Homunculus Res ~ Italy

Come Si Diventa Ciò Che Si Era (2015)

The Italian National Health continues on with their sophomore effort, with native Picchio dal Pozzo, and irreverent Stereolab, trimmings. Basically a continuation of the debut, with more prominent guest stars than prior (from Muffins, Rascal Reporters, New Trolls). Fine with me, as I can listen to this kind of melodic - and complex - music all day. Xenophobes: So sorry for you, must order from Olive Garden menu.

Ownership: 2015 AltRock (CD). Tri-fold digipak with lyric booklet.

1/9/16 (review); 12/17/17; 9/17/26

Limiti all’Eguaglianza della Parte con il Tutto (2013)

Homunculus Res is a tremendous new Canterbury styled band from Italy. Following in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Moogg, Homunculus Res have perfectly captured the spirit of another era. Brilliantly mixing melody and complexity, with a jazzy undertone, the 18 tracks on here flow seamlessly, and the album is over far sooner than you might expect. Fans of National Health and Picchio dal Pozzo will most certainly want to investigate. There's also a dash of Stereolab at their most insouciant en Francaise moments. The whimsical and positive disposition of the melodies are at complete odds with the distorted nature of the analog (or faux analog) instruments presented here. I never tire of music like this. Let's see if they can take their ideas to the next level. Highly recommended.

Ownership: 2013 AltRock (CD)

1/30/14 (review); 10/9/19

The band continued on to release three more albums which I've yet to hear.

1/30/14 (new entry)

Landberk - One Man Tell's Another. 1994 Sweden

Landberk were first. It was they who originally brought the early 70s Swedish analog progressive sound back to light in the prog starved early 90s (yes true). Anglagard and Anekdoten were to follow shortly thereafter. So after a brilliant debut (the native Swedish version being the more preferable of course), there was great anticipation for my friends and I, as to what would Landberk followup with. And it was... not this. Almost ironic in that Landberk, on the grammatically incorrect One Man Tell's Another, copied the more atmospheric and arty portions of Anekdoten's debut. And like the latter band, began to sing in English exclusively. WTF? Well, I never gave up on the album, storing it away for future listens. Today, I judge the band on what they were doing, not what I wanted them to do (a common problem we all deal with). It's still heavily based in psychedelia, with fuzz guitar, Hammond organ, and mellotron everywhere. But the music is geared more towards 90s art rock than 70s symphonic progressive. One can hardly blame a contemporary group trying to be relevant in modern times. This was still 1994, not 2016, where retro prog is now considered cool. Back then, it was not I assure you, and these bands from Sweden were pioneers with a very small audience (there were only a few of us then - and certainly not hipsters!). Of course, even in retrospect, I would have wished for a more developed successor to the debut. But what they recorded is still quite excellent. And has stood the test of time quite well. Perhaps better, yes.

May 22, 2018 update: Sold the CD as I received a great offer. I'll do without for now.

1/6/16 (new entry)

Aardvark - Tuntematon Sotila. 2006 Finland

Finnish band Aardvark are the true modern group, since they all were living / working in various parts of the globe, and yet managed to record a cohesive band effort through the magic of the Internet (and once again, raise a glass high to The Rascal Reporters, who pioneered this idea in the cassette tape / snail mail era). Aardvark were originally presented to me as an amalgam of all things 70s Finnish rock, calling out Kaamos, Nova, and Nimbus as reference. And since I'm an obscure band kinda guy, I was already enthused. Now, to be honest, I was hoping only one of these references would truly check out. Kaamos were pretty middle of the road, and Nova (of Atlantis fame) could be quite boring in reality. But Nimbus - ah yes, now we're talking! Organ rock! Nothing fancy, just good ole' hard rock with plenty of juicy thick organ and loud lead guitar. And doggone if Aardvark didn't do just that, and zoom in on the ghost of Nimbus. Or Sweden's Rag I Ryggen. Sure, we'll throw in Blakulla since I'm in name-drop city here. 

Aardvark also recorded one track for the Kalevala epic compilation CD (2004). 

Ownership: CD: 2006 Mellow. Jewel case release with lyric booklet (in Finnish and English). Purchased new near the time of release.

