Daily Journal Posts are now Complete

---2/5/25

2023 is now complete and so is this project. I'm caught up to the present day and 2025 journals are being built real time.

2023 Prog Journal Vol. 2

2023 Prog Journal Vol. 1

2023 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 1

2023 Hard Rock Journal Vol. 1

2023 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 1

2023 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

2023 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 1

2023 Electronic Journal Vol. 1

2023 Metal Journal Vol. 1

2023 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 1

2023 Folk / World Fusion Journal Vol. 1

---12/16/24

2022 is complete. All the remaining 2024 journals will be posted at the end of the year. I might try to squeeze in 2023 by the end of the year to complete the project.

2022 Electronic Journal Vol. 1

2022 Metal Journal Vol. 1

2022 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

2022 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 2

2022 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 1

2022 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 1

2022 Hard Rock Journal Vol. 1

2022 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 1

2022 Prog Journal Vol. 1

2022 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 2

2022 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 1

---11/11/24

Took awhile but I finally finished consolidating the 2021 journals. 2022 is up next. That will also take some time.

For those who visit the site regularly, don't worry, more feature posts are coming. I've been very busy collating through the unsold part of our record show boxes (we did very well, but had a ton of stuff). Also been adding to the 2024 journals, which many of them will be posted at the end of the year.

2021 Prog Journal Vol. 1

2021 Electronic Journal Vol. 1

2021 Metal Journal Vol. 1

2021 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

2021 Folk / Country Journal Vol. 1

2021 Modern Rock Journal Vol. 1

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 4

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 3

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 2

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 1

2021 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 4

2021 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 3

2021 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 2

2021 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 1

2021 Hard Rock Journal Vol. 2

2021 Hard Rock Journal Vol. 1

2021 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 5 

2021 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 4

2021 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 3

2021 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 2

2021 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 1

2021 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 5 

2021 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 4

2021 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 3

2021 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 2

2021 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 1

---8/19/24

Following on from the below note, I've now consolidated all the journal posts from 2020. 

2020 Hard Rock Journal Vol. 1

2020 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

2020 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 1

2020 Funk / Soul Journal Vol. 1

2020 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 2

2020 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 1

2020 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 3

2020 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 2

2020 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 1

---8/2/24

It's been a whirlwind summer. Not only have I expanded the Purple Peak business beyond music (games, videos, toys, electronics, etc...) but I ended up buying about six different collections (probably more). It's been a good year for garage and estate sales - of the kind I haven't seen since 2019. Even the thrift shops have been putting things out again - best since 2021. That has kept me busy going through many albums that aren't part of my core collection, and were naturals for journal entries.

I decided a few months ago to take these journals offline, and group them by music genre. Blogger only allows so many characters in the labels category (200 to be precise), so it makes for a natural stopping point. So rather than post a journal every day, I continue to group them. Some genres will take all year and I'll post at the end, others I go through quicker. I'll post the completed ones soon, and then the others when they are finished.

The Unknown Vinyl project is still going strong, with some really cool recent finds (and more to come). Under the Radar is also up to date - and I have 100's of new bands to check out. I just keep listing them thinking one day I may actually listen to them! I know what I'll be doing in retirement... Speaking of which, yes I still have a job. Two full years in now, it's proven to be a great end-of-career individual contributor job (no more management for me) with lots of flexibility, but it still takes the lion's share of the weekly activities and is my top priority. Not sure when I will pull the trigger for retirement but this is my last gig for certain. I feel like going another year at least (if they still want me lol).

And one more thing - the CD Reissue Wish List project has been resurrected! Right now I'm going through each entry and updating them. When that's complete I'll be adding new titles. I have tons of new items to go through. I'll send out a separate announcement once the older entries are up to date. I had good momentum going, but the sales above redirected my attention. 

