Klaus Schulze (& related) (1980s and beyond) ~ Germany

Michael Shrieve with Kevin Shrieve and Klaus Schulze - Transfer Station Blue (1984)

---10/2004

‘Communique Approach Spiral’ is out-of-the-box early 80’s Schulze with all sorts of overlaid live percussion, with actual human hands, by Shrieve. Of course, this latter element gives it the life it craves for so desperately on those tired Schulze albums of the era. ‘Nucleotide’ is a five minute experimental ambience and electronic percussion work. The title track is similar to the opener, but a little faster, creating the image of a modern world caught up in fast transportation – perfect for the IMAX theater. Though they throw in a curveball smack dab in the middle of the song - an 80’s style funk groove ala Level 42 (it repeats near the end of the song as well). It’s hilarious in its incongruity. It’s the closer that separated this from the masses. ‘View From the Window’ is an aptly named piece, beautiful in its execution of electronics and rhythmic, yet melodic, cyclical guitar. A great way to end an album. I find it funny the back cover uses the 1977 stock photo of Schulze.

---4/11/25

Technically this is a Michael Shrieve album but it has Schulze's fingerprints all over it. Certainly Michael Shrieve has influence here, and it's a percussive driven album after all. But then again, Schulze was a pioneer in using drums and later drum machines in electronic music. The layered sequencers are all vintage Schulze. The title track illustrates this with Shrieve adding all sorts of acoustic percussion on top of the synths. And I like the Alan Parsons Project-styled funky guitar bit. Brother Kevin plays the guitar and electric piano, though his contributions are more subdued. However his most notable presence is the closer 'View From the Window', a beautiful pensive number that does make one want to look out the window on a bleak rainy day and reflect on one's life. I bought this album when it came out, having been a Schulze fan for about a full year. Has the optimistic feel of the early to middle 80s, when technology seemed like an endless dream. A dream that personified over the course of the decade.

I had forgotten about my 2004 review until I finished today's listen, so you can see I have some differing viewpoints from 20 years ago.

Ownership: 1984 Fortuna (LP). With insert.

1984 (first listen); 10//04 (review); 4/11/25 (review)

Audentity (1983)

Had some trade credit at a local store to use, and this one came in, so thought I'd check it out again. I say again, as I'm pretty sure I had this exact version in the middle 80s. It's only half the album, as the German pressing is a double. Musically it's precisely what Schulze was up to in 1983, and I was reminded of his live Polish recordings from the same year. His running buddies at the time were all involved: Rainier Bloss, Michael Shrieve, and Wolfgang Tiepold (cello). Nothing groundbreaking here but a great reminder of an optimistic time.

Ownership: 1983 Illuminated (LP)

Beyond Recall (1991) 

Klaus tells us this is his 23rd solo album. That would be not counting archival releases, otherwise it would be his 2,300th album. There's really nothing at all wrong with these past-his-prime Schulze releases, but they aren't particularly enlightening either. 77 minutes of Schulze at this stage is purely background music. There's a lot of what sounds like acoustic guitar here, but it's just more synths. I don't have any nostalgia towards this title, as it came along way past my initial discovery and enamoration (not a word, but it should be!) for the artist. My electronic collection grew out of control about 17 years ago, and it's time to trim some of that tree. And this is a low hanging branch.

Former ownership: 1991 Venture (CD)

Inter*Face (1985)

I bought this album right after it came out, while still in college (probably paid too much for the import). Ten years after that, needing shelf space, I sold it in one of my LP catalogs. And now 20 years later, I have the original CD in my possession for the first time. 

Anyway, the reason I sold the album is I had a boat load of Schulze already (if I only knew then how much he was about to release...), and this one seemed superfluous at the time. Perhaps it still is, I dunno. Sure, there's a bit of Klaus-on-auto-pilot going on here, and the tracks linger for longer than they need to, but doggone if this doesn't set the right mood. And the epic long track recalls Schulze's 70s sequencer works, more so than the proto-chill-out of the first side. Plenty of great (real) percussion adds to the vibe.

Ownership: 1985 Brain (CD)

1985 (first listen); 12/4/16 (review)

Albums from 1980 and beyond that I own and still need to review: Dig It; Dziekuje Poland; Dreams; In Blue. Plus probably dozens of others will flow through here eventually.

12/4/16 (new entry)

Premiata Forneria Marconi ~ Italy

Jet Lag (1977)

Jet Lag is not the album that most PFM fans hold up as the best example from the band. Generally regarded as their move towards jazz fusion, there's some truth to the allegation, especially in the way the instrumental sections are structured. Side 2 in particular illustrates this. However Bernardo Lanzetti is still on board and he's certainly not content to stay quiet. So it really still belongs to progressive rock and isn't that far removed from the preceding Chocolate Kings. Violin, electric piano, and guitar are the primary solo instruments of choice.

Ownership: 1977 Manticore Japan (LP). With original Italian insert.

3/6/14; 4/11/25 (review)
 

Chocolate Kings (1976)

On Chocolate Kings, PFM were moving on from their classic romantic sound onto a more heavy and English friendly approach. Of course to do that effectively, one had to drag along Bernardo Lanzetti (Acqua Fragile), as he appeared to be the only Italian who could sing in English. Or so it seemed back then. Personally I like his affected vocals, a bit like Roger Chapman. Great album as far as I'm concerned, though I agree it doesn't match their trio of brilliance released prior.

The original Italian pressing features an awful cover, so Asylum altered it for the North American market.

Ownership: 1975 Numero Uno (LP). Poster lyric insert; 1975 Asylum (LP). Sealed.

1986 (first listen); 2005; 8/3/15; 2/12/22 (review)

Per un Amico (1972)

As strange as it may seem, I was already familiar with albums by Il Balletto di Bronzo, Jumbo, Celeste, Il Volo, Formula 3, and a few others before I heard the Italian language Premiata Forneria Marconi albums. Though they all happened very close to each other chronologically in my life. As noted in the Live in U.S.A. review, my first exposure to Italian prog in general was PFM's Cook, an album that was beyond my understanding at the time, and really isn't representative of the band's foundational roots.

