The Cryan Shames - Synthesis (1968 us, marvelous sunny baroque psych, 2002 extra tracks issue)

This record is more eclectic than it is exciting, though the material is well arranged and the group were accomplished harmony singers in particular. On "Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith & Jones" they get heavy; with the cover of Hoagy Carmichael's "Baltimore Oriole," they get jazz/folk-rock progressive; on "It's All Right," it's jaunty country-rock; on "First Train to California," there's an almost-self-conscious straining for an MOR AM radio hit. 

The segueing together of tracks and occasional insertion of spacy instrumental and production flourishes indicate that they wanted to leave the impression of making a progressive statement. But it sounds for the most part like 1960s AM radio filler trying to get hipper with a touch of the far-out, the problem being that 1960s AM radio filler intrinsically cannot get too hip or far out. 

The 2002 Sundazed CD reissue of this odd mix of sunshine pop and mild pop-psychedelia adds eight bonus tracks. No less than six of them are single versions of tracks from the LP; the other two present both sides of their 1969 single, "Bits and Pieces"/"Rainmaker," which matched a country-rock original with a Harry Nilsson cover. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith And Jones (Isaac Guillory, Jim Fairs) - 2:16
2. Baltimore Oriole (Hoagy Carmichael, Paul Francis Webster) - 4:30
3. It's All Right (D.P. "Dad" Carter) - 2:11
4. Your Love (Lenny Kerley) - 3:28
5. A Master's Fool (Isaac Guillory) - 3:38
6. First Train To California (Jim Fairs) - 2:57
7. The Painter (Isaac Guillory) - 2:52
8. Sweet Girl Of Mine (Lenny Kerley) - 2:26
9. 20th Song (Lenny Kerley) - 2:07
10.Let's Get Together (Dino Valente) - 3:27
11.Symphony Of The Wind (Isaac Guillory) - 3:20
12.A Master’s  Fool (45 Version) (Isaac Guillory) - 3:37
13.First Train To California (45 Version) (Jim Fairs) - 2:57
14.Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith And Jones (45 Version) (Isaac Guillory, Jim Fairs) - 2:16
15.Your Love (45 Version) (Lenny Kerley) - 2:53
16.20th Song (45 Version) (Lenny Kerley) - 2:10
17.Let’S Get Together (Mono Version) (Dino Valente) - 2:31
18.Bits and Pieces (Lenny Kerley) - 2:34
19.Rainmaker (Harry Nilson, B. Martin) - 2:19

The Cryan' Shames
*Tom Doody - Vocals
*Jim Pilster - Vocals, Percussion
*Alan Dawson - Drums, Vocals
*Dave Carter - Vocals, Guitar
*Isaac Guillory - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
*Lenny Kerley - Vocals, Bass, Guitar

1966  Sugar And Spice (Sundazed remaster and expanded)
1967  A Scratch In The Sky (Sundazed remaster and expanded)

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The Cryan' Shames - A Scratch In The Sky (1967 us, fabulous folk colorful psychedelia, 2002 remaster and expanded)

Every now and then something unexpected hits you in a way that leaves a deep and  lasting impression. For me, one of those occasions came with Chicago garage band The Cryan’ Shames’ recording of the old Drifters hit “Up On the Roof,” off their incomprehensibly under-appreciated psychedelic classic A Scratch In the Sky. Granted, “Up On the Roof” itself has been overplayed to the point of nausea since it first made the scene back in 1963, but the Shames take the old Tin Pan Alley standard and turn it into a soaring, tightly woven piece of teenage magic that does not waste a second out of its three minutes and twenty four seconds. It’s the sound of youthful rebellion and romantic angst woven into a thing of panoramic beauty.

As a matter of fact, I reckon that the record that this song is buried in is itself well-defined by the above platitudes. A Scratch In the Sky is one of those rare records laid down at the height of the sixties which manage to pull in the best qualities of the band’s many influences and turn back out something wholly unto its own. The cosmic harmonies of the Beach Boys, the jangling spirit of The Byrds, the rollicking pop of The Beatles; these are all commonly borrowed sounds, but rarely ones so expertly disassembled and recast as we hear on this record. Though this collection of songs remains well-polished through studio-craft and the musicians’ own abilities, it retains a freshness and noncommercial edge that makes it both an accessible and adventurous listen.

