Plain and Fancy

Sunday, October 22, 2023

John Lees - A Major Fancy (1977 uk, fascinating mix of epic, prog, jazzy silky rock, 2010 double disc remaster)

Born Oldham, January 13th, 1947. John had no formal musical education, but took up guitar when he was fourteen. Educated at Robin Hill Secondary Modern and Breeze Hill Comprehensive, John went on to study at Oldham School Of Art, where he met Woolly Wolstenholme in 1964. They played together in the Sorcerers, playing Eddie Cochran-style rock and roll, and in The Blues Keepers, before forming Barclay James Harvest in 1967. He recorded a solo album, A Major Fancy, in 1972, but this was tied up when the band changed record label and was not released until 1977.

John’s musical influences include Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh and The Eagles. He also enjoys reading, his favourite books being Graham Greene’s A Burnt Out Case, science fiction novels (especially those of Ray Bradbury) and poetry. His hobbies include photography and amateur radio. John lives in Saddleworth with his wife Olwen and they have two children, Esther Jane (born 28th July, 1980) and John Joseph (who shares his father’s birthday, being born on 13th January, 1986). For five years John worked in the sixth form at Crompton House School, involved with the production of the GCSE and A Level students' Music and Music Technology coursework, but in July 2012 he retired from that work in order to concentrate fully on music once more.

bjharvest

By the time John Lees’ solo album eventually hit the harsh, gob-bespattered streets of 1977, it couldn’t have been more out of step if you’d tied its shoelaces together and started pelting its feet with stones. The Barclay James Harvest guitarist originally recorded the album in a comparatively benign 1972, when the charts may have been awash with glam rockers tottering around on glittery stack heels, but there was still room in the ranks for long-form soft-rock introspection.

As a direct consequence of that insanely protracted release schedule, A Major Fancy has never really received an unbiased hearing, which is a pity because it holds up surprisingly well. Produced by Wally Waller and abetted by a crack team of musos including Rod Argent, 10cc’s Kevin Godley and Eric Stewart, and Wally’s fellow Pretty Things Skip Alan and Gordon Edwards, it benefits from a reining-in of the characteristic BJH impulse to overstate. Admittedly, the BJH touchstone Child Of The Universe is unveiled here, but this version seems drier, cooler and somehow more credible. The attractively baggy Latinate jazz groove of Untitled No 1 – Heritage, meanwhile, is closest in texture to the Parachute-era Pretties. A whole disc’s worth of contemporaneous extras seals the deal.

by Marco Rossi

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Untitled No. 1 - Heritage - 7:54

2. Child Of The Universe - 6:18

3. Kes (A Major Fancy) - 2:33

4. Untitled No. 2 - 3:52

5. Sweet Faced Jane - 5:05

6. Witburg Night - 5:47

7. Long Ships - 5:20

8. Untitled No. 3 - 5:02

All compositions by John Lees

Disc 2

1. Untitled No. 8 - 4:36

2. Child Of The Universe (First Version) - 6:28

3. Witburg Night (First Mix) - 5:48

4. Untitled No. 2 (First Version) - 3:51

5. Untitled No. 1 - Heritage (Alternate Mix) - 8:16

6. Best Of My Love (Don Henley, Glen Frey, J.D. Souther) - 3:40

7. You Can't Get It - 3:57

8. Please Be With Me (Charles Scott Boyer) - 2:47

9. Child Of The Universe (Single Edit) - 3:41

Songs written by John Lees except where stated

Personnel

John Lees - Vocals, Acoustic, Electric Guitars

Wally Waller - Bass, Congas, Timbales, Mellotron, Vibraphone, Tubular Bells, Moog Synthesizer, Harmony Vocals

Skip Allen - Drums, Tambourine

Rod Argent - Organ

Gordon Edwards - Piano

Graham Preskett - Violin, Strings, Choral Arrangement

Rex Morrison - Tenor Saxophone

Kevin Godley - Percussion

Eric Stewart - Acoustic Guitar

The Mike Sammes Singers - Choir

1974 Barclay James Harvest - Live (2005 edition)

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Thursday, October 19, 2023

Charlie - Fantasy Girls (1976 uk, excellent straight ahead rock with good lead harmony and backup vocals, 2007 remaster)

