Melodic Energy Commission - Migration of the Snails. 1980 Canada-British Columbia

Melodic Energy Commission are one of those bands that are near impossible to write about. Their sound is straight out of the 1971 Krautrock cookbook - it's wildly psychedelic sounding. But they don't have the structure or flow of any of the UK or German bands of the era. And they are completely out of time for 1980. All of which scores huge points in my book. They are truly on their own planet here. Even though they feature Del Dettmar on keyboards, there's not a trace of Hawkwind's type of space rock to be found anywhere. Migration of the Snails needs to be heard a few times in a row, just to get an idea of what they're up to. It's a large ensemble and they play dozens of instruments, all very talented at that. One of a kind group, that's for sure. When they reformed in 2005 with Time is a Slippery Concept, they didn't miss a beat, and sound pretty much like they do here. Genius level, really.

Ownership: LP: 1980 Energy Discs; CD: 1997 Vapor. The single sleeve LP was purchased (or traded for) sometime in the late 90s from an unknown catalog dealer. Sealed copies could still be had back then, and I nabbed one. Comes with a cool insert with trippy cave paintings and a transparent lyric insert. Nothing these guys do is normal. I purchased the CD upon release, entitled Moon Phase Compendium, and it features their debut Stranger in Mystery in full along with almost all of Migration of Snails. In order to fit on one CD, they left off the track 'Perriwinkle St.' - which is more of a soundscape, and probably the best choice to leave behind if forced. The CD comes in what Discogs calls a "soft plastic jewel case", with a few notes and credits behind the plastic. Because of the omitted track, I first listened to the album on LP. Then listened to the CD two more times (only the Migration portion, which opens the disc verse the expected other way around). Really the CD sounds great here, as the original pressing wasn't the best. For an album this great, I'll continue to keep both of course.

Liquid Sound Company ~ USA ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Exploring the Psychedelic (1996)

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 spirit 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 four 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: 1996 Brainticket (CD). Acquired in 1996. 

Also own: Inside the Acid Temple

1996; 5/21/21 (entry)

Karl Ratzer ~ Austria

Street Talk (1979)

From the very first notes, I knew this was going to be a special session. 'Mean Time' opens with an aggressive type of jazz fusion, of the kind one usually reserves for Mahavishnu Orchestra. And when guitarist Karl Ratzer enters in and lays down some raw licks, it just takes the whole thing to the next level. 'Side to Side' is the requisite mellow number, but highly enjoyable with some fine melodic lines. Then we enter into that special zone that we sometimes talk about. That X Factor sound that transcends the great from the norm. And with that, the title track starts off similar to the Joe Henderson live album we recently talked about, with a killer rhythmic line, and some fine underground sax from Deszo Lakatos. When Ratzer enters this go round, he isn't foolin' around. His rough and tumble soloing reminds one of the Krautrock masters circa 1971. What a monster of a track! Flipping over to side 2, we start with some massive fuzz bass from none other than Jeff Berlin (how is this album so unknown?) and yet another killer jazz rock track with great solos. 'Mother Song' calms the proceedings down and adds some fine flute, almost bossa nova-ish. And the album closes with its longest cut, the eight and a half minute 'In the World' which takes us back to the opener's heavy fusion antics, like Weather Report on steroids. 

In doing some research, perhaps the biggest surprise is Ratzer was the guitarist for Gipsy Love. This band from Austria is often times lumped in with Krautrock, yet it's far removed from that. More like boogie rock. So even more strange that Street Talk is more aligned with his homeland's historic sound - but not his.

The parallels with Gary Saracho here are immense. Not in sound - that one is even more freaky - but considering they are out-of-nowhere major label US releases that no one talks or knows about. You won't find this in Kozmigroov. Or Gnosis. There are a whopping three whole ratings on RYM. It exchanges some coin on Discogs, but what you would expect to pay for a new LP. Street Talk should command way more. Why? Because this brings the good goods, and I can assure you it is not a common record, and no reissues exist. It's time for this album to be recognized. So let's get started here. Second best new discovery of the year for me, after Saracho.

After hearing this, I bought two more albums online immediately. These two seemed like they would be similar to Street Talk in outlook. I held off on this review until I could absorb them. So let's see how they compare (see below).

Ownership: 1979 Vanguard (LP). Acquired in 2021.

5/20/21 (review)

In Search of the Ghost (1978)

After hearing Street Talk and doing some follow-up research, In Search of the Ghost looked like the best bet. In fact, given that it basically takes Jeremy Steig's band along for the ride, I figured this might even better than Street Talk especially given that it was one year earlier. Well... it didn't surpass, but as a whole, it definitely falls into the great category. In Search of the Ghost takes a lot longer to get going. Eight plus minute opener 'Israela' is primarily acoustic. Which is fine, but that's not what I was looking for. The 9+ minute title track begins to hint at the Street Talk sound. There are periods here where it seems Ratzer is ready to take off. But he pulls back. It seems he's shy, or feels the rest of the band should have a chance to shine. It takes a couple of listens, but it does transcend the genre norm. Excellent track. The flip side starts with two shorter numbers 'Jump Street' and 'Prime Mate', both of which are pretty standard late 70s jazz fusion fare. I was losing faith that In Search of the Ghost was going to be anything special. Until the closing 7:40 minute 'Asteroids'. If presuming this was recorded chronologically, then one could see Ratzer's anger building up throughout. Holy Moly, does he let loose here! It has the intensity of classic Mahavishnu Orchestra, but it's unhinged and unfocused. A big sloppy mess - just the way I like it! An unknown classic of the genre, one that awaits discovery. Special mention must go to the rhythm section of Joe Chambers (drums), Eddie Gomez (bass), and Ray Mantilla (congas, percussion) as these guys are on fire throughout the entire album, even if Ratzer is half asleep for most of it. Steig of course provides some fine flute, similar to his own solo albums. Only saxophonist Bill McPhearson seems to be largely absent from the entire album (not always a bad thing when it comes to the instrument...). In conclusion, after having a scare that this would fall into the "nothing special" category, it was saved by the intense closer, which also put the excellent title track into perspective. So about 17 minutes of killer music and another 17 minutes of typical jazz fusion fare (though still well done). Very pleased.

From the LP we learn that Ratzer had been living in New York City for five years by the time of this album. 

Ownership: 1978 Vanguard (LP). Acquired in 2021.

