BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS

Wednesday 21 December 2011

***More Kids Christmas Music! (i can't get enough!)***



..i spent all day yesterday trawling thru ALL of Amazon uk's mp3 kids albums to find the best more songs i could find. i found a great handful of unknown songs, and some fine renditions of some old standards. there are many more 'Jesusy' songs on this collection, except for about 3 that are great kids versions of pop songs.

i think you will be enthralled as i was at the variety of gorgeous tunes on here. i believe they are mostly American kids, but they sing so beautifully you don't notice, except for the odd solo verses!

i always try to avoid anything too jazzy sounding, too slow, too restrained, too twee, or Heaven forbid, any adult interference. <-Let the kids sing!! i just love it clear, bright and decently sweet! enjoy!






here

Tuesday 20 December 2011

***Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band -A Tapestry of Carols(1987) -gorgeous old worlde folk, must listen!!***



Note: Maddy & band have done about 5 Christmas albums like this, so do check them out if you like Olde Worlde folk! it's great stuff!!

From Wikipedia:
A Tapestry of Carols is an album by Maddy Prior. It is a collection of ancient carols from across Europe, played by The Carnival Band on replicas of medieval instruments. It was recorded at The Quaker Meeting House, Frenchay, near Bristol and released in 1987.

Personnel

Maddy Prior – vocals
Bill Badley – baroque guitar, guitar, gittern, banjo, mandolin, mandocello, cittern, vocals
Andrew Davis – double bass
Charles Fullbrook – tabors, basel trommel, glockenspiel, bells, wood blocks, triangle, cymbals, vocals
Giles Lewin – violin, recorders, vocals
Andrew Watts – Flemish bagpipes, bassoon, curtal, clarinet, recorders, shawm, vocals
Arrangements by Andrew Watts
"Angels From The Realms Of Glory" arranged by Andrew Watts and Giles Lewin.

Track listing

"The Sans Day Carol" (Traditional Cornish)
"In Dulci Jubilo" (German 14th Cent)
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Traditional English)
"It Came Upon The Midnight Clear" (Tune trad Eng, words EH Sears)
"The Holly and the Ivy" (Traditional English)
"The Coventry Carol" (English 16th Cent)
"Ding Dong Merrily On High" (Tune trad French 16th Cent, words GR Woodward)
"The Angel Gabriel" (Tune trad Basque, words S Baring-Gould)
"Angels From The Realms of Glory" (Tune trad French, words J Montgomery)
"Infant Holy" (Traditional Polish)
"A Virgin Most Pure" (Traditional English)
"Unto Us A Boy Is Born" (German Medieval)
"Rejoice And Be Merry" (Traditional English)
"Joseph Dearest" (German 16th Cent)
"Personent Hodie" (German 14th Cent)
"On Christmas Night" (Sussex Carol) (Traditional English)

here

***ELP -Works Vol 1 & 2 (uk 1977) -amazing album with classical, prog and power ballads***



From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Works Volume 1 is a 1977 album by progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It is a two-disc set divided into four major sections, one each highlighting each band member, and one for combined works.

The album was highly anticipated, as it had been four years since the release of ELP's last studio album, Brain Salad Surgery. However, it was different from the synthesizer-driven music that most fans had expected and received a mixed reaction from fans and press.

Side 1 of the first disc is the Keith Emerson side, a concerto for piano and orchestra.

Side 2 is the Greg Lake side, and consists of acoustic ballads, most of which were written by Lake and Peter Sinfield.

Side 3 (disc 2, side 1, the Carl Palmer side) includes a remake of "Tank" (from ELP's eponymous first album), with orchestral accompaniment and without the drum solo. Another track on Palmer's side is the rocker "L.A. Nights", featuring Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh on lead and slide guitar and scat vocal. Also, two arrangements of outside composers' pieces figure on the Palmer side: one of Bach's baroque D Minor Invention #4, BWV 775, and a piece titled 'The Enemy God Dances With The Black Spirits', an excerpt of the 2nd movement of "The Scythian Suite" by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953), written in 1915.

Side 4 (disc 2, side 2) features the entire band together, and consists of a modern piece re-arranged for rock band, Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, and the long-form song "Pirates" which features lyrics added to music Emerson had written for the soundtrack of a canceled film version of Frederick Forsyth's book The Dogs of War. Aaron Copland found ELP's version of his piece appealing although he was puzzled at the inclusion of a modal solo between two fairly straight renditions of his piece.

Track listing:
Disc one
Keith Emerson

"Piano Concerto No. 1" (Keith Emerson) - 18:19
First Movement: "Allegro giocoso" – 9:21
Second Movement: "Andante molto cantabile" – 2:09
Third Movement: "Toccata con fuoco" – 6:48

Greg Lake

"Lend Your Love to Me Tonight" (Greg Lake, Peter Sinfield) – 4:01
"C'est la Vie" (Lake, Sinfield) – 4:16
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Lake, Sinfield) – 4:35
"Nobody Loves You Like I Do" (Lake, Sinfield) – 3:56
"Closer to Believing" (Lake, Sinfield) – 5:33

Disc two
-Carl Palmer

"The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits" (Sergei Prokofiev, arr. Emerson, Lake, Carl Palmer) – 3:20
"L.A. Nights" (Palmer) – 5:42
"New Orleans" (Palmer) (features Joe Walsh on guitars and scat vocal) and Keith Emerson on keyboards. – 2:45
"Two Part Invention in D Minor" (J. S. Bach, arr. Palmer) – 1:54
"Food for Your Soul" (Palmer) – 3:57
"Tank" (Emerson, Palmer) – 5:09

-Emerson, Lake & Palmer

"Fanfare for the Common Man" (Aaron Copland, arr. Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 9:40
"Pirates" (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) – 13:19

********************************************


Works Volume 2 is an album released in 1977 by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Unlike Works Volume 1 (which consisted of three solo sides and one ensemble side), Volume 2 was a single album which seemingly was a compilation of leftover tracks from other album sessions that had not made those albums. While many derided the album for its apparent lack of focus, others felt it showed a different side of the band, with blues, bluegrass and jazz being very prominent as musical genres in this recording.


Album material

"When The Apple Blossoms Bloom...", "Tiger in a Spotlight" and "Brain Salad Surgery" had been recorded at the 1973 sessions for the album Brain Salad Surgery but did not appear on it - rather strangely in the case of the latter.

Volume 2 also included a stripped-down version of Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas". An orchestral version of the song had previously been released as a solo Lake single in the UK and became something of an annual Christmas standard there.

Track listing:

"Tiger in a Spotlight" (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Carl Palmer, Peter Sinfield) – 4:32
"When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind I'll Be Your Valentine" (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 3:56
"Bullfrog" (Ron Aspery, Mick Hodgkinson, Palmer)– 3:49
"Brain Salad Surgery" (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) – 3:07
"Barrelhouse Shake-Down" (Emerson) – 3:37
"Watching Over You" (Lake, Sinfield) – 3:54
"So Far to Fall" (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) – 4:55
"Maple Leaf Rag" (Scott Joplin) – 2:00
"I Believe in Father Christmas" (Lake, Sinfield) – 3:17
"Close But Not Touching" (Palmer) – 3:18
"Honky Tonk Train Blues" (Meade "Lux" Lewis) – 3:09
"Show Me the Way to Go Home" (L. James Campbell, Reginald Connelly) – 3:30

wv1
wv2

***ELP -Trilogy (Glorious Symphonic prog classic 1972)***



ELP's third studio album, originally released in 1972, further increased their worldwide popularity. It includes "Hoedown", which has become one of their most popular songs when performing live and "From The Beginning", their highest-charting US single to date.here


1. The Endless Enigma (Part One)
3. The Endless Enigma (Part Two)
4. From The Beginning
5. The Sheriff
6. Hoedown
7. Trilogy
8. Living Sin
9. Abaddon's Bolero

Sunday 18 December 2011

***Various Kids -Kids Christmas Songs & Carols (my compilation)***


Psychelatte says: this is my personal selection of the best Kids Christmas songs, old and new that i have on cd, from various cds. i chose them for the quality of the singing and/or the originality of the song.

i don't have kids but i have always loved hearing kids singing. i hope you enjoy it as much as i do. have a Happy Christmas! xxx

(p.s the numbering is all over the place as the songs were taken from various cds.)