Charlie's "Fantasy Girls", shows a much tighter control of the music then the live appearance. Their main problem scorns from a lack of originality. Their playing is competent but couldn’t be distinguished from the sound of a 101 other bands. Their lyrics aren’t exactly gripping either, le: “I have my dreams although I’m broke, acute skintitús is no joke.” That speaks for itself I think.

by Rosalind Rusael, Record Mirror

Charlie was a British band, that initially started out as a fairly hard-rock guitar band, and it’s the band’s 1976 debut album Fantasy Girls that is easily the best in their catalogue (IMO). The band here comprised of Terry Thomas (lead vocals, guitar), John Anderson (bass, backing vox), Steve Gadd (drums, percussion), and Martin Smith (guitar, backing vox). Fantasy Girls came with different covers for each side of the Atlantic; I prefer the UK version, subsequent albums would feature models on the covers, which were an improvement.

The album is full of great guitar, with plenty of different styles and blends, heavy in places, harmonies, melodies… Not quite an overly heavy band, but holding back with smooth production, and a variety of cuts. Some massive solos, like these guys were torn between wanting to be an-out 2-guitar hard-rock/metal act and vocally an American smooth sounding AOR band. Regardless, every track is good here, but highlights have to be the title track, as well as “Prisoners”, the single “TV Dreams”, and the closing straight ahead rocker “Summer Romances”.

Tracks

1. Fantasy Girls - 4:35

2. Miss Deluxe - 3:58

3. TV Dreams - 3:04

4. Prisoners - 5:57

5. First Class Traveller - 2:50

6. Greatcoat Guru - 5:09

7. Please Let Me Know - 4:01

8. Don't Let Me Down - 2:24

9. It's Your Life - 5:29

10.Summer Romances (John Anderson, Martin Smith, Steve Gadd, Terry Thomas) - 5:04

All songs by Terry Thomas except where noted

Charlie

*John Anderson - Vocals, Bass

*Martin Smith - Guitar

*Steve Gadd - Drums

*Terry Thomas - Vocals, Guitar

*Graeme Quinton-Jones - Keyboards

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Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Goodness - Goodness (1976 us, soft easy going art rock with some jazzy moments)

Goodness started in Bronx, New York, formed by Shelly Yarmovsky, Billie Canfield, Bobby Lang, Jay Castelli, Dave Sturdevant and Richie Giannantoni with some help from Mike Rod and Shelly Horn!

Their first rehearsal was in Harrison N.Y. Presbyterian Church. They played on the beaches of the Hamptons, on the snowy slopes of Hunter Mountain, on the stage of the Princeton U Prom, on the streets of Bronx, before entering the studio to record their one and only album, in the winter 1975-76.

Nice Harmony laden soft jazzy psych sound with Keyboards, Sax, Flute and Latin Percussion.

Tracks

1. You Call This Love (Jay Castelli, Shelly Yarmovsky) - 3:18

2. Run Rabbit Run (Jay Castelli, Shelly Yarmovsky, Bobby Lang) - 4:16

3. Summer Song (Jay Castelli, Shelly Yarmovsky, Bobby Lang) - 3:54

4. Let's Get Away (Jay Castelli) - 3:24

5. Winter's Coming On (Jay Castelli, Shelly Yarmovsky, Bobby Lang, Billie Canfield) - 3:36

6. Rock Band In Your Dreams (Jay Castelli) - 4:15

7. Wind Rushes By (Jay Castelli, Shelly Yarmovsky, Bobby Lang) - 3:25

8. It Ain't Easy (Jay Castelli, Shelly Yarmovsky, Bobby Lang, Billie Canfield) - 3:49

9. Girl (Jay Castelli, Billie Canfield) - 3:33

Goodness

*Shelly Yarmovsky - Lead Vocals

*Billie Canfield - Lead Vocals

*Bobby Lang - Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Jay Castelli - ARP String Ensemble, Piano, Backing Vocals

*Dave Sturdevant - Drums, Percussion

*Richie Giannantioni - Bass, Backing Vocals

With

*Mike Rod - Flute

*Shelly Horn - Congas

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Monday, October 16, 2023

Simpson - Simpson (1971 us, wonderful folk country silky rock)

Simpson was recorded in the fall and winter of 1970-1971 in Studio A, Columbia Records building, 49 East 52nd Street, New York City, and released in May 1971; and re-engineered and re-mastered by Jerry Brown of The Rubber Room, Chapel Hill, NC, and is being re-released in August 2021, with help from The Splinter Group, Carrboro, NC.