Another quirk was trying to understand exactly what Premiata Forneria Marconi had released. I had some mail order lists - and many entries from Goldmine - a dizzying array of what early PFM might be. This album, Storia di un Minuto, Premiata Forneria Marconi (which I later guessed to be Storia di un Minuto), Photos of Ghosts, Cook, Live in U.S.A., L'Isola di Niente, The World Became the World, The Award Winning Marconi Bakery. I kind of threw my hands up.

Finally I found a copy at a record show, and knew it was something I didn't own - and needed to own. Now the picture is beginning to form. The album today is considered an all-time classic of progressive rock, regardless of the country. It's not a chops heavy release, nor does it feature the usual raft full of meter breaks. Quite simply Per un Amico is a beautiful album. There are few albums that can invoke peak experiences track after track. In particular, 'Il Banchetto' is stunning. Mellotron is a feature instrument throughout the album, along with acoustic / electric guitar, flute, soft vocals in Italian, and violin. Few albums capture the pastoral countryside of Italy like Per un Amico does. It's a timeless classic. Not to say it doesn't have its critics, most coming from the "show me what you can do" camp. That approach is not going to work with Per un Amico. Wait for the sunset, grab a bottle of wine, sit on a hill in the countryside, and view the village below. The music will provide all the color you need.

Also worth noting is that when we started the Gnosis Project in 1999, Per Un Amico quickly rose to the top as the best album. One year after this, an Italian newspaper - I wish I could recall which one, or had at least preserved the article (so shortsighted!) - noticed the same phenomena that despite being an American based project (though global in scope), the Italian prog albums (sung in Italian no less) had risen to the top. Such is the timeless nature of recordings like this. 

Ownership: 1972 Numero Uno (LP). Gatefold; 2003 BMG Japan (CD). Papersleeve gatefold.

1988 (first listen); 10/10/22 (review)

Live in U.S.A. / Cook (1974)

Truth be told, this was the very first Italian prog rock album I ever heard. Long before I truly "discovered" the scene, I found a used (and warped - much to my dismay later) copy of Cook for $1. It was 1984, and I had no perspective whatsoever to what I was listening to. Because the record was in bad shape, I didn't really form an opinion, and it would be another three plus years before I started deep diving. Once I did that, PFM surfaced quickly, and like just about everyone else, fell hard for their first three Italian language albums.

They were popular in Italy too, and started to gain a nascent worldwide following. ELP's Manticore picked up both PFM and Banco, and made a go at this potential fertile scene. One eentsy weentsy change: Gotsta sing in English fellas. And that was the Achilles' Heel, the music just doesn't blend the same. But at the height of their fame, Premiata Forneria Marconi managed to tour here in North America. The full concert has since been released (and to this day, I haven't heard it), and this record represents an extract of two distinct concerts - one in New York City and the other in Toronto. The first side doesn't offer too much, a typical run through of studio versions, though it's quite spirited, and 'Dove... Quando...' remains beautiful (wisely left in the native language). The allure here is the second side, where PFM shows their tremendous improvisational instrumental chops. Definitely a unique enough album to want to keep.

The original Italian release features a lavish booklet that is half empty - someone didn't pass their Scrapbook class! For certain, the original release has its quirks from a packaging / marketing perspective. For one, I'm rather sure Toronto was never part of the USA. Live in North America would have been the better title. In America the album was retitled as Cook, with a completely different package, understandable on a number of fronts. The back cover is hilarious, looking all the world like your typical smog filled 1974 New York City day. I encourage everyone to see a vintage episode of Kojak (starting with the second season), which was filmed on location in the same era, and compare. The crowd appears to be like a modern progressive rock gathering, ya know - about 40% full. And the audience looks like they all came up from Little Italy or down from the Bronx - word of mouth from the locals apparently. And it's sponsored by none other than Schaefer Beer. The ultimate example of what was later termed a "city beer", it eventually was gobbled up by other cheapy beer companies and now exists in name only with a different formula. In other words not exactly a Budweiser sponsored event, and one wonders if they even managed to get an ad spot in the New York Post, much less the Times. While pouring over the credits, I noticed Tony Harrington gets a Grazie Speciale. He would later form the All Ears label, America's first private label dedicated to progressive rock.

Ownership: LP: 1974 Numero Uno (LP). With booklet as described above.

1984 (first listen); 1995; 1/19/22 (review)

Albums from my collection to still be reviewed: Storia di un Minuto; L'Isola Di Niente

1/19/22 (new entry)

Golden Earring ~ Netherlands

Seven Tears (1971)

Seven Tears was already the seventh album by the famous Dutch group and yet they were still relative unknowns here in America. It would be another two albums and three years before they finally landed a hit with 'Radar Love'. In fact most of their albums weren't released here either, including Seven Tears (and that remains the case even today). So what does the 1971 version of Golden Earring sound like? Honestly like many of their Dutch progressive rock brethren of the day. Perhaps more towards hard rock or classic rock. The songs are eclectic with plenty of interesting progressions. Great guitar and flute with Barry Hay's distinctive voice. There's some early usage of Moog here too. I tend to prefer Moontan given my familiarity with it, but Seven Tears is in the running for my favorite Golden Earring album.

Ownership: Polydor Netherlands (LP). Later 70s single sleeve pressing.

2002 (first listen); 12/8/12; 2/5/15; 4/11/25 (review)

Cut (1982)

I always liked the song 'Twilight Zone' which seemed to revive Golden Earring. But that's really all that's here of interest. Fairly standard early 80s blandola.

Source: 1982 21 / Polydor (LP)

6/25/24 (review)

Switch (1975)

Ever since college, I've been curious as to what the Golden Earring albums sounded like after Moontan. This isn't what I expected. A rather mundane set of eclectic rock tunes without much consistency. Nor hooks. It does get better on Side 2, but only enough to take into the good category. Wasted opportunity.

Source: 1975 MCA / Track (LP)

3/15/24 (review)

Eight Miles High (1969)

For many years I had it in my head that their side long version of Eight Mile High was the best rendition out there. But not really. It meanders and features a long drum solo. 'Fraid to say but The Byrds' original is all one needs. I prefer the harder rocking tracks on the original side 1, but I didn't hear enough to keep this.

