Plain and Fancy

1976 Black Oak Arkansas - Balls Of Fire

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Ruby Starr And Grey Ghost - Ruby Starr And Grey Ghost (1975 us, pleasant southern blues rock, 2023 remaster)

Discovered by Black Oak Arkansas frontman Jim Dandy working in a bar in Evansville, Indiana, Ruby Starr not only shared the same manager as Black Oak Arkansas (Butch Stone), but actually wound up joining the band. She duly appeared on the 'Jim Dandy' single in 1974. A top 30 hit in the States, the song was mysteriously banned by the BBC in Britain. The strikingly sultry singer nevertheless had made an impact on the Rock media in an unexpected way when an enterprising photographer published an on stage up close and personal shot of Miss Starr minus knickers.

Starr (real name Constance Henrietta Mierzwiac), a native of Toledo, Ohio, had started her singer career aged just nine billed as Connie Little before fronting local Toledo acts such as Connie And The Bluebeats and The Downtowners. Later known as Ruby Jones, she released an eponymous album under that name in 1971 for Curtom Records.

During the summer of 1974 erstwhile Target members drummer Joel Williams and keyboard player Marius Peczner were recruited into Starr's backing band. Other Target personell guitarist Buddy Davis and bassist Tommy Cathey had also rehearsed with Starr but negotiations between them and Butch Stone failed and this pair persevered with Target. Making up the band were guitarists Ronnie Mason and Gary Levin with bassist David Mayo. This band became Ruby Starr & Grey Ghost. The grey ghost in question being a referance to Confederate Civil war hero General Mosby. Heavy touring ensued as support to Black Oak Arkansas, Mountain and Heartsfield.

As 1975 dawned the band gained a major label deal with Capitol Records immediately after a television appearance on the 'Midnight Special' show. The band recorded their debut album at the legendary Muscle Shoals studios produced by former Hombres bassist Jerry Masters with later sessions taking place in Memphis. Throughout 1975 the band was rarely off the road opening frequently for Black Oak Arkansas as well as Todd Rundgren, Oblivion Express, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and conducted US East Coast support dates in July 1975 with Black Sabbath and Peter Frampton. Later shows had the band guesting for Ten Years After, Robin Trower and Fleetwood Mac. Quite famously, Starr conducted these dates despite having just had an operation to remove her gall bladder.

As the album was released it entered the Billboard charts at number 172. Much in demand Starr and her cohorts were straight back on the road guesting for The Faces, Steppenwolf, Rare Earth, Mahogany Rush and Black Sabbath once again including venues as large as the Long Beach arena. A headline club tour followed before more supports to Peter Frampton, Edgar Winter Group, Bachman Turner Overdrive and reuniting with Black Sabbath

In February 1976 Mike Neff took over the drum stool. Later the same year Penczner and Mayo quit to create the short lived Triple Cross with Williams. RUBY STARR's 1976 'Scene Stealer' album, with the bulk of the songs penned by Penczner, saw Black Oak Arkansas guitarist Jimmy Henderson contributing. Williams, Mayo and Henderson rejoined Starr for her third album 'Smokey Places' before the drummer joined the ranks of Black Oak Arkansas. Starr made her live debut singing with Black Oak Arkansas at the California Jam that year.

During 1977 the singer united with Florida Rockers Blackfoot touring America billed as Ruby Starr And Blackfoot. Starr left Blackfoot after falling in love with the guitarist Fred Hodnik from support band Lucy Grey. Starr wound up joining this band sharing lead vocals with Mike Finding. The other band members were guitarist Pooh (real name Steve Godfriarx), bassist John Kerr and the enigmatically titled Mudslide on drums. The band adopted a new name of Grey Star in 1980 adding ex-Captain Beyond and Iron Butterfly man Robb Hanshaw and would go on to release two albums 'Grey Star' and 1983' 'Telephone Sex'. Finding would quit renaming himself Mike Grey. A further name change was adopted to Chainsaw Caine, a guize in which he fronted Metal band Slave Raider for two albums.

