Finch - Beyond Expression. 1976 Netherlands

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thirsty Moon - Blitz. 1976 Germany

After all these years, I'd never heard Thirsty Moon's 3rd album, despite being a huge fan of the two prior, especially the debut. I had expected a typical mid 70s fusion, of which I've warmed up to greatly in the last 20 years. But one title that didn't do much for me was their 4th album A Real Good Time, which has become somewhat collectable in recent times. Blitz not so much, so I figured not to spend much effort to find. That was my mistake. Information about this album tends to be scarce, but essentially it's an all instrumental rock album. Unusual in its simplicity for style, though musically it most certainly belongs to progressive rock. This is not the Krautrock style of its predecessor's nor is it fusion or symphonic either. More American or British sounding than German, and somewhat unique overall. I quite like it.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Brain. Single sleeve. Green label. Online acquisition (2022).

3/19/22 (LP 3.8); 12/20/23 (new entry)

Stepps - Waltz for Tiger Joe. 1976 Australia

Where to begin with Stepps? How about with my Snakes Alive entry: "Snakes Alive were a group that I discovered in my early CDRWL research days. There was much question of its authenticity at the time, especially given the obvious photoshop cover. But it was real, a demo pressing from a circle of Australian musicians who had access to a recording studio and took advantage of it."

At the time of that writing I wasn't aware that Stepps were related to Snakes Alive. In those same "early research days", I was also introduced to Stepps. In fact I think it was a couple of years beforehand. I had no context for what I was hearing - and when I started doing research, there was no data to be found. You have to remember that the internet was rife with disinformation about obscure progressive rock bands in those days. Remember Art Jackson's Atrocity? I remember one blog had dozens of unknowns, only to find out (quickly thank goodness) that the person behind it was recording obscure CDs and renaming the groups and titles, and adding unique artwork. Why? For laughs one presumes. Or he was a sociopath, who knows. And this doesn't even count the more obvious pranks from the 90s like the phony baloney Psi-Fi series of "obscure Krautrock records released only in museums" - that people believe to this day! As noted about a lot of these situations, the music tends to hold up well even if the backstory falls apart. It's in this kind of environment I hear Waltz for Tiger Joe. Is it even real? When I have doubts like that, I begin to sour on the music.

Today, the truth has come to light. Sure enough it was real, and the story is plausible. This circle of Australian musicians basically recorded three different albums under three different band monikers. Two were released as demos. Snakes Alive and Stepps achieved test pressings, and only Stepps had original artwork. Australia in the early 70s was considerably more isolated than today, so it's understandable how music like this remained unknown. Of course, one could say the same about many a group here in the States in a less isolated situation. So how did this group of musicians record anything? One of the movers and shakers of the bunch was a recording engineer at EMI Australia. So like Tom Nehls, access time in a recording studio gives one an opportunity to experiment.

Stepps were the final incarnation of the "group". The first was Aragorn, who did not release anything real time, and I'll be covering their album soon enough. At this stage, the band had moved over to a Canterbury like sound. The liner notes accurately describe the music as not only similar to Hatfield and the North, but really more like Belgium's Cos. And he rightfully uses a great word to describe their very feminine singer: Coquettish. In the couple of photos of her, you see a very beautiful young lady with long straight hair that goes down to her waist. Essentially a dream girl of the early 70s. Worth mentioning all of this because the album gives off this naive and harmless playfulness as they flirt with you, the listener. So yes, this album is all about the Canterbury scene.

The CD adds one bonus track from the same recording session, plus four tracks from an earlier instrumental incarnation of Stepps before Bernie Morgan joined them. Honestly it sounds like a later version of the band as the jazz rock is lighter and watered down, much more typical of something you might hear in the late 70s. But the data says different.

Essential for Canterbury fans.

Ownership: CD: 2022 Merry-Go-Round (Korea). Jewel case release with two sets of liners notes in English. Includes five bonus tracks in aggregate. Superb all around.

2010; 12/10/23 (new entry)

Pepe Sanchez y su Rock-Band - Regresion. 1976 Spain

Regresion is one of many albums in the jazz funk field that I had never heard of prior. I first sampled this on YouTube and immediately made the decision to pick up the CD. I fear this will be a common theme as I try to downsize while adding more than I drop. Perhaps a good problem to have.

