Caldera ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Time and Chance (1978)

I recently heard Caldera's second album Sky Islands, and I just couldn't get into it. I couldn't even muster up a review here for UMR. As I reflect on their quartet of albums, that was their try for commercial stardom, and is the odd one out. From the beginning of Time and Chance, Caldera are clearly going back to their Latin based jazz fusion roots. Jorge Strunz is in full powered Santana / Al Di Meola mode here. There's more than a nod to the latter's songwriting style throughout.

'Shanti' is really nice with female wordless vocals, flute, and searing guitar. And the album closes the proper way, with a smoldering fusion number where Strunz lets loose on the fretboard with plenty of additonal flute.

Three strong albums out of four is a good career I would submit.

Strangely, Time and Chance has never been reissued on CD whereas the others have (though Dreamer remains a scarce Japanese only product).

Ownership: 1978 Capitol (LP). Acquired in 2014.

4/11/14; 7/4/26 (review)  

Caldera (1976)

The CD boldly claims "Masters of Funk & Soul" and "Some of the Greatest Funk Albums Ever!". Generic hype for the series perhaps, but it doesn't really apply to Caldera's debut. Los Angeles based Caldera are in the jazz fusion strike zone. Fastball down the middle. It's a great example of the scene taking some of the more Latin influenced tracks from Return to Forever and giving that style more focus. It's complex yet highly melodic. And well composed. Caldera aren't technical in the same sense as RTF, which is a plus for me. From here they were to add more funk and soul elements similar to the better side of Earth Wind & Fire. All four albums are worth exploring.

Ownership: 2004 EMI / Capitol Europe (CD). Booklet with a short history of the band and album. Acquired in 2005.

5//05; 5/26/24 (review)

Dreamer (1979)

Most bands don't end a career with their most dynamic and progressive album especially in 1979. Caldera had dabbled with commercialism on their sophomore effort Sky Islands, but this one is primarily a fiery instrumental fusion along the lines of 1972-74 era Santana, with some nods to Return to Forever. They threw caution to the wind and just went for it. If only most bands had a similar attitude back then. Arguably - and probably - their best album.

Ownership: 1979 Capitol (LP). Textured cover. Acquired in 2022.

First copy: 2015 Capitol Japan (CD). Acquired in 2015.

7/19/15 (review); 12/18/17; 5/4/22

Previously owned: Sky Islands

7/19/15 (new entry)

Spirit ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Clear (1969)

The standard narrative here is that Spirit's first two albums are classics, but their 3rd was thrown together, and is a lesser (but still good) effort. Apparently the band themselves felt that way as well. 

Some folks point to the use of instrumentals as proof. Yea, I mean, we wouldn't want music to get in the way of a potential smash hit. B1 is brilliant, something you would think came from an English prog album a few years later. Leading the way, of course, was King Of The Clucks critic Robert Christgau, a loathsome (in many ways) holier-than-thou creature that I point to as responsible as anyone for holding back everything I enjoyed in music, especially progressive rock and heavy metal. I remember his crappy guides from the 80s where he derided every single prog album that I liked. Can you imagine what he'd say if he'd heard the hardcore Italian ones? Oh good grief. I can only imagine the reviews from future historians that state "speaking from the era in which he lived, misguided critic Robert Christgau opined the following:" Haha. How did I get here? Oh I just saw he criticized 'Ice' as "indicative of how "incredibly empty" the band can be as well." Yep, right out of his playbook. Triggers me. The Dean of American Rock Critics - my butt.

So is it correct to say that Clear is a step down? Hmm, that's a tough one. There are a few lesser songs on here, especially on Side A (3,5,6) which is their bread and butter talent. But they also bring some crisp 1969 styled psych singles to the table. And I like the classical and jazz oriented instrumentals. I appreciate when a successful band experiments with the formula a bit, regardless of the circumstances. The Beatles made a career out of doing just that. Don't hear anyone say boo about them, now do you? Right, Christgau? Ironic he has Christ in his name, actually.

The bonus tracks include '1984' which was my introduction to Spirit way back when I was an early teen. I liked it then and I still do. I just could never figure out which album it was on. Haha. I didn't know it was a 45 only release until many years later.

Ownership: 2010 Ode Epic Legacy Europe (5xCD). Original Album Classics. Acquired in 2021.

10/22/21; 3/2/26 (review)
 

The Family That Plays Together (1968)

Right from the beginning you'll hear one of Spirit's classic anthems 'I've Got a Line on You', harkening back to their strong songwriting skills displayed on the debut. Released at the tail end of 1968, Spirit demonstrated they were ahead of their time (especially in the US), eschewing standard hippie fare, embracing the psychedelic with a jazzy, and even progressive rock, slant. Unlike the debut, there are no extended pieces.

As with Blue Oyster Cult, your interest in Spirit's individual albums will fall squarely on whether or not you like their songs, rather than sophisticated arrangements or highly technical solo instrumentation. I'm not too keen on A6 or B4, but otherwise I find The Family That Plays Together a pleasant listen.

I love that respected jazzer Marty Paich was involved with these guys in their early days. Clearly Ed Cassidy's influence there. As with Sabicas and Joe Beck, you don't usually see that kind of generational interaction in the early days of rock. Though Spirit were built that way from the beginning.

The five archival bonus tracks are more instrumental in nature, and mellower. They're very much in the same style as the album, especially within the jazzier spectrum (recorded near the same time). I found that any one of these would have resulted in a slight upgrade to the album proper.

Ownership: 2010 Ode Epic Legacy Europe (5xCD). Original Album Classics. Acquired in 2021.

10/24/21; 2/2/26 (review) 

Spirit (1968)

After the original insane lockdowns of the pandemic, the magnanimous government of Colorado "let us" have a bit of our freedom back. So glad we live in a free country. A teaser of the communism to come I guess. Hey, it wasn't safe. Ya-huh. In any case, as soon as I could go to estate sales and thrift shops, I did. With my stupid mask on. 

I bring this up on the Spirit post, because for whatever reason, the first LPs I was finding right away were from them. Most not in the best shape. A year later (still under some sort of edict), I found the five CD Original Album Classics series, and I sold off the LPs, and that was the end of my initial Spirit exploration.

Except I didn't document any of those listens, beyond some brief notes for Clear. The exception to my Spirit renaissance was the first album, as I'd randomly picked up their CD some 15 years earlier. I'll start here and also review the others in the coming weeks.

I consider Spirit a highly unique band. They didn't rely on instrumental prowess, or any other crutch, to hide their inability to write a song. And that was their strength - an innate ability to craft melodies. And they were strong arrangers. So, yes, perhaps 'Taurus' being the most famous with a chord progression most known as 'Stairway to Heaven'. I'm one to give Zep a break here, as they most certainly fleshed it out much further, and only one central theme is familiar. Best guess it was a subconscious event rather than purposeful deceit. If one is to call out an instrumentalist, it most certainly would be the guitar of Randy California. And really love his acidic tone when employed.

There's elements of psych, jazz, and early prog concepts. The Beatles songcraft is also apparent at times. The exception to the tightly woven songs is the lengthy album closer 'Elijah" that shows the band were comfortable with instrumental jamming as well. Here, the flow recalls the Doors a bit. Or vice-versa.

