Gorizont (Horizont) - Summer in Town. 1985 Russia

Gorizont is a classic example of a Soviet era band that was sponsored by an industrial collective. That's correct, Gorizont was a tractor plant band (technically funded by the Cheboksarian Plant of Industrial Tractors - I couldn't make that name up if I tried). As an aside, I personally think the downfall of the Soviet Union was that half of their economy was still based on tractors - in the 1980s... Anyway, I can tell you this: No John Deere plant that I know of was producing these kind of musicians! A truly wonderful find, Gorizont are one of the most innovative progressive bands from any country - much less the mid 1980s of the old USSR. Three long and involved instrumental tracks adorn this fine work. There's a certain Camel like bounciness to the main melodies that add an air of optimism to the proceedings. However, just at the point where you relax into a comfortable Snowgoose groove, the Moogs go wild, the bass blasts out a grinding a Magma styled riff, and the guitar blisters forward with a violent Heldon-styled nightmare. All in different meters, you understand. Just as the rollicking roller coaster has you about to heave over the side, the music suddenly shifts back to a pleasurable symphonic mode - only to throw you back into the dark hole from whence you came. A true yo-yo album that remains exciting listen after listen.

LP: 1985 Melodiya
CD: 2000 Boheme Music

Like all Soviet era releases, Gorizont's two albums were on the state label Melodiya. Cheap single sleeves and muddy sounding vinyl is what you can expect. Still, this album was such a revelation, that I started distributing the album here in the States via contacts in England and Finland. I probably sold or traded at least 30 copies throughout the early to mid 90s. The CD is the only way to go if you want a quality product. Boheme was a fantastic label from Moscow, that reissued almost all of the classic Melodiya progressive rock albums from the 1980s. Summer in Town comes with lengthy, and insightful, liner notes in English (and Russian). As you can see on the cover (which is the CD press, LP is all in Cyrillic), Horizont is the more accurate translation. But back in the day we all knew this record as Gorizont - so I'm sticking with it, ignorant as that may sound. :-) At one time I had a pretty decent sized LP collection on Melodiya. Summer in Town is the only one I kept, to little regret. Though perhaps I should have held onto Gunesh Ensemble as well (after getting the CD). Oh well.

The Search Party - Montgomery Chapel. 1969 USA

I've heard about The Search Party ever since the 1980s when I first started receiving progressive and psych rarities catalogs. Even then, this album was off the charts rare and expensive. I never did bother to seek it out, figuring it was another over-hyped Christian psych album (you won't see me use the term over-hype very much, but with Christian psych, it truly does apply). So finally last week I heard the album. Oh wow, this really is good. No wonder everyone made a fuss years ago. My kind of atmospheric, doomy psych with Voxx organ, acoustic guitars, haunting male/female vocals and occasional fuzz guitar outbursts. About the only comparison I could think of is the brilliant Music Emporium album, on their more cosmic tripped out tracks.

CD: 2013 Lion Productions (as The News is You: The Sacred & Secular Music of Nick Freund)

One of the most sought after psychedelic records, originals of The Search Party have been super expensive since the day I started collecting rarities in the 1980s. Somewhat surprising to find out, then, that the Century label is not some boiler room operation, but rather a mainstream Christian music label from Los Angeles! Void was the first to market with a legit reissue on LP. Two years ago I was amazed to discover that Montgomery Chapel had yet to be pressed on CD (legit that is - plenty of pirate editions). Lion finally came through - and in a big way. The CD includes the full album by St. Pius X Seminary Choir - Each One Heard in his Own Language About the Marvels of God from one year prior. Full historical liner notes and photos round out this splendid release. Without a doubt, Lion's CD is the definitive edition.

Taipuva Luotisuora - IV. 2009 Finland

Seems that many new bands are attracted to the post rock sound, and Taipuva Luotisuora are no exception. Now normally I'd associate the moniker with the "dull" adjective, but in the hands of the almighty Taipuva Luotisuora, they take the lethargic yet melodic approach and add quite a bit of complexity to the proceedings. There's also a big sweeping sound that gives IV a cinematic quality rarely heard in digital form. Analog 70s styled Moog synthesizers provide many of the solos, adding a much needed warmth to the overall sound. Copious use of tuned and hand percussion is another plus. Fortunately Taipuva Luotisuora have foregone the vocals (excepting some wonderful atmospheric wordless voice), though it also appears that they've ventured away from pyrotechnic guitar solos as well, which is missed. And the indigenous kantele is never too far away. IV is a step forward for the band.

