Highway Robbery - For Love or Money. 1972 USA-California

At the end of the last Colorado Springs show three weeks ago, JL says to me "How come nobody bought this Highway Robbery album? It's killer". Umm.. yea, looks like one I missed. So I bought it! I've been working on a North American hard rock list and this title came up, so it was fresh on my mind. 

What JL says is true. His price sticker simply stated "Scorcher Hard Rock". Yep - that. Los Angeles' Highway Robbery is like Florida's Tin House. Plug in and wail. Don't need to make this complicated. Closer 'Promotion Man' will light your stereo in flames. Perhaps the real inspiration for Rush's 'Working Man'. 

RCA definitely made a try for serious hard rock: Boomerang, Granicus, Charlee, Ursa Major, and Highway Robbery, but none seemed to stick. Only their investment in the Scorpions paid off. And they lost them to Mercury eventually too.

I almost missed owning this one. Whew.

Ownership: LP: 1972 RCA. Single sleeve. Acquired as noted above.

12/21/23 (new entry)

Flash. 1972 England

Well known band formed by Peter Banks after leaving Yes. While there are many similarities, I find the music here to be more rocking, primarily because it is indeed guitar based. I've always enjoyed Peter Banks output, and Flash's debut is no exception. I also like Colin Carter's voice which is certainly a departure from the ethereal Jon Anderson. I prefer Flash's debut to The Yes Album as I think it features stronger material. A3 and B1 are fantastic and I like the mood of the closer too. I would even argue that Flash gives Fragile a run for its money. Few will agree with me on these points, but I call 'em as I hear 'em. But of course Flash didn't have the ingredients to pop out a Close to the Edge either.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Sovereign (UK). Gatefold with the famous panties cover, which hasn't aged well with public opinion. Got this original dirt cheap online a few years ago (2017). 

CD: 2009 Esoteric. Jewel case with extensive history and one bonus track from a single. 

SP: 1972 Capitol. Small Beginnings / Mourning Haze. From a store in Denver for 50 cents (2024).

My first copy was the US Capitol press that I found at Lipps Records in Lubbock while in college (1985). I talk about this record store in the Caravan For Girls review.

1//85 (first listen); 11//10; 9/27/23 (new entry)

Emtidi - Saat. 1972 Germany

Saat is one of those albums I've owned for over 30 years and never penned a word about it. Traditionally I've lumped this in with the Pilz cosmic folk trilogy along with Broselmaschine and Hoelderlin's Traum. As have many other listeners. On this revisit I couldn't get around the fact that this album represents the spirit of Krautrock more than psychedelic folk. There is a difference, subtle as it may be. Of course having Dieter Dirks at the controls may be the reason why. Perhaps Canadian resident Dolly Holmes and German born Maik Hirschfeldt were nothing more than a couple of free spirited folk buskers as demonstrated on their debut. But the sunshine filled trippiness Saat offers resides on planet Krautrock. You know it when you hear it. Also the album is not dominated by singing, and there's long stretches of instrumental improvisation. Personally I could have gone more for tracks like 'Traume' which highlights Holmes wonderful soprano wordless voice.  +1 listen for me.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Pilz. Gatefold. Acquired online (2012). This replaced the first copy I purchased (1989), which was the Pop Import release.

CD: 2008 Lion Productions. Nice reissue with liner notes about the band and Rolf Ulrich Kaiser. This is the 3rd CD I've owned preceded by the Spalax and Arcangelo versions. As the liners state: "We'd love to tell you the story of Emtidi, but there isn't much of a story to tell". Which means they didn't find either to speak with. So they provide more of a review than a biography. Better than nothing. The Kaiser history was very interesting to me though. I wasn't aware of a few things they mentioned.

