Moira ~ Germany

Moira (1981)

Here's a title with a long personal history. One of those albums that I "discovered". What do I mean by that? Well I certainly didn't make the music nor was I the first person to own a copy - or even promote at some point in history. But I will take some credit for popularizing it during the internet era. I bought this copy from the German ebay in 2000 back when prices and postage were cheap enough to take chances like this. I knew Moira from their album Crazy Countdown, but never even heard about this title. The cover looked awesome, so why not try for it? And as we know now, the reward was immense. One of those great payoff listens. A year later, I penned the following for Gnosis (edited for relevancy):

---3/17/01

Certainly one of the more obscure bands from the vast Gunderground*, Moira were a fascinating progressive fusion collective formed by veterans of the Krautrock scene including Edgar Hoffman (Embryo) and Butze Fischer (Missus Beastly, Guru Guru, Embryo). Both their albums were recorded for the Schneeball label, the record consortium setup by members of Embryo and Missus Beastly. Musically, Moira fit snugly into the label’s distinct school of fusion and are part of the German “M” scene of jazz rock groups (Morpheus, Missus Beastly, Munju).

For the debut Crazy Countdown (ed: to be reviewed later)... Six years later the group had completely changed hands (see below for more explanation) and actually took on an older, more retro sound when absolutely no one was doing that in 1984. In an era when every band had the most tin-sounding, Casio-like, digital keyboard and every guitarist was going for the pig-squeal guitar hero motif, could a band possibly put an album out with Hammond organ, Moog and wah-wah guitar as its main ingredients? Sounding like a long lost recording from a smoky club in Hamburg, the band let loose with an unpretentious instrumental jazz rock album not found since the glory days of 1974. A truly astonishing release that beats their already excellent debut in every way. The opener Reise Nach Ixtlan** is a side long exercise in organ, analog synth, and guitar jamming with some incredible jazz drumming and a mighty fine bass player. This is followed by the short 'Oase', a flute, drum, and percussion piece that would not have been out of place on Yatha Sidhra’s album. Side two opens with 'Kristall', a more fusion oriented piece with some dirty organ and guitar shredding. 'Einsame Schatten', the only track with singing, follows with a blistering sequence that recalls the early Toto Blanke works. This track continues paradoxically with a funky jazz bit with German vocals recalling Embryo's Bad Heads and Bad Cats in their most silly mood. This section would be the album’s only misstep. The too short closer 'Resume' recalls the ending of Virus’ Revelation album complete with echoed German recitation and acid guitars.

---

That's where the original review ended. Sometime during 2005 I sent over a lot of information to Alan Freeman, who was in touch with Christian Burchard back then (Embryo). He was kind enough to see if he could find out more. The end result is that Burchard had no idea what it was! Between Alan's own discovery and my own, I appended the review in 2006:

---7/28/06

There’s been quite a bit of debate about this second album and its origins/authenticity. Anyone from Ultima Thule’s Cosmic Egg professors to Schneeball label owner/Embryo icon Christian Burchard have shrugged their shoulders and said “no idea?”. But the label clearly says Schneeball with a yellow background. The catalog number of 0025 was presumably used by polit-rockers Hammerfest on Hier Bei Uns, though careful steady shows that album was also on the Maulschnauz label, causing even more confusion. Then there was the small matter that neither album shared similar members. However there is a link: Some copies of Crazy Countdown come with a detailed Moira newsletter. The then current lineup of the band (1978) had already evolved and included one Eberhard Bronner on drums, who is in fact on Reise Nach Ixtlan.

---1/24/24

And that was the last time I revisited Moira's second album. Or really gave it much more thought. Here we are 18 years later, and I'm revisiting the LP for the first time since. Still as great as I remember it. Possibly even better to my ears today as my knowledge and appreciation of jazz rock has gone up considerably since those days. I even appreciate B2, the one song I wasn't as fond of originally.

* - Someone usurped my Gnosis review as the biography on Discogs. Which I'm completely fine with. However, they decided I made a mistake by using the term Gungerground. My response: "Thank you to whoever published my original article. Anyway - Yes, "Gunderground" was correct. That was an old term used by mail order dealers in the 1980s and early 90s. It meant, of course, German Underground. So... can we leave it as I originally published it please? Mucho gracias amigos."

And that was the end of that.

** - The album was sold to me with this title: Reise Nach Ixtlan. That's what I used in my early journal keeping and reviews. However there's no evidence to support that. It was just the first track on the album. Discogs has it correct as self-titled.

---1/30/24

A kind reader from Germany wrote in to state that he bought the record real time - in 1981. That fits with the catalog #. Still not sure if that's when it was recorded. Apparently the 1984 "date" was a reference to George Orwell. 

As it turns out, the album was not released by Schneeball, but rather it was distributed by them, even though Schneeball allocated the current catalog number (0025). Which would explain why the label doesn't feature their "snowball chicken" logo. It's also very clear from some newsletters that have been recently uncovered that the album was indeed their second recording - and it was recorded near the same time, in the same studio, as Didier's Cptn Coffee - who has a similar sound! Finally getting closure on the origins of Moira's second album.

Ownership: 1981 private (LP). 

Hard to believe that this was a $10 record even with expensive German mail order dealers back in the day. They were too caught up with the "1984"* date rather than taking the time to hear the music. 

*Since proven to be incorrect as well.

2000 (first listen); 3/17/01 (review); 7/28/06 (update); 1/24/24 (update)

1/24/24 (new entry)

Strawberry Alarm Clock ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Good Morning Starshine (1969)

SAC's final album is a major departure from the image and music the band is known for. Hear they attempt a bluesy hard rock sound. Some of the old pop psych magic is still there, but clearly the group is planning for the future. They had the right idea, but there wasn't enough interest to keep them going. Like most psych bands of the 60s, they couldn't find their audience much past 1970 / 71, and ultimately folded. I'm keeping this CD, but not sure if it's for the long haul. Their first two albums are among my all time favorites, so I tend to give more rope to these later and lesser efforts.

Ownership: 2005 Collectors' Choice (CD)

2006 (first acquired); 1/29/24 (review)

Incense and Peppermints (1967)

One looks at that outrageous front cover, crazy band moniker, and even crazier album title, and draws the conclusion that this album is nothing more than period fluff. And if one did that, they would miss out on one of the most thoughtful and brilliant releases ever made. Honestly I do believe its general popularity - especially in its day - is what holds back the appreciation. It's a forward thinking release, far beyond what almost anyone else was doing in 1967, especially coming from the sunny Southern California pop scene. For my tastes, Incense and Peppermints is the greatest pure psychedelic album ever released. The melodies are brilliant and the group truly convey the 1960's sunshine naivete better than anyone before or after. They could even match The Beach Boys in harmony, something they were trained to do, and did not come by accident. The album opens with 'The World's on Fire', which is about 3 to 4 years ahead of its time, especially considering its long Eastern influenced jam cycle - with fuzz guitar, flute, organ... it's the classic cosmic Krautrock sound years before anyone would know what that meant. 'Strawberries Mean Love' is ridiculously great, with its dual fuzz guitar melody that sticks with you for days - quite possibly my favorite psychedelic album track ever. 'Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow' is the definition of trippy mellow psych. 'Paxton's Back Street Carnival' is as off-kilter as the rollercoaster ride it depicts. Even songs that are less known like 'Hummin' Happy' pack more ideas into a 2:25 minute time frame than many bands do on a whole side of music. And then there's the famous title track that is jaw dropping in both melody and lyrical content. I joked on my Wake Up It's Tomorrow review about the alien factor, but albums like this really make you wonder sometimes. For as popular as the album was, it's amazing to me just how under the radar it remains. Not a single wasted minute on here.

Ownership: 1967 Uni (LP); 1997 Universal Japan (CD)

1998 (first acquired); 1999; 6/4/06; 5/10/12; 6/4/21 (review)

Wake Up... It's Tomorrow (1968)

The band asks: How many tomorrow's can you see? They almost let this one get away. They almost revealed themselves right here and now. They were partying with the psychedelic set, and who better than with a bunch of turned on kids with a name like Strawberry Alarm Clock. Who are they you ask? Extraterrestrial's of course. Duh.

The debut had already displayed more hair raising harmonies per second than any album in history, so why not up the ante, and mix that with a 6th dimension sound? Real time upon release, few in the world got it of course, and after realizing their potential mistake, this particular strain of ET's left to never return in our time and space. And Strawberry Alarm Clock went on to become an easy listening band based on "advice" from industry execs. Poor kids. They never had a chance.