Former ownership: 1982 Polydor Netherlands (LP)

1985 (first listen); 2002; 2/15/23 (review)

Albums from my collection to still be reviewed: Golden Earring (1970); Together; Moontan (both versions)

4/11/25 (new entry)

2025 Revisits of prior UMR entries Vol. 1

These are albums already reviewed in UMR that have been recently revisited. I'm in the process of consolidating individual albums into band pages, so that's what you will see when clicking on the link. As noted in last year's massive entry, I'll break these up for smaller consumption in 2025. Ten revisits seems like a good number.

Catch Up - Birth of the Second Life

Radio Massacre International - The God of Electricity

Tomsix - Soundbones

Phlox - Vali

Arbatel - Gamadion

Thors Hammer

Bonfire - Bonfire Goes Bananas

Krakatoa - We are the Rowboats

Arabs in Aspic - Pictures in a Dream

Praise Space Electric - 2 Leaving Demons

Pink Floyd (& related) ~ England

Many consider Pink Floyd the greatest band of all time, and Dark Side of the Moon the greatest album of all time. I don't agree with either assessment (though I own two copies of the album in question) but it's not hard to understand why both of these remain true. Pink Floyd are not an easy band to pigeonhole, and they went through various incarnations of sound and style. Some I love, others I find incredibly dull and boring. I've heard most of their output, including various solo albums. But I haven't documented them all (by a long shot). This post will be updated and forwarded many times before I'm done.

Richard Wright - Wet Dream (1978)

In the not-so-distant past yours truly ran a global project management organization. One of my employees was a good PM as an individual, but not a great one. I had to step in on occasion to handle escalations, and there were even calls for me to let her go. I said "no way" as she's a major key to my team's success, even though I had many better PM's no question about it. They were bewildered by that observation. What she lacked as an individual contributor she more than made up for as a team player. I saw her as a key pillar of why we were successful. Her peers loved and respected her. She is who made the team - a team. And she was 100% supportive of my initiatives even if she struggled to implement them herself. Not for a lack of trying, we're all different. That's how I see Richard Wright. I feel the same way about George Harrison of the Beatles and Led Zep's John Paul Jones. As individuals they're good players and decent songwriters. As part of the larger collective they were the secret sauce. What makes a good music group great is the input of everyone, not just the leaders. And that applies to business as well. So that's my take on Wet Dream. It's a fine, slightly mellow, mostly instrumental album. Nothing special but certainly not a disaster. Wright is a team player not a solo star.

Source: 1978 Columbia (LP)

4/8/25 (review)

The Division Bell (1994)

I've clearly avoided writing about any of the Floyd albums post The Wall (and including that album which I don't like). I'll try to make a concerted effort to get down a few words at the very least going forward. One wonders what the point of superstars like Pink Floyd putting albums out like The Division Bell? It's not a terrible album by any means, but it's just so... so... ordinary. Gilmour gets in some nice bluesy licks, and Mason is mailing it in on the drum kit. He was never a jazzer, but c'mon, I could play drums on this album. And I don't how to. There's some smooth jazz, and more than a few references to Dark Side of the Moon, trying to capture a moment in time from 20 years prior. 30 years on from that, it just looks like a desperate writer turning out the same scripts from their blockbuster New York Times Bestseller from the 70s. Boring and unnecessary.

Source: 1994 Columbia (CD)

2/26/25 (review)

Obscured by Clouds (1972)

The last of the classic Pink Floyd albums for me to reacquire. And the first back out the door. I thought I liked this one more than I do. Atmospheric, but ultimately dull effort. I think had it been totally instrumental psych I'd be more enamored with it. Maybe if I find a cheap cassette or CD I'll hold onto it, but I'll take the money for the LP.

Source: 1972 Harvest (LP)

8/13/24 (review)
 

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) 

Famous psychedelic album from the creative mind of Syd Barrett. Sort of random in its songwriting approach, it is just that quality that makes this album special. Clearly (ironically) it came from an addled mind. Bizarre and completely out of left field for 1967. Pink Floyd never really sounded like this again once the remainder of the brain trust took over, though there are elements on Saucerful of Secrets. One of a kind.

Ownership: Columbia / EMI Germany (LP). 70s pressing.

1985 (first listen); 7/21/23 (review)
 

Wish You Were Here (1975)

I knew I had this album rated too high. And sure enough a -1 ensued, putting it right into the 11 category. Not first division for me. But I have to say that Richard Wright's synthesizer performance here almost pulled it over the threshold anyway. He really should have spent some time with Klaus Schulze. Who knows what he would have conjured up if he had. 'Welcome to the Machine' still captures my imagination though - a brilliant track. Even with this critique, I'd offer that this album is my favorite Floyd except for album #1 of Ummagumma. A very important release by a band that were selling out arenas and were incessantly played on the radio. Not a commercial album at all, and yet they managed to make it one. Impressive.

Ownership: 2011 Harvest (LP). Outer bag packaging, and all sorts of other goodies like posters and postcards. Much better than my original 80s commodity LP that's for sure. 

1985 (first listen); 2/15/23 (review)

Ummagumma (1969)

If there's a single source that one could point to as the origin of cosmic Krautrock, I think Ummagumma may very well be that album. Along with their Dutch counterparts Group 1850 - and a shoutout to Frank Zappa's Hot Rats - you can hear the sounds that Germany took and ran with in their earliest days, especially the bands circling the Ohr label. Depending on one's view, Ummagumma is a live album with bonus tracks - or one cohesive album with a completely different focus for each disc. I think it's best to take the former approach, and it's the live album that is significant here.

There are very few albums that possess two bona fide monster tracks, but here we have what I consider the definitive versions of both 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene' and 'Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun'. The former is a textbook example of how to build a solemn mood and then absolutely destroy it with one of the most intense climaxes in history. 'Set the Controls...' is about as trippy a number as you can find on any album, anywhere. If Pink Floyd were some obscure group that few had heard about, and these numbers were played back for the first time, it would be a natural reaction to think it was German made. 'Saucerful of Secrets' is no different from an atmosphere perspective, and in fact one could point to none other than Ash Ra Tempel's Schwingungen side longer as but one follower. The opening track is 'Astronomy Domine', the Syd Barrett composition that makes one wonder what direction would have the Floyd gone with him still at the helm.

