Sand - Golem. 1974 Germany

Sand's Golem could have only come from one time and place, and that's early 1970's Germany. Anything else, and it flat out doesn't work. What we have here is a basic folk album drenched in Kosmische dressing. Somewhat like Dom, but not near as inventive, pensive, or intense. This is more like watching a common folk act on stage, but with a good buzz on (and to that point, 'On the Corner' takes away the fuzzy lens, and it's not pretty). For one thing, it was a studio project to begin with, mainly to help demonstrate the new Artificial Head System. Klaus Schulze's fingerprints are all over this from a sound perspective, so if you're not a fan of his, then I suggest you maybe steer clear. But once Current 93's David Tibet and NWW's Steven Stapleton went hogwild on the album (and released it jointly on CD), it became a cult classic sought after by disciples of both groups. And now, some years later, the "overhyped" crowd has showed up and are squawking FOUL. Fair? No, not really. It's an understated and trippy 1970s album, which doesn't always play well in modern times. All the same, it's easy to understand why Sand isn't highly revered in all quarters. Take away the electronics, and the appreciation of the unhinged experimentalism of the era, and there isn't much else to grab onto here. File under the Good, But... category. And yes, 'Sarah' is the gem of the album for sure.

Personal collection

CD: 1996 United Durtro (UK) as Ultraphonic Seraphim

This 2 CD set includes much more unreleased Sand material (a full disc and a half - and as such, is worthy of a separate rating) plus liner notes from the band, Tibet, and Stapleton + photos, etc.... A real first class job and well worth owning. I did once have the original LP in the early 90s, but it was not in very good shape and sold it when the CD arrived. This is an album that must have clean sounding vinyl, or it ruins the experience.

Randy Denison - Collage. 1970 USA

"Good but tame folk/psych" is actually the perfect review here. Certainly not an unknown masterpiece, but Denison's sole album has its merits. There's some of that lost and hazy cabin folk sound here. It's distant, yet still accessible. The sparse flute helps with the vibe as well. Too much time is allocated to his mundane singing, but if 1970 folk psych (in that order) is your thing, you might want to seek out. Really cool gatefold cover - a true relic of the era.

Personal collection
none

As you can see, I did sell my copy (this year in fact via our Purple Peak Records shop). Still, I felt it worthy of mention as it is good, but I just can't keep them all!

Blue Effect - Meditace. 1970 Czech Republic

To alleviate any confusion from other reviews you may read, Side 1 is the Czech vocal pop session, whereas Side 2 is the Blues rock portion in English. Despite Side 2 having the better rep, arguably the first track on the album is the clear winner (sounding more like Os Mundi's Latin Mass). Just the fact that The Blue Effect were allowed to sing in English is quite the extraordinary accomplishment for a band behind the Iron Curtain in 1970. A fine album given the time and place, but far different than the jazzier efforts to come, and one could easily make the case this is Blue Effect/Modry Efekt's weakest album.

Personal collection
CD: 2009 Supraphon (as The Blue Effect 1969-1989 9 CD compilation)

Charisma - Beasts and Fiends. 1970 USA

Charisma were a band from the Hartford, Connecticut area, and were very typical of the confused American year of 1970. I speak of this often, and it basically means that bands were throwing any and everything against the wall hoping it would stick - or in practical terms - obtaining radio airplay. And Charisma falls in line with their mix of blues, hard rock, progressive, psych, and old fashioned rock and roll. It's a mess basically. But some of these albums had gems in the midst of the ordinary, and that's where we come in. Charisma has a strong Hammond organ and overall keyboard presence, and there are a couple of tracks that display this in an instrumental progressive rock format ('Street Theatre', 'Ritual Dance of the Reptiles'). There are other very good proto-prog/bluesy numbers in 'Leopold's Ghost' and 'The Age of Reptiles'. The rest is take it or leave it...

... And then there is the title track. Believe me folks, it is worth the price of the CD just for this piece of mesmerizing insanity. Sounding like a most incongruous meeting between Comus, Uriah Heep, Stark Reality, and Funkadelic - a bizarre kindergarten story made for the Public Broadcasting Service on LSD. Whoa. I wasn't ready for that. Amazing.

Personal collection
CD: 2008 Wounded Bird

The CD on Wounded Bird states a 1970 copyright date, and this is corroborated on Discogs. Typical bare bones CD from Wounded Bird, with lyrics for 4 of the 5 tracks and album credits. Sure would like to know the story behind the title track...