Don't believe me? Just listen to 'Curse of the Witches'. That sheer burst of fuzz bass, celestial vibes, and harmony all arriving at once is a vision into heaven, followed by all sorts of disorientation including the just-slightly-off-kilter rhythms, but mathematically calculated perfectly to alter your mind. Meditation... "Oooo" is a lyric of pure genius. In fact the song it comes from 'Sit With the Guru', along with hit 'Tomorrow', are the two tracks here that resemble most the pop psych brilliance of the debut. The entire five song sequence that ends the album predicted all sorts of music movements to forth come. They were able to do that in 12 minutes.

Perhaps only 'Soft Skies, No Lies' and 'Go Back You're Going the Wrong Way' are "normal" songs, and even they are excellent.

Look at the artwork and understand who you're dealing with.

Wake Up... It's Tomorrow.

Ownership: 1968 Uni (LP). Uni-pak gatefold; 2005 Collectors' Choice (CD). With full liners.

1998 (first acquired); 1999; 2006; 10/8/17 (review)

10/8/17 (new entry)

Iced Earth ~ USA ~ Tampa, Florida

Night of the Stormrider (1991)

---3/29/01

For a brief period in the early to mid 1990's, a music movement known as "progressive thrash" thrived in the underground clubs and magazines of the day. Take two parts Metallica riffing, one part Iron Maiden song craft and one part Fates Warning style invention and you have an idea what the sound entails. One of the best at this style were Florida's own Iced Earth... By their second album, Night of the Stormrider, Iced Earth had honed their craft. Each song contains speedy riff after riff and plenty of metronomic activity to challenge the discerning listener. The vocals are clean but deep and heavy.

---1/24/24

It seems every time I hear this album, I give it a +1. I'm almost at the very top now. Everything about this album is perfect - from the atmosphere, to the riffing, the production, onto the compositions, even the much maligned vocals. And it's not even their best album! That goes to its successor Burnt Offerings. The album is super from the first note to the last. Love the cover too.

Best I can tell, this album didn't come out in the States until the following year. The first pressings were released in Germany and Europe. They were still pressing LP's in Germany, and this did get a vinyl release. They used a different cover, and I definitely prefer the US version.

Ownership: 1992 Century Media (CD). Lyric booklet. 

1994 (first listen); 3/29/01 (review); 12//04; 4/1/16; 11/3/17; 1/23/24 (update)

The Glorious Burden (2004)

The kings of the triplet riff. This title is their homage to world history, especially the American Civil War. Unfortunately it doesn't translate to anything more than a typical Iced Earth album. I adore the first three albums by them, and then it's case by case. I have a couple more later ones I'm sure to keep, but probably the rest will be released. I have a lot of their titles, and have already sold a few off. Here's one more.

Former ownership: 2004 SPV (CD)

7/12/07 (first listen); 6/17/16; 11/28/23 (review)

Enter the Realm (1989)

Enter the Realm is Iced Earth's debut EP demo cassette, originally recorded in January 1988 but not released until a full year later. Vocalist Gene Adams has been called out as a "no talent" by band leader Jon Schaffer himself, but I personally appreciate his "real people" approach that very much fits in with the aesthetic of the late 1980s. Had Iced Earth not hit the big time, no one would have noticed anyway, and this recording would be a cult classic sought after by many. Most of this album found its way onto the debut full album, in slightly revised form. 'Enter the Realm' and 'Nightmares' did not reappear until the Matthew Barlow re-recordings on Days of Purgatory. Overall this EP is a really fine early prog / thrash / power metal album.

Ownership: 2008 Century Media (2xCD). Papersleeve. Contains Enter The Realm of the Gods and Tribute to the Gods.

6/14/16 (review)

6/14/16 (new entry)

Raw Material ~ England

Time Is... (1971)

For Raw Material's debut I wrote: "Raw Material are one of the reference groups that define, for me at least, the English post psychedelic progressive rock sound... With Raw Material's debut you get the classic mix of psychedelic pop, jazz, and yes, what would later be known as progressive rock. A very enjoyable album where the attention can be focused on the songwriting more than the instrumental dexterity."

And no surprise that Raw Material's second album dived into the deep end of the progressive rock pool, leaving behind the pop and jazz elements. There were many English groups with the sound of Time Is... in the early 70s such as Diabolus, Gracious, Indian Summer, Tonton Macoute, and others. Saxophone and flute are the distinguishing characteristics from the usual guitar, bass, and drums. Keyboards are in the back seat. The vocals are appropriately rough-hewn, but not overtly so. Songwriting is dense but not stiff. In fact on this latter point, the two primary groups that Raw Material are frequently compared to are King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator. And there's truth to that, just listen to the final suite 'Sun God' and compare to KC. But Raw Material are a little more unprofessional and unpolished, leaving some room for a spare jam here and there. That's a plus.

Ownership: 

1971 Neon (LP). Gatefold 

1994 Repertoire (CD). Booklet with liner notes. These notes are kind of funny in that they essentially say: We can't find the band members, help!

The first copy I owned of this album was the bootleg LP.

1992 (acquired); 1997; 6/30/06; 1/17/24 (review)

Raw Material (1970)

Raw Material are one of the reference groups that define, for me at least, the English post psychedelic progressive rock sound. At the turn of the decade, England was arguably at the peak of creative thought in the world, and that mindset permeated throughout the globe in a very short time frame. The island was crawling with musical talent, each attempting to do more than the other - similar to what would happen two to three years later in Italy. The important thing to understand about this era is that the music itself is at the beginning of its journey, so it's nowhere near the Tales From Topographic Oceans logical conclusion. As such, music like this has aged better if one takes an historical outlook, rather than view every album as all things equal. With Raw Material's debut you get the classic mix of psychedelic pop, jazz, and yes, what would later be known as progressive rock. A very enjoyable album where the attention can be focused on the songwriting more than the instrumental dexterity.

What an absolutely outstanding reissue, and the way you wish all were done. Comes in a superb gatefold sleeve design (the original was a single flapback sleeve), with a booklet chock full of bio details, and a replica promo poster. Even better is that the second disc includes all three 45s's (six tracks) that they released from this era, plus a full album that I was completely unaware of by a pseudonym called Sounds Progressive. This latter album, titled Kid Jensen Introduces Sounds Progressive, is essentially Raw Material playing the cover tunes of the day. Perfect for bonus material. 

Ownership: 2020 Sunbeam (2xLP). Gatefold.

4/17/04 (Akarma CD acquired); 10/15/21 (review)

10/15/21 (new entry)

Ginga Rale Band ~ Austria

Wir Bedauern… (1980)

Ginga Rale Band's debut was one of the great discoveries of the CDRWL. To the best of my knowledge, it hadn't been uncovered to that point (well, take that back, our friend Lev in Russia had first presented it on RYM). I never saw it in any catalogs prior. Not long afterward, Alan Freeman got a hold of a copy, and also sung its praises to a much larger audience. 

---2/19/12

The AC introduced them to me this way: "Led by keyboardist Pipi Furz and guitarist Rainer Hochrainer, this virtually unknown Austrian group conjured up something truly amazing here. The backbone of their music is a kind of loose progressive jazz-rock of the distinctly "kraut-fusion" variety, but that doesn't really tell the half of it. Long, sprawling tracks unwind in a non-linear fashion, with all sorts of unexpected twists and turns, bizarre vocal interjections and sonic detours, creating an unsettling and distinctly surreal atmosphere that hovers over the entire album like a weird mist. Wild, reckless creativity and delirious imagination abound, entirely at odds with the standard funky fusion and symphonic prog that dominated the Germanic scene of the time. These guys were on too strange a trip to ever think about compromising or playing it safe, describing themselves as a "Dada Rock Brainstorming Cooporation" right on the cover. If this album had come out of 1972 Berlin, it would already be legendary. But emerging from this particular time and place, it never really had a chance. A lost krautrock classic if there ever was one."

We've said this many times before, but it can be somewhat mind-boggling that an album this good can be so deeply buried for so long. We've certainly turned up albums that are just as rare - but they may be more obviously flawed or teetering on the fringes of the genre we love. But Ginga Rale Band's debut is the kind of album that is likely to have wide appeal. After hearing it for the first time, I wanted an original LP immediately. I braced myself for the inevitable sticker shock. That collectors knew about it already, and the proverbial arm and leg was the asking price. But I was pleased to find one online for under $100. Not cheap to be certain, but it could have been 10 times that for all I knew. It took a long time to seal that deal, and thus the extended delay from point of first hearing until reporting here.