The second track, “Sailing Ship,” is a good example of what I mean by all this. There are all sorts of influences detectable here, but nothing absolute. I never fail to be impressed by the thundering drums, jagged guitar chords and droning bagpipes here, all of which make the song sound strangely ahead of its time, or at least out of its own time. In true Sgt. Pepper fashion, the band clearly strove to make each song stand out as a distinct work of art, rather than sounding like something they had simply worked up on the road. The arrangements are ornate and layered with lysergic sounds and tape tricks, and besides the previously mentioned bagpipes the band manages to bring in accordion, harpsichord, tamboura, french horn, and…french lyrics (on “In the Cafe,” of course). If there’s any song reminiscent of the band’s work on their previous record, Sugar and Spice it’s the hard grooving “Mr. Unreliable,” which retains a lot of the garage band attitude and sweet harmonic edge that painted earlier jewels like “Ben Franklin’s Almanac”.

I’m rather blown away to find that the 2002 Sundazed reissue of this record has already dipped back out of print, leaving it perhaps the hardest of the Shames discs to track down. Should the following tracks catch you like they caught me, however, you shouldn’t have to fork over too much for a vinyl copy. It seems strange that so many new reissues end up becoming more obscure and desirable than vintage releases of the same recordings, but I suppose that’s the way it goes.

by Nik Rayne

Tracks

1. A Carol For Lorelei - 4:05

2. The Sailing Ship - 3:36

3. In The Cafe - 3:12

4. Mr. Unreliable - 2:52

5. The Town I'd Like To Go Back To - 4:30

6. Up On The Roof (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 3:23

7. It Could Be We're In Love - 2:35

8. Sunshine Psalm - 2:17

9. Was Lonely When - 4:03

10.Cobblestone Road - 2:51

11.Dennis Dupree From Danville (Jeffrey Bryan - R. Holder) - 3:12

12.It Could Be We're In Love (Single Version) - 2:34

13.It Was Lonely When (Single Version) - 3:27

14.Young Birds Fly (William Oliver Swofford) - 2:25

15.Sunshine Psalm (Single Version) - 2:09  

16.Up On The Roof (Single Version) (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 3:28

17.The Sailing Ship (Single Version) - 2:55

18.The Warm (Jim Fairs) - 4:18

All songs by Jim Fairs, Lenny Kerley unless as else stated.

The Cryan' Shames

*Tom Doody «Toad» - Lead Vocals, Autoharp, Bells

*Jim Pilster «J. C. Hooke» - Tambourine

*Dennis Conroy - Drums

*Jim Fairs - Bagpipes, Bass, Flute, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals

*Isaac Guillory - Accordion, Bass, Cello, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

*Lenny Kerley - Bass, Guitar, Tambora, Vocals

1966  The Cryan' Shames - Sugar And Spice (Sundazed remaster)

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Darryl Way's Wolf - Saturation Point (1973 uk, remarkable progressive rock, 2008 japan SHM extra tracks remaster)

The band's second album, released a few scant months after their debut, found Darryl Way and co. still edging away from the Curved Air ideal, without doing anything to truly alienate that band's loyal followers. Indeed, there were moments throughout Wolf's career when they sounded more like the original Air than that band's current incarnation ever could. 

Of course it's the mad violin that best confirms the similarities, but one can only dream of how dramatic this band could have been had they only reached a wider audience. Listening to Saturation Point is like walking a tightrope, a taut, nerve-bending ride that takes you from the eccentric peaks of "The Ache" and "Two Sisters" (combined, one of the greatest album overtures of the year), to the boleric attack of "Toy Symphony," a cut that raises the specters of Caravan and ELP, even as it shakes off comparisons with anything else. 