Ownership: CD: 2009 Kaakao

2009; 4/27/13 (new entry) 

MKII - Burning Daylight. 1994 England

On the surface, MKII's Burning Daylight wouldn't even get a second listen. It's a modern, digital, plodding, sterile instrumental album... with... with bluesy psychedelic guitar. A total anachronistic experience! As if Andy Glass from Solstice walked into the studio and laid down some incredible licks. Then left. For that alone, the atmosphere is splendid. Not the greatest album in the world, but worth hearing. MKII is much different from SI's normal sterilized commercial neo prog fare. 

Former Ownership: CD: 1994 SI (Netherlands). Jewel case.

5//95 (first listen); 4/23/13 (new entry); 5/1/24 (update)

Kama Loka ~ Sweden

Kama Loka (2013)

Starting with a droning minor key cello, Kama Loka immediately evokes the sounds of classic Algarnas Tradgard. The violin, Hammond organ, flute, sax, and Swedish vocals only enhance the comparison. Eventually some psychedelic guitar enters in, and the music moves closer to classic Flasket Brinner. Kama Loka is a project made up from the fine folks who brought us the Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting albums. For those who love the early 1970's Swedish psychedelic progressive scene, like myself, then this album is a no-brainer pickup.

Ownership: 2013 Kommun 2 (LP). Gatefold. Taller than average and super thick. Acquired in 2013.

4/9/13 (review / new entry); 1/21/14; 5/26/26

Walrus ~ Sweden

Walrus (2013)

Walrus is an exciting new album from Sweden that mixes retro progressive with classic Krautrock sounds. Opening track 'Tromso III' gets the motorik running with a steady beat and analog keyboards layered on top. The real party begins with 'Signals', a haunting organ and violin led piece. Heavy bass and drums propel the track forward in an exciting way. Bleeping synthesizers are dropped on top to create a truly psychedelic atmosphere. But it's the 14 minute 'Spitsbergen' that really places Walrus in the big leagues. Starting out in Ohr music territory, with a decidedly funereal backdrop of organ, synthesizers, bass, and plodding drums - the composition suddenly comes alive with an insane and massive fuzz bass attack followed by swirling organ and mellotron . If you don't fly off your couch and put a fist through the wall, then you are... ... legally dead. Very few bands ever capture a perfect moment like that. What a stunning song. 

---6/14/22

This listen confirmed the above findings. Overall it's a fine album that captures the spirit of the original Krautrock movement. Pity they didn't continue on.

Ownership: 2013 Electricity (LP) 

4/9/13 (review / new entry); 6/14/22 (update)

Taipuva Luotisuora - 8. 2013 Finland

8 starts off like a space rock version of Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song', before settling down into their usual cosmic groove. The guitars are noticeably heavier than prior, and they seem to be circling the post rock genre a bit more closely than before. Faux organ sounds are never a bad idea, and nice to see Taipuva Luotisuora applying both that and the rare guitar solo back in the mix. Overall, 8 may be their most straightforward disc to date. I for one would like to see them reach back to their debut for some inspiration on future works. This is the first album where I feel they have stopped innovating. Too comfortable. But it's still excellent!

It appears the bands naming convention is 2 to the (x-1) power where x is the actual release number (not counting the demo of course). We'll see if that holds up. If so, the next album will be either 16 or XVI.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Kaakao

3/26/13 (new entry)

Henry Fool. 2001 England

I suppose a Porcupine Tree comparison is unavoidable on Henry Fool's debut album. Especially considering the vocal tracks. That is to say, the more melancholic efforts from Porcupine Tree replete with mellotron. The instrumental parts range from lounge jazz to pure psychedelic bliss - and all points between. Radical in its own way - though not necessarily ground breaking. It's not until track 4 that vocals are even heard. There are 16 tracks in all. This is the same spirit that classic progressive rock had in the 1970's - making music just to make music. No end purpose in sight. Exciting concept if you think about it...