Regresion starts with the smoking 'Sentimiento' a big band groover with flute and wah wah guitar among the brass sounds. Other tracks remind me of Kraut Fusion with the saxophone in the lead. Like a rawer Kraan maybe. At times it can be a bit percussive (Sanchez is a drummer) as noted on the title track, the album's most experimental number. There are no weak moments to be heard throughout. An excellent album.

The CD adds their 1980 single, which has an exotic disco sound. Reminds me more of what was coming out of Paris in the late 70s than the more overt American variation. Both tracks are very good.

Ownership: CD: 2016 Pharaway. Jewel case with informative booklet containing liner notes with participation of Sanchez. Plus the two aforementioned bonus tracks.

12/9/23 (new entry)

David Sancious and Tone - Dance of the Age of Enlightenment. 1976 USA (archival)

I can't remember the last time I preordered a CD or LP. I don't need to be "first on the block" to own a piece a music, especially now as I'm reducing the collection. But I made an exception here. For one, I know the label Iconoclassic from finding a couple at thrift shops. Their items do go out of print, and can get expensive. The other is this is a very significant reissue. Or really "issue" as it were. There have been many reasons attributed to why this album remains extinct in original form. David Sancious himself says in the liner notes that the album wasn't mixed as it was recorded - either an error in the machinery or that the engineer thought it sounded better speeded up. So he put the kibosh on it until it could be remixed. The label then decided to shelve the project altogether and asked for a replacement, which would ultimately be True Stories. A few promo copies were released, hence its extreme rarity today. Very high demand and no supply makes for a very expensive item. 

Until now, almost everyone has heard this album via bootlegs taken from what we now understand to be a flawed release. I'd heard it before, but I'm not familiar enough with the "other version" to skew my viewpoint here. For those that have ingested the bootlegs, then this new version will likely disappoint, though it could be the opposite. In general we accept music as it is presented and alterations are disturbing.

Even though Sancious is rightfully considered a jazz fusion artist, heavily influenced by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, and the like - Dance of the Age of Enlightenment is a departure into progressive rock waters. He was swimming against the tide already for 1976/77. A couple of tracks feature vocals but otherwise I'd submit this to be an instrumental prog album. Keyboards are front and center as to be expected. A mix of synthesizers and rock instrumentation, with those complicated rhythms expected in prog and fusion. Not an immediate likeable release (has an odd sound and approach - at least to my ears), but multiple plays reveal a sophisticated work that grows on you. 

Ownership: CD: 2023 Iconoclassic. Jewel case release with booklet that gives a short explanation of the history of the album. Seems the sound could have been better? Who knows in what shape the tapes were in.

11/14/23 (new entry)

Iceberg - Coses Nostres. 1976 Spain

Iceberg switched gears on their second album to create a pure play fusion album with indigenous Spanish touches, especially flamenco. Though the band is Catalan, they favor the southern sounds of Andalusia. Highlight is focused on Max Sunyer's guitar and Joseph Kitflus' keyboards. As such comparisons to Return to Forever and Al Di Meola are well placed. In hearing this album for 31 years now, it still sounds fresh.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Bocaccio. Single sleeve. Acquired via mail order (1992). Though the vinyl looks near mint, it's a noisy pressing. Given that the CDs are all messed up, it doesn't appear there to be a great sound source for this album. However I have read the Japanese papersleeve sounds excellent (ironic that). I'll stick with this. The music is loud enough to overcome most of the background noise.

A couple of Discogs quirks. The one they have as "primary" is a later press from 1977 (see back cover). This original version has what looks like a tiny sticker applied on the rim text of the label (7.770), but I don't think that's factory. My copy doesn't have it anyway.

1992; 5/24/98; 3/10/16; 6/11/23 (new entry)

Crucis - Los Delirios del Mariscal. 1976 Argentina

Another one of those albums I've owned since the 1980s, but didn't really have a grasp on the music. I've always liked this title, but I came close to a +2 listen recently, only pulling back to +1 at the end. A strong mix of the classic Argentine symphonic progressive rock sound with Spanish vocals - and absolutely lethal fusion tendencies. A rare combination and it's the former that I had somehow missed in my recollection.

Ownership: 1988 RCA (Japan). Single sleeve. Acquired in a collection buy (1997). This replaced the Argentina reissue, which was my introduction to the album (1988).

CD: 1995 Record Runner (Brazil). Known as Kronologia, this CD includes both their albums. I'll for sure keep this even though I have the debut on LP as well. First division music for me.

