Mandragora ~ England

Earthdance (1992) 

You can read my thoughts about Mandragora in the reviews below. I don't have too much to say beyond that. To summarize, Mandragora are one of my favorite bands from the original UK Festival Psych scene. They had a unique disparate approach though their sound is largely familiar. Earthdance is their 4th album (counting their debut cassette), and is closer to the previous Head First than the follow up Temple Ball. Mostly it's the eclecticism that makes me think that. This is the kind of album you just hit play and let 'er ride. Good music from a good era. This is a title I first bought on LP and switched to CD quickly. Today they're worth about the same.

Ownership: 1992 Mystic Stones (CD). Acquired in 1992.

1992; 1/20/25 (review)

Phil Thornton with Mandragora - While the Green Man Sleeps (1993)

--- 9/29/09

Phil Thornton is the main man behind Mandragora and they were one of the great UK festival psych bands. And while this goes under the Phil Thornton name, most of Mandragora is on it, and it sounds like a Mandragora album to be honest. Or perhaps a more electronica version of the band, something the group eventually moved to anyway on their 1998 opus Pollen. This particular release reminds me a bit of Ship of Fools actually, given the relaxed nature and flow of the music. 

--- 10/7/22

As noted already in a couple of places, I'm quite fond of Mandragora, who I felt added a bit more than your garden variety space rock and UK festival act. And this listen resulted in a +1 as well. I didn't mention this above, but While the Green Man Sleeps is a mixed release. The first two tracks are from a concert in Scotland circa 1987. And for whatever reason they included 'Xylem' from Earthdance which is superfluous. The remaining three tracks are newer recordings and apply more to my initial review. The final track 'Rainbow Chant' is nearly 25 minutes, and is worth the price of admission alone.

Ownership: 1993 Mystic Stones (CD). Acquired in 1994.

1994; 9/29/09 (review); 1//10; 10/7/22 (update)

Head First (1991)

There was a time - in the early days of the UK Festival Psych movement - that Mandragora were one of the bigger names of the scene. Perhaps only second to Ozric Tentacles in name recognition. But by the end of the 90s, the band more or less died like most of the genre. And are now largely forgotten. Which is really too bad.

Head First is Mandragora's second proper album, and possibly their first fully realized one. It's disparate in style, but unmistakably Festival Psych. For example 'Pendulum & the Pit' is a solid hard rock number, not too far removed from a late era Hawkwind sound (the aforementioned were Mandragora's idols). 'Talking to God (Pt 2)' is one of the more wacky pieces here, very psychedelic with phasing, warbled voices, and wicked fuzz guitar. 'Raga' goes out East for the obligatory Indian psych trip. Both 'Yesterday's Tomorrow' and the title track offer the best representation of the album as a whole, and includes all of which they bring forth here. 'Grooving in the Dog House' gives us a glimpse to their sound at the end of the decade - more electronica and less rock influenced.

Overall a very solid entry into the English late 80s / early 90s psychedelic underground. I've owned this CD since it first came out, and it only gets better with age.

Ownership: 1991 Resonance (CD). Acquired in 1991.

1991; 1/1/19 (review)

Temple Ball (1994)

For my money, Mandragora were one of the top UK festival / space rock bands of the 1980s and 90s, perhaps only bested by Ozric Tentacles and Omnia Opera (though really obscure bands like Crow and Blim were just as outstanding, but those are more recent discoveries for me).

Mandragora's trajectory was a bit different, however. On album at least, they started with hard rock, moving ever slow slowly to space rock, then onto ethnic tinged electronic rock, some techno, etc... I like all of their albums, but it was on Temple Ball that the band finally unleashed their ferocious guitar fronted space rock style. Like many of the bands of their era, Mandragora mixed in recorded TV and radio bits to add to the ominous atmosphere, before launching into another intense jam.

The banger (hipster talk) here is 'Talking to God (Part IV)', but other great pieces include 'Zarg', 'Inside the Crystal Circle', 'Rainbow Warrior', and the title track. The album claims to be recorded live "in the Crystal Feb '94", but I don't think it's an actual concert. If it was, then it's been completely edited like a studio album and there's no audience noise. I prefer it this way myself.

This is definitely the best album on the space rock specialist Mystic Stones label, and sadly, very close to the label's last release.

Ownership: 1994 Mystic Stones (CD). Acquired in 1995.

1995; 11/17/11 (review); 7/6/22

Also own Over the Moon; Pollen

11/17/11 (new entry)

The Chris Hinze Combination ~ Netherlands

Despite what it may look like below, I have a few Hinze albums in the collection. I just haven't written anything meaningful for any of them. We'll get there eventually.

Here is my summary from 7/18/09: Dutch flautist Chris Hinze was far more than just your usual jazz flute player. Especially on Mission Suite where he combines jazz and progressive rock very effectively. Stoned Flute and Live at Montreux are more steeped in the jazz tradition, but aren't standard by any means. Who Can See the Shadow of the Sun is a bit looser than the others during this period, and will appeal most to those into "out" jazz. Sister Slick is probably Hinze's heaviest album, with Philip Catherine on guitar, and is a good representation of the harder edged fusion style. His later 70s work strayed towards fuzak. Interesting to note that his other album from the early Seventies, 1972's Virgin Sacrifice, has been reissued on CD. I'm sure it earned a CD imprint (on his own label) since it foreshadowed his future work as a new age artist. It's very different from his other albums during the early 70s.

Stoned Flute (1970)

I've had this LP for well over 20 years but I think it's only the second time for me to hear it. I had such high hopes for this when I first obtained it. That most awesome title and the fact that I was already an established Hinze fan. But this falls to the free jazz side of the equation. It's not unpleasant at all, with plenty of standup bass and piano along with Hinze's flute. Everyone once in awhile they'll catch a groove and you begin to think there might be something here to grasp onto. But then it falls apart per protocol. Lot of folks I know into this scene, but I'm just not one of them.