1989; 6/5/09; 8/24/23 (new entry)

Matching Mole. 1972 England

For a band whose name is derived from Soft Machine, and features Robert Wyatt and David Sinclair (Caravan), Matching Mole proves to be a new kind of sound. Not very whimsical, though lyrically very much so. By 1972, Soft Machine had evolved into a pure jazz band, so Matching Mole represents a departure back to their rock roots. A sort of fuzzy jazz rock is presented. The finale - drenched in mellotron - sounds more like an Edgar Froese solo album, yet a full two years ahead of his own obsession with the instrument.

About 18 years ago I added this observation about Matching Mole: "Matching Mole are the wacky, and more demented, older cousin to Hatfield and the North. While Hatfield got straight A’s in art theory, despite being oh so witty, Matching Mole sat in the back of the class and scored a 1600 on their SAT while getting a D- for the semester."

Ownership: LP: 1972 CBS. Single textured sleeve. Acquired long ago from RPM in the DFW area (1989).

1989; 1996; 9//04; 8/8/23 (new entry)

The Trip - Atlantide. 1972 Italy

Over 20 years ago, I wrote the following, edited for relevancy:

The Trip were but one of many Italian bands combining rock, classical, jazz, pop, and folk to produce what is now known as the Italian rock renaissance. While most of their fellow countrymen were in their own sealed world, trying to outdo each other in the creative sweepstakes, The Trip were more impressionable, mostly by influences outside of Italy. Perhaps this is due to having full time English members? All four of their albums are completely different and bear the stamp of another international group or movement. The Trip were also one of the few Italian bands to utilize English vocals... On their third, Atlantide, The Trip looks squarely at Emerson Lake and Palmer for inspiration. Tossing guitarist William Gray, the newly formed keyboard trio lineup could not resist temptation. So we have all the elements of ELP bombast: Dramatic Ben-Hur anthemic sequences offset by jazzy keyboard jamming and even the requisite ten-minute drum solo. Some of this is exhilarating, and yet at the same time, frustrating. I hear a band with high musical talent trapped within the confines of another man's mind.

---

4 years after that, I wrote further: On this album they go for the ELP sound – as they had just been reduced to a keyboard trio. ‘Manticore’ and other ELP styled Tarkus organ anthems abound. As always, the sound is stunning. Did you know The Trip once featured Ritchie Blackmore as a member? (they were once an all British band who moved to Italy and eventually became a majority Italian group). This is the first album to feature monster drummer Furio Chirico, who formed Arti + Mestieri in 1974. I can see them wanting to exploit his skills, but he gets too much space on the overlong drum solo in ‘Distruzione’. The clarity of this recording points to how strong the organ playing really was here.

---

While listening to this album again last night, I was thinking it might go +1 as those "jazzy keyboard jamming" parts are pretty cool. More Aardvark than ELP that is to say. But, oh yea poop, the stupid drum solo at the end mars whatever potential Atlantide might possess. Ibis' Sun Supreme suffered a similar fate.

Ownership: LP: 1972 RCA. Incredible triple fold out cover. Also comes with a 45 SP with picture sleeve. Acquired from a collection buy (1997), which replaced the RCA reissue that I purchased in 1991. 

1991; 1997; 3/17/01 (Gnosis); 2//05; 8/3/23 (new entry)

Road. 1972 USA-California

Though two-thirds English, Road were a band formed in LA by former Jimi Hendrix Experience / Fat Mattress bassist Noel Redding and Rare Earth guitarist Rod Richards. Along for the ride was English drummer Les Sampson, who was part a band from Fort Worth. In reading reviews of Road's debut, one could be forgiven to thinking this is another power trio in the grand tradition of Stray's debut or Silberbart. But it's not so jaw dropping in its intensity. In fact it reminds me most of Rare Earth in that one keeps expecting to go further than it does. Really, for 1972, this is a full year behind the pack, maybe two. Road is more old-fashioned 1970 styled hard rock, operating in post-Cream mode. Songwriting is an afterthought, mere vehicles to lay the foundation for extended jamming. Because of this, I don't think Road ever penetrated the finicky radio market of the era. While sales were pretty good, it would seem they were riding the coattails of Hendrix at that point. And one and done they go into the journal of history. Not to say the album isn't very good. Oh yes, it most certainly is. And the namesake closer finally delivers on what Redding and Richards have been teasing for years. But compared to the albums I've listed above, it could definitely use a bit more spice in the stew. An excellent entry, but not an astounding one. 