2025 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

*Ministry - With Sympathy. 1983 Arista (MC). With the Modern English below (Feb). I originally obtained this on LP with the 2019 80's collection buy but decided to take the profit, even though I had a solid rating for it. This relisten resulted in a +1, so I'll keep the next LP I find (if I find it...). To be honest even after that first listen some six years ago, I thought this was a different Ministry from the band I knew from the late 80s and early 90s. In fact I thought this band was British and then broke up. Haha. My confusion is common of course. Starting out in Chicago, Ministry hopped on (or was pushed on depending on your source of truth) the synthpop bandwagon. Apparently the duo's heart turned dark and they created a new world for themselves - that of industrial metal. A very angry music indeed. You would never know that by the jolly and upbeat tones of With Sympathy. The interesting thing about Ministry, in retrospect, is just how good they were at New Wave music. It's far more complex and involved than your garden variety dance pop group. A fascinating beginning to a fascinating band. I'm sure at some point I will find their metal albums, one of which I owned on CD many years ago but sold off.

Steve Hackett - A Doll That's Made in Japan / Just the Bones. 1984 Lamborghini (12" single). Found for a buck at a record store in Denver (Feb). At 13 minutes it's really an EP length. As with all of Hackett's Genesis contemporaries - all obvious prog guys - this single belongs to 80s music. A) side is a mix of Japanese music (novelty level), glossy 80s with synthesizers and digital drums, and a nice guitar solo. B) side is similar but leaves off the Japanese angle. Not so bad really, just such a disappointment that none of the Genesis guys would acknowledge their heritage during the 80s.

Modern English - Ricochet Days. 1984 Sire (MC). Grabbed this for free from a local shop in the Springs (Feb). Here's a good test of a band I revere from a nostalgic perspective (After the Snow, an LP I own), who released Ricochet Days during that strike zone (early 80s), but I don't recognize anything from it. Does it hold up and is it collection worthy? Yes and no. For example A3 and B2 are rewrites of 'I Melt With You' and there's this persistent feeling that there isn't much more under the blanket from a creative viewpoint. Elsewhere there's a distinctive turn towards The Beatles baroque psych pop of 1966-67. Englishness as it were, living up to their name at least. All of which is inoffensive but not inspiring either. A reasonable follow-up to their classic work, yet lacking in something. Authenticity perhaps? I like it but won't keep it.

*Missing Persons - Spring Session M. 1982 Capitol (MC). Thrift shop find (Feb). I've had this on vinyl before but didn't take notes. Thinking it was part of that 2019 80's buy. I did decide to keep their next effort Rhyme & Reason. So let's get a fresh take on their debut full-length. Right away I notice a more aggressive hard rock guitar attack throughout, something they most certainly softened on subsequent releases. These guys were from the Zappa camp, so musicianship was not an afterthought. As I continue to say (too often, just in this post alone), these 80s albums work best when I get a nostalgia pull, especially the early part of the decade while still in high school. And there's a few tracks here that bring back that unique period of time. Yea, I'm keeping this, and like with A-ha below, will replace it with the LP whenever I find it in the wilds (this one still goes for cheap).

Madonna - True Blue. 1986 Sire (Canada) (MC). Thrift shop find (Jan). I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the first two Madonna's. I was able to appreciate both the nostalgia aspect as well as her artistic abilities from an objective standpoint, now that we're 40 years on from the lightning rod opinions that surrounded her in the early 80s. By the time of True Blue, my nostalgia meter falls off (just in general this is the case), as by then I was deep diving into the European prog underground of the 70s, and not paying much attention to contemporary pop culture. In addition, it's clear the creative well is running dry for Ms. Ciccone.  'Papa Don't Preach' and 'La Isla Bonita" are the two tracks I recognize from here and both I enjoy. Much of the others (not all) sound like filler to support the next tour. I'm interested in hearing her other albums just to see what triggers. Remember that Mrs. UMR was a big fan when we were newly married (hard to believe that was 28 years ago), and she owned a Best Of, which we listened to often in the car on road trips. Today she could care less about Madonna, but I'm still intrigued. Funny how that works. I also found a near perfect LP copy late last year at a thrift shop, and now I can safely move that to the record show boxes.

