Present ~ Belgium

Certitudes (1998)

It was sometime in 1985, while visiting my favorite underground record store in Dallas (Record Gallery for those that were there), that I first discovered Le Poison Qui Rend Fou. Everything about it was new to me - the album, the band, the label (Cuneiform), and the music (what later would be dubbed avant prog). For me it was a new kind of complex progressive rock, and one that captured my 20 year old mind's imagination greatly. Unfortunately that seemed to be about it for Present. I later learned about their considerably more obscure debut (at the time) and their association with a one Univers Zero, a group I began to seek and collect as well. Present did pop up here and there in the next decade performing music that was not necessarily "Present-like", including the rather interesting Live blues rock album (see below). So it was with much excitement that Present returned to form on 1998's Certitudes. This was the sound of Le Poison Qui Rend Fou moved forward. The complex layering, the haunting vocals (male instead of female though), the pounding piano, the searing electric guitars, and the impossible rhythms. This is the Present I first discovered and loved. The primary problem with a band such as Present is the music isn't particularly memorable. When one thinks to pull out an album such as Certitudes, the mind goes into this jumbled mess. Knowing that yes, this is sophisticated music, and the instrumentation is correct. But memorable melodies and passages? No.

But Certitudes is special to me for another reason, beyond the return to my mid 80s exploratory years. One fine evening in May of 1998, the band performed live in what was then our current hometown of Denver. At that time I'd been married for just over a year. My wife, never one to embrace the music I enjoy, was still open minded about going to concerts and trying different things. I took her to this Present concert. It was an incredibly intense show resembling the Certitudes album (and with local Denver mover and shaker Dave Kerman on the drum kit, replacing Daniel Denis). During the show, while I was certainly enjoying myself, I began to really worry about my wife, as I suspected it was just too much for her young and untrained ears (fortunately we brought ear plugs). After the show, I asked her what she thought. She said it was really good, very different and intense, but she really appreciated the effort and the authenticity of the band. Wow! Fast forward 22+ years, just as I was to pop this into the CD changer (for the first time in the same 22 years), I asked her if she remembered the concert. She did and recollected pretty much the same sentiment. Again, I was surprised, as it's hardly been a Happy Hour discussion topic. Funny though, she wasn't clamoring to join me on the listening session. 

And for all the reasons above, this is why I tend to revere Certitudes as one of Present's best efforts.

Ownership: 1998 Cuneiform (CD). Four page booklet with band photo, lyrics, and recording details. Acquired in 1998.

1998; 9//05; 12/14/20 (review)

Triskaidekaphobie (1980)

Only a European band whose roots are clearly planted in the Rock in Opposition movement would name their album after the fear of the number 13 - in French of course. Perhaps the listener will have the same fear as they are greeted with rhythms performed in 13/16. Present's debut is a hellish music where the blueprint is clearly Univers Zero, who are a direct parent on the ancestry chart. A blueprint that is dragged through King Crimson's 'Fracture' for the ultimate bad trip. Bad trip as translated in the avant prog language I mean.

Ownership: 1980 Atem (LP). Acquired in 2026.

First copy: 1989 Cuneiform (CD). With Le Poison Qui Rend Fou. Acquired in 1989.

1989; 11/4/15 (review)

 

Present Live! (1996)

An interesting live album from Belgium's Present. Sounding more like a psychotic blues rock take on their first two albums, the music has a rawness and deep soul missing from their studio works. Present always sounded to me like a typical mathy, ultra precise, avant prog unit. Here, they sound a bit messy, and even gives into the odd guitar jam, just the kind of dirty soot the band needs. I've had this CD since it first came out, and never held it among the finest of their works, but I'm hearing it in a whole different light this go round.

Ownership: 1996 Cuneiform (CD). Acquired in 1996.

1996; 6/12/16 (review)

Other notes from 2023

High Infidelity (2001) Carbon 7. Present are one of the bands in the avant prog genre I really enjoy. I continue to own five of their first six albums. This title (their 7th) was one too many, however, and I stopped collecting any further Present albums from here.

