venerdì, dicembre 31, 2010

Happy new Year!!! 


Anne Sarofeen - Love In  Woman's Heart (usa 1971 great hard blues)
Anne Sarofeen - Love In  Woman's Heart
Cavolo che bel disco! Quello che ci vuole per finire l'anno! I primi secondi sono devastanti per un ascoltatore distratto (veramente deludenti) ma poi scoppia tutta l'energia di un hard blues alla Mama Lion. Le canzoni hanno una forza veramente trascinante, sia sotto il profilo della melodia, sia sotto quello della potenza...veramente consigliato!

giovedì, dicembre 30, 2010

Big Foot - Big Foot (Usa brass rock 1969)



Big Foot - Big Foot

Essentially a very light weight horn/pop band, these guys try to sound a lot heavier than they are, often sending mixed signals. I am not a big fan of horns in my rock and roll, and except under unusual circumstances, their presence often spoils some otherwise decent rock for me. This album is not an exception - every time I feel as though I can start to get into a cut, the horns come blaring in to sour the mood. Too bad hi-fi's didn't include a button you could push, similar to the mono button, that you could use to remove the horns from the mix. Many of these tracks would be pretty decent without them. Grades - 5 B-'s, 3 C+'s, and 2 C's. My sources indicate this album was from 1969.
From RYM (Tymeshifter)

mercoledì, dicembre 29, 2010

West Coast Workshop - The Wizard of Oz and Other Trans Love Trips (1967 usa psych, exp prog)


West Coast Workshop - The Wizard of Oz and Other Trans Love Trips
A wonderful instrumental exploration along the lines of David Axelrod perhaps. Beautifully crafted and produced. Even though there are some references to various Oz melodies, there's nothing corny here. Instead it's a jazzy, arty, soundtrack feeling that's super cool. Highly recommended.
From RYM (spherule)

martedì, dicembre 28, 2010

Whistler - Ho-Hum (1971 psych-prog, Folk UK)



Whistler - Ho-Hum

Un buon disco proveniente dalla terra di Albione...il risultato è un po' altalenante, ci sono buoni momenti (con una buona media se consideriamo la complessità del disco) ed altri un pochino più fiacchi. Il genere è un psych-progressive-folk con alcuni accenni al canterbury dei Caravan (che io amo!) purtroppo, oltre alle buone melodie manca sempre quel pizzico di sale che avrebbe reso unico l'album!

domenica, dicembre 26, 2010

Finjarn & Jensen - Finjarn & Jensen (Nor psych prog 1972)



Finjarn & Jensen - Finjarn & Jensen
Incredibly varied album by talented musicians somewhat ahead of their time, closing on progressive while retaining a strong sense of pop & humour.
From RYM (FuckRYM)

venerdì, dicembre 24, 2010

Merry Xmas to you all! ;)

Resurrection Band - Awaiting Your Reply (1978 hard rock blues rock usa)
 Resurrection Band - Awaiting Your Reply

The Resurrection Band (aka Rez Band, Rez) began their lengthy career with the headbanging holiness of 1978's Awaiting Your Reply, delivering bluesy, crunchy hard rock sent straight from Heaven.  These long-haired bible thumpers from Chicago worship at the altar of heavy metal (primarily Led Zeppelin) just as much as God and seem to know that if you wanna get to heaven you gotta raise a little hell.  Gritty-voiced singer/rhythm guitarist Glenn Kaiser leads the group, joined occasionally on vocals by his wife Wendi, but lead guitarist/keyboardist Stu Heiss nearly steals the show with some hellacious fretwork throughout.  The monster riff of the awesome doom-laden title track combined with its female lead vocals suggest Black Sabbath crossed with Jefferson Airplane/Starship, an unlikely mixture of heaviness that works beyond belief.  Other killer highlights are "Lightshine", "Irish Garden", "Death of the Dying", "Waves", and the epic "Broken Promises".

