Harlem River Drive - Harlem River Drive (1971 us, awesome latin jazz funky psych)

The reason this record is "legendary" is because it marks the first recorded performances, in 1970, of Eddie and Charlie Palmieri as bandleaders. The reason it should be a near mythical recording (it has never been available in the U.S. on CD, and was long out of print on LP before CDs made the scene), is for its musical quality and innovation. 

The Palmieris formed a band of themselves, a couple of Latinos that included Andy Gonzales, jazz-funk great -- even then -- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and some white guys and taught them how to play a music that was equal parts Cuban mambo, American soul via Stax/Volt, blues, Funkadelic-style rock, pop-jazz, and harmonic and instrumental arrangements every bit as sophisticated as Burt Bacharach's or Henry Mancini's or even Stan Kenton's. 

One can hear in "Harlem River Drive (Theme)" and "Idle Hands" a sound akin to War's on World Is a Ghetto. Guess where War got it? "If (We Had Peace)" was even a model for Lee Oskar's "City, Country, City." And as much as War modeled their later sound on this one record, as great as they were, they never reached this peak artistically. But there's so much here: the amazing vocals (Jimmy Noonan was in this band), the multi-dimensional percussion section, the tight, brass-heavy horn section, and the spaced-out guitar and keyboard work (give a listen to "Broken Home") where vocal lines trade with a soprano saxophone and a guitar as snaky keyboards create their own mystical effect. 

One can bet that Chick Corea heard in Eddie's piano playing a stylistic possibility for Return to Forever's Light As a Feather and Romantic Warrior albums. The band seems endless, as if there are dozens of musicians playing seamlessly together live -- dig the percussion styling of Manny Oquendo on the cowbell and conga and the choral work of Marilyn Hirscher and Allan Taylor behind Noonan. Harlem River Drive is a classic because after 30-plus years, it still sounds as if listeners are the ones catching up to it. It's worth every dime you pay for it, so special order it today. 

by Thom Jurek

Tracks

1. Harlem River Drive (Theme Song) (Calvin Clash, Eddie Palmieri) - 4:11

2. If (We Had Peace Today) (Jimmy Norman, Al Taylor) - 3:02

3. Idle Hands (Marilyn Hirscher, Bob Bianco) - 8:29

4. Broken Home (Calvin Clash, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri) - 10:37

5. Seeds of Life (Calvin Clash, Eddie Palmieri) - 5:09

Musicians
*Randy Brecker  - Trumpet
*Burt Collins  - Trumpet
*Ronnie Cuber  - Brass Arrangement, Saxophones
*Cornell Dupree  - Guitar
*Reggie Ferguson  - Drums
*Bruce Fowler  - Trombone
*Andy González  - Bass
*Gerald Jemmott  - Bass
*Bob Mann  - Guitar
*Nicky Marrero  - Drums, Timbales
*Dick Meza  - Tenor  Sax
*Jimmy Norman  -   Vocals
*Manny Oquendo  - Congas, Cowbell, Timbales
*Eddie Palmieri  - Piano
*Charlie Palmieri  - Organ
*Eladio Perez  - Congas
*Dean Robert Pratt  - Drums
*Bernard "Pretty" Purdie  - Drums
*Barry Rogers  - Trombone
*Allan Taylor  - Choir, Chorus
*Marilyn Hirscher  - Choir, Chorus
*Victor Venegas  - Bass

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Human Beinz - Live In Japan (1968 us, great garage 'n' beat, extra studio tracks issue)

Youngstown, OH's the Human Beinz were one-hit wonders in the United States, their cover of the Isley Brothers' "Nobody But Me" being their only major chart success, but they fared better in Japan, where they topped the charts with their versions of "Hold on Baby" and "Turn on Your Love Light." the Human Beinz had already broken up when "Hold on Baby" became a sensation in Japan in the spring of 1969, but they were persuaded to reunite to play a string of shows in the Land of the Rising Sun, and to the surprise of the group one of their shows at Tokyo's Shibuya Public Hall was recorded and released as a live album in Japan. 