The bonus tracks, on the other hand, seem to refute my claim about them being songwriters first, and jammers second. Really enjoy this side of Spirit as well. I hear these bonus tracks as essential to the overall experience.

Ownership: 2010 Ode Epic Legacy Europe (5xCD). I only kept the original Legacy CD for the liner notes, and that it possesses little value. Otherwise, the bonus tracks from all the CDs are here too. Acquired in 2021.

First copy: 1996 Ode Epic Legacy (CD). Booklet with full historical liner notes and four bonus tracks. Acquired in 2005.

2005; 2/18/18; 1/27/26 (review)

Also own: Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus; Feedback

1/27/26 (new entry)

Djam Karet (& related) ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

...And Still Getting the Ladies (2002 / 2004)

This recording is technically only bonus tracks on the No Commercial Potential CD reissue (see my review below for that title). But since it was recorded 17 years later, and features roughly 55 minutes of new material, I consider it a proper album. I would also recommend listening to them in different sessions, as these are long winded jams. Oftentimes intense too. Though you don't need to wait eight years to do so (?!), as I have apparently.

With 17 years of recording under their belt at this time, what you hear is a far more professional band. Pacing is key, and there's drifty space electronic sections that increasingly gain more energy, before launching into a psychedelic frenzy. Not for everyone, but those who enjoy psych jams will relish this set.

Ownership: 2004 HC (2xCD). With No Commercial Potential. Booklet filled with images and photos. Includes recording details. Acquired in 2008.

1/5/08; 12/16/25 (review)

 

Burning the Hard City (1991)

Continuing on my recent theme of listening to albums that I haven't heard in decades, up comes one of the oldest CDs in my collection. According to all of my paper trails, and they are significant in scope, the last time I heard Burning the Hard City is when I bought it - upon release in 1991. However I know that isn't true. I recall listening to it many times during the 90s. Even back then questioning if it was something I needed to keep.

As noted below on the Suspension & Displacement review, I preferred this title to that one, but now I'm not so sure. After devouring (had to do it) the contents one singular evening, I would say that I now appreciate both at the same level. It was obvious back then what Djam Karet were up to, and it still is. They had two distinct sides of their sound, so why not distill each in concentrate form? This is a trait we often see in Japan, where they wring each idea to death so there is nothing left to the imagination. Fortunately for us listeners, Djam Karet happens to be very adept at both electronic and space rock. As well as prog and jazz fusion. They are a versatile bunch. At the time of release, and in retrospect, I do think they would have been better served to mix and match for a cohesive sole album. Similar to Reflections From The Firepool. The philosophy of more is better was prevalent in the abundance days of the 90s. Formerly restricted by the length of the vinyl LP, bands now had more freedom to put out anything they felt like. Especially since CD production costs had become a commodity in a very short time.

As it turns out, I was very familiar with the contents of this album despite a 25+ year absence in the changer. No notable highlights, but safe to say, if you enjoy the jamming heavy psychedelic nature of Djam Karet, then Burning the Hard City should resonate well. At this point, I'm sure I'll hold onto both of them for the long haul.

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

1991; 7/7/25 (review)

Regenerator 3017 (2014)

Regenerator 3017 is a good example of an album I had zero recollection of. I had it categorized in my space rock collection, like many of their others. Wrong. This is a mellow instrumental progressive rock, oftentimes falling into jazz fusion or even jazz funk. Plenty of great lead guitar that the band is known for, along with mellotron and thoughtful rhythms. This was their 30th Anniversary album that flew under the radar. I bought it dutifully when it came out and didn't give it the proper attention. This was to be the last Djam Karet album for me to buy, and that is likely to remain the case (unless I find them in the wilds, or someone is giving them away). I find it makes an excellent bookend to my already extensive collection by the group. A good place to rest.

Ownership: 2014 HC (CD). Digipak. Acquired in 2014.

11/25/14; 12/23/23 (new entry)

The Ritual Continues (1987)

For context first read my review about Reflections from the Firepool. After purchasing that CD, I immediately went back to the mail order dealer and acquired the tape of its predecessor, which is the album of today's discussion. That tape is slightly different than the CD I now possess (which wasn't released until 1993), but essentially is similar from a musical perspective. This album captures Djam Karet going from the raw jams of their debut tape No Commercial Potential to the relatively composed Reflections from the Firepool. Opener 'Shamen's Descent' is arguably the finest track here, mixing the exotic psychedelic jam with progressive rock complexity. 'Technology and Industry' is another highlight. If you do have the CD, then you'll be treated to the most Krautrock oriented song in 'Tangerine Rabbit Jam' performed by Happy Cancer, who is Djam Karet's direct ancestor. Some of the album can meander a bit, but it's in the spirit of naïve exploration, a most welcome trait in an era that frowned on such activity. Had this been a newer release, I wouldn't be overly enthused, but given its place in history, I feel the album deserves much praise. An enjoyable album throughout and one of America's pioneers of new psychedelic oriented music.

Ownership: 1993 HC (CD). Two bonus tracks from Happy Cancer and one extended rerecording that was new to this issue. Acquired in 1996.

First copy: 1987 HC (MC). Features some unique material not on the CD. Acquired in 1989.

1989; 1996; 12/1/14; 9/7/23 (review)

Suspension & Displacement (1991)

Bought this when it came out, famously with its cousin CD Burning the Hard City. For most of that time since, I held the other CD as the better of the two. Now I'm not so sure. My mental image of Suspension & Displacement was that of a boring electronic / space rock album. But I had dismissed the full band effort here, and there are many organic moments, including much needed warmth instruments like acoustic guitar. A definite +2, and I have a whole new outlook on this, some 31 years after the fact.

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

1991; 3/10/18; 4/6/22 (review)
 

The Devouring (1997)

When this came out, I think we were all relieved that Djam Karet were back on track. Even to this day, it's arguable that The Devouring is their most fully realized work. The opening three cuts are brilliant hard rock / psychedelic / progressive instrumental tracks. It would be tough to expect them to maintain that pace, but the album miraculously never wanders off too much, though it gets a bit samey towards the end. I have most of the Djam Karet catalog, but I'm not sure how much will stick around. But for certain this, along with the first one I bought - Reflections from the Firepool, most certainly will. 

Ownership: 1997 Cuneiform (CD). Acquired in 1997.

1997; 2004; 12/27/19; 6/11/20 (review)

Reflections from the Firepool (1989)

Reflections from the Firepool is where Djam Karet went pro. Prior to this, their releases had been more jam oriented, with far less focus on composition and melody. It's also the album where I was first introduced to this fine long running band from California. I picked up the CD from a mail order dealer not long after release, and was subsequently blown away.

To understand this, one must go back to 1989. It was a time of optimism for many reasons, but all one needs to remember was the basic collapse of The Warsaw Pact on a nearly weekly basis. Tyranny was out and Freedom was in. On the music front, after years of dormancy, the psychedelic guitar was being brought back to prominence. Djam Karet, along with Tangle Edge and Ozric Tentacles were leading the charge and using the instrument not just as an accent, but rather as a focal point. This wasn't the 80s indie rock / neo psych hybrid that was popular with the post New Wave crowd, on the contrary, these new groups had in mind Ash Ra Tempel, Amon Duul II, and Gong - along with other such great bands from the early 1970s.