Bland Simpson on piano led the quartet, which included David Olney (acoustic guitar), Steve Merola (drums), and Rob Rothstein (bass). Olney would have a storied career as a Nashville songwriter (and a member of the famed cohort that included Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt), recording artist, and leader of the high-powered X-Rays; Rothstein (as Rob Stoner) would later tour as bandleader of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue and record with Epic, MCA and Sun Records; Merola would perform on Broadway, and widely beyond, and also become the president of one of the first internet music companies, AreaMusic Entertainment.

The quartet was joined on the record by legendary musicians Bill Keith (veteran of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys and the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, on pedal steel), Eric Weissberg (of the Greenbriar Boys and The Tarriers, on fiddle and dobro), and Billy Schwartz (then appearing on Broadway in Hair and later a star recording artist and producer in Denmark as Billy Cross, electric guitar) and Rick Derringer (founder of the McCoys, later working with Johnny and Edgar Winter, Weird Al Yankovic, and Ringo Starr, electric guitar).

In 1972, Simpson returned to North Carolina, and he and John Foley (on 12-string guitar) formed a popular duo in Chapel Hill, soon expanding into a folk-rock quintet, the Southern States Fidelity Choir (with Jim Wann, guitar; Jan Davidson, bass; and Mike Sheehan, drums). The Southern States and The Red Clay Ramblers old-time band took Simpson and Wann's musical Diamond Studs: The Life of Jesse James to New York and a 1975 hit Off-Broadway run and national tour, opening the door to a host of "musicians' theatre" shows that later earned Wann & Foley et al.'s Pump Boys & Dinettes a Tony Award nomination and an Olivier Award in England and the Ramblers' Fool Moon a Special Tony Award and a Drama Desk “Unique Theatrical Experience” Award after that show's third Broadway run.

Simpson, who received the North Carolina Award for Fine Arts in 2005, is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of English & Creative Writing at UNC Chapel Hill, where he has taught since 1982. He has collaborated on numerous musicals, including King Mackerel & The Blues Are Running and Kudzu, and he has written many books about North Carolina. His new work North Carolina: Land of Water, Land of Sky (with photography by his wife and collaborator Ann Cary Simpson, Tom Earnhardt and Scott Taylor) will be published by UNC Press in October 2021.

David Olney’s entry into music was much like that of many a young man and woman during the 1960s. “It was something that I could do,” he says, “and there weren’t a whole lot of those things. The times were pretty weird, the wild ‘60s, and that was the thing that I could count on.” Born in Rhode Island, Olney began his career playing guitar, eventually moving to North Carolina to attend college.

“I got into music really serious when I was in North Carolina,” he remembers, “and a friend of mine, Bland Simpson, went up to New York and got some interest up there, so he called me up to play in the band. We did a record, but nothing much happened, so we were back in North Carolina.” That band, named Simpson, would record a single album with Rick Derringer and Olney on guitars, Bland Simpson on piano, and Eric Weissberg on fiddle.

“I went down to Atlanta to be in the Atlanta Children’s Theater,” says Olney. “I was writing songs, and at some point it seemed the time to make a move, musically, and Nashville was the closest place. I knew a couple of people, so I had a couch to crash on. That was in 1973.” Olney arrived in the Music City at the tail end of the “cosmic cowboy” phase of outlaw country music. “Waylon Jennings was hitting big, so it was still going on,” remembers Olney. “I always thought that the gas crunch of ‘73, the first gas crisis, kind of shut things down. I don’t think the business felt like it could take chances on the crazy people. You couldn’t waste a lot of money on somebody that was interesting, which was too bad.” David Olney passed away on Saturday night, January 18th, 2020.