While their hit singles were blue-eyed R'n'B workouts, on their albums the Human Beinz revealed they were clearly more interested in hard rock and the occasional psychedelic freakout, and they try to have it both ways on Human Beinz in Japan; all three hits are here, but the bandmembers attack them with significantly more force than they did in the studio, and they take the opportunity to run through some of their more idiosyncratic material, such as the tough rockin' "I've Got to Keep on Pushin'," the eccentric "My Animal," the concisely titled "Boogie," and some strong versions of tunes by Jimi Hendrix ("Foxy Lady"), Buffalo Springfield ("Mr. Soul"), and the Rolling Stones ("I'm All Right"). 

John "Dick" Belley and Ting Markulin's guitars offer a lot more bark on-stage than they did in the studio, Markulin is a passionate vocalist, and Mel Pachuta and Mike Tatman make for a fine, propulsive rhythm section. In Japan may have been something of an afterthought for the Human Beinz, but it offers proof they were a better live band than most short-lived acts of the era, and it certainly deserves a hearing in the group's homeland. 

by Mark Deming

Tracks
1. Hold On Baby - 2:30
2. Foxy Lady - 4:24
3. This Lonely Town - 2:25
4. My Animal - 2:34
5. Turn On Your Love Light - 3:33
6. Two Of A Kind - 3:02
7. Mr.Soul - 2:14
8. Boogie - 2:45
9. I've Got To Keep On Pushin' - 2:48
10.Dance On Through - 2:58
11.I'm All Right - 5:48
12.Nobody But Me - 3:36
13.The Piper - 2:07
14.My Generation - 4:49
15.Gloria - 2:25
16.Times Are Changing - 2:02
17.Nobody But Me (Different Version) - 2:14
18.Evil Hearted You - 2:11
19.Little Girl Of Mine - 2:15
20.I've Got To Keep Pushin - 2:39
Bonus tracks 13-20, studio outtakes not including on their previous releases.

The Human Beinz
*John "Dick" Belley - Guitar, Vocals
*Ting Markulin - Guitar, Vocals
*Mel Pachuta - Bass, Vocals
*Mike Tatman - Drums

1968  The Human Beinz - Nobody But Me / Evolutions 

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The Hook - Will Grab You (1968 us, hard’n’heavy treasure unearthed)

Formed in 1968 by onetime members of LA’s Leaves, The Hook were one of the first power trios to start working similar blues-based territory mapped out by Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Well connected to the Vox amplifier company, they were, by all accounts, loud and gutsy on the West Coast ballroom circuit – though such power doesn’t always translate well on this, their first album.

The group’s driving force was undoubtedly guitarist Bobby Arlin, whose attacking playing utilised many of the new studio effects that had become available, with the rhythm section giving him a frame to climb around. The band weren’t averse to the odd quiet moment either, as with Everything’s Groovy and the somewhat incongruous addition of a glockenspiel on You Know I Do.

by Kingsley Abbott

This is actually their first album released 1968, Lizard label by mistake credit it as 1970 release.

Tracks
1. Homes - 3:50
2. Lookin' For You - 3:00
3. You Know I Do - 2:30
4. Turn Your Head - 3:17
5. Son Of Fantasy - 2:30
6. Dr. B & His Friends - 3:52
7. Plug Your Head In - 2:50
8. Everything's Groovy - 1:47
9. Garbage Man - 2:15
10.Dimples (J.L. Hooker) - 2:51
All tracks by Bobby Arlin and Buddy Sklar except where noted

The Hook
*Buddy Sklar - Bass
*Craig Boyd - Drums
*Bobby Arlin - Guitar

1968  Hooked

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Orange Wedge - Wedge (1972 us, raw hard rock, 2008 remaster)

Originally released as a private pressing and on label „Contraband“ Orange Wedge´s 1st album „Wedge“ features 7 songs full of driving guitars and strong vocals. Orange Wedge hailed from Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., where they formed in 1968. They released 2 albums, both albums show a mix of long and short songs and lots of loud guitars. Exellent songwriting and remarkable hooks, too. Highlights of the album are 11-minute track „Death comes slowly“ and final song „Revenge“, which features some suberb Neil Young-influenced guitar playing.