'The Sky Opens Twice' is a perfect opener. As I read other reviews, there seems to be a unanimous chorus that the album is nothing more than loose instrumentals. This is far from the case here. While certainly there are some incendiary guitar jams sprinkled throughout, that of course is what this listener (and my peers) would hope for. The payoff of the investment as it were. Other highlights include 'Run Cerberus Run' and the title track. Perhaps only 'All Doors Look Alike' with its incongruous free sax blowing on part 1, and the second half of 'Scenes From the Electric Circus' aren't up to snuff (though the first part of this track is super).

All in all, Reflections From the Firepool is the album that put Djam Karet on the map. They sort of lost their way in the early 90s, only to come back ferociously with The Devouring, and never looked back again. For my tastes, Reflections From the Firepool is a very important work of the latter 80s, which ushered in numerous other bands who followed suit in the very interesting and productive 1990s.

The LP leaves off two very good to excellent lengthy tracks to fit the format: 'Scenes From the Electric Circus' and 'The Red Monk'.

Ownership: 1989 HC (CD). Acquired in 1989.

1989; 7/30/18 (review) 

No Commercial Potential (1985)

Djam Karet's debut album, the cassette No Commercial Potential, was a true anomaly when released in 1985. The concept of long form, psychedelic guitar driven rock instrumentals, was an extinct concept in the mid 1980s. Whereas LS Bearforce released the homage to early Guru Guru in 1983, Djam Karet had taken the idea of combining mid period King Crimson mixed with any number of west coast late 60s psychedelia bands. And yes, with more than a hint of Krautrock as well. Djam Karet were born out of a (still operating) California record store, and it's no accident they possessed the historical capacity for musical research. Quite simply, they were considerably ahead of their time, and by the 90s many were following their lead, arguably to lesser success. It must be said, the title is as accurate as any in history.

Ownership: 2004 HC (2xCD) With ...And Still Getting the Ladies. Acquired in 2008.

1/5/08; 8/12/17 (review)

Fernwood - Arcadia (2015)

Fernwood are the California based duo of Todd Montgomery and Gayle Ellett, the latter most known to progressive fans as a member of Djam Karet. They each play a tremendous amount of (primarily stringed) instruments, including but not limited to, Greek and Irish bouzouki, sitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin, tenor ukelele, violin, and... Moog, Mellotron, organ, Rhodes, and electric guitar. Despite the presence of these latter instruments, the music is always calm and peaceful. In fact, I would like to use a term that Fernwood best represents. Unfortunately it has become somewhat of a pejorative, but shouldn't be regarded as such. And that term would be New Age.

35 years ago, the New Age movement had just begun and offered up a promising style of music that promoted music from around the world, generally in a tranquil, cosmic, and meditative manner. But it didn't take long for labels such as Windham Hill and Narada to turn the style into an almost Adult Contemporary pop music, perfect for bored rich housewives sipping sangria before their next yoga class.

Fernwood returns us to the original spirit of the genre, recalling pioneers such as Popol Vuh, but taking it to the next level. There are 11 tracks here, each as spellbinding as the next. Typically, I'm not fond of music such as this as I generally hear it, quite frankly, as dull. And yet I found myself transfixed and swept away by the blend of sounds created here. The production is stunning, and provides the crystal clear sound music like this needs to breathe.

Ownership: 2015 private (CD). Acquired in 2015.

5/12/15 (review)

Other Djam Karet albums I own and need to review: Still No Commercial Potential; New Dark Age; A Night for Baku; Recollection Harvest; The Trip

Previously owned: Ascension

5/12/15 (new entry)

Dark Angel ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Time Does Not Heal (1991)

Dark Angel were one of many metal bands I missed real time. Not sure why I didn't pick this album up at least, given that this was the one branch of metal I was still buying back then. That of technical thrash. About 15 years later, I picked up this used CD (very used it turns out, and can't even remember why I bothered to get it). My initial reaction wasn't positive, where I wrote the following notes: "An exhausting and messy thrash album with a bazillion riffs." Another decade after that, the album clicked with me in a big way. And here we are again, yet another decade on. I cannot even imagine how the vocalist could remember all the lyrics on Time Does Not Heal, they are so numerous. Genius level I would submit, though the trade off is he doesn't really sing, but rather recites in a monotonous way. He sings just as much as both guitarists fly through riff after riff. The album is famous for just that as it proclaimed rather boldly there are 246 riffs here. Is that some kind of record? Maybe, I have no idea. My initial cynical reaction was "246 riffs, and not one melody." That's true actually, which doesn't take away from my enjoyment here. It's also not very progressive really, more of a constant change of the riff, not the music or meters. Technical thrash is such a pleasure to hear when in the right mood. Especially if the production and guitar crunch is excellent, as it is here. You'd think something like Time Does Not Heal would be difficult to endure for 67 minutes. But it's not really - it flows rather nicely. And it never - I mean never - stops moving all over the place. I do think, though, taking one or two songs in a session will produce better results. These guys were insanely talented. Especially drummer Gene Hogland, who is considered an A-lister, and has participated with many collectives, just as in the jazz world. Interesting to note, despite the huge cult following the band has, this album is not considered one of their good ones even by their dedicated fans. And this was to be it for Dark Angel, until interestingly enough, last month (who knew?). Their new album has been met with serious derision. The opposite of another 80s / early 90s legend that recently reformed and I will be talking about (excitedly I hope) within the next month.

Ownership: 1991 Combat (CD). The microscopic lyrics take four pages of the foldout booklet.

5//05 (acquired); 5/22/16; 10/27/25 (review)

At one point I owned the two albums that preceded Time Does Not Heal. These are different in style and I didn't care for them. But I'm up for a revisit if and when I find them again.

10/27/25 (new entry)

Cassle ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Cassle (1980-1983 / 2011)

---12/9/14

Archival NWOBHM-styled recordings from the early 1980s. The original EP has some inspired, almost progressive rock influenced (long tracks and keyboards will have that effect), early heavy metal sounds. Good stuff from a band that could have made the big time with the right breaks. An all too common tale from that era.

---10/6/25

The above is accurate, but I need to provide more context. The band only released one track in their lifetime, that of 'Midnight Fantasy' (1983). The quality is demo-like, so you'll have to adjust your ears a bit before taking this in. The next three tracks are from the same session, and have the same sound quality. These were released for the first time in 1997 from an unauthorized issue. One that the band, according to the CD liner notes, were more than fine with as it increased their exposure. The music here is at the crossroads of hard rock and early heavy metal with proggy overtones. Like a 1979 private release. There's piano, hard guitars, and dramatic vocals. Were this a cassette, it would be an instant classic, because music like this was released that way back then. So hearing it on CD sounds strange, but it just requires an adjustment as I noted above. Track 10 is the original 1980 recording of 'Midnight Fantasy' when they were teenagers known as Miraaj (guess they like unique spellings). Track 5 is the only recording from 1982 and is essentially a piano ballad. The other five cuts are studio and live recordings from 1983. These are of bootleg quality and portray the band more in a proggy hard rock / AOR light. As the music rolls on, one can hear Rush as a major influence on the group. It's a pity this was all that could be rescued, as it's clear that Cassle had talent to burn. They likely would have turned into a band like Queensryche had they managed to secure a major label deal, which they apparently were close to. It was the 80s after all.