Also own: Le Poison Qui Rend Fou; No. 6

6/12/16 (new entry)

Nekropsi ~ Turkey

Mi Kubbesi (1996)

Mi Kubbesi is the debut album from Nekropsi, one of a handful of progressive rock bands operating out of Turkey. Of course any time a band emerges from Asia Minor, the expectation is that the band in question will most assuredly blend in local indigenous musical elements. But is that really a fair ask? Of course not. We're truly global now, and if a band from Turkey wants to release an album like we have here in the United States or in England, then why can't they? As it turns out, Nekropsi's background is that of thrash metal (hence the moniker I suspect). But by the time Mi Kubbesi came out, they more or less threw out the rule book, and released something quite unique. And - a ha - fooled you with my premise above, they do incorporate some Turkish influences. More so in the rhythms and scales verse instrumentation, which stays mostly within the dual guitar-bass-drums format with some electronics thrown in (and wordless vocals and chants). There are some exceptions though, including baglama, bendir and goblet drums, and a kemenche, though again these instruments do not dominate. Other than one noticeable short death metal burst, the album stays true to progressive rock, primarily that of Red era King Crimson with some cool additional hyper drumming. At 72 minutes, the album is an investment of time, and there's probably not enough variety to justify the length. That said, there's a a very good full length LP in here, and it certainly qualifies as unique. A keeper for sure.

Ownership: 1996 Ada Müzik (CD). Booklet is a multi foldout with band photos and a lot of information in Turkish. Acquired in 1998.

1998; 12/13/20 (review / new entry)

The Smell of Incense ~ Norway

Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber (1997)

The Smell of Incense were one of many new bands to have emerged in the early 90s on the exciting Colours label out of Norway - a label that was kaput shortly thereafter. Their debut All Mimsy Were the Borogoves is a mixture of folk rock, cover songs, psychedelic, and plenty of soft lens mellotron. It's a fine album, but inconsistent, and seemed to leave a lot of good ideas on the kitchen table. 

Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber is the follow up, and it's here that those lost ideas were gathered and have now come to fruition. They've moved from psychedelic folk to full-on progressive rock, and bring forth many great ideas. Oftentimes I'm reminded of the fertile early 70s UK scene as found on the Neon and Transatlantic labels. Bumble B's feminine vocals are more confident, the guitars are melodic, and.... it's mellotron a-go-go. At any one time - and often at the same time - you'll hear string, flute, and choral tapes battling it out. And when they introduce EDM 10 minutes into the recording, it's the perfect response to the otherwise analog heaven they have created. Their genius? It's the only place you'll hear that - so not a gimmick, but a surprise. Many albums from the 90s have lost their luster, as they didn't possess the depth of their predecessors, relying on cliches and technology. Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber is the opposite, and it continues to grow in my mind as a classic of its kind. Not one to miss - certainly one of the best progressive rock albums from the late 90s.

Ownership: 1997 September Gurls (CD). Tri-fold digipak with lyrics, photos, and recording details. Acquired in 1998.

1998; 12/12/20 (review)

Of Ullages and Dottles (2007)

The Smell of Incense are a Norwegian psychedelic folk rock band, who incorporate both modern and older 1970's influences in their sound. They released two wonderful albums in the 1990s and seemed to have disappeared into the ether. So this 2007 release was quite a surprise when released, and I think it's still flying under the radar, as most of the ratings sites out there show far less activity for Of Ullages and Dottles than their earlier albums. I will say their newest album eschews some of the more modern electronica aspects for a more purified psych folk rock sound - so dyed-in-the-wool late 60s fans will most likely find this the best of the three albums.

Love the album cover!

Former ownership: 2007 September Gurls (CD). Digipak with recording details. Acquired in 2010. Downsized in 2025.