As any reader of the CDRWL knows, there were dozens of Kraut fusion albums from the late 70s and early 80s. Some are slick and tedious, others had a raw edge that is highly appealing. But Ginga Rale Band took it a step further concerning the latter point. Not only is it raw and complex - the music is incredibly unpredictable and exciting - but there's also this dark haunting cosmic angst that conjures up images of Tangerine Dream's Electronic Meditation and Ash Ra Tempel's Schwingungen when there are screaming voices present. Wir Bedauern... gets wilder and freakier as it goes, almost always a hallmark of a great album.

It would seem obvious the name was a play on the ginger ale drink. And that's been confirmed. There's actually a page on the web about them. The AC took this a step further and added these historical notes: "My German is nonexistent, but with the (somewhat dubious) help of Babelfish, I was able to determine that the band was founded in 1977 in Salzburg as the "Ginger Ale Band". In 1980 they changed the name to Ginga Rale Band, and released "Wir Bedauern...". It seems their "dada rock" concept saw them producing some sort of stage show with film projectors, additional actors, etc, (syncs up with the Austrian guy on RYM who said something like "They held nice open air festivals..."). It seems like after this there were some major line-up changes, and the band took a totally different direction. As you can see on the discography provided by that site, they produced a couple of (presumably private press) singles, which seem to be tied in with some kind of rock opera named "Rock Dream" that they were involved in. I checked around and amazingly found one of these tracks posted on youtube! As you can hear, it's angsty punk/new wave oriented stuff with female vocals, totally at odds with their earlier material. I think this is down to the line-up changes that I mentioned, and this brings up another interesting point. It seems that after "Wir Bedauern...", the band mostly became a vehicle for Hochrainer and his wife. In fact, it turns out that "Rainer" Hochrainer was actually named Paul, and you can also see his rather extensive discography (extending up to the current day) on that site. It turns out that Hochrainer and a couple of the other Ginga Rale guys actually guested on the first Aardvark (the Austrian one, obviously) LP, an album I remember hearing a long time ago and not liking at all (stylistically all over the map, from what I can recall). Anyway, after these singles they made an appearance on an obscure Austrian new wave/punk compilation under the name of "Friques Ginger Rale Band".

This sort of punk attitude unfortunately carries down to the track titles on "Wir Bedauern...", and represents the only problematic aspect of the album. There are only two tracks per side, and none are actually listed on the record label itself. But the back cover is clear on what those titles are. I spent many years of my career heavily involved with Human Resources, so I shudder at seeing the N word. It's not clear why they use this title twice (even though they are different songs). The album doesn't appear to be racist in any way, and the content is almost entirely instrumental. I would imagine any kind of reissue would have to at least address this within the liner notes or even a renaming of the title(s). Some may say we are all too politically correct for our own good, but I could see many more folks being just flat out offended by it (including me frankly).

Back to The AC's historical notes: "Finally, in 1984 "Information" was released, and then it seems they disbanded. I had heard that this later LP was in a Germanic polit-rock/agit-rock style, but based on the album's entry on that site and the style they had already been playing in for the past 3 years, I'd say it's probably more like a new wave/agit-punk mixture. Obviously well outside our interest area, in any case. Anyway, I haven't been able to find any useful links to this point, but I'm hoping that Hochrainer's relatively recent musical activity would mean making contact with him is still possible, hopefully leading to some interest in a Ginga Rale Band reissue or archival release."

Ginga Rale Band is a bulls eye for those that love the German Kraut fusion style, with the added bonus of successfully re-creating the atmosphere of the edgy cosmic Berlin-styled Krautrock of 1971. Amazing find.

---1/17/24

A very thorough introduction, I'd submit. Last night I heard the album for the first time since those exhilarating moments. My opinion has not changed one bit, and I could easily justify my high rating. This is exactly the kind of music that I've been seeking out these last 40+ years. It's always exciting when you find that treasure. Those moments never go away. Sometimes the music loses its luster over time, but that's not the case here.

Ownership: 1980 Reibo (LP)

No reissues exist as of 3/31/25. I did learn something interesting this morning though. While pulling down the photos from Discogs, it's clear there are two pressings. I started to correct that entry, but it involves the Freemans, and that usually gets into a dispute, so I changed my mind. Though in this case I would back them up. If you go to Discogs, you'll see the face of a girl. The entry says "photo with better contrast". Oh no. It's not a contrast issue, the face just doesn't exist. It's been blacked out! Which tells me the one on Discogs is probably the first press and her face portrayal was unauthorized (making it probably even rarer). Steve Freeman's image is still there, and that's what I'm showing here. Also, my copy's labels are darker, though that could very well be a lighting issue.

2/19/12 (review); 1/16/24 (update / new entry)

Ars Nova ~ Japan

The Book of the Dead (1998)

I concluded my review of Ars Nova's final album Seventh Hell with "Their first three albums are likely to be permanent fixtures of the collection given my personal history with the band, and their fourth is TBD. Otherwise I either didn't buy, or keep, the others. I prefer their more traditional progressive rock keyboard trio albums."

And here we are evaluating that fourth opus, which I haven't heard since I first bought it 23 years ago. The album starts off, as I expected, in keyboard trio ELP via Italy bombast mode, but as it went along, I did pick up something a bit different on this release. One is the obvious Egyptian styled interludes which tie back to the album concept. They're almost at the novelty level, but I can appreciate what they're attempting to do. That alone wouldn't move the needle. What was more interesting to me is that The Book of the Dead sounded oftentimes like an electronic rock album versus symphonic prog. I read a few reviews to corroborate my findings, and I haven't noticed anyone else picking up on that. I think part of the reason for this sound is that Ars Nova at this point were really a duo of keyboards and drums. They had the ex-bassist of Deja-Vu helping out, but he's clearly a session player here. And Keiko is breaking out the sequencers on more than one occasion. That's a unique enough diversion for me to consider holding onto this title for longer. Overall I enjoyed a +1 listen. And that should close the lid on my Ars Nova collection. I still need to revisit and document Transi and The Goddess of Darkness, but I anticipate both making the cut for different reasons, that I'll get into at that time.

Ownership: 1998 Musea (CD). Booklet with recording details.

2001 (acquired); 1/16/24 (review)

Seventh Hell (2009)

Ars Nova's swan song goes out swinging and takes no prisoners. Completely over the top bombast whilst keyboardist and band leader Keiko Kumagai takes her sex kitten routine to its logical extreme. After 17 years and two handfuls of releases, Ars Nova had nowhere else to go with the concept. Kumagai could have continued to take her ideas further into metal, S&M, and other extreme forms, but it would have been painful to watch and listen to a desperate person attempting to stay young. Better to retire gracefully. I almost kept this considering its no holds barred approach. But decided it's not really that interesting musically. Their first three albums are likely to be permanent fixtures of the collection given my personal history with the band, and their fourth is TBD. Otherwise I either didn't buy, or keep, the others. I prefer their more traditional progressive rock keyboard trio albums.

Former ownership: 2009 Altavoz (CD). Papersleeve.

5/24/14 (acquired); 11/9/23 (review)

  

Fear & Anxiety (1992)

The all-female keyboard trio Ars Nova were a breath of fresh air that blew into the landscape in the early 90s. They proudly followed other such acts like Deja-Vu, Social Tension, Motoi Sakuraba, as well as the various acts that contributed to the Kings Boards compilation. It is this sampler where we find Naomi Miura's (Rosalia's keyboardist - Rosalia incidentally is an all-female progressive pop band) brilliant instrumental piece 'Corde Spirale'. This track, no doubt, provided the inspiration for Fear & Anxiety (Naomi is mentioned in the credits). Keyboardist Keiko Kumagai displays an enormous amount of talent and creativity as she composes all the songs and obviously directs the course of each track. Though she plays a myriad of modern day digital synthesizers, the centerpiece of her sound comes from those wonderful old analog machines - the Hammond organ and the Mini Moog. 'Dark Clouds' opens the album rather ominously with minimalist piano, and haunting synth voices. Then the rhythm section kicks in courtesy of the Saito sisters, Yumiko and Kyoko, and we're off into keyboard trio nirvana with '[dziha:d]' (I think something got lost in translation here...). Ars Nova consistently play with angst and passion! On 'House of Ben' Keiko produces a sound Black Sabbath would be proud of. 'Prominence' and the two part 'Fata Morgana' finish this work with a similar display of imagination and performance. Fear & Anxiety is strongly recommended for those into the aforementioned Japanese groups, legends such as ELP and Supersister, as well as anybody into innovative progressive rock.