Ownership: 2011 Shadow Kingdom (CD). Liner notes, lyrics, and photos. Acquired in 2014.

11/26/11; 12/9/14 (review); 10/6/25 (update / new entry)

War ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

War Live (1974)

One of the biggest challenges with collecting War is that their albums are almost always wrecked. Partied out as we used to say. This one wasn't too bad, and at 69 cents, I'm grabbing it. Nice to see that RYM has this as their highest rated album. And most of the tracks have long durations, almost assuring us of a jam session. The only representative of their commercial side is 'The Cisco Kid', so this should prove to be quite the experience. And? Well not really. War is really a soul group playing funk and Latin rock. This isn't Mandrill or Malo by any stretch. When they do jam, it's not really of the intense variety, which is what I was hoping for. Everyone gets their turn, and it sort meanders about. Nothing wrong with that of course, as I'm sure it was a fun concert. Good album on the whole, but not something I need to keep.

Source: 1974 United Artists (2xLP)

6/16/15; 9/6/25 (review) 

War (1971)

I had high hopes for this early effort, but it fell flat to my ears. Mostly this is soul... funk music, with an obvious emphasis on the former. Which can be OK, if the melodies stick. But I'm afraid they didn't with me. The exception here is the album closer 'Fidel's Fantasy', which can only be categorized as weird. And there's a segment in the middle where Charles Miller's flute sounds almost Krautrock like. Lyrically they're going after Castro, which is refreshing during an era where there was too much sympathy for thugs like him. Sort of like today. Hmmm. Comes in a very fine gatefold, and my copy has the "war bond". This was inserted into early copies, and was good for "$1 off for 2 tickets" through Dec. 1973. That sounds trivial today, but concerts didn't used to cost so much, so $1 was a reasonable coupon.

Source: 1971 United Artists (LP)

8/18/21 (review)

Deliver the Word (1973)

After hearing the instrumental opener 'H2 Overture' I thought I was in for a monster of a session. 'In Your Eyes' is a strong follow-up, and this is exactly what I look for in a Latin-tinged funk soul album. Things begin to slip on 'Gypsy Man' which is a fine composition, but there's not enough here to justify its 11+ minute length. 'Me and Baby Brother' is what I would consider the signature sound of War, which isn't necessarily what I like about them most. 'Southern Part of Texas' recalls 'Gypsy Man' to an extent. The title track is the highlight of Side 2 and is a sweet song. 'Blister' is an atmospheric closer. Deliver the Word doesn't live up to the promise of its beginning, but it's definitely a keeper. 

Former ownership: 1973 United Artists (LP). Die-cut textured cover. Acquired in 2021. Downsized in 2026.

3/29/21 (review)

9/6/25 (new entry)

Davie Allan and The Arrows ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Vol. II The Wild Angels (1966)

And now, after all these years, I've finally heard a vintage Davie Allan and The Arrows album. 1966 is a bit early in the game to have a relevant psych album, though the opener certainly indicates what it could have been. Mostly this is exploitation, where the titles and concept are far more radical than the music within. 'Arriba' is mariachi for crying out loud. At this point, Allan and his motley crew aren't really that far from Dick Dale and his surfing buddies from a few years before.

Source: 1966 Tower Mono (LP)

9/4/25 (review)
 

Fuzz Fest (1996)

In the year 2000, I had a friend who owned a record store in the Denver area, and who owed me a few dollars from a previous transaction. He told me to stop by and pick out anything I wanted. So after finding a couple of gems, I was still about $10 short. I couldn't find anything of interest, so after mulling about for 30 minutes, I just settled on a sealed LP of Fuzz Fest.

I'd heard of Davie Allan & The Arrows, but never heard their music prior. That remains true even today, 18 years later (I mean the classic mid 60s stuff of course). Based on the reviews I've seen, I can pretty much ascertain where the music will fall. And I think that bias tainted my initial listen, as 1) I recall little about it and 2) I just figured this was some dude in his 50s recreating - or cashing in on - a past legacy.

Wrong! Hold that thought.

In the early 90s the American label I.R.S. had a popular series (in the underground anyway) called Guitar Speak. In effect, these were various artists albums where a famous guitarist from the 60s and 70s (anyone from Montrose to Akkerman to Iommi and beyond) would provide a unique guitar based instrumental track. These albums were surprisingly quite good, and most of the guitarists did not succumb to showboating or shredding.

Davie Allan would have been a perfect fit for the above series (many released a full album of similar). Of course the biker themes are still prevalent throughout, but this is not some cornball soundtrack - and it most certainly is not Surf Rock! The Ventures will not enter your mind here. What you get is 15 (14 in my case because I have the LP) quality guitar instrumentals. Every once in a while a mid 60s styled motif would appear, but mostly this sounds every bit like a modern instrumental rock album - with lots of cool fuzz guitar. All the songs are well thought out, and there's plenty to derive out of each one.

Really surprised the heck out of me. A definite keeper.

Ownership: 1998 Total Energy (LP)

2000 (acquired); 8/25/18 (review)

8/25/18 (new entry)

The Fents ~ USA ~ Los Angleles, California

First Offense (1983)

---4/29/12

There's no question that First Offense is of 1983 vintage, especially after taking in the opening track. Funky slap bass, synthesizers, and slick production qualities are laid out early and offer a somewhat dubious beginning. Perhaps a First Offense indeed. But The Fents were far more interesting than that, and as the album unfolds, a sophisticated blend of instrumental jazz and rock emerges, with complicated rhythms, smoking solos, and grittier sounds. The band themselves were influenced by some of the leading fusion artists of the day like Bruford, Holdsworth, and Dixie Dregs, and those artists' fingerprints are all over this.

---7/5/25

In hearing the album for the first time since, I also wanted to mention how melodically strong the album is. The album continues to shine when others of its ilk have lost their luster over time.

Ownership: 1983 Not Yachting (LP)

4/29/12 (acquired / review); 7/5/25 (update)

The Other Side (1987)

I've been familiar with The Fents going back to the late 80s (thanks to PPR Jeff), but this is the first time for me to hear their second, more widely available album. It skipped the CDRWL project since it was released on CD from the beginning. I finally secured a copy at a local store. I'll be honest I didn't have high hopes for it, figuring it would be too modern, slick, and digital for my tastes. Something akin to Spyro Gyra for example, minus the saxophones. And if keyboardist Adam Holzman had it his way, they would have succeeded to fulfill my prophecy - his tones scream late 80s. But guitarist Ted Hall would hear none of it, and he's blistering away on his guitar with a sound from a decade prior. Calling up the collective spirits of Terje Rypdal and David Torn, Hall rips, especially on side 2 as the album begins to creep into the consciousness. My listen started in the good territory and eventually landed on great. Plenty of room for growth here. Nice surprise.

Ownership: 1987 Passport (LP)

4/2/23 (review)

Both the debut EP and First Offense have yet to be reissued as of 7/13/25.