3/18/10 (acquired); 11/7/17 (review); 6/21/25 (update)

Previously owned All Mimsy Were the Borogoves.

11/7/17 (new entry)

Rhythm Heritage - Theme From S.W.A.T. / I Wouldn't Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me). 1975 USA

It all started here for me. Yep, this is the first vinyl I ever bought. My aunt stuck a couple of bucks in my pocket to buy a record and to subsequently piss off my parents. It worked (aunt's are good that way). By 1976 I had accumulated a couple of handfuls of 45s such as this, and then got tired of it (sold in a garage sale), and went back to collecting the more familiar ball cards. No more music for me I said! Yea, there's a grand proclamation that held... for about a year. In any case, how screwed up of a 10 year old was I to get this anyway? What kid runs out to buy 'Theme from S.W.A.T.'? I didn't even like the show! 45 years later, as I was buying a pile of records, I saw this for $1. Had to have it. Honestly I had forgotten all about what it sounded like. You know what though? This is a really great mid 70s heavy instrumental funk track! And the flip side is good too, with some cool Moog soloing. I'm keeping it this time.

Ownership: SP: 1975 ABC

12/11/20 (new entry)

Achim Reichel - Erholung. 1975 Germany

Achim Reichel's last foray for creating experimental music. It's a solid live outing recorded in 1973 (and released 2 years later) and consistent with his sound on sound guitar based psychedelia that he was still pursuing (and I've already written about extensively here on this blog). Erholung is the edited portion of the Live in Krefeld 16.09.73 set. On the CD, we get the whole concert. I have to admit to a little disappointment that the remainder wasn't as well recorded as to what was released. It does make sense of course, and I'm super grateful to have the whole show, but we now know the reality as to why it stayed in the vaults initially.

Ownership: LP: 1975 Brain; CD: 2017 BMG/Tangram. As part of the 10 CD set The Art of German Psychedelic. Picked up the LP not long after graduating from college in early 1988. It's a single sleeve with the green label. I don't believe this title received a repressing like most Brain albums. Here are my notes for the CD box.

Legend - From the Fjords 40th Anniversary Edition. 1979 USA-Connecticut

Legend were a Connecticut based group whose sole album is truly a "legend" among early heavy rock collectors. You'll find scant evidence of music like this on the open market, especially from this era. What is today known as epic heavy metal, Legend were pioneers of a style that didn't find its audience until 20 years later. If you're a fan of early Manilla Road (Invasion, Metal, Crystal Logic, and especially the archival Mark of the Beast), then by all means seek this one out. Long, involved, semi-complex tracks with fantasy imagery is what you'll find here...and very heavy for 1979. 

Ownership: CD: 2019 Cult Rock Classics (Greece). Purchased at the end of 2019. 

Now this is some package and made the long wait for an official reissue worth it (originals are very pricey). Legend band leader and guitarist Kevin Nugent had passed away many years ago, and it was the other two gentlemen who stepped up to get behind this release. While bassist Fred Melilio stayed quiet, drummer Ray Frigon wrote a book for us, including quite an expose on his Christian faith and the psychology on why he couldn't continue with the group. There's also a lengthy interview with the Greek born album artist, who became somewhat famous in music circles. In addition to the extensive packaging, there are 5 relevant demo quality bonus tracks that are worth hearing. 

6/27/09; 12/11/20 (new entry)

Attempt To Restore ~ Germany

Alpha Collection 1. (1993)