Tracks

1. Mama, On My Way - 2:36

2. I'm Not Leaving You Now - 2:55

3. Swordswoman Provocation - 4:08

4. Interlude: Dixie - 0:57

5. Detroit Gregorian - 1:58

6. Too Much Help - 3:20

7. Crimes And Misfortunes - 2:58

8. Take It Your Own - 2:51

9. Lord, How I Wanna Go Home Again - 3:53

10.Worthless, Out Of Tune - 4:36

11.Interlude: Black Betty - 1:02

12.Cemetery Hill - 2:04

13.Long Day's Journey Into Night - Mrs. Neill - 2:16

All songs by Bland Simpson except track #4 by Daniel Decatur Emmett

Simpson

*Bland Simpson - Piano, Vocals

*David Olney - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals

*Rob Rothstein - Bass, Organ, Vocals

*Steve Merola - Drums

With

*Rick Derringer - Electric Guitar (Track 3)

*Bill Schwartz - Electric Guitar (Track 1)

*Bill Keith - Pedal Steel

*Eric Weissberg - Dobro, Fiddle

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Saturday, October 14, 2023

The Creatures - Columbia Singles (1964-67 ireland, fabulous garage beat)

The Creatures were one of the key beat groups to emerge from Ireland in the 1960s. They were also one of the few Irish acts to attempt to by-pass the UK market and ambitiously aim straight for the US charts, and in the process they left behind a considerable recorded legacy which has been regrettably overlooked by the digital age.

First there were The Hootenannys, featuring guitarists Jim Dalton, Bobby Kelly and Liam McKenna, bassist Frank Boylan and drummer Ray McDonald. They issued just one single, pairing the Shadows-style instrumentals Fiona / 6.10 Special in 1964, with royalties donated to the ‘Conquer Cancer Fund’. Jim Dalton was soon replaced by lead guitarist Brian Harris, and when Bobby Kelly left, McKenna, Boylan, McDonald and Harris renamed themselves The Creatures in April 1965. They quickly built a following and became a fixture of the Dublin clubs. They performed at the Locomotive Club in Paris in August 1965 where they impressed New York producer Neil Levenson of Columbia Records. Back home, Liam McKenna, Frank Boylan and Brian Harris stood out amongst a crowd queuing for a Rolling Stones concert at Dublin’s Adelphi Theatre on Abbey Street in September 1965, and were interviewed for the documentary film ‘Charlie Is My Darling’. Neil Levenson arranged a recording session at Advision Studios in London in late 1965, where the band recorded ten demos which earned them a one-year contract with Columbia Records USA.

The band spent most of 1966 in the USA, where each of their four singles were originally issued during 1966 and 1967. The first three received a delayed release in Ireland and the UK on the CBS label, but their only chart hit was in Ireland with debut single Turn Out The Light, despite it being banned by RTE Radio Eireann. Neil Levenson wrote or co-wrote much of the band’s recorded material, with the notable exception of the sophisticated Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil song Looking At Tomorrow, and Someone Needs You.apparently written by Frank Boylan’s brother. Their sound on record ranged from hard R’n’B to pop ballads. The American chart break-through never came however, and The Creatures returned to Ireland in late 1966 when Columbia chose not to renew their contract.

Tracks

1. Turn Out The Light (Derry Lindsay) - 1:50

2. It Must Be Love (Neil Levenson) - 2:33

3. String Along (Neil Levenson) - 2:31

4. The Night Is Warm (Derry Lindsay) - 2:02

5. Looking At Tomorrow (Barry Mann, Cunthia Weil) - 1:52

6. Hurtin’ All Over (Neil Levenson,Eddie Reeves) - 2:13

7. Love Is A Funny Little Game (Neil Levenson, Steven Venetoulis, G. Robinson) - 1:45

8. Looking At Tomorrow (Alternate Take) (Barry Mann, Cunthia Weil) - 1:50

9. Someone Needs You (Alternate Take) (Richard Boylan) - 1:57

10.Don’t Think You Can Cry On My Shoulder - 2:18

11.Everybody Needs Somebody (Bert Berns, Solomon Burke, Jerry Wexler) - 2:46

12.That’s What Love Can Do - 2:31

The Creatures

*Frank Boylan - Bass

*Brian Harris - Guitar

*Ray McDonald - Drums

*Liam McKenna - Guitar, Vocals

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Thursday, October 12, 2023

Mighty Joe Young - Joe Young (1976 us, awesome electric rhythm and blues)

There was a time during the late '70s and early '80s when Mighty Joe Young was one of the leading blues guitarists on Chicago's budding North side blues circuit. The Louisiana native got his start not in the Windy City, but in Milwaukee, where he was raised. He earned a reputation as a reliable guitarist on Chicago's West side with Joe Little & his Heart Breakers during the mid-'50s, later changing his on-stage allegiance to harpist Billy Boy Arnold. Young recorded with Arnold for Prestige and Testament during the '60s and backed Jimmy Rogers for Chess in 1958.

