Dr Strangely Strange - Alternative Medicine (1997 uk, progressive folk rock, the difficult 3rd album with Gary Moore - FLAC)

Goulding tied the knot in '71 and headed west to do a spot of painting. Booth, Pawle and Hoppy the drummer teamed up with Gaye and Terry Woods, who had left Steeleye Span after their first album.

In Waterloo, May '72, the band decided to cut their losses and knock it on the head. However, later the same year, Booth and Pawle descended on Tim Goulding in his halcyon retreat with a wealth of new material, plus Steve Bulloch on sax/bass and Don Knox on fiddle. With Derek Boston on drums and Pete Downey's light show, the band undertook a short but enjoyable Irish tour. The Horsebox Tour, with Dark Mavis and Bill Foley.

On completion, we each set off once more to "do our own thing", as in raising children, learning to integrate into society etc...whatever you're having yourself. About 1980, we decided to give another stab at the big time, suitably enhanced by Joe Thomas on fiddle, TJM Tutty on bass and the 2 Ronnies on drums. (A succession of drummers over the years: Tom Coady, Tel Tetrault, Fran Breen, Robbie Brennan, Earl Gill jr., Punka Khosa inter allia.) The inaugural gig at the Project Arts Centre was an unmitigated disaster. One still wakes occasionally about 3 a,m. in a cold sweat.

The main problem lay in Ivan's inability to keep the bazouki in tune, plus a liberal use of smoke bombs...the less said the better. From then on the only way was up...Stragglers' Bail at Kenmare's Cibeal. Providing soundtrack for Tim Booth's film 'The Prisoner" involved studio time, and a chance to lay down some demos produced by Jerome Rimsome, (Erstwhile Motown House bassist.) The Soundtrack was further spiced up with the addition of Gary Moore on acoustic and electric guitars.

At this juncture, we had a real doctor playing saxophone, namely Kevin Strong, who went on to save lives while we manfully strove to blow minds. Starting out as a quasi acoustic outfit, we had mutated - through a series of hybrid crossovers and implants - into a fun party band people could dance to. (in the old fashioned pre E way.)

The current line up has remained constant over the last fifteen years or so, only the name of the drummer having been changed for tax purposes... Having played together steadily but irregularity over the past while, it was deemed time to tackle that "Difficult Third Album" before another century was on us.
by Ivan Pawle 1997

Tracks
1. Lilty's - 2:29
2. Darksome Burn - 4:38
3. The Heat Came Down - 4:26
4. The James Gang - 2:00
5. Hale Bopp/Jig for Jack - 3:27
6. Hames and Traces - 3:37
7. Wishing - 2:53
8. Whatever Happened to the Blues - 3:57
9. Too Much of a Good Thing - 4:08
10.Hard as Nails - 3:50
11.Planxty Roland - 2:49
12.Epilog - 2:50
13.Strange World (Booth, Gaulding, Goulding, Khosa, Pawle, Scully , Tutty) - 5:45
14.Pulp Kayak - 0:46
All songs composed by Booth, Gaulding, Goulding, Pawler, Scully , Tutty, except otherwise.

Musicians
*Tim Booth - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Ivan Pawle - Guitars, Vocals, Hammond
*Tim Goulding - Harmonium, Keyboards, Hammond, Piano, Vocals, Whistle
*Mary Greene - Vocals
*Aíne Whelan - Vocals
*Gary Moore - Electric Guitar
*Seán Ó Loinsigh - Bouzouki
*Len McCarthy - Baritone Sax
*Andy O'Sullivan - Harmonica
*Joe Thoma - Fiddle, Viola
*TJM Tutty - Bass, Acoustic Guitar
*Bruno Stahelin - Drums

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Los Dug Dug's - Smog (1972 mexico psychedelic and hard rock with progressive touches sung in Spanish - FLAC)

The second album (1972) from psychedelic guru Armando Nava and his band is in Spanish this time, as all other Mexican bands were by now singing in English.

The recording sessions were tumultuous: after the band now stripped down to a power trio had recorded just three songs, Nava stormed out of the sessions and locked himself in his house for fifteen days.

Everyone on the outside worried about his safety, but Armando was fine: he kept himself busy reconfiguring the entire album, including penning the punishing riffs that form the central motif of the mesmerizing twelve-minute medley that explodes over the album s entire first side.

So again, as with the genesis of the Dug Dug s debut album (also available from Lion Productions), the end result of all the tumult surrounding the band was a great album.

There s no doubt that the Dug Dug s toughened up their sound on Smog : to some people they sound like a crazy Mexican version of Jethro Tull, and to others like a Spanish speaking incarnation of MC5.

No matter how you look at it, this is tremendous progressive-influenced hard rock, with a new chunky sound. It is clearly among a small group of elite recordings from the psychedelic age; it is also possibly the best Mexican hard rock album of all.


Hagбmoslo Ahora:


Track List:
01. Smog 3:18
02. Buscalo 1:31
03. Hagбmoslo Ahora 11:42
04. Yo No Se 3:46
05. Cual es tu Nombre? 3:07
06. Meditacion 1:12
07. No Somos Malos 3:08
08. Voy Hacia el Cielo (Voy Hacia el Sol) 6:17


Los Dug Dug's:
*Armando Nava - Guitar, Lead Vocals, Flute, Keyboards
*Jorge Torres - Bass, Percussions, Keyboards
*Daniel Tello - Drums
*Enrique Nava - Vocal Harmonies

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Strawberry Path - When The Raven Has Come To The Earth (1971 japan hard rock with little prog influences - MP3 320K and APE lossless)

[ Hard Rock Series # 10 ]

This terrible band was an appalling sour mash of American Breed cod-psychedelia overlain with lashings of the kind of shrill spewdo operetta that would disgrace the grooves of Uriah Heep’s dopey SALISBURY LP twelve months hence.