2/1/07; 1/5/16 (new entry); 11/8/23

Eela Craig. 1971 Austria

Eela Craig were a band from Austria's third largest city of Linz, and their debut is completely different than the group's later symphonic keyboard heavy works from the mid 70s and beyond. On their debut they are absolutely dead center in the middle of the classic 1971 Krautrock sound, where the whirling and droning Hammond organ is king, with chirping flute melodies laid on top, and angry fuzz bursts are on the ready. Somewhere between Out of Focus, Orange Peel, Thirsty Moon, and My Solid Ground is where you'll find the sound of Eela Craig. This album is a certified classic, and very much earns its reputation. And staying power. These are the albums that bring us back again and again.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Garden of Delights. Jewel case. Comes with copious liner notes and four bonus tracks. As the label admits, the masters were lost, so the CD was mastered from a new LP copy, and it sounds like it. Apparently this is the first CD where they changed from Penner to Garden of Delights. 

1997 (first listen); 1/2/16 (review / new entry)

Aquelarre - Brumas. 1974 Argentina

Brumas is the 3rd album from Aquelarre, a band from Argentina that mirrors what was going on in Italy at the time. For those deep divers of Italian progressive rock, they'll know that the basis of some of the albums were singer-songwriter/romantic romps with long stretches of heavy instrumental rock thrown in at either predictable - or better - unpredictable times. And that's precisely what you get here. There are no head turning and flashy breaks here, so it's definitely workman like in its approach. Final track adds a nice jazzy touch to the above formula. A good album, borderline 3.0-3.5 (Gnosis 9-10), but giving the nod as the longer tracks are, as expected, more interesting. Satisfying overall, but not stellar.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Microfon/Sony. Standard jewel box release with booklet. Recent online acquisition (2016). Master tapes sound (with some hiss), with reprinted lyrics. Also has two bonus tracks from a 45 single. The first one is similar to the album proper while the latter is a throwaway pop number. Removed from collection after revisit (2023).

1/1/16 (new entry); 11/15/23

Berits Halsband ~ Sweden

Berits Halsband (1975)

Berits Halsband were an obscure band from the small coastal town of Hudiksvall, in central Sweden. Their relative isolation allowed the group an artistic freedom that ultimately created one of the greatest progressive jazz rock albums... ever.

In the mid 1970s, Sweden was harboring a handful of jazz bands looking to push the envelope beyond the usual bebop standards or electric noodling. These groups were very much influenced by the North American freaky fusion of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Collectives such as Ibis, Ablution, Egba, Kornet, and Archimedes Badkar were bringing that same kind of kinetic creativity up to Scandinavia. And one has to figure those long, dark winters played a role in creating hallucinations even among the most puritan of Lutherans wandering about in their show shoes.

This was the creative environment that Berits Halsband were operating in.  Their artistic contribution to the scene, and most distinctive mark as it were, would be the musical crossover to the indigenous Scandinavian folklore of the local wooden dance hall. Berits Halsband's brand of progressive music wasn't dished up through the Zappa blender (like the popular Samla Mammas Manna for example), but rather more of an introspective art school approach. As with other large scale ensembles, the eight piece Berits Halsband makes full use of its entire membership in unique ways. To underscore this point, consider the prominent use of trumpet, which is often filtered and heavily effected through a wah wah pedal. Their second lead instrument of choice is the lovely flute, often in unison with the trumpet, or as a peaceful solo alternative. And while Side 1 sounds like the best soundtrack to your dream Stockholm vacation, side 2 takes us closer to home, near the Arctic Circle, for some serious deep funk grooves. And here we find some added ring modulated electric piano combined with amazing fuzz electric guitar soloing. All this layered on top of a trance-like bass and a very busy percussion section. While the musical ingredients are familiar, the end result is entirely Berits Halsband - one of a kind.

In conclusion, Berits Halband's sole album is a strange bedfellow meeting of 1974 electric era Miles Davis, combined with the Swedish ethnic rock of Kebnekaise, and the psychedelic pyrotechnics of Flasket Brinner. Yes... it’s that good.

Ownership: 

1975 Forsaljud (LP). Acquired in 2003.

2015 MusicBazz (CD). Gatefold papersleeve with liner notes and archival photos. Acquired in 2015.

2/13/03; 8/28/07; 12/31/15 (review / new entry); 7/31/26

Navigator - Oceanic Empire. 2002 Denmark-Germany

Oceanic Empire is an essential slice of Berlin Skool Electronik Musik. The Danish/German combo offer up some of the finest sequences / guitar overlays one can find in the genre - competing mightily with legendary contemporaries such as Redshift and Radio Massacre International. 'Secret of the Cave' is about as perfect a realization of the entire genre as any track I've ever heard. If you're the sort who just can't get enough of that mid to late 70's Tangerine Dream sound - and apparently I'm one of these sorts - then do not hesitate to buy this CD when/if given the chance.