4/2/23 (new entry)

MAX (Rodan) ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Beyond Rodan (1970-1974 / 2024)

OK finally getting back on track here with some rarities. We have a beautiful new reissue to discuss today. I first had an opportunity to hear this uber rarity from top collector Heavy Rock way back in 2009. Here are my original notes:

Super horn rock album, that absolutely kills on most of the 12 short tracks. There are a couple of bluesy moves and at least one James Brown styled funker, but mostly this just rips from start to finish. The kind of album you wish all horn rockers were. Smoking guitar and great brass charts. The rhythm section never stops. California based group was actually known as MAX, and toured extensively with groups like Malo and Tower of Power. Album sports a fantastic drawing on the cover.

---

Now the story becomes clear. The original album itself is a pirate edition. It's not conclusive if the album was a tax dodge deal like the Guinness or Tiger Lily labels, or just an ambitious insider looking to profit. As such the original album is a hodge-podge of different eras of the band which explains the sound variations throughout. Now with this definitive (and gorgeous I might add) 2xLP set, you can hear the trajectory of MAX, though it's mostly spread across evenly (excepting Side A). Horn rock remains the primary genre, but they were progressive too in the same way as The Greatest Show On Earth or Brainchild. Jazz rock and finally hard funk can also be found in these grooves. The energy level remains high throughout. Beyond Rodan is a pleasant album to listen to. Despite being a double, I found myself engaged through its entirety. In fact I played both discs three times each before filing away.

---

After digesting the contents, I did have a couple of questions. I received an answer on the same day from founder David Cortopassi! Special thanks goes to Josh Cortopassi for the assistance.

1. There's a track on the original album called 'Pandora's Theme' that's not on this reissue. Was it just renamed or left off?

Scott Page had asked Joe Gottfried, owner of Sound City, to listen to the band rehearse (Scott's father, Bill Page, knew Joe Gottfried from playing with Lawrence Welk). Joe was impressed with MAX and offered to record us. First step was for me and Scott Williams to recorded several demos in order to decide what MAX would record at Sound City. Pandora's Theme was actually a piano solo I recorded at Sound City under the title "Of Aries For Scorpio". Other than that, I don't have a clue why it was renamed or even included on the bootlegged album. I had no input to the original Rodan album or the selection of songs on that album. As that cut didn't have horns, wasn't the same genre, and since time is limited on vinyl, it made sense to eliminate it.

2. There are five listed recording places in the liner notes. Do you happen to know the date of these - or at least the year? Even though the album was released in 1974, much of the music does sound more like 1970-71, which is consistent with the liner notes.

Quality differs from studio to studio and engineers have their own distinct sound or perception of what they record. My personal favorite recordings are those recorded at Sound City and Pacific Recorders. They capture what I consider that “classic” sound. In re-mastering them all, we did the best we could to closely reflect the album cuts as being recorded in a single studio.

I didn't keep track of the specific dates of the recordings, but the years by studio are as follows:
Sound City (1970 - 1971)
Pacific Recorders (1972)
Village Recorders (1973)
Columbia Records (1974)
ABC Dunhill (1974)

With that data in hand, here is your scorecard for when each track was recorded:

1970 - 1971: All of Side A; B2; B4; D3; C1
1972: B1; B3; D1; C5

1973: D4; C4

1974 (Columbia): D2; C3; C2

1974 (ABC Dunhill): D5

Ownership: 2024 Digital Cellars (2xLP) Gatefold. Liner notes inside the gate. They maintained the awesome artwork.

6/22/09 (review); 3/17/25 (update / new entry)

Van Halen (& related) ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Van Halen (1978)

Since I was already diving into the Van Halen back catalog, I figured I'd relisten to the album I constantly refer to, and that would be the debut. Part of this review would also make a good summary. Van Halen is not only an extremely important album in my overall music listening development, but I would submit it had the same impact from a music industry perspective as well. There just wasn't anything like it in the commercial market at the time. Feb 1978 is the release date RYM attributes. So 7th grade, and about the nadir of my existence. About the only thing I can say positive about my 13th year is that this was the time when music became my most focused and important hobby, something that never wavered again, as I write this 47 years later. 

How was my reaction when I first heard Van Halen? It was too much for me. I wasn't quite ready for the heaviness presented. I know that sounds strange in retrospect, but we have to remember the era, and that I was also young with no foundation with metal (such as it was at the time). But I was becoming angrier by the day - being force bused to the housing projects will do that - and I quickly found that Van Halen was allowing me to purge some of that internal angst. Remember when I said on the Windchase review that my record collection was my psychologist? This was an early example. Eventually Van Halen became one of my favorite albums by the end of 1978.

I can only speak for FM radio in Dallas, but there were four tracks from Van Halen that they played constantly: 'Running with the Devil', 'You Really Got Me', 'Jamie's Cryin'', and 'Little Dreamer'. The first one listed opens the album as well and is quite the statement, though not near as heavy as the album will become. The Kinks track is about as definitive a cover as you will ever hear. It's a great example of taking something from the 60s and amping it up 10 times. Fortunately it became de rigeur to include the preceding instrumental 'Eruption', which was groundbreaking at the time. A perfect segue too. One could argue that 'Jamie's Cryin'' was the blueprint for the future of Van Halen, though it is a very well penned song. But for Van Halen the album, it's one of the lightweight tracks. 'Little Dreamer' is a more simple song, but I always enjoyed the primary riff. Over time that track fell off the radio playlists, and in its place was an improvement. The blistering 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' which is a great representative of the album as a whole. To me it also indicated that audiences were craving more and more heavy and faster material. Today it's considered one of their best songs ever, even by fans of their later works.

'Ice Cream Man' introduces us to David Lee Roth's obsession with showtooney type tracks. While the premise doesn't fit the overall mood of the album, the instrumental sections absolutely do. Eddie Van Halen was possessed on this album, and probably was as angry as I was. All that early fame and fortune weakened his resolve quickly. The only dud track is 'Feel Your Love Tonight', which seems to have unanimous disapproval. It would have fit fine on subsequent albums but not here.

So that leaves us with the three best tracks that remain relatively unknown by those not familiar with this debut already. These were the three that I gravitated to without bias or influence, along with the aforementioned 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love'. 'Atomic Punk' is the next generation of Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song'. "Nobody walks these streets at night like me, I'm the Atomic Punk!". How I loved this song at age 13. And that crazy guitar scratching moment Eddie does - sounds like something Amon Duul II would have come up with. And Roth's vocals are perfect here. 'I'm the One' inches towards the Broadway play but instead just jams hard, and Eddie goes crazy on the solos. Brother Alex and Michael Anthony showcase their rhythmic abilities as well.

Which leaves the album closer: 'On Fire'. This is the heaviest recorded track in Van Halen's career, and remains my all-time favorite from them. It's also heavy metal, which ushered me into that direction, and one wonders how many other angry young men heard the same thing I did. When Roth screams multiple times "Fire" midway through, he isn't playing around - he sounds serious, something that would have served him well later in his career. And Eddie unleashes his most angry solo as well. They were never to return to music like this. One wonders had they taken Van Halen II to the next level where would have Van Halen ended up? I'd suggest perhaps a little bit less sales, and a lot more artistic success. True music legends versus party boys that once were serious.

Brilliant album. Especially for its day.

Ownership: 

1978 Warner Bros. Japan (LP) original pressing. Acquired in 2014.

1978 Warner Bros. (LP). Acquired in 1978.

Warner Bros. (CD) Commodity pressing.