The other album could best be described as "guys dickin' around in the studio". Which is not to say the album is worthless, as there's some good moments to be found from all four. They would have been better served to distill the best parts (if they would even know what those were) and disperse it evenly around the album. Similar to what Yes did on Fragile a few years later. Because it's separate like this, and the very nature of the type of music being presented, this is why I think it's best to view them as bonus material versus a part of the main album. Otherwise my score would be lower in aggregate.

Ownership: Harvest (2xLP). 70s pressing. Gatefold; 1986 EMI / Harvest Germany (2xCD). Fatbox. One of the first LPs I replaced with a CD, and even today, that decision makes total sense to me. Some albums were meant to be on CD, and this is one of them. I reacquired the LP later just because.

1985 (first listen); 8/7/22 (new entry)

Animals (1977)

I'm not sure I've heard this album since the late 1980s, even though I've consistently owned a copy that whole time. For me this is the end of the Pink Floyd I enjoy. I never could stand The Wall, an album I've had a chance to revisit in the last three years. I'll never understand its allure beyond a couple of good tracks. Animals, however, is their final non commercial stance. Not to play on titles here, but it's also dog slow. This is music to kick back, turn down the lights, and absorb. It misses the dynamism of its predecessor, and is not an immediately likeable album. Which I believe is the point. Gilmour gets a chance to really shine here, and taps into his late 60s blues repertoire. It's one of a kind in their discography. Even though it's been 30+ years since I last heard it, I felt like I knew the contents anyway. And the rating of excellent remains unchanged. Love the industrial Britain gatefold cover with the flying pig. It's wall worthy really.

Ownership: Columbia (LP). Gatefold. 80's pressing with barcode. 

1985 (first listen); 1/21/22 (review)

Meddle (1971)

Well, you all know this album. Features two excellent proggy space rock numbers in 'One of These Days' (the only song from this album, incidentally, you would have heard on the radio back in the day) and 'Echoes'. And then there's four rather boring folk rock tracks sandwiched in between. These are far more prosaic and backporch-y than the mystical dazed folk of More, for example. They're definitely no longer a psych band by this time. I particularly enjoy the second movement (as it were) of 'Echoes' with its excellent organ and guitar jam. The interesting aspect of this album is just how ordinary it is for 1971. No doubt that Pink Floyd were major influencers throughout the 60s. But on Meddle, they seem to be followers. There's many more examples of music like this from 1970 and '71 that is much more interesting. And this blog is full of them. After this, it seemed Pink Floyd realized this situation as well, and went about making Dark Side of The Moon. I'm not really a fan of the latter, but it's hard to argue that it wasn't groundbreaking. They were leaders once again.

Ownership: 1986 Capitol (CD). In the summer of 1986, I was working as a summer intern at a major US government military defense contractor in the Dallas area. It was a great gig, and I was very lucky to get it. I had mediocre grades (electrical engineering, to be fair...) and not much else going for me. But a very close buddy of mine's dad was one of the four owners of the company (see Al Di Meola's Elegant Gypsy post for more about this friend). Yes, it's true, it's who you know... In any case, I did thrive at the job, and was making serious money for a 21 year old intern. So what does a 21 year old dude in 1986 with money do? He buys him a new stereo, that's what! With a CD player! Wow - I was rich. We forget now how expensive CD players - and CDs - were at the time. Of course since I bought a new player, I needed product to go with it. There was a limited selection of CDs at the time. And, of course, there's no way I'm buying a CD of something I already have on LP. Meddle was one of the few Pink Floyd albums I didn't have at the time. So... it was the first CD I ever owned! In fact, it's so old, it has a smooth jewel case with no ridges. Those have become collectible now too, of all things. 

---1975 Harvest (LP). Gatefold

7//86 (first listen); 8/28/21 (review)

The Early Tours '70-'71

Title is a misnomer, as apparently the music here was all taken from one concert in Amsterdam on June 26, 1971. This is certainly prime Pink Floyd, though it only includes the music they were doing in 1969. I have to trust that the source credit is correct (from Discogs - and I'm sure other established bootleg sites). The titles don't actually reflect the songs here, but most of this is on the live side of Ummagumma, which is my favorite of all the Floyd albums (just disc 1 mind you). The other tracks are an extended version of 'Cymbaline' from More, a track that otherwise I was not familiar with. Its placement here is perfect though. And finally 'Embryo', a track that you find almost exclusively on live bootlegs. It too has the perfect "Cosmic Krautrock" sound - I say that in deference to Pink Floyd being probably the most influential of all bands for that scene. 

Ownership: 1976 Space (LP)

7/7/21 (review)

More (1969)

This is Pink Floyd at their druggy drifty best. This is the sound that Dom perfected on Edge of Time. I'd heard this album back in the day, but I was way too impatient for music such as this back then. I find side 2 the better of the sides, as it really captures the ethos of the times. Mostly acoustic guitar, tribal drums, and low-fi keyboards, with sparse vocals and the occasional rockin' burst. Love the trippy image windmill cover.

Ownership 1983 Capitol (LP) 

7/13/21 (review)

Relics (1971)

I've never owned Relics before, and my memory had this as a compilation. Which is true, but not a typical one. Today you can get most of these on a more modern CD reissue, but I don't have them, so this worked out perfectly. Relics is for fans of 60s Pink Floyd, and that's my favorite era of the band. Five of the 11 tracks are on studio albums, and the others come from rare singles and comps. Just having the studio version of 'Careful with That Axe, Eugene' makes it worth keeping, and the other tracks are great as well.

Ownership: Sounds Superb Belgium (LP)

6/20/21 (review)

8/28/21 (new entry)

Lone Star ~ Wales

Lone Star (1976)

Lone Star have an image problem. Here in America when one sees the moniker Lone Star, they immediately think of Texas, and musically that of Southern or Country rock. However this Lone Star is from the land of Budgie and offer up a distinctly mid 70s proggy hard rock and AOR album. Their sound, ironically, does recall the North American acts of the day. Same period Triumph, Rush (short form), Boston, Journey, Styx, and a host of bands from the great Midwest is where you'll spot the sound of Lone Star. There is some Zep references as well. What I like about Lone Star is their ability to create seperation with a big fat riff in the midst of the song. Vocals are outstanding. They made it to a major US label, but just couldn't penetrate the competitive FM landscape of the era. Which is too bad, as they certainly had the talent, the right sound, and some great ideas.

