Plain and Fancy

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Westwind - Love Is... (1970 uk, majestic soft acoustic folk rock, 2021 korean remaster)

Simple stories, enchanting harmonies and soft, acoustic music that is Westwind. Three friends, Sarah Dyson, Nick Storey and Chris Stowell, writing and singing together because they enjoy it. Their fresh-as-an-English-rose vocals allow no concessions to the mid-Atlantic accents favoured by many a British folk group. Similarly, there is no place here for the electric guitar of the folk-rock exponents. And in their songs you'll find only the faintest hint of protest.

The music of Westwind, then, is a simple delight. No clever effects, no huge orchestras - though arranger Michael Moores makes sparing, and subtle, use of strings and horns. Just three people singing their songs, and singing them superbly. Ironically, in view of their name, much of Westwind's singing has a becalming effect. And what better fate than to let your mind drift and enjoy the clear, soaring voice of Sarah cutting through the pretty love story "Harbour Lights" or "Sleepy City".

The material to be heard on this album is as much a testimony to the group's songwriting ability as to their singing. Most of the songs are fragile, wispy in construction - notably the beautiful "Robin Hill", my favourite of the 12, with its excellent guitar work and the ethereal vocal from Sarah. But there is also a fair representation of brisk up-tempo tracks like "Goodtimes", one of those familiar folk cris de joie, with skiffle influences, and the happy skipalong "Sun Across The Snow". They reveal their sense of humour on an up-dated tale of "Sweeney Todd - a bar-barous chap was he" - which even in includes reference to P.C. Dixon of Dock Green.

My first hearing of Westwind, in September of this year, came with the release of a delightful single, "Love Is A Funny Sort Of Thing". The contents of this album, played at times of stress, will soothe even the most troubled of brows. It has that kind of effect. And it is an album you will want to come back to again and again. Westwind are a very welcome addition to the ranks of British pop-folk groups. With the help of record buyers such as yourself, they should rightly become a permanent fixture.

by Peter Robinson, Music Business Weekly

Tracks

1. Goodbye Butterfly - 3:54

2. Sleepy City - 3:00

3. Love Ia A Funny Sort Of Thing - 3:00

4. Sun Across The Snow - 2:53

5. How Many Stars - 2:49

6. Robin Hill - 3:02

7. Goodtimes - 2:00

8. Fisherman's Song - 3:33

9. Sweeney Todd - 2:59

10.Rosemary - 4:26

11.Harbour Lights - 3:36

12.Home Is Where My Heart Is - 3:00

Words and Music by Chris Stowell, Nick Storey, Sarah Dyson

Westwind

*Chris Stowell - Vocals, Guitar

*Nick Storey - Vocals, Guitar

*Sarah Dyson - Vocals, Guitar

Friday, July 18, 2025

Fate - Sgt. Death (1967-68 us, outstanding anti-war fuzz guitar organ driven psych rock)

Jay Sneider's first band The Electrons came together in Saco, Maine in 1963. They soon changed their name to The Id and would release two 45s that have become highly prized by collector's, the second as Euphoria's Id to differentiate them from several other Ids around at that time. Around 1967 Sneider (now Snyder) and drummer Skip Smith formed Fate. The album was recorded in 1968 under the guidance of Thomas Jefferson Kaye at Studio 3 in New York, where Billy Joel's Hassles would record their debut LP. Demos were sent out and the popular DJ Roscoe (also the voice on an album by John Berberian) started playing it. It would be picked up by a couple more NYC stations, yet the only record label to show any interest was Musicor.

Still the band's production company (Elephant 5) chose to pass on the offer, nothing further happened and a disillusioned band went their separate ways. Such a shame; this is an accomplished opus and so evocative of its time. The mood is reflective, often sombre, but also confrontational (as in the overtly anti-Vietnam title track). Stylistically it varies from baroque-rock with psychy flashes to hard melodic rock, and a strong hint of The Doors on the more introspective cuts. The latter comparison used to irritate Jay Snyder but the setting, key and timbre of Frank Youngblood's vocals makes this unavoidable. Sexual Fantasy #8 is an immediate stand-out; it has a pealing George Harrison-like guitar motif that'll haunt you for months. Elsewhere they take on the blues and Bo Diddley in a hard-rock setting with searing guitar. Jay Snyder recounts his musical odyssey and the stories behind his songs in revealing detail on both CD and LP.