Ownership: LP: 1972 Natural Resources. Uni-pak gatefold. Acquired from JL before the last Denver record show (2023). Natural Resources was another Motown rock sublabel like Rare Earth, which Richards probably had something to do with.

6/13/23 (new entry)

Wallenstein - Mother Universe. 1972 Germany

By 1990, I'd heard 3 of the 4 classic Wallenstein albums, but I didn't get around to hearing this title until 2007. Primarily the reason for that is that I'd been told this was a "folk album". And since I wasn't all that enthused with the band in the first place (back then, except for Blitzkrieg), I laid off acquiring it. That was a mistake. Not only has my overall view of Wallenstein increased, but this album fits the mold of their trademark sound quite well. If anything, the stigma Wallenstein must overcome is that they're a Krautrock band. And if you're on the Pilz label, that's the expectation going in. And the debut Blitzkrieg certainly had strong Krautrock elements, especially on the track 'Lunetic'. Essentially, though, Wallenstein are a standard German prog rock band. While the opening title track does contain folky elements, the next song is mostly hard rock. So it's curious that the early dealers struggled to listen to more than 9 minutes of the album. I'm quite fond of A3 and B1 myself. While there are no peak moments here, Mother Universe is a solid entry for progressive rock fans.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Pilz. Gatefold. Online acquisition (2011). 

11/10/07 (first listen); 11/8/11; 4/17/23 (review/new entry)

Alquin - Marks. 1972 Netherlands

I decided to revisit these first two Alquin titles as I'm not sure I'm getting the most out of them. This is just the kind of progressive rock I tend to take for granted in the collection. Had I discovered these real time, I think I'd be far more enthusiastic about each. They have all the ingredients for what make a great progressive rock album: Varied instrumentation including organ, flute, and saxophone; A keen ear for melody; Complex compositions within a rock format. The album is mostly instrumental with some sparse vocals. A lot of folks seem to call these vocals out as a problem, but I find them irrelevant. Not worth focusing on for what little there is. The Canterbury scene plays a major role in the composition style, in this way recalling  the obscure group Pantheon. Also the Dutch masters of Focus are also present in their minds. When evaluating a rating for this album, it seems to be oh-so-close to that first division of a Gnosis 12 / RYM 4.5 stars. But I can't seem to pull the trigger. There's no extreme highs that allow for that. I think that's where that sense of taking it for granted comes from. Regardless, Marks is an essential slice of Dutch prog rock.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Polydor (UK). Single sleeve with an alternate cover to the Dutch original. Acquired new from a collection buy in Tucson (1994). I tell the full story of this buy in the Dedalus review.

CD: 1990 Polydor (Germany). Combined with the full album of Mountain Queen. This reissue cuts out the live version of 'Mr. Barnum's...' to fit on one CD. The studio version is on Mountain Queen and is present here. Typically I wouldn't hold onto a CD such as this unless I considered either album first division. But it's so close and with so much great music combined, I felt it was worth hanging onto.

7/3/94; 2013; 2/3/23; 4/11/23 (new entry)

Garybaldi - Nuda. 1972 Italy

Way back in 2005 I wrote: "On Nuda, band leader and guitarist Bambi Fossati is pretty much a post-Hendrix child, with that early proto-progressive sound I find so appealing, especially in the organ work. And this thing really smokes on the last third of the album. Again, nothing at all like what we would normally associate with Italian progressive rock, but had this come out as a small press psych record from Detroit circa 1970, you’d have a completely different perspective. Scorpion (on Tower), Maximillian, The Purple Image and The Next Morning are more accurate barometers than Semiramis and Osanna. In this light, it seems almost remarkably progressive."

