map, intense vocals, sublime dynamic shifts, outstanding musicianship, each song has multiple shifts. I swear they composed these sections separately and patched them together randomly. Imagine the second or third Delirium taken to the nth degree. The masterpiece has to be ‘Un Palco di Marionette’, which seems to be an influence on bands like Semiramis. RRR along with Il Balletto di Bronzo, Banco del Mutuo Succorso, Premiata Forneria Marconia, Metamorfosi, and Quella Vecchia Locanda were the trailblazers of 1972, setting the stage for Italy’s finest year. I personally consider this as one of the greatest albums from the classic Italian progressive rock scene."

---

In hearing the album for the first time since (I sense a theme), the above review makes the claim: "Every time I hear the album, it actually gets better. Every time." So true. I credit Per… un Mondo di Cristallo as one of those albums that really opened a lot of doors for me. I admit to struggling with this title when I first heard it. Even though I had managed to breakthrough with Jumbo, Italian albums on first landing always seemed difficult to grasp. I feel that RRR was the one where that trend stopped. There's about 60 minutes of music on this 37 minute release. I mentioned the other day that while Museo Rosenbach's Zarathustra is at the very top tier of my album collection, it still barely makes the Top 10 in Italy. Per… un Mondo di Cristallo is one of the albums that is ahead of it.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Cetra. Gatefold. Yet another "early days of ebay" pickup at a fetching price (1999). Though this title remains shockingly inexpensive comparatively (relative term, but still about 20% of Zarathustra).

CD: 2004 Strange Days (Japan). Papersleeve edition. Part of the Disc Union Triade promo box set.

The first copy I owned was the cheapo Fonit Cetra CD (1989) - one of the very first series in the world that reissued rare progressive rock on CD. At one point I grabbed the also-cheapo Vinyl Magic LP (1991). Both upgraded with the above accordingly.

1989; 3//05; 11/29/23 (new entry)

Stray - Suicide. 1971 England

Stray's second album Suicide opens up with distant melancholic vocals, which is then followed by some heavy guitar riffing and a mellotron blast. And there is your storyline for Suicide. Though there really isn't that much mellotron, but there's plenty of great guitar soloing, similar to the debut just a bit more restrained. Hard to imagine any album taking the guitar further than Stray's debut, at least for the time and place. There's a small hint on Suicide of the group's eventual move to boogie and there's a couple of other stylistic diversions. In aggregate though, Suicide remains an excellent album. These early Stray albums are not to be missed for psychedelic hard rock fans.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Transatlantic. Textured single sleeve. Pink letter label which Discogs shows as the original. For some reason I had it cataloged under the picture label, but clearly I didn't take the time to look closely. Anyway, all fixed now. Online acquisition (2013).

CD: 2006 Strange Days (Japan). Papersleeve edition. Comes in the Disc Union box (which uses the Saturday Morning Pictures cover) and includes their first three albums. This was my introduction to the album.

2/15/07; 12/31/10; 11/27/23 (new entry)

KBB ~ Japan

Four Corner's Sky (2003)

---April 2004

KBB is the logical extension of Kenso, with violin the instrument of choice rather than keyboards and flute. A shredder mentality sometimes gets in the way of composition, but this is far more varied, melodic and creative than your average million notes a minute release. Some Italian prog breaks are superb and a welcome surprise.

---11/28/23

Well, OK, not too far off. I was clearly trying to fit this album into a progressive rock mentality, and the last sentence remains true. But the music really belongs to fusion. Shades of Mahavishnu Orchestra are apparent. Credit to KBB for focusing on composition versus loose jamming. This is my first listen since then, some 20 years ago. But it's apparent that if I had this running day after day it would yield excellent results. My last listen to their debut Lost and Found also ended up with an excellent conclusion. KBB went on to release two more albums that I didn't pursue. I checked their Facebook page and it appears they last played live in 2020.

Ownership: 2003 Musea / Poseidon (CD). Booklet with recording details. 

4//04 (acquired); 11/27/23 (review)

Also own and need to review Lost and Found.

11/27/23 (new entry)

Museo Rosenbach - Zarathustra. 1973 Italy

This is one of those albums where I state to myself: "Didn't I write about this album already?" Nope. Uh, wait (takes a look at Gnosis). Oh cool - I did. Yaay. I forgot about that incident, but I was evaluating on whether or not to sell my LP extra copy on Contempo. Anyway, on to that review from 22 years ago:

"Melancholy, thy name is mellotron. And so it is with that, Zarathustra opens in this manner. A dire voice leads to a crashing guitar riff, and Museo Rosenbach has begun the journey to one of the finest albums ever made. Created in the fertile turf of 1973 Italy, Museo Rosenbach were either inspired by or were the inspiration for countless other bands, each vying for the public’s attention. The most creative musical scene in the annals of rock music to ever surface had a new champion. Heavy riffing guitar, bass, drums and various percussion are the instruments of choice. However, the standouts have to be Pit Corradi’s amazing mellotron and Hammond organ work coupled with the brilliant vocals of Stefano Galifi. There are no weak moments to be found, each composition winds its way through the corridors of the listener’s assumed over-active imagination. Whether it’s the side long title track or one of the 3 shorter songs found on Side 2 (especially 'Della Natura'), rest assured the attentive listener will be rewarded lavishly with each spin – a new twist or turn will become apparent. This discovery can go on for years. Certainly one of the all timers, a strong contender for greatest album ever. The perfect musical companion."

---

No change in my opinion, and it appears this is the first time I've heard the album in full since then. That's crazy. I can't keep doing this with my favorites. If I wait another 22 years, I'll be 81. Will I even be able to hear then? So far so good, but who knows. In any case, while it's a strong contender for greatest album ever, and I do have a Gnosis 14 on it, it's not #1 for me. The competition from early 70s Italy is so ridiculously great, it's hard for an album like Zarathustra to make the Top 10 in that genre alone. It does for me, but I could make the argument that it's in tenth place. Wow. And yea, that mellotron is so mystical you just want to live in it. My favorite moment of the entire album is when Galifi belts out "SUPER UOMO!" and the band goes nuts afterward. Brilliant. 

Ownership: LP: 1973 Dischi Ricordi. Gatefold textured cover. It's just mind blowing how expensive this album has become. It was hardly pressed in great numbers, but it was imported to the US by Peters unlike the really rare ones like Capitolo 6 and E.A. Poe. But demand is exceedingly high, so Economics 101 has it going for 15 times what it did 20+ years ago. I got mine in the "early days of ebay" (1999) for... $75. I remember showing a guy at work how ebay operates. This was before sniping and other tools existed. So you had to be present to get in your last second bid. I miss those days. It was exhilarating.

LP: 1982 Seven Seas (Japan). Gatefold with obi. Acquired from a friend in Japan (1999). This too is now worth good money.