This was indeed the peak of Wolf's musical career, an album that snagged all the high points from its predecessor, then mashed them with the experience that the live show brought into reach. 

by Dave Thompson

Tracks
1. The Ache - 4:50
2. Two Sisters - 4:20
3. Slow Rag (John Etheridge) - 5:17
4. Market Overture - 3:38
5. Game Of X (John Etheridge) - 5:48
6. Saturation Point - 6:45
7. Toy Symphony - 7:16
8. A Bunch Of Fives - 3:331
9. Five In The Morning - 2:40
10.Two Sisters (Single Version) - 3:21
All songs by Darryl Way except where noted
Bonus Tracks 8-10

Darryl Way's Wolf
*John Etheridge - Guitar
*Dek Messecar - Bass, Vocals
*Ian Mosley - Drums
*Darryl Way - Keyboards, Violin

1974  Night Music

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Darryl Way's Wolf - Night Music (1974 uk, great prog rock, Japan SHM remaster)

The scarcest of the three Wolf albums, Night Music is finally remastered and reissued along with its litter mates. For those who did not follow the sometimes tortured path of rock-bands-with-violins (re: High Tide, Curved Air, et al.) Wolf was one of those niche bands, appealing to the minority that thought adding an electric violin to a rock format was more than a great idea, and further appealing to the even smaller minority that preferred instrumental work to "songs". And that difference, between the instrumental and vocal, is the compromise which erodes the impact of Night Music. 

Following two albums that offered flashes of intensity and some fine instrumental stretches, blistering violin work and well-conceived interaction among instruments with a minimum of marginal singing and frankly silly lyrics, the pressures of commerce seemingly dictated a need for more familiar forms. Always a mistake since the word "familiar" already contains the implication that there's already plenty of whatever that is available. 

by Kerry Leimer

Way was to bring ex-If vocalist John Hodkinson into the line-up for Night Music. Wolf's most accessible and commercial release benefited from his rich, individual vocal while greater use of keyboards changed the band dynamics to something more focussed. Ironically, this is where Way bowed out, rejoining his former band, and Wolf disbanded. 

by Peter Muir

Tracks
1. The Envoy (Darryl Way, Bruce Messecar) - 6:34
2. Black September (John Hodkinson, Darryl Way) - 4:53
3. Flat 2/55 (John Etheridge) - 6:59
4. Anteros (Darryl Way) - 4:33
5. We're Watching (Darryl Way) - 5:14
6. Steal The World (John Hodkinson, Darryl Way) - 4:22
7. Comerade Of The Nine (Darryl Way) - 2:44

Darryl Way's Wolf
*Ian Mosley - Drums
*Bruce Messecar - Bass, Vocals
*Darryl Way - Violin, Viola, Keyboards
*John Etheridge - Guitar
*John Hodkinson - Vocals

Related Act 
1970  If - If  (Repertoire remaster)
1970  If - If 2 (Repertoire remaster)
1971  If - If 3 (Repertoire remaster)
1972  If - If 4 (Repertoire remaster)
1972  Waterfall (Repertoire remaster)
1972  If - Europe '72 (Repertoire remaster)

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Viola Crayola - Music: Breathing Of Statues (1974 us, spectacular experimental prog jazz rock)

A real stunner of an album from Texan band Viola Crayola. Fronted by the Viola brothers, Tony and Ron, the group, whose music is often described as hard guitar prog-psych, a crossline between Zappa and Soft Machine, looked destined for success until the untimely death of Tony in a auto-train crash in San Antonio, Texas in 1974. 

Music: Breathing Of Statues is the brothers only known recording, and what a record it is, with its wild prog instrumental power-trio vibe and a strong jazzy fusion sound running throughout. The album, which was recorded in New York in 1974 and released the same year, appeared on the Fautna label, a label so obscure that it doesn't seem to have existed at all.

Tracks
1 Mr. Leroy, Pepe' Is Lost - 4:15
2 The Bus To New York - 4:47
3 I Know You Don't Have A Car, But What Color Is It? - 5:14
4 2+1 - 2:38
5 The Nurds At My School - 2:57
6 You're Drivin' Me Crazy With Relief - 2:44
7 The Last One On Earth - 3:22
8 What Is the Meaning Of Love? - 1:57
Music composed by Anthony Viola

Viola Crayola
*Anthony Viola - Guitar
*Ron Viola - Drums
*Bill Jolly - Bass

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David Bromberg - Wanted Dead Or Alive (1974 us, exceptional mix of country, folk, blues, dixie, roots 'n' roll, 2004 reissue)

With their masterfully executed mix of America’s musical roots, the albums released by David Bromberg in the mid-1970s remain as much fun as they were more than a third of a century ago.