---

In last night's listen, my first since then, I concur with the above. The Hendrix tracks are front loaded, with the opener being quite the banger. '26 Febbraio 1700' reminded me of Electric Sun's interpretation of Hendrix, though I doubt Roth would have known Fossati, but who knows. The final track on side 1 is where the band tilts towards progressive rock. And the final side long composition is completely prog rock focused with killer guitar, Hammond organ, and plenty of rhythmic changes - all hallmarks of the Italian scene. Excellent album.

Ownership: LP: 1972 CGD. Stunning triple fold out cover from comic strip artist Guido Crepax, with jungle animals protruding from every crevice. I picked this up online from an Italian dealer in 2001, and it was one of my top LP wants at the time. Not likely it will ever leave either.

CD: 2004 Strange Days. Purchased new upon release. Japanese paper sleeve edition that replicates the original in every way. I splurged for the box set as well which contains 5 CDs, and Nuda is the box art as well (best choice for sure). This package will also stay with me until the end I suspect. 

The above CD replaced the Japanese jewel case release, which I picked up in 1994 and that was my introduction to the album. This wasn't part of my initial foray into Italian prog in the late 80s, even though I was aware of it from mail order dealers.

1994; 5//05; 11/20/22 (new entry)

Epsilon - Move On. 1972 Germany

During the first few minutes of the opening track, I said to myself that Dieter Dierks must be involved. And sure enough, he's the engineer here. Though Epsilon plays a mostly straightforward hard rock, Dierks signature phasing is all over this - sounding like the Cosmic Couriers walked in on a Trapeze recording session. Other than that interesting tidbit, Epsilon really aren't the type of band we associate Krautrock with. Definitely a strong UK influence is brought forth. Not that there is a dearth of ideas, and there's definitely some interesting breaks and instrumental interludes. I wouldn't consider this the highlight of the early 70s German scene, but it's a good one for deep divers.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Bacillus (France). Gatefold. Purchased from the same local seller, though this one was closer in price to what you can find online. Didn't realize until I got home it was the French press. Which is OK with me. The photos you see are this copy as I added them to Discogs. What an absolutely bizarre cover. Looking all the world like a lounge act playing in a different dimension. One of a kind that's for sure. The music unfortunately didn't follow this creativity.

8/29/22 (new entry)

Warpig. 1972 Canada

Well, forget the name. This isn't a Black Sabbath clone, though they do have a couple of similarities. One is that they actually use riffs similar to how Sabbath did (not as heavy, but the style is there). And that they shared some of the same blues and rock influences as the Sabs. But Warpig is more in line with the typical early 1970's UK "heavy progressive" movement. Warpig quite simply should have been on Vertigo (as were Sabbath), and then most would know what to expect. Somewhere between May Blitz, early Nektar, Odin, Clear Blue Sky, and Atomic Rooster one will find the sound of Warpig. Keyboards are a big element of their sound (harpsichord, Clavinet, piano, organ). 

With long tracks named 'Advance in A Minor' (presuming the scale, not a college curriculum), 'The Moth' and 'U.X.I.B.', I think it's pretty clear Warpig weren't just a typical booze, dope, and broads kind of band. There's also 'Tough Nuts', 'Melody With Balls', and 'Rock Star', so there's that to consider. What impresses me most is the time and place. Not a whole lot of music like this on these shores from back then. Pretty advanced material all things considered.

Ownership: CD: 2006 Relapse (USA). Purchased new upon release. Jewel case release with lengthy historical liner notes. We learn that the 1973 release on London has been completely remastered with different track lengths. It's not clear which version this CD is taken from. Though my best guess is the original 1972 Fonthill version given the abridged title of 'Advanced Am'. and the breakup of the tracks A2 and A3. But I'm not entirely sure of this either.