Like most of the so-called heavy Japanese bands of the period, Strawberry Path was in actuality anything but. Generally, their catholic sound is eclectic and overwrought, with arrangements being of the everything-including-the-kitchen-sink variety.

Music freaks claim songs such as ‘Leave Me, Woman’, ‘Woman Called Yellow Z’ and ‘I Gotta See My Gypsy Woman’ as evidence of the band’s good intentions, but the band’s deft performances of such daft AOR drool as ‘Mary Jane On My Mind’ and Marmalade/Hollies soundalike ‘The Second Fate’ suggests their hearts were more naturally in this non-headspace.

The band was really a duo with help from occasional bassists Hisashi Eto and former Powerhouse bassist George Yanagi, the latter also contributing a lead vocal, as he did for the Shinki Chen solo LP.

Strawberry Path would eventually mutate into the equally poor Flied Egg (great band name, at least!). Drummer Hiro Tsunoda would thereafter throw in the towel completely, going for total sub-sub-Peters & Lee meltdown with his agonisingly bad solo LP MARY JANE, a 1977 barrel-scraper featuring all of his previous crimes against rock, plus an unashamed copy of Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway To Heaven’ done in a Danish Eurovision style. Although Strawberry Path’s original Philips LP sleeve names the record WHEN THE RAVEN HAS COME DOWN TO EARTH, it is occasionally listed under the Japanese title OHTORI GA CHIKYU NI YATTEKITAHI (review by Julian Cope).

This is an album that will appeal to garage fans, psych heads, mondo music lovers and acid freaks alike, merging as it does a variety of Western influences, ranging from Jimi Hendrix (check out Shigeru Narumo's hard psych guitar) to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple.






Track List:
01.I Gotta See My Gypsy Woman
02.Woman Called Yellow "Z"
03.Second Fate
04.Five More Pennies
05.Maximum Speed Of Moji Bird
06.Leave Me Woman
07.Mary Janes On My Mind
08.Spherical Illusion
09.When The Raven Has Come To The Earth

Strawberry Path:
Shigeru Narumo – lead guitar, keyboards, vocals
Hiro Tsunoda – drums, vocals


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Offenbach - Saint-Chrone de Néant (1973 canada progressive and hard progressive rock - 2008 remastered & expanded edition - FLAC)

As mentioned in the text below which appeared with the original album, the idea of Offenbach playing music as part of a traditional Mass for the Dead came from Pierre Harel, after a show in a club in Northern Québec which erupted into a brawl.

After the lack of interest for the band's first album Offenbach Soap Opera, Harel was looking for an event that would focus some media attention on Offenbach, which was experimenting with progressive rock and blues, influenced by groups like Deep Purple.

Participating in an ancient mass with priests in Montreal's most sacred shrine took months of convincing the religious authorities, and is described with much humor in Harel's book Rock ma vie.

Remarkably, rock music and Latin lyrics went well together, and the resulting album, entitled St-Chrone de Néant, a play on the word "synchronize", quickly attained cult status.

This reissue contains Offenbach's entire performance in the order it was recorded on November 30, 1972, including 26 unreleased minutes of music and mass.

Not surprisingly, it is interspersed with non-musical interludes. The recording was remastered, without compromising the sound of a live concert in a large cavernous church with echoes, background noises and the crowd.

Unreleased material includes "Marche de Peanut" written for the film and album Bulldozer, the finale of "Edgar", a composition named after Edgar Allan Poe that would later appear on the record Never too Tender, and the unpublished "Fils de Lumière".

Once the mass was over, and after Offenbach played "Rirolarma" as an encore, the crowd still wanted to hear more.

The final track, the now classic "Faut Que J'me Pousse", reveals the spontaneity of the recording as half of the sound system had failed and was being repaired when the group started to play its second encore ! - Release Notes


Domine Jesus Christe:


Track List:
01.La Chacone en Sol Majeur (04:47)
02.Pax Vobiscum (11:05)
03.Kyrie (05:22)
04.Oremus (00:49)
05.Finale d'Edgar (01:01)
06.Dans la chaire (03:19)
07.Requiem (02:39)
08.Dies Irae (04:50)
09.Fils de lumière (Évangile) (02:37)
10.Fils de lumière (04:36)
11.Domine Jesus Christe (05:34)
12.Cum Traderetur/Memento (07:43)
13.Marche de Peanut (03:52)
14.Rirolarma (04:58)
15.Faut que j'me pousse (05:03)

Offenbach:
*Gérald Boulet: organ, vocals, synthesizer
*Pierre Harel: organ, vocals, synthesizer
*Jean Gravel: guitar
*Michel Lamothe: bass
*Roger Belval: drums


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Traffic - The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (1971 uk mix of rock, folk, jazz, r&b and progressive - 2002 remaster edition - MP3 320K and FLAC)

Traffic's The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys is often praised as their best effort, and it might just be. This album is no doubt an exercise in everything that that the jazzier side of progressive rock does best.



Intricate arrangements with soft deliveries mixed and heavier tunes that let the audience rock out are all represented on this output, and the band could not have done any of the above better than they did with this release.



While the focus on the album may well be directed to the 11-minute title cut, all of the other songs on the album certainly deserve their praise. Since the album is one of the most thought out in all of prog history in terms of placement of songs (or so it seems) the album flows incredibly well.



Things get off to a mellow start from the first calming chords or Hidden Treasure, which also features some impressive vocal work. The middle of the album is represented by some of the heavier cuts, such as the rock ' rolling, Rock & Roll Stew, which sports some great soloing, and in its full version (a 6-minute cut is added to some remasters of the album), some very good instrumental noodling coming into the ending segment.