A-CAROLING WE GO (US KIDS)
THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (UK KIDS)
LITTLE DONKEY (UK KIDS)
MR SANTA (UK KIDS)
O COME O COME IMMANUEL (US KIDS)
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS (US KIDS)
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS (US KIDS)
10 LITTLE ANGELS (UK KIDS)
ITS CHRISTMAS TIME (UK KIDS)
GOOD KING WENCESLAS (US KIDS)
BABHOOSKA (UK KIDS)
O CHRISTMAS TREE (US KIDS)
ROCKING CAROL (UK KIDS)
WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS (US KIDS)
FUM FUM FUM (US KIDS)
OVER THE RIVER (UK KIDS)
WE THREE KINGS (US KIDS)
CHRISTMAS LULLABY (UK KIDS)
THE FRIENDLY BEASTS (US KIDS)
GOD BLESS THE MASTER OF THIS HOUSE (UK KIDS)
STAR CAROL (UK KIDS)
A CHILD THIS DAY IS BORN (US KIDS)
THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM (US KIDS)
THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (US KIDS)
WHEN SANTA GOT STUCK UP THE CHIMNEY (UK KIDS)
BRING A TORCH, JEANETTE, ISABELLA (US KIDS)
DEAR FATHER CHRISTMAS (UK KIDS)
JOY TO THE WORLD (US KIDS)
DECK THE HALLS (US KIDS)
WHAT CHILD IS THIS (US KIDS)
I WONDER AS I WANDER (US KIDS)
MARY HAD A BABY (UK KIDS)
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH (US KIDS)
CHRISTMAS BELLS (UK KIDS)
SHEPHERDS PIPE CAROL (UK ADULT?)
THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (UK KIDS)
WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED (UK KIDS)
LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS (UK KIDS)
SEE AMID THE WINTERS SNOW (U
SLEIGH RIDE (UK KIDS)
CAROL OF THE BELLS (US KIDS)
CHRISTMAS IS COMING (UK KIDS)
AULD LANG SYNE (US KIDS)


here

Saturday 17 December 2011

Grandaddy -Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland

Friday 2 December 2011

***Bosphorus & Mode Plagal - Beyond The Bosphorus- (Greece, Turkey, -bewitching fusion of folky traditional music & modern Jazz with female vocals)***




“Greek jazz ensemble Mode Plagal collaborate with Bosphorus, a group with Turkish musicians and traditional instruments who bring forth the sound and experience of the Eastern and Anatolian musical tradition. The symbolism of the Bosphorus straits as a passage from one world to the another, from one sea to the other and from one continent to a new world.”

"'It was bound to happen, someday.'
That was the first thing that crossed my mind when I came across the news that Bosphorus and Mode Plagal were to collaborate on a record.

Bosphorus, a group of Turkish musicians from Istanbul who for almost twenty years now have been studying the musical tradition of that city through its many periods have been churning out amazing records off the mainstream. They have been exploring, among other things, the musical tradition of Greek composers of the city, as well as the interplay between what existed in the city (the Byzantine tradition of the time when the city used to be called Contantinople) and what came after (the Ottoman musical tradition both on the level of court music and popular one.)

Mode Plagal have already been covered extensively in Rootsworld, as they have been following a similar path regarding Greek music, but with an added focus on jazz experimentation.

Listen!
So, in many ways, both groups have been dealing with the same questions: What does it mean to be at the crossroads between East and West, Now and Then? What have been the results of the influences of other people on the musical tradition of the region? Are there traces of the past to be found and are there any of those worthy of retention for the future? All that and beautiful sounds!

The latter is where Beyond the Bosphorus succeeds effortlessly: this is a compelling, seductive record that doesn't sound academic at all, while it combines music from three different musical traditions; the learned Eastern musical system (the ancient one), the folk tradition of the Alevi communities, and the western-influenced one, as is noted in the beautiful and very informative trilingual liner notes (Greek, English and French.) There were times that this record sounded pop. At others, it reminded me strongly of Morphine (the band from Boston) or an ethnomusicologist's pet research project. On "Oceania," the last song, the U2 of the late 1980s comes to mind. All that and it never sounds forced, grotesque or garish.

As in the previous collaborative work of Mode Plagal (the Yorgos Margaritis CD recently reviewed), this record sounds like Bosphorus, possessed by Mode Plagal. The way in which they go in and out of the picture, blending in or coming to the forefront, depending on the musical needs or whim of the moment, is fascinating.

Apart from the usual high musicianship of Mode Plagal (who use saxophones, electric and acoustic guitars, drums and bass) and the exquisite learned virtuosity of Bosphorus (who play kemenche, rebab, violin, ney, cello, kudum, bendir, kaval, saz, kanun and tanbur), Vassiliki Papageorgiou, who sings on almost all the tracks, should be singled out for particular praise, as her laid back, spacey yet curiously earthy voice is often the highlight of a song. Providing a stylistic unity to the record which otherwise would have been torn apart by its various musical influences, Papageorgiou inhabits the role of the narrator of this fascinating musical journey, as she sings about love in the city, important Islamic religious feasts, Sappho and most of all about the city: Konstantiniye/Istanbul. - Nondas Kitsos

The press info:
The symbolism of Bosphorus straights as a passage from one world to another, from one sea to the other and from one continent to a new world, has marked through myths the spiritual memory and heritage of migrating tribes as well as that of sea-faring people in the greater basin of the Easter Mediterranean.

Those tribes coming from the South, following the south to north migration of the cranes, believed in the a hyperborean haven and heaven whirling beyond the North Star (Polaris), whereas those arriving from the Ease longed for a Western Paradise somewhere along the shores of the Atlantic. On the crossroads, at the exact point of intersection of the axis, there at the divide between Europe and Asia, a City was founded which it was hoped would reflect the heavenly peace (Irini) and Wisdom (Sophia)- the Byzantine Constantinople, Konstantiniye of the Ottomans- the present dat Istanbul.

The space of all around seems to resound - Aghia Sophia, the Bosphorus, the mosques, the domes, the golden horn, everything seems to whirl around a mysterious and inaudible sound which is perceptible only to those who have managed to emerge free from the murky and channeled waters of urban material existence. Beyond, rises yet another deafening but silent sound, the dirge of a Metropolis which has lost the dream to embrace within her womb all the religions and people suffering tribulations and by this way, becoming admired by all the nations as an example of ecumenicity.

We have tried to capture with our music the echo of this indescribable sound. To achieve this -which is also a game with different musical systems and tunings- two different groups collaborated: Bosphorus with turkish musicians and ancient traditional instruments which bring forth the sound and experience of the Eastern and Anatolian musical tradition and Mode Plagal, a greek avant-garde group which is experimenting a contemporary approach to greek traditional Folk music. The compositions, besides the traditional songs and tunes, are by the musicians of both groups and are put to the lyrics and poetry of G. Seferis, T. Syrelis and V. Papageorgiou around the theme of "Beyond Bosphorus".

