The Viola Crayola ~ USA ~ San Antonio, Texas

Music: Breathing of Statues (1974)

---6/17/09

You know, there are great guitar trio albums and then there's Viola Crayola. This jazzy psych freakout jam album is just remarkable and sounds about 15 years ahead of its time in technique. And fortunately it is of its era sound wise. This thing just rips and shreds and wah-wah's until you collapse from exhaustion. The last 2 minute goofball track allows us to see Viola's mentor - Mr. Zappa. If these guys released this in 1991, there would be a monthly feature in Guitar Player for him.

---8/17/23

I wish more data would emerge about this release. Musically it's anachronistic and I have a lot of questions about the recording and band itself. Difficult to corroborate any of the information. But it's a great album, no questioning that. It's not too far removed from the Paradox - Modern Madness album if looking for comparisons. Or even Automatic Fine Tuning.

Ownership: 1974 Fautna (LP)  

No legit reissues as of 3/31/25.

6/17/09 (review); 8/17/23 (update / new entry)

Demian ~ USA ~ San Antonio, Texas

Demian (1971)

Coming from San Antonio, Demian were Ver 2.0 of Bubble Puppy, a psych album that contained a hit that long outlasted the movement itself. By the time of this release, the band had shed its psychedelic past and unleashed a pure hard rock album. Dual guitars give the album an edge not common for the era. It's a not a mindblower and there really aren't any tracks that one could point to as a monster. But for solid early 70s hard rock, it's a prime example. File next to Budgie, Bang, Ginhouse, May Blitz, etc...

Ownership: 1971 ABC promo (LP). Gatefold. 

No legit reissues as of 3/30/25.

9/3/22 (review / new entry)