2006 (original notes); 3/24/07; 3/30/11 (RYM); 7/12/22 (new entry)

Missing Link - Nevergreen! 1972 Germany

Here's another album from the collection I hadn't heard in 16 years. But my review from back then captured my thoughts accurately on this session as well. A really fine effort that continues to satisfy at a high level. Here is that review:

Tight. After repeated listens of Nevergreen!, that’s the word that keeps popping through – tight. Missing Link play in the European jazz rock style, with plenty of saxophone, keyboards (including mellotron and Hammond) and guitar – all in unison, or as soloists. The quintessential track would have to be their cover of Charles Lloyd’s ‘Sorcery’ with lively clavinet, a hopping rhythm section, and great wah wah sax and guitar work. Most of the tracks rock hard, with the typical rough vocal that seems to follow the style. The exception is the gorgeous and engaging three minute piano solo, 'Song For Ann', played by future Embryo / Missus Beastly / Real Ax Band member Dieter Miekautsch. Sadly this would be the only recording for Missing Link, a highly talented group who easily could have gone on to great success. But apparently the German wing of the United Artists label was close to bankruptcy, and coupled with scant concert bookings, sent the band over the edge. Closest comparisons would be the first two Thirsty Moon albums, the first Xhol Caravan or early Missus Beastly.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Garden of Delights. Usual fine job from the label that includes a full history and one bonus track taken from a single (the other side 'Kids Hunting' is from the LP). My first copy goes back to the late 1980s, when I picked up the original LP. It wasn't in the best shape, and ultimately purchased a brand new deadstock LP from a collection buy in Tucson in 1994. I didn't like the cover (still don't) and traded it away for something more to my liking. I'd keep it today, but don't regret the decision as it was a strong asset even back then, and likely added something to my collection that I have to this day.

10/12/06 (Gnosis); 4/9/22 (new entry)

Epitaph - Stop Look and Listen. 1972 Germany

As with Abacus and Kin Ping Meh, Epitaph took more of a UK approach to prog rock on their debut. And all 3 groups switched gears on their sophomore effort and moved towards hard rock - perhaps even the rural variety of said genre. Of this sample size, Epitaph's second album is the clear winner. Guitar is the focus, but they haven't yet dropped the organ, most notably heard on the lengthy 'Fly' track, a vestige of their Krautrock past. This is the album that allowed their international breakthrough follow-up Outside the Law to happen. With only 5 tracks, there's plenty of room for guitar based jamming. An excellent entry for hard rock fans, lesser so for Krautrock and prog.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Polydor. Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition. First time for me to own this title in any format.

1/29/22 (new entry)

Osage Tribe - Arrow Head. 1972 Italy

Osage Tribe were an "early days" Italian prog band where they mixed late era psychedelia, hard rock, and progressive rock seamlessly. There was likely no attempt to be part of a scene, yet that scene existed inside Osage Tribe. Originally lead by none other than Franco Battiato, Osage Tribe were a trio at the time of recording. They're basically a hyperactive rhythm section with Nuova Idea's Marco Zoccheddu doing everything else. I really like his guitar style, which is generally fast and loose, with plenty of psychedelic soloing. He brought the same style to his next venture - the decidedly jazz influenced Duello Madre. I'm not real keen on the lengthy opener 'Hajenhanhowa'. It's a bit slow paced, and has a distinct "1960s American TV Western" variation of Native American music (see Ownership section for more). After this, the remaining 4 tracks are classic Italian prog styled numbers, and could be considered the missing link between Il Balletto di Bronzo's two albums, even if there's no relation. An excellent album overall, that gets better with each listen.

Ownership: LP: 2013 Vinyl Magic / Bla Bla. Gatefold. Acquired not long after release from an online retailer. This is the first time for me to hear it. Definitely taken from vinyl (still sounds great), but given the fact that originals are hyper rare, it's far better than nothing. The cover is stunningly beautiful even though it's completely inaccurate. The girl on the cover is - of course - no Native American. She's a sexy white girl in a skimpy costume - male fantasy overload essentially. It reminds me of the gift shops you'll see throughout the American southwest (certainly including here in Colorado) with paintings of what could be called "Caucasian Indians". I think the Cheech and Chong inspired centerpiece and back cover may offer some clues to how all this happened. There's a lyric inner sheet as well, with one side a mirror image (sort of useless). 