Grey Star split and Ruby put together the Ruby Star Band with Hodnik, Mudslide and new members keyboard player Steve Marino and bassist Cary Kaylan. This unit toured the Mid-West supporting Gregg Allman, Cheap Trick, Van Halen and Robin Trower and recorded a couple of singles. In 1988 the band folded and Kaylan wound up working with Warp Drive at the turn of the decade.

Ruby Starr was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer in 1994 and sadly passed away on 14th January the following year. She was 44.

Music-Might

Tracks

1. Burnin' Whiskey (Marius Penczner, Ruby Starr) - 3:30

2. Sweet Sweet Sweet (Jimmy Henderson, Ruby Starr) - 3:53

3. Witchin' Hour (Marius Penczner) - 3:03

4. Did It Again (Jimmy Henderson, Ruby Starr) - 2:41

5. Everything Comes And Goes (Jimmy Henderson, Ruby Starr) - 4:00

6. Long Wait (Marius Penczner) - 3:58

7. You Need A Chain (David Mayo) - 2:28

8. Fork In The Road (Marius Penczner) - 5:20

9. Living Proof (Marius Penczner) - 6:11

Musicians

*Ruby Starr - Vocals

*Joel Williams - Drums

*Marius Peczner - Keyboards

*Ronnie Mason - Guitars

*Gary Levin - Guitars

*David Mayo - Bass

Related Act

Monday, February 3, 2025

Bob Frank - Bob Frank (1972 us, nice acoustic acid folk country rock little stories, 2014 digipak remaster)

Originally released in 1972 on Vanguard Records, Bob Frank’s self titled debut album took elements of Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Ian Tyson and filtered it through a pot-smoked haze infused with Frank’s long-time friend, Memphis guru Jim Dickinson. Dickinson and Frank shared a mutual admiration that ran so deep that on Dickinson’s own 1972 debut album Dixie Fried (released on Atlantic Records) he recorded one of Bob’s songs, “Wild Bill Jones” Despite the Dickinson/Memphis connection, Bob Frank’s only LP for Vanguard has remained a forgotten, hard to find vinyl relic.

As Dickinson once deadpanned, ÒBob went to Vietnam and Nashville. I don’t know which was worse. It was also an itinerant period, when Frank spent many a stoned evening staggering alone through the mid-south urban gothic landscape of church steps and sleaze bars, with his guitar glued to his arm, if not an actual extension of it. Songs would emerge from dreams or drunken visions. But this was not artless acid folk, but a series of picaresque, well-sketched vignettes delivered in a clearly-enunciated vernacular, and all very much in Frank’s own style.

Tracks

1. Wino - 2:21

2. She Pawned Her Diamond For Some Gold - 2:43

3. Waitsburg - 2:01

4. Cold Canadian Pines - 3:28

5. Judas Iscariot - 3:19

6. Before The Trash Truck Comes (Bob Frank, Cletus Haegert) - 1:13

7. Way Down In Mississippi - 2:21

8. Jones And Me - 1:51

9. Layin' Around - 2:08

10.Return To Skid Row Joe - 3:00

11.The Deer Hunter - 1:28

12.Memphis Jail - 2:01

Music and Lyrics by Bob Frank except track #6

Personnel

*Bob Frank - Vocals, Guitar

*Eric Weisseberg - Guitar, Dobro

*Charlie McCoy - Harmonica

*Russell George - Bass

*Buddy Spicher - Fiddle

1970 Sky - Don't Hold Back (2010 remaster)

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Sky - Sailor's Delight (1971 us, awesome classic rock power pop, 2010 bonus tracks remaster)

Doug Fieger is best known as lead singer of The Knack. With The Knack, Fieger penned such international smash hits as My Sharona and Good Girl's Don't. However, Fieger's musical legacy started long before The Knack.

Douglas Lars Fieger was born at Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan on August 20, 1952. He grew up in nearby Oak Park, Michigan and was the middle of three children (older brother Geoffrey and younger sister Beth). His father, Bernard, was a noted labor/civil rights lawyer while his mother, June, was a teacher and union organizer for the Michigan Federation of Teachers.