1988; 1997; 2/15/23 (LP 4.8); 4/13/23 (new entry)

Lotus - Vera O'Flera. 1976 Sweden

Looks like it's been 18 years since I last heard this album. Fine all-instrumental Swedish jazz rock with local folkloric melodies. While the first album constitutes instrumental prog, this one definitely finds itself in the fusion camp. Excellent guitar and electric piano. There are some albums in the collection where there just isn't much to say, other than I enjoy them.

Ownership: LP: 1976 SMA. Single sleeve. Online acquisition in 2001. Always loved the cover for no particular reason. It's different than the norm, especially in the 70s.  

CD: 2004 Duck Your Music. Small cardboard sleeve. These are the kind of sleeves that modern era record companies include as part of the LP package. So I'm doing the same :-) Otherwise, the CD offers little else with 2 short bonus tracks.

2001; 2004; 2005; 1/17/23 (LP 4.3); 3/26/23 (new entry)

Automatic Man. 1976 USA-California

I'm really starting to appreciate these post Santana albums coming out of mid 70s San Francisco. Even Journey started out as a very interesting hard rock meets fusion band before succumbing to the great FM god. This isn't my first go round with the album, but with my preference for everything "jazz funk" of late, this one hit home. There's some excellent hard rock and prog here, mixed in with the fusion and funk. Strange album really, and one can see why it never really took off. There's no consistency whatsoever. I just happen to like all the styles accounted for. 

Ownership: CD: 2004 Lemon (UK). Thrift shop find (2021). Excellent reissue with full liner notes. This is one of those oddities where the CD is far more expensive than the original LP.

12/2/21 (CD 2.15); 3/23/23 (new entry)

Black Sabbath - Technical Ecstasy. 1976 England

The album that proved Black Sabbath were no different than any other group trying to survive the late 1970s. As I often say about Hendrix or The Doors, their untimely death only prevented them from their time in the barrel of ridicule. They (and others) would have been no different. Heck, The Doors were already well on their way towards garden variety FMness (word of the day). 

Anyway, the precipitous drop-off from Sabotage to Technical Ecstasy requires a chiropractor to get you straight again. While I know I'm in the minority here, Sabotage remains my favorite Sabbath album, and I love them all to that point. Not to suggest that Technical Ecstasy is not worthy of ownership (hence I'm featuring it) but rather just how ordinary it was for its time. It's primarily a straightforward hard rock album. Now I will argue that all of the Sabbath albums up to that point were hard rock. They may be credited with inventing - or at least popularizing - heavy metal, but they really were children of the 60s still. And if anything, they were gravitating more towards prog than metal. But the late 70s required survival. FM radio ruled supreme, and it was all business. The stakes were enormous back then, and stadium sellouts were the expected norm. No home video games existed so as to be the opiate of the masses. Rock concerts provided that necessity. Sabbath were trying to play ball, and came up with a very good album despite efforts to the contrary. Tracks like 'Rock 'n' Roll Doctor' were just not designed for them. Maybe their buddies in Blue Oyster Cult, but not Black Sabbath. Well they continued the downward slope on Never Say Die, until ultimately Ozzy had to go. When a one Ronnie James Dio showed up, Black Sabbath were revived, and they knew exactly who they were by then - a metal band.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Warner Bros. Single sleeve. Weird cover. Again, not very Sabbath like. Though I do admit to liking it despite that.

1985; 2014; 1/5/23 (new entry)

Synthesis. 1976 France

Here's another old CDRWL item. In this case the entry was driven by the receival of the LP back in 2010. As I was to find out not long after, a CD reissue had existed going back to 2002, so the entry was nullified quickly, but remained there until now. Here are the original notes: Musically falls into that unique French fusion of funk, jazz, disco and progressive rock all rolled into one. Reminds me somewhat of the early efforts by Cortex and Edition Speciale. 25 piece group (with soft female chorus vocals) recalls some of the Quebec groups like Ville Emard Blues Band, Toubabou, and Contraction. Very good effort. Amongst the notable participants, Didier Lockwood plays violin while Andre Ceccarelli is on the drumkit.

---

That definitely captures the essence. Given my latest predilection for all things jazz funk, I enjoyed a +1 listen last night on this revisit. Almost +2 if considering the first side. It doesn't quite hold up on the back end, but this is quite a satisfying effort. As noted above, there are no less than 25 participants, though the two primary songwriters are trumpet player Ivan Jullien and keyboardist Philippe Briche. Possesses a wonderful groove with clear optimism, very much in tune with the spirt of the times. Great album overall.