Attempt to Restore were an obscure Krautrock band, coming from the unlikely time of the early 90s. The name itself appears to indicate the band is interested in restoring Germany's early 70s psychedelic underground past. And for that purpose, Attempt to Restore very much succeeded. Perhaps the oddest aspect of this group is that they were created by former members of the glam band Tiger B Smith, not exactly one of the purveyors of the original scene. Whether they had a bottled up desire to perform music such as this going back to the mid 70s, or it was simply the case of obtaining a later appreciation of the style, is anyone's guess. But I can tell you this - few were playing long form Cosmic Jokers styled Krautrock in 1993 - especially from Germany (Electric Orange were also just starting up, and there was the fun HNAS Damenbart album). The space rock revival had been in force for some years, but as we all know, the German variation is something more atmospheric and intense. Though all things considered, Alpha Collection 1 is not a Kosmische classic, but rather a nice return to form of a much missed style. There are three jams here totaling close to an hour of music, generally without build and release moments. Rather the band stays in steady jam mode for the most part. Guitars and keyboards lead the way, with some interesting rhythmic work. At the time of release it was an exciting revelation, today not as much. But given the entire historical portrait, this one is well worth hanging onto. Yet another forgotten 90s classic. Too bad there was never a Beta Collection or Alpha Collection 2.

Ownership: 1993 CMV (CD). Booklet shows a psychedelic painting / image of the band. Acquired in 1997.

1997; 12/10/20 (review / new entry)

Love Gang - Dead Man's Game. 2019 USA-Colorado

I don't even know where to begin on this one. It checks off so many boxes, it's crazy. Down the line: 1) retro hard rock - check; 2) progressive hard rock - check; 3) early metal - check;  4) organ (possibly Hammond) - check; 5) flute(!) - check; 6) local grooves - check; 7) great cover - check; 8) overall coolness - check.

No way would have I ever heard of this were it not for my friends at What's Left here in the Springs. I was looking for something to spend my trade credit on, and they mentioned this album. They know my tastes lean towards the progressive and the retro - and far away from death metal. And they're from Denver? I said why not, I've got nothing to lose. And... all to gain. As is the case here.

It would appear to me that this album may be marketed to the wrong folks. Based on whatever reviews I can find, they seem to be from the metal camp. And that's OK, but for example I saw one person comment it reminded him exactly of Motorhead. Excuse me, but can you remind me again which Motorhead album has flute, sax, and organ? No - this needs to marketed to prog, krautrock, and hard rock fans.

The person we have to circle in the band here is Leo Munoz. Take him out, and you have a cool - but somewhat standard - hard rock band, albeit an interesting one. Munoz is the one responsible for the organ, flute, and sax. You just don't see too many bands today with that kind of talent on hand. He's the X factor for sure. Kam Wentworth is the guitarist, lyricist, singer, and is clearly the front man here. His singing is the one place where Lemmy comes to mind. Though honestly, I hear just as much Paul Di'Anno and even Ron Royce (Coroner). From an overall attitude, sound, and music perspective, I'm most reminded of Fort Worth's Blood of the Sun, though again the flute creates some separation. And considering the latter instrument, the Spanish band Ñu also comes to mind here.

All the tracks are satisfying on some level, though I appreciate the ones with more instrumental breaks. Side 2 is definitely the more adventurous of the two. The closer 'Endless Road' is the best for my tastes. If you're a fan of the late 70s /early 80s hard rock/metal/prog combination - you'll want this.

Ownership: LP: 2019 Colfax. Single sleeve. Caramel (whiskey?) colored vinyl. Lyric inner with old fashioned band pic. I needed to clean up the Discogs entry, which was a complete mess (and added new photos). For anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes in Denver, you'll understand the label meaning. Thanks to What's Left Records for this rec! Along with Crypt Sermon, best new band discovery in some time for me.

Group details: Facebook; Bandcamp

12/9/20 (new entry)

Paradox ~ USA ~ Long Island, New York

Modern Madness (1977)

Modern Madness is an all instrumental progressive rock album from Paradox, a power trio residing in the New York City / Long Island area, and released on the Kasenetz & Katz owned Magna Glide Records - a label which existed primarily as a business to solely lose money for tax purposes. Ah, the late 70s...

