Neil - Neil's Heavy Concept Album (1984 comedy spoof Psych LP feat. 'Neil' from "The Young Ones") GOOD FUN, GOOD SONGS!

Review:

Nigel Planer (vocals) revives "Neil" from the short-lived yet highly influential BBC-TV program The Young Ones on Neil's Heavy Concept Album (1984). Although the show was set in the 1980s, Neil's lifestyle centers around the mid-to late-'60s hippie culture, an exceedingly antiquated notion directly contrasting his ultra-mod housemates. This explains the inclusion of the fairly wide selection of psychedelic and progressive nuggets amidst the spoken links and occasional originals. The idea for the long-player stemmed from his version of Traffic's early side "Hole in My Shoe" --which came out as a single. When Planer appeared in character to promote it on BBC 2's Top of the Pops, he lost his footing, resulting in the backdrop falling apart and causing general mayhem on live television. The tune is given a lighthearted romp with notable session musician Rick Biddulph (guitar) working in phrases of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" during the waning moments. Other fun covers are Tomorrow's "My White Bicycle," Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd on "The Gnome," Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man," and "The Amoeba Song," aka the Incredible String Band's "A Very Cellular Song." Caravan's "Golf Girl" is worth additional mention, as it features a cameo voice-over from Dawn French --half of the comedy team French & Saunders --as (of all things) a policewoman. Instrumentally, Planer is supported by an all-star cast that includes Dave Stewart (keyboards/ bass/drum/guitar), Barbara Gaskin (backing vocals), Pip Pyle (drums),akko M. Jakszyk (guitars), and jazz heavy Annie Whitehead (trombone), as well as Jimmy Hastings, who at one time was a primary contributor to the aforementioned prog rock outfit Caravan. "Lentil Nightmare" is a tremendously amusing Planer-penned composition that, among other things, quotes "In the Court of the Crimson King" by King Crimson amidst the proto-heavy progressive metal madness. The connecting bits of dialogue provide an outlet for Planer's quirky and earthy humor. Also of note is "Neil the Barbarian," a parody of a movie advert where Neil --a strict vegan --eats a hamburger, which transforms him into this superhero-type character. All said, Neil's Heavy Concept Album is thoroughly entertaining and recommended for inclined parties.

Tracklist:

"Hello Vegetables" –:26
"Hole In My Shoe" –3:40
"Heavy Potato Encounter" –:42
"My White Bicycle" –3:31
"Neil the Barbarian" –1:12 (narrated by Nigel Planer's brother Roger Planer)
"Lentil Nightmare" –5:47
"Computer Alarm" –:36
"Wayne" –1:36
"The Gnome" –2:29
"Cosmic Jam" –2:26
"Golf Girl" –4:40 (featuring Dawn French as a not-so-nice fairy godmother)
"Bad Karma in the UK" –2:17
"Our Tune" –1:13
"Ken" –:41
"The End of the World Cabaret" –1:09
"No Future (God Save the Queen)" –2:12
"Floating" –1:39
"Hurdy Gurdy Man" –3:46
"Paranoid Remix" –1:59
"The Amoeba Song (From 'A Very Cellular Song')" –1:19
BONUS TRACK :
"Hurdy Gurdy Mushroom Man" (B-side of "Hole in my Shoe" single)(audio extracted from video. Please comment if any problems)

album

HuRdY gUrDy MuShRoOm MaN

Great Psych Anthology below!

Click this link for great SKIP BIFFERTY 2-CD ANTHOLOGY!!

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The Farm Band - The Farm Band US 1972 Hippie West Coast Psych Rock