CD: 1994 Vinyl Magic. Standard jewel case. Features as bonus tracks their rare 1971 single. If the cover wasn't bad enough, the music here is nothing short of exploitive pop music. Apparently it was a hit in their native Italy at the time. It's not enough to keep the CD for (especially since those 2 tracks aren't very good really). Not sure why they didn't include them on the vinyl repressings, other than the quality of the music. 

BTW - if you want to hear authentic Native American music, I encourage you all to seek out the various Folkways albums dedicated to various tribes from the 1950s and 60s. These were field recordings of actual ceremonies from the time. They're extremely lo-fi, but 100% authentic.

1994; 2008; 1/26/22 (new entry)

Pell Mell - Marburg. 1972 Germany

Pell Mell's debut is representative of the heavy prog movement rolling through Germany during the early 70s. While many groups were exploring various realms of Krautrock, or going for the jugular with a particularly acute hard rock, there were others that incorporated progressive rock motifs. Marburg is one such album, and recalls the recently reported Sahara Sunrise, along with Eloy's Inside / Floating, and Metropolis' sole album as but a few examples. The copious use of violin adds Hoelderlin to the mix. 5 long tracks, filled to the brim with heavy guitar/organ instrumental work and strong compositions. Pretty much a can't miss item if all these ingredients sound good to you.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Bacillus. Single sleeve first pressing "unboxed Bellaphon". Acquired online in 2015, and this is the first time for me to hear this copy. The first version I bought was the purple Bellaphon label released in the late 70's likely. Bought that new from a UK mail order dealer in 1990 and was replaced by this.

1/22/22 (new entry)

Chase - Chase + Ennea. 1971-72 USA-Nevada

Bill Chase was like many horn players in the late 60s and early 70s, and jumped on the Brass Rock movement. Perhaps just a couple of years too late, no matter, as the band managed to score a few hits before becoming irrelevant like most of the movement. And then, in 1974, Bill and some others in the band died tragically in a plane crash. Were the band to have a future like Tower of Power, we'll never know.

Chase's lineup is a bit unusual for horn rock though. Instead of featuring a trumpet, trombone, and sax/flute member, Chase just took the trumpet section with him. Chairs 1 through 4 in fact. And he combined that with guitar, bass, organ, drums, and a lead vocalist for a whopping Nonet. So the overall sound is very piercing, something akin to Maynard Ferguson times 4. Chase himself was no youngster on the rise, he was already a 37 year old veteran of the jazz circuit, playing the Las Vegas show scene. 

This double LP set features their first two albums in full, and both are similar in construct. One side contains some ripping hard rock meets horn rock numbers whereas the flip has a side-longer (mostly) where progressive ambition creeps in. I enjoyed both albums immensely, being a horn rock fan already. These are albums that are long forgotten today, but its rediscovery awaits.

Ownership: LP: 198? Epic. Gatefold. 2xLP. Chase albums are, as a good friend of the UMR would state, "as common as spit". I heard one of these albums as early as high school, but it wasn't for me at the time. I never did pursue again, and wasn't ever encouraged to do so. So the timing was perfect for this 2 album set to show up in the 25 cent bin. The repressing itself is very odd. Originals were commodities even in the early 80s, and there was never a "brass rock revival", especially during the New Wave years! As superfluous as any pressing ever done, these reissues hit the dollar bin the minute they were released, or so it would seem!

new entry

Noah - Brain Suck. 1972 USA-Ohio (archival)

Brain Suck is an old CDRWL entry brought back to light. Here were my notes from back then: "Archival LP release from somewhere in Ohio, unearthed by one Al Simones, who put out a couple of freaked out psych guitar albums in the 1990s. The LP has been carefully distributed, and so its scarcity has caused the value to remain high. The kind of release that used to be the sole domain of Rockadelic Records. Fuzz guitar and organ lead the psych rock parade. Very much a product of the great Midwest, and the time and place are very apparent. Compositions stray more towards the thinking man's genre, ala Cleveland's Dragonwyck. A nice discovery, and would definitely benefit from a CD reissue."