They are interpreted by Vasiliki Papageorgiou, with a traditional Alevi prayer to the 12 Imams by Engin Arslan. The musical direction is by Nikiforos Metaxas. Bosphorus and Mode Plagal have been collaborating for some time now, Mode Plagla have been visiting Turkey quite often and both groups have given joint concerts the last couple of years in Greece, Turkey -in Istanbul and Smyrni for the 100 years of G. Seferis- in Belgium, Holland etc.

Apart from the usual high musicianship of Mode Plagal (who use saxophones, electric and acoustic guitars, drums and bass) and the exquisite learned virtuosity of Bosphorus (who play kemenche, rebab, violin, ney, cello, kudum, bendir, kaval, saz, kanun and tanbur), Vassiliki Papageorgiou, who sings on almost all the tracks, should be singled out for particular praise, as her laid back, spacey yet curiously earthy voice is often the highlight of a song. Providing a stylistic unity to the record which otherwise would have been torn apart by its various musical influences, Papageorgiou inhabits the role of the narrator of this fascinating musical journey, as she sings about love in the city, important Islamic religious feasts, Sappho and most of all about the city: Konstantiniye/Istanbul." - Nondas Kitsos, RootsWorld

“Beyond The Bosphorus is a collaboration between Greek band Mode Plagal and the most recent incarnation of the Turkish group Bosphorus, which now includes such leading performers of Turkish art music as Hasan Esen (kemençe) and Murat Aydemir (tanbur). On vocals is Vasiliki Papayeoryiou, who has worked with Bosphorus in the past. In short, this is an impressive line-up. - Chris Williams”
Track Listing
-------------
01. Improvisation: Rebab-Cello
02. Konstantiniye
03. The Tumult Of Torrents
04. Ey Zahit
05. Shuttle Boats
06. Beyond The Bosphorus
07. Until Such Time
08. Itinerary
09. Twelve Imams
10. Tatavla
11. For Sappho
12. Erotikos Logos
13. Lullaby
14. Faraway Lady
15. This Night
16. Oceania


here

***Various Artists (2009/2010) -Anatolia Rocks: A Musical Trip Through Turkey Vol. 1 & 2***





Anatolian rock (Turkish: Anadolu Rock) is a fusion of Turkish folk and rock music. It emerged during the mid-1960s, soon after rock groups such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Status Quo, and Omega became popular in Turkey. Examples of this style include Turkish musicians such as Cem Karaca, Barış Manço, Erkin Koray, Fikret Kızılok, Murat Ses alongside bands such as Moğollar, Kurtalan Ekspres, Mavi Işıklar, Apaşlar and Kardaşlar. Today, Anatolian Rock is a general term used to describe music derived from both traditional Turkish folk music and Rock.

Tracklist:
Volume 1
01 Ümit Tokcan - Uryan Geldim
02 Erkin Koray - Estarabim
03 Esin Afşar - Zühtü
04 Edip Akbayram & Dostlar - Zalım Zalım
05 3 Hürel - Döner Dünya
o6 KIm Bunlar - Oyuna Çağrı
o7 Selda Bağcan - Ince Ince Bir Kar Yağar
o8 Erkin Koray - Şaşkın
o9 Barış Manço* - Estergon Kalesi
10 Fikret Kızılok - Sevda Çiçeği
11 Nurcan Opel - Beğenmez Beğenmez
12 Cem Karaca & Apaşlar - Gılgamış
13 Grup Bunalım - Bunalım
14 Mustafa Özkent - Zeytinyağlı
15 Barış Manço* - Ben Bilirim
16 Mavi Işıklar - Gül Dah
17 Galatasaray Lisesi - Zazie
18 Erkin Koray - Türkü

Volume 2
1. Alpay ~ Ben armudu dislerim *
2. Metin H. Alatli ~ Mevlana Böyle Dedi [Edit]
3. Timur Selçuk Orkestrasy ~ Panayir Gunu *
4. Serpil Barlas ~ Yandin askinla ben *
5. Erkin Koray ~ Silinmeyen Hatiralar
6. Zerrin Zerren ~ Yazik Sana *
7. Ersen ~ Dostlar beni hartirlasin
8. Ferdi Özbegen ~ köprüden gecti gelin
9. Baris Manço ~ Sari Cizmeli Mehmet Aga
10. Gulden Karabocek ~ Artik Sorma beni *
11. Grup Cigrisim ~ Salak
12. Mavi Isiklar ~ Ask Cicegi
13. Aziz Azmet ve Bunalimlar ~ Hele Hele Gel *
14. Ajda Pekkan ~ Viens dans ma vie *
15. Gomidas Ensemble ~ Helvaji [traditional] *
16. Edip Akbayram ~ Arabam Kaldi Yolda

Sunday 27 November 2011

***Timur Selcuk Orkestrasi -S/T Turkish Anatolian music- great stuff!! ***


Timur Selçuk (born 2 July 1946, Istanbul) is a renowned Turkish singer, pianist, conductor and composer.

here

Tuesday 22 November 2011

****He 6 -A Go Go! - Go Go Sound '71: Vol. 1 & 2,2LP boxset,1971/2004, Psychedelia,Korea****





"Recorded in, yay, 1971, pressed in a ridiculously limited (promotion only) quantity of 300 copies each, and subsequently all but forgotten, these two records by Korean psychedelic groovesters the HE 6 are some gems indeed! With the exception of the closing side-long seventeen minute cover of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (which faithfully does indeed include the obligatory drum solo as per the original version, along with what sounds like a police siren and also an added *flute* solo!) all the tracks on the two albums Go Go Sound '71 vol. 1 and Go Go Sound '71 vol. 2 included here are instrumental jams -- numbered themes with titles like "Theme 2. 4/4 for Guitar" and "Theme 3. Running Human". And even "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is mostly instrumental of course.Listening to the other tracks on this disc it makes sense that they would choose Iron Butterfly's opus as the sole tune to cover. Like that tune, all of their originals are extended jams led by fuzzed-out electric guitar and Hammond organ. In addition, the aforementioned flute gets a workout too. (Yet another victory for the flute, so often mistakenly perceived as diminutive instrument! But the flute can certainly hold its own in this heavy, groovy, acid-rock band.) And it's crucial to mention that HE 6's rhythm section is darn tight! Indeed, this stuff's funky enough that we're sure they were probably just as much influenced by James Brown's band The JB's as they were by the likes of the Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly. If not so obscure, we're sure this would have been plundered by DJs looking for the swank breaks... who knows, maybe hip hop producers in Korea have done so? So, very much recommended to all you folks into these sorta swinging '60s/'70s sounds -- especially if you dig the Cambodian Rocks and Thai Beat comps!
Excellent weird LPs to blow your mind and set your psychedelic "love in"(!)) party to fire!"

here

****Picchio Dal Pozzo - Picchio Dal Pozzo (fantastic Italian Prog fusion freakout!!1976)****


"A wonderful release that has always kept me on my toes and been quite an inspiration, Picchio dal Pozzo's self-titled release is a hidden gem in the Canterbury scene, filled with inspiring lines and one of the most wonderful psych tracks these ears have come across. Although perhaps not as essential as Gong's most famous of works, this is wonderful material.Essentially, I am drawn to this album from the psychedelic Seppia, which has a groove for about 4 minutes that I quite simply call the coolest groove ever. Man, is it fun. Think of it as a musical high, with cosmic influences and effervescent vocals and a pounding distorted line that you can't help but move along with. This differs quite much from other famous Italian works and so it should be noted as soon, as this shares much more connection to bands like Gong and the like than it does to Le Orme, Museo Rosenbach, and etc.The variety of instruments, stunning effects, and sense of style are more than enough to make this record something to hold onto. I can almost guarantee that those with a love of Canterbury and an ear for experimentation will be enthralled with this release. Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be impressed. " - (OpethGuitarist - ProgArchives)