Kind of a given here, don't you think? The Farm Band (also operatingas Stephen & The Farm Band and the TennesseeFarm Band) was the houseband at The Farm, flagship of all hippie communes. I strongly recommend anyone with an interest in the rural revolution to check out this amazing place more; the book "Voices From The Farm" (Rupert Fike, ed.) is a good start. This massive 2LP set was the Farm Band's first release and also by some miles their finest moment (later LPs are pretty good too, though, and I wouldn't want to let go of any of them). A nine-piece outfit, the standard rock setting is augmented by flute, electric fiddle, and French horn(!); mixed vocals and long, jam-oriented material give this an undeniable late-stage West Coast feel (not much of a surprise, really, as most of the Farm residents originated from San Francisco). The mood is one of joy and spontaneity, where you easily can imagine a few hundred longhaired freaks out in the fields groovin' all night long into the morning sun, as the last jam slowly fades away. This spontaneity also resultsin performances that are perhaps a tad "loose", shall we say, or even sloppy, with vocal harmonies going all over the place. Songwriting never was the Farm Band's forte either. What they do succeed in is creatinga sort of tribal Earth Rock, where the leadguitar of Walter Rabideau cuts through time and spaceleading the band further and further away into holy man jam land; the rhythmguitarist steps on his wah-wah, the violinist comes sweeping in from the cornfield ready to push things into even higher grounds, and eventually it's a wall of sound-effect that soarshigh above the watertower, leavingSummertown, TN, as nothing but a tiny dot on the map that stretches out far below. Get the picture? When the jams here really gel it's an amazing power at work, a psychedelic testimony with a groove that appears to be endless. This being a very communal effort it feels contradictory to single out any specific player, but I can't let the opportunity passto praise Walter Rabideau's guitarplaying. One of rock's unsungguitarheroes, his solos have a rich tone, an amazing flow & if you like me have an inclination towards air guitar-moves, Walter's all you need for a night of good fun. Ok, the last statement may not really be serving his reputation much good, but he really is fantastic, and an Acid Rock Legend in this household. On this album he also benefits from having some hot rhythmguitar to play against, by someone named Joseph (last name unknown to me), who wasn't on any of the subsequent LPs. In all, this is a document of a time where possibilities seemed endless (the heading on the Farm Band's touring busread "Out To Save The World"), the music beingonly a fracture of what it was all about. The Farm is still there though, with some 300 members, but the Farm Band called it quits in the late 70sor so. Like any other Farm product the packaging here is awesome; a thick gatefold cover, huge poster and printed inners. A piece of art, a statement and an essential piece of underground head sounds.
(by http:// www.beautifullies.se)

Tracklisting:

01.Om -Farm Band,
02.Loving You
03.Lord's Work -Farm Band, Dotzler, Thomas
04.Keep your Head Up High
05.Being Here With you -Farm Band, Dotzler, Thomas
06.Let It Ride
07.Prayer
08.I Believe It

The Farm Band
Read more about The Farm community: *http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ The_Farm_(Tennessee) *http://thefarmcommunity.com/ history/

***Virginia Astley - Hope in a Darkened Heart (UK 1986) - GORGEOUS RARE CHILDLIKE DREAMPOP!***

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Virginia Astley (born 26 September 1959) is an English singer-songwriter most active during the 1980s and 1990s. From the start of her song-writing career in 1980, Astley took her inspiration from many sources. Her classical training influenced her as did a desire to be experimental with her music. Although more popular in the Far East, most notably Japan, she remains a cult artist in her native England.

When its realised that Virginia's debut album was instrumental and "Promise Nothing" was made for export,this is actually her first vocal album.And as far as this country in concerned it was her last. "Some Small Hope",a duet with David Sylvian,was issued as a single the year after and couple with a rerun of "A Summer Long Since Past",one of the 2 items reworked here. At the time Virginia was expecting and had been abandoned by the father so understandably she wanted to call off the sessions. But Warner Brothers,who'd signed her because of their connection with the aborted Why Fi,persuaded long time fan and producer Riuchi Sakamoto to talk her out of it. So this was the result,again a 9 tracker,but the song missed off went to Japan,this being "A day a night",included on their vinyl and CD. "A winter's tale" became a single. Virginia actually adapted 3 previous songs as a barb against the man who walked out on her and these were "Charm" (also a Japanese single) "A father" and "So like Dorian".Not that anyone would notice as she is too poetic to be vitriolic,and her sweet fragile voice could never convey anger. In "I'm sorry" its never been clear who she was apologising to but after giving an interview to the NME Virginia had nothing to say to anyone and retired from the music business to raise the daughter born in Westminster Hospital.Her only signs of activity since then were to contribute a song to the soundtrack of "Lily Was Here" ("Second chance")and the Japanese artiste Hideaki Matsuoka called "Winter White Rain",the Japanese name for snow. "Tree Top Club",which opens up side 2 on the vinyl,is a song inspired by childhood memories in Stanmore,even mentioning the "ruined church",which is still there as there are 2 churches in the same churchyard! Another earlier single "Darkness has reached its end" was also included: the idea behind the lyrics came via a Russian poet and has beautiful words full of pastoral images.