Ownership: CD: 2001 Cyclops

2004; 2012; 3/21/13 (new entry)

Micah - I'm Only One Man. 1971 USA-New York

Micah started in Terre Haute, Indiana before relocating to upstate New York. I'm Only One Man is head and shoulders above most of these hard rock / psych US private pressings from 1971. Long runs of guitar and organ solos, with a great vibe throughout. I love the way the Hammond is played in a choppy manner, with the wah wah guitar solos layered on top. Incredible bluesy soulful vocals. Just nonstop (I mean nonstop) kickass music, the way you want every single one of these type of obscure private albums to sound, but sadly they rarely do. Only bummer is that Side 2 is only 11 minutes long. For me, Micah's music is the definition of BAD ASS. They exude early 70's coolness. Micah are the perfect realization of Uriah Heep now that I think about it. Or Gregg Rolie era Santana. About as good as it gets for the style.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Shadoks (Germany). The original LP is one of the rarest American private pressings. I had never even heard of it until my buddy Heavyrock played his original for me about 7 years ago. So unless you have a nice trust fund going, you'll probably want to fork over for one of the Shadoks reissues. I opted for the CD, which has just recently been released. It features plenty of historical notes, a recent interview, and photos to supplement this issue. It's unfortunately a rather short album (< 30 minutes) and there are no bonus tracks. Don't let that deter you though, as it's 29 minutes of excellence with no wasted moments.

11/19/17; 8/22/21 

The Old Man & The Sea - s/t. 1972 Denmark

Musically speaking, The Old Man & The Sea fits squarely in the Scandinavian / Northern European sophisticated heavy rock bag. Heavy organ and guitar lead the instrumental solo sections, while rough English vocals add a bluesy feel to the proceedings. It's definitely influenced by the Vertigo label UK sound, but of course deep divers will likely recognize other Scandinavian acts such as Norway's Ruphus (first album) or Host, Finland's Kalevala, and Sweden's November. Excellent album.

CD: 2011 Belle Antique (Japan)
LP: 2013 Shadoks (Germany)

For as long as I've been collecting progressive rock (mid 1980s), The Old Man & The Sea's sole album has probably been Scandinavia's most sought after major label record, along with Junipher Green's debut. As such, it was always too expensive for me to buy a copy. Unfortunately, for years on end, this album thrived strictly in the bootleg market - both on LP and CD. Then in 2003, unbeknownst to everyone (including me) there was an authentic CD put out by a small label called Dunk. No one even carried it for sale! And it was just as obscure as the album itself, though not as expensive of course. Finally, in 2011, Marquee's Belle Antique put out a fresh copy completely remastered by former band member Tommy Hansen - who also happens to now be a famous producer. This is an unusual move for Belle Antique, who are usually content to put fancy packaging on already remastered CDs. As for the packaging, the original gatefold album cover is stunning - thus a perfect vehicle for the mini-LP format. And recently Shadoks has come through with a beautiful LP reissue. The thick gatefold has been replicated perfectly, and includes an insert with a full history and interview. They even received permission from Universal to use the original orange Sonet label! They also provided a CD reissue if in the market for one.

As an aside, to the rarity of this album, I would like to point out an article I read years ago. It was in a newspaper called The European, which was an awesome English language resource for a European backpacker like me in the 1990s. I think it was in 1991 (maybe 1993), where I read about the rarity of European rock records - something I was already all too painfully aware of. The example they used? The Old Man & The Sea on Sonet. Even back then, this was a huge prize. And it's easy to see why.

Many Bright Things - Many Bright Friends. 2005 USA-Indiana

For my tastes, Many Bright Things' best work is Many Bright Friends, which features [i]the best[/i] cover version of Paul Butterfield Blues Band's 1966 classic 'East West'. All modern bands should revisit this Indo-blues classic on how to lay down a groove and then improvise on top. Guest Nick Salomon (Bevis Frond) lays the studio to waste, only to be immediately followed by Al Simones' incendiary and violent solo, that concludes one of the greatest one-two punches I've ever had the pleasure to hear. The other tracks on the album unfortunately don't stack up, but the 21 minute 'East West' more than makes up for any shortcomings.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Wild Places. Jewel case with small booklet and many details regarding the recording.

3/9/13 (new entry); 6/19/21

Necronomicon - Haifische. 2012 Germany

Now this is how you do a reunion album! Essentially Necronomicon reformed and newly recorded previously composed tracks from the early 1970s. These compositions were never properly recorded, so the band reformed last year to finish the job. What's most interesting to me is that this sounds exactly like a well recorded album from 1973. There isn't a hint that this is a modern recording. The instrumentation, the production, and the songcraft all point to 40 years earlier. And, best of all, the four lengthy tracks presented here are better than their 1972 album proper! Much more progressively minded, with plenty of space for instrumental improvisation. As with their "Tips For Suicide" album, all the lyrics are sung in German. Perhaps the only downfall is the 13 minute 'Wenn die Menschen Tiere Wären' which is a tad too wordy for my tastes, but that's just a personal grump. But otherwise, Necronomicon's comeback is superb! And I hope they don't stop here. I wish all reunions would use this as a blueprint for how to restart a career (or hobby as it should be known).