- Andrea Beccari / bass, horn, percussion, voice
- Aldo De Scalzi / keyboards, percussion, voice
- Paolo Griguolo / guitar, percussion, voice
- Giorgio Karaghiosoff / percussion, voice

- Guests:
- Fabio Canini / drums on 5,6, percussion on 3,5,7
- Vittorio De Scalzi / flute on 3,8
- Leonardo Lagorio (CELESTE) / contralto sax on 5,7
- Gerry Manarolo / guitar on 7
- Carlo Pascucci / drums on 5,7
- Ciro Perrino (CELESTE) / xylophone on 3

1. Merta (3:18)
2. Cocomelastico (4:23)
3. Seppia (10:16)
a)Sottotitolo
b)Frescofresco
c)Rusf
4. Bofonchia (0:51)
5. Napier (7:23)
6. La Floricultura Di Tschincinnata (4:22)
7. La Bolla (4:29)
8. Off (4:4

here

Monday 21 November 2011

****Shin Jung Hyun & The Men- It's a Lie -blistering Korea psych 1972- made to be played LOUD, LOUD, LOUD!!****


thetruevinerecordshop.com:
"Shin Jung-Hyeon is the Godfather of Korean pop/rock. He started his musical career in 1955. In those days, immediately after the Korean War, there were few musicians. At 1957 he could play at the US army in Korea. His psychedelic play fascinated US soldiers, and some record company asked him to make an LP. His 1st band Add 4 constructed in 1962. Add 4 is the first rock band in Korea. After the time SJH started to make hit songs. Kim Jeong Mi, Park In Su, Pearl Sisters, Kim Chu Ja, Im A Yeong, Jang Hyeon and other singers debuted with the support of Shin Jung Hyeon. They debuted with his hit songs and he became the biggest power in Ga Yo scene."

Tracks:

1. Beautiful Country 9:56
2. It's A Lie 22:15
3. A Woman In The Mist 11:32

**

Saturday 12 November 2011

***Jungle- same (1969) (Heavy Prog Psych) (USA)***


01 - House Of Rooms
02 - Somewhere Sweet Memories
03 - Gray Picnic
04 - Changes I'm Going Through
05 - Early Morning Rising
06 - Slave Ship
here

***Tony, Caro & John- (1972 uk Folk-Psych)***


All On The First Day by Tony, Caro and John was first issued in 1972, by those three hippy folk musicians. John and Tony had met in their hometown, Derby at the age of 11 and played together in various rock bands (called beat groups at the time) from their early teens. They graduated in the mid-60s to the folk club circuit in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire where, like everywhere else on the folk scene, experimentation was competing for attention with the traditional stuff.

They headed off to university in 1967, John to Sheffield and Tony to London. In London Tony met Caro, just arrived from Bristol, and they began playing the university folk clubs together. On graduation in 1970 John came to London, joined the others and a flat-cum-commune was born.
So, here is the excellent and rare album of British melodious folk trio.

here

***Forever Amber- rare Uk Psychedelia 1969***


"FOREVER AMBER" are originally an act called "The Country Cousins", gigging at Cambridge Shire air bases for homesick Americans.

By 1967 they were driving to gigs in a "Psychedelically" painted ambulance – the new moniker was an abbreviation of "Forever Ambulance".
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old accountancy student "John Hudson" was spending his lunchtimes writing songs for the group's sole album in a rehearsal room above a shop in Cambridge.
"John Hudson" had ambition.
"FOREVER AMBER"'s eponymous album, "The Love Cycle" (Advance M ADV 00101), like "Beach Boys""' "Pet Sounds", cover a relationship sequentially from first meeting to grim denouement.He found a studio to fit his £ 200 budget below a musical instrument shop in Hitchin. "FOREVER AMBER"'s "The Love Cycle" was recorded in a marathon 19-hour session on a Sunday in September 1968, and the band made great use of the profusion of riches upstairs; glockenspiel, penny whistle, a wah-wah pedal, and plenty of harpsichord.

This 1969 LP is a honeyed, melodic album, as intimate and irresistible as anything "The Left Banke" or "The Zombies" ever made, laced with perfectly-timed, dramatic Fuzz-guitar violence.
Created by six teenagers in Northern England, this sixteen song concept album follows the rise and fall of a summertime relationship.
From the celebratory, deeply harmonized opener, "Me Oh My" which first notices the "new girl on our street" to the pensive, haunted closing track, "My Friend", which pleads and quivers with sorrow.
The eight chapters retell the entire romance through a compelling combination of jangling guitars, graceful organ, and the singular earnestness of heartachey teenagers.

Only 99 copies were pressed and flogged off at gigs to the lucky few.
There's a tangible aura about "lost albums", something that draws you into their parallel universe.

Enjoy it!!!

here

***Zerfas s/t 1973 US Prog-psych***


This is the only and self-titled album by US prog/psych rock band "Zerfas" from 1973.
a vanity release from a bunch of unsigned but clearly precociously talented teenagers. It was lovingly cut over six months in 1973 at the tiny 700 West Studio in New Palestine, Indiana, using a four-track 3M recorder, plenty of overdubs, a lot of homemade wine and a hell of a lot of creative ingenuity.

Interestingly, the band members chose to add colour to their 1969-British-prog-rock style songs with the techniques of 1967 psychedelia, and the album stands as a fine psych/prog artefact despite being several years behind the timeline. The fun starts with “You Never Win”, which opens with a fade-in backwards version of the closing fade-out – a simple but brilliant idea. “I Don’t Understand” launches with an eerie half-speed recording of small children’s voices, whilst the meandering instrumental heart of “Hope” is washed by shoreline effects. Much use is made elsewhere of backwards voices, backwards instruments, fade-outs, fade-ins, wild stereo panning, ring modulators, tape loops and leftfield echo effects, and even a blast from an elkhorn. However, the underlying compositions don’t rely solely on these touches for interest; the eight songs, all originals, offer an engaging variety of styles from the “Born To Be Wild” knockoff of “You Never Win” through the cosmic boogie of “Stoney Wellitz” to the lush progressive soundscapes of “Hope”, culminating in “The Piper” which appropriately recalls Pink Floyd’s earliest stoner offerings. The playing and singing are excellent throughout, especially considering the tender ages of the musicians; Herman Zerfas’s keyboards in particular are exceptional.

Maybe there’s some Floyd influence, some Grape, some Dead, some Steppenwolf, some Allmans, maybe even some Steve Miller, but really such comparisons are unnecessary. This is a fine album by a fine band in its own right, and should be respected as such.

01. You Never Win (5:14)
02. The Sweetest Part (3:36)
03. I Dont't Understand (5:20)
04. I Need It Higher (4:49)
05. Stoney Wellitz (6:31)
06. Hope (7:45)
07. Fool's Parade (4:23)
08. The Piper (4:17)

here

Monday 7 November 2011

***Erkin Koray - 3 of his best albums -Turkish Psych legend ***

S/T 1973

Elektronik Turkuler 1974

Erkin Koray II 1976



Erkin Koray has been in the Turkish rock music scene since the early 1960s. By the late 1960s, he was already a major figure in Turkish psychedelic music (also called as Anatolian Rock)

Saturday 5 November 2011

***3 Hur-El - Hurel Arsivi (1974 Brilliant anatolian Turkish folk psych rock)***


A masterpiece of Turkish ethno-psychedelic delight, recorded between 1970 and 1975 by the three very talented Hur El brothers, and released in small quantities on Diskotur (originals sell for $1000 and up nowadays); their second album has the heavy hashish sound - fuzz guitar, impassioned vocals and Eastern percussion - that makes Turkish psych so savory to the rest of the world; very possibly as good as anything recorded by countryman Erkin Koray.