Remains a cheap record. I pulled this copy out of a buck bin here in town.

Ownership: 1976 Columbia (LP)

4/7/25 (review)

4/7/25 (new entry)

Magi ~ USA ~ Indiana

Win or Lose (1976)

From the Elkhart, Indiana area, Magi play a typical brand of Midwest hard edged bar n' roll with occasional guitar jamming. There's definitely a southern tilt to the songwriting. Picking up some early era Styx as well (first four albums), minus the keyboards of course. A3 has some excellent dual guitar work, with complete knucklehead lyrics "Girl I'm only interested in what's below your waist". A4 is a fine instrumental though one would hope for more of a lethal guitar assault. Definitely appreciate the break section though. B1 gives off a whiff of classic Ted Nugent especially the 'Stranglehold' styled solo towards the end. The subject matter certainly would appeal to him as well. B2 is the requisite ballad, because you know, they're sensitive. These guys will try anything to score it would appear.  It's a boring tune BTW.  B4 has a strong finish, but by then it's too late. Seems Magi might have been a killer live act if they let loose for a few minutes. Perhaps a more meaty production coupled with a commitment to original songwriting would have taken this to the first division. Too much crowd pleasing boogie, not enough extended jamming and composition. They had the talent, no question. Solid straightforward hard rock, but inessential I would submit.

1/12/24 (review)

4/8/25 (new entry)

Zaharas ~ USA ~ North Carolina

Livin' Ain't Easy (1978)

Huh - starts off with a song named 'Grand Illusion'. You won't be thinking Styx here. Has a nice laid back jam vibe, some Allman Bros. feel. Then a bit of footstompin' Ram Jam on A2. Another nice southern rock solo here. A3 is the mid-side introspective piece, with yet another quality guitar solo. 'Stairway to Heaven' isn't a Zep cover fortunately. The opening riff has a 70s Judas Priest feel to it. And so it goes, subsequent tracks following the guidelines laid out above. Some catalog dealer hyped it like this: "Rare privately issued hardrock blaster; thunderous beat, tortured vocalist, and the ever-present smokin' axework." Umm...noooo. Completely oversells the heaviness. Tortured vocalist? Que? That's not what the band were striving for here. Enjoy what the album gives you which is primarily a straightforward hard rock / southern rock with excellent soulful guitar work.

1/18/24 (review)

4/7/25 (new entry)

Dryewater ~ USA ~ Charlotte, North Carolina

Dryewater (1974)

Dryewater is a big time obscurity from Charlotte, North Carolina. Released in an era when the American hard rock scene had no guides or bellwethers. This is roadhouse rock n' roll, where some tracks are for dancin', others for drinkin', and more for thinkin'. Similar to the nearby J. Teal Band in that way. If a real A&R representative of a major label would just show up - then we'd get signed up immediately! But why would they leave the major media centers? Too much hassle to get there and there's nothing in the middle of the country to do anyway. Certainly no hookers and blow! Hence America missed out almost entirely on the mid 1970s expansive experience, perfectly willing to let England lead the way. Exceptions to Los Angeles and New York City, with the rare Chicago and San Francisco band making the Billboard play list. We'd finally get it right in the 80s with heavy metal, but just imagine if they were focused on the American interior in the mid 70s? You could expect a 500% return on what we got. A tragic tale that requires a dissertation for historical reflection and penance. Dryewater are yet one more victim of the broken dream. Perfectly legitimate quality proggy hard rock that was considerably better than what the majors were spitting out in 1974.

1/15/24 (review)

4/7/25 (new entry)

FBC Band ~ USA ~ Indiana

Worth a Fortune (1982)

From Fort Wayne, Indiana, FBC gives us a tale of two albums. The studio Side 1 is terrific. The classic Midwest mix of hard rock and prog, with organ and synthesizers. Side 2 is live and introduces a much more straightforward hard rock sound complete with sax. Most of the prog has been rubbed out in favor of bar patron pleasers. The guitar work is still quite good and there are some analog synth solos. Would be great if there exists archival material in the vein of Side 1.

5/3/24 (review)

4/5/25 (new entry)

Great Wide Nothing ~ USA ~ Atlanta, Georgia

The View From Olympus (2019)

Great Wide Nothing are from Atlanta and clearly embrace progressive rock at its early 70s UK major group peak. Classic Yes and Genesis seem to be front and center and the vocals have that distinctive Fish neo prog edge to them. I like the woody bass sound, something that should be required for any up and coming prog group. Piano, organ, and analog synthesizers are also part of the recipe. And some fake mellotron. This is one of those oxymoronic retro / neo prog type acts. The standard bearer for such a phenomena would be Cliffhanger, that most wonderful Dutch band that largely went unnoticed.

11/24/24 (review)

4/5/25 (new entry)

Thrice Mice ~ Germany

Thrice Mice! (1971)

Looking at my journals, it appears I've heard this album twice in the last 26 years, after procuring the LP in the early days of ebay. Here's my thrice listen then. I had it in my head this was more of a classically oriented prog band, but it's clear from the off that jazz plays a major role in their sound. The music on Side 1 is that of improvisational jamming, and doesn't really apex anywhere. Meanders along at its own pace. 

Side 2 is much better. Trippy vocals enter on 'Torekov' while offering some gloomy late 60s styled organ, and the rantings owe to a certain Doors influence. And finally the guitarist lets loose in Krautrock fashion with a ripping solo. 'Fancy Desire' continues on with a composition not that dissimilar from other German luminaries such as Ibliss, early Message, Out of Focus, and Altona. The latter is where two of the members landed afterward. This side propelled me to give a +1 on the rating.

Seems some folks aren't enjoying the gatefold cover. I like it myself. But then again I enjoy goofy covers such as this. The girl is cute (nice strap-up high heels too) and the mice are running free. But there's six of those critters, not three (perhaps 1 mice = 2 mouse). One for each member of the band? 

Ownership: 1971 Philips (LP). Gatefold.