Ownership: 1992 Made in Japan (CD). Die-cut booklet.

1993 (acquired); 1/26/18 (review)

Android Domina (2006)

I realized after buying The Goddess of Darkness real time in 1996 that Ars Nova had little more to offer from a creative standpoint. Somewhere down the line I ended up with the next one The Book of the Dead, and my opinion remained unswayed. And here we are with Android Domina - a Japanese mini-LP I only bought because it was dirt cheap. Now we have the girls in full S&M regalia, and opening the album with mock orgasmic sounds. Honestly, they sound - and act - like a bunch of silly Japanese girls at a pajama party. Why they must tease the middle aged male dominated progressive rock crowd, is anyone's guess, but I suspect it is yet another "Lost in Translation" scenario. Because once that bit of tomfoolery is over, our gals get down to the serious business of keyboard dominated instrumental progressive rock. And they still have nothing new to offer. Can't dock them for the performance, it's all very good. Like Ozric in that way.

Former ownership: 2006 Altavoz (CD). Papersleeve

12/22/13 (acquired / review); 4/9/18

I own and still need to review: Transi; Goddess of Darkness

12/22/13 (new entry)

The Forum Quorum ~ USA ~ New York City, New York

The Forum Quorum (1968)

---12/30/10

The Forum Quorum is a way cool psych album from New York City area teenagers. They exclusively used Vox Continental organs, and were in fact sponsored by the company. They also made a couple of appearances on the Mike Douglas Show. And, on top of that, they also appeared in a movie. In a lot of ways, they were the East Coast equivalent to the Strawberry Alarm Clock, especially when you consider the amount of flute they employed. They didn't quite have the songwriting skills, or the master of harmony, as did SAC but otherwise a much better than average pop psych album, with plenty of progressive touches.

---1/16/24

In hearing it again for the first time in over a decade, this is one of those albums where you question yourself, as each track opens, "Is it really that good?" But as the songs develop you're drawn in by the diverse instrumentation and quality songwriting. Unlike a lot of 60s pop psych, the compositions are not static and demonstrate a progressive nature. I didn't mention the electric bouzouki prior, but that's another distinguishing characteristic. The Forum Quorum definitely display a Mediterranean background, consistent with being from the borough of Queens. Very solid album that remains under the radar.

Ownership: 1968 Decca (LP)

No legit reissues exist as of 3/31/25.

2008 (first listen); 12/30/10 (review); 12/31/12; 1/15/24 (update / new entry)

Gnidrolog ~ England

...In Spite of Harry's Toe-Nail (1972)

For Lady Lake I wrote: "I had longed questioned the quality of Lady Lake, Gnidrolog's sophomore effort. It seemed to be highly-touted among collectors worldwide, many times at the expense of the debut In Spite of Harry's Toe-Nail - an album I enjoyed from the first time I heard it... And while I still prefer the herky-jerkiness of the debut, I've come to the realization that Lady Lake is indeed a fine work. It's not as immediately apparent for someone who is as meter focused as I tend to be."

And that's it in a nutshell. Gnidrolog sounds like a less refined Gentle Giant, seemingly on the edge of bursting into wild Krautrock territory but holding just enough back. There are many interludes that soften the edgy mood. My favorite track is 'Time and Space' but there's not a weak moment to be found throughout. One of the better known-but-still-obscure UK prog albums.

Ownership: 

1972 RCA (LP). Gatefold. About as textured a cover as you will ever find. Almost like a burlap sack or an etched tabletop. I received this copy in the mail from a gentleman I had met in Helsinki (1993). It was a gift and accompanied by a note that he was dying and he wanted me to have this. I had only spent a couple of hours with him (and others) listening to music one afternoon (not knowing his current fate), so it was incredibly touching. Perhaps the most emotional album I own from that perspective. 

1993 (acquired); 1999; 11//05; 2009; 1/14/24 (review)

Lady Lake (1972)

I had longed questioned the quality of Lady Lake, Gnidrolog's sophomore effort. It seemed to be highly-touted among collectors worldwide, many times at the expense of the debut In Spite of Harry's Toe-Nail - an album I enjoyed from the first time I heard it. I had always figured it was to increase the value of the album, rather than an honest assessment of the music itself. And while I still prefer the herky-jerkiness of the debut, I've come to the realization that Lady Lake is indeed a fine work. It's not as immediately apparent for someone who is as meter focused as I tend to be, but yet there's a maturity and depth that I missed in my overanxious youth. In fact, the album ties in well with other top level UK albums like Raw Material and Spring - other works that took awhile for me to appreciate. Now I can't get enough of this peculiar breed of UK rock from the early 1970s. The addition of a prevalent woodwinds player also helps considerably. The title track comes close to horn rock, which I find a welcome development, but likely to further irritate those who are not fond of the genre.

Ownership: 1972 RCA (LP)

1998 (first acquired); 10//04; 2009; 3/7/10 (review); 6/10/21 (update)

3/9/10 (new entry)

Genesis ~ England

Trespass (1970)

As I have mentioned a couple of times, when I arrived to college in 1983, I had no idea Genesis were a prog band. In the Dallas area, the FM radio stations purged all evidence that the group existed prior to 1977. My hall monitor was also a record collector and while looking through my progressive oriented collection (such as it was), he asked where my Genesis albums were. I told him I thought they were a pop group. Ohhh... nooo. So he let me borrow Wind and Wuthering figuring it was more contemporary. I really enjoyed it, and realized I had missed out. Then he let me borrow Trespass.

This was something entirely different to the progressive rock I had enjoyed up this point, mostly from the Yes and ELP school. This was a type of murky and mysterious music, distant yet engaging. While Side 1 is excellent, it was Side 2 that really drew me in. And some 40 years later, on yet another revisit, I can say with conviction this is why I consider it a top division record. 'Stagnation' is the culmination of the three tracks prior. 'Dusk' picks up the pace and highlights Gabriel's flute. Incidentally this would be the album he features the instrument the most. And then the real jaw dropper, especially for my ears back then, was 'The Knife'. I wasn't prepared at all for the aggressive stance of the composition. It's interesting to note that Anthony Phillips made a career out of pastoral acoustic guitar based music, similar to what he brought to Trespass. But on 'The Knife' it appears that Phillips purged all of his pent-up anger in one fell swoop. It's darn near heavy metal in places! It still sends a chill down my spine all these years later. You can really feel this album through and through.

I'm not one to take a contrarian position, but I enjoy Trespass better than the next two, and it remains my second favorite Genesis album after the almighty Selling England by the Pound.

Like with most of my original Genesis LP collection, I started with a single sleeve commodity, and over time, secured the UK original.

Ownership: 

1970 Charisma UK (LP). Textured gatefold with lyric inner. Pink scroll label.

1999 Charisma Japan (CD). Papersleeve gatefold. 

1//84 (first acquired); 1995; 2009; 1/12/24 (review)

Abacab (1981)

Like just about every other dyed-in-the-wool prog fan my tolerance for pop era Genesis is pretty low. As mentioned here before, I didn't even know Genesis was a prog band until I got to college a couple of years later. I always liked the title track with its random synthesizer leads and motorik styled drums. Even though the song is the most proggy thing here, the fact remains it was the big hit from the album and it makes you wonder why they didn't reconsider their decision. The rest of the album is not so bad if taking into account the early 80s radio mindset. Some of it reminds me of Toto of all bands, especially the horn driven numbers. Taking the emotion out of it, I'm tempted to keep it. But the downsizing must continue, and as I said about a recent ZZ Top tape, I have no nostalgia here. And if I did, it would be mostly on the negative side. Glad to have reconciled with it though.

Source: 1981 Atlantic (LP)

Wind & Wuthering (1976)

If you've ever spent any time on a progressive rock chat board, then you'll know that Genesis gets a lot of ink. I mean a lot. As if there never were any other progressive rock bands in the world except Genesis, Yes, and a handful of others. I've spent a lifetime collecting and reporting a different world than that. But Genesis remains one of my favorites as well. If you were to come along today and learn about progressive rock for the first time, Genesis would get mentioned early and one would be directed properly to their early albums. Strangely, for those of my generation, Genesis were an AOR / pop band. As if they didn't exist before 1977. And I started listening to the radio intently in... 1977! Such was the state of commercial radio back then. It wasn't until I got to college (1983) where I met more like-minded guys, that I learned Genesis were a prog band. Our resident assistant let me borrow Trespass through Foxtrot, and my education of Genesis began.

