Blood Of The Sun ~ USA ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Blood of the Sun (2004)

---Nov 2004

Blood Of The Sun is Dave Gryder’s new group, or I should say, the latest group he’s a member of. If you at all have any interest in the stoner rock genre, then this should go to the top of the list. This is a six piece with lead and rhythm guitar, bass, drums, and a dedicated vocalist who reminds me of the guy from Monster Magnet. What separates Blood Of The Sun is the heavy use of organ, clavinet, and electric piano which are all played by Dave. Every track pretty much jams, with good breaks, fuzz leads, and more ideas than what is usually found in stoner music. Definitely early 70’s influenced with a raw production that sounds modern but is clearly geared with an eye on the past. On the underrated Brainticket label (Liquid Sound Company) which is based just down the road from here (ED: When we lived in the Fort Worth area). Great stuff and highly recommended to those that have sat through too many mediocre albums from the genre.

---4/27/26

Starting off with cowbell (of course it does), the heavy fuzz guitar joins the fun, followed by Gryder's Hammond organ. Then comes the tough-guy vocals, and we have arrived into the American early 70s past that was once dominated by the likes of Grand Funk Railroad, Mountain, and Rare Earth. Though I referred Blood Of The Sun above as part of the stoner rock genre, it may be more fair to describe it as retro hard rock. It's purposely non-metal, the guitar tones belonging more to the heavy psych genre of the late 60s and early 70s.

Blood Of The Sun's debut is mostly one dimensional hard rock - high energy and heavy all the time. Though, as noted above, it does allocate for some tempo changes and a few ideas per song. Essentially the band has removed the wheat from the chaff. For hard rock aficionados, that is. 

Ownership: 

2004 Brainticket (LP). Clear vinyl. Acquired in 2004.

2004 Brainticket (CD). Booklet has a photo collage of the band performing in a curtained room that looks like it was from 1973. Imagine that? Acquired in 2004.

11//04 (review); 4/27/26 (update)
 

Burning on the Wings of Desire (2012)

Burning on the Wings of Desire is the 4th album from Fort Worth, Texas' Blood Of The Sun. The modus operandi of the band is to recreate the hard rock culture of 1974 to the smallest detail. And to that end, the band succeeds greatly. Band leader Dave Gryder is an unreconstructed 1970s fiend, and it's his Hammond Organ that's out front and center along with the raunchy hard rock (never metal) guitars. The vocals are of the "tough guy" variety and all the tracks are about a lovin' and a rockin' and good times had by all. Wide lapels and rose colored glasses - hair over the ears with a pornstache. It's Saturday night at Barney's Ballroom in Steeltown, Ohio. It's so dark, you need a miners hat to see, and you're sticking to the floors - and it's best not to know why.

Though Gryder has listed a Hohner Clavinet, Mellotron, and other fun analog toys, one only hears the organ on Burning on the Wings of Desire. Wino (yes, that Wino) sings on 'Good and Evil', an homage to the era's tendency to close an album with a more thoughtful number.

If you can't get enough of bands like Bloodrock, Grand Funk Railroad, Mountain, and other popular hard rockers from the good ole' USA, then Blood of the Sun gives you the extract version of that. Be mindful not to OD son.

The slipcase shows a naked woman on both sides (of course it does).

Ownership: 2012 Listenable (CD). Acquired in 2015.

4/18/15; 7/14/18 (review)

Also own: In Blood We Rock; Death Ride

7/14/18 (new entry)

The Underground Railroad ~ USA ~ Fort Worth, Texas

The Origin of Consciousness (2005)

---Jul 2005

An improvement on the already very good Through and Through, The Underground Railroad continues their quest to discover new sounds in an old genre. The best compliment I can pay the group, and I know they will really appreciate this, is that they really don’t sound like anyone. Sure, one can hear elements of bands such as Genesis, IQ, and Porcupine Tree, but only the parts. I used to have long running debates with keyboardist Kurt Rongey on the evolution of technology and its marriage with progressive rock. Kurt is adamant that the latest technologies should be employed in the keyboard department, so absolutely no retro mellotron here. Bill Pohl is a guitarist’s guitarist, and has more chops than most, yet his style is subtle. At times very complex, at times very melodic, The Underground Railroad has carved their own picture into the graffiti wall. Played this three times straight and each listen revealed considerably more than the last.