Fieger was well-rounded artistically at an early age. He took piano lessons at the age of five and took trumpet lessons at 11. He was also the lead in Peter Pan at the Detroit Institute of Arts. In 1964, Fieger was prompted to pick up the guitar after having seen the Beatles play live on the Ed Sullivan show. At the age of 12, Fieger's parents bought him his first guitar, a 1963 Gretsch Country Gentleman, and he went on to form his first band, the Royal Jammers.

Not long after that, Fieger met a guy living across the street, Bobby Boyle, who was in a band called Spirit. Boyle offered Fieger a gig in the band as long as Fieger would switch over to bass and let this other guy named John Coury play his Country Gentleman. Fieger went out and rented a St. George bass. Spirit played a lot of bass-heavy material like Animals and Yardbirds songs, as well as Beatles songs. Sky second line up

Before they morphed into Sky, Fieger and Coury, along with drummer Robert Greenfield, had a band that played all Beatles cover songs. Pretty soon, Fieger and Coury started writing their very own songs. They went from a cover band to an original band at a very young age.

Fieger started having some success with Sky while still in high school. Although underage, they were playing regular gigs at the Grande Ballroom with local heavyweights the MC5, Bob Seger, and the Stooges, as well as national acts The Who, Traffic, Joe Cocker, Jethro Tull, and The Jeff Beck Group. Russ Gibb, the owner of the Grande, signed on as their manager. Fieger met Dave Mason, of Traffic, during a party at Russ Gibb’s house. Mason passed along the address of their producer, Jimmy Miller. Miller was becoming famous as a producer for Traffic, Blind Faith, Spencer Davis Group, and the Rolling Stones.

Fieger wrote a letter to Jimmy Miller telling him to stop by and check out his band if he were ever in Detroit. Miller called Fieger at his home, and said he would check out his band if they would set up a tour of the Motown Studios for him. Around February of 1970, the band took Miller to Motown Studios then brought him back to the Fieger house where they jammed for him in the basement. The next day, Miller signed the group to his production company and eventually inked a recording contract with RCA Records!

In July of 1970, five days after Fieger graduated high school, Miller flew the band to London where they recorded their first album, Don't Hold Back, at Olympic Studios. Miller was producing the Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers album in the studio directly next door. Because of this, Gary Wright and Andy Johns produced/engineered the album along with Miller as an executive producer. The lineup of musicians that came in to work on Don't Hold Back included Bobby Keys on sax, Jim Price on trumpet, Nicky Hopkins on keyboards, as well as Gary Wright (who was also producing), Chris Wood (Traffic) on woodwinds, and Ian Stewart on piano.

After recording completed on Don't Hold Back, Sky moved to Los Angeles at the suggestion of Jimmy Miller. About six months later, Miller took the band back into the studio to record their second album, Sailor's Delight. Produced by Jimmy Miller and Andy Johns, they started recording the album in Los Angeles, then completed the album using the Rolling Stones' mobile studio at Mick Jagger's mansion, Stargroves. For Sailor's Delight, 16 year-old Rob Stawinski replaced Robert Greenfield on drums. Although Stawinski did not play on Don’t Hold Back, his name and picture are on the album cover. This was the line-up that was going to promote Don’t Hold Back and record Sailor’s Delight. The record label did not want any confusion over who was in the band.

Sailor’s Delight has all the elements that Miller put into his Stones hits and Traffic classic tracks. The guitars “chugg” along with a Keith Richards swagger while the vocals and folk guitar are supplemented by the flute and piano giving the singer a worthy platform. Sailor's Delight is a solid representation of Fieger's song compositions and pre-Knack efforts. Sky was clearly ahead of their time. They made songs that had your 1970’s appropriate heavy guitars, with some great hooks, mixed with the same kind of power pop elements Fieger would carry forward into his days with The Knack. Imagine a well-balanced mix of the Stones, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Big Star, the Raspberries, Elton John, and Traffic.

Both albums were warmly received but marketing was weak and sales were tepid. In 1973, the band broke up due to youth and management hassles. Fieger stayed in California while the other guys moved back to Michigan. The albums eventually went out-of-print. Fieger continued to play music until he solidified a solid line-up, in 1978, with The Knack. And, the rest is musical history!