Former ownership: 1970 CBS (LP). Gatefold

3/3/03 (acquired); 1/7/25 (review)

Charlie Mariano with the Chris Combination (1973)

Straight up jazz session with American WWII veteran saxophonist Mariano joining forces with the Chris Hinze Combination from the Netherlands. This CD is a reissue of Charlie Mariano With The Chris Hinze Combination with the 18+ minute "bonus" title track improvisation thrown in the middle. Mariano himself was just taking baby steps into the European underground (see Osmosis for some American subversiveness) with jazz flutist Hinze's outfit. He was later to embark into an enlightening journey with Krautrock legends Embryo, and participate on some of their finest works shortly thereafter. 'Traditional South Indian (Carnatic) Kirtanam' is exactly the type of music he performed later with the underground Embryo. A real Hepcat, man.

Former ownership: CD: 1995 Black Lion (Germany) as Blue Stone. Booklet has original liner notes.

7/08/03 (acquired); 12/10/15 (review); 4/23/24

Other albums I own and need to review: Live at Montreux; Virgin Sacrifice; Mission Suite; Sister Slick

12/10/15 (new entry)

Styx ~ USA ~ Chicago, Illinois

Styx was my first contemporary favorite band when I started collecting LPs instead of 45s. This would be 1977 and I was 12. No surprise that I gravitated to progressive rock (it would be another few years before I even knew what that term meant), and it was 'Castle Walls' (from The Grand Illusion) that initially drew me in. Along with 'Suite Madame Blue' from Equinox, this wonderful composition demonstrated that Styx could have been a successful progressive rock band had they tried. But why do that when they ultimately became megastars doing what they did best - marrying commercial FM radio hits with some sophistication. Styx are very much Chicago (the city) in their approach - brash, in your face, and as subtle as a train wreck. With added street smarts. They played both sides of the rock radio commercial fence and won most fans over. Today, Styx are one of those bands that creates handwringing from the modern critic. Aren't they just too cheesy? All that is endemic to late 70s and early 80s AOR? They don't get a pass like Steely Dan does. To be fair, I do think experiencing their albums from the era does help in this case. I was just coming of age myself, so music like this is more part of my DNA than an objective viewpoint all these years later. While obscurities such as Alpha Centauri, Gideon, etc... continue to roll in, and I (and others) heap much praise, they really aren't so much different from a musical approach. But superstardom has a way of bringing out the naysayers. And I too can be just that person when groups like REO Speedwagon and Journey find themselves on my turntable. Yuck - how could have anyone liked that I ask? While I personally think Styx is a cut above, not all who hear them agree.

Paradise Theatre (1981)

As noted in the summary, Styx were my favorite band in 1977 and 1978. By 1981 I was hiding from them, disassociating myself from my early fandom. Their prior album Cornerstone (1979) was a disaster with no redeemable qualities whatsoever. Not only that but by 1981 I was an early adopter of heavy metal having loaded up on Judas Priest and the Scorpions albums, plus getting on board with the new generation like Iron Maiden and Saxon. Such is the trajectory of the anger filled teenager going from age 12 to age 16. As would be the case throughout my life, when I first embraced Styx they weren't very popular with my school mates. By the time I was a sophomore in high school, they were extremely popular in the same way that Journey and Foreigner were. And Paradise Theatre was that album that propelled them to the highest ranks of respect among that crowd. Being the contrarian I was, my reflexive response was to hate it. So take that you soft-bellied weenies! About seven years ago I grabbed the CD for dirt cheap and made an objective go, but I wasn't impressed. Now I've found the LP for a buck, let's try it one more time. These past seven years has allowed me to ditch a lot of my prior bias' and embrace albums and styles of music that I once scoffed at. If you've noticed my latest motif, an album review without a cover means I didn't keep it. There's your clue. Even after all this time, my 2018 analysis was correct. The songwriting just isn't there. They have hits from this album like 'Too Much Time on My Hands', 'Snowblind', and 'The Best of Times' but they're just bad reminders to me of the sad state of radio in the early 80s. I do like that Styx boldly went forward with a concept album when doing such a thing was considered nerdy at best, and nerdy was not cool in those days. And I also like that the concept was about a glorious time (1920s) in their breeding ground of Chicago. So yea, certainly better than Cornerstone (not much is worse) but not even close to earning shelf space. (ED: Until I lucked into finding the Nautilus LP a month later, so I'm keeping it lol).

Ownership: 1982 Nautilus / A&M (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2025.

1981; 2/12/18; 2/23/25 (review)
 

Styx II (1973)

As noted on in the summary, Styx were my favorite contemporary act as a 12 year old. Going into my first year as an teenager, they also represented the first band I began to deep dive on. I believe Styx II was the second full length for me to own.

About 18 years ago I wrote the following (after acquiring the CD comp): "Styx II, the album famous for spawning ‘Lady’, starts to show the band tighten up their sound and composition structure. The first three tracks are awesome (including ‘Lady’) and features one of their best “pure prog” tunes with the eight minute 'A Day'. They don't sustain the momentum though. Each early Styx album has at least one hideous woofer, where they try to show that they can play old style 50’s rock and roll, and Styx II is no exception. The band were too diverse for their own good in the early years. ‘Lady’ didn’t become a hit until 1975 just after the release of their 5th album Equinox. From there they skyrocketed into the mainstream."