Ownership: LP+CD: 2012 private. And now let's talk about the packaging, which is nothing short of magnificent. It is an exact duplicate of the multi foldout Tips zum Selbstmord - but this time it's white on black (see above photos). As well, the LP comes with a free CD to take along for the car ride. If you're an LP collector, this is the kind of album you dream about.

3/3/13 (new entry)

Pancake ~ Germany

No Illusions (1979)

No Illusions is Pancake's third album, and an improvement compared to its two predecessors. Again, guitarist Walter Negele was forced to rebuild the band almost from scratch. Here, Pancake presents a typical German symphonic progressive album with female vocals which veers towards the sound of bands like Octopus circa Boat of Thoughts or Streetmark's Eileen. While the first two albums tended to meander, No Illusions demonstrates a mature band, with tighter arrangements, and a more forceful approach.

Cool cover arts that crosses the harsh realities of the late 70s with the psychedelic dolls of the original Ohr LP's.

The CD adds six bonus tracks. The first three are a set of demos from 1980 that was to be their 4th album. The other grouping is a live reunion from 2002. 

Ownership: 

1979 Blubber Lips (LP)

2012 Garden of Delights (CD). Six bonus tracks. Booklet with liner notes and photos. 

3//06 (LP acquired); 1/3/10; 2/21/13 (CD acquired / review)

Out of the Ashes (1977)

On Out of the Ashes, original guitarist and main songwriter Walter Negele basically had to build the band from the ground up from the prior release. For this lineup he added a keyboardist along with a talented singer, to provide a more symphonic sound than prior. As with Roxy Elephant, same period Jane would have to be looked upon as an influence, since they too had switched to a more spacey sound reflecting their new interest in all things Pink Floyd. This type of sound was hugely popular in Germany at this time, as not only major indigenous bands such as Eloy and Grobschnitt had migrated in this direction, but a host of more unknown groups like Indigo, Fly, and Shaa Khan had also tried their hand had emulating Animals-era Floyd. Overall, Out of Ashes demonstrates a more confident Pancake, and is a slight improvement on the debut. But they were to accomplish even more on their final album No Illusions.

Ownership: 2008 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet provides a full history of the album, with copious photos plus one bonus track.

6//90 (LP acquired); 1996; 9/26/07; 2/18/13 (CD acquired / review)
 

Roxy Elephant (1975)

Pancake's debut is a good representative of the German rock sound of the mid 1970s. So it's not really Krautrock per se, nor Deutschrock, but it definitely has a progressive mindset, with plenty of good ideas. There are no keyboards, and the songs are driven by dual guitars. From a composition perspective, mid 70s Jane and Birth Control would probably be a good guidepost here, but other obscure references would include Poseidon, Madison Dyke, and Prosper. Obviously, Pancake is not where you start your German progressive collection, but for deep divers like myself, this is worth owning. They were to improve from here.

I wish they'd included the two Nyrvana Pancake singles as bonus, rather that putting them on one of GoD's Psychedelic Gems' series of albums. I haven't heard these singles myself, but will check them out on YouTube when I get a chance.

 One fun fact: Back in the early 90s, when we had a weekly radio show here in DFW, I asked the host how he would describe the album cover. He dutifully started to do so, until he heard myself and others in the studio start busting out laughing. Yea, I know, sophomoric humor right out of Porky's or American Pie. Who said the UMR was highbrow anyway?

Ownership: 2003 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet with liner notes and photos. 

8//90 (LP acquired); 1995; 12/3/07 (CD acquired); 2/17/13 (review)

2/17/13 (new entry)

Kharmina Buranna - El Arte de Seguir Vivos. 2008 Peru

Though from Peru, Kharmina Buranna remind me quite a bit of the 1970s Argentine progressive rock scene. They squarely fit the "retro prog" category and play a direct mix of early 70s styled blues rock mixed with classic era Yes, and a dose of 70s Italian progressive rock. So imagine a cross between El Reloj and Ave Rock! Other guideposts would include Invisible, Agnus, and Espiritu.  Kharmina Buranna definitely are Western European sounding, and do not possess any indigenous elements in their sound, differentiating them from their peers like Flor de Loto or Supay. El Arte de Seguir Vivos has many twists and turns, and contains a fat 70s analog sound. It holds up well on repeated listens, and something new reveals itself each time - always the hallmark of a great album.