While listening to the album my mind immediately wandered to that of Automatic Fine Tuning, the excellent English instrumental group that continues to be much unheralded. AFT had a twin guitar setup recalling Wishbone Ash, and I would say that Paradox took a more straightforward hard rock path, perhaps recalling Rush around that same time. From a composition standpoint, and perhaps overall musical approach, I was also reminded of the obscure Chicago band Seiche, who recorded a similarly complex power trio album in 1979 (though Seiche had vocals, giving the band a little downtime). Overall an excellent album worthy of pursuit.

Original drummer Joe Wood wrote in and told us: "Glad you like Paradox. I was in that band in the 80's. We recorded more music in the 80's on 2 inch reels. Three new songs will soon be posted on IACMusic.com. I am the new drummer and I'm working on finishing all the songs we started back then. It includes a new version of Modern Maddess. The new band had me Joe Wood on drums, Rich Hoffman the original guitarist Pete Martinez the original bassist. Also Rob Jack keys and Rob Adamo vocals. My new band Coney Island Steeplechase is on IacMusic.com Me and Rich Hoffman still keep in touch and work together. We are talking about a reunion. Pete is one of the best musicians and writers I ever worked with."

Just checked the website above and it's no longer there. 

Ownership: 1977 Magna Glide (LP) 

Not reissued as of 3/28/25.

3/30/14 (review); 12/7/20 (update / new entry) 

Plasticland. 1984 USA-Wisconsin

I certainly knew of Plasticland but never actually heard their music until now. Wow! I had no idea that America was harboring such an authentic psych band - in the early 1980s! These guys were retro long before it became fashionable. I've heard plenty of 80s bands with some psychedelic influences, but they're still 80s sounding bands, many of them coming from the New Wave camp. Not Plasticland. This is late 60s psych all the way. And the songwriting is fantastic, very much like the best of those 45/SP compilations (and there's 15 tracks - almost as many as on a CD comp!). Great acid fuzztone guitars, and plenty of mellotron too (an extinct instrument in the 80s, not to mention there isn't that much use of it in authentic 60s psych either). Considering the out-of-time space rock band F/i, Milwaukee had it going on in the 80s, that's for sure. This predates Sun Dial's Other Way Out by 6 years, and it's very much on the same plane. Easy recommendation for fans of neo psych.

Ownership: LP: 1984 Pink Dust/Enigma. Single sleeve. Pink vinyl. One of the real anomalies in RT's collection - hope to find more like this! Surprisingly not that expensive of an album, so worth snapping up if you get a chance. Doesn't the guy on the right (I think he's the main songwriter) look like Elton John?

2020 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 2 - Complete

From the RT collection (Dec):

The Cherry People - And Suddenly / Imagination. 1968 Heritage (SP). Saccharine pop for the psych era. Safe for the whole family. "As seen in Better Homes and Gardens" one can predict. 'Imagination' has some trippy effects, so not too bad on the whole. But this is miles away from the best groups of the genre such as The Free Design.

*The Other Side of Time - What Ya Gonna Do? / What's on Your Mind? 1967 R.S.D. (SP)  This one isn't obscure enough for the Unknown Vinyl blog, but it's hardly a commodity. The A side is good psychedelic folk rock and the B side is more towards garage pop. It's also pretty good. I'm keeping it, as it's not something that would be that easy to replace if I change my mind. Further research shows these guys are from Denver. OK, well that cinches it then. Local grooves!

The Shirt Tail Relation - The Reason Why / You Don’t Know Like I Know. 1968 Mobie promo (SP). Great name for a band, though I have no idea what it means. Kind of a mix between pop psych and RnB with horns. This one is almost obscure enough to qualify for the Unknown Vinyl blog. 

J.C.W. Ratfinks - Pop Goes the Weasel / Magic Windmill. 1968 Kama Sutra promo (SP). This is another Kasenetz and Katz cash-in job. But it's not near as bad as it might first appear. This falls into the smoking-weed-to-make-music-for-children genre. The A side is the nursery rhyme, but done pop psych style and features some cool Vox Continental organ. 'Magic Windmill' is for kids to trip out on, and has a psych pop folk vibe, this time with Hammond organ.