Tracklist:

1 Some Small Hope (with David Sylvian)
2 A Father
3 So Like Dorian
4 I'm Sorry
5 Tree Top Club
6 Charm
7 Love's a Lonely Place To Be
8 A Summer Long Since Passed
9 Darkness Has Reached Its End

dreamdreamdream

***The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - Volume One (US 1966) - Great & Legendary Psych band!***

Psychelatte says: One of my top fave Psych bands ever! They did a good half dozen wacky, melodic, funny and wigged out albums. I adore them!
"Volume One", not to be confused with the other album "Part One". This is their first album release, "Part One" was actually their second. Anyways this is a pretty interesting album. There are quite a few covers on this album. And they are pretty good ones at that.

01 -Something you got
02 -Work song
03 -Louie, louie
04 -Don't break my ballonn
05 -You really got me
06 -Don't let anything!!! Stand in your way
07 -I won't hurt you
08 -If you want this love
09 -Insanity
10 -It's all over now, baby blue
11 -She belongs to me
12 -She surely must know (previously unreleased)
13 -Sassafras
14 -She may call you up tonight
15 -One day (previously unissued)
16 -Funny how love can be (previously unissued)
17 -Obviously bad
18 -Endless night (previously unissued)
19 -Tell me what you want to know (previously unissued)
20 -Just you & me (previously unissued)
21 -Chimes of freedom (previously unissued)
22 -Scuse me miss rose (previously unissued instrumental)

VOL ONE

J.P Sunshine - J.P Sunshine (UK 67-68 West Coast Psych/Folk-Rock)

To say that J.P. Sunshine was flower-power-era England's least-famous band would be an overstatement. During the group's lifetime, its lo-fi bedroom recordings never actually made it out of the bedroom and it was only decades after London had stopped swinging that J.P. Sunshine's homemade pop-psychedelia was released. Formed in London in late 1967, J.P. Sunshine was the brainchild of poet George Duffell, also known as Jorgy Porgy (the J.P. in J.P. Sunshine). Duffell was keen to set his poems to music, and an opportunity to do so arose when he met Rod Goodway, a former member of the English pop group the Pack, who had a hit with the Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe in Magic?" Goodway penned simple arrangements for acoustic guitar and a band coalesced around the duo. Duffell (bongos/xylophone) and Goodway (vocals/guitar) were joined by Adrian Shaw (guitar), Pete Biles (bongos), and Duffell's girlfriend, Pat Morphin (percussion). In early 1968, J.P. Sunshine went electric as Goodway recruited former Pack guitarist Andy Rickell (aka Android Funnel) and Shaw moved to bass.

In keeping with the spirit of the times, J.P. Sunshine was as much a scene as it was a band; its members congregated in Duffell and Morphin's apartment to listen to the latest American imports (Love, Jefferson Airplane, Captain Beefheart, the Grateful Dead, among others) and to ingest chemicals. Then, under the influence of both, they would write and play music, recording on a primitive two-track machine. J.P. Sunshine's informal, proto-lo-fi identity especially suited Goodway and Rickell since it served as a recreational project away from their work as professional musicians. Concurrently with J.P. Sunshine, they were members of the psychedelic rock outfit White Rabbit. During this time, Goodway also sang with the Artwoods, who had briefly renamed themselves the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

The demise of J.P. Sunshine was accelerated by the claustrophobic, chemically enhanced environment the band had created around itself in Duffell's apartment. Rickell became involved with Duffell's girlfriend and the increasingly morose Duffell wrote lyrics about that situation, which the band then used, only making a weird scene weirder. In late 1968, the band committed final versions of its tracks to tape and made a stab at success. Pink Floyd's management responded favorably, but suggested the material be re-recorded with a drum kit. The final nail in the coffin came in December when, following a protracted stakeout, the drugs squad put an end to the J.P. Sunshine scene. Shaw, Rickell, and Goodway went on to various bands, including the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Magic Muscle, Hawkwind, and the Bevis Frond.