I bring all of this up in a Wind & Wuthering review, because this was their last stand for prog rock. Much debate (as noted in sentence #1) has occurred around whether or not this album was the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning (appropriate phrasing for a number of reasons...). Based on my own personal experience, I have hard data that it was the end of the beginning. I never heard this album until I started buying for myself all the "prog" Genesis albums. Even though there is the one pop number 'Your Own Special Way', its placement here is about as relevant as 'I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)'. And I never heard it on the radio either. But I sure as shite heard 'Follow You Follow Me' nine million times. And that was before 1979.

Was Steve Hackett the secret ingredient that held it all together? The superficial data says yes. The reality is probably no. He just would have been the guitarist in the pop group known as Genesis. Have you heard Cured? You'll get a funny feeling. Point made. As for W&W, I find most of the material here very strong - up there with some of their best works. It's not as consistent, and I don't consider it a first division record, but close. The Unquiet/Quiet sequence is stunning though.

Ownership: 

1976 ATCO (LP). With hype sticker.

1994 ATCO (CD)

1986 (acquired); 8/13/06; 9/30/19; 3/28/23 (review)

3/28/23 (new entry)

Finch - Beyond Expression. 1976 Netherlands

I could have sworn I wrote about this album before. This was one of my earliest mail order purchases while still in college, and is yet one more important album that encouraged me to continue my deep dive into obscure European progressive rock. Glory of the Inner Force is one of the most important records in my collection, so I was very excited to be able to get this title for reasonably cheap, even back then.

From a style perspective, it's largely a continuation of the aforementioned Glory album. I'm going to quote from the other two studio album reviews, as that will likely auto-write this one. 

"Glory of the Inner Force is quite simply hyper kinetic instrumental progressive rock, or what we used to call symphonic fusion...  One criticism I've constantly heard about Finch is that they're more about chops than composition, and yet I hear it completely different. Despite the fast paced nature of the recordings, and the many twist and turns that goes on throughout each track, there is also a strong melodic component as well - very similar to Focus regarding this latter characteristic."

(Galleons of Passion): "But on close inspection, one can hear that Finch had already moved in this direction on Side 2 of Beyond Expression. And what makes it successful is the superb guitar playing of Joop van Nimwegen. He clearly is one to wear his emotions on his guitar sleeve, and his playing here is incredibly expressive. In this way, Nimwegen could be compared to Mario Millo over in Australia. In fact, that to me is what Galleons of Passion reminds me of most: Sebastian Hardie. The appropriately named 'Reconciling' closes the album in more kinetic fashion, hence reconciling with their past Glories."

Beyond Expression has three long tracks that use the same heavy / soft formula of instrumental symphonic fusion with plenty of thematic and meter changes throughout. Essential.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Negram. Single sleeve. Acquired from a California based dealer through Goldmine Magazine while still in college (1986). Mine fortunately does not have a tear on the back like the Discogs stock copy. 

CD: 1994 Marquee / Pseudonym. Jewel case with gold disc.

1986 (first listen); 1994; 2009; 1/10/24 (review)

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. 1972 Italy

The debut album by one of the pillars of the Italian progressive rock movement. As good as advertised, Banco DMS brings out all the elements that made them so stellar: Dual keyboards, heavy guitars, complex rhythms, and the operatic male vocals sung in glorious Italian. Highlights include long time favorites such as 'R.I.P', 'Metamorfosi', and the lengthy 'Il Giardino del Mago'. For my tastes, this comes in second place to the almighty Io Sono Nato Libero. Table stakes for any progressive rock collection.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Ricordi. Piggy bank shaped cover. Acquired online from a dealer in Bologna (2000). Crazy packaging and difficult to store. I have it on a night stand laying flat by itself. Pretty decent condition all things considered (though not as good as Discogs' stock copy).

LP: 1972 Ricordi. Standard gatefold cover. Acquired via mail order (1988). This was my introduction to the album.

CD: 2003 BMG (Japan). Papersleeve edition that mimics the original piggy back design. I have it sitting on top of the LP lol.

12//88; 2003; 1/9/24 (new entry)

Tangerine Dream - Electronic Meditation. 1970 Germany

As noted here many times I became something of a fanatic for Tangerine Dream starting in 1982, and began to track down any album I could. One of the albums that had proven elusive was their debut, Electronic Meditation. Finally I secured a copy at the tail end of 1983. Got home, undid the shrink, and put the LP on the turntable.

I most certainly wasn't expecting this. I didn't even know where to turn. I had no reference points for what I was hearing. But I was completely captivated by it. It took me months to even hear it properly, parsed to where I could even understand it. Like trying to master a foreign language in that way. 

23 years ago for Gnosis I wrote (edited for relevancy): "Eventually I became entranced by their reckless, though oddly composed, psychedelic abandon. Organ, flute, drums, guitar, cello, found sounds. Every aspect of this was new. The intensity of  'Journey Through a Burning Brain' with Froese's screaming guitar and Klaus Schulze's piledriving drum technique has rarely been topped on any album by any group, to this day. 'Cold Smoke' and 'Ashes to Ashes' are psychedelic to the hilt while still being thoroughly experimental (in a modern classical music way). I needed more of this! And it has been a lifelong search. Through this I was to discover the vast Krautrock scene and forever changed the way I hunted for records. Later on I was to find out that I had stumbled onto the "Ohr" years (now mysteriously known as the "Pink Years") of Tangerine Dream, their most experimental period. Of course I was later to discover Ohr was the groundbreaking German label that also introduced legends such as Ash Ra Tempel, Embryo, Mythos, and Guru Guru while also spawning the Brain and Kosmische Kouriers labels. Electronic Meditation featured the one time lineup of "geniuses" that could no way get along for much more than one album. Edgar Froese on organ and guitar, Klaus Schulze on drums, and electronics and Conrad Schnitzler on cello, guitar, and electronics. The album also featured two other players on organ and flute that go uncredited (one was future Embryo member Jimmy Jackson)."

To explore some of the themes above further: Once I did grasp the contents, I wanted more of it. But where and who and how? The album seemed to have no peers. So I began a lifelong quest of researching obscure music. More than any other album in my collection, I credit Electronic Meditation for my interest in the darkest recesses of the underground. The vibe this album possesses was like none other. I'd heard some early Pink Floyd, but this was way different. It was another world. I had to find more like it, and eventually did. This was long before the internet so gathering data in those days was tough. Talk to record store workers, read Goldmine magazine, grab every piece of interesting music literature you could find.

But why would such music interest me so much in the first place? I was no radical teenager. I did well in school, got along fine with my parents, always polite at church, worked hard to make a dollar, etc... As noted somewhere in UMR, I had some pent up anger to let out in the late 70s (mostly forced bussing to the housing projects related) which is what got me into heavy metal. Fine, easily explained. The magical moments that Rubycon provided one can attribute to an unfettered imagination. But this? One images a rundown flat in Germany with a single ray of sunshine glaring through the morning haze of pot smoke, copies of Das Kapital strewn about on the floor, barely clothed frolicking youth running around aimlessly. Throw away your books and rally in the streets. Anarchy, man.

Electronic Meditation is the musical personification of the word subversive.

OK, why did that resonate with me then? At the time I didn't think about it, I just wanted more of it. The music hit a core nerve. Years later it occurred to me as to why. Even as a little boy I had a fascination with Europe. If we went to the school library, while other kids pulled out familiar books, I'd go and seek out titles like "Austria", "Belgium", and "Sweden". These were education books and many of the photos were of traditional costumes, which were probably not any more relevant than us Americans running around in Yankee Doodle outfits. But it still captivated my imagination. I want to go there! Then the real kicker was television. Funny to think we only had six TV stations, yet I could find more interesting shows to watch then than I can now with 500 stations at my disposal (not including the internet). I loved the British spy shows in particular, and anything that was psychedelic, even though I had no idea what that term even meant. PBS was good for those kind of shows back then. And we really got to see some weird movies on our one UHF channel (Ch. 39 in Dallas). Why did I like those shows so much? I have no idea actually. Like I said above - it was a foreign world that I wanted to explore more. And I did that too once I was an independent young man.