CD: 2003 BMG (Japan). Papersleeve edition. Love that they perfectly replicated the textured cover. Not the best sound - but neither is the LP.

The first copy I owned was the single Japanese pressing (1989). As noted above, I also owned the gatefold Contempo pressing. And believe it or not, I also had two earlier CD presses. A bit obsessive I suppose. But what shows above has been static for 20 years. I guess 2003 would have been the last listen actually, the year before I started journaling everything.

1989; 4/25/01 (Gnosis); 2003; 11/26/23 (new entry)

Tangerine Dream - Rubycon. 1975 Germany

For Caravan's In the Land of Grey and Pink I wrote: "On the top bar of this site I show My Top 25 Most Important LPs and CDs. But what I don't show is my Top 25 Most Important Albums, which is a bit different if you follow the theme of the above. In the Land of Grey and Pink would be one of them if I did." 

And with that premise, Rubycon is likely to be number one of the entire lot. I haven't crafted that list because I don't think I can. The physical importance of the time and place of owning a particular LP or CD is easier than grasping the importance of the music minus that element. My story of acquiring Rubycon for the first time is typical. I bought the US commodity Virgin LP pressing new at Sound Warehouse in Dallas sometime in late 1982, not long after acquiring Exit. I go into great detail with the beginning of my Tangerine Dream journey on that album's entry. I played Rubycon in my room while watching a football game or fiddling with something else. Over and over - and over - and over. The music was penetrating my mind. It became my favorite album to go to sleep to. I was a senior in high school, and this is where my independence streak was really beginning to form. I always had one, but it was suppressed. Hard to believe now, but I even took a turn at being a popular kid only one year earlier. It felt good to be accepted, to be one of the cool kids after years of being kicked to the sidelines by those same people. But it was hollow, mindless stupidity. I liked the pretty girls that invariably find themselves in these situations, but little else. Especially the music. Rubycon was the album that was reflecting back to me who I really was. I had more to offer than being popular. What exactly? I had no idea then, but this album captured my imagination wildly and I made all sorts of fantastical movies in my mind.

In the summer of 2001 I wrote for Gnosis: "(At the record store) I was going to pick up the most "interesting looking" LP of theirs. It would be the album that would change the way I listened to music forever. To this day, I consider it one of the finest masterpieces ever committed to tape. That day I brought home Rubycon and things would never quite be the same for me. Rubycon is a journey into the vast unknown, on a boat floating down a river, early morning sunlight, birds flying overhead. An undiscovered cave deep in the Amazon. Within is a gothic stalactite cathedral where mystical spirits reside (represented by choral mellotron). Flashes of bright lights, river rapids send me quickly (fast sequencer run). I see glimpses of all the world's secrets. I eventually float out of the cave a changed man unsure of what I had just seen. At least that was one of my favorite stories I would put to the music as I meditated each night to the album only to be rudely interrupted by the click, click, click that alerted me to flip over the record (oh, is this music perfect for CD or what?). Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was listening to an album that is considered by many one of the finest moog, sequencer, and mellotron albums ever. It is a very powerful album. One of the greatest dynamic atmospheric pieces to ever be recorded. I will say that it took many weeks of listening to be truly moved by Rubycon. It is not an easy album to warm up to if one is unfamiliar with electronic/ambient music (which would've been my case at that time). Suddenly I wasn't an ordinary high school weenie anymore."

I wasn't really yet keen on opening up myself so much 22 years ago, and yet I somehow did anyway. Today we live in an online world and expression of emotions is accepted (for better or worse). On last night's listen, I was transported back to being a 17 year old young man. I had new stories that the music brought out of me - ones that would be more relevant for a 59 year veteran of this world, and who has been truly blessed up to this point. I don't think I have closed my eyes and listened to Rubycon in this manner since that Gnosis review. And I thought my whole body was going to explode - emotions I haven't felt in years came out to the fore. I wanted to give the album a +1, +2, +3. But I can't do that. It's already a Gnosis 15. Nowhere to go. When I find myself close to death (hate to think about these things but it's reality), I should hear this album again. I wonder how it will go.

Ownership: LP: 1982 Virgin (Japan). Gatefold with obi. Picked this one up in the early days of ebay. I had already ditched that US Virgin copy when the first CD's arrived. But I wanted a vinyl copy for the memories. I don't think I've ever played it and it still looks brand new.

CD: 2019 Virgin. In Search of Hades box. My all-time favorite CD set. Of all the albums in this set, Rubycon was the only one where I didn't care for the mix (that would be the 2020 listen). And I attribute that to the fact that my DNA is linked to the version I know, and I really don't want to work at enjoying Wilson's master. However there is a 15 minute additional (or alternate) sequence included that I will revisit the next time I open the box.

12/82; 1983; 7/3/01 (Gnosis); 4/12/20; 11/25/23 (new entry)

Toubabou - Le Ble et Le Mil + Attente. 1974-75 Canada-Quebec

About 15 years ago I wrote: "Pre-dating Embryo's world fusion focus by a few years, Toubabou were a Quebec-African-Haitian ensemble, mixing indigenous tribal rhythms and themes with Canadian French rock / folk / blues. The Quebec portion were made up of members of the Contraction / Ville Emard Blues Band clan, and some would move on from here to the more folky Harmonium. The Embryo metaphor can be taken further as guitarist Robert Stanley proves he could go toe to toe with Roman Bunka." 

The 1974 debut is a live album and not necessarily a world class recording. But it does kind of go with the Third World ambience that the album offers. This isn't an easy work to digest, and at times it's pure African music with some annoying vocal chanting (to be honest). Listen to 'Man Yaka Ghane' if curious. All the same I found myself enjoying this more than prior and experienced a +1 listen.

Better is the studio follow up Attente, which the label decided should make up Disc 1 (though I recommend listening in chronological order). With a clearer recording and focus, Toubabou is able to achieve the goals of their premise. There's more of a rock element here, along with some strong jazz funk moves, especially the guitar work. A3 through B1 are the highlights and reach an apex that moves the album into the +1 category. I further stated 15 years ago: "Lise Cousineau adds anguished wordless voice, somehow predicting the arrival of those French wackos Gutura and Noa a few years later. I suppose with all the percussion and guitar soloing, one must think of Santana, though Toubabou are not Latin in any way. This is true world fusion, played at a time when rocking your ass off was still cool."

And there you have it.

Ownership: CD: 2004 ProgQuebec. 2xCD in jewel case with loaded booklet including historical details. Includes five video clips which I've yet to see. Original LPs are not expensive for either album, but I'm going to stick with the CD in this case.