*A-ha - Hunting High and Low. 1985 Warner Bros. (Canada) (MC). Thrift shop find (Jan). Well... finally. Despite buying multiple 80s collections and thrift shop dumps in the last six years, I have yet to run into a single A-ha album - in any format. I know this Norwegian group better from their super obscure 60s retro band Bridges (which doesn't even get mentioned in their Wikipedia entry) than I do for their obvious hit records. First track is 'Take on Me', which is mid-80s MTV college bullseye material right there. This is exactly the kind of synth pop I enjoy. Energetic, danceable (not that I'm doing that), and melodic. As I often say, these albums tend to work for me when there's a nostalgia play, and that's what we get with Hunting High and Low. I'll hold onto this tape until I eventually find their LP.

Bangles. 1983 Faulty (MC). Thrift shop find (Jan). Before the gals became a hit sensation, they released a single and an EP on private and small labels. Known originally as The Bangs, they shifted on this EP to simply Bangles (one can imagine the double entendre problem). The music here is different than what they were to become. A mid to late 60s garage girl styled group sound emerges. RYM refers to this 80s movement out of Los Angeles as Paisley Underground. Not bad at all.

Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion. 1993 Sire (CD). Thrift shop find (Jan). This album is the highly rated follow-up to their lauded classic Violator. Even for a non-fan like me, I kept that CD. But this title didn't stir up much reaction. Whereas I saw Violator as the bookend of the synth wave movement, I hear Songs of Faith and Devotion as a tired retread of ideas with a purposeful move to alternative rock, which is definitely not my music of choice. Given its popularity with the general public, I just have to accept it's good for the style and leave it at that.

Camouflage - Greyscale. 2015 Bureau B (CD). Another surprising thrift shop find. Just like with Surface 10 that is on the DiN label, there's no way I'm passing up anything on Bureau B for a couple of bucks. I had no idea who Camouflage were, but they apparently were legends from the synth-pop scene in Germany going back to the 80s (of course). And that's exactly how I heard this album without any pre-conceived notions. In fact I just pushed it into my car CD changer without even looking at it, and had forgotten they were on Bureau B, trying to figure out why I bought it in the first place. The label's description is telling: "Their music brilliantly combined the icy coolness of Kraftwerk, the pop of OMD and the melancholy gloom of Depeche Mode.". The latter group is what entered my mind first, and funny to see that I just covered OMD. In fact, I think I did find these together last year at the same shop. The vocal tracks are too much of the original scene, as noted below, and that only works with me if the recording is from that era. The instrumentals, however, are more exciting, including one Krautrock styled flute driven number. Much better than OMD's attempt below, but a long way from collection shelf space. (Jan)

OMD - The Punishment of Luxury. 2017 White Noise (CD). Thrift shop find from last year. I didn't even realize these guys were around much past the 80s. And after hearing this CD, they haven't really moved on from the synth pop style. Sounds dogeared to me. Not quite sure how you can advance this style too much, though I guess I could say the same thing about straight ahead thrash metal. Anyway, nothing here for me to hold onto. Music like this only works for me if it's from the 80s, and as a pure nostalgia play. (Jan)

* - Keeping for the collection

Deathrow - Raging Steel. 1987 Germany

I'm a huge fan of the last two Deathrow albums, a wonderful example of tech / prog thrash. I didn't personally discover this German band until the mid 90s, and don't really remember them from college. I never bothered to go further back in their discography because I was informed these albums were more simplistic. But I didn't want to pass on the original LP especially since it was right in front of me. Well it's certainly true that Raging Steel isn't a dizzying array of riffs and tempo changes like Deception Ignored. But it isn't brainless either, as there are plenty of shifts and turns. Some of the tracks are too fast for their own good, calling on their Teutonic heritage of Sodom and Kreator. It's also not as heavy as the Destruction album I just posted about, but the guitar solos are much better, perhaps as a result of focusing more on musicianship. The vocals are more "metal standard" without the histrionics you often get with the 80s groups. I think the production could have used a boost of oomph. I found it interesting the album gets more complex as it goes, foreshadowing their next move. I really like this band.

Ownership: LP: 1987 Cobra. Single sleeve. Recent acquisition from What's Left.