---12/15/25

So if you didn't get the implication above, I knew the band well, at least Kurt and Bill. Not so much as The Underground Railroad but earlier incarnations from the late 80s and early 90s, when I interacted in person with them often. We all met when I was participating on a progressive rock radio show for the NPR affiliate in Dallas (which ironically Kurt is now involved with in a much more official capacity). And we maintained a strong relationship for some years, before the usual life changes separated the communication channel.

As for the music, my review above holds court. Obviously I'm biased, though I feel my observations are objective. The music can be dense at times, not unlike Van der Graaf Generator. Which of course leads to more revelations per each listen. Bill Pohl's gliding style recalls Allan Holdsworth. A good friend of mine from high school, that I introduced to Kurt and Bill (and is also thanked in the liner notes), told me once that Bill is an incredibly talented guitarist, like none he witnessed before (they occasionally played together as well). This from a guy who criticized everybody. High praise indeed. Kurt Rongey's piano playing demonstrates his formal classical education. Incidentally he is also a DJ and Program Manager at DFW's sole Classical station WRR. I somehow missed this, but Bill is now in Thinking Plague and lives in Fort Collins, about two hours north. I should get up there for a visit.

I never corroborated this, but I'm also certain the band acquired the name from an old Rockford Files episode. We were all fans of that show, having absorbed the reruns that played constantly in the DFW area throughout the 80s. I think it was on the pilot that Jim Rockford noticed an advert in the paper to see a band called The Underground Railroad. That's awesome if it's true.

Ownership: 2005 Long, Dark Music (CD). Eight panel booklet with lyrics, recording details, artwork, and photos.

7//05 (acquired / review); 12/15/25 (update)

Also own and need to review Through and Through.

12/15/25 (new entry)

Helstar ~ USA ~ Houston, Texas

Burning Star (1984)

Helstar were one of the classic metal bands that I got into about 13 years after their debut. Coming from nearby Houston, I probably should have shown more Texas pride and picked this up upon release. But funds were short in my early days of college, and I didn't read anything that stated they were that much more original than any of the other bands emerging during that era. In hearing this album for only the second time, I can understand that sentiment from the metal journalists of the day. However vocalist James Rivera (known here as Bill Lionel) could scream with the best of them, and his unique approach definitely adds points. The guitar tones and production aren't particularly heavy, even for the era, but the riffs and solos are inventive. And they do manage to throw a few ideas in per song. One could argue that Fates Warning simply took Burning Star as a blueprint and upped the ante on the complexity for their breakout The Spectre Within release. Early classic metal like this still has a place in the collection.

Ownership: 1984 Music for Nations (LP). Different artwork than the US release. Acquired in 2024.

First copy: 2005 Century Media (CD). Acquired in 2014.

10/19/14; 12/23/24 (review)

Nosferatu (1989)

Helstar's 4th album is considered by many to be their masterpiece. Not sure I disagree, though I'm not all that intimate with the band's body of work. There's a compact progressive thrash component here mixed in with the power metal sounds of Helloween for example. No question, though, that James Rivera has one of the all-time great voices for heavy metal.

Ownership: 1996 Metal Blade (CD). With full lyrics and a million "special thanks". Acquired in 1997.

1997; 4/19/20 (review)

Remnants of War (1986)

Remnants of War is  Helstar's second album. And is precisely the type of 80s metal I love - it's raw, heavy, inventive, a little messy, and extremely engaging. And... yes, progressive too as there's quite a bit of riff and tempo variety within each track. To my ears, Remnants of War sounds like a heavier version of Fates Warning's The Spectre Within, an album that remains one of my favorite metal albums ever. And James Rivera's soaring vocals even recalls John Arch at times. The relistenability factor is very high for recordings such as this.

Ownership: 1986 Combat (LP). Acquired in 2020.

First copy: 1999 Century Media (CD). Acquired in 2016.

12/4/16 (review)

Also own: A Distant Thunder

12/4/16 (new entry)

Aurora ~ USA ~ Dallas, Texas

Aurora (1977 / 1999)

Aurora were from my old hometown of Dallas, and were a fusion band containing violin, guitar, and keyboards leading a traditional rhythm section. With that kind of lineup, want to take a crack at who they were emulating? Yep. Mahavishnu Orchestra. And with violin being the primary over the guitar, you can throw in Jean-Luc Ponty for good measure. And they do cover one track from him, while the other nine compositions are original. Apparently they were to reform when this CD was released, but not much came of it.