After Fieger's death in 2010, his family decided to go about obtaining the rights to the Sky recordings. Beth Falkenstein, Fieger's sister, is a representative of the Estate of Doug Fieger and now controls the rights to the Sky recordings.

These songs were too good to have been forgotten, so long-time Knack producer Richard Bosworth was called in to digitally re-master the songs. The Estate of Doug Fieger has digitally released the Sky albums under Fieger's own moniker, Zen Records. Discovered among the recordings were some titles and mixes that did not appear on the original albums. They have been included as bonus tracks on the re-releases as a treat for those fans from long ago who never expected to hear a Sky song after all these years!

by Erik Heemsoth, 05-Feb-2014

Tracks

1. Make It Tight (Doug Fieger, John Coury) - 4:09

2. Don't Want Nobody (Doug Fieger) - 3:15

3. Let It Lie Low (Doug Fieger, John Coury) - 3:12

4. Taking The Long Way Home (Doug Fieger) - 3:13

5. Come Back (Doug Fieger) - 4:02

6. Bring It On Back (Doug Fieger) - 4:14

7. Tooly (Doug Fieger) - 3:47

8. Sing For Me (John Coury) - 4:27

9. Low Down (Doug Fieger) - 5:21

10.Make It Tight (Doug Fieger, John Coury) - 3:24

11.Taking The Long Way Home (Doug Fieger) - 3:16

12.Mama I Feel Your Sadness (Doug Fieger) - 2:52

Sky

*John Coury - Flute, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

*Douglas Lars Fieger - Bass, Guitar, Vocals

*Rob Stawinski - Drums, Percussion

With

*Bobby Keys - Saxophone

*Jim Price - Saxophone

*John Uribe - Electric Guitar

*Ian Stewart - Piano

Friday, January 31, 2025

Headband - A Song for Tooley (1973 aussie, fine melodic prog rock with country traces, 2006 remaster)

Headband is one of Australia’s most unique progressive blues rock bands that formed in the early 70’s. The four-piece group (comprised of; bass guitarist Chris Bailey; drummer Joff Bateman; singer-songwriter and keyboardist Peter Beagley (later known as Peter Head); and singer-songwriter and guitarist Mauri Berg) supported Elton John in 1971, and The Rolling Stones in 1973 at their Adelaide performances, and finished third in the 1972 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds – a national performance competition between the best groups representing each state. The band then went on to releasing their debut album, A Song for Tooley, in 1973, which featured album artwork by internationally renowned Adelaide artist Vytas Šerelis. Headband disbanded a year later.

Following the band’s break up, keyboardist, Peter Head - who joined the Blue Pie family earlier this year - went on to start up Mount Lofty Rangers; an ever-changing group of notable Adelaide musicians that included Glenn Shorrock, Robyn Archer and Bon Scott, who later joined AC/DC. Peter set up his own label, Head Office Records, in 1996 alongside radio broadcaster, David Woodhall, producing 2 CDs; "Round & Round & Round" by Bon Scott, and Peter’s first solo CD recording "King of the Cross".

Headband supported The Rolling Stones in Adelaide during the band's February 1973 Australian tour. Headband broke up in 1974. Berg and Bateman later joined a couple of ex-Fraternity members in Mickey Finn. Chris Bailey issued a solo single on RCA, `Sunday Too Far Away'/`Bushranger Song' (March 1975) before joining pub rockers The Angels in January 1977. He later played with the likes of The Stetsons and the Jimmy Barnes Band. Peter Beagley (as Peter Head), formed the country rock outfit The Mount Lofty Rangers, which featured many Adelaide rock luminaries such as Bon Scott.

Head also produced the rock musical Lofty, and wrote soundtrack music for films like The Nostradamus Kid and Les Patterson Saves the World. He moved to Sydney and issued a series of cassette albums under his own name and ran his own Head Office Records. Head issued a mini-album in 1997, King of the Cross. (Note: this Headband is not to be confused with a New Zealand band from the same period with the same name.)