12/27/24 (first listen / review / new entry)

Destruction - Eternal Devastation. 1986 Germany

Destruction are another band I remember from my college days but never heard until now. Yea, this is one crazy thrash album alright. The riffs are super, non-calculated, and all over the place. Vocalist either spews anger or squeals at the highest register. The only downside are the solos, where he goes a million miles an hour and you can't make out what he's even trying to do. This is not uncommon for the early thrash bands. One can hear the Swiss strain of thrash here including Celtic Frost and Coroner, especially the latter at the time of RIP. Reading some folks complaining about the production. It's raw, thick, and choppy. I wouldn't want to hear it any other way. As with Nasty Savage, I would have enjoyed this album in college.

Ownership: LP: 1986 Metal Blade. Single sleeve. Acquired from What's Left in December (2024).

12/26/24 (first listen / review / new entry)

Nasty Savage - Indulgence. 1987 USA-Florida

I remember Nasty Savage from my college days, but never checked them out. My loss as this is my kind of metal. Mostly it's off-kilter thrash, with riff after riff coming at you from all angles. "Nasty" Ronnie is your front man, and he's quite the character it would seem. A complete showman, part time wrestler, and part time King Diamond imitator apparently. When he's not squealing, he's singing in an aggressive manner typical of the metal acts of the day. Regardless of his stage antics, it's the music that carries the day here. It doesn't really fit any kind of genre norm, which only makes it more endearing to me. Way more thoughtful than you might initially think. I would have loved this had I picked it up real time. Alrighty, 38 years later, it's in the collection.

Ownership: LP: 1987 Metal Blade. Single sleeve. Cool artwork. Acquired from What's Left in December (2024).

RT had the pic disc of this title in his collection, so I grabbed it. Remember that he was an early 60s Greenwich Village folky nut, so it was always fun to find stuff like this. He also collected picture discs, so that's how he ended up with it. I never played it because I figured the audio wouldn't be that great. It was one of those "I'll get to it eventually" albums. And here we are with the original black vinyl, as What's Left bought a great collection of original metal albums. So off goes the picture disc to the record show boxes. 

12/25/24 (first listen / review)

Welcome. 1976 Switzerland

Welcome were a Swiss group who pretty much targeted Yes' Close to the Edge as a blueprint to move forward with. Similarities abound considering vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar breaks, bass work, with keyboard sounds and solos performed on Mellotron, organ, and Moog. Basically we're in the same league as Druid on Toward the Sun, but more stretched out, similar to Yes themselves. Side 2 is a step above, and even recalls fellow countrymen Circus on their own magnum opus Movin' On. What Welcome lacks in their original approach, they more than make up for in enthusiasm and their own special ingredients on a classic recipe. Much like Grandma’s marinara sauce – she didn’t invent it, but damn if she didn’t make a good batch of her own!

Ownership: CD: 1997 Black Rills. Jewel case. Contains a brief history and lyrics.

1997 (first listen); 12/06 (review); 1/23/25 (update) 

Cherry Five - Il Pozzo dei Giganti. 2015 Italy

I bought this a couple of years after it came out, but to be honest it didn't make much of a mark on initial impact. Not really sure what troubled me, though it could have been "too much of the same thing" - at the same time! I was OD'ing pretty hard on newer Italian prog in the 2010s and I think I was reaching saturation point. A long break has helped me to hear these albums with a completely different perspective.

Il Pozzo dei Giganti doesn't have much in common with the original Cherry Five album. That debut is really the anomaly in the Italian prog sphere, with its lyrics in English and a sound similar to Yes, Genesis, and Gentle Giant. Their sophomore effort (40 years on mind you) is more like traditional prog from Italy sung properly in the native language, with plenty of vintage keyboards. The rhythms are from the stop-start school. Only the new guitarist brings a modern touch, though not unwelcome at all. This new incarnation features the non-Goblin members, and three new recruits. Ten years later, it's clear this was to be a one-off reunion. A very good one though, and worthy of collection status.

Ownership: CD: 2015 Black Widow. Jewel case. Lyric booklet with photos, artwork, and recording details.

10/28/17 (first listen); 1/9/25 (review / new entry)

Bernard Xolotl - Procession. 1982 France

Sometime in 2004 I wrote:

Very spacious, nice sequencer touches, copious use of violin adds a unique blend. A definite Schulze vibe, circa Dune maybe (minus Arthur Brown of course). Getting better with age.