In reading the liner notes, some of my earliest music memories were brought to the fore. 1977 is when I really got into FM radio in earnest, and as mentioned here in a couple of places, KZEW was the leader for Album Rock. Therefore, it's no surprise to learn that most of this album is made up of a live recording arranged by the station. The first three tracks are studio recordings, though no better in sound quality honestly. In any case I was still a few years from knowing anything about jazz fusion, and didn't recognize the name Aurora when this CD first arrived onto the collecting scene. Grabbed it not long after release, filed it, and here we are some 25 years later for my first revisit. It certainly deserves more frequency than that.

Drummer Martin Metzgar is more known as Martin McCall. He was the drummer in Hands (later era) along with many other local bands and percussion ensembles. Of personal interest, he was also a guest at our house about 20 years ago after seeing one of his performances with a fellow friend.

Ownership: 1999 Shroom (CD). Contains a full history, photos, and newspaper clippings.

2000 (first listen); 1/20/25 (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)

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)

Stud. 1975 USA-Texas

One of the better underground hard rock albums from the mid 1970s American scene. Stud is a band from Houston, Texas and who deserve special mention given that they aren't solely dedicated to booze, broads, and rock 'n roll. There's some of that - of course there is - but there's also three lengthy pieces (including two over 12 minutes) and one impassioned folk rock number. The songwriting isn't particularly memorable, and Stud are the band you went to go see last on your pub crawl - when you wanted to vegetate to jammin' sounds. A hard rock album is usually only as good as the guitar player, and here Stud shines mightily. Sit back and enjoy the moment. A point in time to reflect upon.

Ownership: CD: 2015 Out-Sider/Guerssen. Jewel case with historical liner notes.

Originals were pressed in a run of 200, and are extinct. 

1/29/17 (first listen/review/new entry); 1/26/23 (update)

ZZ Top - Tres Hombres. 1973 USA-Texas

This is the 3rd copy I've run into since 2019. I flipped the other 2 quickly, but this time I wanted to see if my opinion had softened towards this album. And the answer is yes. The music here is exactly what most folks associate pre-80s ZZ Top with. It's crisp and punchy blues rock with excellent guitar solos. Have Mercy. Not real keen on A5 (many folks aren't) or B1 but mostly this delivers the hard rock goods. This album has a lot of familiar tunes to those who listened to FM radio growing up. It's greasy South Texas good fun - just as the inner gatefold of the Mexican dinner setup suggests. Incidentally, Mexican food was not yet a staple of the American diet in 1973. ZZ Top were trailblazers on that front too.

Ownership: LP: 1973 London. Gatefold. Another fine pickup at the Denver Record show for a fraction of going rates. Discogs shows this version as from 1977 without any data to support it's a reissue. I think they just copied the wrong entry when creating it.

1/4/20; 10/24/22 (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)

Liquid Sound Company - Exploring the Psychedelic. 1996 USA-Texas

Liquid Sound Company is the psychedelic outlet for guitarist and bassist John Perez, from Fort Worth, Texas. John comes from the rich musical background that DFW offered in the 80s and 90s - the same one that I was fortunate to learn and participate in. It would be some years before John and I crossed paths, but he's yet another great individual who represents the sprit of the times. And a super cool guy. John's primary claim to fame is his participation/leadership of the doom metal band Solitude Aeturnus, a group who later provided Candlemass with their lead singer. But he's run the gamut from death metal to psychedelic and everything in between. And he's promoted many such bands through his Brainticket label. I don't know where John first heard of Brainticket, but it's very well possible it was through our radio program in the late 80s/early 90s, or a friend of his was turned on that way. That would be satisfying for sure.

Exploring the Psychedelic is the debut for Liquid Sound Company, a brand name that continues to live on, even though there are only 4 releases in a 25 year timespan (including a new release this year). But way back in 1996, Exploring the Psychedelic was indeed doing just that. Perez and crew were tuned into the scales of Asia, while turning the amps to 11. It's mostly instrumental, and the band were able to avoid falling into the common Stoner traps. There's no metal here,  this is pure heavy psych - 1969 moved forward 27 years. Mostly a guitar based trio, with some fakeatron on the last track. There's plenty of variation of sound and songwriting, so it's a fully realized effort, not a one-trick pony. I have many such releases in my collection that I've grown tired of, but Exploring the Psychedelic isn't one of them. It remains a bright light from the burgeoning 90s retro heavy psych prog scene.

Ownership: CD: 1996 Brainticket. Acquired not long after release, from a catalog dealer most likely. I was living in Denver by this point, so I probably didn't buy it locally. Standard jewel case with a hard to read booklet :-) It was also released locally on LP from Dallas' own Rockadelic Records, a label that was trying to promote newer bands after years of great success releasing rare American artifacts.