Really, the album plays out like a well-formulated chart, peaking in the middle in terms of heaviness and easing off at the start and finish.



Some of the most memorable songs are the slower ones, especially the ones that cap off the album. Many A Mile To Freedom is a somber and reflective piece that can really capture a mood if you let it.



Easygoing yet demanding, this is one of the best songs on the album. Of course, Rainmaker also deserves some due credit, the incredibly emotional coda highlighted by wonderful vocals and some very thoughtful playing makes this song worth waiting for when the end rolls around.



And now we get to the feature piece. The undeniable standout on this album has to be the excellent title track, The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys. Soft and fast pieces blend together wonderfully, and the band's style of jazz and rock really gets to shine here as they seem to have hit a vein with it.



If you've ever enjoyed jazzy music with a plethora of instruments which shifts its tempo in many places and some amazing vocals then this is the tune for you.



This album comes in contact with a lot of other genres, so eclectic is a very true placement for it. With moments of symphonic grandeur, canturburian groove, hard rock riffs and jazz rock fusion soloing this album is sure to please many, and even amaze some.



A true masterpiece in ever sense of the word, Traffic's The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys receives an easy 5 stars out of 5. Extremely recommended (by King By-Tor).











Track List:

01.Hidden Treasure (4:16)

02.The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys (12:10)

03.Rock & Roll Stew (4:29)

04.Many A Mile To Freedom (7:12)

05.Light Up Or Leave Me Alone (4:53)

06.Rainmaker (7:39)



Bonus track:

07.Rock And Roll Stew (single version) (6:07)





Traffic:

*Steve Winwood: vocals, guitar, piano, organ

*Jim Capaldi: vocals, percussion

*Rick Grech: violin, bass

*Chris Wood: flute, saxophone

*Jim Gordon: drums

*Reebop Kwaku Baah: percussion





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Marcus - From The House Of Trax (1978-1979 us psychedelic, folk and progressive rock - FLAC - including live video recorded in louisville, 1979)

Nine times out of ten it seems that heavily hyped albums turn out to be major disappointments.

1979's "From the House of Trax" is one of those one out of ten exceptions - it lives up to and even exceeds the hype !!! I can't say I know a great deal about Marcus McDonald.

He was apparently from Kentucky, but relocated to Indiana, where this album was recorded at Trax Studios (hence the title).

Produced by Jim Fergusson, this private press release is also an exception in that it sounds far more accomplished that most such vanity products.

Literally dripping with spooky, heavily treated vocals, heavy guitar and psych moves, tracks such as 'Locked Inside a World', 'A Trip In Time' and 'The City of InBetween' are great.

Exemplified by tracks such as 'Gary's Song', 'I Want To Fly' and 'Right Inside of You Baby', the 'B' side opts for a slightly more mellow attack, but is every but as impressive.

Tuneful and concise (most of the nine selection clock in under four minutes), this one's a must own classic.

Besides, it's a wonderful album to crank up on a good stereo system. (As far as I can tell this is one of the real things - packaged in a plain disco cover with the bluish title past on over the center hole.

This one's retained it's blue color some tended to turn green with time (From http://www.geocities.com/badcatrecords/MARCUS.htm).


Captain Zella Queen:


Track List:
01.Youre Playing With Fire I
02.Locked Inside The World
03.A Trip In Time
04.The City Of Inbetween
05.Sweet Inspiration
06.Garys Song
07.Captain Zella Queen
08.I_Want To Fly
09.Right Inside Of You Baby
10.Satan
11.Youre Playing With Fire II

Marcus:
*Doug Fisher - keyboards
*Al Jones - bass
*Jeff Kruer - percussion
*David Ledger - keyboards
*Marcus McDonald - vocals, guitar, keyboards
*Will Naugle - bass
*John Pring - lead guitar
*Butch Stultz - rhythm guitar
*Terry Tyler - rhythm guitar


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Egg - Egg (1970 uk mix of jazz, psychedelia, rock and fusion - ecletion edition with 02 bonus tracks - FLAC)

Organ / piano, bass guitar, and drums. Add occasional vocals and tone generator and that's it! Obviously not much rocking expected from that ensemble - for goodness sake, just three people and no guitars?

Well like so many of their Cantebury compats, these guys didn't read the memo and they created some ground breaking stuff.

In fact the notes on the original LP read: The music on this LP is not dancing music, but basically music for listening to.

It is harmonically and rhythmically complex, designed to be as original as possible within the confines of the instrumental lineup; so it's pretty demanding on the listener's attention.

Originally released in 1970, Egg took influences from such diverse genres as jazz, psychedelia, rock and fusion, but probably most important, from classical music - and Brahms, Stravinsky and Grieg are directly and indirectly represented here.

And Egg in turn gave their own influences to a number of other Cantebury acts of the early '70s.

Egg was Dave Stewart on keys and tones, Mont Campbell on bass and understated but very competent vocals, and Clive Brooks on drums.

They were hatched from Uriel in 1969, after they'd lost their guitar player, Steve Hillage to his university studies.

Later, Stewart and Hillage would form Khan, and Stewart would move into the realms of Hatfield and Ayers and Campbell would join him in National Health.

The family tree of the Cantebury scene is a complex web, and we won't try to unravel it here. Suffice it to say that this was one of the more influential if underrated acts of prog's golden age.

The music generated by this small lineup was heavily dependent on Stewart's organ and Campbell's bass - both of which were applied with flair and imagination - but all three artists were credited with various compositions.

There's a lot of avant garde generation of weird and spacey tones, but the rest is an entertaining example of several budding progressive genres taking their first baby-steps.

The English sense of humor is present in many songs, although the lyrics tend toward the spaced out rather than the poetic. "The Song Of McGillicudie The Pusillanimous (or Don't Worry James, Your Socks Are Hanging In The Coal Cellar With Thomas)" could almost have come off an album by The Doors.