1978 Warner Bros. (8 track). Kind of goes with the format! Acquired in 2026.

1978; 1999; 3/10/25 (review)

Balance (1995)

If I had no idea Van Halen were around on OU812, you can rest assured I really would have been completely unaware of them by 1995. It's only recently I've taken notice of this album, and it isn't the music, but rather from a collector perspective. Of all albums, Balance received a domestic LP issue on Warner Bros. in an era when no one was buying vinyl. And I'm sure it was more expensive too. Hence today its rarity, which is how I learned about (or paid attention to) its existence. I have a cheapie cassette here, so how did it go? It actually starts off intriguing enough with 'The Seventh Seal'. Could it be that Van Halen have matured into a thoughtful hard rock band? Blahahahah. Helllll no. I can honestly say I'd never heard one track from this album. And they all sound about the same. Each song less inventive than the last. It's better than its predecessor, not exactly a ringing endorsement. 

Source: 1995 Warner Bros (MC)

3/9/25 (review)

OU812 (1988)

This is the first time I've heard this title. By 1988 I would not even have known Van Halen were still around. I was safely in the workforce and deep diving into the European underground. 5150 isn't so bad, so how does the follow up rate? Oh good grief, 'When It's Love' sucks. You'd think by '88 that schmaltzy scene had played out, but it was actually the opposite. Oh hey, I actually recognize 'Cabo Wabo'. Guess I have heard something from this album after all. It's not an awful song, though Hagar crows too much for my liking. Side 2 gets off to a better start. Much more energetic, calling on their early 80s past. 'Feels So Good', OK yea, another one I recognize. Guess they were sneaking these tracks in my subconscious while I wasn't paying attention. I don't like it, though the organ emulation is interesting. Overall this album earned the disdain I had previously tagged Diver Down with.

Source: 1988 Warner Bros (MC)

3/8/25 (review)

Diver Down (1982)

I had this title rated really low. April '82 is when it was released. Second half of my high school junior year. There's no way I ever gave it a chance. I had already walked back my appreciation of Van Halen a couple of years earlier. I wanted heavier material by '82. After some 43 years, let's give it a more objective listen. So it it really that bad? Not at all. What's intriguing are the instrumentals, many more than usual. 'Pretty Woman' is one of their trademark cover tunes, and the instrumental 'Intruder' is the perfect setup, and usually not included (like 'Eruption' was), which it should have been. My memory had it that Diver Down was much more lightweight than its predecessor. That's not true either, though it most certainly is more friendly. The Dixieland and Happy Cowboy moves are more puzzling than embarrassing. Overall it's a bit more experimental than prior, while not losing focus on their commercial sensibility. Will I keep it? Nooo, but once again, much better than my original assessment. Other than the debut, that's the case for all of them from the past.

Source: 1982 Warner Bros (MC)

3/8/25 (review)

David Lee Roth - Eat 'em and Smile (1986) 

For Roth's follow-up Skyscraper I stated: "Hey - not bad at all. Better than what same era Van Halen were up to... ...Roth sounds like Roth and to me that means he's always "hot for teacher". Having Steve Vai on board was a stroke of genius. Vai gets a fat paycheck and Roth earns credibility while still acting out his macho bad boy routine. Good hard rock on the whole, though nothing revelatory." A fair assessment of this full length debut too (there's an EP prior). Perhaps Vai's own solo style is more on display than prior. A Van Halen with Stevie instead of Eddie wouldn't be an unfair conclusion. Roth was out there earning his paycheck, gotta give him that. Good stuff, just nothing I need to own at this point. 

Source: 1986 Warner Bros. (MC). Also have a sealed LP that I will be selling now.

1/30/25 (review)

5150 (1986)

Better than I remembered hard rock with Sammy taking over. Side 1 is the better of the two. A little too poppy at times, but not an embarrassment.

Source: 1986 Warner Bros (LP)

7/29/24 (review)

David Lee Roth - Skyscraper (1988) 

Hey - not bad at all. Better than what same era Van Halen were up to I believe. And do I hear organ on that first track? Didn't expect that. Roth sounds like Roth and to me that means he's always "hot for teacher". Having Steve Vai on board was a stroke of genius. Vai gets a fat paycheck and Roth earns credibility while still acting out his macho bad boy routine. Good hard rock on the whole, though nothing revelatory. The conclusion? The premise was accurate - reselling it for a profit.

Source: 1988 Warner Bros.

10/21/23 (review)

 

Van Halen II (1979)

As I stated on Def Leppard's High 'N' Dry: "One year later, during the summer of 1981, out came High 'N' Dry which I purchased on the spot. Had you asked me on Day 1 what I thought of the album, I would have told you it was great. But I knew it wasn't. Over the next year, my interest in the album had started to wane. As did my interest in the group in general. I was looking for heavier material, and more bands were cropping up to offer just that." Replace summer of 1981 with spring of 1979, and High 'N' Dry with Van Halen II and you have the exact same scenario. I was 14 and the testosterone was really starting to cook.

One of these days I'm going to write about Van Halen's debut, which I consider one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time. Unfortunately for us who enjoyed the band's heavier material, they more or less abandoned that for more radio friendly fare (the exception being parts of their 4th album Fair Warning). For whatever reason Van Halen didn't embrace 'Atomic Punk', 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love', 'I'm the One' and 'On Fire' - but rather they followed the path of  'Jamie's Cryin'' and 'Ice Cream Man'.

Van Halen II's drop is more precipitous than Def Leppard's, at least from a heaviness perspective. 'Dance the Night Away' and 'Beautiful Girls' was the sound of the new Van Halen. There are a couple of notable exceptions: 'Outta Love Again', and in particular, 'Light Up The Sky' bring the hard rock goods. Even the one / two punch of 'Spanish Fly' and 'DOA' are emasculated. Hardly 'Eruption' and 'You Really Got Me'. 

Nostalgia plays a big role in me keeping this (for now). As noted above, I bought it new in 1979 having fallen hard for their debut. In playing it last night, I knew every note of the album though I don't think I've heard it in over 40 years.

Ownership: 1979 Warner Bros (LP). Picture innersleeve. Acquired in 1979. Reacquired in 2022.

1979; 9/5/22 (review)

Fair Warning (1981)

I spoke some of my history with Van Halen on the Women and Children First album. Though I never bought that album real time, I did splurge for Fair Warning upon release. And that's because they were playing the heaviest songs on the radio. And those would be 'Mean Street' and 'Unchained', both I would consider at the top of the heap for Van Halen. A nice return to form, recalling their massive debut. At the time, I wasn't so enamored with the rest, looking for more heavy material. In reacquiring this title, I found myself enjoying the whole thing. Most assuredly their second best album.

Ownership (LP): 1981 Warner Bros. Acquired in 1981; Reacquired in 2022.

1981; 4/28/22 (review)

Women and Children First (1980) 

Good ol' Van 'Alen. Ask me what the best hard rock album ever is, and I may very well say it's Van Halen's debut. What a mind blowing release that album was when it was released (and still is). That's a tale for another day. They dropped significantly on VH II, which I purchased and sold. So when the 3rd album came out, I just recorded it off the radio. And that was my copy for a few years, deciding not to buy the album. In reflection, that was the right move. However, I can afford to be more lenient now - and the album is exactly as I remember it. And well I should, since it gets constant airplay. I would argue that Women and Children First is a distinct improvement on II, but a far cry from the debut. Solid muscle hard rock, and the band hadn't lost their way just yet. They were still a "man's band", inching ever closer to winning over the ladies. 