La Torre dell'Alchimista - Neo. 2007 Italy

La Torre dell’Alchimista (LTdA) are one of the many current Italian progressive rock acts that are recreating the sounds of the past and moving it forward to the 21st century. LTdA are a bit more purist than most groups in this space, eschewing modern tendencies such as metal, electronica, and post rock. Keyboards are the focal point, like with many of the 1970s classic groups, and bandleader Michele Mutti possesses an impressive array of vintage gear including Hammond C3, Mini Moog, Mellotron, and a 1973 Fender Rhodes amongst many others. However, unlike fellow Italian retro rockers Wicked Minds, modern production techniques are in full force, and there’s no question that LTdA are a band from the current age. All of these historical references don’t matter if the music compositions aren’t there - and LTdA come through on this front. As students of the Italian progressive rock genre are keenly aware, the options of creating exciting and unique music is immense, and LTdA have found their little slice of the big pie. And fortunately they use the Italian language which goes so naturally with the style. File along with La Maschera di Cera as the current torchbearers of the original Italian progressive rock sound.

Ownership: CD: 2007 Ma.Ra.Cash

9/17/07 (first listen / review); 10/15/16 (update / new entry)

Country Lane - Substratum. 1973 Switzerland

Country Lane are a Swiss group from the French cantons, an area without much representation in the progressive rock annals (Docmec, Pyranha, Sicher, and the modern group Galaad are all that leap to mind). Substratum contains a diverse set of tunes, drawing anywhere from heavy proto-prog, jazzy bits, amateurish humor, to post psychedelia, and all in between. Clearly influenced by the more known UK artists of the day, one could also easily draw a dotted line with the Belgian underground scene. Bands like Shampoo, Waterloo, or even Lagger Blues Machine. Frank Zappa is, as to be expected, the quoted reference by the band and a good guidepost as well. Perhaps not groundbreaking, but solid fare all around.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Musea (France). Jewel case release with full historical liner notes in English and French. Online purchase (2005).

9//05; 10/14/16 (new entry); 9/15/23

Catherine Ribeiro + 2 Bis. 1969 France

One can only wonder how a beautiful actress and fashion model ends up releasing one of the most extraordinary avant garde rock works of the late 60s. Perhaps one should not ask lest they be missing key body parts to procreate. This could not happen in America. It had to happen in France. Right there, one imagines a quick camera panning over to David Childress and he says in his uber-dork voice "It's obvious. It must be aliens...."

There are two ways to approach Catherine Ribeiro + 2 Bis. 1) As an alternate universe music choice as created by the eternal consciousness.  2) Run. Run far away. She is the single most dangerous girlfriend in the world.

Femme fatale of the unhinged psychedelic underground. Keep the lights on. Make sure your friends and neighbors know where you are at all times.

Ownership: LP: 1969 Festival. Single sleeve with "languette" (tab). Acquired at the famous Paris Clignancourt flea market many years ago (1990) for a few dollars. I saw more copies too while there. A different era...

CD: 2015 Mercury as part of Intégrale Des Albums Originaux 1969-1980 9 CD set. Until 2015, this album sadly remained without a CD reissue. Even though I already owned 4 of her albums on separate CDs, I had to have the box set just for the first two albums if nothing else. 

I just received a most intriguing e-mail from the Seine-Saint-Denis Tourist board asking that I publish a couple of useful sites regarding record stores in the flea market area. A very reasonable request, and here they are: http://uk.tourisme93.com/record-store-owners-in-saint-ouen-flea-market.html and http://uk.tourisme93.com/saint-ouen-clignancourt-flea-market-access-and-opening-times.html

5/18/90; 10/14/16 (new entry)

Abiogenesi ~ Italy

Le Notti di Salem (2000)

I wasn’t expecting much after being underwhelmed by Abiogenesi's first two albums. Careful inspection shows the band had recruited winds player Clive Jones for this album, an original member of the British band Black Widow (and perhaps the blueprint group for the same-titled label). To me, this seems like a more professional recording than before. And perhaps because I understand more what they are trying to accomplish, I can appreciate this outing a bit more than prior. Really, it’s not much more than old fashioned UK heavy rock (sung in Italian mind you) with progressive touches such as (sampled) mellotron, organ, flute, acoustic guitar, and vibes. So classic Italian progressive rock it’s not, but then again no bands up to that point on the Black Widow label were so anyway (they've since added a few). Highlights are the fine guitar work augmented by some well chosen Hammond sounds. The vocals, fortunately in Italian but infrequent, aren’t award winning but not too hard to digest. If there’s a problem here, it’s that the drummer plays it too nonchalantly. This kind of music requires a hyperactive base, with fills galore.