The long-lost J.P. Sunshine album eventually appeared on cassette in 1985 and on vinyl in 1996. ~ Wilson Neate, All Music Guide

Lyrics: J.P. Sunshine J P Sunshine is mine and thine, J P Sunshine on me and thee…. From light are we spun Down there, on earth, sunshine gave birth…. To youthI am true, And you… Are…. TruthColours of day, you say, But they…. do not know,they are so grey J P Sunshine is mine and thine J P Sunshine on me and thee From light are we spun…. Spun….spun….spun….spun…spuuuuuuunnnn

Tracks:

J.P. Sunshine
Hey Girl
Love Scene
This Side Up
Octopus
Watch Out
Eyes Are Raining
Dark Star
Swan Song
Rising Free
Hand In Hand
Dirt Blues
hey, maan

Spirit - (S/T US 1968) Heavy Psych. Great stuff!

–SPIRIT –1968(US)heavypsych Spirit's debut unveiled a band that seemed determine to out-eclecticize everybody else on the California psychedelic scene, with its melange of rock, jazz, blues, folk-rock, and even a bit of classical and Indian music. Teenaged Randy California immediately established a signature sound with his humming, sustain-heavy tone; middle-aged drummer Ed Cassidy gave the group unusual versatility; and the songs tackled unusual lyrical themes, like "Fresh Garbage" and "Mechanical World." As is often the case in such hybrids, the sum fell somewhat short of the parts; they could play more styles than almost any other group, but couldn't play (or, more crucially, write) as well as the top acts in any given one of those styles. There's some interesting stuff here, nonetheless; "Uncle Jack" shows some solid psych-pop instincts, and it sounds like Led Zeppelin lifted the opening guitar lines of "Taurus" for their own much more famous "Stairway to Heaven."

Randy California (guitar, vocals)ay Ferguson (vocals, percussion)
Mark Andes (bass)
Ed Cassidy (drums) J
ohn Locke (keyboards)

1 Fresh-Garbage 3:11
2 Uncle Jack 2:44
3 Mechanical World 5:15
4 Taurus 2:37
5 Girl in Your eye 3:15
6 Straight Arrow 2:50
7 Topanga Windows 3:36
8 Gramophone Man 3:49
9 Water Woman 2:11
10 The Great Canyon Fire in General 2:46
11 Elijah 10:42 bonus track
12 Veruska 2:50
13 Free Spirit 4:27
14 If I Had a Woman 3:11
15 Elijah (Alternate Take) 9:42

Spirit were america’s equivalent of Traffic -an accomplished, stylish psychedelic heavy-progressive outfit with consistently excellent songwriting. Very, very colorful music. Their albums sold quite well, charting in the 20’s although they seem to be less celebrated than they deserve to be, possibly because critics tend to mark down most of the psychedelic music of the era. They are one of very few groups to record three near classic albums in psychedelic mode. They just failed to record a good hit single to lodge them in the public consciousness, which is surprising given the quality of their songwriting. They were closer to their British equivalents in style and technique than almost any other American band.

Spirit

Instant Orange -Instant Orange (1968-1975 US psych west coast and folk rock)