Though his work with Dylan (on New Morning, Self-Portrait, and the forgettable Dylan, which used discarded tracks from the previous sessions) had led to a contract with Columbia Records and members of the Grateful Dead had played on his first two albums, his roots-oriented approach was obscured by the soft pop-dominated hit parade of the early-1970s. 

Those who craved and understood great musicianship loved those albums, but sales were nowhere up to major label standards. Reaching into what he does best, Bromberg came up with an album full of spirit, high energy and musical diversity. Opening with a galloping reprisal of “The Holdup,” his collaboration with George Harrison, Bromberg and cohorts, including the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, Keith Godchaux and Bill Kreutzmann and backup singers Tracy Nelson and the Sweet Inspirations, rarely let up. Bessie Smith’s 1929 blues hit, “Send Me To The ‘Lectric Chair,” Leiber and Stoller’s “Kansas City,” and a medley of Blind Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues” and L. Jordan’s “Church Bell Blues” are resurrected with new life.

A Dylan tune is thrown in, as well – “Wallflower,” which, although it had previously been recorded by Doug Sahm, with Bromberg on guitar, did not appear on a Dylan album until the release of The Bootleg Series – Volumes 1-3 (Rare And Unreleased) in 1991. While his vocals were anything but luscious, Bromberg’s deep, growl-like singing made every word heartfelt. Showing the depths of his songwriting with four self-composed tunes (“Someone Else’s Blues,” “Danger Man,” “The Main Street Moan,” and “The New Lee Highway Blues”), Bromberg uses the guitar picking styles that he had learned as a student and protégé of bluesman Reverend Gary Davis as springboards for discovery.

by Craig Harris

Tracks
1. The Holdup (D. Bromberg, George Harrison) - 3:06
2. Someone Else's Blue (D. Bromberg) - 8:02
3. Danger Man (D. Bromberg) - 3:09
4. The Main Street Moan (D. Bromberg) - 5:16
5. Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair (George Brooks) - 4:56
6. Statesboro Blues-Church Bell Blues (Blind Willie McTell, Luke Jordan, Arr. by D. Bromberg) - 5:12
7. Wallflower (Bob Dylan) - 3:00
8. Kansas City (Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller) - 4:00
9. The New Lee Highway Blues (D. Bromberg) - 5:38

Personnel
*David Bromberg - Acoustic, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Steve Burgh - Bass
*Peter Ecklund - Trumpet, Mellophones
*Joe Ferguson - Alto, Baritone Saxophone
*Hungria Garcia - Timbales
*Jerry Garcia - Acoustic, Electric Guitar
*Keith Godchaux - Piano
*Jeff Gutcheon - Piano
*Bill Kreutzmann - Drums
*Phil Lesh - Bass
*Tony Markellis - Bass
*Steve Mosley - Bass
*John Payne - Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
*Neil Rossi - Fiddle
*Andy Statman - Mandolin, Tenor Saxophone
*Jay Ungar - Fiddle
*Winnie Winston - Banjo
*Jack Lee - Background Vocals
*Andy McMahon - Background Vocals
*Tracy Nelson - Background Vocals
*The Sweet Inspirations - Background Vocals

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Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend (1970 germany, powerful heavy prog, DTS remaster, and 2008 extra tracks edition)

A German band from the early Seventies who were successful abroad, even in the States? What sounded like wishful thinking at the time applied, at least for a few years, to Lucifer's Friend from Hamburg. Not only the enthusiastic press reactions to their 1970 debut, but also top positions in the readers' polls of major American music magazines surprised even experienced product managers in Germany. But when American TV stations started to enquire about the band, Lucifer's Friend found themselves faced with a problem that had remained hidden from most media representatives: the group existed only on paper, or rather in the studio. The musicians involved – Peter Hesslein (guitar), Peter Hecht (organ) and Dieter Horns (bass) - had disbanded their beat group, German Bands, two years previously and recorded - more or less as an experiment - a handful of songs, initially without a vocalist or any clearly defined concept of how to go on.