Ownership: CD: 2002 Groove Unlimited 

12/30/15 (new entry)

Subject Esq. ~ Germany

Subject Esq. (1972)

Like fellow countrymen Nosferatu, Subject Esq. were informed more by current British rock trends, than what was happening in the German underground. So if bands like Raw Material or Indian Summer are to your liking, then Subject Esq. will most certainly satisfy. I think it's a very good example of the sound, with high energy, creativity, and plenty of great period instrumentation. They would later change their name to Sahara and embark on a similar sound, while adding more complexity to the compositions.

The CD includes two live tracks totaling 28 minutes. The sound is of good bootleg quality, and the tracks are more jamming in nature, hardly surprising given the era. A nice addition and much welcomed, but not essential on its own. 

Ownership:  

1972 Epic (LP). Gatefold. 

1992 Ohrwaschl (CD). Jewel case edition. There are liner notes on the backplate, but they are in German. 

2/9/98 (acquired); 2008; 12/29/15 (review / new entry); 8/6/20

Troya ~ Germany

Eruption (1976)

When I first bought this CD on Lost Pipedreams - not long after it was released - I hated it, and sold it immediately. Years later, I had a chance to hear it again, and my opinion softened considerably. And now I have the Garden of Delights CD in my possession, and think the album is quite good actually. What changed? Well me of course... and thousands more albums have been heard with these ears. Helps form the time and place aspect of the music. So yes it's true what they say - hardly a progressive rock masterpiece. And for certain a lo-fi recording, and with the master tapes forever lost, no chance of improving upon that fact either. All of which doesn't make for a bad album really. Musically, it's quite interesting, very much a product of its time. Melodic, semi-progressive tracks, with excellent period analog instrumentation (Hammond Organ mainly with some nice fuzz tone guitar among other usual suspects). The performance is good, vocals are subpar, and honestly it reminds me more of what you would find in "basement America" than what is typically associated with high quality German progressive rock. Charmingly amateurish.

Former ownership: 2001 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet with lengthy liner notes and photos. 

1994 (first acquired); 1//10; 12/29/15 (review / new entry); 11/17/23

Manfred Hubler / Siegfried Schwab ~ Germany

Vampiros Lesbos: Sexadelic Dance Party (1969)

Vampiros Lesbos is pretty much what you would expect from an album such as this: Psychedelic tinged jazz rock instrumentals. Nothing cutting edge, but good rhythms and wonderful early 70s analog tones. Schwab would go on to Embryo not long after, giving him future street cred. A fun set of music, and a good way to shock your neighbors next time you have them over for a glass of wine and cheese (literally and figuratively I suppose).

I did see the movie once, didn't even get through it. Pretty dull stuff, though I'm sure it was much more exciting in 1970.

Found this CD at a garage sale in the Fort Worth area. From a middle aged lady about my age. Sitting right next to Willie Nelson too. You never know what you'll find in people's closets.

Ownership: 1996 Motel (CD). Booklet with liner notes including from Jess Franco himself. Nice sound too. Very much recommended. 

8/27/10; 12/19/15 (acquired / review / new entry); 10/9/23

Topper ~ USA ~ Kansas City, Missouri

At Last (1977)

As stated in many places, I truly enjoy the underground rock scene of the great American Midwest and Topper are no different. This time hailing from Kansas City, we have a band that was typically over ambitious, and wonderfully amateurish. The Moog soloing in particular is inspired. There are a lot of ideas on their one album, and it's clear they had a few Uriah Heep, Nektar, Yes, and Led Zeppelin albums in their closet. Basically a mix of hard rock, progressive, and a little bit of FM / AOR too. And they get a little too close to plagiarism in a couple of places. 'Smile for the Clown' rips straight from 'Stairway to Heaven' incredibly. Guys, surely you were aware everyone knew this song already. Right?

Ownership: 1977 Scot (LP). Acquired in 2015.

No reissues as of 2/21/25.

2009; 5/29/10 (review); 12/11/15 (new entry)

Spaces ~ USA ~ Utah

Border Station (1981)

If you saw this cover in a store, you'd swear it was a typical late 1970s disco album (maybe French though...) - or perhaps even a slick fusion album. But Spaces are neither (though the opening track may have you thinking it might be). Yea it's fusion, sure. And, yes, there is a funk component. But primarily this is one hard hitting jazz rock album in the mid 1970s style, with plenty of fiery guitar, rumbling rhythms, and period keyboards (Rhodes, Mini-Moog, Clavinet, etc...). Well worth obtaining. Spaces appear to be from Provo, Utah - and the album was released in Salt Lake City.

Ownership: 1981 Red Giant (LP). Acquired in 2015.