The hardcore record collectors at Shadoks Music would have you believe that they’ve unearthed a gem in early 1970s San Bernadino band Instant Orange. They haven’t, but the disc at least makes for an interesting listen. Co-frontmen Terry Walters and Randy Lanier founded Instant Orange and kept the band alive for seven off and on years, with a rotating cast of other players. During that time, the group produced a couple of singles, an album, and two EPs. Those releases was pressed independently, with only 100 copies of each ever produced (save for their first single. Walters says they were talked into ordering 300 instead for that one, and that they didn’t let it happen again.) None of the members went on to make a career out of music, so it’s not really a surprisethat the band was more or less forgotten until now. Terry Walters admits that he and Randy Lanier’s main touchstones were ‘60s folk-rock bands like the Byrds and Love. This is apparent throughout the disc, as the jangly sound of the 12-string electric guitar dominatesmany of the songs. The music is catchy enough, but neither frontman really had the vocal or lyrical ability to make the band come alive as a solid successor to their influences. In fact, the vocals on the band’s album Five Year Premiere are mixed so softly that they’re tough to make out, although thisis not a problem on the singles or EPs. The band really comes alive when it tries things outside the folky comfort zone. The banjo-and-kazoo instrumental hoedown “Cycle II” is highly entertaining, and the harder-rocking “Silent Green” has an energy the rest of Five Year Premiere is missing. The group’s two singles also prove successful. The poppy “You I’ll Be Following” has the band’s strongest hook, and with a producer and better singer, I could see it getting radio play back when it was released in ‘68. The second single, released in 1973, has the fun and bouncy country tune “Same Old Thing”, and features the best singing in Instant Orange’s discography. The band’s latter-day EPs, one released in 1974 and the other in ‘75, showcase a broadening sound and a full-time keyboard player, Joe Bianchi. The ‘74 EP opens with the meandering rock song “Suburban Pictorial Abstract”, but goes into boogie blues for the aptly-named “20 to 6 Bianchi Boogie”. The 8-minute instrumental jam “ThemeFrom Beat Whistle” closes out this release. It’s a jazzy and engaging song that features some really strong keyboard and guitar solos, and musical changes. The 1975 EP was the band’s final release. Its songs find the band trying more new things, from the darker “Paper Lay” to the piano-driven bluesy “Skyline”. “Flight of the Mary Celeste” sounds like the band had been listening to its ‘70s contemporaries with story-based lyrics and fuzzed-out guitar solos. Instant Orange itself was not a great band, but was at least pretty good, and fans of ‘60s folk-rock and jangle pop may find a lot to like here (review by Chris Conaton from popmatters.com).

Tracklisting:

01.Introduction
02.Visionary, The (Reactive)
03.Whole Lot Better
04.Whole Lot Better
05.Silent Green
06.Seems Like Everything
07.Seems Like Everything
08.Cycle 2
09.Cycle 2
10.Reflecting Emotions
11.Genesis II
12.Cactus Gardens
13.Ballad of the Rtd
14.Ballad of the Rtd
15.Prairie to the Sea
16.Prairie to the Sea
17.Coming of the Day
18.Coming of the Day
19.You I'll Be Following
20.Reflecting Emotions
21.Suburban Pictorial Abstract
22.20 to 6 Bianchi Boogie
23.Theme From Beat Whistle
24.View From Ghiradelli Square
25.Paper Lay 26.Skyline
27.Plight of the Maray Celeste
28.Genesis II -(non LP version)
29.Same Old Thing Instant Orange:

*Randy Lanier (vocals, guitar, bass guitar, percussion)
*Terry Walters (vocals, guitars, banjo, harmonica, kazoo, bass guitar, drums, percussion)
*Lynn McCurdy (variousinstruments, percussion

Instant Orange - Instant Orange

***Sweet Smoke - From Darkness to Light (US 1973) Magical Proggy Hippy Psych with Eastern touches***

The underrared "From Darkness to Light" is SWEET SMOKE's last studio album. This one has some shorter tracks but I think it's closer to progressive rock genre than their first. The music is more diverse, complex and thoughtfully composed. However, in some parts it still ratains the jazz-rock elements from their first album. Their typical sudden changes in mood and rhythm are also presented. I welcome the addition of piano and string instruments. I also like the singing and occasional beatlesque choir parts. The hippie imagery in the music and on the coverart is even more prominent than before. This is also notable in the epic track "Kundalini" which begins in Indo-fusion style: a crowd singing a mantra (a few people are out of tune but I think it was intentional), ethnic percussion, instrumental improvisations, scat singing... It's slowly proceeding in more "conventional" jazz-ock. The ending is a crazy jazz counterpoint between guitar, piano, sax, bas and drums. Trully stunning! "Show Me the War" is thoughtfully arranged and spiced with some dissonance. The title track has some awesome trippy and jazzy things going on. In the end they freak out... Other tracks are nice and simple songs with folky flute and a few intelligent twists. I'm not a "flower power" follower but there is something magical about this album that makes it one of my favorites. PROG ARCHIVES -by Matej Luketic