Considering the latter, that day has finally come about. See the Ownership section for more. It was presumed back then that the music was from 1969, so the sound would have to be considered advanced for the era. Ah, but now we know it's from 1972 - which is much more in line with the times. What you get with Brain Suck is a very strong hard rock album, with an enormous amount of heavy organ and - of course - loud guitar leads. There really wasn't too much of this kind of music being released here in the States real time in 1972. Bands like Sir Lord Baltimore and Bang come to mind, though Noah has a stronger organ presence. That small town in Ohio turns out to be Salem, which is pretty close to Youngstown, one of the premier steel towns in America. The birthplace of Poobah as well. 

In addition to the full release of Brain Suck, the CD contains two unreleased tracks from the band from one year earlier that are similar in construct. And then finally, there are 6 tracks from Noah's predecessor band known as The Sound Barrier. This group did manage to get out two singles in 1967 and 1969. All 4 tracks from the 45s plus two demos from 1968 are on this CD. The music here would generally be classified as heavy psych, and are not to be missed. The '69 single represents two cover tunes and features female vocals. One can tell the band is seeking for some commercial success, but did not achieve any. Thus Noah was born. An excellent archival release, essential for fans of early 70s American hard rock.

Ownership: CD: 2021 Guerssen / Galactic Archive (Spain). Recent online acquisition. Jewel case with a full booklet containing liner notes, photos, and recording details. Guerssen continues to be a gold star reissuer. For vinyl fans, they also released the album as a 2 LP set, which appears to be the exact same. Interesting to note that the original release from 1995 turned out to be unofficial (which I didn't know until Paul Hess wrote into the CDRWL a year later). While not addressed in the liner notes, it was stated as such in the press release for this reissue. As I noted above, the supply had been carefully controlled, and therefore was prohibitively expensive. Good thing I had waited for the proper release, and it is far more comprehensive. 

12/20/09 (CDRWL)

Gruppo 2001 - L'Alba di Domani. 1972 Italy

Like many bands from Italy during the early 1970s, Sardinia's Gruppo 2001 were a romantic singer songwriter group. Essentially they were a pop collective, who suddenly found themselves out of date with the explosion of prog rock everywhere in the country. So why not take a stab at this new trend? L'Alba di Domani is the result, Gruppo 2001's only full length album. Starting off like New Trolls Atomic System with blazing electric keyboards and flute, it would seem Osanna and De De Lind were in store for the listening session. After a minute or two of that, the band says "naaa", let's get some sing-a-long choruses going on here! And that's pretty much what you can expect from Gruppo 2001. They tease with prog, but their bread and butter is pop. Similar to I Dik Dik, Delirium's debut, Capricorn College, I Santoni, and many others from Italy. The only chance to appreciate this album is to have a fondness for the 60s Italian pop sound. It's a style that I embraced later in life, and so when I first heard this album some 25 years ago, I couldn't get it out of the changer fast enough. A few years ago, realizing my tastes had changed, I took a chance on this LP, and was rewarded with a quality listen. I just kept my expectations in check. At its best, it recalls Era di Acquario and even early Premiata Forneria Marconi. L'Alba di Domani is strictly for deep divers of the Italian prog rock movement, otherwise disappointment is likely to ensue. As for Gruppo 2001, the group veered back into their comfort zone, and released a dozen more singles before calling it a day.

Ownership: LP: 1983 Nexus (Japan). Comes in a thick heavy gatefold. If you want this album, there's a really good chance it will come from Japan. Originals are super rare, which tells us it wasn't a big seller in the first place. There is one domestic CD, but everything else comes from the land of the rising sun.