Not reissued as of 3/12/26.

10/6/10 (review); 12/9/15 (update / new entry)

Atomic Simao - Nodo. 2013 Ukraine

In 1993, this wayward backpacker traveler ventured into the mysterious lands of the Ukraine - a very crazy thing to do for an American in those early post-USSR days. Sticking out wildly with long golden curly hair and a red beard, with those jeans and those white tennis shoes. An easy mark for any number of Russian mafioso roaming about. But I met a girl in Lviv... oh but yes, and not one I would ever see back home in Texas. Completely in awe I was, we struck up quite the torrid romance, one that ultimately ended up in engagement with yet another European adventure a year later with her by my side. And then came the ultimate breakup.... Ah yes, Uncle Genius Hans has lots of stories to share around the dinner table. Just not my current one, as Auntie UMR is there, who showed up but yet a few months later and is still the ever beautiful Mrs. Genius Hans some 18+ years later. And Ukrainian-girl-who-shall-not-be-named must not be named.

20 years later from that breakup event, by pure coincidence, I now own my very first album from the Ukraine. Via my very good friend Spyros... from Greece... naturally. Global economy indeed.

And he was astute enough to release this album on LP through his Cosmic Eye imprint.

Atomic Simao play an improvised space rock. So while not exactly a new concept, their execution is exemplary, and when they catch a deep groove with raging fuzz guitars on top and synthesizers flying above... well, you all know the feeling when that happens...

Ownership: LP: 2014 Cosmic Eye

12/9/15 (new entry)

Sfinx ~ Romania

Lume Alba (1975)

Sfinx's debut album is an extraordinary accomplishment given the time and place. Since so few rock albums were privileged to a deprived audience, Sfinx released something akin to a "Beatles Effect" album, with a mixture of popular styles. But being it was 1975 and all, progressive rock was one of those prominent styles, and this is where Sfinx excelled most. Especially on the stunningly beautiful 'Sinteze' which sounds like an underground track on the Pole label from France - and the Moog solos are divine. Plenty of highlights to go around in the progressive, folk, and hard rock genres, understanding that consistency is not what Sfinx were striving for at the time, so be prepared for some downtime too. Including the beginning.

Sfinx (1974)

Debut recordings from Sfinx, who were to flesh out more on their subsequent debut LP in 1975. Opens with the hard rocking 'Coborise Primavera', before delving into the pop songwriter 'Ziua Ta'. Flip side consists of what could be called a "classic Midwest USA AOR" sophisticated pomp rocker, before closing with the lovely ballad 'Peste Virfuri'. Nice EP.

Ownership: 2015 Soft Records (CD). Tri-fold digipak. Liner notes in Romanian and English (latter truncated somewhat, but informative). It contains both the album and EP as noted above. Copy #155 / 500.

12/5/15 (acquired / review); 10/6/25 (update)

Many years ago I owned Zalmoxe. I'll need to revisit that title again.

12/5/15 (new entry)

VAK - Aedividea. 2015 France

The palindrome named Aedividea CD combines VAK's first two EP's (2012/2014 - minus one track 'Rheet') into one splendid Zeuhl offering. VAK blossoms from the Eskaton branch of the Zeuhl tree. And any time that great band is even whispered as an influence, Magma fans everywhere should be rushing out to obtain their very own copy. And the abundance of flute gives off more than a whiff of Dun. Wow, this is the good stuff right here. Another great find from the specialty label Soleil Zeuhl!

Ownership: CD: 2015 Soleil Zeuhl

12/2/15 (new entry)

Drahk Von Trip ~ Sweden

Heart and Consequence (2005)

Drahk von Trip are a southern Swedish group who play a unique mix of space rock and aggressive neo psychedelia. A large scale six piece band complete with female vocals and plenty of different instrumentation (violin, flute, "vintage synthesizers", multiple percussion contraptions, and some highly unusual wind instruments like the yidaki, a specific type of didgeridoo, as well as the Didjeribone). Some of the guitar work found here is quite inspiring. Though they have elements of many bands from White Willow to Hawkwind to Azalia Snail to Ozric Tentacles to Magma (mainly found in the bass work on 'One of a Kind' and 'Gahn'), Drahk Von Trip do not remind me of any one particular group. Ten lengthy, and somewhat complex, tracks allow for much discovery for each future listen.

Ownership: 2005 Transubstans (CD). Acquired in 2006.

2006; 11/26/15 (review / new entry)

Darediablo - Feeding Frenzy. 2003 USA-New York

Welcome to the Hard Rock Cookin' Show. Today we have Darediablo from New York City. Tell us, Darediablo, what is your secret recipe?