This release by the Korean label “World Psychedelia”, a bootleg label as far as I know, is a straight re-issue of 3 Hur-El’s (don’t ask me how to pronounce it) second album from 1976.

This means that it’s basically a needledrop from clean vinyl, without any sort of modern brickwall mastering or EQ'ing - it sounds nicer than most remasterbated albums coming out these days. (from soundsoftheuniverse).


Track List :
01.Kol Basti
02.Hoptirinom
03.Mutluluk Bizim Olsun
04.Canim Kurban
05.Gonul Sabreyle Sabreyle
06.Kucuk Yaramaz
07.Aglarsa Anam Aglar
08.Omur Biter Yol Bitmez
09.Sevenler Aglarmis
10.Yara
11.Doner Dunya
12.Agit

The Band :
*Feridun Hurel - guitar, sax, vocals
*Onur Hurel - bass,
*Haldun Hurel - drums, percussion

here

Sunday 16 October 2011

***Som Imaginario- Som imaginario (Brazil 1971)***


Som Imaginario is considered a Jazz band, but others say that Som Imaginario is a progressive band. ..so let's say that Som Imaginario is Rock with Jazz and Progressive influences. They released three LPs; this is the second one with Wagner Tiso (piano), Luiz Alves (bass), Robertinho Silva (drums), Frederiko (guitar) and Tavito (guitar), all renowned musicians with successful careers after dismissing the band. Thanks Mr. G. for another fine release. Tracks include:

01 - Cenouras (Frederiko)
02 - Você Tem Que Saber (Chico Lessa / Márcio Borges)
03 - Gogó (O Alívio Rococó) (Wagner Tiso / Frederiko)
04 - Ascenso (Frederiko / Fernando Brant)
05 - Salvação Pela Macrobiótica (Frederiko)
06 - Uê (Chico Lessa / Márcio Borges)
07 - Xmas Blues (Frederiko)
08 - A Nova Estrela (Wagner Tiso / Frederiko)

here

Saturday 15 October 2011

***The Aggregation - Mind Odyssey -us 1967***


Formed: Los Angeles, CA, United States

Members: * LeWayne Braun (guitar, vocals), * Dale Burt (organ, piano, vocals), * Bayard Gregory (drums, timpani, bongos, tambourine, vocals), * Richard Jones (rhythm guitar, vocals), * Leo Potts (flute, clarinet, saxophone, recorder, kazoo, vocals), * Bill Sissoev (bass, trombone, vocals), * Lemoyne Taylor (flute, clarinet, saxophone, recorder, slide whistle, vocals).

Tracks:

A1. The Lady at the Gate 4:45
A2. Looking for the Tour Guide 2:13
A3. The Long Windy Tunnel 6:15
A4. Flying Free 3:05
A5. White Light 2:00
B1. In the Garden 3:05
B2. Reflections 2:55
B3. The City of Toys and Games 3:23
B4. Change 2:50
B5. Life's Light 6:00

One of the greatest US psych records with a dreamy, surreal quality of the super rare lone psychedelic lp from the band 'Aggregation'. The music is sophisticated and controlled, replacing the teenage mantra that had charged rock'n'roll with a wider palette drawing on cool jazz, movie soundtracks, light classical music and easy listening. ~ by dj fanis. ------------------------

This group of talented and diverse musicians played Disneyland in the late '60s and was picked up for this one excellent Concept album by Lee Hazlewood on his LHI label in 1968. 'Unusual and atmospheric early art-rock/psych item based on an acid trip amusement park concept from classically trained band who held a residency at Disneyland! This LP could be seen as a precursor to those extraordinary 1970s private press artefacts, and reveals its classiness and coherence over time. Worth investigating ~ (Internet Source).


here

Saturday 8 October 2011

***Som Imaginario-S/T -1970 Brazilian Tropicalia Psych prog-psych***


This was Som Imaginario’s (Imaginary Sound) debut album from 1970. A Brazilian band that often backed the great Milton Nascimento just as Os Mutantes had backed Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso on their early albums. In fact, this album could be seen as the perfect companion piece to Os Mutantes’ 1969 masterpiece, A Divina Comedia Ou Ando Meio Desligado.

The band’s name is very fitting, Som Imaginario is an invigorating blend of folk, soul, psychedelia, brit influenced pop, rock and Brazilian homeland music. For a debut album, the band sounds extremely confident and wild, steaming and cooking thru the album (and there are no duff tracks either!!).

Morse opens the album on a funky note, with blasts of fuzz guitar and swirling organ. The next song, Super-God has some great use of wah-wah and distorted vocals. Milton Nascimento guests on the mysterious Pantera, which is another highlight with a bomb explosion intro. Nascimento’s voice is highly original and experimental and adds depth to an already good composition. The two songs in English, Poison and Make Believe Waltz, are also very good, soulful folky ballads.


here

An essential psychedelic album and a must for fans of Tropicalia. Som Imaginario released a few albums during the progressive rock era which are also highly recommended but reissues are criminally unavailable.

***Modulo 1000 - 1972 Complete-Works-fantastic Brazilian Prog Rock/Psych - Ultra Rare***



Module 1000 is a hard rock group from Rio formed in 1969, which was short-lived. The quartet followed by a heavy line with clear influences from Black Sabbath and a touch of psychedelia a la Pink Floyd. Composed by Daniel (vocals, guitar), Louis Paul (organ), Eduardo (bass) and Candinho (drums), Module 1000 had on his resume participation in the V International Song Festival and the launch of a single album in 1971 that Today is a valuable item for dealers rare LPs. In the 1990s, a record collector of Rio de Janeiro bought the rights from the module 1000 and made Top Tape LP on CD with a limited number of copies (500 copies).

Reprint this stunning album uncertain Brazil since 1970. I really wild, psychotic, exotic, psychedelic progressive beast of Brazil - all these attributes, an extreme form of Long freaked-out songs driven by fury and massive organ fuzz - attacks WahWah guitar, distorted vocals was also added (Portuguese lyrics) that creep deep within the skull - one of the best the world has generally come with the original sound quality amazing three times the coverage is incredible remastered expanded edition of 8 recordings from the years 1970-1972. The only album (serious money worth in the original vinyl) from perfect, the Brazilian formation, playing catchy, rock (prog) heavy, psychedelic-influenced omnipresent. Distorted guitars, rhythms change and Hammond B3 organ sound massive ........ Undoubtedly one of the coolest albums and most original of South America - Brazil.

here

Friday 7 October 2011

***Various Artists - Posições (Brazilian 1970s Bliss!)***



VA - Posições
Brazil - 1971

Amazing Brazilian Compilation Ep from the early 70s featuring the best of the Brazilian Avant-Tropicalia Scene. Incredible recordings that seem to have been all recorded in the same studio. It all sounds very consistent for a compilation of this era.

Mind blowing stuff!

One of the remarkable factors inBrazilian music during the early 70’s was the experimentalism. The lack and inversion of rules and as well as the freedom’s idealism echoed from Europe and the United States and entered in Brazil. Here we see this factor in bands that appeared between the end of the 60’s and the first years of the 70’s. Bands consolidated inRio de Janeiro; influenced by the “carioca” way, some jazz sources and by the psychedelic rock.

In 1971 the Odeon launched a collectiveLP, "Posições“( Positions), with four new bands. One Som Imaginario (Imaginary Sound) was not unknown (with one record from the last year); the others A Tribo (The Tribe) , Equipe Mercado (Market Team) and Modulo 1000 (Module1000) were pretty new bands, and from this record didn’t get so far, as bands. As musicians many of the participants of the bands, mostly from A Tribo and Som Imaginario, became very famous, with long term carriers.