A very welcome and recommended release. Incidentally, the opening track on the original demo album, Prelude, was omitted from the reissues as it was not recorded by Fate, instead being put together by their producer. An article in Billboard magazine in October 1968 reported that "Fate's demonstration discs are being played on three radio stations in New York", but the only original copy so far to turn up has a mastering date of February 1969 etched in the vinyl trail-off. It could be that there were different demo discs in circulation at different times.

Free-Space

Tracks

1. Sergeant Death - 5:04

2. Simone - 3:59

3. Sexual Fantasy #8 - 3:40

4. Having A Cigarette - 2:11

5. I Need A Woman - 4:13

6. Hungry Lovin' Blues - 2:45

7. Mannequin - 5:43

8. Tribute To The Bo - 4:20

9. Smoke And Stone - 5:10

All songs by Jay Snyder

Fate

*Steve Dore - Guitar

*Skip Smith - Drums

*Jay Sneider (Snyder) - Keyboards, Vocals

*Art Webster - Bass

*Frank Youngblood - Vocals

1973 Ian Lloyd And Stories - Traveling Underground

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

The Stories - The Stories (1972 us, marvelous baroque power pop soft rock)

Stories was always an odd creature, bearing echoes of Michael Brown's delicate work with Left Banke, a more mainstream McCartneyesque pop also reminiscent of a sweeter Raspberries and, thanks to Ian Lloyd's light rasp, hints of Rod Stewart. That hoarse soulfulness served Lloyd well on the band's only hit "Brother Louie" -- which appeared on their second album, About Us -- but he was never a true blue-eyed soul vocalist, and not just because Stories didn't often delve into blues-rock: his touch was too light, his voice too high and thin to dig deep into R&B. He was stuck between two sounds, between precious pop and soulful rock, which was completely appropriate for Brown's artful pop writing. Brown's songs for Stories weren't immediate, they were elliptical and gentle, just melodic enough to hint that these tunes are hookier than they are, having just enough structure to suggest big pop arrangements that never quite materialize, at least on their debut Stories.

The touchstone for Stories is quite plainly Paul McCartney, as this is music that places the melody at the forefront; it's proudly precious and willfully whimsical, music crying out for listeners with a sweet tooth. Here, Stories make Badfinger seem like muscular macho men, as their hardest-rocking song "Take Cover" -- with its big, cascading chorus, it's a tune that could have slipped onto No Dice -- almost perversely avoids power chords. Then again, "Take Cover," while it does point the way to About Us, is atypical on Stories, as it's built upon Baroque ballads and lovely, lilting midtempo pop, signatures of Michael Brown from the days of Left Banke. While it's interesting to hear Brown navigate the valleys of modern rock production here, Stories could have used more definition in its arrangements, more power in its production, to really grab listeners. As it stands, it's ideal music for cultists: music that requires a bit of work, but not too much, to truly appreciate, and it does pay back the effort it demands.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks

1. Hello People - 3:54

2. I'm Coming Home - 2:38

3. Winter Scenes - 4:18

4. Step Back - 3:20

5. You Told Me - 3:06

6. Saint James - 4:30

7. Kathleen - 3:14

8. Take Cover - 3:01

9. Nice to Have You Here - 3:25

10. High and Low - 4:28

All compositions by Michael Brown, Ian Lloyd

Stories

*Michael Brown - Harpsichord, Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer

*Ian Lloyd - Bass, Vocals

*Bryan Madey - Drums, Percussion

*Steve Love - Guitar, Vocals

With

*Harry Lookofsky - Violin

*Larry Wilcox - String Arrangements, Strings

*Peter Buonconsigilio - Violin

*Peter Hofmann - Guitar

1966-67 The Left Banke - Walk Away Renee...Pretty Ballerina (2011 remaster)