From RYM (HellBentForLager) 
 


Blue Ash - No More, No Less (1973 usa rock)
 Blue Ash - No More, No Less

Blue Ash's 1973 debut, "No More, No Less", recently received its long-overdue debut CD release (Universal Special Markets B0011701-2, 2008 ***).  Their "Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?)" is long since a stone cold classic in Power Pop annals, and not only because of the Records' excellent late '70s cover.  Just like fellow U.S. Power Poppers Raspberries and Big Star - to name only two - Ohio's Blue Ash were sadly out of sync (and fashion) in the early '70s pop landscape of over-the-top prog, pomp & circumstance.  Therefore their debut album, inspite of favourable all-around reviews, somehow missed its mark.  However, by a word-of-mouth its reputation has grown in stature over the years and this CD issue is soooo long-overdue that it borders on the ridiculous!  Nonetheless, its legendary status (ie "hype") somehow fails to live up to its reputation.  I like their 2CD Not Lame issue of demos and rarities from 2004 a lot more than this.  But, hey!, that's just me.  All the same this is a solid three-star release, and if you're a Power Pop enthusiast it does most certainly belong in your collection.
 From RYM (haj1909) 

mercoledì, dicembre 22, 2010

First Friday - First Friday (1969 hard blues)


First Friday - First Friday

Recorded in Sept, 1969, this So. Bend, Ind. band's only album starts out slow, with some good-timey, rural/country flavored rock, and some soft and lazy, southern rock style ballads, before ripping into some hard and fast blues rock, featuring blistering lead guitar, keyboards, and flute. Originally released on Webster's Last Word label in a limited pressing of 500 copies. Grades-1 A-, 3 B+'s, 2 B's, and 2 B-'s.
From RYM (tymeshifter)

sabato, dicembre 18, 2010

Blue Sun - Peace Be Unto You (prog - exp prog dan 1972)



 Blue Sun - Peace Be Unto You
Mmmm...secondo lavoro dei danesi blue sun...purtroppo paragonabile al precedente...intendiamoci, non che sia brutto, purtroppo la porzione "sperimentale" non rientra nelle categorie che preferisco...comunque i più affiatati con questo genere troveanno sicuramente pane per i loro denti!

venerdì, dicembre 17, 2010

giovedì, dicembre 16, 2010

Brahman - Brahman (1971 can psych rock prog)
Brahman - Brahman
Though fairly commercial overall, side 1 of this is quite good hard rock, while side 2 is comparatively dull, semi-commercial rock, with mild prog influences. This band supposedly includes 2 former members of the Vancouver psych outfit Papa Bear's Medicine Show. Grades - 1 B+, 1 B, 1 B-, 2 C+'s, 1 C, and a C-.
From rym (tymeshifter)
Link

mercoledì, dicembre 15, 2010

Jasper wrath 1971 - jasper wrath (1971 psych with prog touches)
Jasper Wrath - Jasper Wrath

During their short recording career, Hamden, Connecticut's Jasper Wrath (Robert Gennette, Chris Hawke, Michael Soldan and Philip Stoltie - the limited liner notes don't provided a clue as to who played what), managed to release one instantly obscure 45 ('Did You Know That' b/w 'It's Up To You', Sunflower catalog number SNF 5003) and an equally rare 1971 album. That's unfortunate since their album's a largely undiscovered treat.
First off, we'll be honest and tell you this is one of those releases that didn't grab us the first time we listened to it. Occasional woodwinds made it a little too laidback and mellow for our tastes ... That said, having spun it a couple of times, it's become a personal favorite.
Signed by MGM's short-lived Sunflower subsidiary, the quartet's self-titled 1971 debut features an entertaining hybrid of commercial, lite-psychedelic and occasional progressive moves. Produced by Joey Levine (probably explaining the commercial edge), Jim Carroll and the band, "Jasper Wrath" wasn't exactly the year's most original offering. On the other hand, the collection was full of strong melodies (imagine Gentle Giant had they gone in a more mainstream direction, or America had they gone for a progressive sound), some wonderful harmony work ('Autumn') and more than it's share of tasty guitar ('Mysteries (You Can Find Out)'). Highlights included the rocker 'Did You Know That' and the extended, progressive workout 'Roland of Montevere'. (The album was originally released with a lyric insert. Yes, our copy has the insert.)
"Jasper Wrath" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Look To the Sunrise (Jeff Cannata - Philip Stoltie) - 2:55
2.) Mysteries (You Can Find Out) (Jeff Cannata) - 3:50
3.) Autumn (Michael Soldan - Jeff Cannata) - 4:45
4.) Odyssey (Jeff Cannata - Philip Stoltie) - 7:10
(side 1)
1.) Did You Know That (Wrath - Joey Levine) - 2:55
2.) Drift Through Our Cloud (Wrath - Philip Stoltie) - 3:30
3.) Portrait: My Lady Angelina (Michael Soldan - Jeff Cannata) - 5:00
4.) Roland of Montevere (Giannotti - Michael Soldan - Jeff Cannata) - 9:50
From RYM (RDTEN1)

martedì, dicembre 14, 2010

Jode - Jode (1971 usa classic rock)
 Jode - Jode

Sono un po' deluso da questo disco...ho sperato di aver tra le mani un'altra fortunata performance di un trio rock a la "Highway robbery" per intenderci invece i nostri sono sempre rimasti su un rock poco propenso a follie...peccato!