Tracks

1. Love Me - 2:58

2. Death Comes Slowly (Joe Farace, Greg Coulson, Dave Burgess, Tom Rizzo) - 11:15

3. Comfort Of You - 5:28

4. Keep On Livin'  - 6:01

5. One Night Lover - 4:01

6. Meathouse Shuffle (Joe Farace, Greg Coulson, Tom Rizzo, Don Cowger) - 2:04

7. Revenge - 6:34

Tracks 1,3,4,5,7 written by Joe Farace, Greg Coulson

Orange Wedge
*Joe Farace - Guitar
*Don Cowger - Bass
*Tom Rizzo - Drums
*Dave Burgess - Keyboards
*Greg Coulson - Vocals
*Gene Ingham - Bass, Flute

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The Hook - Hooked (1968 us, prime heavy psych with funky blasts)

Formed in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1967 by former Leaves guitarist Bobby Arlin, Hook also consisted of Buddy Sklar (bass) and Craig Boyd (drums). Will Grab You showed little of the folk/rock style Arlin’s previous group was noted for, offering instead power-trio heavy rock. 

The departure of Boyd in 1968 prompted a re-think which saw former Grass Roots keyboard player Danny Provisor and new drummer Dale Loyola drafted into the line-up. Hook offered a more polished style but, as neither release was a commercial success, Arlin folded the band the following year. He subsequently became a booking agent in Orange County, California. 

Tracks
1. Go (Provisor) - 3:10
2. You’re Lookin’ Fine (Davies) - 3:50
3. There’s Magic In the Air (Arlin, Sklar) - 2:20
4. Son Of Fantasy II (Arlin, Sklar) - 6:00
5. Hook Can Cook (Arlin, Sklar) - 3:07
6. Love Theme In E Major (Arlin, Sklar) - 2:10
7. A Beautiful Tomorrow (Arlin, Sklar) - 2:21
8. You Need People (Arlin, Sklar) - 3:30
9. All Around The World (Turner) - 3:17
10. You Don’t Have To Stay (Arlin, Sklar) - 2:42

The Hook
*Buddy Sklar - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Dale Loyola - Drums, Vocals
*Bobby Arlin - Guitar, Vocals
*Dennis Provisor - Organ, Vocals

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Last Straw - Alone On A Stone (1973-76 uk, twin guitar space progressive rock, Kissing Spell release)

Last Straw hailed from that very un-rock'n'roll outpost, the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, renowned for being about twenty years behind the mainland at any given time. Kissing Spell have seen fit to exhume nearly an hour of the band's demos from the early '70s and give them a release as Alone on a Stone, although, unsurprisingly, the sound quality is rather inconsistent. There are some excellent moments.

Keyboards on some tracks; these were recorded at several different sessions over a course of three or four years, and I doubt if the band's lineup remained consistent. I think the strings on Life Without Rules and the title track are a string synth of some description, but it's definitely 'Tron on Terence, played by musician unknown. In conclusion, the disc does it well on his journey between space rock to  progressive spin ..

Planet-mellotron

Tracks
1. Terence - 10:47
2. Life Without Rules - 5:24
3. Alone On A Stone - 7:12
4. Fools - 4:40
5. When August Breaks - 5:01
6. Fly - 3:44
7. Mirage - 5:45
8. Kings Return(live) - 7:47
9. Theme From Chance (live) - 3:45

Last Straw
*Jack Charles Toole - Drums
*Peyte Burnan - Guitar, Vocals
*Geoff Taylor - Guitar, Keyboards, Lead Vocals
*Steve Griffin - Guitar, Vocals
*Phil Truckel - Bass

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Heron - Heron (1970 uk, warm natural folk rock, japan SHM extra tracks issue)

Heron's self-titled debut LP was mild, drummerless British folk-rock with the rural/pastoral feel common to many early-'70s records in the style. That pastoral feel, in this particular case, might have been in part deliberate; the record was actually recorded in a field by the River Thames, and though the sound quality is very good, you can occasionally hear some birds and faint ambient outdoor noises. 