Yea, exactly that. Typical unfocused early Styx release. But it does include John Curulewski's greatest contribution to the group which would be 'A Day', a wonderful drifty melancholic proggy number. 'Lady' is a beautiful song, and the A&R guys missed the boat originally. That track would also predict their future. In the end, not really a great work overall, and arguably the worst of their original quartet of albums.

Ownership: 

1973 Wooden Nickel (LP). Acquired in 1978.

2005 Hip-O Select - The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings (2xCD). See Man of Miracles at the bottom of this post. 

1978; 5//05 (notes); 11/12/23 (review)

The Grand Illusion (1977)

So here is where I started with Styx. I love the opening 'The Grand Illusion' which I think is the perfect blend of who Styx really were at this point: AOR, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock. In that order. Tommy Shaw really comes into his own with 'Fooling Yourself' and 'Man in the Wilderness', the latter featuring a killer guitar break. Shaw adds a touch of folksiness to most of his tunes, another lever for the band to pull on. Other than the proggy 'Castle Walls', my other favorite track was (and is) 'Miss America'. This tune is quite possibly James Young's finest hard rock composition. While I gravitated towards prog at an early age, I also had some pent up anger for a lot of reasons, and 'Miss America' helped me through some early aggression. As strange as this may sound, it was Styx that introduced me to the hard rock, and ultimately, heavy metal genres. Both still favorite styles of mine today, though the anger element is long gone from me. I appreciate the energy and tone they both bring.

That leaves the throwaway 'Superstars', the only track on the album I have no memory of despite hearing it hundreds of times. And then comes their blockbuster 'Come Sail Away'. It is an absolutely beautiful track. Had it been only three minutes - perfect timing for the radio - then I would have loved it. But that annoying chorus, which never stops, drives me batty. Why they felt it so necessary to carry that on for so long is a great mystery to me.

Ownership: 

1977 A&M (LP). Lyric insert and poster. Acquired in 1977.

A&M (CD) 90s press. Acquired in 2005.

1977 A&M (8-track). Yea, man. Acquired in 2026.

1977; 7//05; 11/6/23 (review)

Styx (1972)

I think to fully appreciate Styx's debut, one has to immerse themselves into the era from which they came. As I've mentioned a few times prior, while England and Europe had full blown progressive rock scenes operating in the early 70s, America's labels didn't support it. Couldn't see the commercial value. Album rock was an English thing. Singles are where it's at! This mindset prevailed despite massive sales going to English bands thriving in that market. It isn't like progressive rock didn't exist on these shores, it's that they were four to five years behind the curve. There were meager attempts (commercially speaking that is) by awesome groups that remain unfairly obscure such as Ram, Polyphony, and Sanctuary. But they were few and far between. The mid to late 70s saw the grassroots prog movement here finally explode - to strictly local and regional audiences. Essentially the major labels missed the boat. Something they were careful not to replicate as the States were the leader in future musical endeavors, the various styles of heavy metal in particular comes to mind.

So back to Styx. Their debut was a fish out of water. A prog rock record released by an American band. Now it didn't help that Styx weren't really all that progressive to begin with. It's 1972, so you're up against Yes' Close to the Edge and Genesis' Foxtrot as but two examples of hundreds. Styx is miles less interesting than that. What Styx really did was predict the regional nature of such music here in America. They couldn't be more Chicago-born even if they tried. Most folks were likely to discover Styx's debut after the fact, long after they were megastars. And in that scenario, they also fail, because this is a long way from their patented professional AOR / prog formula. Styx's debut is music for the local club set, not the arena.

With all of that in mind, were it a private press, or even a major label one-off flop, the album would have more underground fans. It's definitely charming. The lengthy opener 'Movement for a Common Man' has a lot of quality jams and songwriting. Besides, I heartily agree with the old codgers in 'Street Collage' lol. 'Best Thing' was their big bet on a hit. It's a really good song, but too heavy and dirty for 1972 pop rock. It's definitely an album rock cut. 'Quick is the Beat of My Heart' is another quality hard rock track. There's nothing weak on this debut, though it was hardly a bold statement going mightily forward. It sounds hedged primarily because Styx were never truly an all-out prog band. They were a Chicago bar band who extended their skills way beyond their peers. And it ultimately paid off.

Ownership:

1972 Wooden Nickel (LP). Acquired in 1985.

2005 Hip-O Select - The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings (2xCD). See Man of Miracles at the bottom of this post.

1978; 1985; 5//05; 7/19/22 (review)

Equinox (1975)

One of the earliest albums I ever owned, I pretty much have this album memorized. It was one of my favorites when I was 13, a couple of years after its release. The album's two openers 'Light Up' and 'Lorelei' were FM radio staples in the late 70s. Both feature punchy synths and hard rocking guitars, the new formula for Styx once they joined the A&M record label stable. The only two tracks I don't recall are the last couple of cuts on the A side. I should remember 'Mother Dear' though, as it's an excellent organ driven proggy number. Perhaps a look back to their earliest albums. 'Lonely Child', yea OK, it's pretty forgettable. All of side 2 kicks ass. 'Midnight Ride' is patented James Young hard rock, with some ripping solos, and I've always appreciated his rough n' ready vocals. 'Born For Adventure' is another heavy prog oriented number, with some great bass work, and we used to go wild as kids when they phased the vocals towards the end. But it's closer 'Suite Madame Blue' that wins the blue ribbon, and is arguably the greatest progressive rock composition in Styx's career. The bit where the synthesizer melts down and the heavy guitar riff comes in and then they start singing "America" in harmony sends chills up one's spine. Equinox is part of my DNA by now, so no chance for objectivity here.

Ownership: 1975 A&M (LP). Lyric inner. Acquired in 1978.