Tracks
1. Just An Empty Dream
2. I'd Rather Burn Than Disappear
3. Kundalini
4. Believe Me My Friends
5. Show Me The Way To The War
6. Darkness To Light

darknesstolight

Bo Grumpus - Before the War (1968 US "Bosstown Sound" band)

This is a long lost gem from 1968 by a little known, somewhat psychedelic group called Bo Grumpus. Originally issued on Atco Records. 180 gram vinyl. Bo Grumpus was formed in Boston in 1967 and are not to be confused with the group using the name in the 1990s-2000s. N.D. Smart andim Colegrove traveled from Ohio to team up with guitarists, Eddie Mottau and Joe Hutchinson. Eddie and Joe had performed as a duo in the mid-sixties called Two Guys From Boston. They had done some recording with Noel "Paul" Stookey as their producer but had only one single released on the Scepter label. N.D. had met the Two Guys when they performed in Dayton, Ohio at the local folk club, The Lemon Tree. N.D. then both recorded and performed with them. When they asked him to join them to make a band he was prompt to say yes. N.D. asked Jim Colegrove to join them on bass.The group first performed at The Loft on Charles Street in Boston using the name The Bait Shop. It wasn't long before Eddie and Joe called their friend Felix Pappalardi in New York to come to Boston to hear the group play. Felix had played bass with The Two Guys on their recordings. At the time, Felix had already produced The Youngbloods records for RCA and was in the midst of recording Cream for their upcoming Disraeli Gears LP. Felix came to Boston and heard the group. He and his partner, Bud Prager, liked the band and set about to secure a recording/ publishing deal for them. The Bait Shop moved to New York City inune, 1967 and prepared to record.

01 -Sparrow Tune -2.59
02 -Think Twice -2.22
03 -Yesterday´s Street -4.14
04 -The Breath o´ Love -3.06
05 -A Knowing Young Touch -2.46
06 -Ragtimely Love -2.10
07 -Travelin´ In the Dark -2.43
08 -Brooklyn -2.44
09 -The Moon Will Rise -5.26
10 -If I Came To You -2.58

Before The War

Stalk-Forrest Group - St. Cecilia (US 1968 - early Blue Oyster Cult) Great hippie psych rock!

69 album from early Blue Oyster Cult when they were known to no one as the stalk forrest group...its a rocking blast which comes complete with some nice quicksilver style guitar but on a much more consise and economical tip, not extended ballroom jams, this is compact, never meandering from its true path...the arrangements give off a mild air of pete townshend meets west-coast acid rock (with a bit of country rockthrown in, though thats more than likely a temporal thing, a couple years on and that wouldn't be there)...why elektra failed to release this debut gem is a strange puzzler as this is right up there with other highly unknown top draw combos (clear light/love/quill/wackers) making the label the heppest of hep...


Track Listing:

1. Gil Blanco County
2. Ragamuffin' Dumplin
3. Bonomo's Turkish Taffy
4. Arthur Comics
5. Curse Of The Hidden Mirrors
6. What Is Quicksand
7. St. Cecilia
8. Donovan's Monkey
9. I'm On The Lamb, But I Ain't No Sheep
10. Fact About Sneakers

St. Cecilia

Magic Mixture - This is The Magic Mixture (UK 1968) great Psych LP!