12/27/07; 2008; 11/25/23 (new entry)

Sevil ~ Azerbaijan

Sevil (1978)

For many years I was on the worldwide prog rock chase. But never once did I run into anything from Azerbaijan. Now Sevil isn't prog, but rather a very interesting jazz meets funk meets mugham, the latter an indigenous form of modal singing. I haven't been exposed to mugham before, so that sounds fascinating on its own - mostly handled by a female vocalist. To my untrained ears, it sounds Arabic, but of course that's not correct, it's just the similarity of scales and passion. The jazz is cool, mostly piano, bass, and drums in improv mode. The funk is the most interesting aspect to my ears. Mostly this element is brought forth by the wah wah rhythm guitar, sounding quite a bit like Isaac Hayes' 'Theme from Shaft'. You begin to wonder how that even came about - especially in the Brezhnev era of the USSR, not known for his tolerance of Western influence. 

Supposedly recorded in 1971, but I cannot find data to support this assertion. That would have been even more strange given how closed the Soviet Union was back then. Originals are a freaking fortune and mostly extinct. The album's obscurity is the same excuse that Firyuza and Gunesh's debut have - it was only released in the local region of the country itself, not throughout the Soviet empire. Perhaps even more bizarre is there does exist an "export" version with liner notes in English. I suspect that the Authorities didn't let this one get too far away. Probably the "art director" for this release suddenly disappeared without notice. No mention of the recording date either. A local Azerbaijan label (Molla Nasreddin) put this album back on the map (reading it's not from the masters). This reissue has already been scooped up from those in the know. There's also a Russian private CD release, that could be legitimate, but who knows. I probably wouldn't seek out either way, but it's fun to own something unique like this. So I might.

11/21/23 (new entry)

Trace. 1974 Netherlands

For Trace's second album Birds I wrote: "This is just the kind of album that isn't making the cut for the collection. It's perfectly fine and fits the progressive rock idiom to a tee. Very much influenced by ELP's prime works, you get a pitch perfect classically influenced keyboard prog trio. I have plenty of that already and with no real nostalgia regarding this band (in fact, I avoided them in my initial foray during the middle 80s and early 90s, not sure why though) - this one can go. I still have the debut to evaluate, though I had that one rated higher."

And honestly I could probably say the same thing here, except I enjoy this one much more. It's like ELP extract - the best that trio had to offer without any of the distractions that marred some of their work. No vocals to get in the way so it's pure analog keyboard heaven with a meaty and active rhythm section. As if they're saying: "This is how it's done, sonny boy." Perhaps only one album was needed to get that point across. Similar to the Italian bands in that manner. Rating remains the same. Keeper.

Ownership: CD: 1995 Musea. Jewel case release with booklet filled with historical notes. Features two bonus tracks, both released as a 45 single and are not on the LP. Musically very similar to the album. The US press on Sire is very common. In fact I found one the other day in a thrift. Not in good enough shape to keep, but if I do find a nice copy super cheap, I'll grab it for the collection. Why not. The CD will remain the primary regardless.

2002; 11/21/23 (new entry)

Unreal City - Il Paese del Tramonto. 2015 Italy

For Unreal City's debut I spoke about how the album was an excellent representation of the Italian progressive rock genre: "The style by itself allows for various interpretations of the same song over multiple listens. That's the beauty of it - there's so much to digest, each listen has its own rewards. And you will for certain get your money's worth with Unreal City, an album chock full of twists, turns, and great invention."

On their third and (so far) last album, Frammenti Notturni, I added: "Unreal City's 3rd album certainly pushes all the right buttons for the Italian prog rock style. Many shifts in tone and pace, impassioned vocals in the local language, and complex compositions. All that said, Frammenti Notturni seems a bit flat, and the instrumentals can be stilted. Not sure where to point the blame, as there's no real obvious flaws."

Which gets us to the middle child, an album I bought upon release but didn't pen any notes. As you can see from the two scribblings above, it's clear Unreal City are a participant of the Italian progressive rock virtual community. And Il Paese del Tramonto is no different. While it may have that prog-by-the-numbers feel, the album's abrupt transitions are very welcome, perhaps reassuring. I'm not sure why their third album never resonated. I tried on multiple attempts, but ultimately sold it. Fortunately that's not the case here. Maybe the band had reached their creative limit and it had become routine versus exciting. Unreal City have been silent for some time, and their last album is now six years in the rearview mirror. Perhaps this long break will reignite their creative juices. Regardless, Il Paese del Tramonto continues to earn its shelf space. My rating remains the same, now validated.

Ownership: CD: 2015 AMS. Wonderful mini-LP / papersleeve design. Comes with lyrical booklet as well. Never pressed on vinyl.

4/4/15; 11/19/23 (new entry)

Spot. 1971 Switzerland

17 years ago I wrote the following for Gnosis:

"The Swiss quartet Spot obviously spent a lot of their free time digesting the first three Led Zeppelin albums before embarking on their one and only recording. A band could do a lot worse than imitating Zeppelin, and truth be told, there are a surprising few in Continental Europe who actually did. For every five Deep Purple and ELP copycats, you’ll get one who try for Page and crew. Vocalist Pavlo Pendaki does his best Robert Plant with plenty of those swooping “yea-yea-yea” and “my’a-my’a-my’as”. Naturally, lead guitarist John Woolloff is the featured instrumentalist, and does a good job of managing the “aggressive electric blues” that is expected. He also adds more wah wah pedal than usual to the proceedings, which adds points for this writer. There’s also a few acoustic numbers interlaced, which also point to the Zep heritage. Overall, there is just enough originality throughout to make Spot worth seeking out – and they give quite a spirited performance, which is essential for these type of hard electric blues albums to work."

Yep - I got that one right. Except I appreciated it more on last night's +1 listen. A great example of European hard rock from 1971. Inexplicably I still had this filed with my progressive rock collection, but it's not even close. First time for me to hear this album since that review (and acquisition). This title is worth more spins.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Black Rills / Ohrwaschl. Tri-fold digipak with no historical notes. Features two bonus tracks including a rave up of the Khachaturian classic 'Sabre Dance', similar to Love Sculpture. Originals are quite expensive. I'm fine with the CD in this case (incidentally, this is the only version for the media format).

10/12/06 (Gnosis); 11/19/23 (new entry)

2023 Metal Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

Cloudscape - Crimson Skies. 2006 Nightmare (CD). Pitch perfect prog metal with perfunctory keyboards. I don't want that. But it's still very good, objectively speaking. (Dec)

Aesma Daeva - Dawn of the New Athens. 2007 private (CD). Collection revisit (Nov). About 20 years ago Purple Peak Jeff turned me onto Minneapolis based Aesma Daeva, a type of gothic metal I hadn't encountered before. As is my habit, I loaded up on the group, picking up all three of their albums at the time, and then added this one when it came out as well as future band Visions of Atlantis. The latter is long gone. And so will this be. Based on my initial rating, this last Aesma Daeva album didn't capture my imagination as had the others - or at least as I remember them. We'll see soon enough. For Dawn of the New Athens, Aesma Daeva play a more traditional symphonic metal with soprano / operatic female vocals which was all the rage back then with bands like Nightwish, After Forever, Lacrimosa, Within Temptation, et al... I burned out on the genre years ago with Therion, and kept only one of their albums. Dawn of the New Athens remains a very good, professionally done album. So if your tastes continue to run this way, I'd recommend it. I'm hoping the earlier ones still have that magic I originally heard.

*Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss. 1990 Def American (CD). Collection revisit (Sep). As mentioned on the Show No Mercy review, I didn't get into Slayer during their 80s prime. In fact, this was the first album I bought real time. If you take each of these tracks individually there isn't a lot of depth or compositional development. But it works as a whole as each song segues into the next. And the riffs keep coming at you with some nice changes in pace. In later years I picked up what I had missed, demonstrating the band had peaked in the mid 80s. In an era when tech thrash was thriving, Slayer could be seen as a throwback to a simpler time. Seasons in the Abyss sounds like pre-1983 thrash, before Metallica elevated the art. Nothing wrong with that. 33 years on from that purchase, I see no reason to let go of this.

*Motorhead - Overkill. 1979 Bronze (UK). Continuing on with my exploration through the early Motorhead catalog. What do you do with Motorhead really? They're never going to win an innovation award, yet I find myself being entirely comfortable listening to their blend of energized hard rock / borderline metal. And I think that may be the best way to enjoy the band. If this were some private label 1979 album from Cleveland, it would go for $500 on the open market, and be highly praised as one of America's great private press hard rock albums. Yet it's good ole Lemmy the English factory worker putting in a Joe Lunchbox kind of effort. This is considered one of their classics, and you can almost pinpoint a riff or two. The solos are pure 1970s styled, which adds to the allure. Good one on the whole. Not sure if I'm keeping all these Motorhead's, but maybe the classics will get a longer ticket. Neat cover art as well. (Aug)

*Quartz - Stand Up and Fight. 1980 MCA (Germany). Regarding the 1977 debut, I had mentioned that the large misconception about that album is that it was somehow heavy metal. Stand Up and Fight is the complete opposite. From the cover to the sound, Quartz most certainly became self-aware of their place on the musical map within the next three years. One could do worse than putting a picture of this album as the encyclopedia entry for NWOBHM. It's not a complicated body of music, has the right amount of heaviness, is slightly quirky, and contains a solid melodic quotient. All plusses as far as I'm concerned. The cover does indicate something far more epic and heavy than it is, but that was typical of many of the albums from the scene. (Aug)

Motorhead - On Parole. 1979 United Artists (UK). As noted earlier, I loaded up on all the early Motorhead albums. Technically this is their first album, shelved by UA due to a lack of interest. Later to be retrieved from mothballs due to the success of their first few albums. Recorded in 1976, this has little in common with the Motorhead brand. Still searching for an identity, On Parole is more towards boogie and blues rock, and Lemmy's voice is almost clean. One can understand the label's reticent to release this, as it lacks any kind of hooks, and its audience is unclear. Certainly not like Hawkwind in any way either. This one is easy to part with. It's good mind you, but nothing more. (Aug)

*Meliah Rage - Kill to Survive. 1988 Epic. A lot of similarities to the Sanctuary album below, including same label and time of release. Meliah Rage were a Boston based group whose primary influence seems to be Metal Church. Solid thrash that doesn't take too many chances, but adds just enough changes to keep it interesting. +1 on Sanctuary at the very least. (Jul)

*Motorhead. 1978 Chiswick (UK) (1977). I wasn't planning on "loading up" on Motorhead, but I ended up getting all of their early albums on vinyl anyway. What I will end up keeping is the mystery. Ace of Spades is iconic and Iron Fist is nostalgic. Motorhead's debut is historical. More like a punk record with lengthy guitar solos. A very interesting contrast. Murky production. Not necessarily a great album by any measure, but hard to let it go. (Jul)

*Manowar - Battle Hymns. 1982 Liberty (Netherlands). Another album I bought after it came out, but I can't remember why I did back then. It wasn't ever played on the radio and I don't remember reading anything about it. I think it was a pure spec buy which would have been rare for me in 1982 given money was very scarce. In any event I hit a major home run - or so I felt at the time. Side 1 and the first track on the flip are solid hard rockers, but starting with 'Dark Avenger', Manowar essentially invents epic metal, even before Manilla Road. With none other than Orson Welles providing narration, the track sends chills down one's spine, and they climax in a fantastic heavy manner. The solo bass guitar run through of 'William Tell Overture' is insane which leads to the other epic song 'Battle Hymn'. After this debut, Manowar became incredibly self-conscious about their image and were a mix of cornball and cheesy. I do need to hear these early albums again, but I remember being very disappointed at the time. And I think it tainted my opinion about this debut which I sold in the 90s, but really should not have. Glad to have it back. (Jul)

*Motorhead - Iron Fist. 1982 Bronze (Germany). I bought this album when it was released while in high school, and it was the first Motorhead for me to hear. Ace of Spades had been elusive, so I started with Iron First. What a huge disappointment. These are sketches of songs with little to no development. And it's not very heavy either. Compared to my new favorite at the time The Number of the Beast (Iron Maiden of course), it was weak and limp. So I traded it off before I got to college if I recall right (one year later). My original assessment was spot on, I just appreciate more today where the band was coming from and what they represented. I'll keep it for now from a nostalgia perspective, but it's probably not a long hauler. (Jul)

Redemption - This Mortal Coil. 2011 InsideOut (CD). Redemption features Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel) on guitar and Ray Alder (Fates Warning) on vocals along with band leader Nick Van Dyk and a solid rhythm section. That's a good mix of musicians and I'd expect a bit different from the norm. But unfortunately - at least on This Mortal Coil - Redemption is square-on Dream Theater meets Symphony X like prog metal. I have way too much of this kind of metal already. 'Noonday Devil' being the sole exception - if there was more like it, I'd hold onto this. There's a second CD of cover songs (not even the usual vintage hard rock / metal tunes either), which is also an annoying novelty that these bands felt compelled to do. Very good on the whole, though. Someone else will enjoy this more in their collection than I. This is the second Redemption I've owned over the years (the other was the debut), and both have been let go. If I find others in the wilds, I'll continue to check them out. (Jun).