Thanks for having us on the show today, Bob. We look at both the past and present for our recipes. On Feeding Frenzy, from the past we take one part Uriah Heep and one part Captain Beyond. And from the modern chefs, we like one part Kyuss and one part Tortoise. Blend. Drain the vocals out. Serve.

Yum.

Darediablo are very much a typical Under the Radar band from the 2000's. They never really had much exposure to the progressive rock community, and yet that may have been a better audience for the group in the long run. Today, the band seems long forgotten, only brought to life by archivists like myself. Like many before them, Darediablo arose from the New York City indie scene. They did have quite a bit of exposure 15 years ago, with their music showing up most prominently on ESPN's The Life among others. Their sound has been described (as recounted by the band themselves) as anything from Medeski, Martin & Wood meets MC5, to a combo of Black Sabbath and AC/DC. Since I've only heard Feeding Frenzy, I can't really say if these comparisons are accurate or inaccurate. My own description certainly points to another branch of the progressive hard rock tree. After Twenty Paces, the band seems to have disappeared altogether, and I cannot find any active internet presence. At some point, I need to make an effort to hear their other three albums, as Feeding Frenzy is most certainly a solid organ based instrumental progressive hard rock album. 

Ownership: CD: 2003 Southern. Jewel case. Simple booklet with recording details.

1//05; 11/23/15 (new entry)

Stardrive ~ USA ~ New York

Stardrive Featuring Robert Mason (1974)

If only... if only Robert Mason was instead Robert (pronounced row bear) Massonne and he wrapped his neck in a wool scarf, wore octagonal glasses, and had a cigarette dangling from his lips... and he recorded on the Pole label... man, wouldn't he be the hipster's choice in these enlightened times? And, sacrebleu!, there's even a track called 'Pulsar'! Ah, but it wasn't meant to be for our downtrodden American protagonist. He is Robert Mason, a doppelganger for any male extra on Fargo, who released this buck bin LP special, only to be further driven to indignity by having it reissued on CD by Wounded Bird. No info, no enthusiasm, no nothing. But then again, there is hell to pay for naming a track 'Air Sauce', now isn't there?

There's a review in there somewhere. Remember the magazine Highlights at the dentist's office when you were a kid? It's kind of like that.

Ownership: 2009 Wounded Bird (CD)

7/31/09 (acquired); 11/18/15 (review); 10/8/25

Also once owned Intergalactic Trot.

11/18/15 (new entry)

Devil's Kitchen ~ USA ~ San Francisco, California

Devil's Kitchen (1968-69 / 2011)

Very fine discovery of live / studio recordings from legendary San Francisco band of the late 60s. Jamming psychedelic and blues rock are the main drivers here. Hard to avoid a Quicksilver Messenger Service reference here and definitely fits the "West Coast" sound.

---7/4/26

Devil's Kitchen never released anything in their lifetime, not even a 45. A1, B1, B2, and B5 are from the studio. The rest are live recordings.

I think the primary interest here lies in the archival nature of the recordings. As time passes, the amount of authentic psychedelic music from that era which was never released, is quite limited. There's a lot of extended jamming on this album, and blues is the foundation for most of the compositions. Is it essential that it was released? Absolutely. Is it essential to own? Not for me, but I can appreciate why others feel differently.

The band were originally from Carbondale, Illinois (same town as Thunderpussy), though it appears they were based in San Francisco for their professional career.

Former ownership: 2011 Lysergic Sound Distributors (LP). With postcard bill insert. Copy #819 / 1000. The website that was provided for the band history, photos, etc.. is now gone. That's the problem with that method of providing historical data. Should have been included in the LP package. The pressing is also of substandard quality. Acquired in 2015. Downsized in 2026.

11/14/15 (review / new entry); 7/4/26 (update)

Rogue Element ~ England

Premonition (2004)

Not only is the duo of Rogue Element's debut influenced by Tangerine Dream, but very specifically 1976 and 1977 era Tangerine Dream. There's gobs of mellotron (as played by both gentlemen), "Modular System" sequencer action, and electric guitar soloing. If you love everything about Stratosfear, Sorcerer, and Encore, and the multitudes of bootlegs (official or not) from this era, then Rogue Element will fit in perfectly with your listening routine. Make sure the CD is labeled, or you may confuse it with your existing Tangs collection. From my perspective, this is a style that allows for multiple interpretations, so other variations are much welcome.

Ownership: 2004 Acoustic Wave (CD). Acquired in 2005.

2005; 11/2/15 (review / new entry)