1978; 7//05; 12/18/12; 12/27/21 (review)

Crystal Ball (1976)

I've owned this album in one form or another since 1978, when I was just starting to get into record collecting as an early teen. Styx was my first "favorite band" and even had a belt buckle of their emblem. Hey, I was a kid. Wish I still had it, I'm sure it's worth quite a bit today. Maybe I would even wear it! Yea, and my wife would kill me, so scratch that. In any case, Crystal Ball was never one of my favorites by the band and I hear it weaker than the two it sits between. But JY's hard rocking opener 'Put Me On' and Dennis DeYoung's slick 'Jennifer' provide some highlights. Crystal Ball is, of course, Tommy Shaw's debut with the band and he wrote the title track. It's a signature tune, and foreshadowed his excellent songwriting abilities for future albums. Side 2 kind of wheezes out even though it has progressive rock ambition. Regardless, Crystal Ball has aged well for me.

Ownership: 1976 A&M (LP). Lyric inner. Acquired in 1978.

1978; 7//05; 10/14/21 (review)

Return to Paradise (1997) 

This is a double live album that heralds the return of Styx to south Chicago. It features four out of five of the key protagonists, with only John Panozzo missing (who had recently passed away). This is one of those live albums that prove the band know how to play the songs they wrote. And nothing else. No improvisation, alternate arrangements, or different energy levels. Essentially one is hearing a play list. There are a couple of newer tracks thrown in, but given they aren't anything special, it's hardly a reason to buy it. Not for me.

Source: 1997 CMC (CD)

3/4/21 (review)

Cyclorama (2003) 

I've been long curious what Styx sounded like after Kilroy, but never took the chance on buying one of their new CDs. So the thrift shop is perfect for just this kind of album. Based on the contents of Cyclorama, it's a good thing I hesitated. Sometimes you wonder why they even bother with new albums. They should just do the Oldies Tour thing and hang it up. The magic of songwriting is gone. In Styx's case, the personnel is mostly gone too. Styx without Dennis DeYoung is already stating it's a different band. Drummer John Panozzo and original guitarist John Curulewski are long RIP. Bassist Chuck Panozzo has had serious health issues for many years, and only does cameo's for the band. Original guitarist James Young is still on board, and he was the hard rocker of the bunch, but unfortunately he takes a backseat role on Cyclorama. That leaves Curulewski's 1976 replacement Tommy Shaw as the de facto leader of Styx. And it pretty much sounds like a Shaw solo album with guests. Mostly this is boring folk rock or ridiculous ass-kissing AOR music (there's even a song with a title similar), without any decent hooks. The latter was irrelevant by 2003 anyway. There are a couple of good tracks, namely 'These Are the Times', and if you hang in to the end, 'One With Everything'. This last track shows Styx in full-on progressive mode, even more so than their classic 70s albums. More of that would have resulted in a late era classic. In the end, I can only rate the album as a disappointment. It should have been much better really, as they had the freedom to do what they wanted.

Source:  2003 CMC (CD)

3/3/21 (review)

 

Man of Miracles (1974)

Man of Miracles is the 4th album from south Chicago's favorite sons Styx. Objectively speaking, one could make a strong argument that this was Styx's weakest album of the 70s save the awful Cornerstone that closed off the decade.

Despite featuring a cover and title that indicates a prog rock extravaganza, Man of Miracles shows Styx splintering into two entirely different groups. The two guitarists - James Young and John Curulewski - appear to be moving Styx into a good times boogie rock club circuit band. This is evident by the two opening tracks 'Rock & Roll Feeling' and 'Havin' a Ball'. Later on Young bonks the 'A Man Like Me' and the whole band double dribbles the cover song 'Lies'. It's only later we see Young redeem himself with his trademark hard rocking 'Southern Woman', a blueprint for what was to come from him.

Oddly it's the much-maligned Dennis DeYoung that holds Man of Miracles together and saves it from a complete disaster. 'Golden Lark' is a beautiful ballad, one of his best, and among the album's highlights. 'A Song for Suzanne' promises similar, though DeYoung always had this gnawing habit of injecting a Broadway play type mentality into his songs. 'Evil Eyes' and 'Christopher, Mr. Christopher', while not highlights, are certainly well penned tracks. This all leads to the title track, and the one place Styx seems to be operating as a cohesive unit. Co-written by Young and DeYoung, 'Man of Miracles' demonstrates the best of Styx - James Young's heavy rock nature juxtaposed against DeYoung's full onslaught of proggy keyboards. It was an indication of what was to follow, and Styx were to become a force thereafter. If it weren't for the belated two-years-in-the-can hit 'Lady' suddenly thrust upon the FM radio airwaves, one could easily see Man of Miracles as Styx's swan song. But they caught a break and never looked back. Great things were to come for the boys from South Chicago.

Ownership: 

1974 Wooden Nickel (LP). Acquired in 1978.

2005 Hip-O Select - The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings (2xCD). Encapsulates their four album run on RCA's Wooden Nickel imprint. Comes with liner notes and full album details.

1978; 5//05; 4/3/19 (review)

Other albums I own and still need to review: The Serpent is Rising; Pieces of Eight; Brave New World

4/3/19 (new entry)

Antonio Carlos Jobim ~ Brazil

Wave (1967)

Classic Bossa Nova album with soothing acoustic guitar, flute, strings, trombone, etc... Some would even call this easy listening music, but there's far more at play than that would imply. It's easy on the ears that's for sure. If only Astrud Gilberto was singing, but nonetheless, an excellent example of its kind.

Former ownership: 1967 A&M / CTI (LP). Green photo gatefold original (Monarch press, not in Discogs today). Most of the covers have a red photo. Acquired in 2025.