3//99 (first listen); 4//09; 4/4/25 (review / new entry)

Bang ~ USA ~ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Music (1973)

For the Mother / Bow to the King album I wrote: "This was pretty much it for the band. They released one more album, which appears to be far more commercial in nature." After all these years, I've finally heard the dubious 3rd album, after finding a cheap copy at the COS record show. And I fear to say that I agree with the low assessment appended to it. It starts out rather promising though. Still has some hard rock riffing and definite proggy flare, as noted by the mellotron use. But it seems the band had lost interest and the rest of the album is what I call "early 70s North American classic rock." It's a style that was popular then but hasn't really aged well. Slightly rural, based in songwriting, but without much skill in melody development. Overall not a terrible album but rather average on the whole. Which is disappointing considering they were one of the American trailblazers on the hard rock front.

Source: 1973 Capitol (LP)

4/3/25 (review)

Mother / Bow to the King (1972)

Hot on the heels of acquiring Bang's debut, I now have secured their sophomore effort. Like two EPs sewed together as one, each headline title gets one side. Musically they are similar with the Mother side being slightly more heavy. Bang's second album does tone down the riffing a bit from the debut and Frank Ferrara doesn't go quite as much for the Ozzy pitch as prior. All the same, it's a solid hard rocker with more ideas than the usual bonehead early 70s North American fare. If you like one, you'll certainly enjoy the other. This was pretty much it for the band. They released one more album, which appears to be far more commercial in nature (see above for update). They also have an archival release that came out many years later.

Ownership: 1972 Capitol (LP). Gatefold

1992 (first listen); 4/2/23 (review)

Bang (1972)

Now we're talkin'! I had encountered Bang in my initial late 80s deep diving crate digging years, but they didn't resonate at that time. I was still either more prog or metal focused to appreciate vintage hard rock. Over the years, Bang's album has gathered a cult following among hard rock aficionados. And it's easy to hear why. Bang were from Philadelphia and were one of the very few contemporary bands to make a try at a Black Sabbath like sound. They're not quite as heavy but they have the same motif. Plenty of riffs and lead singer Frank Ferrara at times sounds eerily close to Ozzy. This really is a classic of the genre, and tough to score these days. 

Ownership: 1972 Capitol (LP). Green label.

3/4/23 (review)

4/2/23 (new entry)

Helmet of Gnats ~ USA ~ Connecticut

Sunday Drive [single] (2025)

Precisely one year later from Helmet of Gnats' last review, I'm checking out their next single 'Sunday Drive'. The track starts off in namesake fashion, with a pleasant ECM approach to jazz fusion. A Sunday drive indeed. Highly melodic and peaceful. The keyboard work is excellent and reminded me of The Franklin Street Arterial of all bands. Perhaps it's the New England connection. About halfway through guitarist Chris Fox enters, and ups the distortion a bit. Then around the six minute mark the Sunday drive gets mired in New York City traffic apparently. The music moves into funk territory and the guitar tone gets nastier. A wonderful progression! In that light, I'm thinking of Frank Marino on 'Poppy', which is about as nice a compliment as I can give. 

4/3/25 (review)

Nathan Deacon's Other Brain [single] (2024)

Helmet of Gnat's latest release is a lengthy seven minute track. Starting off more in electronic territory the music soon enough shifts towards a mellow Crimsonic type cyclical fusion piece. This eventually leads to the more comfortable sounds of common jazz fusion as one might hear in 1982 (they continue to move forward in time, though 40 years in the rear view mirror). Though the funky wah-wah bit at the six minute mark is a cool twist. Very nicely done.

4/3/24 (review)

Travelogue (2020)

I was recently in touch with guitarist Chris Fox, and he was kind enough to send me over a copy of Helmet of Gnats 4th and latest album Travelogue. I have notes on the second and third albums and there's a common bond between them. To cut and paste snippets from each:

"Their stock and trade is retro jazz rock/fusion, with Hammond B3 and electric guitar leading the way. Melody is front and center so this isn't a chops fest, just the way I prefer it. At times it sounds like Niacin with some spruced up psychedelic guitar leading the solo parade."

"As for style, I'm reminded of what Mandrill said about their music: "We were too prog for funk, and too funk for prog". Replace funk with fusion and you could make that same argument here."

The main theme on both of the above is that Helmet of Gnats favors melodicism over technique. And that shines through once again on Travelogue. You never have to sit through a chromatic scale shred fest, nor gymnastic rhythmic displays. Rather there's a natural flow of events to the compositions. While Timeslip refers back to the early 70s side of jazz rock, Travelogue comes in around 1977 or so. Fantastic synthesizer and other analog keys complement Fox's thoughtful guitar solos. The rhythm section is complex but not busy. Some of the warm bass tones are right out of the late 70s fusion cookbook. There are seven tracks totaling precisely 50 minutes. A full LP length, not too short where you are pining for more, not too much where it leaves you exhausted. Travelogue is timeless music, the kind that sounded fresh in the 70s and continues that way into the 2020's and most assuredly beyond. I've enjoyed all four of Helmet of Gnats albums to date.

Ownership: 2020 Ambient (CD). Trifold digipak.

3/30/24 (review)

High Street (2010)

For Helmet of Gnats second album I wrote: "Their stock and trade is retro jazz rock / fusion, with Hammond B3 and electric guitar leading the way. Melody is front and center so this isn't a chops fest, just the way I prefer it. At times it sounds like Niacin with some spruced up psychedelic guitar leading the solo parade. That reads like a great combination to me! If your tastes in fusion run towards the early 70s side of the continuum then Timeslip will most certainly satisfy."

And that most certainly applies here too. The concept is about the band members' childhood home street. There is something special about that experience and connection with the past. I have a very good friend from my old neighborhood (lived right across the street) and we've been friends for well over 50 years. We both are blessed with excellent memory capability so we can each recreate moments going back to our earliest school days of the early 70s.

This connection comes through in the music of Helmet of Gnats. As for style, I'm reminded of what Mandrill said about their music: "We were too prog for funk, and too funk for prog". Replace funk with fusion and you could make that same argument here.