5/20/21 (review)

Fingerprints (1979)

So we get to the 3rd and final Ratzer pickup, after being stunned by Street Talk. From the beginning, Fingerprints sounds more professional than its predecessors. Too bad. 'New Walz' defines the newer sound, that of a slicker jazz fusion, though still very satisfying. The highlight is served early this time and it comes in the package known as 'Between the Lines', where Ratzer goes nuts on the guitar straight from the get. The sound isn't as raw as prior, and it has more of a phased sound, one that was more in vogue by the late 70s (Ratzer's former tone was born from the early 70s style). After which, the proceedings become more typical, with special note to the fine organ work on the title track, easily the next best song on here. Had I heard Fingerprints first, I would have been happy enough with it, but probably wouldn't have investigated his back catalog further. As a conclusion to Street Talk, it doesn't hold a candle. 

Ratzer moved to CMP for this release. I associate the label more with the 80s, and they have many fine edgy fusion works on the imprint. Ratzer is a perfect fit for the label. 

1979 CMP (LP). Acquired in 2021.

5/20/21 (review)

No reissues exist for any of these albums as of 9/12/26.

5/20/21 (new entry)

Altablanca - En Vivo Mendoza '81. 1981 Argentina (archival)

Somehow I missed this release when it first came out. Altablanca is the type of record I tend to gravitate to - that of the newly discovered progressive rock tapes, from a band who had no prior release history. Like many groups who only managed to be recorded live, one imagines what could have been had they entered a proper studio. This concert in Mendoza is very sharp and trebly, but still enjoyable to listen to. Altablanca apparently went through 3 stages (or marks as the English would call it), going back to 1976 and ending in 1983. This recording represents the final incarnation, and were a full 6 piece at this point. The opening solo notes come from a type of String Synthesizer, so it definitely dates to the time and place. There's not much variation in the tones he uses, though the playing is excellent. The rhythm section is solid, never hogging the spotlight, and continues to move the music forward in the proper manner (i.e. not stilted or clumsy). So that leaves the 3 key protagonists. First and foremost would be guitarist Mario Matar, who is the principle songwriter. From the get go, Camel shows up as a primary influence, and Matar clearly sat at the knee of Andy Latimer. After three quality instrumental opening tracks, the 2 part epic 'Paso a la Vida' shows Altablanca heading towards more complex waters. Enter stage right Susana "Turca" Naldi with her superb Spanish vocals as well as Daniel Martin who provides copious flute. And now the sextet is complete. There's even a couple of places where the music gets trippy, with more impassioned vocals and soaring flute and guitar. The Argentinian musical landscape was rich in the 70s and early 80s, and bands as diverse as Aucan, Ave Rock, Rayuela, Crucis, and Agnus all come to mind here. Certainly a great discovery for those who love the Southern Cone's take on European progressive rock.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Viajero Inmovil. Recent online acquisition. Comes in what Discogs calls a "square gatefold digisleeve", which is how the label released most of their CDs. Inside is a paper sleeve holder with b/w photos and lyrics. Nicely done.

Fren ~ Poland

Where Do You Want Ghosts to Reside (2020)

I had a few people recommend this title to me last year, more than usual, so I figured I'd add a new contemporary group to my buying list. The trouble was that every time I went to purchase the CD, it would have just sold out. Finally was able to secure one, and let's see what we have here. 

Right from the opening mellotron notes, it's clear this is going to be in the retro prog space, which is how it was described to me as well. What's strange about that is retro prog - as the term has become understood - is primarily a western European phenomena, based on their own country's 1970s progressive rock past. Especially England, Italy, and the Scandinavian countries. And the occasional Yank I suppose. But Eastern Europe's progressive rock scene of the 70s grew up differently. It had no choice, being forced to separate due to Communism. I enjoy both immensely, and it's nice to see a band from Poland make a try. When I think of Poland, bands such as Collage and Riverside come to mind, each being champions of neo prog and modern prog respectively.

Now having said all of the above, Fren aren't Wobbler, Astra, or Anglagard either. There is a distinctive post rock element to their sound - and the lengthy meaningless title of Where Do You Want Ghosts to Reside kind of gives that away. Big sweeping symphonic sound - somewhat modern sounding - as if Pink Floyd circa Animals wanted a try at emulating Jordsjo. I've always struggled with those lethargic fat beats that the genre seems to call for. So yea, Fren are a retro prog post rock band. Read that last sentence again. What a world we live in. Genre's aside, I was a bit fearful that the rhythm section wasn't going to participate, and essentially a computer could have taken over. But my fears were assuaged by the time of 'Gorąca Linia' and especially the jazzy 12 minute 'Pleonasm', quite possibly the highlight of the album. There's a slight resemblance here to fellow countrymen Gargantua. The entire band is quite accomplished, and I truly enjoy their (mostly) analog mid 70s sound. In the end, I'm rating this all instrumental album as "great", with the caveat that I'll need some convincing to move on with the band's next effort. Every year that goes by, the collection space is getting tighter. Standards are very high for newer albums. I know it's not fair that Night Ranger gets a nostalgia pass and the accomplished Fren has to fight to get in. But that's the way it is.

Ownership: 2020 private (CD). Die-cut digipak, with insert that changes its design. Also really appreciate the murky yellow and black original artwork. Acquired in 2021.

5/16/21 (review / new entry); 11/11/23

Sindelfingen ~ England

Odgipig (1973)

My first exposure to Sindelfingen was at the time when the first reissue surfaced (1990) - the 2 LP set of Odgipig and the archival Triangle. I remember I wanted a front seat to one of the most sought after progressive rock rarities. The descriptions sounded delicious, and even though the set was expensive, I figured it was a can't miss item. Hmm. Welcome to the world of the ultra-rare private press. Which also welcomes one to the underproduced recording. I wasn't quite ready for that yet. And so on first blush I wasn't very impressed. And I was anxious to recoup my investment, and traded it back to the marketplace quickly. A few years after that, I acquired the CD (on Background) via a bulk buy. By that time, my ears had adjusted to the various types of underground recordings and I heard the album in a much better light. On a couple of revisits, my opinion of the album continued to improve. And last night's listen was no different.

Sindelfingen are very much a progressive rock band, but with a folk edge. They do seem to call upon the bigger names of the genre, and one can hear Lizard-era King Crimson, Jethro Tull (trading the flute for recorders), and even a little bit of Yes. The Tull reference is particularly relevant on the shorter numbers, and the vocal style resembles Ian Anderson at times. As noted, the recordings are a little rough, but the ideas are rich. Though there are six tracks, the centerpiece being the three lengthy opus' that define the album. A good one for deep divers of the English progressive rock landscape. However, be sure to check this one out after immersing yourself with the classics of the genre first.