And yes, that's the song's name! "I Will Be Absorbed" comes the closest to a prog 'song' in the traditional sense of the word. Symphony No. 2 is a 5-part 22-minute early-day-avant-garde attempt at a modern-era classic, in a similar vein to many of the Keith Emerson pieces that would come later.

Honors for the all-round favorite, however, go to "Seven Is A Jolly Good Time" which is a bonus track here and wasn't on the original record. By 'good time' they're taking a stab at the fixation with odd time signatures. These excerpts from lyrics tell it all:

I used to play in four time when I was very small...
...I started writing songs in all the rhythms I could find - Like five...
...Seven is a jolly good time, seven is a jolly good time...
...I found it hard to follow, my foot became confused...
...I gathered all the notes up and jumped 'em through a hoop - As in eleven

And of course, the song's actual time signatures follow the suggestions in the lyrics - 7/4, 11/4, etc.

The CD reviewed here was wonderfully remastered from the original tapes, and the Eclectic Discs reissue includes three bonus tracks, including both sides of the band's only single and "Third Movement" has at last been restored in its rightful place as an integral part of the now fully extended "Symphony No. 2".

So - the confines of the instrumental lineup of bass, drums and keys really didn't do much to stifle Egg's creativity. Come to think of it, the same lineup was used effectively by The Nice and ELP.

Who knows, that restricted lineup may have been the very challenge that spurred them to produce the influential music that would become one of the foundation stones of modern-day prog (by Duncan Glenday from http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=2094)


While Growing My Hair:


Track List:
01."Bulb" – 0:09
02."While Growing My Hair" – 4:02
03."I Will Be Absorbed" – 5:12
04."Fugue In D Minor" (Bach) – 2:49
05."They Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano…" – 1:21
06."The Song Of McGillicudie The Pusillanimous (or don't worry James, your socks are hanging in the coal cellar with Thomas)" – 5:10
07."Boilk" – 1:03

"Symphony No. 2"
08."First Movement" – 5:47
09."Second Movement" – 6:17
10."Blane" – 5:28
11."Third Movement" (previously unreleased) – 3:10
12."Fourth Movement" – 3:13

Bonus Tracks
13."Seven Is A Jolly Good Time" – 2:48
14."You Are All Princes" – 3:45


Egg:
*Dave Stewart - organ, piano, tone generator
*Mont Campbell - bass, vocals
*Clive Brooks - drums


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If - If2 (1970 uk jazz rock, fusion and progressive rock - repertoire records digipack repuk edition - FLAC)

The second If album came out within the same year as the first, and continues in the same distinctive jazz-rock vein the band worked on its debut.

The playing is excellent, with the sax and flute work of Dave Quincy and Dick Morrissey carrying the group's sound to a level unmatched by other, better known contemporaries like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears. J. W. Hodkinson's unique vocals continue to sail through the music, while Terry Smith employs a deeper, grittier guitar tone than he used on the first LP.

The material here is not as interesting as on the earlier release, but the soloists have plenty of space to stretch out and strut their stuff over John Mealing's organ/electric piano bed of chord changes.

Jim Richardson lays down some inventive basslines and drummer Dennis Elliott keeps the band on track through various rhythmic twists and turns (by Jim Newsom).


I Couldn't Write and Tell You:


Track List:
01. "Your City Is Falling" (Dave Quincy) – 5:05
02. "Sunday Sad" (Dick Morrissey) – 8:23
03. "Tarmac T. Pirate and the Lonesome Nymphomaniac" (John Mealing, Preston) – 4:34
04. "I Couldn't Write and Tell You" (Dave Quincy) – 8:20
05. "Shadows and Echoes" (Margaret Busby, Lionel Grigson) – 4:27
06. "Song for Elsa, Three Days Before Her 25th Birthday" (J. W. Hodkinson) – 5:40

If:
*Dennis Elliott – drums
*J.W. Hodkinson – vocals, percussion
*John Mealing – organ, electric piano, backing vocals
*Dick Morrissey – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
*Dave Quincy – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute
*Jim Richardson – bass
*Terry Smith – guitar


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If - If (1970 uk jazz rock, fusion and progressive rock - repertoire records edition - FLAC)

Biography:
If was Great Britain's contribution to the jazz-rock movement begun and popularized in the late '60s/early '70s by Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago.

Formed in 1969 by Melody Maker jazz poll winners Dave Quincy, Dick Morrissey, and Terry Smith, the band never found popular success in the United States.

However, If produced several albums noteworthy for placing jazz players in a pop/rock band context and producing a true fusion of the two genres without diluting the players' improvisational skills.

Unlike most of their horn-band contemporaries, If had no brass players in the band, relying solely on the saxophones of Dick Morrissey and the flute and saxophones of Dave Quincy.

But what really gave If its unique sound were the vocals of J.W. Hodgkinson and the guitar of Terry Smith. Hodgkinson's vocal timbre was unusual -- smooth, flexible, and strong in the high end, sounding like no other vocalist.

Smith's trebly guitar sound was also unique, combining a rocker's use of sustain with the jazz fluency of Wes Montgomery and Django Reinhardt.

The original incarnation of If produced five excellent albums between 1970 and 1972, but these albums failed to find an audience.

Morrissey soldiered on with the If name for two more albums with a totally different lineup and a more generic rock-type sound, but these, too, went nowhere.

Drummer Dennis Elliott was later a member of the platinum-selling rock band Foreigner (by Jim Newsom - AMG).


Review:
In 1969, one of the big stories in pop music was the emergence of a new hybrid, "jazz-rock." Magazines and newspapers were full of stories about the "comeback" of the big band sound, and every rock band with a horn or two was lumped into this new category, whether there was any jazz component to their music or not.