Final Chapter – The WizardQueen. 2004 Underground Symphony (CD). Title is stylized as such. This was part of that large metal buy from 2016 that I still haven’t evaluated most of. Seems I listen to less than 5 of these every year. Most of them are Euro power metal, and I just find that style too regimented for repeated listens (as noted in my recent weed out posts). I like Final Chapter’s raw sound, and they gallop with the best of ‘em. But overall there just isn’t enough invention to carry it forward. (Apr)

Primal Fear - Black Sun. 2002 Nuclear Blast (CD). Yet again, we have a fine album here. Solid power metal. I like their tone too. But... what can I tell you? Gotta bring more than rehashing the 80s for me to get excited. I have a great 80s metal collection. It's going nowhere. This is. (Jan)

Mastodon - Crack the Skye. 2009 Reprise (CD). Guessing Reprise was hoping for someone other than Fleetwood Mac to sell some product haha. They succeeded. Believe it or not this is my first time to hear Mastodon. Been curious for a long time. Generally this kind of metal music turns me off, but I can totally see the allure. Much more sophisticated than your average stoner band moving into prog. Not bad at all. And if I see their other albums in a thrift shop, I'll try them anyway just for the heck of it. Had I purchased this when it came out, it might have survived the collection cut. But this isn't really my thing. (Jan)

Impellitteri - Stand in Line. 1988 Relativity. Thrift shop pickup (Jan). Seems that singer Graham Bonnet had a thing for shredder guitarists. Here's his latest hero. Bonnet makes every album he's on sound like his band. This is a lot like Alcatrazz. But Malmsteen is a more interesting guitarist. They try hard to play anthemic metal tunes rather than showoffy material, but it's soooo 80s. Bad cover songs too like 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'. Really? OK, an average album for the style. At best.

* - Keeping for the collection

Mahogany Frog ~ Canada ~ Winnipeg, Manitoba

DO5 (2008)

Since DO5 was the first album I'd heard by Mahogany Frog, I just presumed it had been more Canterbury styled than On Blue, since I gravitate to the genre. In fact it was the opposite. As I was listening I begin to wonder why I was drawn to the album at all, given its heavier rock nature and post rock underpinning. But as the album goes on, I was taken aback by the energy, which is more Ozric like and definitely could be considered space rock too. Couple that with their inherent knack for melody, and you have a very unique combination. Which is reason enough to find space in the collection. I enjoyed a +1 listen last night (well two actually). In reviewing both Mahogany Frog's that I own, it's clear I didn't have a solid grasp on their sound. I wouldn't mind hearing their other six albums at some point. And it appears they are still active. Cool. I'll add to Under the Radar as well.

Ownership: CD: 2008 Mafrogany Hog. Digipak. Funny label name.

2008 (acquired); 11/16/23 (review)

On Blue (2005)

On Blue had come up through the weed out stack where the survival rate is very low these days. But happy to say On Blue made it. This is the kind of music I'm really appreciating - highly melodic, analog fuzzy, and prog rock minded. I've never really gone too much for post rock - a bit too static for my tastes - and Winnipeg's Mahogany Frog have those tendencies. But there's also a strong Canterbury flavor here, a style that seems to be a natural fit for post rock. It's a very short album, barely clearing 30 minutes, indicating its preference to be a vinyl release (which it was too). Because of its brevity I listened to it four times straight which allows more time for the melodies to sink. Each listen was better than the last. Those are the kind of albums you want to keep.

Ownership: 2005 private (CD). Digifile sleeve. 

1//09 (acquired); 12/20/18; 11/11/22 (review)

11/11/22 (new entry)

Foreign Spaces - Phaeton. 2000 Germany

Foreign Spaces were one of many bands resurrecting the Berlin School electronic sounds of the 70s and 80s. A trio from Germany, all on various synthesizers, Foreign Spaces doesn't experiment beyond the genre norms in terms of sound and instrumentation. However what the band does manage to accomplish is capturing that unique vibe that Tangerine Dream brought forth circa 1979 to 1981 - that transitional phase from Force Majeure to Exit. There's an optimism in this sound - mysterious, joyous, and uplifting. Foreign Spaces also keeps the compositions from getting stale - always on the move keeping the listener guessing. Tangram ends up being the album it most reflects yet it's different in the way it develops. Perhaps Foreign Spaces is nothing more than a microplay on a broader sound, but for what they do, it's darn near perfect. There's nothing else like Phaeton in my collection, so I'm keeping it. +1 listen last night.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Invisible Shadows. Jewel case release with booklet and fold out poster. Acquired online at a time when I was loading up on electronic music (2004). I was surprised to see I'd heard this CD three times prior. This was definitely the most impactful listen.

11//04; 5/25/15; 2/3/16; 11/15/23 (new entry)

2023 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 1

Sky Cries Mary - Wandering in the Vastness. 2021 Trail (CD). I started to plow through this CD upon receipt from the good folks at Trail, but I just couldn't make heads or tales out of it and put it aside for a future evaluation. Two plus years later and that day has finally happened. For the predecessor I wrote: "Sky Cries Mary. Now there's a blast from the past. I haven't thought of this group since the mid 1990s, when they first burst onto the scene. Their 1994 album This Timeless Tuning was all the rage with my running set in those days. I was a bit dismissive at the time, recalling that they were just as immersed into 90s alt rock/indie as they were into neo psychedelia. And I've long struggled to find peace and harmony with the former genre." Secrets of a Red Planet won me over, but Wandering in the Vastness has not, for some of the reasons I mention in my opening prologue. Its very random in its approach, and there's not much in the way of songwriting. It sounds like a product of the 90s, and not the element I enjoy about the decade. There's a lot of music to absorb here and some of it has a nice psychedelic underground and space rock feel. But unfortunately there's not enough here for me to keep. My instincts on the first listen were correct. I just delayed it since Trail was so nice to send it over. I hate leaving anything but positive reviews on welcome submittals, but I just couldn't get into this title. (Nov)

Ax Genrich - Wave Cut. 1995 ATM (CD). Collection revisit (Oct). The cover visual is startling. The long haired guitar freak hero of Guru Guru's earliest years now looks like a burgermeister on a steady diet of beer and brats. But he hadn't lost his touch on the guitar. When this first came out I was very enthused about the return to his Krautrock roots. As the years have gone by, and countless more bands have arrived to recreate that most fascinating era, Genrich's album sounds more generic. In reality it's like an instrumental psychedelic guitar fusion album rather than truly Krautrock, though it starts more in that direction. If I didn't have so much like this already, I'd keep it. Even though it comes from one of the progenitors of the movement, there's just not enough here to hold my attention anymore.

*Hendrix - Band of Gypsys. 1997 Capitol / Experience Hendrix (CD) (1970). Collection revisit (Sep). Quick - how many albums did Hendrix release in 1969? If you answered zero, then you would be correct. Oh there's probably some mix and match semi-legit release with Curtis Knight out there, but that's one of those quirky facts that isn't readily apparent. And here's his sole 1970 album released while he was still alive. One of these days I'll have to tell my full perspective on Hendrix, but not now. I have an archival release that I've written about here on UMR that is a more full documentation of these four New Year shows at the Fillmore East. But this was the original. Hendrix delivers what the fans wanted: Gee-tar. The blues oriented songs are fine, but they're all enhanced by Jimi the way you want Jimi to do.