Ownership: 2010 Anazitisi (LP). Foldout insert full of liner notes, as well as two individual sheets of lyrics. Acquired in 2018.

First copy: 1990 Cenotaph (2xLP). Acquired in 1991.

1991; 1998; 1/13/18; 5/15/21 (review / new entry)

Kayak ~ Netherlands

Starlight Dancer (1977) 

So the US press of Starlight Dancer is neither the album Starlight Dancer, nor does it represent the cover. This compilation pulls tracks from the namesake album along with another release entitled The Last Encore. It's the latter that provides the artwork. There's one unique track 'Ballad for a Lost Friend' that was later released as a B-side to a 45 in their home county of the Netherlands. I have no idea what the American label was thinking here. Anyone who would hear this, would want to listen to both albums in full anyway. And that would be my case. I have some thoughts about Kayak for their 1981 opus Merlin (see below). I'd always presumed Kayak to have gone completely pop rock by this era, and then resurged on Merlin. But that's not the case. Kayak were oddly progressive still, just not overtly so. Not that they ever were (so progressive). Once again, The Alan Parsons Project comes to mind when hearing this, and one begins to wonder who influenced who? Well certainly I now need to hear the two albums in full that make up this comp.

Source: 1977 Janus (LP). Promo.

5/10/21 (review)

 

Merlin (1981)

Merlin is perhaps the ultimate example of an album that needs a prelude that reads something like: For 1981.... As in "For 1981, this was a great progressive rock album." But it certainly wouldn't be considered such for 1973... or 2016 for that matter. And in reality, there was plenty of great progressive rock in 1981 - it's just few knew about it (Dun, Eskaton, and Kultivator are hardly household names for anyone but hardcore prog rock nerds). For a relatively mainstream band like Kayak (though for Americans they always had more of a cult-like following, rather than being a true commercial smash hit group), putting out a semi concept album around the legend of King Arthur is as anachronistic as it gets (in 1981?). No matter that the album sounds like the Alan Parsons Project (another for 1981 type band) with its blend of radio friendly pop and semi-prog rock ambition. It's certainly a pleasant album that grows on you over time, and one can easily see the allure, especially for fans at the time. But with history on our side, it's hard to imagine this one capturing fans of future generations. Of course, the original fans will likely state its masterpiece status. We all do that with favorites from our youth, yours truly no exception to that rule.

Former ownership: 2011 Belle Antique (CD). Papersleeve edition. Acquired in 2016. Downsized in 2019.

11/12/16 (review)

 

Kayak (1974)

The second album expands both sides of Kayak's sound. There's more of a distinct demarcation between their commercial pop aspirations and their arty progressive side. The poppier songs are tighter with stronger melodies, whereas the progressive compositions stretch the instrumental sections with plenty of complex bits. Arguably this is the better album, though I'm partial to See See the Sun as it has a better flow and a couple of knockout tracks.

I also really like the cover, which is very Hipgnosis-like.

Ownership: 

1974 Harvest UK (LP). Upgraded in 2024. First purchased in 2014.

2012 Esoteric (CD). Booklet with liner notes and two bonus tracks. Acquired in 2012.

10/7/12 (new entry)

See See the Sun (1973)

Kayak were about three years ahead of their time, whereby mixing pop music and progressive rock seamlessly. Their sound – as brought forth by others of course - would ultimately dominate American FM radio throughout the late 1970s, yet Kayak were nothing more than an aficionados pick for best band you’d never heard of. What’s most interesting, to me anyway, is that Kayak were the blueprint for the Midwest Progressive Rock sound that I frequently speak about here on UMR, and yet Kayak were not a band from St. Louis or Chicago – but rather from the distant Netherlands, a country more known for the quirky sounds of Focus or Golden Earring. While there is no doubting Kayak’s fondness for current era Yes, Kayak also pay homage to a number of popular bands including no less luminaries such as The Beatles. Alan Parsons’ contribution to this album can only be seen as an influence on the young engineer’s future career. Organ, mellotron, shifting signatures, and long tracks assure its progressive credibility, but in the end Kayak were pioneers of a later sound – one that wasn’t necessarily embraced by all, but for certain was popular in the arenas of the day. One track worth calling out is the stunning beauty of ‘Lovely Luna’ (A4).

---6/3/26

This album continues to improve in my world. A1 is very Yes-like, and one of the highlights here. A3 and the title track are also superlative. A4 remains my favorite, and is truly a 5 star song. The bonus track is the B-side to 'Lyrics' and is very much in league with the album proper. 

Ownership:

1973 Harvest UK (LP). Single sleeve. Acquired in 2014.

2012 Esoteric (CD). Booklet with liner notes, photos, and one bonus track. Acquired in 2012.

2009; 9/28/12 (review); 4/18/18; 6/3/26

Previously owned: Royal Bed Bouncer

9/29/12 (new entry)

39.4 ~ Mexico

39.4 (1972)

I first came across the name 39.4 from a brass rock listing some years ago. I saw that it was on CD, but as is often the case, no copies were available. There are three distinct LP pressings, so I put all four on my want list. And years later, finally a reasonably priced CD shows up, and now it's here for a quality listen.

39.4 is very much patterned after the thinking man's UK horn rock school. Bands such as Brainchild, Heaven, Greatest Show on Earth, and Galliard are all in this conversation. The horn charts are tight, the guitar has the proper acid fuzztone, the vocals are rough n' ready, which is all then juxtaposed against the soft flute. The songwriting is top notch, with some memorable melodies. This is not a new formula, but a winning one. 1972 is a bit late in the game to debut with an album in this genre, but again we are talking Mexico, which really had no chance to be at the forefront of a musical movement such as this. The vocals are in English, and I'm not picking up much of an accent, which tells me the singer probably spent some time in the States. The track titles, confusingly, are in Spanish (with translations). As you probably know, I'm a big fan of the style, so this comes easily recommended from me. If just getting your feet wet, I'd recommend the bands listed above before deep diving here.

There are two bonus tracks on the CD, both from a 1975 single (on Magneto). It's not labeled. These are not brass rock tracks, and have more of an indigenous sound mixed with rock. They're both very good though.

Ownership: Okeh (CD). This is the cheapest packaging I've ever seen for a CD. It essentially looks like a simple booklet. And that's it. The CD is put inside of that. It's oversized, so it's not like the seller forgot to include the backplate or anything like that. That's its design. Acquired in 2021.