2/4/25 (new review)
 

Tide (1970)

Nice Half-Speed Master version of Jobim's 1970 instrumental Bossa Nova album. It's for sure cocktail / saccharine but it definitely soothes the nerves. And Jobim is the author of Brazil's most famous song 'The Girl From Ipanema', which makes its presence here as well. My Bossa Nova collection is still pretty light, so a keeper for now.

Ownership: 1983 A&M (LP). Gatefold. Beautiful reissue with superb sound. Part of A&M's Quiex series. Acquired in 2021.

1/13/21 (review)

12/10/21 (new entry)

Titan ‎~ USA ~ Brooklyn, New York

Titan (2006)

Titan is an interesting band. They released only three albums with the middle one being the piece de resistance. They closed off their career with a sincere attempt to capture the stoner audience, much to my disappointment. In reading other's reviews, many feel the second one is also stoner, but I say no way. But what about the debut? On paper it looks like a home run. Three long tracks, and they're all titled in German. No one calls this a stoner album but rather a retro Krautrock masterpiece. Unfortunately it lacks the compositional drive and varied instrumentation of Raining Sun. Mostly this is long form cosmic jamming, of the kind the Japanese usually peddle. Acid Mothers Temple and their ilk. It's not as nauseous as those bands can be, as I wouldn't claim it be a non-stop barrage of guitar noise. Seems one of these long tracks would serve well on an album, but not all three doing the same thing. And with a record collection of real deal early 70s cosmic Krautrock at my disposal, this one become superfluous.

3/28/07 (first listen); 2/21/25 (review)

Former ownership: 2006 Paradigms (CD)

Sweet Dreams (2010)

The album prior to this, The Raining Sun Of Light... is, in my estimation, one of the greatest modern interpretations of progressive Krautrock one can find in the market (see below). Brilliant in every way, I was very excited to obtain the follow up upon release. And was disappointed. In listening to it for the time since last night, I settled in on a -1 (in this case I rated it too high to begin with). But musically it's still quite good, I'm just not fond of the production and tones. It's as if they felt the need to "stoner it up", which was entirely unnecessary.

Former ownership: 2010 Relapse (CD)

2010 (first listen); 11/20/23 (review)

   

A Raining Sun Of Light & Love, For You & You & You... (2007) 

I remember being tipped to this band back when it first came out 11 years ago. I was as skeptical as ever. A Brooklyn based "stoner" band allegedly playing in the Krautrock style. Sorry, heard that one before fellas. And what one would usually get in that scenario is bonehead chords of fuzz, a on-his-6th whiskey vocalist, 4/4 pounding drums, and hopefully some cartoon art of dragsters, pinball machines, and disproportionate top heavy females with lots of tattoos. Yea, we're hipsters from Brooklyn! Nya-nya. In any case, enough recs came my way that I reluctantly pulled the trigger...

...And I became a Brooklyn stoner hipster on the spot.

After a few listens in 2007, I filed it away with a high grade, and haven't revisited since. Here we are, and I somewhat dreaded it. I probably was just in the mood for it or something like that. Tastes change and evolve over the years right?

I like it even better now. If for nothing else on the album, it's hard to imagine anyone who is into the early 70s proto prog sound not to be absolutely floored by 'Annals of the Former World'. It is absolute perfection in every sense of the word. It constantly changes, has haunting vocals, is heavy as all get out, has some absolutely incredible Hammond organ, is trippy in the best Krautrock style, and the guitar solos are sublime. Maybe the best track I've ever heard from modern times that encapsulates all that was great about 1971. The closest comparison to my ears is Nektar's Journey to the Centre of the Eye... sped up and then cranked to 11.

'Hashishin Ohel' is largely a continuation of the above, with a bit of a noisy ending, but overall is brilliant in its own right. 'Obelisk Orbit Overdrive' is a bit more tedious, but certainly not a poor track, just in comparison with what came before it, one would have hoped for a bit more clarity and editing.

The album ends in a very interesting fashion, with 'Aufruf der Pilz'. As its title hints at, this is a pure play Krautrock attempt. Now I would imagine the gut reaction here, especially for hipsters, is to go right for the Neu! comparison. I don't think so. Actually to me it sounds like the Ashra power trio years of 1979 to 1980 - especially on the archival tapes where the guitars are decidedly more psychedelic. An excellent rendition and very melodic to boot.

These guys were plugged in perfectly at the time. I have two others in the collection from them (before and after), but I don't recall those being quite at this level. And then they sadly disappeared.

Ownership: 2007 Tee Pee (CD)

4/20/07 (first listen); 6/6/18 (review)

6/6/18 (new entry)

Roadmaster ~ USA ~ Indianapolis, Indiana

Fortress (1980) 

The on-a-budget Hipgnosis styled front cover indicates that this final album might bring a bit more artistic acumen to the proceedings. Though to hedge their bet, they still had to have the requisite smiling band photo on the back, though more subdued than prior. All of Side 1 proves they have no intention of doing anything but trying to write a hit song. I feel bad for them, because they just weren't any good at it. I'm sure Mercury realized they had a loser in their ranks and had to cut bait quickly. Seems they gave Roadmaster more artistic freedom for the flip side so B1 and B2 are very good hard-edged AOR tunes. B4 even has a Mercury alum Permanent Waves era Rush feel. In the end, the album is no better or worse than Hey World. What a lost opportunity for the guys from Indianapolis. They could have been legends as they had the right sound and the financial backing. Instead they are $5 record store bin specials with patrons asking "who were Roadmaster?"