Ownership: CD: 2008 Mylodon (Chile)

2/19/13 (new entry)

Kharmina Buranna - Seres Humanos. 2012 Peru

Seres Humanos continues in the same path, though they aren't as pointedly retro, and their sound has been updated ever so slightly. While the analog keyboards and production are still in full force, the composition style reminds me of the best bands of the early 90s. Gone is the blues rock, and in its place is a more stately sound with added female vocals. I hear a cross between Quaterna Requiem with Solstice in many places (though there is no violin). I found their new album no less enjoyable than the debut, despite a conscious move away from the early 70s style. The compositions are multi threaded and consistently engaging. Kharmina Buranna has certainly put forth a strong argument that they may be the best pure symphonic progressive rock band from South America today.

Ownership: CD: 2012 Azafran (Mexico)

2/18/13 (new entry)

Silberbart - 4 Times Sound Razing. 1971 Germany

An appropriately named album, as Silberbart on their sole album provide the listener with four very long freaked out blues psych tracks similar to 'Bo Diddley' era Guru Guru. This isn't an album you hear much about, other than from early 70s hard rock collectors, but it's more towards the psychotic Krautrock sound than the usual straightforward 4/4 blues rock (vocal style notwithstanding). When compared to groups like Hairy Chapter, Haze, Light of Darkness, Dies Irae, Second Life, and dozens more, Silberbart is the clear winner.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Philips, Single sleeve. Online reacquisition (2023).

CD: 2012 Long Hair. Jewel case release with liner notes.

I picked up an original of this LP back in my mad "wheeling and dealing" days (1994) and that was my introduction the album. I traded it out for something more of my liking back then.

1994 (first listen); 9/29/11 (review); 2/16/13 (update / new entry)

Flowers Must Die (3). 2013 Sweden

I was first drawn to this Swedish collective by their most fortunate choice of the group name Flowers Must Die. However, despite this moniker, Flowers Must Die will not likely make you recall Ash Ra Tempel, and especially not the Schwingungen album. Mainly because there isn't some madman screaming "Flowers Must Die - Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!". And there isn't much Krautrock here unless you count a steady rhythm, which recalls an entirely different branch of the genre.

The first two albums came and went before I even had a chance to hear. So we start with the third album, which was described to me as Psychedelic Doom Jazz. I don't hear much doom or jazz to be honest. Flowers Must Die are good old fashioned space rock. Probably the closest comparison would be to My Brother the Wind on their debut, or some of the less edited Oresund Space Collective albums. Their 3rd album is a double LP, and as such, there are long jams driven by electric guitar, that are explored to the last drop. Sometimes, especially on Side 1, the songs drag on long past their shelf life. The addition of guest violin is probably their strongest move, which gives it a whiff of ancient Swedish folk and thus recalls some of the Swedish pioneers such as Algarnas Tradgard and Flasket Brinner. Hawkwind is another obvious influence here. I should be clear, I think Flowers Must Die is a very good group, and I do enjoy this album quite a bit. But I would like to see more compositional quality. A few twists and turns to keep me guessing. I'm sure their music translates better in a live setting.

Former ownership: LP: 2013 Rev/Vega / Kommun 2. 2xLP gatefold. Has an insert with band photo and recording details.

2/14/13 (first listen / review / new entry); 12/25/24

Experimental Quintet - Atlantis. 2012 Romania

Experimental Quintet (aka Experimental Q, Experimental Quartet) are a group that go back to the 1970s. They were a band I had researched for the CDRWL, and after hearing some songs on YouTube, I about wet my pants. This is some of the finest unreleased progressive rock music I'd ever heard. Imagine a cross between Progresiv TM and Tortilla Flat, and you'll understand my enthusiasm. Flute, organ, fuzz guitar and hyper complex rhythms are what defined their sound. Unfortunately, as I already mentioned, the key word is unreleased. So therefore I couldn't really add it to the CDRWL. Apparently a whole LP was recorded, but the state label Electrecord must have thought it too subversive. And sadly, most of this material remains that of mystery and imagination.