A TRIBO (1971)
A Tribo was a band formed by beginning young musician’s : the Carioca singer Joyce, the violinist Nelson Angelo and the guitarist ToninhoHortafrom Minas Gerais , the bass player Novelliand the percussionist Naná Vasconcelos from Pernambuco. Nana and Nelson Angelo were playing in the Free Quarteto, a mix of Bossa Nova and Jazz quartet.In 1970, the two musicians joined the Luiz Eça and Sagrada Family band. There they met the singer Joyce. Nana, Nelson and Joyce called ToninhoHortaand Novelliand formed the Tribe. Together they made some compositions of they own and played covers from Milton Nascimento and Danilo Caymmi. In 70 they were at the V International Festival of the Song with “Onoceonoekoto” (Nelson Angelo). The same year they participated in the collective “Posições” and also recorded a Compact Disc. The sound from A Tribo is very interesting. It discloses the symbiosis of rising talents with the voice of Joyce, Novelli's bass, the arrangements of Nelson Angelo, the guitar of Toninho Horta and the creativity and improvisation of Naná Vasconcelos, who after some months left the band for a solo career. Nenê replaced him. However the band did not last very much beyond 1972, but all the band’s participants had a verysuccessfulcarrer after that.


EQUIPE MERCADO (1971) EQUIPE MERCADO was a band created in Rio de Janeiro during 1970. The band had a verycreative and illustrious singer, Diana, allied with the songwriter Stul (guitar, piano and voice); Leugruber (guitar), RicardoGinsburg (guitar), Carlos Graça (battery) and Ronaldo Periassu (percussion). The band was influenced greatly by psicodelic rock, but it also abided by the Brazilian melodic lyricism. Beyond the participation in the collective “Posições” the group released a compact with the music: “Campos de Arroz” and “Side b rock” in the same year. The band ended the same year. In 1972 Diana and Stul launched another compact disc, presenting themselves as a couple, but, unfortunately they didn’t record anything else.

MODULO 1000 (1971) MODULO 1000 was a quartet formed by Daniel (guitar andvocals, Luis Pablo (guitar), Eduardo(bass), Candinho (battery) in Rio De Janeiro in 69'. Dispite its short duration it left a great influence for the progressive rock bands that were to follow. Modulo 1000 mixed blues, rock and a touch of ballad. The participation of the band in the “V International Festival of the Song” culminated with a compact launched by Odeon with: “Big Mamma” and “Isto Não Quer Dizer Nada”. Still in 70' they would participated in the collective “Posições”. In 72', they launched the only LP of the history of the band, the cult: “Não Fale Com as Paredes “(“Do not speak with the Walls”).

SOM IMAGINÁRIO (1971) In 1971 SOM IMAGINARIO debuteda new record, without the singer and pianistZé Rodrix that followed to play with Sá and Guarabira. As well as the previous record (commented in the Saudosas Bolachas/1970) it was directed by Zé Rodrix, in this new one was directed by the Frederiko. The guitarist occupies this rank and so, the record is presents much more dense and radical that the first one; and the most anarchical possible. At this time, the record does not give many concessions commercial standards. The record opts to a sonorous radicalization. Breaking for dissonance and hardcore. The record has the preciosism of Wagner Tiso keyboard , Luiz Alves (bass), Robertinho Silva (battery), Frederiko (guitar) and Tavito (guitar). From this record “Som Imaginario” (1971) Odeon Records used the song: “Nova Estrela” (Wagner Tiso/Frederyko) to place in the collective “Posições”.



01. Kyrie - "A Tribo"
02. Marina Belair - "Equipe Mercado"
03. Curtíssima - "Módulo 1000"
04. A Nova Estrela - "Som Imaginário"
05. Ferrugem E Foligem - "Módulo 1000"
06. Peba & Pobó - "A Tribo"

here

Friday 16 September 2011

***Skydog- Just Want To Make You Happy (1974 Vibrant & uplifting US Hard Prog Psych)***


"First re-release ever taken from the master tapes of this insanely rare LP from Georgia made in 1974 in an edition of 100. Wild & psychotic hippie progressive rock mixed with incredible heavy fuzz psychedelic jammers. Monstrous orgies between the guitar and Hammond organ and you can also find heavy eastern tunes woven in the long guitars jams."

Michael Sweat - Guitar - Vocal
Tommy Gordon Landsahw - Vocal, Rythm Guitar
Gary Elmore - Bass
Jimi Hughes - Organ Hammond
Johnny Parish Landshaw - Drum

01. Luck In Your Life 10:40
02. North Georgia Carnival Blues 05:37
03. Ali Sahd 07:02
04. Just Want to Make You Happy 09:46
05. Innocent-Eyed Lady 12:37
06. Israeli-Arabic Sun 5:55
07. Ali Sahd (Alt. Version) 6:32
08. Just Want To Make You Happy (Alt. Version) 8:5809. The Mood Is On 6:03



here

Sunday 11 September 2011

***Omar Khorshid - Guitar El Chark (Psychedelic,Egyptian Belly-Dance World music '73-'77 compilation 2010)***


Omar Khorshid is one of the greatest middle eastern electric guitarists, with a tone like spun gold and the chops to shred with the best of them. Born in Egypt, he cut his teeth in the underground rock clubs of Cairo in the 1960s. Eventually, he ended up working with the cream of the Egyptian musical crop, playing in the bands of such legendary figures as Oum Kalthoum, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Mohammed Abdel Wahab. Through his work with these singers, Khorshid introduced Western-style electric guitar into traditional Arab music.

But Khorshid was more than just a groundbreaking guitarist, he was also a bona fide movie star and soundtrack composer. He spent much of the 1970s in Lebanon and Syria and released a slew of wonderful music from blazing reverb-saturated versions of middle eastern classics to weird western lounge tunes. He died in a car accident in 1981 at the tender age of 36 shortly after his return to Egypt and the release his most acclaimed film, The Fortuneteller.

In recent years there’s been a minor surge of interest in Khorshid’s music in the West, but the music has been somewhat hard to come by. One of his most notable fans is Sun City Girls founder and eminently venerable guitarist Sir Richard Bishop. Bishop’s last album, The Freak of Araby, with its eccentric surf guitar along the Nile sound, bears Khorshid’s unmistakable (and thoroughly acknowledged) influence.

Until this welcome 2xLP set on Alan Bishop’s Sublime Frequencies label, Khorshid’s music has not been easy to find outside of Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. Guitar El Chark collects instrumental recordings that Khorshid made in Beirut from 1973-1977, which was one of the most prolific and creative periods of his short career. The collection centers on music by Arabic composers, ranging from traditional songs to tunes by contemporary songwriters like Nour al Malah and Khorshid himself. The playing is peerless: Khorshid’s reverb-mad middle eastern surf guitar mixed with intricate hand percussion, serpentine accordion and sci-fi synth sounds. Some of the finest moments come when Khorshid lets loose on the Moog, injecting a singularly alien glow over the proceedings — this is perhaps most notable on the scintillatingly propulsive title track. But even on a more straightforwardly sensuous song like "Habitaty (My Beloved)," Khorshid’s guitar work is out of this world.

My one quibble with this excellent collection is that it presents a unnecessarily narrow picture of Khorshid’s work by not including any non-arabic covers, a few of which, such as his cover of the Gershon Kingsley chestnut "Pop Corn," are truly inspired.