Between German Bands and Lucifer's Friend lay the foundation of the group, Asterix. Established in 1969, this act marked the arrival of the musicians Hesslein, Hecht, Horns and Joachim Reitenbach (drums, also ex-German Bonds) on the rock scene. Their first attempt failed, and the project was terminated after two unsuccessful singles and a self-titled debut album. What was left was the musicians' ambition to found a band which, according to the Zeitgeist, concentrated on rock instead of beat music. Their second try featured a different line-up and succeeded. Thanks to the single, Ride The Sky, and a rock sound that seemed tailor-made for American radio preferences, their eponymously titled debut album scored in a big way.

British vocalist John Lawton joined the group when the album production was already underway. The musicians had discovered him during a gig with his band Stonewall at the Top Ten live club at Hamburg's Reeperbahn and enlisted him as a studio musician. Lawton was also on board when Lucifer's Friend decided in view of the great reactions at home and abroad to turn their studio project into a regular band, performing live shows. The music on the debut turned out to be a mix of Anglo-American hard rock, blues, soul and early variations of what was to develop into heavy metal. 

The press praised the LP by this "super-dynamic German rock quintet with more than slight Led Zeppelin resemblances", yet album sales in Germany were very slow to start off with. Their career began to gain momentum when Chicago import record company Billingsgate – who Epitaph were to have an unpleasant encounter with later - licensed the album, sending out specimen copies to the country's most important radio stations. Suddenly WMMS, Cleveland's most popular radio station, discovered the catchy Ride The Sky, catapulting Lucifer's Friend to no.2 of the city's best-selling albums (directly behind Pink Floyd) and establishing the basis for a long period of success.

During the following years, Lucifer's Friend continued to produce successful rock albums with changing line-ups, but were unable to live from their music alone, some band members having to work with the Les Humphries Singers on the side. Following Mind Exploding (1976), Lawton left the band to join Uriah Heep, returning in 1981 to record the final album, Mean Machine, and was also involved in the unsuccessful comeback attempt, Sumogrip (1994), which featured a new version of Ride The Sky. Subsequently, Lucifer's Friend were put to rest permanently.

by Matthias Mineur

Tracks

1. Ride In The Sky (Peter Hesslein, John Lawton) - 2:55 

2. Everybody's Clown (Peter Hesslein, John O'Brien-Docker, Joachim Rietenbach, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht) - 6:12 

3. Keep Goin' (Peter Hesslein, John O'Brien-Docker, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht) - 5:26 

4. Toxic Shadows (Peter Hesslein, John O'Brien-Docker) - 7:01 

5. Free Baby (Peter Hesslein, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht, John Lawton) - 5:28 

6. Baby You're A Liar (Peter Hesslein, John O'Brien-Docker, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht, Joachim Rietenbach) - 3:55 

7. In The Time Of Job When Mammon Was A... (Peter Hesslein, John O'Brien-Docker, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht) - 4:04 

8. Lucifer's Friend (Peter Hesslein, John O'Brien-Docker, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht, Herbert Hildebrandt-Winhauer) - 6:12 

Bonus Tracks  2008 SPV Edition

9. Horla (Peter Hesslein, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht, Joachim Rietenbach) - 2:53

10.Lucifer's Friend (Peter Hesslein, John O'Brien-Docker, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht, Herbert Hildebrandt-Winhauer) - 3:43

Lucifer's Friend
*Peter Hecht - Organ
*Dieter Horns - Bass, Vocals
*John Lawton - Lead Vocal
*Joachim Rietenbach - Drums
*Peter Hesslein - Guitar, Vocals

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David Clayton Thomas - David Clayton Thomas (1972 canada / uk, magnificent jazz rock, Repertoire digi pak remaster)

David Clayton-Thomas (born David Henry Thomsett), singer, songwriter, producer (born 13 September 1941 in Surrey, England). An aggressive yet sensitive singer with a robust, soulful voice, Juno and Grammy Award winner David Clayton Thomas was a pioneer on the Canadian music scene in the 1960s and maintained a long solo career, but is perhaps best-known as the lead singer of the American jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears. He has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame. His work has been recognized by the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

David Clayton-Thomas had decided that enough was enough and split with Blood, Sweat and Tears to go the solo route with 1972's David Clayton-Thomas. Aided and abetted by wide ranges of studio help, including some of his former bandmates, much of what lies within these grooves sounds very much like his old band. It includes "Magnificent Sanctuary Band" and "Sing a Song," and with it sounding so similar to BS&T, one might wonder why Thomas chose the solo route, but by doing so, he is in charge and doesn't have to rely on others to choose which songs he sings. A competent addition to the big-band rock sound so popular in the early and mid-'70s. 