Odd also that it was on the Okeh label. How many albums on Okeh are in your collection? I always associate the label with 78s, as they were one of the major early players, going back to 1918. But one of the 3 original pressings was on Okeh (all 3 have different covers as well, and this one is the Okeh release). That makes sense though, as the original was on CBS, who owns Okeh (now Sony). In reading the history of the label, they relaunched it many times over the years, and today they are still active. Also to mention, the non-documented bonus tracks are from a different label. I dunno about this reissue...

Yet another fun fact: My Great Grandfather released two 78's on Okeh. And one of them was the very first recording ever made in Dallas, Texas. Documented fact. No coincidence, then, that I became a music freak. Of course I have no talent (in much of anything as it turns out), so I had to settle for listening rather than making.

5/8/21 (review / new entry)

Nu - A Golpe de Latigo. 1979 Spain

Ñu's sophomore effort A Golpe de Látigo sees the band streamlining their sound further, as the music here is heavier and more compact than their stunning debut. All the same, Ñu is still very much a progressive rock band with Jose Carlos Molina continuing to sport a mean flute, and the violin touches have yet to disappear. But for 1979, this is an incredibly heavy album. The raw proto-metal guitar sound, and the Halford-esque en Español shrieks of Molina, all have a passing resemblance to same era Judas Priest. So imagine perhaps Ian Anderson walking into the studio for the Hell Bent for Leather sessions, while contributing to the songwriting - and after listening to a Bloque album perhaps - and you have an idea of what Ñu has accomplished here. Groundbreaking stuff.

Ownership: LP: 1980 Chapa Discos. Gatefold. Online acquisition from 2020. According to Discogs, the version I have is one year later from the original. My first copy was the Zafiro CD (1991) but offers nothing else, and I decided to move it out. 

11/4/16 (RYM)

Elias Hulk - Unchained. 1970 England

In the 1980s when I first started collecting rare progressive rock albums, Elias Hulk were one of the big names fetching enormous sums. Catalog dealers would froth endlessly about how heavy it was. Eventually I secured the See For Miles LP reissue in the early 90s and... no surprise... was completely underwhelmed. It's definitely not that heavy, it's foundation is in the blues, and there's a mellow psych element that is pervasive. All of which I didn't care for then... and all of which I think is great now! Haha. Whatever the case, I didn't sell the LP right away, figuring there must be more than what my expectation had it be. And my instincts were correct. I personally find the album to be typical of the time and place - but since that would be 1970 England - then that portrays a different standard. 'Delphi Blues' is my favorite tune on the platter, and really the only true psychedelic song found here. It's essentially an Eastern jam cycle, predating the Krautrock scene by a few months. But all the tracks are very good to excellent, and pertain a certain grimy atmosphere. An edge of madness, yet reigned in just enough to show up to work every day. Too bad they stopped here, as they had the potential to be one of the more wiggy outfits of the early 70s.

Ownership: LP: 2011 Sommer (Spain). Recent online acquisition (2021). Excellent reissue with full liner notes, and a poster. As noted above, my first copy was the See For Miles reissue LP (from a record store in Atlanta), which eventually was replaced by the label's CD version. In recent years, I picked up the Japanese mini-LP as well. I decided to sell both CDs. 

There are at least 3 covers for the original. The "copyright infringement" Incredible Hulk original; The Australian original on Interfusion (also ridiculously rare), which features two photos; And finally the See For Miles cover which has a live band shot and 5 individual photos of the group. 

10/1/92; 2014; 2015; 9/3/17 (RYM); 5/23/21 (new entry)

Skywhale ~ England

The World at Mind's End (1977)

Skywhale's sole album is one of the rare non-Canterbury UK fusion albums that sound more in line with what was happening over the Channel in places like France, Denmark, and Germany. This is an album for those that likes chops and melody, with plenty of good time signatures to keep it all interesting. The band knows to stop right at the point where the solos begin to drag. A must pickup for anyone who likes bands such as Carpe Diem, Secret Oyster, or Munju.

Ownership: 1977 Firebrand (LP). Acquired in 2018.

2/14/07; 8/14/18 (review)

Virus - Thoughts. 1971 Germany

For their second album, Virus changed radically, in both band members and music direction. Gone are the psychedelic workouts found on Revelation and instead the group focused on a more direct hard rock approach. They also switched to the Pilz label, and were representative of the label’s heavy rock groups, similar to McChurch Soundroom and Dies Irae. However, it can be argued that Virus were far superior to both in terms of instrumental dexterity and a stronger compositional base. In fact Thoughts stacks up with the best of the German heavyweights like Bellaphon’s Orange Peel or United Artist’s Twenty Sixty Six and Then. Hammond organ and guitar are the solo instruments of choice, and most of the tracks rock relentlessly hard. The vocals take a bit getting used to, as they are fairly rough and gravelly, but fits the music appropriately. There is a striking similarity to all the songs, that if not paying close attention, can begin to run together. What separates Virus from others, is a strong melodic sense, and a contrasting light touch concerning the rhythms. The organ is sometimes played with an almost jazzy like beat. Tracks like ‘Mankind, Where Do You Go To?’ and ‘My Strand-Eyed Girl’ are good examples of this song style. Rest assured, each track is chock full of blazing guitar and organ solos, while the rhythms section goes berserk trying to match the intensity. In this way, they resemble their peers in the UK like Warhorse or Atomic Rooster. Even a little Canterbury quirkiness can be spotted i.e. Egg. A great album and a must for the collector of early 70s heavy German rock.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Pilz. Gatefold. Online acquisition (2021).

Former ownership: CD: 1991 Bernhard Mikulski. Jewel case with no other info.

LP: 2013 Long Hair. Gatefold. Full booklet insert filled with unique liner notes and photos, and includes two bonus tracks - both taken from the 1971 Heavy Christmas Pilz concept album. And Virus had two of the best cuts from that album, though they total less than 5 minutes together. On the downside, the cover image is too dark, and isn't a perfect representation of the original.