I have so much personal history with Electronic Meditation that it's hard for me to show any kind of objectivity. This would be another Top 25 Most Important Album if I made such a list. I tend to bristle when I see folks give this album the short shrift. But I've come to terms with that too. If you're a fan of the familiar Tangerine Dream sound, this would be pure cacophony to the uninitiated. How would have I reacted to this album had I heard it at age 59 for the first time rather than at 18? Exactly - not for me. 

Electronic Meditation ended up defining one of my key interests in music. It makes no sense in the end, perhaps adding to the allure of it all.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Ohr. Gatefold. The familiar 556 version. This was something like my 4th upgrade (guessing early days of ebay 1999). Original 1970 56's, especially with the balloon, are very rare. The first LP I obtained, referenced in the story above, was the French Virgin single sleeve version.

CD: 2004 Arcangelo (Japan). Papersleeve edition that was thoughtful enough to include a sealed balloon with the small cutout to support it.

12//83; 7/3/01; 11/1/15; 1/8/24 (new entry)

Accept ~ Germany

Restless and Wild (1982)

And here we have the invention of thrash metal. Accept were an odd choice to be the torchbearer for the movement. Their debut album was a product of the 70s, a juiced up hard rock similar to what the Scorpions and UFO were up to. They followed this with the lackluster I'm A Rebel, a decided move to AC/DC style hard edged boogie rock. Then came Breaker, and Accept were clearly starting to prove they might be a show horse after all. It's here they introduced their love for Judas Priest as much as AC/DC. This all lead to Restless and Wild. It's almost as if the group decided they had nothing to lose and went for broke. 

Starting off with the Nazi symbolic folk song 'Ein Heller und ein Batzen', Accept represented what many German youngsters felt - we've had enough of this crap - and vocalist Udo Dirkschneider proceeds to scream his head off in a rage of pent-up anger while the band unleashes thrash metal to the world. They let the genie out of the bottle, and the song resonated worldwide with every angry youth regardless of nationality. 'Fast as a Shark' is ground zero. Just the way the album opens would become de rigueur for thrash to come. That of a soft or irrelevant opening followed by a crushing attack of raging guitars. In retrospect, Accept weren't thrash at all, and the remainder of the album doesn't really reflect a similar sound. 'Fast a Shark' could be seen as an amped up variation of Judas Priest's 'Exciter'. No matter, it was the sound created that sparked the imagination of hundreds of budding metal musicians. One of those groups would be Metallica, and the following year they unleashed Kill 'em All to be arguably the first full throttle thrash album. If you look at a site such as RYM, you'll notice that thrash became a phenomena very quickly after that. It started right here.

I suppose if that's all Restless and Wild brought to the table - that is to say, their opener only - then it would be of historic interest and little else. That is fortunately not the case. They never let go of the heaviness, which also captured the imagination of a restless youth so to speak. The title track is the perfect follow up, slowing down the proceedings while maintaining the galloping heavy riffs. There are no weak songs to be found, every one of them has purpose to go with the heavy sound. And they're perfectly placed in the track order. This is the only album where AC/DC didn't seem to inspire them. That style was reintroduced on Balls to the Wall, a much more tame (albeit successful) follow up.

Two other songs to call out. One is 'Neon Nights' that closes off Side 1. Here they tap into the thoughtful side of the Scorpions, but with an extra dollop of heaviness. And then perhaps the crown jewel of them all is 'Princess of the Dawn', a track that you could make the claim inspired Epic Metal. It has all the earmarks of a Manilla Road or Cirith Ungol type work. Progressive in its composition, and heavy in its output.

The cover is also predictive - they lit the match that set the heavy metal genre into flames. Restless and Wild is as groundbreaking as they come.

Let's talk about the alternate cover. What on earth were they thinking (label I presume)? The Brain cover is perfect in every single way possible (I mean just look at it!). And when the album was released worldwide it just showed the band playing live. It looks like a live album release. What a dumb decision that was.

Ownership: 1982 Brain (LP). Black label; 1987 Heavy Metal Worldwide (CD). Alternate cover.

1983 (acquired); 1/8/24 (review)

Breaker (1981)

One of the most important European metal albums, Accept surprised everyone with their 3rd opus. After a couple of ordinary hard rock albums, Breaker turned up the amps and broke out the riffs for a head turning "did you hear that?". I bought this album real time (the US Passport version) and its impact was profound. I'm surprised I did though, as I unfortunately purchased I'm A Rebel prior, one of the worst buys of my initial forays into the underground during high school. I'll have to hear it again at some point, but it was absolutely not what I wanted at the time. I must have heard a track on the radio from Breaker to compel me to go back to Accept. Over time I lost interest in this kind of metal and sold off my copy in the early 90s - probably along with the 1980s Scorpions albums.

One thing to note is that the original German version has a different running order than the American press. And this is important because the opening three tracks here pack a wallop when thrown together. Opener 'Starlight' reminds me of Judas Priest's 'Grinder' and is a great way to open the album. But the second track - and it is the second track on the Passport version as well - is the title song. It is this song that has one of those memorable riffs that would become heavy metal's ultimate trademark. And 'Run If You Can' fulfills the great opening sequence. From here the album doesn't maintain it's blistering pace but almost all of it is very good. Only 'Midnight Highway' can be skipped - a moldy relic from their I'm a Rebel past. Naturally that was the opener on the US version. Oddly my rating for this album didn't change. I was expecting a major revelation here, but no - my memory of it from 30 years ago was pretty accurate. I just appreciate more now its historical significance.

Back to 1981: I had become an established Accept fan. Good timing, because their next album was the masterpiece - the one that blew the doors off the metal scene and created the expanding universe as we know it. That of course would be Restless and Wild, and unlike Breaker, I never got tired of that album and it remains one of the treasures of my collection. 

Ownership: 1981 Brain (LP). With lyric / picture inner bag. Black label. 

1981 (first acquired); 10/25/22 (review)

Russian Roulette (1986)

I'd heard this album real time and I didn't think much of it. My rating was certainly too low, but this is a very straightforward metal album. Reminds me a lot of those Anthem (Japan) albums actually. I've been reading reviews and comments where many feel this album is highly underrated - and some say it's their best. I can't understand that sentiment myself. Guessing it's coming more from the "true metal" camp. It's definitely no fuss, no muss.

Source: 1986 Portrait (LP)

1986; 10/26/22 (review)

Balls to the Wall (1983)

I don't think one can overestimate the influence that its predecessor Restless and Wild had on metal. In my mind, it was the very first thrash metal album. Sure, Metallica were to improve on the formula and become the standard bearers, but it was Accept that lit the flame. So when Balls to the Wall hit the floor, I nabbed a copy as soon as I could. It was an import and therefore not cheap (it was before they had signed to a US label). I was pretty disappointed to be honest. Accept had decided to scale back and return to their roots. The best description I've read on this album is AC/DC meets Judas Priest. Which is entirely apt, though I had forgotten how much of the latter there really was here. I'm not a fan of AC/DC (as you have read) but I love JP. This one has much more crunch and speed than I recalled, and I'm glad I reacquired it. I couldn't pull the trigger for Metal Heart though.

The CD adds two bonus tracks, both excellent live renditions of songs from the album.

Ownership: 1984 Portrait (LP); 2001 Portrait Legacy (CD). Full liner notes and two bonus tracks.

1984 (first acquired); 1/30/22 (review); 6/18/25 (update)

10/25/22 (new entry)

Wendy & Bonnie ~ USA ~ San Francisco, California

Genesis (1969)

Last night I followed up my listen of Master of Reality with... Wendy & Bonnie. Of course I did. A reverse one-two punch I suppose. 

Quite simply Genesis is one of the most beautiful and "pure" albums ever made. If this album doesn't make you melt, you really ought to seek therapy with your anger management issues. The Flower sisters (their real last name if you can believe it) are the epitome of late 60s psychedelic innocence. Every single track is beautiful, from the soft drifty folk numbers to the more energetic psych rock dancers.