Tracks

1. A Song For Tooley - 5:05

2. Land Of Supercars - 5:43

3. Stay With Me - 3:32

4. My Young Friend (Mauri Berg, Peter Beagley) - 2:53

5. Headsong (Mauri Berg, Peter Beagley) - 1:20

6. Country Lady - 2:18

7. Children's Dreams - 6:25

8. Wait Until Tomorrow - 4:12

9. Brand New Morning (Mauri Berg, Peter Beagley) - 2:27

10.Goodbye Mother Nature - 4:33

All songs by Mauri Berg except where indicated

Headband

*Chris Bailey - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Joff Bateman - Drums, Backing Vocals

*Peter Beagley - Keyboards

*Mauri Berg - Guitar, Harmonica, Lead Vocals

With

*Errol Buddle - Flute

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Streetheart - Meanwhile Back In Paris-Under Heaven Over Hell (1978-79 canada, hard groovy classic rock, 2001 reissue)

Streetheart formed in Regina Canada in 1976, the band drew on the western Canadian groups Witness Inc, Wascana and Great Canadian River Race for its early members: Kenny Shields (vocals), Daryl Gutheil (keyboards), Paul Dean (guitar), Ken 'Spider' Sinnaeve (bass) and Matt Frenette (drums). Dean was replaced in 1978 (after the first Streetheart LP) by John Hannah (from Harlequin), and Hannah in 1981 by Jeff Neill; Frenette left in 1979 to join Dean in Loverboy, his place in Streetheart taken initially by Herb Ego, who was followed by Billy Carmassi (both drums).

Streetheart's heyday as a popular club and concert attraction in Canada was during the late 1970s until the mid-1980s. They originally drew the attention of Atlantic Records and were signed in 1977. Their first LP, Meanwhile Back in Paris, sold 100 000 copies in 1977 and brought the band a Juno Award as most promising group of 1979. Seven LPs followed 1979-83: Under Heaven, Over Hell, Quicksand Shoes (WEA XWEA-92005). Action - The Best of Streetheart, Drugstore Dancer, Streetheart, Dancing with Danger, and Live after Dark. Record sales earned them six gold albums and four platinum albums; the single 'Under My Thumb' achieved gold single status.

Arguably Streetheart's most popular single, 'Under My Thumb' (1979), was a remake of a song by the Rolling Stones, who were an early Streetheart influence. At the peak of their career, Streetheart toured with several Canadian rock bands including Chilliwack, Rush, Harlequin, Max Webster (see Kim Mitchell), Aldo Nova, April Wine and with American bands including Sammy Hagar, Styx, Kansas, and Blue Oyster Cult.

Shields, Gutheil, and Sinnaeve remained as core members of the band through many changes in personnel until Streetheart filed for bankruptcy in 1984. Shields, who set the frenetic pace of Streetheart's live performances, subsequently performed in western Canada under his own name. Since the late 1990s Frenette and other Streetheart members have reunited for concerts and club performances and the release of two more albums.

Streetheart received two Ampex Golden Reel awards, a Music Express Magazine Award, and a Chimo Award (Canadian Country Music Award) and were voted the most popular Canadian act in the Peoples' Choice Awards. In 2003, Streetheart was inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Sadly on July 21st, 2017 Kenny Shields lost his battle with his heart condition and he passed away quietly and peacefully at The St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg MB.

Tracks

1 .Action (Kenny Shields, Paul Dean, Ken Sinnaeve, Daryl Gutheil, Matthew Frenette) - 4:50

2. Pressure (Kenny Shields, Paul Dean) - 3:54

3. Can You Feel It (Daryl Gutheil) - 3:31

4. Move On Over (Daryl Gutheil, Kenny Shieldsl, Matthew Frenette, Paul Dean) - 5:19

5. Look At Me (Kenny Shields, Paul Dean, Ken Sinnaeve) - 3:55

6. Captain Rhythm (Daryl Gutheil) - 4:14

7. Street Walker (Daryl Gutheil, Kenny Shields, Paul Dean) - 3:57

8 .People (Kenny Shields, Paul Dean) - 3:40

9. Just For You (Kenny Shields, Paul Dean) - 4:19

10.Hollywood (Daryl Gutheil, John Hannah, Kenny Shields, Ken Sinnaeve) - 3:19

11.Main Street (Daryl Gutheil, John Hannah, Kenny Shields, Paul Dean, Ken Sinnaeve) - 3:47