Source: 1980 Mercury (LP) 

2/11/25 (review)

Hey World (1979)

As I mentioned on my review for Sweet Music, Roadmaster's ultimate goal (I'm sure) was to get signed to a major label, something they accomplished with that album. They had the right sound for the era, and one could easily see them challenging the likes of Styx and REO Speedwagon. Mercury seemed to be "all in" with the group from Indianapolis, going so far as to put their logo on the label itself, not even the Scorpions got that treatment! For whatever reason in the late 70s, front or back covers needed to show the band members happy and smiling. No more pensive, menacing, or arty covers from the earlier part of the decade. We see this same phenomena in the soul / disco world too. Anger was out, good times partying was in. Since Roadmaster was all about making the big time, I'm sure they were willing participants in the cover of Hey World. Which today signals a lame album awaits the listener. And there's some truth in judging a book by its cover. The album starts off promising enough with a strong synthesizer presence recalling Styx or even Starcastle. But what becomes apparent quickly is they had the right sound but no songwriting skills to back it up. They try for hooks but they're not memorable and they become a slog to hear after a while. Their proggy side finally comes out on B3 and B4, and there's some mellotron throughout the album. It seems this is where Roadmaster was most comfortable, but never allowed themselves to branch out in fear of losing their corporate status. And I'd guess Mercury felt the same way. They already had Rush to endure, and that was one prog band too many for the executives. If only they knew how history would turn out.

Source: 1979 Mercury (LP)

2/3/25 (review)

Sweet Music (1978)

I find Sweet Music to be more cohesive than the scattered debut. By 1978, the Midwest pomp sound was well defined, and Roadmaster clearly signed up for their shot at the big time. Proggy Mini-Moog synthesizers and mellotron are offset by the hard guitars, with the higher pitched vocals going all-in for the radio charts. Most of the songs are in line with the familiar late 70s FM radio fare. The reference band that becomes clearer on each subsequent listen is most assuredly Styx. A1 and all of side B demonstrate this and prove that Roadmaster had a few good ideas up their sleeve, but without ever leaving a chance to possibly land a hit song. A5 is a disco track, but it's the good kind. A2 is the obligatory JY styled hard rocker. I'm not fond of the boogie rock on A3 but otherwise every song here satisfies on some level. Shooting Star is another reference group. They were professionals through and through, and getting signed to a major label was I'm sure their ultimate goal, which they achieved (this was the album that got them signed to Mercury for a three album run).

AOR music, like the kind Roadmaster peddle, has been fashionable in the collector circuit for many years now. Roadmaster is a bullseye for the type of sound being sought after. So why are they so cheap then? Likely they sold an excellent amount of copy, even as a small label release. You don't see them in the wilds much (at least out here in the west), but there's plenty of inventory online. If you dig that 1977 to 1980 American FM pomp / AOR sound, this album is for certain one to obtain. I consider this the best of their quartet of albums.

Ownership:

1978 Mercury (LP). Acquired in 2025.

1978 Village (LP). The latter is sealed. Acquired in 2023.  

4/9/23 (review)

Roadmaster (1976)

Roadmaster were a band from Indianapolis who managed to put out four albums from 1976 to 1980. There's no question that the group had FM radio on their mind when recording these tunes, and I can guess that they were probably quite popular within the regional club circuit. The opening two tracks here are the kind of AOR I think many of us would have been glad to hear during the era - and there's some great melodies, guitar, and synthesizer work at play here. 'AM-PM' is the obligatory blues track that doesn't inspire. 'Who Can Sing Like Fat Boy Do', despite the borderline PC police title, is a nice hard rock track and refreshingly a bit odd. And sure there are throwaways here that are really quite atrocious - and they all have titles that give the game away (hint: They contain the words 'Baby' and 'Love'. Yea, it was 1976 after all). But in aggregate not a bad way to spend 40 minutes, and if you're a "local AOR" collector, then this one goes into the must-have column. (2025 update: I'd like one more go at this. I'm sure I'll find the original vinyl at some point in the wilds).

---4/6/26

And that prophesy from one year ago has come to fruition. Found one in the wilds for pennies. Just about every album that looks like Roadmaster, and is on some small label, is worth at least 50 bucks. Not Roadmaster. Sub $10 every single one of them. Which tells us they sold boatloads in their day. They really did have the perfect sound for the mid 70s. Why, then, were they not the next Boston or Styx? As noted in the subsequent reviews above, they didn't have the songs. Music talent? Yes. That 70's sound? Oh yea, for sure. Hooks? Nope. If there was a band that should have "hedged" - like many 70s private releases did - it was Roadmaster. One side for a proggy suite, or a blistering hard rock attempt, and the rest try for a radio hit song. We'll never know if Roadmaster had the chops for prog, since they never once showed that side of the band (at least all-in prog). But I'm betting they did, as noted in the reviews above. Maybe they have some dusty old tapes with just that - would make for a killer archival release.

So my conclusion for this debut? My initial review captured perfectly what I'm hearing seven years later. Some good material offset by bilge. I'll keep Sweet Music as my representative for Roadmaster.

Source: 1976 Village (LP)

1/1/19 (review); 4/6/26 (update)

1/1/19 (new entry)

Deuter ~ Germany

Deuter started his career in Krautrock territory before becoming one of the pioneers in New Age music with fellow Germans Popol Vuh. Over time his music went from transcendental to sleepy to saccharine to a caricature of what one expects of a 21st century new age old guy hippy. I still have a few of his 1970s albums to add in here.

Atmospheres (2008)

To me this sounds like music you play to assist in getting a baby to go to sleep. This is so far beyond my interest level in anything to do with electronic music. He uses all the proper language of spirituality, of the Earth, and landscapes, etcetera... I need to take a wide berth on any of these late era Deuter albums, lest I feel compelled to write a not so favorable review.