1968-69 The Left Banke - The Left Banke Too (2011 remaster)

1969 Montage - Montage (2001 Bonus Track)

1966 Jefferson Airplane - Takes Off (2013 audiophile remaster)

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Bodacious DF - Bodacious DF (1973 us, remarkable funky bluesy rock feat Marty Balin, 2002 and 2023 remaster)

Marty Balin was co-founder and along with Grace Slick the lead singer of San Francisco legends Jefferson Airplane. After he left the band in 1971 Marty produced and later joined the hot new San Francisco group Grootna. Grootna mutated into Bodaciouus DF featuring Marty Balin as the group's lead singer.

Tracks

1. Drifting (Jesse Osborne) - 4:10

2. Good Folks (Lonnie Talbot) - 7:37

0. The Witcher (Marty Balin, Vic Smith) - 6:36

4. Roberta (Marty Balin, Vic Smith, Trish Robbins) - 4:44

5. Second Hand Information (Charlie Hickox) - 4:57

6. Drivin' Me Crazy (Vic Smith) - 7:13

7. Twixt Two Worlds (Marty Balin, Vic Smith) - 5:45

Bodacious DF

*Mark Ryan - Bass, Vocals

*Dewey DaGreaze - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

*Vic Smith - Guitars, Vocals

*Charlie Hickox - Keyboards, Vocals

*Marty Balin - Vocals

Related Acts

1971 Grootna - Grootna

1967 Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded)

1967 Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing At Baxter's (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded)

1968 Jefferson Airplane - Crown Of Creation (2013 audiophile and 2003 xpanded issue)

1969 Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers (2013 Audiophile, 2003 xpanded)

1971 Mike Harrison - Mike Harrison (2011 remaster)

Monday, July 14, 2025

Mike Harrison - Rainbow Rider (1975 uk, excellent bluesy classic rock, 2011 remaster)

Mike Harrison promptly resumed his solo career with the release of 1975's "Rainbow Rider". Released in the UK on the Goodear label (Goodear catalog number 7002), Island Records acquired US distribution rights where for some reason the company decided to slap different cover art on the album.

Produced by Chris Kimsey, the set found Harrison recording in Nashville with a mix of American and English studio musicians. Musically the set wasn't a major change from earlier efforts. Harrison's voice remained instantly recognizable with tracks such as "Maverick Woman Blues", "You and Me" and "I'll Keep It with Mine" offering an enjoyable set of R&B flavored rock. Highlights included a weird cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and his collaboration with longtime buddy/former Spooky Tooth guitarist Luther Grosvenor on "Okay Lay Lady Lay" (the latter redeemed by some nifty voice box guitar work.).

Highlight songs, the opening "Maverick Woman Blues" with some blazing twin lead guitar (Bob Cohen and Micky Jones) and pounding keyboards (courtesy of Morgan Fisher), 'Maverick Woman Blues' was the album's toughest rocker and one of the most Spooky Tooth-styled numbers on the set. At least to my ears Harrison even sounded a bit like Gary Wright on this one. Nice way to start off the collection. Dylan's "I'll Keep It with Mine" with a Spooky Tooth/Gary Wright-styled arrangement may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but the keyboard-propelled arrangement never gathered much energy and the backing gospel church choir simply blew Harrison off the stage. The song's highlight came in the form of the nifty lead guitar.

The driving blues-rocker, "Okay Lay Lady La" actually came in the form of Luther Grosvenor's voice box guitar solo. The finale with 'Friend' a breezy, slightly jazz-tinged ballad that actually benefited from Harrison's laid back and measured delivery. One of the best performances on the album .