Bee Gees - My World / On Time. 1972 ATCO (SP). 'My World' is a sappy ballad where Barry Gibb starts to break out his falsetto. It's OK. 'On Time' is much better and has good psych guitar to boot. 

*The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane. 1967 Capitol (SP pic sleeve). RT has a lot of Beatles and former Beatles 45s. None to my taste so far, except of course this one. I've already stated that the A side is a personal favorite, and the B side is quite nice as well. 

Morty Jay and the Coney Island Brass - I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine / Beef-Eater. 196? Kayden promo (SP). Though listed as soul on Discogs, this is closer to surf - Coney Island style! Essentially it's an instrumental organ and brass party groover! I'm guessing mid 60s here. 

* - Keeping for the collection

Ursa Major. 1972 USA-New York

Solid hard rock album from New York City featuring guitarist Dick Wagner. The openers on each side provide the highlights. Not Earth shattering, but for certain a must for early 70s hard rock fans.

Ownership: LP: 1972 RCA. Like the Goma, this was acquired at the end of last year (2019). I had some trade credit with a local store, and they had this one priced reasonably, so I snatched it up. It's a crispy mint copy too and the single sleeve cover has a nice texture. 

12/2/07; 6/19/14; 1/7/20; 11/29/20 (new entry)

Goma - 14 Abril. 1975 Spain

I've struggled with Goma's sole album in the past, but it's finally starting to penetrate. Solid progressive rock from Spain, but not necessarily representative of the region. I think the jazzy segments wore me out originally, but I hear them within context now.

Ownership: LP: 1975 Movieplay. Comes in a very nice gatefold cover. Acquired a copy via a trade/cash deal with a Japanese friend/collector at the beginning of the year, but didn't give it a separate posting. I owned this LP in the early 90s, but couldn't justify keeping for the price. But that won't happen now. 

Skinner Box ~ USA ~ Tucson, Arizona

The Playhouse (1990)

Now this title brought back a flood of memories. Not that I ever heard of Skinner Box before. But the style - and the label / backdrop - that's where the memories came in. There was a time roughly between 1992 and 1995 that I had a fondness for the "4AD sound". Now we have terms like Darkwave, Ethereal Wave, Ambient Pop, Dream Pop, and so on. I doubt I could tell you the difference from one to the other. In any case, my favorite band of the style back then - probably like everyone else - was Dead Can Dance. It's a sound I associate my early Colorado living experience with. I even went to a Lisa Gerrard concert in Boulder in 1995. And then... I just stopped. No particular reason really, just went back to my comfort zone of progressive rock. This music and scene was like a different side of me that I had buttoned up and stuck in the attic. Until now.

As for the label, Bobok were part of a larger collective known as Toxic Shock. This was the pre-internet age, and grassroots music labels were sprouting everywhere. To get the message out about what they were issuing, albums often times had newspapers (or flyers) included with detailed descriptions of other releases. I remember when Cuneiform did this, and they were very much similar during these years. These detailed description would often times take a quote from the leading underground DIY magazine of the day: Option. If you were looking for something new to hear - whether it be on cassette or LP (CDs were still considered too expensive for startups), Option was the go-to source. They had no particular genres they specialized in - but just about every underground band from the US found their way to Option. It was how I discovered Black Sun Ensemble for example. 

Black Sun Ensemble ties us back to the origin of Toxic Shock - that is, Tucson, Arizona. This fine southern Arizona town, not too far from the Mexican border, is also the home of the University of Arizona. Universities - in particular back then - were the hot spots for new sounds and styles. While of course there was a lot of repetitiveness, genuine exploratory music was being created. And since social media didn't exist, much of it happened in local silos. This is how something could be the "Seattle Sound" with grunge or the "Tampa Bay Sound" with death metal. It was an exciting time, one that is not likely to be repeated again. As an aside, Toxic Shock also had a brick and mortar store - that I visited in 1994, in the middle of this period.