Source: 2008 New Earth (CD)

2/20/25 (review)

Terra Magica Planet of Light (1995) 

I found myself being pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Ecstacy, an album Deuter closed off the 70s with. However I found Cicada, only three years later, a total snoozer. So now we're deep in the 90s after Deuter moved to Boulder, Colorado. Can it possibly be any good? Of course not. It's almost a caricature of what we call New Age music. Fluffy digital synths, bamboo flutes, Tibetan bells, pan cultural prayers, bla bla bla... and... "please buy my latest CD!". So as to afford the expensive tea. It's certainly not an unpleasant listen, but if I were to code a new age album on the computer, this would be an early result. 

Source: 1995 Higher Octave (CD)

1/25/25 (review)

Cicada (1982) 

Sedona, Arizona. 1984. You walk into the Sedona Spiritual Bookstore (then known as Al's Dusty Used Books). Deuter's Cicada is playing gently in the background. You pull down a dogeared copy of The Beautiful Side of Evil and find your favorite chair with the coffee stain you left on it years ago. While holding your crystals in one hand, you begin to flip through the book. Minutes later, you are vast asleep.

Source: 1982 Kuckuck (CD) 

5/12/24 (review)

Ecstasy (1979)

I quite liked this. Not as syrupy new agey as I expected. Actually it works well as an electronic album from its era (late 70s).

Ownership: Kuckuk (CD)

4/8/23 (review)

D (1971)

Deuter's debut is very much an "early days" experimental electronic, proto-New Age album. Operating more or less in the same territory as early Popol Vuh and Cluster. Deuter was to become far more tranquil as the years wore on, but here he still has some angst to purge. I find these kind of albums very refreshing, almost without peer in terms of sound.

Ownership: 1998 Kuckuck (CD)

1996 (first listen); 4/15/20 (review)

4/15/20 (new entry)

Focus (& related) ~ Netherlands

Focus are the first continental European progressive rock band that I got into, having found Moving Waves in early 1984 during my freshman year of college. Used records were a new concept to me then, and opened up an entire world that I was previously unaware of. For that alone they will always have a special place in my collection. This page will also includes artists and groups associated with Focus.

Brainbox (1969)

Here's an album I first discovered in my earliest forays into the continental European underground. Not long after discovering Focus, I found a US Capitol version of Brainbox. This would be the summer of 1984 IIRC. Kept it for about 10 years and sold it back into the marketplace. Hadn't thought about it since when I ran into this sealed copy at a Denver record store for dirt cheap ($4). That's just a good flipper if nothing else. But of course I wanted to hear it again first. The opening original composition reminds me a lot of Ahora Mazda on their fine sole album. Great flute from Tom Barlacher (Tom Barlage of Solution) and guitar from Jan Akkerman. B2, B3, and A1 are your throwaway cover songs of blues and folk. They're all short, under three minutes each. 'Scarborough Fair' and 'Summertime' are both excellent choices for cover songs, and Brainbox's arrangements are excellent in each case. This leads us to the other original track, the 17 minute 'Sea of Delight'. It's a very good example of the long form jam that was just beginning to appear on the progressive rock horizon. Some of it is filler which includes a drum solo, but there's also some fine jamming here with a few thematic shifts. I'll keep this one for the memories.

Ownership: 2021 Music on Vinyl (LP). Purple vinyl. Acquired in 2025.

First copy: 1969 Capitol (LP). Acquired in 1984.

6//84; 1995; 2/12/25 (review)

Hocus Pocus / Hocus Pocus II (1973)

I've recently decided to pick up singles of tracks that I already have on LP, and just store it with the LP. No need for me to discuss the A) side as it's a classic and one of the tracks that got me into the entire continental European prog scene in the first place. But I didn't have the second version, which is a bit faster and includes more improvisation, as little as it is.

Ownership: 1973 Sire (SP). Acquired in 2025.

1/28/25 (review)

Moving Waves (1971)

This was the very first Euro Prog album I'd acquired, and as such, is very foundational to my overall music development. Despite having owned this for almost 40 years, I enjoyed a +1 listen. It's easy to be distracted by 'Hocus Pocus' which is close to a novelty hit, though that's an unfortunate stigma since there's some great hard rock buried in that tune. But the rest of the album is excellent symphonic prog, especially side 2.

Ownership: 1971 Sire (LP). First acquired in 1984. This copy was purchased in 2020.

Anonymous adds: "I bought the Focus Anthology box a couple of years ago and it contains two fantastic live versions of Eruption (37 and 46 min!)"

1//84; 1995; 2/1/23 (review)

Jan Akkerman - Profile (1972)

Profile is a somewhat bizarre solo album from Akkerman, coming at a time when his band Focus was at its commercial peak. One side is mostly sleepy acoustic numbers, though well done and a certain respect should be appropriately afforded. 'Blue Boy' and 'Stick' point to the earlier blues based Talent For Sale, but are livelier and much more kinetic. 'Maybe Just a Dream' sounds like any one of the Focus 'x' instrumentals. And then there's the side long 'Fresh Air'. Which sounds like Brainbox playing 'Anonymous II' from Focus 3, and is quite the exhilarating psychedelic tour de force. Akkerman's guitar is superb here, and is perhaps his finest moment on record.

Ownership: 1983 EMI Europe (LP). Acquired in 1984.

8/26/84; 7/27/16 (review)

Focus 3 (1972)

Focus 3 is a relatively well known title that the UMR enthusiastically recommends. Focus were at the peak of their career here with Akkerman's blazing solos, and Van Leer's flute and organ forays. 26 minute long jam misspelled 'Anonymus 2' needed to be trimmed down by about half, with the annoying drum solo sucking the life out of the disc by the end, but still remains an excellent album overall.

