Thursday, January 17, 2013

Rare Amber - Rare Amber (1969 uk, hard psych blues rock, 2004 reissue with bonus tracks)



A short-lived blues-rock quintet. The album sleeve depicts the band holding a black mass ceremony.

The vinyl inside was a successful blend of originals and covers of compositions by blues kings like Otis Spann and B.B. King. It is now a significant collectable.

Both sides of their sole 45 can also be heard on Polydor's 1970 Deep Overground Pop compilation.

The group also recorded a very gutsy mono album at Central Sound in Denmark Street on 4-track. Polydor then decided to re-make the album in 8-track for stereo, and the released LP (regarded by the band as bland!) was recorded at IBC studios in Portland Place, over the course of a few days.

In fact they were slotted in the somewhat ridiculous hours of between 8.00am and 12 noon, as The Who were recording Tommy from noon to midnight, at the time!

Reissue of this ultra rare 1969 U.K album originally released on Polydor. This re-issue contains the non LP tracks from the band's only release.
Tracks
1. Malfunction Of The Engine - 3:53
2. You Ain't Made Yet - 2:59
3. It Hurts Me Too (Marshall Sehorn, Elmore James) - 3:37
4. Paying The Cost To Be The Boss (B.B. King) - 3:38
5. Night Life (Willie Nelson, Paul Buskirk, Walter Breland) - 5:19
6. Custom Blues - 3:14
7. Popcorn Man (McKinley Morganfield) - 2:17
8. Heartbreaker (B.B. King) - 2:52
9. Solution - 7:03
10.Amber Blues - 2:34
11.Blues Never Die (Otis Spann) - 2:08
12.Malfunction On The Engine - 3:27
13.Blind Love - 2:29
All songs by Roger Cairns, Del Watkins, Gwyn Mathias, John Dover, Keith Whiting except where indicated
Bonus Tracks 12-13 from 1969 single release

Rare Amber
*Roger Cairns - Vocals
*Del Watkins - Lead Guitar
*Gwyn Mathias - Keyboards, Harmonica
*John Dover - Bass
*Keith Whiting - Drums

Free Text