I should probably revisit their earlier albums. I haven't heard them since they came out real time in the mid 90s. They also have a couple of other albums since this one I wouldn't mind hearing.

Former ownership: 2000 Black Widow (CD). Eight panel poster booklet with recording details and two band photos. Acquired in 2005. Downsized in 2026.

2005; 8/20/13; 10/13/16 (review); 2/20/18; 8/20/20

Formerly owned: Abiogenesi (1995); Il Giocoscuro

10/13/16 (new entry)

Aziola Cry - Ellipsis. 2005 USA-Illinois

Aziola Cry are a band from Chicago who took instrumental mid 70s King Crimson as a blueprint - and who were lead by a stick bass player - and then added a heavy metal undertone. It's "so 2005". I kind of like it anyway.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Translation. Comes in a nice digipak. Very obscure release, and I added it to Discogs myself in the last few months. Since then, one other person has claimed ownership. I wonder if albums like these will get discovered at a later date in the same way as the 1970s and 80s are being mined now?

5/16/06; 10/13/16 (new entry)

Chalibaude ~ France

Les Noces du Papillon (1976)

Interesting, and very good, folk rock album from Nantes, an area that traditionally belongs to Brittany, but administratively falls outside of it. Likewise, Chalibaude's music is heavily influenced by Celtic culture, but is sung in French. The liner notes inside the gatefold go so far as to translate the French words into Breton for the local buying populace. Musically, Chalibaude is similar to a combination of Malicorne, Gwendal, and Avaric. A fine progressive folk rock album, that is remarkably consistent without any major highs or lows.

Ownership: 1976 Cezame (LP). Gatefold with lyrics in French. Includes a glossary for Breton speakers. Acquired in 2003.

No reissues as of 6/19/26.

11/3/03; 2/14/11; 12/28/15 (review); 6/19/26

10/2/16 (new entry)

Osiris. 1982 Bahrain

Osiris are arguably the Arab worlds' most prominent progressive rock band. They are from the tiny kingdom of Bahrain, once a British Protectorate, and as such you have an English speaking nation with an underlying western background. It is out of this environment that Osiris emerged. And yes, it's true, the band are heavily influenced by the UK progressive rock scene of the 1970s. Most notably Camel, but any number of mainstream bands will come to your lips as you hear this debut. Even a bit of what would later be known as Neo Prog is presented here. Sadly there are no indigenous elements to their sound, so it's not like you'll hear Yes meets Agitation Free's Malesch for example (perhaps we can dream for this one day?). It's best (and fair) to approach Osiris as an anonymous progressive band from the US or England. And on that front, they come up aces. The compositions, while not incredibly dense, are complex in the right places - and they never forget that melody drives the song. If only there were more examples from the region...

Personal collection
CD: 1997 Musea (France)

I did once own the original private press of the album, so it does exist. I traded the LP in the late 90s, after obtaining the Musea CD, for something else I wanted. The Musea CD is excellent with great sound and full liner notes. And it's in these liner notes that we are made aware of...

The last track 'Look Before You Leap'  is actually a bonus track and was recorded in 1989. Musically it is far more poppy than the album proper and shouldn't be considered in the overall evaluation.

As well, note that track 7 is called 'Paradox in A Major', presumably referencing the scale, not some confusion in college curriculum. 

Bauhaus - Stairway to Escher. 1974 Italy (archival)

Comparisons to Perigeo are about right, and that’s definitely where the Italian band Bauhaus built its campfire from. But whereas Perigeo seems to get stuck in slickly polished fusion hell, Bauhaus have a much more raw sound and energy about them that is completely endearing. What I particularly enjoy is the nimble guitar playing, but with a raw biting fuzz tone. The ensemble playing is highly melodic (sax, electric piano, guitar), another great quality. Fantastic rhythm section as well. Sometimes the group will go in no mans land, as the jam will hit a dead-end road and they'll just grind their way through it. Since it wasn’t really meant for release to begin with, hard to fault the final product too much. Other reference points are fellow Italians Napoli Centrale and the German outfit Out of Focus on Four Letter Monday Afternoon. All clearly looked to Soft Machine and Nucleus as inspiration here. If any of these bands set off your iPhone Fusion Want app, then by all means investigate Stairway to Escher.