The leading purveyor of the new sound was Blood, Sweat & Tears, a nine-piece outfit from New York whose eponymously titled second album burned up the charts that year following its release in December, 1968. Originally formed by Al Kooper in 1967 with the express purpose of mixing jazz improvisation into a horn-expanded rock band, BS&T's first album, Child is Father to the Man, failed to capture the music-buying public's imagination.

After some personnel changes, including the replacement of the founder in a coup by other band members, the group recorded and released Blood, Sweat & Tears. Propelled by the hit singles "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "Spinning Wheel" and "And When I Die," this album spent seven weeks in the number one slot on the Billboard album chart and eventually won the Album of the Year Grammy award.

1969 also brought forth another horn band album, Chicago Transit Authority, by the group that called itself Chicago. CTA didn't reach the stratospheric level of popularity that BS&T found at first, but the combined success of the two led many young musicians from various backgrounds to create their own versions of jazz-rock horn bands.

One of the best groups to emerge in the wake of the 1969 jazz-rock explosion was a septet from England that called itself "If." Formed by two Melody Maker jazz poll winners, saxophonist Dick Morrissey and guitarist Terry Smith, If integrated jazz into its arrangements more seamlessly than did Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Differentiating themselves from other horn bands of the era, If had no brass instruments. The band's horn section was all woodwinds---Morrissey and saxophonist/flutist Dave Quincy.

Another distinguishing characteristic was the unusual vocal timbre of singer J. W. Hodkinson, who soared through the upper reaches in a manner similar to Steve Winwood, only with more polish and elasticity.

In addition, guitarist Smith selected a unique trebly guitar tone that blended the sustain of a rocker with the fluent licks of a jazzman.

The band's first album, titled simply If, was released in the United States in the fall of 1970 to much fanfare from Capitol Records, their American label. It was a great album, one that still holds up more than thirty years later.

The album opens quietly, a lone guitar playing a gentle, bluesy intro that becomes a repeating riff in 7/4 time. Hodkinson's vocal arrives, with the first couple of verses accompanied only by the electric guitar floating atop barely audible organ chords.

The saxophones appear playing a complementary pattern as the bass guitar and drums sneak into the mix. The song builds for a couple of minutes, the odd-metered rhythm becoming more insistent. Then the guitarist's riff turns into a sizzling two-minute solo flight over smoldering organ, bass and drums.

When the horns reemerge to resume their earlier pattern, vocalist Hodkinson returns to take the song to its lyrical climax: "I'm reaching out on all sides, I'm grabbing at the truth instead of lies; I want it said when I am gone…I moved the world just one step on." Saxophones, organ and guitar build to a climax, until guitarist Smith is left alone for the denouement.

"I'm Reaching Out On All Sides" is a powerful opening musical statement. But the best was yet to come. The second track is the album's centerpiece, an eight-and-a-half minute instrumental jazz mini-suite called "What Did I Say About the Box, Jack?"

This piece builds to several internal climaxes and features an out-of-this-world flute solo, a fiery guitar solo, and a concluding slice of tenor sax virtuosity. Bassist Jim Richardson provides the hook at the beginning and end of this number, and John Mealing's organ chords make the bed over which the soloists soar.

The record's first side concludes with Hodkinson's best vocal of the set on "What Can a Friend Say?" The horn section is augmented on this track with trumpet and trombone, giving the arrangement a Blood, Sweat & Tears-like luster.

After Hodkinson belts out the lyrics, Dick Morrissey cuts loose on a ferocious Coltrane-inspired romp, only to be upstaged when Terry Smith comes out of nowhere to grab the spotlight with another well-constructed guitar solo that covers the length and breadth of the fretboard.

Whew!! It's already been an exciting twenty-one minutes of music, and we're only halfway through the disc.

The second half of the record opens with a much more conventional R&B/soul-style workout called "Woman Can You See (What This Big Thing is All About)." There's a nice soprano sax solo in the middle that sets this apart from the typical soul raveup of the time. Hodkinson flexes his bluesy vocal muscles and the band really cooks.

"Raise the Level of Your Conscious Mind" is the most poppish of the songs on If. As the title implies, the lyrics offer the kind of optimistic sentiments that were prevalent in 1970, but may sound dated to jaded 21st century ears. (Horn bands generally weren't known for the depth or profundity of their songs' lyrics.)

The wistfully nostalgic ballad "Dockland" provides a refreshing respite, but its middle section still offers guitarist Smith an opportunity to display his jazz chops. The recording closes with a blaze of horn-driven rock and roll as the band travels to "The Promised Land." When the recording ends, you can't get the insistent invitation of the chorus to "Come, come with me into the promised land" out of your head.

If became popular briefly in England and on the European continent, but never found its audience in the United States. The jazz-rock horn band genre didn't last very long, and If began to disintegrate in 1972 after four albums. Drummer Dennis Elliott ended up in the mega-selling rock band, Foreigner (by Jim Newsom - http://www.jimnewsom.com/Audiofile-If.html)


I'm Reaching Out on All Sides:


Track List:
01. "I'm Reaching Out on All Sides" (Quincy, Fishman) – 5:46
02. "What Did I Say About the Box, Jack?" (Dick Morrissey) – 8:24
03. "What Can a Friend Say?" (Dave Quincy) – 6:57
04. "Woman Can You See (What This Big Thing Is All About)" (J. W. Hodkinson) – 4:13
05. "Raise the Level of Your Conscious Mind" (Fishman, Marsala) – 3:18
06. "Dockland" (Daryl Runswick) – 4:47
07. "The Promised Land" (Dave Quincy) – 3:46

Bonus Tracks:
08. "Raise the Level of Your Conscious Mind" (7" version) (Fishman, Marsala) - 3:17
09. "I'm Reaching Out on All Sides" (7" version) (Quincy, Fishman) – 5:44

If:
*Dennis Elliott – drums
*J.W. Hodkinson – vocals
*John Mealing – keyboards, vocals
*Dick Morrissey – saxophones, flute
*Dave Quincy – saxophones
*Jim Richardson – bass
*Terry Smith – guitar


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Electric Light Orchestra - The Electric Light Orchestra (1971 uk mix of psych, pop prog - 30th anniversary first light series with bonus disc - FLAC)

You may not have noticed, but 3rd December is the 30th anniversary of the issue of debut Electric Light Orchestra album.