12.Fight To Survive (Daryl Gutheil, John Hannah, Kenny Shields, Ken Sinnaeve) - 3:50

13.Baby's Got A Gun (Daryl Gutheil, John Hannah, Kenny Shields, Ken Sinnaeve) - 3:20

14.Dreeded Dotted Line (Daryl Gutheil, Kenny Shields, Paul Dean) - 4:31

15.Star (Daryl Gutheil, John Hannah, Kenny Shields, Ken Sinnaeve) - 3:54

16.Whose Turn Is It Tonight (Kenny Shields, Paul Dean) - 4:33

17.Here Comes The Night (Bert Berns) - 3:43

18.Under My Thumb (Keith Richards, Mick Jagger) - 6:40

Tracks 1-9 from "Meanwhile Back In Paris" LP 1978

Tracks 10-18 from "Under Heaven Over Hell" LP 1979

Streetheart

*Kenny Shields - Lead Vocals, Percussion

*Ken Sinnaeve - Bass

*Daryl Gutheil - Keyboards

*Matthew Frenette - Drums, Percussion

*Paul Dean - Guitar (Tracks 1-9)

*John Hannah - Guitar, Vocals (Tracks 10-18)

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Comus – Song To Comus The Complete Collection (1971-74 uk, hauntingly folk prog, psych, acid rock realms, 2005 double disc remaster)

First of all, big kudos to Castle Music/Sanctuary for reissuing these two rarities, or shall we say "oddities", for mass public consumption. Longtime progressive rock fans will no doubt be aware of the only two releases from Comus, 1971's First Utterance, and 1974's To Keep From Crying, but the more casual fan are probably saying right now "who the hell is Comus?". Song to Comus-The Complete Collection brings together both albums in one volume, as well as a few bonus tracks which were originally released on their EP for the Dawn label. This band were an eclectic progressive-folk rock group, whose name came from a John Milton poem about a pagan sorceror called King Comus.

The band's music is pretty hard to describe, mainly acoustic, at times mystical sounding, at other instances almost frightening, but never boring or commercial. References can me made to King Crimson, The Strawbs, Renaissance, Family, Steeleye Span, Pentangle, and Fairport Convention, but in reality they had a sound all their own. The main instruments used were acoustic guitars, violin, bongos, electric bass, flute, oboe, percussion, and the occasional electric & slide guitar. Add in a myriad of odd male and female vocal styles, and you have, especially in the case of First Utterance, a rather unique listening experience. Just listen to one of the two epics from the debut, "Drip Drip", a manic and almost disturbing journey into violent pagan counterculture, featuring Roger Wootton's maddening vocals, plenty of frantic, almost psychedelic violin and acoustic guitar passages, reeds, and outbursts of frenzied percussion. As dissonant and disjointed as the music seems upon first listen, there's something almost telepathic that seems to be going on between the musicians after numerous listens. Check out the wild interplay between bongos, flute, violin, and guitar during "Song to Comus", with the lead vocals almost playing the solo instrument. Needless to say, this is folk music like you have never heard before.

To Keep From Crying, released a few years later after the band had split up and regrouped again, is a much more refined affair, as the band by this time had lost most of the dangerous edge from their debut and resembled a more traditional folk band. Not nearly as exciting however, but this album does have some merit, as it contains some nice melodies, inspired female vocals, and more lush instrumentation (including the use of keyboards and synthesizers), as opposed to the frantic nature of the arrangements on First Utterance.