*The Litter - Emerge. 1969 Probe/ABC. When I started collecting heavy in the late 80s, the catalog dealers of the day said the first two albums from this Minneapolis based group were great and the last was forgettable. Translation: "We can sell the first two for gobs of cash and the third is on a major label and worth 10 bucks". Today it's worth more, but not insanely so. I haven't heard those mythical first two albums (easy to get as a reissue today), but based on reviews I've read, Emerge is likely to be my favorite anyway, as it's more psych and less garage. ABC had quite a few good groups in this space that few remember beyond collectors like us. (Jul)

Hojas - Mis Sueños Piden. 2005 Lion (CD). This CD includes their entire 1970s output, including the self-titled LP from 1973 and four singles from 1971 to 1975. The music from this Uruguayan group is primarily early 70s era pop rock with some psychedelic sounds including a little bit of fuzz guitar. Good songwriting for the most part and avoids the bubblegum trappings. Reminds me some of the Italian beat bands doing similar in the early 70s. The ones that ultimately eschewed progressive rock. The earlier singles are more poppy, with the last of the 1975 output being the best. Good but inessential. (Jul)

* - Keeping for the collection

David Sancious and Tone - Dance of the Age of Enlightenment. 1976 USA (archival)

I can't remember the last time I preordered a CD or LP. I don't need to be "first on the block" to own a piece a music, especially now as I'm reducing the collection. But I made an exception here. For one, I know the label Iconoclassic from finding a couple at thrift shops. Their items do go out of print, and can get expensive. The other is this is a very significant reissue. Or really "issue" as it were. There have been many reasons attributed to why this album remains extinct in original form. David Sancious himself says in the liner notes that the album wasn't mixed as it was recorded - either an error in the machinery or that the engineer thought it sounded better speeded up. So he put the kibosh on it until it could be remixed. The label then decided to shelve the project altogether and asked for a replacement, which would ultimately be True Stories. A few promo copies were released, hence its extreme rarity today. Very high demand and no supply makes for a very expensive item. 

Until now, almost everyone has heard this album via bootlegs taken from what we now understand to be a flawed release. I'd heard it before, but I'm not familiar enough with the "other version" to skew my viewpoint here. For those that have ingested the bootlegs, then this new version will likely disappoint, though it could be the opposite. In general we accept music as it is presented and alterations are disturbing.

Even though Sancious is rightfully considered a jazz fusion artist, heavily influenced by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, and the like - Dance of the Age of Enlightenment is a departure into progressive rock waters. He was swimming against the tide already for 1976/77. A couple of tracks feature vocals but otherwise I'd submit this to be an instrumental prog album. Keyboards are front and center as to be expected. A mix of synthesizers and rock instrumentation, with those complicated rhythms expected in prog and fusion. Not an immediate likeable release (has an odd sound and approach - at least to my ears), but multiple plays reveal a sophisticated work that grows on you. 

Ownership: CD: 2023 Iconoclassic. Jewel case release with booklet that gives a short explanation of the history of the album. Seems the sound could have been better? Who knows in what shape the tapes were in.

11/14/23 (new entry)

Synanthesia ~ England

Synanthesia (1969)

Legendary folk album from England that has a solid reputation in the psych underground. At first I thought it was more a pure folk sound but as the album played on I could pick up a bit of that madcap that was famous during the time and place. Plenty of unique instrumentation and darker atmospheres. It's proto Comus and Mice and Rats in the Loft - doesn't go near that far but you can hear the seeds being planted, more so than Jan Dukes de Grey's own debut. Folkies still ruled the roost in 1969, so albums that were this unusual were bound to raise an eyebrow. Traditionalists won't like it and there's really no rock element to draw in the newer generation. Thus it was obscure the minute it was released. 

Ownership: 2018 Sunbeam (CD). Digipak with historical liners. While informative, the book is a mess as they mixed up the pages. Requires deep study to know when one page ends and the other begins. Way beyond Six Sigma failure, thinking Six Joints at this point. Features one relevant bonus track.

11/12/23 (acquired / review / new entry)

Phlox ~ Estonia

Keri (2017)

Keri remains the latest release from Phlox who are an excellent high energy jazz rock band from Estonia. They are still around and playing live so the possibility exists for new material. On their prior studio album from 2010 I wrote: "Talu sees Phlox tightening up the ship a bit, and keeping some of the looser components of their sound on the leash. If you're looking for a fiery brand of Canterbury influenced fusion with shredding guitar, fuzz keyboards and bass, sax and flute, then look no further than Estonia's Phlox."

And that applies here as well. The album in between these two is a live effort and a little bit more unhinged, to be expected given the setting. To be honest, after hearing Keri for the first time four years ago, I was a bit disappointed. Mentally I had categorized it as "too much of the same thing". And while it's true that Keri doesn't match Talu in either melodic development nor energy, the album does possess high amounts of both. I think I just needed a break from hearing too many of these type of albums at once. The break from intense jazz rock was good for me because as soon as this hit the changer I was fully immersed. Phlox has a wonderful thick analog sound without being retro in the slightest. I enjoyed a +1 listen last night which is closer in alignment with their other output.

Ownership: 2017 MKDK (CD). Digipak

7/12/19 (acquired); 11/10/23 (review)

Vali (2013)

Vali is a live offering from Phlox that predominantly features new material, excepting the last two tracks both from the Rebimine + Voltimine album (and the longest incidentally). The always excellent combination of complexity and melodicism are still in full force. Some of the unhinged improvisational aspects of Rebimine + Voltimine have returned, perhaps not surprising given the live setting. The saxophone certainly pushes the envelope and sometimes borders good taste, but reels it back just in time. Though Vali is my least favorite of the three Phlox albums I've heard (ED: at that time), it's still quite excellent. I will say this title has grown on me since first hearing it.

---4/3/25

For a live concert, this album is exceptionally, recorded, well played, and tight. The vibes and saxophone unison lines give it that distinct avant prog approach. The last track is too sax honky for me though.

Ownership: 2013 MKDK (CD). Digipak

5/15/13 (acquired / review); 4/3/25 (update)

Talu (2010)

Talu sees Phlox tightening up the ship a bit, and keeping some of the looser components of their sound on the leash. If you're looking for a fiery brand of Canterbury influenced fusion with shredding guitar, sax, flute, and fuzz keyboards / bass then look no further than Estonia's Phlox.