1996; 5/21/21 (entry)

The Union - Love?? / Good Things. 1967 USA-Texas

One more completely obscure 45, this time from Houston, that proves the 60s were loaded with great talent, and not enough outlets for them all. 'Love??' is really great and has that tranced out psychedelic sound with doomy fuzz organ. Think of a post-Animals song mixed with the Group 1850 singles. Awesome. 'Good Things' is more groovy, also featuring organ (not fuzzed though) and jangly guitars with a great hummable tune. Definitely these guys should have made it past the minor leagues.

Ownership: SP: 1967 Radel. Online acquisition (2020).

6/7/20 (first listen); 3/7/21 (review / new entry)

Eric Johnson - Tones. 1986 USA-Texas

Eric Johnson burst onto the scene in 1986, seemingly out of nowhere. He was part of the mid to late 80s guitar fronted band scene along with many others such as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Like most folks, my introduction to Tones was the fine instrumental 'Zap'. In hearing this album for the first time all the way through, I didn't recollect anything else from the album, though I'm sure others were played on the radio at the time. Even though I enjoyed 'Zap' back then it never occurred to me to pick the album up. By 1986 I was moving fast and furious into the world of obscure European progressive, and underground music in general. I didn't think the guy with the spikey hair was going to give me what I wanted at the time. And in retrospect that would be a true statement. The time for me to hear this album is now, as I can reflect on the era in a more objective manner. Johnson's album is not really a guitar hero album, especially given the number of songs with vocals. It's AOR music for the most part, but with a definite slant towards the time and place. What I now call simply 80s Music. Most of the FM friendly tracks feature some excellent jazz fusion styled breaks, giving the music a fresh sound. Overall Tones is much better than I expected, and I've decided to keep it for now.

From the above, I purposely left out what I knew about Johnson's history. I said "seemingly out of nowhere" and that's exactly what I knew in 1986. But by 1988, as I'm now deep in the rare catalog world, I learn that Johnson was the guitarist for the very obscure - but very good - Austin based psychedelic band Mariani (1970). He was only 16 at the time, but clearly he was head and shoulders above most kids his age here in America. Then a couple of years after that, I learned he was the lead guitarist for Electromagnets, yet another excellent group, this time in the field of jazz rock (1975). So by the time of Tones, Johnson was a grizzled veteran at the age of 32. That experience really comes to fore on the album. Eric Johnson's path to stardom was circuitous, but fascinating. It was also fleeting. Though he enjoys a cult following to this day (especially considering the follow-up Ah Via Musicom, which I've not heard), Tones was to be his 15 minutes of fame. Good for him.

Ownership: LP: 1986 Reprise. Single sleeve with lyric inner. This came from last week's (rather small) haul of thrift shop pickups. I fast tracked this one to the front of the stack as I was most curious of the contents within.

Fever Tree ~ USA ~ Houston, Texas

Fever Tree (1968)

This was a fun pickup for me. I first heard Houston's Fever Tree on the radio going back to the early 80s. I was intrigued but never really pursued them. In the latter part of the decade, as I was deep diving into progressive rock waters, I finally had a chance to hear the album. As usual with psychedelic records, my ears at the time just weren't interested, and I wrote it off. 30 some years later, let's try this again, shall we?

The standard review of Fever Tree is the first side is a compendium of superb acid rock, and the second side is pop slop. It's hard to go against the grain on side 1, as Fever Tree gives us a great example of what is commonly known as fuzz psych. The tracks are well-written, and all of them could be consider worthy of the various psych compilations out there. Side 2 is also quite good in my estimation, but it is different. While I would have been perfectly content for Fever Tree to continue as they had, I'm also fine with the direction they chose. The compositions here (or arrangements in some cases) are particularly well conceived. It's a bit disorienting, which to me is a keyword for psychedelia anyway. It's not commercial sounding at all. Fever Tree is a solid album all the way through, just know it's two different styles going in, and you'll be fine.

Ownership: 1968 Uni (LP). With printed inner bag. Acquired in 2026.

First copy: 1973 MCA (LP). Acquired in 2020.

7/16/20 (review)

Also own and need to review Another Time, Another Place.