EMI have, and the result is this lavishly-packaged release that, for a limited period, includes a bonus CD of alternate versions, live performances and a handful of quadraphonic mixes that, for some bizarre reason, were previously only available to the residents of Brazil (OldrockerBR: Huhu!!!, I hear these Brazilian SQ Quad version there the first time 38 years ago!)

The brainchild of Move members Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne, the original ELO's brief was to take the baroque sound of late-period Beatles to its logical conclusion by seamlessly fusing pop and the classics, though some of us would suggest fellow Brummie Denny Laine got there first back in 1967.

At the time of ELO's inception, however, Lynne was considered by the pop pundits of the era as Wood's junior partner, a fact made clear in the accompanying booklet by a contemporary Melody Maker review: "oh Roy Wood, you've done it this time, you've really done it - a fascinating album".

As is now apparent, this is a bit like praising the essentially marginalised Lennon for the extended Side Two suite that gave Abbey Road its enduring reputation.

Wood is clearly the weaker contributor to Electric Light Orchestra, responsible for the album's less convincing moments, like 'Eleanor Rigby' clone, 'Look At Me Now', and the grating "we've got a cello and we're gonna use it" kitchen-sink arrangements that suffocate 'The Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)' and the shameless 'Classical Gas' rip-off 'First Movement'.

By way of contrast, the album is, arguably, the first indication of Jeff Lynne's emergence as a first division songwriting talent (and yes, I have heard the Idle Race).

Later ransacked to no great effect by Paul Weller, '10538 Overture' (a 1972 promotional video is featured at the end of the enhanced CD) is a toweringly eccentric creation that fulfilled the band's stated intention of picking up where 'I Am The Walrus' left off.

Three decades later, it achieves the notable distinction of sounding far more daring than it did at the time, which must say something about the conservative nature of British pop in the 21st Century.

Elsewhere, 'Nellie Takes Her Bow' is a fairly traditional piano-based ballad with a mildly superfluous cello arrangement, but 'Mr. Radio' is an airwaves-friendly pop song that, shorn of its quasi-classical middle section, is startlingly similar to the mid-70s singles that would lead Lynne and his minions to world domination.

Not everything here is perfect, but there are some genuinely sublime moments, and the spirit of adventure looms large throughout.

It may be 30 years too late, but those of us who've always summarily dismissed ELO as bland, unworthy successors to the mighty Move, may just have to think again (by John Sturdy).


10538 Overture:


Disc one: The Electric Light Orchestra
01."10538 Overture" (Lynne) – 5:32
02."Look at Me Now" (Wood) – 3:17
03."Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Lynne) – 5:59
04."The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)" (Wood) – 6:03
05."First Movement (Jumping Biz)" (Wood) – 3:00
06."Mr. Radio" (Lynne) – 5:04
07."Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)" (Lynne) – 4:22
08."Queen of the Hours" (Lynne) – 3:22
09."Whisper in The Night" (Wood) – 4:50

Bonus tracks
10."Battle of Marston Moor" (Take 1) (Wood) – 1:00
11."10538 Overture" (Take 1) (The Move / ELO) (Lynne) – 5:46


Disc two: First Light
01.Brian Matthew Introduces ELO
02."10538 Overture" (Acetate version)
03."Look At Me Now" (Quad mix)
04."Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Quad mix)
05."Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)' (Quad mix)
06."Jeff's Boogie No 2" (Live) - (Early version of "In Old England Town")
07."Whisper In The Night" (Live)
08."Great Balls Of Fire" (Live)
09."Queen Of The Hours" (Quad mix)
10."Mr Radio" (Take 9)
11."10538 Overture" (BBC Session) - (Hidden track) "Whisper In The Night"' (Take 1)

ELO:
*Jeff Lynne: Guitars, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals.
*Roy Wood: Guitars, Bass guitar, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon, Clarinet, percussion, period woodwind instrument; Krumhorn, vocals
*Bev Bevan: drums, Percussion, vocals.
*Bill Hunt: French horn, Hunting horn.
*Steve Woolam: Violin.
*Rick Price: bass on some original tracks (erased and redubbed by Wood and Lynne)


Additional personnel live tracks disc 2
*Richard Tandy - Bass guitar, Keyboards
*Wilfred Gibson - Violin
*Hugh McDowell - Cello
*Mike Edwards - Cello
*Andy Craig - Cello


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Moody Blues - In Search Of The Lost Chord (1968 us psychedelic and crossover progressive - remaster edition with 09 bonus tracks - MP3 320K and FLAC)

With the huge success of their landmark classical-meets-rock album, 1967's "Days Of Future Passed," and it's smash hit single, "Nights In White Satin," the Moody Blues had beaten the odds & successfully transformed from the rhythm & blues combo of "Go Now" fame, to the masterful progressive-rock band known the world over.

For the follow-up disc, 1968's "In Search Of The Lost Chord," the Moodies decided to retain the classical instruments from their previous hit album, with one major difference: they would play all the instruments themselves, including cello, oboe, harp, harpsicord, and, for a touch of Indian-flavored music, sitar.

"In Search Of The Lost Chord" is arguably the Moody Blues' most psychedelic album, but it is also one of their all-time greats.