1991 (first listen); 08/07/06 (review); 5/2/21 (update / new entry)

Blue Phantom - Distortions. 1971 Italy

Blue Phantom's sole album contains 10 heavy psych instrumentals, and is technically under the category of "incidental music for film and TV". That would be one hell of a film if anyone checked this one out of the "library". Apparently the trash master Jess Franco did in fact borrow some tracks for one of his sleaze-a-thons (of course he did). All the same, unlike most film music, these tracks are fully realized and not just sketches of songs. So not only do you get the cool period instrumentation - heavy fuzz guitar in particular - but the tracks are well written with memorable melodies. File Blue Phantom next to your Braen's Machine, Fourth Sensation, and Psycheground albums.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Kaleidoscope (UK). Recent online acquisition that replaces the AMS reissue LP that made up this original entry. Single sleeve with cool psychedelic artwork. My first copy of this album goes back to the early 90s and a white label bootleg, with the same cover as this (cheaply made, however). 

9/25/17

Virus - Revelation. 1971 Germany

Virus' debut is one of those albums that perfectly defines the Krautrock genre as we know it today. It's a mix of psychedelic, hard rock, and that secret ingredient, one that is only whispered about in the dark halls of the murky and mysterious underground. An underground that is hard to describe, but you know you're there when you hear it. And when you hear it, you say "that's Krautrock!". Sure, the title track includes The Rolling Stones' 'Paint it Black', a song that I might add, would itself be a blueprint for all things European psychedelic underground with its Eastern jam cycle motif. If you're looking for loud acid guitar, flute, and jamming organ with tribal drumming, plus stoned vocals - and you haven't heard Virus' Revelation - then let me be the first to tell you that you have come to the right place. And the album gets freakier as it goes, so that by the time you get to 'Hungry Looser' (sic - and finally spelled right on the GoD CD), and especially 'Nur noch Zwei Lichtjahre' with its foreboding German narration, then you know you have found ground zero for the entire zeitgeist. This isn't the cosmic Krautrock wing of Ash Ra Tempel or Guru Guru, but if you're looking for the hard rock portion of the Krautrock house, then you found it here. Congratulations on your new baby.

The two tracks appended onto the later CD's, from the 1970 45 single, are also worthy and similar in style.

Ownership: LP: 1971 BASF. Single sleeve. Acquired via a recent trade from a friend in Japan (2021). 

CD: 2013 Garden of Delights. Purchased upon release, which should be the end state on that front. As usual for GoD, it comes with a full history, photos, and two bonus tracks from a single.

This album was pretty legendary by the time the first CD appeared on the market (Second Battle), and so I nabbed one as soon as it was released (1991). In addition to that, I also picked up the 1995 version on LP (also Second Battle). Then sold it... bought it again years later... sold it again. Ha, OK, so I can be a mess sometimes. 

1/24/14 (new entry); 5/1/21 (update)

Rocky's Filj - Storie di Uomini e Non. 1973 Italy

Rocky's Filj's sole album is a superb progressive rock album, with a strong jazz leaning. Deep grooves, heavy wah wah guitar rhythms, and head bobbing melodies are just some of the characteristics of this fine work. File along with Duello Madre and La Seconda Genesi, though Rocky's Filj is a bit closer to the sound of Arti & Mestieri at times, moving it more towards progressive rock rather than purely jazz rock.

Interesting to read modern reviews scoff at the dramatic vocals, but honestly that's the style of the genre. Histrionic vocals are to be expected from the early 1970s Italian progressive rock bands. Il Balletto di Bronzo's Ys and Metamorfosi's Inferno are far crazier than anything you'll hear by Rocky's Filj.

Ownership: LP: 1973 Dischi Ricordi. Excellent gatefold with lyric inner. The LP is a recent online acquisition. This replaces the CD (2003 BMG) that made up the original entry. The back cover is my copy as we added it to Discogs.

2/23/10; 1/12/22

Voivod - Killing Technology. 1987 Canada-Quebec

My introduction to Voivod was the Rrroooaaarrr album real time in 1986. I thought it was terrible and couldn't understand the buzz the band was receiving back then. Subsequently I ignored the group, despite continuing rave reviews, until I walked into a local Dallas record store in late 1989 and their new album Nothingface had just been released. The store owner convinced me to buy it, saying it wasn't anything like what I'd heard from the band prior. Boy, was he right. I thought it was great (still do), and that's a story for another day. But what of the albums in between? Surprisingly, even to this day, I've never heard Dimension Hatross. I'll get to it (I think I've been saying that for 30 years now...). But it wasn't long after the event above, that a friend played me Killing Technology. I wasn't moved. I thought it to be noisy. For whatever reason, I've had a few opportunities to retry this album, but it just never captured my imagination. Now our local b&m has it on their wall from a recent metal buy, and shoot, I'm going to get it. It wasn't cheap of course, but I felt maybe if I owned/invested-in the LP and just focused on it intently, my opinion would soften.

And it was a solid premise that came through for me. It's still not my favorite type of thrash metal - and it is noisy. I think part of the issue I had was the date itself. 1987 is awfully late for this kind of post punky scratchy thrash with screamed vocals. I wanted some muscle in my music! Killing Technology is not heavy in my opinion. But it's definitely still thrash metal. Metallica was already on their 4th opus, and continuing to progress - at least technically. On close listen, Voivod is also technical, but it's lost in the barrage of sound. But I have to give Voivod credit - they just keep coming at you. This album is relentless in its riffing. There are no breathers here. They're going for broke for the entire 40 minutes. I hadn't really given this much thought before, but there are parallels here with the first Coroner album, another band that was a little late to the party, but improved exponentially in a short period of time. I could see this album growing in stature for me, now that I have my mind adjusted to the contents within. Gee, I really need to hear Dimension Hatross sometime...

Ownership: LP: 1987 Combat / Noise (USA). Single sleeve with lyric insert. Recent acquisition as noted above.

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 3 - Complete

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Golden Butter. 1972 Elektra (2xLP). Golden Butter is a compilation of his music up to this point of Butterfield's career, which was pretty much over by then anyway (and he died young in 1987). The first side is dedicated to their 1965 debut, while the second side is all about their pioneering 1966 East West album. Both albums are way ahead of their time, and could be considered the homewreckers of the festival folk scene that still permeated the American underground at that time. I doubt my dad even knew who Paul Butterfield was, but had he known, he would have hated him for that. I'll have to ask RT as well, given I have yet to find any of his albums in his collection. Butterfield mixed south Chicago blues with folk and, God forbid, rock 'n roll. We're talking electricity here. The tool of the devil. When I first heard the jam cycle known as East West (2005), I was in complete shock that something like this existed here in the States in 1966. I was 40 years of age when that happened. It's still somewhat unknown that Butterfield more or less created psychedelic rock, and that the genre's roots are in the Blues. BTW, I encourage everyone to hear Many Bright Things' 21 minute rendition of East West. It's jaw dropping. I had to hear it again last night after hearing the original. The other disc from Golden Butter briefly covers the years from 1967 to 1971, and two tracks from an obscure 1966 comp. I heard enough to certainly explore any Butterfield album that comes my way, but these tracks pale in comparison to his early work. I already have the LP of East West, so I'll let this one go.