Ownership: 2010 MKDK (CD)

10/22/10 (acquired); 2/20/11 (review); 5/15/13; 2/14/17

Rebimine + Voltimine (2007)

Phlox are an Estonian band that play in the very heavy fusion category (no metal though). Hard driving, fast, complicated and downright exhilarating. A six piece group with guitar, sax, Moog, and electric piano being the primary solo components. The opening track alone ‘Rahn’ is likely to leave you with jaw dropped and completely out of breath. We hear flute on this track, and it’s unfortunate that it’s the only use on the album, because the contrast with the heavy guitars and blazing rhythms is awe inspiring. That’s not to say the rest of the album isn’t as impressive, because there’s so much here to like. The only fault I can find is their tendency to take the sax and electric piano jams too far - and thus lose us in the weeds (especially on the last two live improvisations, which should have just been left off altogether). Fortunately that’s a few and far between occurrence. Somewhere between Naikaku, Panzerballet, and National Health is where you’ll find the sound of Phlox. Superb.

Ownership: 2007 MKDK (CD)

11/14/07 (acquired / review)

      

2/20/11 (new entry)

The Beatles - 1962-1966. England

Well you had to know this was coming lol. Before I was into records, I collected sports cards (well, any kind of trading cards really). It comes naturally for me. A completist to the core. I knew less about the early incarnation of The Beatles, but I was most curious all the same. I didn't originally enjoy this selection as much as the blue album, but over time I found plenty to enjoy. This set demonstrates The Beatles in transition from a heartthrob teen band to that of a bona fide thoughtful collective. Sometime in 1965, The Beatles clearly wanted more in life - and they were one of many catalysts that drove the creativity of the era. By 1966, The Beatles were successfully established as an art group to be taken very seriously. This comp shows The Beatles with more hits, but taking less chances. As with any compilation, one can find fault with what is included versus what is omitted. I couldn't really think of anything egregious for the blue album, but I do think that 'Taxman' should have been included here.

As with 1967 to 1970, I'll break these out by my personal rating system:

Awesome: Yesterday; Paperback Writer; Eleanor Rigby

Very Good: She Loves You; I Want to Hold Your Hand; Can't Buy Me Love; A Hard Day's Night; And I Love Her; Ticket to Ride; Help!; Day Tripper; Drive My Car; Norwegian Wood; Michelle

Good: Love Me Do; Please Please Me; All My Loving; Eight Days a Week; I Feel Fine; We Can Work it Out; Nowhere Man

OK: From Me to You; In My Life; Girl

Not for Me: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away; Yellow Submarine

Ownership: LP: 1973 Apple (USA). 2xLP gatefold. 3rd album for me to ever own. After this I don't think I could recite accurately the chronology, just the year of purchase (mostly best guesses as well). Sears didn't have this one (lol) but found it at Eckerd Pharmacy (off of Forest in NW Dallas). The good old days when you could buy records just about anywhere. Already I can see signs that I was taking care of my records better. This one would rate VG+/VG even today. No writing (ha!).

MC: 1991 Capitol. Interesting to see these later tapes holding some value. Recent garage sale find (2024).

1977; 11/9/23 (new entry)

Theo Schumann-Formation ~ Germany (DDR)

Tanz in Theo's Beat Bar (1977)

If I hadn't personally wandered all over Eastern Europe at various stages from 1990 to 1994, and lived the reality, I could be fooled into thinking the West got the wrong end of the stick. I mean seriously - who wouldn't want to dance at Theo's Beat Bar? I'm so there - a casual foreign observer holding up the darkened wood panel bar, plumes of smoke everywhere, while enjoying multiple steins of awesome nickel beer from a local brewery. And watching hotty frauleins dance wildly in their tight fitting state worker uniforms. Male fantasy overload I'd submit. And who is providing this fanciful soundtrack? Well... none other than Theo Schumann of course! Who is that? I have no idea. Does it matter? Digging those period analog synthesizers, organ, and smooth electric sax. And that rhythm section! Nonstop fills. Miles would approve. This is some groovy ass sh...t. There are some straighter jazz / blues numbers as well. 

The photo of the band on the back is priceless. So square, they're hip. 

No reissues as of 3/31/25.

11/7/23 (review / new entry)

Alco Frisbass. 2015 France

At first I wasn't so sure this is something I needed to hold onto. Alco Frisbass' debut starts off with more than a whiff to the avant prog genre. There's ties to genre champion AltRock here, and the circus themes point to groups like Miriodor. But then the duo begin to add many soft touches. There's a soft jazzy undertone that I find very appealing. There's also some odd musical combinations here, and when one sees that Thierry Paysson is involved in the background, it begins to make sense. There's a touch of the Medieval and other later historical references (witness the cover). As the music continues on one could make the conclusion that this is Minimum Vital playing the instrumental music of Caravan. Certainly more Canterbury influenced than avant prog or Paysson's outfit. The keyboards are more vintage than modern hence offering up sepia tones versus brassy digital irritants. Clearly repeat listens will go a long way to securing memory space. Alco Frisbass strikes a fine balance of old and new, unusual for modern bands. My initial rating was correct, I just had doubted it. No more. Keeper.

Ownership: CD: 2015 Fading. Tri fold digipak purchased upon release.

5/24/15; 11/7/23 (new entry)

2023 Folk / World Fusion Journal Vol. 1

Areski / Brigitte Fontaine - L'Incendie. 1995 Spalax (CD) (1973). Collection revisit (Nov). Hypnotic and haunting are two very good adjectives that describe this unusual folk album. I really appreciate Fontaine's breathy French vocals. I think this is a good example of an album I'd keep on vinyl but doesn't seem to fit with the CD format. The opposite of progressive electronic I'd argue. It doesn't help that this CD version is a needle drop that has been muffled. I enjoy this album, but not enough to keep on CD.

Ole Lukkoye - Toomze. 1999 Lollipop Shop (CD) (1996). Collection revisit (Aug) Very similar to the debut (see below). Repetitive world trance music, which is still very good, but I prefer when it's mixed with psychedelia similar to Korai Orom. This album does have a psychedelic effect via the constant percussive beat, exotic instrumentation, and voices, as evidenced most on tracks 5 and 9. 

Renaissance - Illusion. 1995 Repertoire (CD) (1971). Collection revisit (Aug). The odd album out in Renaissance's canon. I was very pleasantly surprised how strong their 1969 debut really is on a recent revisit. As groundbreaking as In the Court of the Crimson King when talking the advent of progressive rock. On Illusion, Renaissance goes back to the shed and brings forth mostly a set of folk rock tunes. And not really any good ones at that. It isn't until the two minute mark on the album's 4th track that anything resembling progressive rock shows up. I'm fond of the lengthy closing jam though it would have been more effective at half the length. All of which helps hold the rating, but not enough to keep I'm afraid. The story has been told many times, but Renaissance were disintegrating and it looked like they would be gone forever. They were to rebuild themselves entirely on Prologue and went about releasing no less than six studio classics in a row (I include A Song for All Seasons in this category). 