After abortive attempts to inaugurate a solo career with Jiffy Records in Louisiana in 1955 and Chicago's Atomic-H label three years later, Young hit his stride in 1961 with the sizzling "Why Baby"/"Empty Arms" for Bobby Robinson's Fire label. Young gigged as Otis Rush's rhythm guitarist from 1960 to 1963 and cut a series of excellent Chicago blues 45s for a variety of firms: "I Want a Love," "Voo Doo Dust," and "Something's Wrong" for Webcor during the mid-'60s; "Something's Wrong" for Webcor in 1966; "Sweet Kisses" and "Henpecked" on Celtex and "Hard Times (Follow Me)" for USA (all 1967), and "Guitar Star" for Jacklyn in 1969. Young even guested on Bill "Hoss" Allen's groundbreaking 1966 syndicated R&B TV program The Beat in Dallas. Late-'60s session work included dates with Tyrone Davis and Jimmy Dawkins.

Delmark issued Young's solo album debut, Blues With a Touch of Soul, in 1971, but a pair of mid-'70s LPs for Ovation (1974's Chicken Heads and an eponymous set in 1976) showcased the guitarist's blues-soul synthesis far more effectively. Young's main local haunt during the '70s and early '80s was Wise Fools Pub, where he packed 'em in nightly (with Freddy King's brother, Benny Turner, on bass).

In 1986 Joe began work on a self-financed recording that would finally allow him to have complete artistic control. At this time he also discovered surgery was needed on a pinched nerve in his neck. Following the operation, complications arose that affected his ability to play guitar. As part of psychical therapy he continued to work on the album sporadically until Mighty Man was finally released in 1997. Unfortunately health problems continued to plague Mighty Joe and he passed away on March 25, 1999 in Chicago. He was 71.

by Bill Dahl and Al Campbell

Tracks

1. Love Bone / Jody (Don Davis, Kent Barker, Cam Wilson) - 6:12

2. Mama-In-Law Blues - 3:18

3. Need A Friend - 5:02

4. Take My Advice (She Likes The Blues And Barbecue) - 2:45

5. New Orleans Women - 3:38

6. Takes Money - 3:43

7. Green Light - 3:35

8. Mean Hitchhiker - 2:45

9. I Give - 3:20

All songs by Mighty Joe Young except where indicated

Personnel

*Mighty Joe Young - Guitar, Vocals

*Alvino Bennett - Drums

*Bill Chinnock - Guitar

*Ken Sajdak - Keyboards

*Ed Tossing - Synthesizer

1970 Mighty Joe Young - Blues With A Touch Of Soul

1972 Mighty Joe Young - The Sonet Blues Story (2005 remaster)

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Monday, October 9, 2023

Wigwam - Tombstone Valentine (1970 finland, spectacular bluesy psych prog rock, 2013 remaster and expanded)

Formed in 1968, Wigwam recorded "Tombstone Valentine" in 1970 at Finnvox studios, Helsinki, the album was produced by the infamous Kim Fowley and was a wonderful collection of highly original material such as the album title track and compositions like Wishful Thinker, 1936 Lost in the Snow and For America

Undeniably the crown jewel of Finnish progressive rock, Wigwam released Tombstone Valentine in 1970 and quickly gained international attention. Unlike the first album released a year earlier, this album was a more focused effort at creating memorable songs that were both unique and exciting. I would have to consider it more of a pop album that had strong progressive elements sprinkled throughout. The addition of new members Jukka Tolonen (guitarist) and bassist/composer Pekka Pohjola brought a cohesiveness that had not yet been attained on 1969's Hard N' Horny. The rest of the line-up featured Jukka Gustavson on vocals, organ, piano; Ronnie Sterberg on drums; Jim Pembroke on vocals: Heikki Laurila on guitar; banjo; and Kalevi Nyqvist on accordion.