Also to point out, there were two bands in France with the name Synthesis, each released a self-titled album. The other is from 1973, and can also be found in these pages.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Arc. A gift from a good friend of UMR (2010). Features a wonderful embossed gatefold cover.

4/18/10 (CDRWL); 12/24/22 (new entry)

This Oneness - Surprize + Amalgamated Funk + Sonic Geometry. 1975-1976 USA-Minnesota

Where have I been these last few days? Right here. Immersed into the newly released CD from This Oneness. We'd been waiting for this release for some time (3 years?), as the band promised two more albums that were fully recorded but never released. That day has finally arrived, and what a package it is. More on that later. Let's start with the original CDRWL entry:

Minnesota based group who performs a Mahavishnu styled heavy fusion with Canterbury touches. The song portions are of the Midwest progressive rock variety ala Ethos and Albatross. The odd song out is 'Please the Sunshine', an almost-gospel like vocal track that is a bit painful to endure. Overall an excellent fusion album.

---

As it turns out, the Mahavishnu reference is very poignant, since John McLaughlin was indeed a major influence. Both musically and spiritually. Now we know the album itself is only a small part of the story of this intriguing band. They went on to record two more albums, but without the woodwinds of Robyn Lee, which definitely changed their sound. Most of the proggy ambitions are gone, and its place is a ferocious jazz fusion. Not atypical of its era, but a cut above in quality. There's very few vocals after Surprize. And there's a tendency to break into jazz guitar land, with the expected rhythms of that genre. Only to turn back on the amps and the full instrumentation goes all in for heavy rock. Electric guitar and analog synthesizers rule the sound palette. Some really strong Moog work will be heard. The rhythm section is outstanding as well. Worth mentioning that the sound quality of these two additional albums is first rate. They could have (or should have) been on a major label. And there's enough material on Sonic Geometry to make up for a double album.

And what did these guys do on their off days? Shoot pool, drink beer, hang out at bars? Nope - they were the touring backup band for none other than Olivia Newton-John. Well, someone had to do it! But it goes to show how talented they really were. 

In the end, This Oneness were truly a professional outfit. One of those legendary regional bands that should have been known worldwide. That's a tale that's been told too many times I'm afraid. Anyway, buy this triple CD if you have any interest in American fusion.

Ownership: LP: 1975 Oz. Single sleeve. Acquired online (2012). I believe this may have been a Midwest Mike contribution to the CDRWL, and I was able to secure the LP relatively quickly.

CD: 2022 Oz. 3xCD as described above. Titled The Story of thisOneness. In addition to the two extra albums, you get a full history with contribution from most of the members. Full recording details are provided inside the multi-foldout digipak as well. We also learn that the band stylized their name as thisOneness, so the original cover was literal not artistic.

5/22/10 (CDRWL); 12/13/12; 12/12/22 (new entry)

Lightshine - Feeling. 1976 Germany

Feeling is one of those albums that seems to have been made to sound rare. It's really perfect from an underground perspective. It doesn't possess the Krautrock sound as we know it, more like a late era psychedelic band who recently discovered progressive rock. The guitar is higher pitched and maintains an acidic tone. There's flute and synthesizer, but the Krautrock staple of organ is nowhere to be found. Unusual song structures and vocal styling. Lightshine's overall sound is more French than German. 

Ownership: LP: 2012 Garden of Delights. Single sleeve, numbered edition (mine is #486). Online acqusition (2016). Excellent reissue with full band and original label history. More fleshed out than the original CD, which was my introduction to the album (1994). This was one of Penner's (pre-GoD) early releases, before they became more thorough.

1994; 4/24/16; 2/19/22 (LP 3.4); 10/17/22 (new entry)