Former ownership (LP): 1980 Warner Bros. Acquired in 2022. Downsized in 2026.

1980; 1/31/22 (review)

9/5/22 (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)

Ixt Adux ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Brainstorm (1982)

---3/6/11

Long Beach, California based Ixt Adux were yet another late 70s / early 80s American band that had absolutely no chance of commercial success. Their brand of aggressive and complex King Crimson influenced guitar-based rock (no keyboards here) will remind the listener of Midwest prog groups such as St. Elmo's Fire, October, The Inserts, and Ariel - other hopelessly obscure albums. There's even a little Canterbury undercurrent (but brash and entirely American). The vocalist definitely enjoyed listening to Van der Graaf Generator, and he employs many Hammill-like declarations. The album starts off more towards aggressive hard rock but it's a head fake, and they begin to display their complex nature on A2. There's even some nods to the avant prog genre to be found.

---9/13/24

In hearing this album for the first time in 13 years, I find myself at a +1. Challenging and unique, Ixt Adux were seeking a niche audience inside of a niche audience. Great stuff.

Ownership: 1982 Madame X (LP). Lyric insert. 

No reissues exist as of 3/31/25.

2//92 (first listen); 3/6/11 (review); 9/13/24 (update / new entry)

The Doors ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Absolutely Live (1970)

Worth keeping for this album's version of 'When the Music's Over' which sounds like a crazed Krautrock track with psychotic vocals from Morrison. Both Krieger and Manzarek go off the rails with their respective guitar and organ solos. Densmore is very active on the drum kit as well. Much more kinetic than the also great studio version. There's plenty of other moments like that interspersed throughout. They front load the blues tracks which is my least favorite aspect of The Doors, so they get most of that out of the way early.

Ownership: 1970 Elektra (2xLP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2024.

7/5/24 (review)
 

Other Voices (1971) 

I've been wanting hear these post-Morrison Doors albums for some time. A college chum played me Full Circle way back then, but I recall little about it. Based on what I'm reading, I can pass on a revisit. And that's primarily because Other Voices, which is supposed to be better, isn't really all that good either. The easy out here would be to just state it's The Doors without Jim Morrison, so how could it be good anyway? Well... plenty of bands have survived tragedy only to improve from there. I could very easily see this album being the next Doors release after LA Woman. It's not like Morrison would go "Gee guys, I'm not so keen on 'I'm Horny, I'm Stoned'". Now he'd for certain sing it better than Ray or Robby, but the song still stinks. I do like 'Ships w/ Sails' and 'Hang On To Your Life', but not enough to keep. Too bad, as this is a very fine glossy German gatefold. 

Source: 1973 Elektra Germany (LP)

1/2/22 (review)
 

The Doors (1967)

The older I get, the more I have become to realize that the "big name" bands of the late 1960s are really not to my taste. Bet you thought I'd say the opposite. It's something I hear quite often among my age group and older, just how much better the music was back then. Utter nonsense I say. You just have to dig harder for it - and that's been the case ever since I first started collecting in earnest in the early 1980s. But in the late 60s, FM radio was all one really needed.

With that out of the way, The Doors are proving to be the exception for me. I'm really starting to enjoy not only their hits - something I've always had appreciation for - but also their more obscure album cuts. I've recently picked up the entire Doors catalog (Morrison era) of remastered CDs, and will be revisiting all of them. Though I'm rather certain my favorite will remain this debut - an album that is groundbreaking as it is enjoyable. That's a rare combo actually. Sgt Peppers was groundbreaking, but I get bored with it. Zappa/Mothers of Invention's Freak Out is even more pioneering. I can barely listen to it. The Doors though. Yea, wow. After all these years, I still get goosebumps listening to the instrumental section of 'Light My Fire'. I don't know how that's even possible. Whatever - you know this album already. Just wanted to join the chorus for once and state I agree with its lofty reputation.

I really love the remastered CD version, but I imagine its quite controversial among the fans. Apparently the original version was released slower than intended. So it's been pushed up to its original intended speed. It's a bit disorienting, but sounds really great to my ears.

Ownership: 

2007 Elektra / Rhino (CD) 40th Anniversary edition. Booklet with recording details and the history of the band. And bonus tracks. Acquired in 2019.

Elektra (LP). Later commodity pressing. First acquired in 1982. This version acquired in 2024. 

Elektra (MC). Later commodity pressing. Acquired in 2025.

1982; 7/21/19 (review)

7/21/19 (new entry)

The RH Factor ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Cries of the Night (1988)

I've been sitting on this since last June (so says the price sticker anyway). Picked up locally for four bucks at the now defunct Independent Records. One of my best scores there (look it up on Discogs). There are a few RH Factors, this one stands for guitarist Robert Howell. Apparently a disciple of a one Frank Marino, though that connection is only apparent on 'Rock Me Baby', which is exactly the kind of cover tune Marino would do. The music could best be described as AOR metal, but I think I'll categorize it as hard rock all the same. The songwriting is really strong for this kind of thing, and the album remains engaging. Excellent guitar work as to be expected. Only B2 stuck out as something regrettable. There's even light proggy touches to be found here. Given its scarcity, I'm going to hang onto this one. Worth seeking out if you're curious (check out YouTube).

Ownership: 1988 Tem (LP). The colors are little more softer / realistic than this photoshop scan. 

No reissues as of 3/31/25.

4/19/24 (review / new entry)

Dewey Terry ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Chief (1972)

From the two dollar table and this might prove to be my unexpected favorite new discovery of the last record show (still plenty to go). Chief is a very eclectic album and much of it is not of interest to me. It's a mix of soul, jazz, blues, rock, and funk. Dewey Terry is from Los Angeles but this LP was released on the short-lived Tumbleweed label up the street in Denver, which is probably why I found it. Starts off in soul territory before moving into a rocker that reminded me of Jim Croce of all people. Things get much more interesting on 'Funky Old Town', before the album offers the two tracks that insist you pay attention (totalling close to nine minutes). 'Suit for the Cat' (not credited on the back cover) is an excellent instrumental jazz rock piece featuring Terry on electric harpsichord. This is followed by the album's best cut 'Do On My Feet (What I Did In The Street)'. Featuring a killer funk groove with great guitar and Hammond organ, this track will get you on your feet alright. It's what the hipsters would call a banger. Side 2 picks up the same tune and leads into a commercial about a chicken farm - in Nashville, Tennessee! Que?  B2 and B4 are sleepy blues tracks. 'Sweet as Spring' is a very nice soft rocker with a sweet melody. And finally the album closer has a great rural rock mid section and solos that remind me of Culpeper's Orchard. So, as you can see, the album is all over the place and very inconsistent. But there's a lot of great here to be found. Combine that with being somewhat local to me - I'm keeping it.

Ownership: 1972 Tumbleweed (LP). Promo. This is some cover, I'll tell you that. It's meant to emulate a classroom notebook. Inside is notebook paper filled with recording details written in pencil. You need to be a member of Mensa to figure out where the LP is supposed to be stored. Surprising a record like this isn't worth hundreds of dollars. Guessing there's always been plenty of supply.