As for Skinner Box, they perform the style of music in question quite well. The angelic female voices, the percussion and bells, the synthesized sound, flute, and even some psychedelic guitar - all of it transported me back to that time of my life. I wouldn't mind finding other albums like this again. Good times.

Ownership: 1990 Bobok (LP). Has a label newspaper and lyric inner sleeve. 

11/25/20 (review)

11/25/20 (new entry)

Stone Fury - Burns Like a Star. 1984 USA-California

Stone Fury are most known for being the breeding ground for vocalist Lenny Wolf, later of the popular Led Zeppelin copyist band Kingdom Come. Burns Like a Star is a hybrid of hard rock and 1980 styled heavy metal. Obviously Wolf's vocals take center stage, and one can tell with a bit of training, he could tame his voice to be that of Robert Plant's. He can be a bit overwrought here though. Even better though is the inventive guitar riffing. I didn't expect much from the album, but this is definitely a cut above for the style. My favorites are 'I Hate to Sleep Alone' and 'Tease'. Also to mention there's some good solos here and the songwriting is more thought out than one might initially think. A little bit of "80's balladry" here and there, but this one's solid. Keeper.

Ownership: LP: 1984 MCA. Single sleeve. 50 cent bin raid from Independent (2020). 

11/25/20 (first listen / review / new entry)

Yusef Lateef - Detroit Latitude 42° 30' Longitude 83°. 1969 USA-Michigan

Yusef Lateef is a name I'm familiar with, but as I'm something of a novice when it comes to jazz, I cannot say I've heard any of his albums until now. I'm sure his earlier work is more traditional, though I'm reading he incorporated more Asian influences than most. On Detroit Latitude 42° 30' Longitude 83°, Lateef has joined in with the funk crowd, with a bit of psychedelia. His primary instrument here is flute, and his playing recalls the great Lloyd McNeill at times. I was completely sold at the opener 'Bishop School', which is darn near perfect for the style. 'Eastern Market' is a another highlight. And so it goes. Only the finale, the noirish smoky jazz of 'That Lucky Old Sun', could be considered traditional. Overall a wonderful piece of music, and I look forward to discovering more from Lateef.

Ownership: LP: 1969 Atlantic. Single sleeve. Promo. This will be the first of many albums I will be reporting on from the RT Collection. RT is a local collector and a customer/friend of Purple Peak Records. He has thousands of albums strewn about everywhere, and has asked us to help him curate them. His interest is in 60s folk (and we found many already for his permanent collection), so we'll end up with the rest per agreement. As you can imagine, most of the albums are junk - either good for mailers or, at best, $1 bin items. Of course there's plenty more good stuff to sell at the shows or trade locally. For the first few hundred, this is the only album I've kept so far. I have a few more I've pulled to listen to though. Tons more to go through. And that's just the first batch! This will be a huge undertaking.

Saturnia - α Ω α. 2012 Portugal

Saturnia is the solo project of a one Luis Simões, a multi-instrumentalist from Portugal. His primary interest is psychedelic space rock, somewhat similar to Sweden's ST Mikael, but more varied and less aggressive. I can remember reading about his albums at the beginning of the millennium. However the idea of a one man show - playing in a style that I prefer the synchronicity of a band - wasn't enough for me to separate some money from the wallet. Fast forward some 20 years, and I have trade credit to use, and there is Saturnia. It was mixed with a pile of other new heavy metal titles, which makes sense when you realize the album was released on Elektrohasch, the house label of stoner extraordinaire Colour Haze. Why not give it a chance? And I was rewarded with a very thoughtful psychedelic journey. The variety of instruments and the decidedly warm tone definitely transcends the genre norms. It sounds very much like something that could have been released in the early 70s. A double album set is almost certain to induce boredom and yet it never feels that way. I didn't pick up any highlights, but I'm certain more focused listens would yield such. Not sure I need a lot more of Saturnia, but as one representative for the collection, α Ω α is a good one.