Tangerine Dream - Nottingham Nov 8th 1976, Albert Hall. Germany

Arguably the most famous of Tangerine Dream's unreleased live concerts - at least up there with the Reims show in 1974. There was once a project dedicated to the compilation of these lost live concerts. The best of them, in terms of sound quality, were called Tangerine Trees. This was Volume 1. I now own a few shows from 1976 due to various archival releases in the last 20 years. But this one doesn't recall any I've heard prior, so the improvisation aspect was still very high. It's more aggressive than Stratosfear and less varied than the shows that made up Encore. Froese gets in some mean psychedelic guitar soloing, especially on Part 2. Interesting to read modern reviews poo poo his "guitar heroics", but for me that was always the secret ingredient to their greatness, along with the "big" Moog and mellotron. In any case, an excellent show that was easy to listen to for its entire 80 minute duration. BTW, the concert fades at the end while the band is still cookin'.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Castle (UK). It's been a long time since I yelped "oh my God" while at a store. This was sitting on a shelf in a thrift shop a couple of weeks ago. It was also on my want list - my real one, not the "oh cool, I haven't heard this in years" or the "always wanted to hear this" finds. While Bootleg Box Vol. 1 had been reissued (though my copy is the original Castle version that I purchased real time - probably with the messed up 1975 show), they never got around to reissuing Vol. 2, thus its high price today. However while researching this title, it looks like Cherry Red / Reactive have come to the rescue, and the box set will be issued again at the end of November (2022). The copy I found has some major outer box wear (the inner sleeves are mint), but the discs appear VG+ to NM (poster insert with history is also here). No issues with this first concert, and my CD player can be picky and cranky. And for $3, can't beat the price! I'll just keep this barring any problems with playback on the other shows.

9/30/22 (new entry)

Jane - Live at Home. 1976 Germany

With a name like Live at Home, one might presume this to be a bunch of guys in their jammies - recording an album in their living room. With the smell of cigarettes and beer cans strewn all over the place. But alas, "Home" means Jane's home, as in Hannover, Germany. Specifically one Friday the 13th as luck would have it. August, 1976. About 30% of the concert features loyal renditions of studio versions, while the rest is new material (at least on album). And even within that 30% there are certainly enough variations and improvisations to appreciate.

Here are the tracks previously released in the studio: 'Daytime'; 'Hangman' (from Together); 'Out in the Rain' (from Here We Are); and the title tracks to both Lady and Fire, Water, Earth & Air. Jane III is strangely missing, though that album is more hard rock in nature than this version of the group, which had leaned more towards Pink Floyd as noted below.

The new-to-album tracks are: 'All My Friends', 'Rest of My Life', 'Expectation', 'River', 'Another Way', 'Hightime for Crusaders', and 'Windows'. The latter a full side improvisation along the lines of mid 70s Pink Floyd (or perhaps more to the point - Pulsar at the time of Pollen) and foreshadows their upcoming Between Heaven and Hell release. Without doing a side by side listen, I believe all the above tracks are unique to this release and haven't been renamed ('Expectation' did show up on a Brain live comp from Essen a year later). 'Rest of My Life' is copyrighted 1973, but it's not on Here We Are, nor does it appear to be a single. All the others are quoted to be from 1976. 

For many, this is the best Jane album, capturing the band in full improvisational mode. It certainly is in the discussion. 

Ownership: LP: 1976 Brain. 2xLP gatefold. Online acquisition (2015) and it was my introduction to the album. I find the cover odd. I've been to Germany plenty of times, but never to Hannover. All the same, I'm fairly confident it doesn't look like Arizona...

2/8/15; 9/16/22 (new entry)

Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same. 1976 England

If I was forced to choose just one Led Zeppelin album that I could keep, then it would be The Song Remains the Same. It essentially compiles the best of the pre Physical Graffiti tracks in one convenient place, and there's plenty of room for improvisation, thus making it a live album worthy of multiple listens. In particular 'No Quarter' and 'Dazed and Confused' are revelations. While the latter probably could have used some filtering (29 minutes on the CD version), most of it is very engaging. I tend to agree with those that say Robert Plant is one of the greatest - if not the greatest - lead rock singer of all time (in his prime that is). A perfect front man. And as I'm likely to say in any review of Led Zeppelin, I think their X-Factor is John Paul Jones, whose keyboard work and lowkey nature is the perfect balance for the machismo's that surrounded him.

One funny personal story regarding this album. Well actually the movie / documentary. While in college my roommate was dating a pretty lass, who happened to also be a cheerleader for Texas Tech's basketball team. However, she was very religious (common in Texas, especially in the 80s). It always seemed to me she was more interested in converting him rather than dating. Whatever the case, she was over visiting our apartment, and I started watched the VHS I had of this concert. After some time, she wandered over curious as to what I was looking at. She became mesmerized by a one Robert Plant. She practically was drooling... and muttered while sweating "he... has.....sexxx.... appeal". Hmm-hmm I responded. Shower is to your right, sister. Might want to keep it on Cold.

Ownership: 

1976 Swan Song (2xLP). Gatefold with booklet. 

Swan Song (2xCD).