- Dusted

These performances exhibit all the wonderful possibilities of playing authentic late 20th-century Middle Eastern and belly dance music on what is considered primarily a Western instrument. All facets of Khorshid's musical genius are on display here. Many of the selections, intentionally or not, have a strong psychedelic aspect to them, especially the mind-blowing title track, "Hebbina Hebbina," "Ah Ya Zaman," "Kariaat El Fengan," "Sidi Mansour" (the Middle Eastern "Interstellar Overdrive"?), "Raqset El Fada," and the ethereal "Taksim Sanat Alfeyn." A distinct science fiction element can be heard on the final two tracks, as the respective translations of their titles -"Dance of Space" and "Music of the Year 2000" - would suggest. Other pieces such as "Wadil Muluk" and "Rahbaniyat" are showcases for Khorshid's lightning fingers, while "Sabirine" practically drips with reverb. "Ommil Habiba," "Raksat El Kheyl," "Solenzara," "Habibaty," and "Warakat Ya Nassib" display the more laid back and sensitive side of the guitarist, and what they lack in pyrotechnics they more than make up for with exquisiteness. "Arrabia'h" and "Enta Omri" rank as the most purely Middle Eastern-sounding numbers, especially with the "Cifte Telli" section in the latter. The instrumentation throughout this album typically consists of Khorshid on guitar, an electric keyboard, synthesizer or accordion player, and one or more percussionists on hand drums. The synth work occasionally gets a little out of hand on certain tracks that at times border on Middle Eastern disco, but this is a very minor quibble on what is otherwise a consistently extraordinary listening experience.

1. Guitar El Chark (Guitar of the Orient)
2. Wadil Muluk (Valley of the Kings)
3. Sabirine
4. Ommil Habiba (Mother, My Dearest)
5. Hebbina Hebbina (Love Us Like We Love You)
6. Rahbaniyat (Rahbani Variations)
7. Ah Ya Zaman (For Old Time's Sake)
8. Kariaat El Fengan (Fortune Teller)
9. Arrabia'h (The Spring)
10. Sidi Mansour (Master Monsour)
11. Raksat El Kheyl (Dance of the Horses)
12. Solenzara
13. Enta Omri (You Are My Life)
14. Habibaty (My Beloved)
15. Raqset El Fada (Dance of Space)
16. Warakat Ya Nassib (Lottery Ticket)
17. Taksim Sanat Alfeyn (Music of the Year 2000)
18. Record Company Promo Spot

here

Friday 9 September 2011

***The Fallen Angels -It's a Long Way Down (1968 USA West Coast Psych)-GORGEOUS!!***


The second LP is one of the ultimate examples of the East Coast psych sound; moody, intricate, with a peculiar intensity. A long time favorite of late 60s collectors and no wonder as it has the makings of a masterpiece. Hard to pinpoint really, but some parts are like a high-brow Common People, others like a folkrock Mandrake Memorial. Arrangements and songwriting are most impressive, with "A Horn Playing On My Thin Wall" being a personal favorite. Often compared to the equally rare Morning Dew LP but this is deeper and more original. The Sgt Pepper of DC, though of course much better! A German original pressing exists. (lysergia)

1. Poor Old Man (3:45)
2. A Horn Playng On My Thin Wall (4:23)
3. Something New You Can Hide In (3:59)
4. Tell You A Story (:22)
5. Silent Garden (1:54)
6. Look To The Sun (3:46)
7. One Of The Few Ones Left (2:50)
8. I Really Love My Mother (1:07)
9. Look At The Wind (4:04)
10. Didn't I? (2:55)
11. It's A Long Way Down (2:45)
12. I'll Drive You From My Mind (4:19)

here

**You may also like Eden's Children

Thursday 8 September 2011

****Tea and Symphony -An Asylum For The Musically Insane (1969 UK Psychedelic Prog-folk)****




This amazing thing about the Archives is that you get a fair amount of albums in all sub- genres that rank from the strange , obscure all the way to the frankly bizarre. And all genre considered , one of the more bizarre is the aptly titled debut from this trio. This record dates from 69 ( on the great progressive label Harvest) and is a perfect example (almost a textbook case) of acid-folk but with such a twist of bizarre that it must rank into the folk-prog sub-genre , which has its own share of bizarrerie. Wrapped in a superb psych drawing ( a bit in the style of Beatles 's Yellow Submarine) gatefold sleeve with a no-less superb inside artwork , this uncanny and baroque oeuvre is really a lost gem, one of those rare 24 carrat stuff that only comes so often.

The opening track is a hard to classify track meandering between a few styles (even developping for a few second into the Greensleeves theme) , but staus unfocused enough to destabilize the unwarned listener , but if experienced enough to get him ready for what comes up next. The second track delves into the frozen depths of demon worlds and chilly tales , freezing you to death, only to bring you back to reality with a barroom sing-along tune. Sometimes takes a plunge back into the bizarre and oblique world just left before , reminding the proghead of the insane world of Comus , and warning you of dangers soon to come in your affective life.

Maybe my mind is another sombre affair with a voice that sometimes rings like Family's Roger Chapman and might just be the highlight of the first side. This first side ends into a blues , probably the low point on the album , but this might be up for debate because they are equally at ease into this style as well!The second side is clearly the better one , and it is the succession of a few masterful "songs" like those that make an album a real classic. Terror In My Soul is just as scarry and terrorizing as Comus's Drip Drip , with its sinister flute underlining a superbly tense acoustic guitar strumming. Comes next is a superb adaptation of Fred Neil's Travelling Shoes , and if it was not for the vocals , you'd swear you'be on the Traffic debut album with its delightful pastoral/hippy imagery. Outstanding and astounding! The next track , aptly titled Winter returns to the chilly athmospheres with a haunting cello in the background and bizarre noises evoking stressed and chilled birds calls . The closing track starts out on a harpsichord and flute intro to diverge back into the madness we have now grown accustomed to (we had no choice unless getting locked in forever into the Musically Insane Asylum), but soon we waltz into a great swingy jazz tune to plunge into deep madness (almost free jazz) forever as they apologize for their mischief just accomplished.

Guess what , even if you are not insane , you might want to get a room into this asylum/hotel , where you might just never leave but not really want to check out either, to mis-quote our dear Maani!! Another one of those pearls that I will fight for all progheads to investigate just like I did for Comus , Spirogyra and recently Jan Dukes De Grey. Flabbergasting masterpiece even if I do not give the fifth star. - Review by Sean Trane -

tracklist:

1. Armchair Theatre (3:55)
2. Feel How So Cool The Wind (3:19)
3. Sometime (4:16)
4. Maybe My Mind (With Egg)(3:44)
5. The Come On (4:32)
6. Terror In My Soul (6:08)
7. Travelling Shoes (4:27)
8. Winter (3:19)
9. Nothing Will Come To Nothing (6:15)

- Dave Clempson ('Clem') / guitar
- Jeff Daw / flute, guitar, vocals
- Gus Dudgeon / drums
- James Langston / guitar, vocals, woodwinds
- Nigel Phillips / keyboards, vocals, percussion
- Bob Lamb / drums

here

Saturday 3 September 2011

***Pearls Before Swine -One Nation Underground (1967)Folk-Psych***


"...the Red's for the blood we lose; the White's for the gauze they use to cover burned-out blackened men; the rest is for the bodies numb and Blue."

Contemporary Neo-Folksters such as Espers and Charalambides owe much to Pearls Before Swine, whose leader, Tom Rapp, played a major role in inventing the template for psychedelia married to a folk aesthetic. As such, Rapp's definition of the term "folk music" was far more wide-ranging and far less in love with tradition than that of the typical protest singers of the early sixties. On One Nation Underground, he weaves together an eclectic array of elements including farfisa, acid-rock, and singer-songwriter melancholia to create something that still sounds original 44 years later. "Another Time," reportedly his very first song, is an achingly beautiful acoustic ballad about the aftermath of an escape from death, and one wonders if The Doors might have been familiar with "Morning Songs," with its electric organ, martial percussion, and sitar-miming banjo picking. Sadly under-appreciated, this debut, like all the Pearls Before Swine albums that followed it, certainly deserves the stature of a lost classic.