Personal collection
CD: 2003 Akarma

Akarma's track record on reissues is clearly checkered, but this archival release is nothing but first class. Fully authorized with band participation and fantastic liner notes - all housed in a wonderful hard bound digi-pak. Great sound of a live concert recorded in Rome, May 1974.

Alas. 1976 Argentina

Coming from Argentina, Alas displays their Italian heritage quite vividly. In many places, one can hear that distinct early 70s Italian prog interpretation of ELP (Triade, Metamorfosi, The Trip, etc...). In addition there's also a predominance of mid 70s jazz fusion dispersed about, so there are many long stretches of gratuitous soloing. And finally, there's a bit of avant-garde experimentalism sprinkled indiscriminately, including drum solos. I do think it's a worthy addition to any progressive rock collection, though I don't appear to be as high on it as my peers.

Ownership: CD: 1996 PRW (Brazil). The CD is licensed from EMI Argentina. The first side is clearly taken from vinyl, whereas the second seems from master tapes. So unless the 2007 EMI release has found the masters, the sound will be suspect. Most original vinyl I've heard isn't much better either. Too bad really. The CD does feature brief liner notes, photos, recording details, and a rare 45 single from 1975 that demonstrates Alas in more compact form.

Now ~ USA ~ Denver, Colorado

Now What? (1990)

Now's sophomore effort shows the group leaving the hippie university town of Boulder, Colorado, and resettling in the San Francisco Bay Area. Musically, Now What? is more subdued than its riveting predecessor, demonstrating a mix of neo prog, rural psych, and symphonic progressive. The last two tracks, though, recall the debut's psychedelic eclecticism and quirkiness, and represent the highlights here. Reminds me of another Bay Area band: Episode. Not an album likely to set one's world on fire, but still a decent way to pass 40 minutes or so.

Ownership: 1990 Syn-Phonic (LP)

1990; 10/2/16 (review)

10/2/16 (new entry)

Agora - Live in Montreux. 1976 Italy

Agora's debut is an instrumental jazz rock album, as was common for the time and place. Mahavishnu Orchestra is once again a primary influence along with Weather Report and Holdsworth-era Soft Machine. Since this is a live recording, it's considerably rawer then their peers like Il Baricentro, Perigeo, and Nova, which gives it an extra bite these albums so often need. An excellent example of the style with emotive guitar, electric piano, and saxophone. Easy recommendation for jazz rock and fusion fans.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Atlantic. Acquired from Sound Garden in Baltimore while in town for business (2021). Originals come with a pop up tree cover and this one is in perfect shape, which is hard to find. 

My first copy was the Japanese promo LP (and sold March 2018) which does not feature the gimmix cover. Nor does the Italian mini-LP, though it does have a brief history in both Italian and English. Decided to sell it as well.

1/29/03 (acquired); 9/29/16 (new entry)

Spettri - 2973: La Nemica dei Ricordi. 2015 Italy

Apparently Spettri were formed in the year of our Lord 1964. Coincidentally, that's when yours truly was born. And since I'm no spring chicken, it wouldn't be a stretch to then figure these guys are all in their early 70s. Of course, their founding was probably at age 12 with a teen beat band named The Specters. Details are scarce. But I don't want facts to get in the way of a good story, so I need the plot to stay on this 70s thing. It's a key number. As in 1973. Or, as the band suggests, 2973. Most bands that reform from the 1970s seem to have this irrational desire to be relevant in today's music culture. There's something just silly about watching old guys perform on "laptop". Spettri avoids that trap, and manages to obtain hipster status with a bonafide Italian retro prog classic (one would presume by pure happenstance). Time has stood still as the band - and yes, mostly with original members intact - has created an album that would have stood tall in 1973 much less 2015. All the hallmarks of the scene are present: Hard rocking guitar with massive breaks, crunchy organ and soothing mellotron, creative rhythms, and gravelly impassioned vocals sung in the native tongue. The compositions are complex, melodic, and memorable, perfect for repeated listens. As one gentleman remarked in his review, this really is a comeback out of nowhere. One begins to wonder about time travel and phenomena of that nature.

Spettri have created an album that needs far more attention than it's obviously received to date.