4/11/24 (review / new entry)

The Mars Volta ~ USA ~ El Paso, Texas ~ Los Angeles, California

Amputechture (2006)

The headline: Artificial Intelligence Creates First Prog Rock Record

In a related story, when I was in high school in the early 80s I had a good music friend who came up with the concept of "random notes and metrics" using a pair of dice against a matrix of notes and scales. He's involved in a few albums, so he'll remain nameless to protect the guilty. I don't know if he invented that concept, but one wonders if The Mars Volta didn't come up with a similar philosophy using an online random number generator.

For Frances the Mute I joked "Until now I didn't realize one could get four hours of music onto a single disc." And further offered "It's like Led Zeppelin playing the music of Thinking Plague."

Amputechture follows Frances the Mute and largely maintains the patterns above. I'm not really quite sure what to do with these albums. I find them fascinating but not necessarily enjoyable. I can't even imagine playing these songs live - they're not even really songs. It would seem they would need music stands and written charts. It's almost the logical extreme of prog rock. The band must've asked themselves "What if we take Tales from Topographic Oceans... to the next level?" The whole thing seems random and made up as it goes. Which in of itself is not a bad concept, and these guys do on rare occasion catch a groove. Once again, I feel like they're talented hard rockers gone completely off the rails. They're creating an endgame for something that doesn't need it. This is like a $5 CD, so if you're looking for value per notes created, tough to beat mathematically speaking.

Maybe one day these albums will make some kind of sense. Perhaps listening to only one song over and over would help. And then put the CD away for another day. Sounds like a reasonable retirement activity.

Former ownership: 2006 Universal / Gold Standard Laboratories (CD). With lyrical booklet and bizarre WPA era artwork. Acquired in 2006.

2006; 4/4/24 (review)

Frances the Mute (2005)

Until now I didn't realize one could get four hours of music onto a single disc. Or at least it seems like it. I purchased this when it first came out, and haven't heard it since (sound familiar?). All I remember about it was the music was complex and they created a hell of a lot of racket. After just absorbing it again, what I remember shortly thereafter is... it's complex and they create a hell of a lot of racket.

It's not that they aren't qualified musicians - far from it really - it's that the composition style is chaos versus order. And melodies are optional. It's like Led Zeppelin playing the music of Thinking Plague. To be honest, it's the former that I enjoy most about The Mars Volta. They are an excellent hard rock band. Prog? Not so much. The music doesn't ever breathe, constantly being suffocated under a pillow screaming for air. One has to admire the sheer audacity of attempting music such as this, especially for a band that was in the midst of commercial success. It's not like I have a collection full of bands that sound like The Mars Volta. I also have their debut and 3rd album, of which the latter will be reevaluated soon enough. For now, I think Frances the Mute qualifies as "unique", and thus stays with the collection.

Ownership: 2005 Universal / Gold Standard Laboratories (CD). Acquired in 2005.

5//05; 10/16/20 (review)

Other albums I own: De-Loused in the Comatorium; The Bedlam in Goliath

10/16/20 (new entry)

Strawberry Alarm Clock ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Good Morning Starshine (1969)

SAC's final album is a major departure from the image and music the band is known for. Here they attempt a bluesy hard rock sound. Some of the old pop psych magic is still there, but clearly the group is planning for the future. They had the right idea, but there wasn't enough interest to keep them going. Like most psych bands of the 60s, they couldn't find their audience much past 1970 / 71, and ultimately folded. I'm keeping this CD, but not sure if it's for the long haul. Their first two albums are among my all time favorites, so I tend to give more rope to these later and lesser efforts.

Ownership: 2005 Collectors' Choice (CD). Acquired in 2006.

2006; 1/29/24 (review)

Incense and Peppermints (1967)

One looks at that outrageous front cover, crazy band moniker, and even crazier album title, and draws the conclusion that this album is nothing more than period fluff. And if one did that, they would miss out on one of the most thoughtful and brilliant releases ever made. Honestly I do believe its general popularity - especially in its day - is what holds back the appreciation. It's a forward thinking release, far beyond what almost anyone else was doing in 1967, especially coming from the sunny Southern California pop scene. For my tastes, Incense and Peppermints is the greatest pure psychedelic album ever released. The melodies are brilliant and the group truly convey the 1960's sunshine naivete better than anyone before or after. They could even match The Beach Boys in harmony, something they were trained to do, and did not come by accident. The album opens with 'The World's on Fire', which is about three to four years ahead of its time, especially considering its long Eastern influenced jam cycle - with fuzz guitar, flute, organ... it's the classic cosmic Krautrock sound years before anyone would know what that meant. 'Strawberries Mean Love' is ridiculously great, with its dual fuzz guitar melody that sticks with you for days - quite possibly my favorite psychedelic album track ever. 'Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow' is the definition of trippy mellow psych. 'Paxton's Back Street Carnival' is as off-kilter as the rollercoaster ride it depicts. Even songs that are less known like 'Hummin' Happy' pack more ideas into a 2:25 minute time frame than many bands do on a whole side of music. And then there's the famous title track that is jaw dropping in both melody and lyrical content. I joked on my Wake Up It's Tomorrow review about the alien factor, but albums like this really make you wonder sometimes. For as popular as the album was, it's amazing to me just how under the radar it remains. Not a single wasted minute on here.

Ownership: 

1967 Uni (LP). Acquired in 1999.

1967 Uni (LP). Mono version. Acquired in 2026.

1997 Universal Japan (CD). Acquired in 1998.

1998; 1999; 6/4/06; 5/10/12; 6/4/21 (review)

Wake Up... It's Tomorrow (1968)

The band asks: How many tomorrow's can you see? They almost let this one get away. They almost revealed themselves right here and now. They were partying with the psychedelic set, and who better than with a bunch of turned on kids with a name like Strawberry Alarm Clock. Who are they you ask? Extraterrestrial's of course. Duh.

The debut had already displayed more hair raising harmonies per second than any album in history, so why not up the ante, and mix that with a 6th dimension sound? Real time upon release, few in the world got it of course, and after realizing their potential mistake, this particular strain of ET's left to never return in our time and space. And Strawberry Alarm Clock went on to become an easy listening band based on "advice" from industry execs. Poor kids. They never had a chance.

Don't believe me? Just listen to 'Curse of the Witches'. That sheer burst of fuzz bass, celestial vibes, and harmony all arriving at once is a vision into heaven, followed by all sorts of disorientation including the just-slightly-off-kilter rhythms, but mathematically calculated perfectly to alter your mind. Meditation... "Oooo" is a lyric of pure genius. In fact the song it comes from 'Sit With the Guru', along with hit 'Tomorrow', are the two tracks here that resemble most the pop psych brilliance of the debut. The entire five song sequence that ends the album predicted all sorts of music movements to forth come. They were able to do that in 12 minutes.

Perhaps only 'Soft Skies, No Lies' and 'Go Back You're Going the Wrong Way' are "normal" songs, and even they are excellent.

Look at the artwork and understand who you're dealing with.

Wake Up... It's Tomorrow.

Ownership: 

1968 Uni (LP). Uni-pak gatefold. Acquired in 1999.

2005 Collectors' Choice (CD). With full liner notes. Acquired in 2006.

1998; 1999; 2006; 10/8/17 (review)

10/8/17 (new entry)