Ownership: 2010 Ambient (CD). Digipak

2010 (first listen); 9/26/23 (review)

Timeslip (2004)

Timeslip is Helmet of Gnats second album, eight years after their debut. Here their stock and trade is retro jazz rock / fusion, with Hammond B3 and electric guitar leading the way. Melody is front and center so this isn't a chops fest, just the way I prefer it. At times it sounds like Niacin with some spruced up psychedelic guitar leading the solo parade. That reads like a great combination to me! If your tastes in fusion run towards the early 70s side of the continuum then Timeslip will most certainly satisfy.

For years I thought the album was self-titled, or simply known as II. But if you look carefully at the bottom front, you'll see the words Time on top, and Slip on the bottom, intertwined. I thought it was just a symbol, like you'd see on a door design. Haha.

Ownership: 2004 Ambient (SACD). Tri-fold digipak. 

7//06 (first listen); 7/28/22 (review)

7/28/22 (new entry)

Blue Oyster Cult ~ USA ~ Long Island, New York

Blue Oyster Cult were one of the very first bands I got into at the tender age of 13, much to the chagrin of my religious mother who didn't understand the allegory (not that I did either at the time, I just liked the music). Their material has held up well, and I own most of their classic albums. More updates will come eventually.

Mirrors (1979)

Mirrors was the first new studio album from Blue Oyster Cult after I had become a fan. Since my collection was still very small at the time, I found plenty to enjoy on the album. It wasn't really what I was looking for at the time, but I could explain it away. As more and more titles entered the household, Mirrors eventually became superfluous and I traded it off. Other than albums starting after The Revolution by Night, Mirrors was also the only classic era studio BOC I didn't have in the current collection. Found a minty one recently for cheap, so let's dig in for the first time in probably 40 years. It certainly isn't as bad as the low rating I had on it, though one can understand the disappointment. I was hardly alone in my assessment, and Mirrors remains their lowest rated album until the aforementioned Revolution album (according to RYM). Side 2 is the better half, and most of it is enjoyable. The first side isn't a total loss, though one wonders how they arrived at the suggestion that the title song was one of the treasures of the album. In any case, the one track here that is a fan favorite - and the one I loved at age 14 - is most certainly 'The Vigil'. It's really too bad BOC didn't pursue more of their proggy ambitions. They dabbled with it early in their career, and would later reference the genre every once in a blue moon. 'The Vigil' is one of the best tracks in their canon of work. Buck Dharma was at another level when penning this composition. It truly stands out on an album such as Mirrors, given that the rest of it is mostly commercial oriented. I wouldn't keep this album under normal circumstances, but the nostalgia pull here is huge.

Ownership: 1979 Columbia (LP)

1979 (first listen); 4/2/25 (review)

Agents of Fortune (1976)

Blue Oyster Cult's 4th album Agents of Fortune is where I first started with the band. If memory serves, Spectres was already out, but once I saw 'Don't Fear the Reaper' on the back cover at the local K-Mart, then I decided to fork over my hard earned lawnmowing money on the album. I was 13 years old and with my mom (not like I was driving yet), and she wasn't too keen on me buying it due to the Tarot imagery, but she relented. To this day, I still think Reaper is a 5 star track despite having heard it countless times over a 47+ year period. That's how good it is. And it's certainly the highlight of Agents of Fortune, though it would be for almost any traditional song based album. The only other "known" track here is 'ETI' a rather heavy piece for its era, and signals their next big hit with 'Godzilla'. B2 is the other harder rocking cut, one I've always been fond of. The other seven songs are geared towards melodic AOR, something they proved to be adept at on Secret Treaties, though it was presented in a more progressive form on that album. B3 and B4 in particular are very touching. I like the opening track as well, seemingly more like a mid-album cut. Strange beginning I think. I can do without A2 which sounds like the Stones, never a good plan. The side closers are lackluster as well. The end summary is that Agents of Fortune is a good album, somewhere in the middle of their canon, but not extraordinary. Lost opportunity because one of the tracks is just that - extraordinary.

Ownership: 1976 Columbia (LP)

1978 (first listen); 6/21/20; 2/14/25 (review)

Hard Rock Live Cleveland (2014 / 2020)

Quite an elaborate package with a double digipak and three discs. At this stage, BOC is really Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma with a touring band. And these guys have lost their ability to sing in harmony, one of their trademarks. It's nice to hear great songs that are under performed such as 'Golden Age of Leather', 'The Vigil', and 'Black Blade'. But they just ain't got it anymore. Weak sound and out of tune vocals. Fans seem to love it. I personally go back with BOC to 1978, as they were one of my first favorite groups. No blinders for me though.

Source: 2020 Frontiers (2xCD + DVD)

1/15/25 (review)

Fire of Unknown Origin (1981)

Another one of those albums I bought new real time, got tired of, and sold by the early 90s. From a cover perspective, it's very clear that BOC were moving as far away from Mirrors as fast as possible. A classic of its kind. The music is easily identifiable as Blue Oyster Cult and it's not that much of a risk taker. Much was made of the Joan Crawford song in its era, but it's not going to change your world. The whole album screams early 80s hard rock, plain and simple. There's nothing that sticks with you for days like, say, 'Subhuman'. 'Burnin' For You', which was the big hit, may also be the album's best track.

Ownership: 1981 Columbia (LP)

1981 (first listen); 7/27/13; 1/9/23 (review)

The Revolution By Night (1983)

I first heard this album on my winter break from college in 1983. It was relatively new then. It was the same time period that I picked up Savatage's Sirens and Manilla Road's Crystal Logic. A friend swore it was great, but as you might imagine, I had completely moved away from poppy hard rock such as BOC by that time. I thought it was terrible and maintained a low rating for the next 40 years almost. With this era of the 80s in my lens, now is a good time to repurchase the album from a local store. Well... yea, I can certainly see why I thought nothing of it when I was 18. It is lightweight and it is poppy. Which doesn't translate to terrible like it once did. I did recognize the opener 'Take it Away', but nothing else, 'Veins' is really nice and one gets to hear Randy Jackson (American Idol of course...) play a mean bass on the lengthy 'Shooting Shark'. Side 2 is mostly solid hard rock as well. Other interesting guests are Larry Fast (Synergy) and Aldo Nova, a star in his own right not long before.