I've owned this album for 34 years, but it's only now that I'm realizing that it was 100% within the universe of Gary McFarland and Gabor Szabo. It's only been in the last five years that I've become enthralled with the latter. And now the album makes sense. The San Francisco based Flower family were friends with Cal Tjader, one of the co-owners of the Skye label (along with the above two gentlemen). This is why Genesis is so unique - a combination of young talented teenage girls with professional jazz musicians. According to the liner notes of the CD, McFarland and Szabo were a great support and offered guidance throughout. Not to mention providing A-lister jazz musicians to the recordings. Had the label not run into financial trouble, it's very well possible Wendy & Bonnie would be household names today. The Free Design would be about the only guidepost I can offer here, and even they were a distant type of sound to what is on offer here.

Stunningly beautiful in every way possible.

Ownership:

1969 Skye (LP)

2001 Sundazed (CD). Liner notes. There are five bonus tracks, but only one is of keen interest - a rare acetate by a predecessor band called Crystal Fountain. The other four are primitive outtakes.

1990 (acquired); 2001; 3/16/10; 1/6/24 (review / new entry)

Black Sabbath - Master of Reality. 1971 England

For me, one of the most fascinating aspects of musical history are the albums and groups that have transcended time. As a crate digger, I witness the kind of albums that find their way into thrift shops and record store dollar bins all-day, every-day. These are the ones that were popular in their day but demand is almost non-existent in modern times. Hence they have become worthless commodities, and can't even sell for a buck at a thrift shop. Then there's the "once commodities" that are like finding money laying around on the floor. You do realize that gold is technically a "commodity", not a rare gem, right?

Then there's the music review sites. Popular albums from the past will consistently have low ratings and few comments. But the records that have become multi-generational are the highest rated with thousands of reviews gushing on its contents. Once again, having immersed myself into the used record business in the last 5 years, most of my clientele is younger - or much younger - than myself. Their perspective matters to me both from an artistic point of view as well as an economic one. And, maybe even more to the point, as an historian.

Black Sabbath is among the royalty in this discussion. It isn't until their 7th album Technical Ecstasy that anyone casts dispersions, with a faint voice maybe directed at the predecessor Sabotage. But any dissent on Sabbath's first quintet would be the equivalent of doubting the Bible in the 19th century. You would be labeled a heretic. There are plenty of groups that get accused of the dreaded "overrated" tag, many of whom do need a more critical evaluation. But others seems to be immune to that as well - and Black Sabbath is that band - at least from 1970 to 1975.

But why is that? How does Master of Reality relate to a 13 year old in 2024 whereas so many others have the same appeal today as Frankie Valli? And will it always be the case? The latter is impossible to answer, but we're a few generations in now and the theory seems to uphold.

Put me in the camp that says Master of Reality is nothing short of brilliant, arguably their best album (I still have a soft spot for Sabotage). The obvious answer to my premise is that Sabbath invented heavy metal, a genre even the most respected and ardent music critics of the past couldn't make go away. They hated heavy metal, saw it as nothing but machismo music for unreconstructed neanderthal men. And yet here we are in the most cultural woke era in the history of mankind - and heavy metal is still king of the underground.

The thing is, Sabbath didn't invent heavy metal, but it doesn't matter really. They are identified with it. In my mind they weren't really metal at all, but that fuzzy sound that Iommi created just cuts right to the nerve core. For me, it's like a shot of drugs. When you hear it, happiness ensues. Ahhh. Right from the start 'Sweet Leaf' you are going to get that shot of adrenaline. 'After Forever' is more upbeat with a few excellent guitar breaks. Overt pro-Christian lyrics completely ruin the narrative that they were a bunch of satanists. Pfft. They were Catholics, just like Slayer's Tom Araya. And to the point of "breaks", this is a term that is heavily sought after by record collectors. It refers to an isolated drum pattern that can be sampled. But with Sabbath, they introduced the concept of multiple "riffs" in a song. Breaks as it were, but a guitar pattern versus drums. This is something else the band is highly revered for. 

'Children of the Grave' and 'Lord of this World' are two more awesome crunchers that emulate their style perfectly, as noted above. Sabbath would also frequently throw in mellow interludes to offset the barrage. In my mind, that's a brilliant move. Sort of proggy in that way offering up dynamic contrast. And the best example of that is the combo of 'Solitude' and 'Into the Void'. The former is beautiful, with flute, percussion, and Ozzy's mournful vocals. Very much a sound that early 70s England was carrying at that time. As far as I'm concerned 'Into the Void" is their all-time great heavy moment in the sun. That third Iommi riff with Butler's bottom end hasn't been replicated since. Many of tried, none have succeeded. They perfected that formula all the way back in 1971.

Yep. Timeless.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Vertigo (UK). Embossed envelope sleeve. Got this for $20 from an online dealer... in 2017! Sometimes couch digging pays off. Nice condition too. No poster but my goodness what a steal.

CD: 2002 Victor (Japan). Papersleeve edition. Has the poster lol.

The first copy I owned was one of those cheapie 80s era Irish NEMS releases. The 70s UK NEMS releases were much better.

1984; 11//05; 3/18/17 (LP acquire); 9/12/19; 1/6/24 (new entry)

Heldon / Richard Pinhas ~ France

Stand By (1979)

Agneta Nilsson (1976)

Agneta Nilsson was the first Heldon album for me to hear, and like so many foundational albums, it helped shaped my tastes in music rather than validate it. I was very familiar with Tangerine Dream, Ashra, and Klaus Schulze by this time (early 1986), but little else outside of Germany in the electronic field. When I saw the cover, it seemed like a can't miss proposition. Used import records back then weren't expensive so I took a chance. And was rewarded, though once again it took a long time to fully appreciate. The opening track is more like Richard Pinhas' Iceland (an album I'd hear a few years later), which is a long.. cold... electronic landscape. This is followed by the second Perspective which is a wild combination of synthesizers and atmospheric percussion. It's the third Perspective that enthralled me initially (and to this day). 'Baader-Meinhof Blues' is an incredibly intense piece of music and it's here that I was introduced to Professor Pinhas' 1954 Gibson Les Paul guitar. When one uses terms such as anguished, tortured, or nightmarish electric guitar, then this is the textbook definition of that. And while Pinhas is conjuring up the evil side of Hendrix, the Moog playing is magnificent. It appears to be completely improvised with the unpredictable analog instrument threatening to blow up at any moment. Like a washing machine that's about to topple over. This is followed by the one peaceful track 'Bassong' which is a guitar bass duo from two players not on the rest of the album, but both part of Pinhas' world (Gerard Prevost and Michel Ettori). The long Perspective IV is a summary of the contents before it with added doomanality (new word). Pinhas can really crush your spirit with his guitar and "melodies". After this album, Pinhas added permanent members to create more electronic rock sounding albums, that are even better (especially the last two). But these semi-solo electronic experiments prior are not to be missed. Pioneering in every way. 

Ownership: 

1976 Urus (LP)

2005 Captain Trip (CD) Papersleeve.

1/6/86 (acquired); 9/15/06; 1/5/24 (review)

Rhizosphere (1977)

Heldon were one of the early obscure European electronic groups that I got into during my college years. While in Chicago a couple of years afterward, I stumbled upon the US pressing of Rhizosphere (on Aural Explorer), which is Pinhas' first solo album. Not surprisingly, there isn't that much difference between a Pinhas solo work and a Heldon album. Similar in that way to Edgar Froese and Tangerine Dream in the mid to late 70s. One could argue that Heldon essentially is Pinhas. However, Rhizosphere didn't excite me much on initial impact as it was a bit more static electronic than the more active and full bodied Heldon. Over the years though, I've come to appreciate his dark and heavy sequencer style, which makes the entirety of this album. Though it must be said that Pinhas' tortured trademark 1954 Les Gibson guitar is sorely missed.

What makes this CD more special is the 1982 live material from a concert in Paris. From an artistic standpoint, the two periods of music are incongruous. L'Ethique was the current album then, and Pinhas had more or less shut down Heldon by that point. In effect, it's more of a group effort and the guitar was back out front and center. And the concert is very spirited. While not a perfect soundboard recording, the type of music on display here will distract you from any sonic limitations. 

Ownership: 2006 Captain Trip (CD) Papersleeve. Bonus tracks as described above.

5/24/89 (LP acquired); 3/16/18 (CD acquired); 6/14/22 (review)

Single Collection (1972-1980 / 2006)

A much needed single compilation from one of France's electronic pioneers. In short form, Pinhas proved to be quite the rocker more so than his electronic focused albums with Heldon and as a solo artist. I've heard most of these in bits and pieces, some sitting on cd-r's. So it's really great to have them all in one place.