The music is very friendly, acoustic guitar-based stuff that, as improbable as such a blend may seem, is a little like a combination of Simon & Garfunkel with the Incredible String Band, though there aren't many of the weirder elements of the latter. You might also cite the most acoustic and folky Paul McCartney ballads of the late '60s and early '70s (à la "Blackbird") and the harmonies of Crosby, Stills and Nash as less prominent influences. Some organ, piano, and accordion add a little depth to what's essentially an acoustic folk base. 

In common with a lot of records with obvious points of comparison to famous acts, however, the songs themselves aren't nearly as distinguished as those of the artists mentioned earlier in this review. That doesn't mean it's without its pluses, however. It's a fresh and youthful, if naïve, effort, with "Upon Reflection" being both the most memorable track and the one that is most reminiscent of early Simon & Garfunkel. 

by Richie Unterberger 

Tracks
1. Yellow Roses (R. Apps) - 4:13
2. Car Crash (T. Pook, R. Apps) - 2:57
3. Harlequin 2 (Moore) - 2:28
4. Smiling Ladies (R. Apps) - 2:31
5. Little Boy (Moore) - 3:13
6. Sally Goodin (Guthrie) - 0:43
7. Upon Reflection (R. Apps) - 2:38
8. Lord And Master (T. Pook, Collins) - 4:50
9. Little Angel (R. Apps) - 4:11
10.Goodbye (Moore) - 3:38
11.For You (R. Apps) - 2:45
12.Sally Goodin (Guthrie arr. by Moore) - 1:06
13.Carnival And Penitence (T. Pook, Moore) - 1:54
14.Bye And Bye - 2:25
15.Through Time - 3:28
16.Only A Hobo - 3:48
17.I'm Ready To Leave - 4:40
Bonus tracks 14-17 

Heron
*Roy Apps - Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Tony Pook - Vocals
*Steve Jones - Piano, Organ, Electric Piano, Accordion, Vocals
*Gerry Power - Guitar, Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals, Piano

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The Human Beast - Volume One (1970 uk, hypnotic and hard driving with intense guitar workouts in a classic psych mould, 2007 remaster)

This short-lived psychedelic pop outfit was formed in the UK at the end of the 60s. Featuring Gillies Buchan (guitar/vocals), Edward Jones (bass/vocals), David McNiven (clarinet) and John Romsey (drums), the group was originally known as Skin but did not record as such. Human Beast signed to Decca Records in 1970 and made their debut with Volume One (Instinct). Though it sold poorly at the time, it has subsequently become the subject of collector’s interest. Typical of its contents were songs with expansive titles such as ‘Brush With The Midnight Butterfly’, ‘Reality Presented As An Alternative’ and ‘Appearance Is Everything Style Is A Way Of Living’. Fittingly, each featured similarly ponderous lyrics. In common with other progressive bands of the period, there was also a degree of experimentation with Eastern melodies and rhythms, resulting in the best track, ‘Maybe Someday’. However, the group never recorded again and disappeared from the music business thereafter. 

All Music

Tracks
1. Mystic Man (Gillies Buchan) - 6:50
2. Appearance Is Everything, Style Is A Way Of Living (Gillies Buchan) - 4:35
3. Brush With The Midnight Butterfly (Gillies Buchan) - 5:24
4. Maybe Someday (Mike Heron) - 6:22
5. Reality Presented As An Alternative (Gillies Buchan) - 5:00
6. Naked Breakfast (Gillies Buchan) - 3:09
7. Circle Of The Night (Gillies Buchan, David McNiven) - 3:11

The Human Beast
*John Romsey - Drums, Percussion
*Ed Jones - Bass, Vocals
*Gillies Buchan - Guitar, Vocals
With
*David McNiven - Clarinet

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Ice - Iceman (1967-68 uk, lovely jazzy psych blends, Angel Air 2005 extra tracks release)

Some bands are deservedly obscure, some fall from grace into that state, and some just never really had the opportunity to be anything but; Ice fall into that latter category. This late-60s Brit band received a leg-up from the BBC, and even made the occasional TV appearance, but lack of label support brought Ice's spread to an abrupt halt. 

Ice Man finally brings together on CD all of the band's recorded output, but it's not much. A few singles, a clutch of demos, and that's that, but the collection is further bulked up by the inclusion of BBC live appearances, as well as three songs from Russell's Clump, a band which also boasted Ice vocalist Glyn Jones, performing at Sussex University. 