Tracks:

1. Another Time (3:03)
2. Playmate (2:19)
3. Ballad to an Amber Lady (5:14)
4. (Oh Dear) Miss Morse (1:54)
5. Drop Out! (4:04)
6. Morning Song (4:06)
7. Regions of May (3:27)
8. Uncle John (2:54)
9. I Shall Not Care (5:20)
10. The Surrealist Waltz (3:29)

here

***Flat Earth Society -Waleeco- 1968 US Psychedelia***


The Flat Earth Society were a Boston, MA group formed by Jack Kerivan (piano, organ, vocals), Phil Dubuque (rhythm guitar, recorder, lead vocals), Rick Doyle (lead guitar, tambourine, vocals), Curt Girard (drums), and Paul Carter (bass , vocals).
Among the crown jewels of sought after 1960’s american psychedelic records The Flat Earth Society’s "Waleeco" is a legendary album that more than lives up to its reputation. Recorded in 1968 for of all things a candy bar manufacturer (Waleeco being the name of the said confection) the album was only made available to candy fiends that sent in a few wrappers and $1.50. anyone lucky enough to take advantage of that offer obtained a beautiful psychedelic rock/pop masterpiece that took in everything from dreamy West Coast styled acid rock, laid back acoustic folk, driving garage psych rock and full on trippy psychedelia.

Track Listings
1. Feelin' Much Better - Flat Earth Society
2. Midnight Hour - Flat Earth Society
3. I'm So Happy - Flat Earth Society
4. When You're There - Flat Earth Society
5. Four & Twenty Miles - Flat Earth Society
6. Prelude For The Town Monk - Flat Earth Society
7. Shadows - Flat Earth Society
8. Dark Street Downtown - Flat Earth Society
9. Portrait In Grey - Flat Earth Society
10. In My Window - Flat Earth Society
11. Satori - Flat Earth Society

here

***Damin Eih, A.L.K & Brother Clark - Never Mind (1973 US super-mystical Psychedelia)***


This was described years ago in a catalog as Gandalf the Grey meets the Moody Blues. I can still not think of a better comparison than this. This is a unique and magical LP of enchanting songs with haunting melodies and harmonies backed by an elaborate and equally haunting instrumentation, led by superb (though not flashy) guitar work. Dreamy and hypnotic, an excellent mixture of folk and psych sounds,, every song is winner.

On many hardcore psych collectors' Top 10 lists (including one via Patrick Lundborg's Acid Archives book), this insanely rare and impossible-to-describe 1973 brain-fryer from Minneapolis is utterly soaked with mystic, thoroughly-dosed higher key psychedelia -- think Zerfas meets Bobb Trimble, but you're still nowhere near the lysergic laboratory. Damin Eih rambled off to India to clear his head after leaving behind this lone, legendary offering, never to be heard from again. Painstakingly and spectacularly re-mastered from two virgin copies of the original vinyl (the master tapes have long since disappeared), this treasure is now rescued from the deepest catacombs of psychedelic fatso obscurity for all to hear.

* Damin Eih - guitars, lead vocals, synthesizer, piano
* A.L.K. (A.L. Katzner) - percussion, piano, vocals, guitar
* Brother Clark (Clark Dircz) - bass, guitar, piano, chinese chimes
1 Tourniquet 2:17
2 Sing A Different Song 4:17
3 Take Off Your Eyes 5:40
4 Soft Margins 4:45
5 Thundermice 3:52
6 Monday Morning Prayer 0:38
7 Gone 4:40
8 Marching Together 3:36
9 Kathryn At Night 3:391
0 Party Hats & Olive Spats 3:24
11 Return Naked 1:57.

**

Thursday 1 September 2011

***Egg - Egg (1970 uk mix of jazz, psychedelia, rock and fusion)***



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)

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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***Eden's Children - Eden's Children/Sure Looks Real (1968/69 us, psychedelic rock, bosstown sound, 2006 remaster, two albums - MP3 320k)***


In the dark depths of the Bosstown Sound backlash it would be hard to champion your scene amidst charges of 'plastic' and 'lame'. This was the time we threw Eden's Children in their face. Their album was released just after the initial brouhaha so they wern't lumped in with the other groups as much. When they were they held their own.

Eden's Children were on ABC records produced by heavy hitter Bob Theile and they even sounded a little different than the rest. They were more gritty. Still psychedelic they were closer to Hendrix than the Grateful Dead. They were top of the heap for many locals as illustrated in the poll I have included in the radio broadcast on the main page. Their first LP is self-titled Eden's Children and is another album that was always played at parties. Packed with good songs and playing, it never flags.

The Children were a three piece group. All were very good players. Larry Kiley the bass player and Jimmy Sturman the drummer were a constantly interesting rhythm section. The main songwriter/singer was Richard 'Sham' Schamach who was also a great guitar player. If you put on the second Eden's Children album, you first hear the song Sure Looks Real It sounds similiar to the songs on the first album but as the album progresses it seems like something is wrong. This reminds me of what happened to the second Spinach album (although their case was much worse).

You have all the elements of the first album but the sound has been eviscerated. It's flat and thin even though the playing is just fine. I throw the blame here on the engineers at ABC. In this case they seem like they don't know how to record a rock group. The bass has no punch at all even though Kiley is playing just fine.The guitar tone on Things Gone Wrong solo is so bad that the person responsible should spend time in a Donald Rumsfeld run prison. It's not a wash out and a dedicated listener will hear good songs and playing minus a punchy group sound.

Eden's Children never got the attention that they deserved. Alan White over at the NEMS site says that Richard 'Sham' Schamach was on the radar at some point claiming to have a live tape that he was going to release. Well, Sham, please before we all die, get it out.
-The Boston Sound

Tracks
Eden's Children
1. Knocked Out - 3:16
2. Goodbye Girl - 3:20
3. If She’s Right - 2:34
4. I Wonder Why - 3:29
5. Stone Fox - 3:05
6. My Bad Habit - 2:22
7. Just Let Go - 7:43
8. Out Where The Light Fish Live - 5:05
9. Don’t Tell Me - 4:48
Sure Looks Real
10.Sure Looks Real - 4:29
11.Toasted (Larry Kiley) - 2:05
12.Spirit Call - 2:44
13.Come When I Call - 3:44
14.Awakening - 2:08
15.The Clock’s Imagination - 2:54
16.Things Gone Wrong - 4:06
17.Wings (Larry Kiley) - 2:40
18.Call It Design - 3:20
19.Invitation - 3:36
20.Echoes - 2:20
All songs written by Richard 'Sham' Schamach, except where noted.

Eden's Children
*Richard "Sham" Schamach - Vocals, Guitar
*Larry Kiley - Bass
*Jimmy Sturman - Drums

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Elizabeth - Elizabeth (1968 US Psych)


Enjoyable trip through East Coast psych reminiscent of the 2nd Fallen Angels LP.

- Steve Weingart (lead guitar, harp, organ, vocals),
- Bob Patterson (guitar, vocals),
- Jim Dahme (guitar, flute, vocals),
- Steve Bruno (organ, bass), and
- Hank Ransome (drums).

01. Not That Kind Of Guy
02. Mary Anne
03. Dissimilitude
04. Similitude
05. You Should Be More Careful
06. The World's For Free
07. Fields Of Home
08. Alarm Rings Five
09. Lady L
10. When All Else Fails

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