Bassist John Lodge's rockin' "Ride My See-Saw," and flautist Ray Thomas' wonderful ode to Timothy Leary, "Legend Of A Mind," remain Moody Blues concert staples to this day.

There's also Thomas' playful "Dr. Livingstone, I Presume," the experimental delights of Lodge's "House Of Four Doors" (with "Legend Of A Mind" sandwiched within it), guitarist Justin Hayward's beautiful "Voices In The Sky," "Visions Of Paradise," and "The Actor," keyboardist Mike Pinder's spacious "The Best Way To Travel," and the spiritual "Om," and drummer Graeme Edge's fine poetry in the forms of "Departure" and "The Word."

Marvelously written, played, & sung by the band, handsomely produced by Tony Clarke, and remastered for superior sound quality, "In Search Of The Lost Chord" remains one of the Moody Blues' finest works. (by Alan Caylow).


Departure / Ride My See-Saw:


Track List:
01.Departure 0:44
02.Ride My See-Saw 3:38
03.Dr. Livingstone, I Presume 2:58
04.House Of Four Doors (Part 1) 4:12
05.Legend Of A Mind 6:36
06.House Of Four Doors (Part 2) 1:47
07.Voices In The Sky 3:28
08.The Best Way To Travel 3:14
09.Visions Of Paradise 4:15
10.The Actor 4:39
11.The Word 0:49
12.Om 5:44

Bonus Tracks:
13.A Simple Game (Justin Hayward Vocal Mix) 3:32
14.The Best Way To Travel (Additional Vocal Mix) 3:56
15.Visions Of Paradise (Instrumental Version) 4:30
16.What Am I Doing Here? (Original Version) 3:54
17.The Word (Mellotron Mix) 1:04
18.Om (Extended Version) 6:07
19.Dr. Livingstone I Presume 2:57
20.Thinking Is The Best Way To Travel 3:39
21.A Simple Game 3:41

Credits:
*Justin Hayward - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar , Sitar, Tabla, Piano, Mellotron, Bass , Harpsichord, Percussion, Vocals
*John Lodge - Bass , Cello, Tambourine, Snare Drum, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Graeme Edge - Drums, Timpani, Tambourine, Tabla, Piano
*Ray Thomas - C Flute, Alto Flute, Soprano Saxophone , Vocals
*Mike Pinder - Mellotron, Piano, Harpsichord, Cello, Acoustic Guitar, Bass , Autoharp, Vocals


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Tai Phong - Windows (1976 france symphonic progressive rock - FLAC)

This French progressive rock band has 2 Asiatic members: they give the music a unique, charming and original style.

The intensely floating keyboards and the miscellaneous acoustic guitars parts of a couples of tracks remind the Gandalf's "Imaginary voyage" album.

There are some excellent, melancholic, expressive and melodic electric guitar solos.

This progressive record contains many delicate and ethereal bits, although at a slightly lower level if you compare to the previous album.

Some bits have excellent piano parts. Like on the first album, there are still many AWESOME, androgynous & catchy backing vocals; it seems there are more acoustic guitars than on the previous album.

There is also an omnipresent densely floating combination of organ and more modern keyboards, which gives an overall ambient mood to this record.

The rhythm is rather slow, so the tracks are often relaxing. There are a couples of acoustic Oriental ambiences.

If you like their first album, then you should like this one too (by greenback from progarchives.com).


When It's The Season:


Track List:
01.When It's The Season (Jean-Jacques Goldman) - 8:12
02.Games (Khanh Maï) - 4:07
03.St. John's Avenue (Khanh Maï, Taï Sinh) - 7:44
04.Circle (Jean Alain Gardet) - 5:29
05.Last Chance (Taï Sinh) - 3:45
06.The Gulf Of Knowledge (Taï Sinh) - 9:54

Bonus:
07.Dance - 4:26
08.Back Again - 4:15
09.Cherry - 4:24

Tai Phong:
*Khanh Maï - vocals, guitars
*Taï Sihn - vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, keyboards
*Jean-Jacques Goldman - vocals, guitars
*Jean Alain Gardet - keyboards
*Stephan Caussarieu - percussion, drums


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CODE: 52986

Tai Phong - Tai Phong (1976 france symphonic and melodious progressive - japan remaster edition - FLAC)

I discovered this band when the LP came out (75) and quite liked it at the time. There was of course not yet a word said about JJ Goldman who will later be one the most successfull French songwriter.

Their influence is obviously Yes (but without being too close to be considered as a clone). For this time being "Goin' Away" is a very nice opener : lots of keys and ferocious guitar.

Next track "Sister Jane" was their only hit number (you like it or not but it is a very melodious and passionate moment of music - nice piece to dance with your beloved one...).

"Crest" is a good rocking number but the less interesting one so of the album. Side 1 finishes with "For Years & Years" which is very good : nice intro, then a very powerful instrumental middle section (savage guitar & keys) before returning to a more relaxed lyric part. Very pleasant.

B side is really good. Only two long numbers. "Fields of Gold" is spacey at times: it is a quiet song. A true & melodious prog track.

Some might be irritated though by JJ vocals (like in other numbers). Closing track on the vinyl album was "Out of the Night" : this is my favorite of the band and one of their very few epics.

These 11'33" are a great moment. Good vocals, great keyboards, nice melody and a crescendo building which I really like. I guess that's all prog is about (by ZowieZiggy).