The first Schizo 45 from 1972 is a real foot stomper. Heavy wah wah bass and guitars and gravelly vocals similar to the guy from Ergo Sum. It's a long way from anything Pinhas ever did afterward, but it would have been a great path to follow, had he chosen to. The second Schizo 45 (1973) is really the first Heldon work and gone are the vocals (though there's narration). The a) side finds itself on Electronique Guerilla with a different mix, but no less haunting. Patrick Gauthier's 'Torcol' is the b) side, and foreshadows Heldon's more progressive rock tracks. Both Schizo 45s are excellent and not to be missed.

The 3rd single is Heldon's Soutien a la RAF. At 15 minutes, it's really an EP (and it's 33 rpm). Released in 1975, this is where Pinhas gets back to his rocking roots of Schizo, and contains heavy Moog sequencing with his patented tortured 1954 Les Paul. One has to laugh that these were released as "singles". Not exactly AM Bubblegum here. The 4th SP release (1976) is where the Perspectives title takes hold. Recorded during the Agneta Nilsson sessions, once again it's more on the rocking side than the album proper.

T.H.X. (1978) was Pinhas' attempt to join in with JP Massiera and others for the Parisian disco set. A long way from New York's Studio 54, France had some very interesting electronic artists playing in that field. Once you get your mind around the time and place - and don't expect Heldon - then this is a very fine 45 as well. And the b) side is more traditional Pinhas solo fare, with Rhizosphere back in the limelight.

The next single is a complete mystery. I cannot find evidence it exists anywhere. There is a scan of it in the booklet, but it's too small to read. From 1977 (and they put a question mark on that too) on Cobra (catalog number 10.019), the single features two edited tracks from Rhizosphere. My best guess is this is a test press that was never released, and was in Pinhas' personal collection. Anyone know more about this?

This is followed by two singles from the East West era (1980). Arguably this is Pinhas' most commercial effort, and brings back vocals and a slight new wave edge. I was harsh on that album back in the 80s, but I found myself really enjoying the music here on this go round. 'West Side' is on both singles and is the same track, so it's only represented once here.

It should be noted that most of these - if not all - are taken straight from the vinyl, and it's obvious at times. All the same, this collection is a can't miss item for Heldon and Pinhas fans.

Ownership: 2006 Captain Trip (CD). Papersleeve. With booklet showing the credits and pictures for each entry here. There is an essay as well, but it's in Japanese. 

5/18/21 (acquired / review)

Iceland (1979)

As one can probably guess by knowing nothing more than my avatar, I'm a huge Heldon fan. They were one of my initial discoveries when first digging deep into the European underground of the 70s. It was 1985 and I was all of 20, at quite the impressionable age I might add. So Heldon is one of those bands that helped shaped my tastes in music for the future.

However, Richard Pinhas' solo works didn't have the same impact on me as his band proper, even though he was the undisputed leader of the group. In this way he deviates considerably from, say, Edgar Froese and his comparable solo efforts to Tangerine Dream. Until recent times, the only two Pinhas albums I kept from the 80s were Chronolyse (where side 2 is as heavy as anything Heldon ever did), and L'Ethique (a diverse but also powerful Heldon-like release). So what was the issue with the others? Well from my perspective the key to the greatness of Richard Pinhas is his ability to mix fat analog synthesizers with searing electric guitar (usually played on his trusty 1954 Gibson Les Paul).

It's this latter element that is missing greatly from Iceland. It is, as the title and everyone else's reviews suggests, a icy cold landscape of droning synthesizers and almost-industrial like percussion. Take away 'The Last Kings of Thule', especially Part 2, and the guitar is entirely absent. In effect, it's a static release, missing much of the dynamism of Pinhas' best efforts. In reflecting back as I hear the CD, the music is quite good for what it sets out to do - basically begging you to put a coat on even during a sunny summer afternoon. 'Greenland' is also a very fine electronic piece, definitely recalling Pinhas' trademark sequencer sound with a fine melody throughout. The 25 minute CD bonus track 'Wintermusic' is basically a long extension of 'Iceland (Part 3)', and if anything, is even more sterile and cold than the album proper.

Overall a mixed effort, worth owning for fans, but I'd save hearing this one until you've digested all of the Heldon's and the two aforementioned Pinhas solo works first.

Ownership: 2006 Captain Trip (CD). Papersleeve

1989 (LP acquired); 6/28/18 (CD acquired / review)

Chronolyse (1978)

Richard Pinhas' second solo album is an absolute classic of progressive electronic music. The music is very much in line with what he was accomplishing with his primary vehicle Heldon at the time. The album contains seven vignettes of aggressive Moog sequencing, and one longer electronic piece on Side 1. And on the flip, there's a 30 minute brain blaster of guitar-bass-drums and electronics in the best Heldon tradition. A fine companion album to Heldon's Stand By. Brilliant.

Ownership: 

1978 Cobra (LP)

2006 Captain Trip (CD) Papersleeve.

1991 (acquired); 1998; 8/10/17 (review)

L'Ethique (1982)

Unlike the 1970's era Heldon albums, all of which I can unconditionally recommend, the same cannot be said for Pinhas' solo works from the same period. Rhizosphere is a static electronic album, Iceland is as chilling as its name, whereas East West shows Pinhas trying his hand at more commercial material. But two albums stand out: Chronolyse (1978) which is perhaps the best of the lot and the album of today's post: L'Ethique.

L'Ethique was an excellent way for Pinhas to close shop (and he didn't truly resurrect for at least another 10 years). It's a concise summary of his musical career to that point. The four part title track, spread evenly throughout the disc, demonstrates what I think he was trying to do on East West, except with far better results (and it helps immensely that he buries some of his patented tortured guitar into the mix). The two part 'The Wailing Wall' follows down this trek, but is even more powerful, especially the smoking guitar and sequencer runs of Part 1. 'Melodic Simple Transition' represents his pure electronic side. But best of all, is the return of his King Crimson inspired heavy rock jams, as found on the last two Heldon albums and 'Chronolyse'. These are represented by 'Dedicated to K.C.', 'Belfast' and the bonus track 'Southbound' (taken from the Perspective compilation). This is one of those albums that opened musical doors for me.

Ownership: 

1982 Pulse (LP)

1992 Cuneiform (CD) With bonus track as noted above.

1986 (acquired); 1996; 5/19/11 (review)

Allez-Teia (1975)

Continuing our trek through the Heldon catalog, we enter the famed number II. Of all the Heldon albums, this is by far the most mellow, with a proliferation of acoustic guitar calming down the proceedings just a little. The subversive feel of the debut is maintained throughout however, and anarchy seems just around the corner. Deep, heavy, thoughtful music. While heavily influenced by Robert Fripp, Professor Pinhas was trekking down an individual path, and is now considered a legend in his own right. A lot of name dropping in the track titles, something that became vogue in the 2000s, but wasn't as common in the 70s. Amongst the more obscure, 'Fluence' references Pascale Comelade, where Pinhas was featured heavily on the self-named album for the Pole label. While 'Michel Ettori' refers to the sometimes Heldon guitarist. A highly regarded album and rightly so. The real underground of the 70s is featured here.

Ownership: 

1975 Urus (LP) Gatefold

2005 Captain Trip (CD) Papersleeve

2//88 (acquired); 2005; 6/18/10 (review)

Electronique Guerilla (1974)

All of the Heldon albums are special, and the first is no exception. It's more raw and primitive, and that's part of its charm. Moog synths with searing electric guitar work define the album. An anarchic left wing vibe gives it a radical student atmosphere, befitting Professor Pinhas' role.

I found some unpublished notes that I wrote in 2006 about Heldon's early albums: A proper discussion of French electronic music cannot be had without at least a passing mention of Heldon. Lead by the mercurial Richard Pinhas, a professor of Philosophy at Le Sorbonne, and master of electronics and guitar. The early albums, generally accepted as the first three, exude the feeling of the underground - a true rebellion to all things that are commonly accepted. Subversive. One can only wonder what role Pinhas would’ve had in the French Revolution, but I get the impression he would’ve made the history books. And, in some ways, he has made the history books, even if the subject in question are more for connoisseurs than the general public.

Ownership: 

1975 Urus (LP)

2005 Captain Trip (CD) Papersleeve.

1987 (acquired); 2/10/10 (review)

Also own and still need to review: It's Always Rock and Roll; Un Reve Sans Consequence Speciale; Interface; Fossil Culture

2/10/10 (new entry)