Ownership: 1972 Sire (2xLP). First acquired in 1984. This copy was purchased in 2015.

9//1984; 1996; 3/19/10 (review); 11/4/19

Also own: In And Out Of Focus; Hamburger Concerto

Previously owned: Focus At The Rainbow; Mother Focus; Ship of Memories; Focus Con Proby; Focus (1985); Talent For Sale (Jan Akkerman); Jan Akkerman Live; Oil In The Family (Jan Akkerman)

3/19/10 (new entry)

Citizen Cain ~ England / Scotland

Somewhere But Yesterday (1994)

If Marillion copied Genesis and brought them into the 80s, then Citizen Cain copied both Marillion and Genesis and brought them into the 90s. Though Citizen Cain were part of the original New Wave of British Progressive Rock movement, they didn't get going until the 90s. Which is too bad really. As I've mentioned before, the term "neo prog" became a misnomer during the 80s, and was shorthand for "corporate AOR Arena Rock". All the groups participating in that scene fell prone to the allure of mucho dollars, and most did not come close. And lost their artistic credibility because of it. When IQ reemerged with Ever, it dawned a new era of excellent neo prog that is with us today. Citizen Cain is very much in that same oeuvre. Had they released Somewhere but Yesterday in 1987, it would be hailed as a modern classic. But it just got lost in the prog shuffle and most of my running set had nothing to do with bands like Citizen Cain in the early 90s. It wasn't until almost 30 years later I heard them at all.

When you have a lead singer named Cyrus in a neo prog band then you can expect a lot of singing, and that remains true here. Yet somehow it still feels like a primarily instrumental album. Lots of negative critical forensic reviews out there discussing the nuances of his voice against Gabriel and Fish. People think too much. Personally I think he does a great job, as does the band at emulating the early Genesis sound with the upbeat 80s styled groups like IQ. There's a lot of music to digest here, but I heard it pleasantly throughout. While I have no intention of loading up on Citizen Cain, I certainly would be interested in hearing all their works at some point regardless of reputation.

Ownership: 1997 Cyclops (CD). With lyric booklet (extensive) and recording details.

6/2/22 (first listen); 2/15/25 (review)

2/17/25 (new entry)

Warlord ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Deliver Us (1983)

Seems I'm running a metal blog lately... just the way the albums are coming in I guess.

In any case, I have read about Warlord for years, figured they were my kind of metal, but just never got around to buying or listening to their albums. Oh yes - this is definitely my kind of metal. Highly melodic, heavy (but not overtly so), bordering progressive rock at times. Sounds more like a proggy hard rock band coming of age in 1980, so 1983 is a bit late for their sound. But not their music. They were pioneering the epic metal genre along with Manilla Road, Brocas Helm, and Cirith Ungol. Did I mention they have a full time keyboardist? Keyboards were rare in metal during this era. The singer is brilliant. Makes you wonder why more metal bands didn't go this route. Certainly Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson were excellent role models, yet many bands chose the scream or grunt route. Every song on Deliver Us is a delight, and many rewards await the patient listener.

In case you didn't think you knew Warlord, this is where Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder began his career.

Ownership: 1983 Metal Blade (LP)

2/13/25 (review)

2/14/25 (new entry)

Kreator ~ Germany

Pleasure to Kill (1986)

This is the last of the albums I picked up from What's Left's metal buy at the end of 2024. Unlike the other three, I did own this once but it was on CD. That was back in 2004 and I wrote a review at the time demonstrating that I was struggling with the contents. I never did hear Kreator back in the day - at least not a full album. By 2015 I decided to move it out on a final listen. In hearing the album for the first time since, and first time ever on vinyl, my position has changed. This is an acknowledged classic in the thrash metal world, and some claim it is Kreator's best work. I'm not familiar with any of their other albums, but in reading reviews, it seems the next three after this would probably be even more to my liking. Pleasure to Kill is a flawed album, no question about it. What's changed is my views towards those flaws. As I get older I seem to reward enthusiasm over professionalism. Had this been rehearsed more, or the vocals were more polished, or the production was more clear, then we'd have an entirely different listening experience. But is that what I want? I'm not so sure. One of the issues is the vocals - they aren't sung, they aren't screamed, and they aren't growled. They're spewed. With anger. I'm warming up to them. Goes with the music. Another is that they go too fast at times. This is a problem with Teutonic thrash in general during the early days (see my recent comments on Deathrow and Destruction). I love high energy but if it's full blast all the time, then the impact loses its punch. The good news is that Kreator does mix the tempos quite a bit, and the riffs are all over the place. The latter is the strength of the album, no question. The guitar solos are good too, not just random notes as fast as possible. Even the opening soft piece is a cut above, not just a basic acoustic guitar strum, but rather a semi classical chamber sound with what could pass for mellotron even. I'm up for hearing anything by these guys at this point. 

Ownership: 1986 Combat (LP) 

2004 (first listen); 6/30/15; 2/10/25 (review)

2/11/25 (new entry)

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). 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. (Feb)

Steve Hackett - A Doll That's Made in Japan / Just the Bones. 1984 Lamborghini (12" single). 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. (Feb)

Modern English - Ricochet Days. 1984 Sire (MC). 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. (Feb)

*Missing Persons - Spring Session M. 1982 Capitol (MC). 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). (Feb)

Madonna - True Blue. 1986 Sire (Canada) (MC). 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. (Jan)

*A-ha - Hunting High and Low. 1985 Warner Bros. (Canada) (MC). 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. (Jan)

Bangles. 1983 Faulty (MC). 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. (Jan)

Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion. 1993 Sire (CD). 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. (Jan)

Camouflage - Greyscale. 2015 Bureau B (CD). 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). 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