7/16/20 (new entry)

Oz Knozz - Ruff Mix. 1975 USA-Texas

One of the more interesting US private press rock albums from the 1970s. Coming from Houston, but having that amateurish production, vocal style (Id's Where Are We Going leaps to mind), and overall mindset of any US 1970s group from any place. Like most bands of the era, the idea was to throw out a few different styles to see if something would stick. The theory then goes that a major label talent scout would hear their private album by pure happenstance, and want to sign them up for a 5 album contract so they could open for Led Zeppelin or Foghat's next US tour. Sure. What separates Oz Knozz from the others, is a strong composition acumen, with plenty of original ideas and superb instrumentation, especially the guitar work. My favorite track, though, has to be the anomalous groovy and infectious horn rocker 'Love Poem', which could have been recorded in 1968. The 3 part 'Doodley Squat' is not only blessed with a great name, but provides plenty of instrumental highlights. A strong album that improves with time.

Ownership: LP: 2019 ShroomAngel. Decided to go forward with the LP reissue here. The LP comes with humorous liner notes about the recording and mixing process. Though it's not stated, these stories most assuredly lead to the album title.

8/1/10 (CDRWL); 4/21/20 (new entry) 

The Moving Sidewalks - The Complete Collection. 1967-1968 USA-Texas

The Moving Sidewalks were the Houston, Texas based psych band that gained fame later as the breeding ground for Billy Gibbons, he of ZZ Top fame. What becomes evident rather quickly is the influence of a one Jimi Hendrix, during the Experience years of course. There are photos of Hendrix and Gibbons together, and the former was known to have praised the latter's guitar work. It must have been quite the ego boost to be surrounded with such great company at an early age.

Flash would be their only album before ultimately disbanding and Gibbons forming ZZ Top. The music is a cross of high energy psychedelic with that of the blues, the latter being more the influence of Gibbon's next career. The album starts off incredible strong, but does wheeze out at the end with the somewhat traditional and lengthy 'Joe Blues', and the wacky and seemingly drug induced 'Eclipse' / 'Reclipse' segment.

Their singles were an indication of where the band was headed, and all are worthy as well. For example  'I Want to Hold Your Hand' is probably the last track from the Beatles' canon I would pick for a psych cover, but my goodness, did they absolutely destroy this track in effects - almost beyond recognition. Best version ever - at least that I've heard!

---

The Moving Sidewalks were the Houston based psych band that gained fame later as the breeding ground for a one Billy Gibbons, he of ZZ Top fame. 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' is probably the last track from the Beatles' canon I would pick for a psych cover, but my goodness, did they absolutely destroy this track in effects - almost beyond recognition. Best version ever - at least that I've heard!

'Joe's Blues' is a solid electric blues number, with excellent guitar and organ. And yes, the guitar here can be quite psychedelic sounding. It's the full 7+ minute version, so far beyond the usual single length. And yea sure, they do have the blues real bad. They got 'em. Yeaaa they do.

An incongruous single, but very good all the same.

CD: 2012 Rockbeat (The Complete Collection)

The CD (and 2LP) reissue is superb and collects everything The Moving Sidewalks - and precursor group The Coachmen - ever did. This includes alternate takes on both singles and album tunes. There are many great archival photos, and excellent discography information. What's strangely missing is an accompanying essay and/or historical notes. It's kind of baffling really. All the same, if the American late 1960s psych experience interests you, this collection is a can't miss acquisition.

Dave Gryder - Panacea. 2018 USA-Texas

As I've mentioned in prior reviews, Dave Gryder is an unreconstructed 1970s aficionado. All of his projects have their roots in that most crazy decade, whether it be Covenant (prog), Storm at Sunrise (proggy hard rock), Blood of the Sun (hard rock), Dave Gryder Band (jazz funk), and now just his name (jazz fusion). Panacea would also have to be considered his most obscure work to date, originally released on CD-R, and now factory pressed to CD in 2019. It appears Panacea is Gryder's homage to the 70s fusion label rosters of Inner City and CTI. It's mostly a solo effort, but given that Gryder is both a drummer and keyboardist, and that he has an arsenal of vintage keys at his disposal, it comes across more as a full band effort. In addition, there are guitar "solo" guests for 4 of the 7 tracks presented.

As with all of Gryder's projects, he has a knack for distilling the best a genre has to offer, and leaves out the chaff. And Panacea is no exception. It's mostly a high energy spirited affair, with great melodies, and complex rhythms. It's not unusual for Gryder to pepper all his recordings with copious amounts of progressive rock, and Panacea is, once again, no exception. It is the keyboards, as mentioned above, that separates Panacea from the garden variety 1976 Inner City recording. There's the usual suspects: Hammond, Rhodes, Clavinet, and Mini Moog. And then there's the differentiators: Mellotron (not a common instrument in fusion, and it's all over this recording) and something he calls Keyboard Violin. In history, there is the concept of a Viola Organista and in modern times a close proximity to Leonardo Da Vinci's design is called a Wheelharp. Or it could be a synth patch. Whatever the mechanism is, one has to agree it does a very nice job of emulating the sounds of a violin. It is one of the key melody instruments used on Panacea.