Ownership: 1983 Columbia (LP)

1983 (first listen); 3/4/22 (review)

Extraterrestrial Live (1982)

The first live album I ever bought was On Your Feet Or On Your Knees, which became a personal favorite when I was 14. To this day, it remains one my top live albums in the collection. By the time ETL came out, I was already tiring of BOC, and this live album seemed perfunctory. I had seen the band live around this time, and modern reviews are generally very positive, so I plucked down near-retail dollars to buy this used copy. Nope, looks like my 17 year old brain knew better. The key to On Your Feet is the improvisational and energy quotient, both missing from ETL. Obviously seeing them live was a different positive experience, but it isn't captured here. It's a run through of all their hits, and every album has at least one representative including even their least successful Mirrors album. The only cover song is Roadhouse Blues, the Doors chestnut that was overdone in those days. I don't think it's a very good song to begin with, and might be my least favorite Doors hit. Oh well, not every nostalgic pull is going to work out.

Source: 1982 Columbia (2xLP)

2/18/22 (review)

Secret Treaties (1974)

The last of the "Black and White" trilogy of albums, Secret Treaties ups the ante on just about everything. Considered by many to be their most thoughtful and challenging album, lyrically Blue Oyster Cult were living in a surreal, but parallel, universe. Even tracks that are essentially boogie rockers receive mid track breaks that belong more to progressive rock - or later in the heavy metal genre considering the mid song riff change. 'Subhuman' is melancholy on a plate with a killer underlying riff. 'Astronomy' is about as progressive as BOC will ever get, always pulling back instinctively knowing their audience are there to rock and roll. Buck Dharma has a very recognizable guitar style. Had he chosen a route similar to Santana, his name would be far more known today as a soloist rather than band member.

The CD adds five bonus tracks. Three of these were recorded during the Secret Treaties sessions but left off due to time constraints. Revisiting these, it appears the band / label made the right choice as they are more straightforward than the album proper. Still it's quite excellent to hear unreleased tracks like this. The other two are singles, including live favorite 'Born to be Wild'.

Ownership: 1974 Columbia (LP); 2001 Columbia Legacy (CD). Contains insightful liner notes, lyrics, photos, and five bonus tracks.

1978 (first listen); 11/21/12; 7/7/15; 11/26/22 (review)

11/26/22 (new entry)

Sweet ~ England

Action / Medussa (1976)

'Action' is the same tune that opens Give Us a Wink and is a fantastic example of the superb hard rock goods that album brings.

But the real draw here is the American Capitol release that contains 'Medussa'. I hadn't heard this track prior and it's a must for Sweet fans - and hard rock fans in general. A well penned song, bordering prog combined with the traditional Sweet chorus sound. About halfway through Andy Scott starts to riff some chords. Not long after that an entire instrumental sequence lifts off. Scott goes wild on the guitar solo, while the rhythm section is going through some complex time changes. Very kinetic! I've never heard Sweet sound like this. And it has to be Scott's wildest solo on record.

I've just been informed this is 'Medusa' on the European versions of Desolation Boulevard. I've never heard that album, which is much different than the American version on Capitol.

Ownership: 1976 Capitol (SP)

4/1/25 (review)

 

Level Headed (1978)

Sweet were one of my early favorite groups. Level Headed was their new album at the time and 'Love is Like Oxygen' was the track getting regular airplay - a song I enjoyed immensely. We'll get to that soon. On the first day someone could shuttle me to the mall (I was only 13 at the time), I waltzed into the two record shops to purchase the album, only to find they were sold out. I decided to buy the album before it - Off the Record. I enjoyed that album (to be discussed another day), though I won't say I was blown away by it. I had one friend back then who was also into music like I was, and he did find Level Headed. Neither of us were overly impressed, and I decided to forgo buying my own copy. Not long after, I bought Desolation Boulevard (US version of course) and Give Us a Wink and those two solidified my early fan status.

Since I recently made the decision to pick up old commodity LPs from my youth (must be found in a store, and very inexpensive - or trade), I thought Level Headed would be an early score. As but one example, I walked into a local store and bought a stone mint Saga's Heads or Tales for $4 at the beginning of this adventure. But Level Headed had proved to be elusive. Again, I'm not going to mail order these things - that would have been too easy. Finally, after two years, I secured a copy - and it was properly discounted in the budget bin. Perfect.

So what of Level Headed, and where did my initial resistance come from? Right from the beginning, that's where. Even today, I find little to embrace about the opening three tracks. They're OK of course, but the melodies aren't striking, and gone is the hard rocking Sweet that I enjoyed. It's not until 'Fountain' that things begin to improve dramatically. Then comes 'Love is Like Oxygen', one of God's gifts to music. It's such a bizarre tune really - and how it became the "hit" off the album is even more puzzling. Starting off with power chords (finally!) Sweet sings in a high pitched but odd styled harmony. This is followed by some Brian Wilson like mellow interludes that raise the hair on your arm. The mid section then shows that Sweet may have had a fondness for Camel - as they totally go prog here. This leads back to the power chord section. And finally, the album closes with a cool funk bit (que?). What the heck did I just hear? None of it makes sense, but I think it's brilliant. No wonder I was drawn to this at a young age. Side 2 starts of in a Gryphon-goes-pop manner (which by that time was the sound of Gryphon anyway). There's a couple more middling tracks which leads to the other great track from the album, it too a side closer. 'Air on 'A' Tape Loop' is about as strange as 'Love is Like Oxygen'. This time it's a groovy instrumental with only harmony vocals on top - as if Deodato had walked in for a cameo.

Level Headed is not a great album by any means, but there's 13 minutes of brilliance and about 20 minutes overall of excellent material. That's plenty good for me.

Ownership: 1978 Capitol (LP). Gatefold with lyric inner.

1978 (first listen); 1/21/21 (review)

Ballroom Blitz / Restless (1974)

'Ballroom Blitz' is well known, and honestly is a great hard rocker. It was the track that drew me to Sweet in the first place when I was 12. Shoot, even my mom thought it a good track, and she hated most of what I listened to. In any case, the track is also on the US pressings of Desolation Boulevard.

The real allure here is the unreleased 'Restless' which is patented Sweet, and features some really inspired guitar soloing from Andy Scott. The 45 is as common as one raisin in a box of them, so well worth the pennies.

Ownership: 1974 Capitol (SP)

6/27/20 (new entry)