So does Ice deserve the cult status they've long enjoyed, or is it merely a matter of absence making the heart grow fonder? Ice Man proves without a doubt that it's the former, and leave you to wonder just where the band would have ended up with a bit more help from their label. And not merely in the chart stakes, but in the musical sense as well, for what strikes one immediately is just how eclectic and unique Ice were. The title track is a wonderful piece of psychedelia whimsy, but the group were also equally adept at vocal-drenched pop, delicate rock ballads delivered in a very English fashion, and more emotive R&B/soul-fired numbers. 

That latter styling came to the fore at the BBC across their Yardbirds-esque attack on the Beatles "Day Tripper," reinforced by their own number "Wide Blue Yonder Boy." Move into the demos and even more unexpected styles emerge. "Silver Lady," with its picked guitar, sidles up to C&W before flirting with Motown during the harmony laced chorus, while "Wait" gives its heart, but not its musical arrangement to Stax. 

And finally, you begin to see their label's problem, for how do you package a psychedelic pop/rock-R&B-soul band for the mass market, even if the group did boast a superb singer, phenomenally intricate arrangements, and a totally unique musical vision? They couldn't. Easier to just let them melt away, until all that's left is a pool of fond memories. But how wonderful that Ice Man has been excavated and brought forth on CD in all their glory. 

by  Jo-Ann Greene

Tracks
1. Ice Man (Steve Turner, Chris Simpson) - 2:59
2. Whisper Her Name (Steve Turner, Chris Simpson) - 3:38
3. Anniversary (Of Love) (Steve Turner, Chris Simpson) - 3:14
4. So Many Times (Steve Turner, Chris Simpson) - 2:11
5. Walk on the Water (Steve Turner, Chris Simpson) - 2:09
6. Time's Fading Fast (Steve Turner, Chris Simpson) - 3:23
7. Day Tripper (John Lennon, P. McCartney) - 2:07
8. Ice Man (Steve Turner, Chris Simpson) - 2:56
9. Wide Blue Yonder Boy (Glyn James) - 1:58
10.Open the Door to Your Heart (N/K) - 3:22
11.Like a Woman (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 2:18
12.Skyline (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 3:03
13.Wait (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 2:48
14.Monday (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 2:38
15.Tell Me (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 3:22
16.Silver Lady (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 3:10
17.Burning Burning (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 2:57
18.Two Hearts (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 2:43
19.Little Girl in Wonderland (Kris Johnson, Chris Simpson) - 2:37

Ice
*Glyn James - Vocals
*John Carter - Bass,Back Vocals
*Lynton Naiff - Hammond Organ ,Piano
*Grant Serpel - Drums
*Steve Turner - Guitars
Additional Musicians
*Kris Johnson - Guitars
*Mo Foster - Bass
*Linda Hoyle - Back Vocals

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Terence - An Eye For An Ear (1969 canada, mindblowing mixture of soulful pop psych 'n' garage, Fallout 2008 reissue)

Terry Black was the Fabian of Canada and covered buttloads of Barri Sloan songs in his pop career and  had six top 40 hits in Canada as a teenager, as well as recording the cult Black Plague LP in 1966. His parents moved him to Los Angeles and he was slated to play Elvis' brother in a movie, but the deal fell through. 

This album is an attempt to go heavy ‘n’ get cred, with lotsa Hendrix rip-offs and baritone over-the-top-soul vocals (think 'Wind Cries Mary' or the Ides of March 'Vehicle'). It's got blasting fuzz solos, swinging drum breaks, lots of organ whooshing, big time brass riffs here and there. 

Tracks

1. An Eye for An Ear  - 3:39

2. Rap - 3:17

3. Second City Song - 2:52

4. Power - 3:45

5. Exiles - 2:22

6. Fool Amid the Traffic - 4:23

7. Priscilla - 2:21

8. Lighting Frederick's Fire - 4:29

9. The Emperor (Richard Gael, Eric Robertson) - 4:27

10.Does It Feel Better Now - 2:41

All songs by Richard Gael, Patrick Riccio II except where stated

*Terence (aka Terry Black) - Vocals, Guitar

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