by James Chrispell

Tracks

1. Magnificent Sanctuary Band (Dorsey Burnette) - 3:30

2. We’re All Meat From The Same Bone (Gary Zekley, Mitchell Bottier, Roberta Twain) - 1:47 

3. Stealin’ In The Name Of The Lord (Paul Kelley) - 2:45 

4. Dying To Live (Edgar Winter) - 4:36 

5. Sing A Song (Gary Wright) - 2:47 

6. She (Gram Parsons, Chris Etheridge) - 4:47 

7. Don’t Let It Bring You Down (Neil Young) - 3:40 

8. Once Burned (Todd Rundgren) - 3:27 

9. North Beach Racetrack (David Clayton-Thomas) - 3:05 

10.Caress Me Pretty Music (Alan O’Day) - 3:25

Musicians
*David Clayton-Thomas - Vocals, Guitar
*Mike Deasy - Guitar 

*Steve Cropper - Guitar
*Paul Cannon - Guitar
*Hugh McCracken - Guitar
*Joe Osborn - Bass
*Jim Johnson - Bass
*Jimmy Lewis - Bass
*Russ Svakus - Bass
*Larry Knechtel - Piano
*Frank Owens - Piano
*Dick Halligan - Organ
*J. Spell - Keyboards
*Paul Griffin - Piano
*Earl Palmer - Drums
*Richie Simpson - Drums
*Bobby Colomby - Drums, Tambourine
*King Errisson - Percussion
*Ollie Mitchell - Piccolo Trumpet
*Johnny Rialto - Piccolo Trumpet
*Bill Watrous - Trombone
*Garnett Brown - Trombone
*Dave Bargeron - Trombone
*Joe Farrell - Alto Sax
*Jimmy Guiffre - Tenor Sax

Related Act
1975  Blood Sweat And Tears - New City
1976  Blood Sweat And Tears - More Than Ever

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Shadrack Chameleon - Shadrack Chameleon (1973 us, fine hard acid folk psych, Gear Fab release)

Fort Dodge, Iowa was the home of Steve Fox and Randy Berka, close friends who grew up together and shared many similar interests, one of which was their love of the Beatles and a strong desire to become rock musicians themselves. In 1963 at the tender ages of 7 and 8 years old, they began playing acoustic guitars together. In 1964, Steve moved away to Illinois but returned 3 years later and moved to the nearby town of Humboldt, where Steve's family had also resettled. 

By now Randy had teamed up with Jon Porter (organ), Tom Northup (drums),and John Callahan (guitar) which over the next few years evovled in to Lazy River. Tom left but was replaced by Artie Strutzenberg on drums, and the band added Mark Flanagan on bass. By early 1969 Lazy River became quite popular in the region, playing a host of impressive gigs, like the popular Star Ballroom in Dakota City and other notable venues. 

Meanwhile Steve Fox was honing his skills on bass guitar and started another local band with Dan Dodgen, John Brandsgard, and Doug Sandvig called Crosstown Traffic.By 1969 they were playing regularly and the two bands found themselves competing all over Iowa for gigs , as their styles of music were very similar(lron Butterfly, Grand Funk, Black Sabbath). But conflicts and personality clashes, in both bands, were about to have their impact. Callahan, Strutzenberg, and Flanagan left Lazy River to form Goo, and took Brandsgard along with them, virtually decimating the two bands and leaving both with several jobs to do. 

At the same time Doug Sandvig decided to quit and it was at this time that Randy and John asked Steve to join them, and Shadrack was formed, although continuing under the name Lazy River to fulfill their previous contracts. In the summer of 1972 one of the owners of Iowa Great Lakes Records, in nearby Milford, heard Shadrack at a local club and was veryimpressed with their Neil Young style of 'Road to OLe Miss.' and it wasn't long before the band was recording'lt Was Me' and 'I Wonder Why", of which 1,000 copies were pressed and released in early 1973. 