The Neon Philharmonic. 1969 Warner Bros / Seven Arts (LP). From RT (Jun). Neon Philharmonic is an orchestrated soft rock, light psychedelic themed album. Geared more for mainstream "safe" nightclub audiences, and miles away from the underground. What they call "Baroque Pop" but even that's generous. It was OK at first, but as the album played on, I found myself going from bored to sleepy. Not for me. Incidentally one of the two leaders of the band is named Tupper Saussy. Now there's a name! I had always wanted a cool name like that. For those who actually know my real name, it's incredibly boring. Now that we live in a creepy information age that includes lots of voyeurs and spies, I'm completely grateful for my boring name. 

*Jimi Hendrix - Rainbow Bridge. 1971 Reprise (LP). From RT (Jun). One of the earliest of the posthumous Hendrix albums. Features a good set of tunes, and some excellent jamming from Hendrix. Pretty much what you would want from a Jimi album. Comes in a fine gatefold cover. Keeping this one. 

Traffic - Last Exit. 1969 United Artists (LP). Also with The Music Machine (May). Third album from Traffic, a mix of studio and live tracks. The first side is made up of five new tracks that are clearly still in their 60s phase. They're pretty decent but they do feel like leftovers. The second half is live, and shows Traffic stretching out in Soft Machine mode. It's quite good if not a little lethargic in places. I've been keeping titles such as this, but the collection space is too tight, and need to start thinning the herd. So off you go Last Exit. 

*The Music Machine - Turn On. 1966 Original Sound stereo version (LP). Thrift shop find (May). This is my first time to hear the album throughout. Way back in the late 80s, a local Dallas FM station (with a metal slant) would occasionally throw 'Talk, Talk' into the mix. It seemed to be a new discovery for those guys, and given that it was 22 years old by then (and long forgotten), it certainly would make sense. I was very much intrigued by its combination of garage, 60s punk, and psychedelia. All genres that I was some years away from truly appreciating. Now we're 55 years from its release, and it sounds as fresh as ever. The Music Machine were definitely on the cutting edge of what America and England were about to experience. The band leader and primary songwriter was rhythm guitarist Sean Bonniwell, whose recorded music career only lasted about three years. One of those guys you'd have to think was dropped to Earth by aliens to get things moving along. There are also some covers (de rigueur in its day), most of them well performed, and perfect for the band's sound like 'Taxman' and 'Hey Joe'. For me the highlights include 'Cherry, Cherry', with some fine (uncredited) flute, 'Talk, Talk', 'The People in Me', and especially 'Wrong'. You don't hear too many folks call out the latter, but it's downright sinister and predicts the oncoming heavy psych / acid rock movement. Great album.

More 45's from the RT collection (Apr)

Illinois Speed Press - Get in the Wind (vocal). 1969 Columbia promo (SP). Different than the versions on Discogs, as this has the same track on both sides. It's a kick ass heavy psych track though.  I've never heard the album, but in reading the reviews, this appears to be something of an outlier. Bummer. This is a keeper. Off to a good start.

Cartoone -  Mr. Poor Man / Knick Knack Man. 1969 Atlantic promo (SP). Pretty lightweight stuff here. A) is pretty much MOR pop music. The flip is better, though hardly essential. 

The American Revolution - Come On and Get It / Cold Wisconsin Nights. 1968 Flick Disc promo (SP). Flick Disc had The Boston Tea Party and The American Revolution. I sense a theme. Unfortunately this is lightweight sunshine/baroque pop.

* - Keeping for the collection

2021 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 2 - Complete

45's from the RT collection (Apr)

The Nickel Revolution ‎- Oscar Crunch / What Do You Want To Be (Nothing). 1968 Philips promo (SP). First we have The American Revolution, and now we're rebelling against (or for) nickels. Let's just hope no one names their band Nickelback. Yea. This one almost didn't get past the sample, as the A) side is just stupid. B) side is nice melancholic psychedelia. It just needed a fuzz break, and I probably would have kept it. They just let the premise keep going throughout unfortunately. 

The Sweet Bippies ‎- Bubblegum Music / Love, Anyway You Want It. 1968 A&M promo (SP). I think we can presume the name of this band came from the Laugh-In gag. It was, after all, a huge hit in its day. And the band is completely transparent about who they are on 'Bubblegum Music'. The b) side is similar, but I'm digging the organ and echoed voices. Not enough here to keep though. 

The Peanut Butter Conspiracy ‎- I'm A Fool / It's So Hard. 1968 Columbia promo (SP). I've read some good things about this band, so I was pretty excited to hear this one. I like me some soft psych, but this seems more geared towards the Vegas set. I'm reading reviews that suggest this 45 is an outlier. OK, that's good.  

---end 45s

These all came from the RT collection (Feb-Apr)

The Great Society with Grace Slick - Conspicuous Only In Its Absence. 1968 Columbia (LP). For some reason I had it in my head that The Great Society were pre-Jefferson Airplane and that they were a folk rock act. Wrong on both accounts - well sort of. When sampling the record for condition, I heard something completely different than expected, and put it in the listening stack. Last night came that full listen. Recorded in 1966, these live shows are more akin to The Butterfield Blues Band than anything else. A variation of Indo-rock, and very psychedelic for its era. The facts that I had discombobulated were of course that Jefferson Airplane were indeed the folk rock band starting out. And - of course - Grace Slick then famously became their lead singer just as they were going psychedelic on Surrealistic Pillow. All of Side 1 is great as are the last two tracks of Side 2. Included in the premier selection would be the true originals of 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit'. The cover highlights what a dream babe Slick was back then. She didn't age well, however. Hard livin' woman. 

The City - Now That Everything's Been Said. 1968 Ode (LP). Carole King could be looked at as a younger female contemporary of Burt Bacharach. She learned her trade at the Brill Building, and has a very high number of top hits credited to her name. Unlike Bacharach's optimistic melodies juxtaposed against Hal David's oftentimes sad lyrics - King comes across as a woman scorned. Because she is a woman scorned. As with Janis Joplin, King isn't my kind of girl. I had high hopes for this album, thinking the group effort and a recent relocation to sunny California would have changed her outlook and music. Nope. It just sounds like it should have been King's debut instead. Boring.