Where Hard N' Horny was a more exploratory and disjointed effort, Tombstone Valentine can easily be compared with the likes of Procul Harum, Traffic, and yes .... even the Beatles without ever loosing the progressive foundations we fans so admire and crave in our musical diets. Perhaps of even more significance is how this album essentially opened the door to several additional albums over the next few years that managed to get better and better as the group fully gelled and developed a style and sound that has become a hallmark of progressive rock.

No single element can be clearly defined as the definitive reason for this album's overall success, but I would offer a personal bias of sorts: I have always considered Pekka Pohjola to be one of the finest bassist ever. The first track has become the go to track for me, followed by the next ... all the way to the end. Throughout the album can be found elements from many schools of style and sound. Track 4 for example is very much in the Canterbury vein ala Soft Machine, Caravan, and Supersister. The first track has a psychedelic hook that is unstoppable. The jazz elements are strong and well placed. The musicianship presented here is easily on par with the likes of Gentle Giant and Jethro Tull. I really believe this is a band without limitations. If that sounds good to you, wait until you hear the album!

Esoteric Records/ Cherry Red Records has graciously included two bonus tracks on this reissue Pedagogi and Haato that were the A & B sides of a 1970 single released in Finland. Owning these two tracks alone is reason enough to pick up your own copy, but Esoteric went further still and included a fine essay to boot. The artwork is fully restored as well, so by all means secure a copy for your own collection, and enjoy some great tracks from Finland's finest.

by Thomas Rhymer

Tracks

1. Tombstone Valentine (Jim Pembroke) - 3:07

2. In Gratitude! (Jukka Gustavson) - 3:46

3. Dance Of The Anthropoids (Erkki Kurenniemi) - 1:07

4. Frederick And Bill (Jim Pembroke, Pekka Pohjola) - 4:26

5. Wishful Thinker (Jim Pembroke) - 3:46

6. Autograph (Jim Pembroke, Kim Fowley) - 2:39

7. 1936 Lost In The Snow (Pekka Pohjola) - 2:11

8. Let The World Ramble On (Jim Pembroke) - 3:20

9. For America (Jukka Gustavson) - 4:22

10.Captain Supernatural (Jim Pembroke) - 3:02

11.End (Jukka Gustavson) - 3:39

12.Pedagogi (Jukka Gustavson) - 3:29

13.Haato (Mats Huldén) - 4:10

Bonus Tracks 12-13

Wigwam

Pekka Pohjola - Bass, Violin

Jukka Gustavson - Organ, Piano, Vocals

Ronnie Osterberg - Drums, Percussion

Jim Pembroke - Vocals

With

Jukka Tolonen - Guitar

Heikki Laurila - Guitar, Banjo

Kalevi Nyqvist - Accordion

Erkki Kurenniemi - Synthesizer

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Sunday, October 8, 2023

Blue Rose - Blue Rose (1972 us, fine rural rock)

The Blue Rose LP is worth looking for. The album. It’s a pretty good piece of work. The opener, “My Impersonal Life” – which was edited down and altered for the single, is probably the best song on the record, but not by much. I also really like a couple other tracks: “Debt of Fools,” a bluesy track that reminds me a little bit of the Eagles, and “Sweet Thing,” a great ballad with some nice horns pulling it along.

Some notes about a few of the other tracks: “Takin’ Love And Run” reminds Badfinger with its crunchy power chords; “I’ll Never Be In Love Again” is a nice country-rock piece; “Chasing The Glow Of A Candle” is over-orchestrated and has its vocals over-stacked, and the metronome sound is really odd.

The rest of the album is good. The vocals are well done with harmonies and stacks that generally work but sometimes seem to be a little too much. Terry Furlong (from Grass Roots fame) and Dave Thomson on guitars, with great Harvey Mandell on guitar in one song “I’ll Never Be In Love Again”; Dave Thomson on bass, with John Uribe (taking bass on “Takin’ Love and Run” and “Home”; Stu Perry (ex Jellyroll, Frankie Miller Band) on drums, with Don Poncher (Blue Mountain Eagle, Arthur Lee and The Band Aid, Bobby Whitlock) taking drums on “Takin’ Love and Run” and “Home”; horns by the Elijah Band Horn Section; conga by King Errison; and arrangements and piano by Michael Omartian. Terry Furlong produced the record.