After many years, the band decided to reform, sans the flute player who is now MIA. That's a pity, as the flute is such an integral part of their original sound. So they decided to use synthesizers to recreate the sound of the flute. Perhaps the weirdest part of this reunion is that the sound quality of the CD is worse than a Communist era 1970s recording. I'm guessing they were going for an "authentic" original experience, but I'm not sure it was necessary to take it that far. However, the guitar sound is still great, so there's much to grab onto here. All the music was originally written in 1970s, so it has that compositional reckless abandon that we only find from that era. Perhaps the best track of the CD is the one they didn't re-record: 'Quintet No. 2', which they transferred from the 1970s, complete with the original flute. Once you hear this, you'll see the great potential the band once had.

Ownership: CD: 2012 Soft Records

2/14/13 (new entry)

Survolaj. 1992 Romania

What perhaps is most extraordinary about this album is the original recording date of 1992. There are countless bands today recreating the early 1970s sounds and attitude. But no one was doing this in 1992. Especially in places like Romania. Or so I thought. Side 1 is an 18 minute brain blaster of a track called 'Broken Flight'. Survolaj are basically a guitar based trio, with guest on flute, and the sound here is remarkably similar to 1971 German outfits of the same mindset like Silberbart, Dies Irae, Haze, Blackwater Park, and Second Life. Wah wah bluesy guitar, histrionic vocals, and a hyper active rhythm section is what you can expect here. Outstanding. Side 2 (tracks 2 and 3) are decidedly more blues based, and recall the 1969/70 English scene. Classic early Led Zeppelin in particular seem to be a major influence here, though other bands like The Groundhogs, Ashkan, and Elias Hulk come to mind too.

Ownership: CD: 2007 Soft Records

2/13/13 (new entry)

William Sheller - Lux Aeterna. 1972 France

William Sheller (nee Hand), will never be mistaken for a subversive underground rocker. He comes from a well-to-do past and was formally trained in music at various academies. And while he had a passing interest in rock music, like everyone else due to the mid 60s fun of The Beatles, it was never his true passion. Lux Aeterna was composed to celebrate the marriage of dear friends (you can just picture the gallant ball already). This is true symphonic progressive rock. Sheller didn't need cheap imitations like mellotron to produce what he had envisioned. He had a whole orchestra and choir at his disposal! Of course there is a significant rock element present, which is how it hit the underground collecting channels. The lush, but dark, nature of the compositions coupled with psychedelic guitar and drums is a very powerful musical statement. The album gets heavier and darker as it goes, and thus the acid guitar solos really pack a punch in this setting. A truly exquisite work, and proves that Sheller - had he wanted to - could have been a brilliant progressive rock "star". But that would have been far too restraining for the young Sheller, and he has since gone on to release dozens of albums in a variety of styles. Lux Aeterna is the perfect complement to the Jean-Claude Vannier L’enfant Assassin des Mouches album.

CD: 2012 Omni (Australia)
LP: 1975 CBS
CD: 1989 CBS (France / Japan)

My first copy of this album was the second LP press featuring the dapper Sheller on the cover. The top cover is the original, which is also (fortunately) used on both of the CDs. The 1980s press was one of the rarest CDs in my collection for many years. It was pressed in France by Columbia and distributed, I think exclusively, by Marquee in Japan. It came with a full back plate obi, with a biography of Sheller, written entirely in kanji. I traded for one out of Japan sometime in the 90s, and I don't think I ever saw a copy again. The CD was so obscure that when Omni came along with their CD reissue, they stated it was the first legitimate press on the market. There were pirate editions floating about, so I can understand why they said that. But the 1980s press is absolutely legit - but no one knew about it!

All this to say that the Omni CD is by far the best way to go if you're looking to own this. It too has proven to be a bit difficult to obtain here in the US. Not only does the CD feature the entire Lux Aeterna in its best sound yet, but you also get the very rare 1969 Erotissimo EP and no less than 8 other rare singles recorded from 1967 to 1970. One of these singles was a huge hit in France called 'My Year is a Day', a Sheller penned song for an American student group (sons of diplomats living in Paris) called Les Irresistables. The financial windfall from that single helped to fund Lux Aeterna. We learn all of this from the fantastic liner notes of the CD. A great job all around. It would be great if Omni reached a little further into the vaults and released the Popera Cosmic album, which Sheller produced. It too will need bonus tracks, since I recall it being under 30 minutes long.