*Morning Glory - Two Suns Worth. 1968 Fontana promo (LP). If only RT had been a psych collector, we'd be sitting on a collective goldmine. Even when I do find anything that is psych related (1 in a 100), it's usually from a "name" band such as The Byrds or Stones or Beatles, or even the Velvet Underground. Morning Glory is the first psych obscurity I've found on LP from him (45s are a different story). They are a completely new name to me as well, and I have a pretty good knowledge of psychedelic. Coming from the Bay Area, and fronted by a strong female vocalist, this will earn the Jefferson Airplane comparison. And it's true to an extent. But Morning Glory is much more psychedelic, with electric guitars way out in front. The songwriting is good as well. The production is weird - it's truly stereo, in that sometimes only one speaker will be working. In any case, I really enjoyed this one. 

The Animals - Animalization. 1966 MGM (LP). Here's the second one from RT's stacks. This is a year later than Animal Tracks, but is very similar in construct. In fact, this record didn't have any recognizable songs, or at least less recognizable. I didn't go for this title either. We'll see if he has anything later.

The Animals - Animals Tracks. 1965 MGM (LP). This is their 3rd album. And it's the US release which is completely different than the UK release of the same name. I recognize two tracks from this: 'We Gotta Get Out of This Place' and 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'. Those aren't my favorite Animals songs to begin with, but they are by far the best songs here. The rest is boring British blues. So this one isn't for me, but I know there are some that will be.

The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man. 1965 CBS (UK) (LP).This is the first - of probably many more - of a background project I have going with RT's collection. It was messy enough, but he also had tons of loose albums stored all over the place. And empty covers. So I built out a spreadsheet to combine as I find them. I have a long way to go, with trash bags filled with vinyl, and covers stacked elsewhere. I asked him how it happened. "I couldn't be bothered to find the cover, so I didn't". We're not all wired the same, that's for sure. Fortunately most of the vinyl is in fine shape (Colorado is a cool dry place, if it was Texas they'd be ruined), but just need a cleaning. Anyway, that leads us to The Byrds debut, a very fine British original at that (cover and vinyl both in excellent shape). Most of the songs sound pretty much the same here, and you all know at least a couple of these. It becomes apparent that The Byrds were like a combo of same era Beatles with the early 60s Greenwich Village folk scene. This album, more than any other by The Byrds, explains why RT was a fan. Definitely not of interest for me, but glad to have heard it all the way through. (Mar)

The Road. 1969 Kama Sutra (LP). The Road were a psychedelic band based in Buffalo, New York. Out of the 12 tracks, only three are originals, which is usually a turn off for me. Not sure if the band lacked confidence to go forth with their own material or the label was just looking for a compilation of hits. In either case, once I heard the Zombies' opener 'She's Not There', I knew the band's arrangements were going to be unique enough to warrant a full listen. Organ and electric guitar are out front, and there's some horns as well. An enjoyable listen throughout. I would have rated it higher had the band performed more originals. (Feb)

* - Keeping for the collection

2021 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

Supertramp - Even In the Quietest Moments... 1977 A&M (LP). Thrift shop find (Apr). Supertramp have become quite collectable in recent years - even their most commoditized albums are going for a tenner. Other than their out-of-nowhere 1985 prog(gy) album Brother Where You Bound, I've never had any use for Supertramp. But I'm trying to keep an open mind, and listening throughout to albums that I've dismissed in the past. To quote a part of my review for Brother: "And here comes along Supertramp - one of those bands that contributed to the dire state of the radio in the first place." Yep. The opener 'Give a Little Bit' is exactly what I was talking about there. Most folks will point out the album's closer as the grand progressive rock moment. 'Fool's Overture' is 10 minutes, and about double the length it needs to be. It's of the slow symphonic type, nothing overly progressive in my book. 'Lover Boy' is probably my favorite track, and I would call that one "good". It's not a bad album overall, but it's fairly average really. Oh well.

America - Hearts. 1975 Warner Bros. From RT (Apr). America are a band that I've passed on many times - even in thrift stores. Odd in that they have at least four songs that I think are superb - some of the best songs to ever be played on radio. In college, my roommate bought the America's History album, which is of course their famous greatest hits collection. Even then I loved those four songs. So when I went to our local used record store back then, I bought Holiday, which had one of these gems. I don't remember liking anything else, and sold the record off not too long after. Not surprised to see America in folk collector RT's stack. Maybe to amend that, I'm more surprised this is the only one I've run into so far. Now this album doesn't have any of those great four songs (which I won't mention until we get to their albums - if we get there). But it does have the 5th favorite, and that would be 'Sister Golden Hair', which is pretty good. In hearing the album opener 'Daisy Jane' - also on History - it's better than I recall. The best track for me is 'Company' and was that fuzz bass on 'Woman Tonight'? The rest is boring folk rock. So that assessment I made about America way back in 1986 seems to still hold court. Bummer.

Lighthouse - Can You Feel It. 1973 Polydor (LP). From the same estate sale (Mar). Being an enthusiastic horn rock fan, Lighthouse of course is a band that I do enjoy. Especially the debut album which has some fine horn charts, great melodies, and excellent lead guitar. By 1973, while Chicago is still cranking out hits, Canada's Lighthouse is desperately clinging on for survival, trying hard to regain that magic. The first thing you notice, while looking at the cover, is the band could have used a good dental plan. Then on the back cover, the producer is making excuses as to why it doesn't really sound that good. Too much music I believe was the lame excuse. He's right about one thing - it doesn't sound right. It has no heft whatsoever. It's a shame that a large talented band like this couldn't have come up with something more innovative. They should have gone full-on prog or funk or hard rock or something. But jeez, hearing them try so hard for radio airplay that sound like they're from 1970, just doesn't work. I think one track did manage to do OK on Canadian radio, and it's probably the best one here ('Pretty Lady'). I hesitated to buy this for fear of being stuck with it. But it does have the large poster, so that will help. Of course the giant 4 panel poster replicates the album cover... which highlights their teeth. Some guys just never do get plugged in right.

Mose Jones - Get Right. 1973 MCA / Sounds of the South (LP). From an estate sale (Mar). Mose Jones were a southern rock band, though they did have some groove to them. Probably the oddest aspect of their sound is the copious use of mellotron, hardly a southern rock staple. The music is as eclectic as their instrumentation, and is a mix of gospel, rock, funk, r'n'b, and folk. Highlights for me were the haunting acid folk of 'Ode to Drugan' and the jamming 'Julia's Beautiful Friend'. Interesting album, but not one for me to keep. Looks like Sounds of the South was a Al Kooper directed imprint back in the day, though it's new to me. The main group to have been on the short-lived project was Lynryd Skynryd. Nice gatefold cover.