1985 (acquired); 8/11/22 (review)

Finch - The Making of... Galleons of Passion / Stage '76. 1976-77 Netherlands (archival)

I've written about Finch extensively in the past as they were one of the earliest obscure European prog bands for me to discover in the early 80s (via the ATCO (USA) issue of Glory of the Inner Force), so I won't cover that again here. Suffice to say when this archival discovery was released in 1999 it was a huge boon to fans like myself. Though oddly enough, after dutifully buying the set immediately and hearing it to great satisfaction, it has sat patiently another 23 years for its second visit (there's that number again...). As such I didn't remember anything about it.

The first disc is The Making Of... Galleons of Passion, and is essentially an earlier version of what was to be released. All five tracks are represented here, and to my ears the rougher mix is more pleasurable. Galleons of Passions was a bit too slick for a band like Finch. So I find this to be the definitive version. Even better is there are three unreleased tracks from the same session, any one of them could have - or should have - been on the original album. It's a short album and there was room for all of them. The best of these three IMO is 'Phases'.

Disc 2 is the Stage '76 portion. Here you have 71 minutes of live Finch in their prime. There are two tracks from Glory of the Inner Force and two from Beyond Expression. All of them energetic recreations, though they don't deviate much from the original material. Best of all is the unreleased 17 minute 'Necronomicon', sounding all the world like a missing track from Glory. Instrumental progressive rock like only Finch could do. Overall a must pickup for fans of the group.

Ownership: CD: 1999 Pseudonym. Fatbox 2xCD set with superb liner notes detailing the full history of the band (and the only place I have this).

1999 (first listen); 6/27/22 (review/new entry)

Ayers Rock - Beyond. 1976 Australia

Ayers Rock's second album has that unique Australian progressive rock sound that mixes intense jazz fusion with AOR instincts. Windchase and Pantha are two great examples of this sound. On par with their debut, though maybe a slight downward turn. I can see why A&M signed these guys up in America, they certainly had the right 1976 sound for radio. As did Sebastian Hardie, but for whatever reason, neither caught on here. It was the boogie rock of AC/DC instead that hit home in the States.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Mushroom. Single sleeve with colorful company advert inner. Nice artwork. This was a gift from a very good friend of the UMR.

6/8/22 (new entry)

Aphelandra. 1976 France (archival)

Aphelandra is an archival release of Philippe Grancher's prog band recorded near the time of 3000 Miles Away. Features his friend Cyrille Verdeaux as a guest, along with Didier Lockwood, though their presence is not very apparent. There are some similarities to Clearlight, but without the space rock elements. Mostly it's a classical oriented work, with light rock elements. Reminds me most of the equally obscure Noetra, that also received an archival release. It's only on the second track 'Belladonne' that we hear the band rock out, and more of that trait would have been welcome. There are some incidental bits as well, which indicates this was an unfinished work. Very good on the whole, represents excellent history, but is debatable if it's essential.

Ownership: CD: 2001 Mellow (Italy). Acquired from an online retailer upon release. Booklet features a short history.

1/2/19; 1/16/22 (new entry); 7/4/22 (removed CD)

Thin Lizzy - Johnny the Fox. 1976 Ireland

Thin Lizzy were one of those bands that were around just a bit too early in my music development. I started devouring FM radio in 1977 / 1978 and initially gravitated to harder edged AOR and prog rock (Styx, Alan Parsons, etc...). And the radio only played the same one song 'The Boys are Back in Town', which I think is a fine composition, but not extraordinary. I still feel that way about it. By 1979, I had adopted the early metal sound of Judas Priest, and Thin Lizzy were too lightweight for what was to come. In this way, they were to my ears the same as AC/DC. But as I look back, had I come around to music one year earlier, I could see myself being a huge fan of Thin Lizzy for the rest of time. I've been on the lookout for their albums in the thrift bins / garage sales for the last three years, but they have proven to be elusive in the wilds. When they do become available, people snap them up right away. Finally I landed this one - the album that came after their Jailbreak album that features their most known cut as noted above. And to my ears now, this is exactly the type of hard rock I got into later in life. It's mid 70s straight-to-the-point hard rock. The kind you would hear throughout the heartland of America. Cool riffs and better solos. Good tunes, and excellent vocals. Definitely will continue to pursue others.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Mercury (USA). Single sleeve with lyric insert. Cool cover. Found at a local thrift shop a few weeks ago.

new entry