Ownership: CD: 2015 Black Widow

9/23/16 (new entry)

Taal - Mister Green. 2000 France

On their debut album, Taal carefully skate the fine line between progressive rock and musical genre hopping. There is a difference. The former integrates influences into the full composition, whereas the latter throws a bunch of mud on the wall on the hopes something will stick. The first three tracks demonstrate that Taal are a force to be reckoned with, taking the 1970s French progressive masters into the modern age regarding instrumentation (heavier guitars, better production techniques) as well as filtering the best moments of the past. But once 'Ragtime' begins, Taal takes everything to the next level. Suddenly there's no comprehensive whole, and various factions are at war with each other as to what the album's music is to be. Something akin to ordering a Supreme pizza, where there's tons of ingredients, but someone in the kitchen lost focus on the crust, sauce, and cheese. (I always think in terms of food. In fact, what's in the fridge right now?...). In any case, there's still plenty of tracks to enjoy on their own, primarily 'Aspartamus', but the craziness detracts from what could have been a focused piece of art.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Musea. Standard jewel case release

Removed from collection (2020)

2001; 9/11/16 (new entry)

VIII Strada - Babylon. 2015 Italy

VIII Strada are an Italian prog band trapped in a power metal body. Or are they a power metal band trapped in an Italian prog body? Hmmm. Either way, I've more or less described the album for you. And no, it's not prog metal either. The Italian vocals and sophisticated structures point to their progressive rock heritage. The melodic songwriting with choruses and (slightly) metal tone give them the power metal edge. I'd say they are 65% prog / 35% power metal. Not that genres only matter, but it does give some guidance at least. Oh - yes - the music is quite good actually. There's a mid 70s vibe to their melodies that I find highly appealing. Personally I would wish for more of a "retro prog" feel, but who asked? Nobody. For those who like "fusion" restaurants, and I don't mean jazz.

Sold the CD (2021)

9/9/16 (new entry); 10/10/21

The Great Imperial Yo-Yo - Chicken Island. 1996 England

With a name like The Great Imperial Yo Yo, an album titled Chicken Island, a label named Bongheads, and a booklet filled with cartoons that look like Dilbert on acid, one can be forgiven in presuming this album will sound like part of Gong's Flying Teapot trilogy. And in some ways it does, except mercifully without so much of that Pothead Pixie silliness. What you do get is coherence where it is most needed, and that's with the instrumental component. This is more Hillage's Gong than Allen's, that is to say. And while the icons of the UK Festival movement - that of the Ozric Tentacles - are definitely in the same ballpark, Great Imperial Yo Yo's sound is tilted towards the 70s, with more jazz rock influences than most of their peers.

Ownership: CD: 1996 Bongheads (Belgium)

Chicken Island came along very late in the game for the primary round of the UK Festival Psych scene, and few noticed its existence initially. Bongheads is the cultural magazine Crohinga Well's (Belgium) own label. It took me some years to finally secure my own copy for a decent price, so don't miss out if you happen to run across it.

Hopefully someone will also reissue the Blink! cassette as well (from 1993). I have it on CD-R and it's just as good as Chicken Island.

9/9/16 (new entry)

Modry Efekt - Nova Synteza. 1971 Czech Republic

Nova Synteza is Modry Efekt's second album (not counting the co-release with Jazz Q Praha), and quite a departure from the blues rock/Czech pop oriented Meditace. I think the first thing one will pick up on this album is just how BIG it sounds. The Czechoslovak Radio Jazz Orchestra (or its indigenous name Jazzový orchestr Československého rozhlasu) proved to be quite the rockin' bunch, and Modry Efekt does a great job integrating with the difficult charts. For 1971 Czechoslovakia, this album is quite an extraordinary accomplishment. It is here that Radim Hladik begins to demonstrate his immense chops on the electric guitar. There's really no album quite like this one. It's not a rock meets orchestra type release, as many a UK band did back then (Deep Purple, Caravan, etc...). Nor is it a large scale horn rock band like Chicago on steroids. The album is all instrumental, and maintains a healthy tempo throughout. Blue Effect Blues is a bit typical of the medium, until the second half when Hladik feels the need to polish off a few licks. And 'Clinging Ivy' (3rd track) sounds a bit too familiar at times with some of its cliched orchestra type melodies. Otherwise, this is an album not to be missed, both from a modern aesthetic perspective, as well as an historical one.

Personal collection
CD: 2009 Supraphon (as The Blue Effect 1969-1989 9 CD compilation)