This reissue sports improved sound, a great booklet filled with complete history of the band and photos. Honestly, it's worth picking this up for First Utterance alone, as this album is a must have for fans of avant-garde, folky-progressive rock.

by Pete Pardo, December 21st 2006

Tracks

Disc 1 First Utterance 1971

1. Diana (Colin Pearson) - 4:36

2. The Herald (Andy Hellaby, Glen Goring, Roger Wootton) - 12:11

3. Drip Drip - 10:51

4. Song To Comus - 7:30

5. The Bite - 5:29

6. Bitten (Andy Hellaby, Colin Pearson) - 2:19

7. The Prisoner - 6:18

8. Diana (Colin Pearson) - 4:24

9. In The Lost Queen's Eyes - 2:50

10.Winter Is A Coloured Bird - 8:01

11.All the Colours Of Darkness (Colin Pearson) - 7:22

Music and Lyrics by Roger Wootton except where noted

Disc 2 To Keep From Crying 1974

1. Down (Like A Movie Star) - 4:07

2. Touch Down - 4:46

3. Waves And Caves (Andy Hellaby) - 1:34

4. Figure In Your Dreams - 3:11

5. Children Of The Universe - 5:38

6. So Long Supernova - 3:22

7. Perpetual Motion - 4:07

8. Panophany (Andy Hellaby) - 0:31

9. Get Yourself A Man (Keith Hale) - 7:08

10.To Keep From Crying - 5:40

11.After Tthe Dream - 1:00

12.Fiesta Fandanco - 3:50

13.New Tide - 2:59

Words and Music by Roger Wootton except where stated

Comus

* Glen Goring - 6,12string Acoustic Guitars, Electric Guitar, Slide, Hand Drums, Vocals

* Andy Hellaby - Fender Bass, Slide Bass, Vocals

* Roger Wootton - Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals

* Rob Young - Flute, Oboe, Hand Drums

* Bobbie Watson - Vocals, Percussion

* Colin Pearson - Violin, Viola (Disc 1)

* Keith Hale - Keyboards, Autoharp, Tape effects (Disc 2)

* Gordon Caxon - Drums (Disc 2)

* Lindsay Cooper - Wind (Disc 2)

* Philip Barry - Percussion (Disc 2)

* Didier Malherbe - Saxophone (Disc 2 Track 6)

* Tim Kraemer - Cello (Disc 2 Track 6)

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Dransfield - The Fiddler's Dream (1976 uk, gorgeous traditional folk rock, 2006 remaster)

Hearing this album for the first time, it's easy to see why Steeleye Span declined to tour with the Dransfields -- with all due respect to Maddy Prior and company, they'd have been shown-up and then some, based on the evidence here. From the crisp playing on acoustic and low-wattage electric guitars, and charismatic yet honest and unaffected lead and harmony singing to the diverse song selection -- all part of a defined song cycle -- the album was as perfect an example of electric British folk music as it was released in the '70s, and easily a rival for anything this side of Fairport Convention's best work.

The voices and the playing strike a perfect balance between the old traditionalist school out of which the Dransfields came and the newer folk-rock school that they'd only begun to embrace a couple of years earlier, and the album itself also gives a nod to the burgeoning progressive folk-rock genre of the era (best embodied by acts such as Gryphon). The Fiddler's Dream is a folk concept album (though the Dransfields themselves would likely have called it a "song cycle" rather than anything that pretentious). The material all deals with a fiddler's relationship to and effect on an English village -- and not coincidentally; Barry Dransfield was one of the great fiddle players in England during this period, and he has ample room on this album to show a little of what he's made of, though there's also lots of space for great singing by the two brothers and superb dual guitar work by Barry and older brother Robin.

The songs all have a relationship to each other that enhances their impact, and they fit together perfectly in their juxtapositioning, with regard to tempo and mood changes as well as subjects. But the playing and singing, and the music, are all so beautiful, on "The Handsome Meadow Boy," "The Fool's Song," or "The Ballad of Dickie Lubber" -- or pretty much everything here -- that one needn't ever have been within 10,000 miles of an English village to appreciate them. Forget Steeleye Span -- based on this album, these guys could easily have rated a spot touring with Jethro Tull when the latter were playing to 30,000 people at a time. The album has aged exceptionally well, and any of the various reissues out there is worth picking up.