Psychelatte says: if you like this, you will probably also likeThe Maze

1968 psych classic which has been much sought after as a fine exponent of the UK's swinging London psych scene. Released on the same label as Guy and David's "Five Day Week Straw People". Like that album this is typical melodic late '60s psych with hammond, screaming wah-wah guitar breaks and Cream-like vocals. UK heavy-psych classic, originally released on the budget Saga label. The modest cover art and relative band anonymity betray an accomplished collection of twelve original tracks, with solo guitar blasts and zonked harmonies a plenty, anchored by some thunderous Hammond. A blanket of warm, hazy production makes this every bit the equal of labelmates The Five Day Week Straw People, and both nestle comfortably next to the filler-free full-lengths of 'underground' icons Second Hand, Open Mind, The Art, etc." Originally released on Saga, this superb piece of psychedelic freakbeat should be in every record collection sharing section with UK psych gods like July, Skip Bifferty, Forever Amber, Five Day Week Straw People, The Open Mind and the likes. Even though according to the The Tapestry Of Delights book, the Saga LP's are supposed to have been recorded at a school premises rather than in a proper studio, this album has become a classic of the genre on its own, containing some killer psychedelic sounds delivered mainly by the guitar of leader Jim Thomas and his bandmate Stan Curtis' organ riffs. The line-up was completed with Jack Collins on drums and Melvyn Hacker on bass guitar. The songs are all original Magic Mixture compositions, and they are all excellent samples of what was going on in the UK when the genres who had been en vogue during the '60s (modern jazz, folk, R&B, pop...) were all put into the same cauldron in the search of a special mixture, eventually obtaining some great pop tunes played with a freakbeat edge and some early psychedelic sounds --all pretty simple and without many gimmicks or studio trickery --but amazingly lovely and very cool. It is one of the most sought-after Saga releases and one that commands high sums when it shows up on eBay.

Line-up Jim Thomas -vocals, guitar
Stan Curtis -organ
Melvyn Hacker -bass
Jack Collins [aka Jack McCulloch] -drums

Tracklisting

1. (I'm so) sad 4:15
2. Urge to leave 2:32
3. You 2:58
4. Slowly the day 3:55
5. New Man 3:00
6. Living on a hill 2:57
7. It's allright by me 3:01
8. When I was young 2:55
9. Hey little girl 2:24
10. Tomorrow's sun 3:20
11. Motor bike song 2:33
12. Moon beams 4:02

This Is Magic Mixture

The Fountain Soundtrack - (Clint Mansell) -also the music used for The Arrivals video series on the NWO - beautiful & apocalyptic! ***

Amazon customer reviews:

Truely Awesome, 4 Dec 2006

The Soundtrack to The Fountain is an intense, emotional but rewarding experience, but be warned! this is not the run of the mill, orchestral style that seems to permeate movies these days, in an all too predictable way. This is more a case of The kronos Quartet meets Mogwai in a dark alley for a good dust-up. If you are familiar with God Speed You Black Emperor/ A Silver Mnt Zion's anthemic post rock orchestrations for guitar and strings you will no doubt love whats on offer here. Clint Mansell lets his inspirations show thru with a few nods to Phillip Glass and the afore mentioned GSYBE. A brooding emotional sound bulds on repeated(in a good way) piano refrains and strings to represent the various story lines present in the film, that gradually build into a stirring, emotional and intense finale on "Death is the road to Awe" The album is worth it just for this track alone.

Road to awe, 6 April 2006

You can tell a lot about a movie by its soundtrack --comedies get cute pop tunes, action gets harder stuff, and drama has somber compositions. But the exquisite genre-bender "Fountain" was graced with a sweeping, celestial collection of songs, which were a collaboration between composer Clint Mansell's group, the Kronos Quartet, and the Scottish experimental group Mogwai. It's filled with the sorrow of death, the joy of love, and all the feeling that music can muster. It opens with a gentle piano solo, which trickles into a web of slow, ominous strings. "The Last Man" opens the album on a somber note, and moves down the emotional scale from jagged unhappiness to a gentle, slightly achy sound. As it blossoms out into a rising violin solo, your heart will be breaking. Then it dips into more uncomfortable turf --the eerie "Holy Dread," with its hints of chants, dark drums and rattly noises, and the shimmering swirling guitars of "Tree of Life." But then Mansell and Mogwai move back into the orchestral mood --sweeping, shimmering melodies with a sort of spacey feel, and dark-edged neoclassical instrumentals. It rises to a heart-pounding climax in "Death is the Road To Awe," with the music getting louder and more intense, and picking up tempo... before exploding into what sounds like an angelic rock song. The final song is very different in tone --very quiet, mellow and almost happy. Well, Darren Aronofsky's movie is full of death, war, sorrow, love, space travel, and immortality. Somehow it's not too surprising that a normal soundtrack wouldn't do, and that a mixture of neoclassical instrumentals and space-rock are needed to really accentuate the beauty on the screen. The music is full of emotion --sorrow, yearning, love, pain, and loneliness, climaxing in the exultant chorale and explosively soaring "Death is the Road...". To achieve this, Mansell uses some pretty simple instrumentation, with some sort of ambient melodies played with classical instrumentation. He layers plenty of shimmering strings and rippling piano into a sweeping web, and adds in some odd electronic sounds and some tribal drums for atmosphere. Best of all? Though the soundtrack mirrors the development of the movie's events, it can be enjoyed on its own merits, for its own beauty, and not just for way it makes you think of what happened in the movie. One of the best things about "The Fountain" is that soaring, emotion-packed soundtrack, which is almost as good on its own as it is with Aronofsky's movie. An exquisite, powerful experience.