---1/20/25

Known to his mother as Bernard Jean Louis Jacquet, by the time the CD came out, he even dropped his first name, and simply went by Xolotl. He's one of those deep thinker types, who wears white jackets, pink shirts, and white scarves. And describes himself as an "Holistic Artist". You get the idea. Essentially though, he screws around with electronics and was heavily influenced by the Berlin School masters.

The key to this album really is the other guy: "With Daniel Kobialka". Being a non-socialite rube, I had no idea who he was except the liner notes called him an international violin virtuoso from San Francisco. Well, good. But now that I'm out there digging for Classical music myself, his name turns up. Unfortunately not in the banking department, but my eyes always light up at his name, having been etched in my brain by this album. So there's a temptation to state this is what it would be like had Johanna Martzy* dropped in on a Klaus Schulze session.

The truth is, my scratch off notes at the top pretty much define the album succinctly and accurately. A great way to pass the time on a snowy afternoon.

*-Just showing off. Check what some of her original albums go for when you get a moment. I did find one out in the wilds a few years ago, and I'm keeping it.

Ownership: CD: 1993 Erdenklang. Jewel case. Liner and bio notes. Also features an 18:30 minute bonus track that is very much like the album proper.

Former ownership: LP: 1983 Nada Pulse. I didn't own this very long and switched to the CD early on. The bonus track makes it the easy keeper choice.

1992 (first listen); 2004 (notes); 2009; 1/20/25 (review / new entry)

Aurora. 1977 USA-Texas (archival)

Aurora were from my old hometown of Dallas, and were a fusion band containing violin, guitar, and keyboards leading a traditional rhythm section. With that kind of lineup, want to take a crack at who they were emulating? Yep. Mahavishnu Orchestra. And with violin being the primary over the guitar, you can throw in Jean-Luc Ponty for good measure. And they do cover one track from him, while the other nine compositions are original. Apparently they were to reform when this CD was released, but not much came of it.

In reading the liner notes, some of my earliest music memories were brought to the fore. 1977 is when I really got into FM radio in earnest, and as mentioned here in a couple of places, KZEW was the leader for Album Rock. Therefore, it's no surprise to learn that most of this album is made up of a live recording arranged by the station. The first three tracks are studio recordings, though no better in sound quality honestly. In any case I was still a few years from knowing anything about jazz fusion, and didn't recognize the name Aurora when this CD first arrived onto the collecting scene. Grabbed it not long after release, filed it, and here we are some 25 years later for my first revisit. It certainly deserves more frequency than that.

Drummer Martin Metzgar is more known as Martin McCall. He was the drummer in Hands (later era) along with many other local bands and percussion ensembles. Of personal interest, he was also a guest at our house about 20 years ago after seeing one of his performances with a fellow friend.

Ownership: CD: 1999 Shroom. Jewel case. Contains a full history, photos, and newspaper clippings.

2000 (first listen); 1/20/25 (review / new entry)

BullAngus. 1971 USA-New York

Hudson Valley's finest BullAngus (name stylized as such) broke onto the American stage with a grittier hard rock sound than most of their contemporaries. The dual guitarists are clearly the focus. BullAngus were certainly of their era, and you might find yourself pining for some cowbell. They also brought a few more ideas to the table than what was expected in North America at this time. Great organ work and even a little recorder (those high school private lessons finally paying off no doubt). They've got that Rare Earth and Grand Funk Railroad white boy funk thing going too. They never go off the leash for extended jamming (though there's plenty of solos), preferring to stay close to the song. 

Interesting to note that the producer says "Riff-rock should be played loud." So they called it that, eh?

Ownership: LP: 1971 Mercury. Uni-pak styled gatefold. Found at the Dallas Record show (1993).

No reissues exist as I enter this post.

1993 (first listen); 11//05; 1/7/25 (review / new entry)

The 45 Revolution

As noted in the Happy New Year note, I have a new blog that carries most of my 45 / SP notes. Its focus will be on obscure 45s in genres I like and / or collect.

Check it out!

https://the-45-revolution.blogspot.com/