Ownership: LP: 2012 Elektrohasch. 2 LP set. Gatefold. Wonderful overall presentation. As noted above, recently picked this up in trade with our local friends at What's Left Records.

Synchro Rhythmic Eclectic Language - Lambi. 1976 France

Synchro Rhythmic Eclectic Language's Lambi is an album that has an interesting reputation. If doing some background checking, you'll likely read descriptions such as Afro Cuban Psych or West Indies Funk. Well that may very well be the case, but I'm here to tell you this is definitely a Zeuhl album as well. With the throbbing irregular bass, chanting vocals, horn charts, and violin soloing there's no denying the Magma references. And then when you realize that the violinist is none other than Jean-Yves Rigaud, fresh off a stint on the Zao Z=7L and Osiris albums, then you know the lineage is there, and it's no coincidence. The driving and throbbing bass on side 2's 'A.B.C.D' is a highlight, putting one in a trance like state. Powerful rhythms, heavy amounts of percussion, organ, and violin solos, define this excellent work.

And the story doesn't end there. For those who possess the LP or CD reissues, there is an entire album's worth of material that is just as sublime! Not to be missed for fans of the album proper.

Ownership: LP: 2019 Sommor (Spain). Gatefold. 2 LP set. Recent online acquisition. Essential reissue given the aforementioned full album of bonus tracks. Scarce liner notes are in French (they may even be part of the original release) - other than the hype sticker. That's a bummer. It appears the CD version also has these bonus tracks.

12/7/10 (CDRWL)

Testament ~ USA ~ San Francisco, California

The Gathering (1999)

As noted prior when I picked up the first five OAS on CD, Testament's debut The Legacy was at the tail end of my metal phase, coinciding with my graduation from college. Their sophomore effort The New Order never really resonated, and it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I reunited with the band's latest works. But I had missed everything between. One of those is The Gathering, an album considered by many to be their grand comeback, coming off a couple of groove and death metal releases (which I've not heard). 1999 was not a great time for traditional thrash bands, and Testament would have been an anomaly to go back to their roots as it were. The opening track 'D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)' packs a wallop and recalls the very best of the early albums. But Testament didn't turn their back on their newly found fans, and there's plenty of very aggressive music here, with occasional death growls. Chuck Billy has the type of voice to pull it off, but my tastes will likely never quite adjust to it. His regular voice would have made these tracks better in my opinion, but OK. The album weaves in and out of inventive thrash and more hardcore punky death metal. One could see this being a revelation in 1999 for fans of thrash metal who never abandoned the cause. For myself, I barely listened to any metal during these years, so it's all revisionist history. 

Ownership: 2020 Nuclear Blast (LP). Gatefold. Orange vinyl. Acquired in 2020.

11/20/20 (review)

Also own: The Legacy; The New Order; Practice What You Preach; Souls Of Black; The Ritual; Dark Roots Of Earth; Brotherhood Of The Snake

11/20/20 (new entry)

The Giant Hogweed Orchestra ~ Finland

The Giant Hogweed Orchestra (2004)

When you name your band The Giant Hogweed Orchestra one can expect a Genesis like sound, correct? Nope! Maybe at some point they were like Gabriel and crew, but by the time their sole album was released, they were clearly an instrumental space rock band. And to be honest, I have way too much of that in the collection, so surely this one will not make the cut? Wrong again. What a great vibe this album has. It starts off more in the Ozric Tentacles vein, and I was starting to review what I could sell it for. Then it begins a slow descent into this kind of mellow psychedelic vibe. Of course having flute as a predominant instrument helps create that mood. And the two guitarists have just the right acidic tone. It just continues to draw you into a trance like state. What a great album to wind the day down with. I didn't remember much about this album from the past to be honest, but this listen was impactful. Definitely a keeper.

Ownership: 2004 Mellow (CD). Acquired in 2005.

12//05; 11/18/20 (review / new entry)