Tracklist:
01. The Last Man
02. Holy Dread!
03. Tree Of Life
04. Stay With Me
05. Death Is a Disease
06. Xibalba
07. First Snow
08. Finish It
09. Death Is The Road to Awe
10. Together We Will Live Forever

"death is the road to awe"

Clip from The Arrivals, featuring evil Fantasia and this music

Richard Twice - s/t (US soft psych 1969) Fading Yellow artist - SUBLIME!

Named after the mysterious duo of Richard Atkins and Richard Manning, it’s beautifully crafted songs and glorious melodies have assured it an ever-growing cult reputation. The sleeve tells us these two songwriters are “as different as the sun and the moon in their daily lives, and yet who can sing songs that go directly to the heart of the matter, with a seemingly single mind and voice.” Featuring top-notch backing from musicians such as Drake Levin (Paul Revere & the Raiders), Larry Knechtel (Bread), Mark Tulin (The Electric Prunes) and Rusty Young (Poco), it’s bound to appeal to all fans of high-quality early ’70s U.S. pop-rock. –“This is a virtually perfect pop album, the kind of thing that would have ruled the charts if the wind had been blowing the right way that month.” (Acid Archives)
Track Listings

1. Generation '70
2. My Love Bathes In Silence 3. 1:25 AM
4. Your Love Like Heaven Be
5. God Give Me Strength
6. What Makes Me Love You Like I Do
7. If I Knew You Were The One
8. Finest Poet
9. More Or Less Nothing
10. If I Were Strong I'd Move You Mountains
11. She Catches Me Running

RICHARD TWICE

Trader Horne - Morning Way (UK Folk-Psych 1970)

Trader Horne was a duo consisting of original Fairport Convention singer Judy Dyble (vocals, electric nuto-harp, piano) and Jackie McAuley (vocals, acoustic guitar, harpsichord, organ, piano, flute, congas and celesta). This duo formed 1969 Trader Horne (the name of John Peel's nanny, apparently). A single was released called Sheena, with a Judy Dyble song on the flipside, Morning Way, which became the title track of this, their only album. On this album they are supported by Ray Elliot (flute and bass clarinet), John Godfrey (bass) and Andy White (drums). The songs are basically precious folk-pop ditties that are both cute and catchy, without being ingratiating. Those are rare qualities (otherwise I would appreciate pop music a lot more) and a result of good song writing. Released 1970 in UK on Dawn [DNLS 3004]. Personnel: Jackie McAuley -vocals, guitar, flute, piano, harpsichord, organ, congas, celeste Judy Dyble -vocals, electric auto-harp, piano Ray Elliot -alto flute, bass clarinet Joe Godfrey -bassAndy White -drums

Tracklist:
1. Jenny May
2. Children Of Care
3. Three Rings For Eleven Kings
4. Growing Man
5. Down And Out Blues
6. The Mixed Up Kind
7. Better Than Today
8. In My Loneliness
9. Sheena
10. The Mutant
11. Morning Way
12. Velvet To Atone
13. Like That Never Was
14. Goodbye Mercy Kelly (bonus)
15. Here Comes the Rain (bonus)

morning way