If any of this reads well to you, then the album is likely to please on many levels. If it really were released in the mid 70s, the album today would be considered a classic. Definitely recommended!

CD: 2019 private. Comes in a jewel case with a single slip card detailing the instrumentation and personnel. There's an LP release as well.

12/1/19 (first listen/review/new entry)

Robin Runge ~ USA ~ Texas

Don't Give Up the Ship (1977)

Here's Runge's second, and better album. Though his name is Robin Runge, the male / female duo on this album is known as Robin. The album was recorded and released in 1977 on the DIY Century. The album overall is primarily an acoustic, but sophisticated folk rock work, with plenty of synthesizer to add color. The guitar playing is clearly inspired by Steve Howe and the vocals have a pleasant lilt like Jon Anderson. Could have been a song based Yes album from the same time period (1977-78), with overt Christian, rather than Eastern religious / mystic based lyrics. A good progressive folk album from an unlikely source.

Former ownership: 1977 Century (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2012. Downsized in 2020.

1/19/12 (review); 11/16/18

Don't Give Up the Ship (1974)

Apparently Mr. Runge decided to skip his Creative Writing class or he really, really doesn't want you to give up on the ship (though perhaps a recent Italian captain would have benefited from such sound advice). Regardless of the motivation, these two distinct albums caused quite a bit of confusion for this author anyway.

The 1974 album is considerably more raw and amateurish than the follow-up as might be expected from a one man band - though there still is plenty of keyboards, including a cool mellotron blast to open the album, which continues on through most of the track. Of interest to DFW readers - one track is recorded live at Six Flags over Texas in Arlington.

Former ownership: 1974 QCA (LP). Acquired in 2012. Downsized in 2020.

1/19/12 (review)

No reissues exist for either as I update this post (5/24/26)

11/16/18 (new entry)

The Purple Sun - Doomsday / Give Your Life. 1968 USA-Texas

'Doomsday' would have been a perfect fit for the St. Albert's Dream compilation, especially considering the band were from south Texas (presumably that is, given it was pressed in Houston). Excellent heavy guitar psych. I haven't heard the flip side to date.

I have this on the Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares compilation.

5/19/18 (new entry)

Relayer ~ USA ~ Houston, Texas

The Relayer Album (1979)

Relayer were a band from Houston, who managed to release one album before disappearing into the mists of time. With a name like Relayer and a colorful rainbow fantasy cover, one can expect 'Gates of Delirium Part Deux' eh Oui? Non. Because they are from my home state of Texas, this private press wasn't too obscure up north here in DFW and I first heard this album some 25 years ago and quickly dismissed it as rubbish. During that time, I've gained an entirely new appreciation for the private press American music landscape of the 1970s that I've documented to death here on these very pages. And Relayer fits smack dab in the middle of that sound.

The album itself is interesting, because it almost plays like an archival CD issue, verse a real time released LP. And that's because they front loaded all the progressive rock tracks on Side 1. So the first side rounds up the usual suspects like Yes and ELP, with a hint of Styx's Grand Illusion, for a very satisfying listen. Side 2 treads in commercial waters, more towards Styx's Pieces of Eight, with a bit of loungy fusion to boot. Overall, I'd weight it 55% AOR and 45% prog rock, so for those who have no tolerance for late 70s American FM radio rock, I'd steer clear. This is a very good album for the style, and one that I'm glad to have bought for the collection.

Ownership: 1979 Hamilton Street (LP)

10/26/17 (review / new entry)

Master Cylinder ~ USA ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Elsewhere (1981)

Not much is known about this Fort Worth based jazz rock group (even though they're from my neck of the woods, their album wasn't exactly a staple of local jazz or rock radio). On the usually soulless Inner City label, Master Cylinder was anything but that. Their album has a strong melodic sense, and it seems the group must have been informed by the Canterbury groups like early Soft Machine or National Health, as well as the DC based Happy the Man. While ostensibly a jazz album, it's these rock elements that bring Master Cylinder to the next level. A very good album that time has forgot.

Ownership: 1981 Inner City (LP). Acquired in 2012.

Not reissued as of 6/21/26.

2008 (review); 2012

9/30/17 (new entry)