by Scott R. Blackerby November, 2024

Tracks

1. Maverick Woman Blues (Don Nix) - 3:37

2. You And Me (Will Jennings, Troy Seals) - 2:40

3. I'll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan) - 4:22

4. Like A Road (Leading Home) (Don Nix, Dan Penn) - 4:40

5. We Can Work It Out (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:24

6. Okay Lay Lady Lay (Luther Grosvenor, Mike Harrison) - 6:33

7. Easy (Aitkin, Brown, Mike Harrison) - 4:25

8. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg) - 2:39

9. Friend (Arthur Belcher, Mike Harrison) - 4:32

Personnel

*Mike Harrison - Vocals,Harmonica

*Kenneth Buttrey - Drums

*Morgan Fisher - Keyboards

*Norbert Putnam - Bass

*Bob Cohen - Guitar

*Kirk Lorange - Guitar

*Mick Jones - Guitar

*Arthur Belcher - Saxophone

*The Memphis Horns - Horns

*Corona Stage School - Vocals

*Del Newman - String Arrangements

1972 Mike Harrison - Smokestack Lightning (2011 remaster)

1968 Spooky Tooth - It's All About (2005 and 2010 SHM)

1969 Spooky Tooth - Spooky Two (2005 remaster and 2010 japan SHM expanded)

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Nite City - Nite City • Golden Days Diamond Nights (1977-78 us, fine classic rock from Ray Manzarek, 2006 release)

Nite City is the answer to Ray Manzarek's question: "What do you do after the Doors?" It would not be unfair to say The Doors are the parent group to Nite City, but it would be more accurate if you said they are their bastard son. Manzarek founded The Doors in 1966 and he put them to rest when he left the band, theorizing there could be no Doors without their original singer.

In 1976, ten years later, still hungry for the unknown and sacred, Manzarek founded Nite City, choosing once again a lead singer with whom he saw eye to eye. Noah James became Manzarek's new voice and Manzarek in turn provided Noah a bizarre soundtrack on which to overdub lyrics. Together they took an unspoken oath to create a new musical expression for an old topic: Truth. With all of its beauty and pain, they were dedicated to be its vehicle into the endless night. And whoever else they took into the fold would have to share in that pursuit. Nigel Harrison was already in, three down and two to go. Slowly Paul Warren and Jimmy "Mad Dog" Hunter followed. The story of the band's formation is told elsewhere in this kit. Suffice to say it was a trial of stamina. More than a few dropped out along the way. Noah, Ray, Jimmy, Nigel and Paul. These are the survivors.

In the studio you could sense it. The five members of Nite City hunched over the space-age control board, ears straining to catch any minute error in the play-back. The fresh music poured out of the studio monitors as each individual silently argued with the musical reality that confronted him. So bent were they on perfecting the final product. Yet painfully aware of the danger over-scrutinization can present. Passion can be reduced to sterility with the flick of a switch. So fine is the line dividing musical excellence and emotional impact. The two must jell and compliment and the compromises required are as painful as they are, ultimately, rewarding. Everyone has a different standard for perfection. It is usually during this stage of recording, the final mix, when standards conflict and arguments erupt. Not within Nite City. Now, few words were exchanged. Knobs were turned, tapes buzzed their rewind, and the music exploded. Eyes clamped shut. Ears perked. The energy was almost tangible. The air in the control booth was as electric as the wires underneath the console. The five members of Nite City were finishing up their element, each one's mind socked into the cosmic wall socket of the O-Mind.

The essence from which Nite City draws its output. The music played back was so loud you could hear every nuance. The effect was staggering, the perfect blend of precision and abandon; passion and aggression. The mark they had aimed for when they first entered the studio. Bulls eye. Nite City concerns itself with reality, not all of it kind. With harmony and beauty they claw at its cruelty and ugliness. They were born from a phoenix of frustration and dreams. They were also born in Los Angeles. Nite City is a metropolitan American band, but more than that they are a rock and roll band from L.A. And they reflect their environment.