by Bruce Eder

Tracks

1. Up to Now - 4:21

2. The Blacksmith 1 - 2:38

3. The Alchemist and the Peddlar - 7:32

4. It's Dark in Here - 4:09

5. The Handsome Meadow Boy - 6:15

6. The Fool's Song - 3:45

7. The Ballad of Dickie Lubber - 4:34

8. The Blacksmith 2 - 2:23

9. What Will We Tell Them - 2:31

10.Violin - 6:38

All compositions by Barry Dransfield except Track #4 written by Robin Dransfield

Personnel

*Barry Dransfield - Vocals, Electric, Acoustic Fiddles, Electric Dulcimer, Cello, Guitar, Zither

*Robin Dransfield - Vocals, Guitar

*Brian Harrison - Vocals, Bass Guitar, Organ, Piano

*Charlie White - Drums

1976 Moxy - Moxy II (2003 remaster)

Monday, January 27, 2025

Moxy - Ridin' High (1977 canada, tight binding hard rock 2003 digipak remaster)

Back in 1977, Moxy had already released their second album, had toured all over Canada, and had had a relative success in faraway Texas (mainly because the most famous radio producer in San Antonio loved them). So they recorded Ridin’ High. As expected it’s a hell of an album. Maybe it’s all about Buzz Shearman’s tremendous voice (Rod Steward on hard rock steroids), or even guitars’ hobo attitude likewise Southern bands’ from Canada. Could be as well the perfect rhythm section; as a result of their pure rock n roll origins, with ooo that smell (referring of course to cigarette and whiskey).

The first two songs follow this exact pattern (“Nothin’ comes easy”, “Rock Baby”). “Sweet Reputation” though it’s rougher, being totally on verge of metal (okay just kidding, still heavier though that lots of this exact period). The first side ends with the hit “I’ll set you on fire”. Come on guys … there is no way a fan of Roth’s hard era, or even Scorpions’ and Thin Lizzy’s, not being fond of this one! Second side and the hard rock n’ roll is on fire, “Ridin’ High” and “Young Legs”, with guitars’ orgasm in the later. Getting to “Another Time, Another Place” crossed the borders heading to another dimension. There is no way Southerners do not like these power ballads, they are exactly what they’re seeking for. And then there’s the rhythmic and sexy “Are you ready”, you know, these old-fashioned rock and phallocratic songs that we – the warhorses – still enjoy listening to.

The album ends with a reprise of “Nothing comes easy”. Well … let me see… Is it a top notch album? Is it a very good record? Is it even worthwhile? I don’t have one and only answer to give. Like I said, every listener is also a critic. I’m not quite sure what would the reaction of a new Moxy’s listener be nowadays. Bloody hell, I don’t even know if Point Blank would affect people, especially younger audience. All I know is that bands like this (of this era I mean) have to be listened carefully, without skipping mode on. Although older releases have had also fillers, their work was approached in detail, more professionally in a way. Every single time you listen to their work, you grasp something extra, like whispers that you may have not noticed right from the start, bass lines from bassists who wrote even melodic lines of the tracks, and singers’ performances who give their souls, not relaying to nowadays’ mentality “okay we’ll fix it on PC”. “Ok, boomer”… right ?

by Elias Chatzialexis, April 11th, 2021

Tracks

1. Nothing Comes Easy (Earl Johnson) - 6:22

2. Rock Baby (Earl Johnson , Terry Juric) - 4:48

3. Sweet Reputation (Symphony For Margaret) (Bill Wade, Buzz Shearman, Earl Johnson) - 3:54

4. I'll Set You On Fire (Buddy Caine) - 3:17

5. Riding High (Earl Johnson) - 4:03

6. Young Legs (Bill Wade) - 3:46

7. Another Time Another Place (Earl Johnson , Terry Juric) - 4:39

8. Are You Ready (Buddy Caine , Buzz Shearman) - 3:52

9. Nothing Comes Easy (Reprise) (Earl Johnson) - 1:00

Moxy

*Buzz Shearman - Vocals

*Earl Johnson - Guitar, Slide guitar

*Buddy Caine - Electric Guitar

*Bill Wade - Drums

*Terry Juric - Bass

1975 Moxy - Moxy (2003 remaster)