Stacia Cushing - In Between. 1981 Fairfield. Found this for a couple of bucks at a local store. Never seen it before and it had "the look". Sure enough, worth a heck of a lot more than $2. Private pressing from Wichita, Kansas. I was also hoping for a lost folk album (which the cover indicates) or maybe a sweet kind of pop. None of the above. Even if there was one great track, I probably would have held onto it. The first couple of cuts are probably the best. Cushing's voice indicates she had dabbled in country music before, but made a career change somewhere down the line. Overall it's pop folk, and her voice is sort of irritating. Not for me. (Jul)

*Congregacion - Viene... 2012 Lion (CD) (1972). Kind of a mystical folk / folk rock album from the last days of Allende's rule in troubled Chile. Wonderful papersleeve gatefold with a full history from Lion, who always does a first class job. (Jul)

Ole Lukkoye - Zapara. 1996 Exotica (CD) (1993). Collection revisit (Jun). Like with Korai Orom, Ole Lukkoye loosely falls within the psychedelic festival circuit as well as various ethnic dance circles. This debut from the Russian group is a bit more world fusion and less psychedelic than their later albums, at least as I recall them. This is a very good title, but I have plenty of others to listen to in this space that are more interesting to my ears. 

*Nu & Apa Neagra - Omag. 2008 Lollipop Shop (CD). Collection revisit (Apr 2022). A very interesting band from Romania that mixes the experimental with indigenous traditions to come up with something entirely psychedelic sounding. One of those genre defying albums that could be labeled Avant Folk, Experimental, World Fusion, etc... Somewhat like the Polish band Atman in that way. I have to really be in the mood for music such as this to appreciate. I find it best just to put it on, and let it ride as background music. Hard to get involved with it otherwise.

*Projekt Karpaty Magiczne - Ethnocore. 1999 Fly Music (CD). Collection revisit (Apr 2022). Speaking of Atman, I've been a fan of their albums going back to my first discovery of them in the late 90s. One day some 20 years ago, while rummaging around Amoeba Records in San Francisco, I came across the CD of Magic Carpathians Project's Ethnocore 2 album. Loved it immediately (and haven't heard it since!). The Magic Carpathians are, as you may know, Atman version 2.0. But what of that first Ethnocore album? It was a bitch to find back then, since it was only released in Poland, unlike the second one that obtained an American imprint. I finally was able to import it from Germany at a hefty import cost. Values of LPs and CDs sometimes make no sense, as today one can find this CD very cheaply. Damn. In any case, the review I wrote above for Nu & Apa Neagra is the same one I could write for this with a bit more psychedelia infused.

* - Keeping for the collection

Brian Auger & The Trinity - Befour. 1970 England

With Julie Driscoll out of the way, Auger was able to get back on the (mostly) instrumental jazz rock train. This would be the last outing from The Trinity, but it sets the stage for his work with Oblivion Express. Six of the seven tracks here are covers, but don't let that deter you as they are highly creative interpretations. Auger's Hammond is always a joy to hear, and Gary Boyle puts in a fine performance on guitar. 15 years after first obtaining, this is only my second outing with the music. +1 listen for me. 

Ownership: CD: 2007 Fuel 2000. Jewel case release with informative booklet. Includes three excellent bonus tracks that are available on other reissues as well. Purchased new near the time of release.

2008 (acquired); 11/5/23 (review)

The Beatles - 1967-1970. England

OK - time to get serious about documenting my collection. UMR has evolved over the years from my primary review site to my collection archive. As I look to downsize that collection, my alternatives for finding new music are shrinking to streaming online and finding LPs/CDs/MCs in the wilds. Certainly I intend on buying original LPs (often expensive) and the occasional CD from dealers online - these are usually rare reissues, archival, or deluxe box sets. But the days of buying new CDs as they come out pretty much have stopped. It's not for a lack of desire or funds (fortunately). It's purely logistics and reality. The downsizing activity has been going for awhile, though I think I'm still breaking even haha. In any case, I do want to document all the albums I plan on keeping. Whether it's just for the next few years or until I die, I would like to get something down for the historical record. Not that anyone cares of course, but it makes me happy at the very least. For the first few dozen of records, most are very well known, and I don't have to hear them again to know what they sound like. They're etched into my DNA.

---

Well it all starts here. Numero uno. The very first LP I bought for myself. As I have mentioned prior, I did start as far back as 1975 with 45 singles, but tired of them one year later. I wrote the following on the Fleetwood Mac Rumours review: "It was the beginning of 1977 that I first began to listen to FM radio intently. With my new all-in-one Sanyo stereo including tape deck, the idea that I could actually tape what was on the radio was mind blowing, and given my organizational nature (even back then), I would spend hours listening for the best songs to put on compilation tapes. I think that's why my parents bought it for me. No more Genius Hans to worry about! Here's dinner under the door...."

That stereo system of course also had a turntable. I wanted my own records too. You have to start somewhere, and for me it made sense to start with The Beatles. Especially a double album filled to the brim with their best tracks. I was only 12 years old and did not really have a musical background. My dad liked Irish folk and country. My mom liked some easy listening. And they both liked classical, but not very seriously. No brothers and sisters to influence. Not even really neighborhood or school friends. Just a few delinquents into Led Zeppelin that I recall. That would have been too much for me at this tender age, but The Beatles were perfect for someone like me just starting out. As eclectic as they get, The Beatles offers something for everyone. And sure enough I tended to gravitate to the "heady" stuff right away. No idea why, it was just in my blood. I played both of these LPs over and over. Hundreds of times no doubt.

I don't need to define The Beatles for you, but here is my personal break down of the tracks.

Awesome: Strawberry Fields Forever; A Day in the Life; I Am the Walrus (my favorite from then and still today); Magical Mystery Tour; While My Guitar Gently Weeps; Come Together (I had this on a 45 prior) 

Very Good: Penny Lane; Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; Back in the USSR; Get Back; Here Comes the Sun; Something; The Long and Winding Road

Good: All You Need is Love; Hello Goodbye; The Fool on the Hill; Across the Universe

OK: With A Little Help From My Friends; Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds; Lady Madonna; Revolution; Don't Let Me Down; Old Brown Shoe; Let it Be

Not For Me: Hey Jude; Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da; The Ballad of John & Yoko; Octopus' Garden

Ownership: LP: 1976 Capitol/Apple hybrid Los Angeles pressing (USA). 2xLP gatefold. The current reissue at the time. Purchased at Sears Roebuck (1977) in Dallas (on Webb Chapel Extension if anyone remembers that store). With my mom actually helping me decide (interesting to think about that now). My copy isn't really that bad considering I had little idea how to care for records back then, and for the amount of time I played it. I'd grade it VG/VG today. I've found minty copies recently, but decided to sell them at the record shows (easy money). I even wrote my name and address in the gatefold per my mom's advice in case someone might steal it. That would be her. Fortunately I only did that once lol. As special an album as they get for me.

MC: 1992 Capitol. Interesting to see these later tapes holding some value. Recent garage sale find (2024).

1977; 11/5/23 (new entry)