Queen - A Day at the Races. 1976 Elektra (LP). Thrift shop find (Mar). The more I hear Queen, the less I like them. I figured it would be the opposite. They're just not for me. I find myself liking Brian May's guitar work... and little else. I've had good luck finding their albums at thrift shops and garage sales, which is great because they're easy to flip. I haven't heard them all yet, but A Day at the Races is my least favorite of their 70s output that I've heard to date.

Janis Joplin - Pearl. 1971 Columbia (LP). Thrift shop find (Feb). I don't know if I've ever been able to sit through a Janis Joplin album all the way through, which would include Big Brother and the Holding Company of course. It's obvious she puts everything into her singing. But ugh, that voice. She's just not my kind of girl (in any way, shape, or form). Her singing is both annoying and irritating. My favorite track on the album is 'Buried Alive in the Blues', which is instrumental lol. If she had been able to conquer her demons, my best guess is she'd eventually found her way to Country music, and obtained more fame there for the long haul. You can hear that twang in her singing. Just needed some control. Alright, so now I've heard one of her albums throughout. An accomplishment in of itself. 

J. Geils Band - Love Stinks. 1980 EMI (LP). One more from the 1980 era RT stack (Jan). There's a fine line between opportunist and selling out. Whereas REO Speedwagon is a clear example of the latter, J. Geils is more the former. At least that's how I hear Love Stinks. The title track is the most known song here, and 'Just Can't Wait' was another hit. Jay Geils and crew were from Boston, going back to the 60s, and clawed their way to the top with a fine mix of early rock n' roll, funk, and R'n'B. They're meant to be a fun group and yet they do bring some edge with them too. Of course they were smart to latch onto the late 70s AOR sound. I can respect this album, though it does stray from my personal interest area. A well spent 37 minutes before heading to the sell bin.

REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity. 1980 Epic (LP) Ha. Early 60s folk collector RT would just buy about anything on occasion it appears (Jan). This album is more like the 38 Special album below, in that it was played so often, it's pretty much part of my DNA. Unlike 38 Special, this is pure dreck. One of the most obvious pandering to the great FM radio god there ever has been. Even Journey put some elbow grease into their pop slop. I really tried to be objective, but it's just dentist-office painful to sit through. A couple of decent guitar solos I suppose. I had to spray down the stereo after playing this.

Shoes - Present Tense. 1979 Elektra (LP). Also from RT (Jan). This is exactly the kind of power pop that has gained a following in the last few years. Borrowing from the happy late 60s but with a modern indie styled vocal and songcraft approach. I kind of remember these guys back then, but they didn't make a mark. This really isn't my thing, but it wasn't painful to get through at least. I'm a bit surprised this album isn't more expensive, as most LP's in this genre have gone way up.

Blind Faith. 1977 RSO (LP) From RT (Jan). Another one of those albums that is highly praised (and has been all my life) but leaves me scratching my head. Early supergroup (1969) of Cream, Traffic, and Family but it doesn't remind me of any of them. Maybe a more bluesy Traffic. Like the Beck / Bogert / Appice, this album lacks bite. This has the girl cover, but is a later reissue. Not for me.

The Who - Face Dances. 1981 Warner Bros. (LP) From RT (Jan) Face Dances is not a critic or fan favorite, and has generally been panned across the board. And while I'm certainly not going to fall on my sword for it, I don't find it any better or worse than most major artist albums from this era. This was the first studio album without Keith Moon, so you know how that goes with the die-hard fans ("It's not The Who without Keith Moon" grumble, grumble, grumble...). But the year 1981 had more to do with the output than the personnel methinks. 'You Better You Bet' was the big hit of the day and it's pretty good. 

38 Special - Wild-Eyed Southern Boys. 1980 A&M (LP). From the RT collection (Jan). 38 Special were a band from Jacksonville, Florida, so they are often compared to The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. And certainly 38 Special have southern rock tendencies, but mostly they are a rocking AOR band, pretty far removed from the above groups. Once again, 38 Special were a band that enjoyed great radio airplay success while I was in high school. In hearing this album for the first time throughout, tracks like 'Hold on Loosely' and 'Fantasy Girl' were already etched into my DNA due to repeatedly listening to them for 40+ years. On the whole though, the album isn't so bad. It has a bit more muscle than others of its ilk, and the guitar work is a cut above. And since it's from 1980, the music definitely has a 70s sheen to it. 

Giant Step ~ Indonesia

Giant on the Move (1976)

Giant on the Move is one of a small handful of progressive rock releases coming out of 1970s Indonesia. Others include Guruh Gipsy and Abbhama. And Giant Step is also a vehicle for one of Indonesia's primary musical movers and shakers: Benny Soebardja. Soebardja's first recordings were with Shark Move, before moving to Giant Step, and then ultimately going solo with a band called Lizard as his backup. The beauty of progressive rock being created in no-market countries such as Indonesia, is that the band pretty much has complete creative freedom. Which is, of course, perfect for the style. There are nine cuts here totaling close to an hour, and most of them go in directions one would not predict. The high creativity of the ambitious amateur I would submit. In this way, Giant Step recalls some of the Italian classics of the early 70s. It's not intentional of course, just a consequence of the mindset of the era - one of great imagination and the possibilities were endless. You can expect all sorts of wild instrumentation throughout. If looking for the utmost in professionalism and commercial viability, Giant Step should be avoided.

Naturally enough Giant on the Move is not perfect either, and every Indonesian group seems to include a certain amount of romanticism - a product of their own native club culture. Also the recording itself is pretty rough - still very listenable, but more what we would expect from a cassette demo here in the States. All of which is entirely understandable given the time and place. An excellent historical document, and the kind of progressive rock that grows in stature with each listen. My type, that is to say.

Also of major note to original vinyl collectors - the real-time LP is only half of the full album. The original cassette had the full album as intended.

Ownership: 2021 Strawberry Rain (2xLP). 3 sided set. Gatefold. Photos and news clippings of the band in the center. This reissues the full album, as originally released on cassette (see above). On the downside, there are no accompanying liner notes. 

There also exists a legit CD on a local label called Rockpod (2016). Another under the radar release apparently.

4/23/21 (review)