lunedì, dicembre 13, 2010

Broth - Broth (1970 psych prog U.K? U.S.A.?)
 Broth - Broth

The album was recorded in N.Y.C. in 1970. Judging from the back cover photo of the band sitting atop their "tour bus" in a downtown setting, and the multi-ethnicity of the members, I would be willing to bet that they were most likely from the NY area. The music is semi-commercial rock, with some fairly hard material, and featuring some horns and, occasionally, mild rural flavor. this is not a progressive masterpiece, as suggested in some reference sources. Grades - 2 B's, 3 B-'s, 3 C+'s, and 2 C-'s. The album was released in the UK, featuring an alt. cover, and also in Germany, with yet another cover.
From RYM (Tymeshifter user)

domenica, dicembre 12, 2010

Guillotine - Guillotine (1971 rare can psych prog)
Guillotine - Guillotine
This obscure '70s band mixes all kinds of influences like prog, jazz rock, psych, hard rock etc. Most of the time though it falls nicely into a kind of hyped up Janis Joplin style blues rock, and vocalist Carol Breval is a fine and interesting vocalist. Well worth checking out if you happen to stumble upon a copy.
from rym

sabato, dicembre 11, 2010

Fe - Fe (1972 arg hard rock)
Fe - Fe
Un buon disco di musica rock-hard rock direttamente dall'argentina...non ho giudizi particolarmente negativi ne particolarmente positivi...mi ha lasciato una buona impressione, diciamo una sensazione di un po' di tempo passato con della buona musica, tuttavia manca sempre il colpo da "killer" per rendere unico e speciale l'album.

venerdì, dicembre 10, 2010

Los Impala Impala Syndrome (great Heavy psych 1969)

Los Impala - Impala Syndrome

If I'm reading the above website correctly, this band is from Venezuela and evolved through various lineups from 1958 through the entire decade of the 60s.
The sound is often very similar to Cream, vocally and instrumentally, with some occasional muscular guitar/bass guitar/drumkit playing and some excellent riffs. In fact, "For a Small Fee" sounds like a Cream cover. In general, it's ordinary hippie jam rock without any jamming. The songs are all compact and commercially oriented, not much in the way of an acid rock edge and definitely more lightweight flower power sounding than Cream. Male vocals in English, excellent quality.
There's only a faint trace of native music; it's pretty much straight US/UK-derived rock with elements of R&B, soul, funk, and blues, just like Cream.
It's a solid album, about half mediocre and half excellent. I pulled off four tracks for comping: "Too Much Time", "Love Grows a Flower", "Let Them Try", and "New Love Time". The first three are truly outstanding gems, and the fourth is good enough to play again and represents the softer side of the band. "Let Them Try" is one of the most Creamy tracks on the album.

Link:http://lix.in/a31e06

lunedì, dicembre 06, 2010

Chaplin Harness - Chaplin Harness (1970 psych prog)
Chaplin Harness - Chaplin Harness

Semi-commercial, progressive jam rock, featuring some 'luded out garage driven psych, and also with some lounge, jazz, and rural moves. The band hailed from south Jersey. Grades - 3 B+'s, 1 B, 4 B-'s, and 2 C+'s. This reissue came with an insert, and limited to 600p.
From RYM

domenica, dicembre 05, 2010

White Duck - In Season (1971 u.s. Soft rock)
White Duck - In Season

Pop/rock album, mainly notable for containing the first commercially released recordings of John Hiatt, as a member of White Duck.
It contains 2 songs written and sung by Hiatt, "You Caught Me Laughin' '' and "Sail Away". These songs are actually a lot better than I expected, and really make the album, which has become somewhat of a collector's item, worth seeking out for true Hiatt affecionados.

From RYM

sabato, dicembre 04, 2010

Harald Hedning - Harald Hedning (1973 v. good swe prog)
Harald Hedning - Harald Hedning

Good archival release! The band is skilled and the compositions are mostly varied and unpredictable. The music is hard prog, similar to Trettioåriga Kriget. Recommended!

venerdì, dicembre 03, 2010

mercoledì, dicembre 01, 2010

Steel River - Weighin' Heavy'"(1970 can hard rock)
Steel River - Weighin' Heavy'


Steel River - A Better Road(1971)

Steel River - A Better Road

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