But 1973 was the last official year the band played together in their original lineup. They backed-up the nationally known band The Ides of March' (Vehicle) at the Roof Garden ballroom that summer, but college, and other ambitions later that year .ended the band. In the fall of 1973 and through the early winter, the band recorded the 'Shadrack Chameleon' LP on a Teac, Reel to Reel Tape Machine, in a studio built from an old storage shed they called 'Shadrack Recording Studio'.

The personnel were a mix of Lazy Smoke, Crosstown Traffic, and Shadrack, and the music reflects this diversity. The name 'Chameleon' was added as an afterthought from the first LP track. In all, only 300 copies of the LP were released, and today , it not only remains highly rated, but extremely rare to the record collectors of the world. 

Today, Steve Fox is an electronics technician in State Center, Iowa and also publishes analyses of social issues; Randy Berka is a genetic researcher in Davis, California and still plays music; Jon Porter is an insurance agent in Boulder City, Nevada and also a representative in the Nevada State Legislature; Dan Dodgen owns a retail store in Fort Dodge, Iowa and continues to play music locally.

by Roger Maglio, Orlando, Florida, January 1998

Tracks
1. I Wonder Why (Steve Fox, Randy Berka) - 2:29
2. It Was Me (Steve Fox, Randy Berka) - 2:36
3. Chameleon (I Love You) (Steve Fox) - 6:55
4. Long Road To Ole' Miss. (Steve Fox, Randy Berka) - 4:2
5. Granite Feast (Steve Fox) - 3:35
6. That's The Way It's Gotta Be (Steve Fox) - 5:50
7. Don't Let It Get You Down (Steve Fox) - 4:38
8. Beyond Eternity (Steve Fox) - 4:13

Personnel
*Dan Dodger- Drums
*Jon Porter - Organ
*Steve Fox - Guitars, Bass, Vocals
*Artie Strutzenberg - Drums
*Randy Berka - Guitars, Vocals
*John Brandsgard - Lead Guitar, Piano

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Jesse Colin Young - Song For Juli (1973 us, fantastic folk silk rock, 2009 edition)

Although it was his fourth solo album, Song for Juli was Jesse Colin Young's first full-fledged effort under his own name, following a couple of early folk records, a series of Youngbloods albums, and the tentative Together. 

Young organized a versatile backup band in which piano, violin, and horns complemented his tenor voice in arrangements that recalled Van Morrison's Caledonia Soul Orchestra (no surprise, since Young and Morrison used several of the same musicians, notably reed player Jim Rothermel) and featured familiar blues, country, and Cajun elements. 

In his lyrics, Young hewed closely to the current back-to-the-land philosophy, celebrating his family life (Juli is his daughter) and his "Ridgetop" retreat in Marin County, CA. It was a viewpoint that was both self-affirming and xenophobic -- you couldn't help thinking that the people he wanted to leave him alone and the tourists he wanted to keep at bay included at least a few of his listeners. 

Of course, that's not the way it was thought of at the time, and Young's fans responded strongly to Song for Juli, giving it a higher chart placing than any album the Youngbloods ever made and keeping it in the charts longer than any album he ever made. 

by  William Ruhlmann

Tracks
1. Morning Sun - 4:04
2. Song For Juli (Suzi and Jesse Colin Young) - 4:59
3. Ridgetop - 7:02
4. Evenin' - 3:13
5. Miss Hesitation - 6:26
6. T-Bone Shuffle (T-Bone Walker) - 5:03
7. Lafayette Waltz (Clifton Chenier) - 1:45
8. Jambalaya (On The Bayou) (Hank Williams) - 3:18
9. Country Home - 4:04
All songs by Jesse Colin Young except where stated

Musicians
*Jesse Colin Young - Guitar, Vocals
*Suzi Young - Vocal Harmony
*David Hayes - Bass, Vocals
*Mel Martin - Baritone, Soprano, Tenor Saxophone
*Earth Quake - Harmonica
*Rick Anderson - Harmonica
*Bob Ferreira - Tenor Saxophone
*Tom Harrell - Trumpet
*Scott Lawrence - Piano, Vibes
*Gordon Messick - Trombone
*Jeff Myer - Drums
*Pat O'hara - Trombone
*Eddy Offenstein - Guitar
*Jim Rothermel - Clarinet, Flute, Alto, Soprano Saxophone
*John Tenney - Violin

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