Tracks

1. My Impersonal Life (Terry Furlong) - 04:25

2. Takin' Love And Run (Terry Furlong) - 02:46

3. I'll Never Be In Love Again (Dave Thomson) - 02:00

4. Debt Of Fools (Terry Furlong) - 04:16

5. Chasin' The Glow Of A Candle (Dave Thomson) - 02:18

6. Sweet Thing (Terry Furlong) - 04:04

7. Make You Happy (Dave Thomson) - 02:52

8. Home (Day After Day) (Terry Furlong, John Uribe) - 03:20

9. Show You A Way To Have Fun (Dave Thomson) - 03:01

10.Look What We're Doin' (Dave Thomson, John Uribe) - 02:54

Blue Rose

*Terry Furlong - Guitar

*Dave Thomson - Guitar, Bass

*John Uribe - Bass

*Stu Perry - Drums

*Don Poncher - Drums

With

*Harvey Mandel - Guitar (Track 3)

*Michael Omartian - Piano

*Trumpet – Bobby Blood

*Elijah Band Horn Section - Horns

1969 The Grass Roots - Leaving It All Behind (2010 edition)

1970 Blue Mountain Eagle - Blue Mountain Eagle (2012 remaster)

1971 Jellyroll - Jellyroll (2015 korean remaster)

1972 Arthur Lee With Band Aid - Vindicator (2008 remaster)

1975 Frankie Miller Band - The Rock (2003 remaster)

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Saturday, October 7, 2023

Greg Sneddon - Mind Stroll (1975 australia, beautiful melodic baroque prog rock, 2019 korean remaster)

Australian composer and instrumentalist Greg Sneddon's sole album is a wonderful mixture of pop, space rock and strong keyboard driven progressive rock. Greg was a founding member of Men At Work.

A keyboard player of some repute, Sneddon used a handful of other musicians on the album, playing multi-keys himself. The compositions have their moments. With flavours of Rick Wakeman in his keyboard playing and vocals similar to Peter Gabriel, this album is still worth a listen.

Tracks

1. Mind Stroll - 9:45

2. Winter - 3:17

3. Take It Slow And Easy - 3:22

4. A Spell Of Destruction - 3:57

5. Minuet In F - 2:14

6. Concerto For Two Handed Plectrum / Madman - 8:47

Music and Lyrics by Greg Sneddon

Personnel

*Greg Sneddon - Piano, Hammond B3, ARP Pro Synth, Mellotron, Hohner Clavinet, Spinnet, Fender, Rhodes, Percussion, Vocals, 2-Handed Plectrum, Composer

*Dayle Alison - Vocals, Percussion

*Phil Butson - Guitars

*Jerry H. Speiser - Drums, Voice

*Gary Ricketts - Bass, Vocals (Track 6)

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Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Allan Clarke - My Real Name Is 'Arold (1972 uk, wonderful straight ahead rock with folk and country aspects)

Singer/guitarist/songwriter Allan Clarke is one of the founders of the Hollies; intermittently, he also has maintained a solo career. Clarke and his childhood friend, Graham Nash, began singing together in Manchester in the '50s. Adding Eric Haydock (bass) and Don Rathbone (drums) (replaced by Bobby Elliott in 1963), they became the Fourtones in 1961 and then the Deltas in 1962. By early 1963, when they added Tony Hicks (guitar) and signed a record contract, they had become the Hollies.

Their initial repertoire consisted of American R&B songs (though they soon began to write original material), and their defining characteristic was a strong vocal style, usually with Clarke in the lead and Nash and Hicks providing harmonies. In the U.K., the Hollies enjoyed consistent singles success, starting with "Just Like Me," the first of 29 chart singles, 17 of which made the Top Ten, with two -- "I'm Alive" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" -- reaching number one. Their appearances on the U.S. charts were less successful, though they managed to rack up 23 chart singles, six of which hit the Top Ten. Nash decamped at the end of 1968 to form Crosby, Stills, and Nash, but the Hollies continued. Clarke quit in August 1971 and launched a solo career, during which he made three albums: My Name Is 'arold (1972)

by William Ruhlmann