Goin' Away:


Track List:
01. Goin' Away
02. Sister Jane
03. Crest
04. For Years And Years (Cathy)
05. Fields Of Gold
06. Out Of The Night
07. (If You're Headed) North For Winter
08. Let Us Play
09. Sister Jane (Single Version)*

Tai Phong:
*Khanh Mai / electric, acoustic & slide guitar, vocals
*Tai Sihn / vocal, bass, acoustic guitar, Moog
*Jean-Jacques Goldmnan / vocals, electric, acoustic guitar, violin
*Jean Alain Gardet / piano, organ, Moog, keyboards
*Stephan Caussarieu / drums, percussion


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CODE: 52284

Nicodemus - What For? (1980 us underground american biker art rock - MP3 320K and FLAC)

Amazing underground american biker art rock. It sad that there is not much talk of Nicodemus.

The guy has made a number private press Lp's since the 70s which vary intentionally from Album to Album. Acid Folk, Biker Rock, Damage Proto-Punk, and bizarre Effected tracks that sound like Chrome.

Nicodemus has produced a body of work over his more than 30-year career that is stunning in its breadth and shocking in its level of accomplishment, yet is so underexposed that many have never heard of a man whose best music is easily on a par or better than the work of auteurs ranging from Lou Reed to Neil Young to John Lennon to Brian Wilson to Bruce Springsteen.

Perhaps it's too much to ask that the terminally clueless Rolling Stone Record Guide have caught on, but St. Nic has been consistently overlooked even by self-proclaimed 'underground' guides like The Trouser Press Record Guide or Unknown Legends Of Rock.

Excepting a brief blurb in Jello Biafra's section of the RE/Search book Incredibly Strange Music, Vol. 2 and an error-riddled article in Motorbooty magazine, precious few signposts point the music consumer towards Nicodemus' work.

Given that the world of music journalism is prone to hyperbole, many may choose to doubt my words, but the proof is in the music: a couple of listens to amazing songs like "Sometimes I Can't Sleep", "They Whisper Here", "One Way", or "When The Daylight Fades To Nothing" should convince even the most skeptical that Nicodemus' music deserves to be considered among the most creative musical art of the last thirty years (Aaron Poehler).

Me And Suzie:


Track List:
01.Black Sadie
02.The Word Of Parrot
03.Angel Dust
04.One Way
05.Me And Suzie
06.Heads And Brains
07.Rubber Spiders
08.The Miser
09.Long Finger Of The Flaw
10.Self Pity
11.If I Die Tomorrow
12.If I Stand Out In The Rain
13.Oh My Darlin'
14.Scream
15.Good-N-Plenty


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CODE: 52068

Circus - Circus (1969 uk jazz rock progressive with Mel Collins future King Crimson Band - 2009 remaster esoteric edition - FLAC)

Circus produced a tightly woven jazz-rock sound, sometimes resembling Jethro Tull or Caravan, while comparisons to early King Crimson can also be assessed.

Without the help of keyboards, Circus applied saxophone and flute to their impassioned but melodic brand of progressive music, with Chris Burrows' drum work coming to the forefront in nearly all of their tracks.

The original Transatlantic recordings from 1969 were released in 2000 by the Castle label, combining to create Circus' debut album.

With Mel Collins on sax, Circus' eight tracks are wonderfully inventive, merging the band's uplifting musical spirit with their innovative laid-back sound.

Collins' sax gives their interpretation of "Norwegian Wood" a "juicy" sound, to say the least, with enough musical accessories to make it novel.

"Pleasures" has Mel Collins' dad playing alto flute (which has a unique sound all its own) mixed in with some dreamy sax parts into rhythms that are both busy and delicate. Ian Jelfs' vocals aren't that becoming, proven on "Father of My Daughter" as he teams up with Collins for the singing duties, but it's Chris Burrows' Indian tabla that steals that show here.

Burrows' best example of his percussive talents comes alive on "St. Thomas," partnering his drums perfectly with the woodwinds, while his conga's give "Don't Make Promises" its jazz-to-rock sway.

Bass man Kirk Riddle is absolutely bewildering on Charles Mingus' "11 B.S.," displaying the band's love for improvisation while putting the electric guitar to good experimental use.

Circus made a few more albums following this one, but it's here that the well-traveled Collins truly shines, capturing this relatively unknown band in their freshest stage (by Mike DeGagne).

Track List:
01.Norwegian Wood Listen
02.Pleasures of a Lifetime
03.St. Thomas
04.Goodnight John Morgan
05.Father of My Daughter
06.II BS
07.Monday, Monday
08.Don't Make Promises

Circus:
*Bass, Guitar - Kirk Riddle
*Drums - Chris Burrows
*Flute, Tenor Saxophone - Mel Collins
*Guitar, Vocals - Ian Jelfs


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CODE: 25029

Duffy - Just In Case You're Interested (1972 uk hard rock and progressive rock - 2010 release of her first album - MP3 320K and Wave audio format)

UK hard rock and progressive rock band with touches of psychedelia. Their debut album, though not issued in the UK; it did receive issue in Europe and Brazil, leaving some to believe this was their second album.

In 1973 UK label Chapter One issued their self-titled second album. Their sound has comparisons to early Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, and Humble Pie with some minor Jethro Tull influences. Wisely, the French release used a band photo for the front cover.

All the compositions on the disc are good. The vocal performances of Stuart Reffold bring great intensity and guitarist Barry Coote masters his subject as either acoustic or electric.

The ballad "Do not Let Me Be Misunderstood" (cover of The Animals) is magnificent.

Riverside:


Track List:
01.Matchmaker (2:52)
02.Long Lost Friend (3:06)
03.Judgement Day (4:25)
04.Amie (2:37)
05.It’s My Life (2:58)
06.Rock Solid (3:26)
07.Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (5:56)
08.Tell Me (3:10)
09.Riverside (3:05)
10.Place to die (2:09)

Duffy:
*Stuart Reffold – vocals
*Barry Coote – guitar
*Joe Nanson – keyboards
*Patrick Sarjeant – bass
*Will Wright – drums


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CODE: 51069