America in the seventies, America in the streets. Nite City are about living with emotions strangling you. Ruthlessly they expose the seamy underbelly of city life as both voyeurs and products of that scene. Their music brims with anguish and defeat; desperation and survival. But also pictured on the dramatic landscape of Nite City is something more, a reassurance, beyond the desolation and tragedy, a joyous echoing of hope.

by Dan Sugarman and Steve Keator

Tracks

1. Summer Eyes (Noah James, Ray Manzarek) - 4:34

2. Nite City (Lee Huxley, Noah James, Ray Manzarek) - 5:01

3. Love Will Make You Mellow (Noah James, Ray Manzarek) - 4:57

4. Angel W/No Freedom (Danny Sugarman, Noah James, Ray Manzarek) - 6:36

5. Midnight Queen (Danny Sugarman, Noah James, Ray Manzarek) - 3:59

6. Bitter Sky Blue (Noah James, Ray Manzarek) - 3:15

7. Caught In A Panic (Noah James, Ray Manzarek) - 4:42

8. In The Pyramid (Paul Warren, Ray Manzarek) - 3:51

9. Game Of Skill (Noah James, Paul Warren, Ray Manzarek) - 4:46

10.Riding On The Wings Of Love (Jimmy Hunter, Paul Warren, Ray Manzarek) - 3:39

11.The Dreamer (Paul Warren, Ray Manzarek) - 6:09

12.Holy Music (Champion, Paul Warren) - 5:08

13.Ain't Got The Time (Nigel Harrison, Ray Manzarek) - 3:15

14.Die High (Paul Warren) - 4:09

15.Blinded By Love (Noah James, Paul Warren) - 4:54

16.Barcelona (Nigel Harrison) - 3:32

17.America (Ray Manzarek) - 7:18

Tracks 1-9 taken from LP Nite City - Nite City released in 1977

Tracks 10-17 taken from LP Nite City - Golden Days Diamond Nights released in 1978

Nite City

*Jimmy Hunter - Drums, Backing Vocals

*Nigel Harrison - Bass

*Paul Warren - Guitar, Vocals, Lead Vocals (Tracks 10-17)

*Ray Manzarek - Keyboards, Vocals

*Noah James - Lead Vocals (Tracks 1-9)

1968 Hearts And Flowers - Of Horses Kids And Forgotten Women (2017 korean remaster)

Friday, July 11, 2025

The Bernie Leadon • Michael Georgiades Band - Natural Progressions (1977 us, exceptional country folk soft rock, 2013 japan remaster)

Original Eagles member Bernie Leadon was perhaps the group's most underrated and valuable player from 1972 through 1975, as he alternated between vocals, guitar (acoustic, electric, and pedal steel), banjo, and mandolin, in addition to lending a hand with songwriting. Prior to the Eagles, Leadon was a country-rock pioneer, playing in the pivotal outfits Hearts and Flowers and Dillard & Clark before joining the Flying Burrito Brothers. Once he left the Eagles, he settled in Nashville, working as a session musician, producer, and songwriter.

Born on July 19, 1947 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Leadon appreciated rock & roll, but his true love lay in country music, as he began playing in a California bluegrass outfit in 1962, the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. After relocating to Florida by the mid-'60s, Leadon joined the short-lived country-folk band Hearts and Flowers, appearing on their second and final recording, 1968's Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women, before forming a new group, Dillard & Clark. But once more, Leadon's tenure with the group would be fleeting, as he played on all of their 1968 debut, The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark, and only a few select tracks on their sophomore effort, 1969's Through the Morning, Through the Night.

Up next for Leadon was a brief stretch with Linda Ronstadt's backing band, the Corvettes, before joining up with one of the first-ever country-rock outfits, the Flying Burrito Brothers, in the fall of 1969. Leadon remained a member of the Burritos for a few years -- appearing on such albums as 1970's Burrito Deluxe, 1971's self-titled release, and 1972's live set, Last of the Red Hot Burritos. Upon leaving the Burritos, Leadon signed on once more as a member of Linda Ronstadt's backing band, which included guitarist/singer Glenn Frey and drummer/singer Don Henley. Shortly thereafter, the trio decided to form their own group, the Eagles, which was rounded out with the addition of ex-Poco bassist Randy Meisner. The band perfected and popularized the Flying Burrito Brothers' country-rock style, as both Frey and Henley proved to be superb songwriters.

The Leadon era of the group lasted for a total of four albums (which many longtime Eagles fans consider the group's best) -- 1972's self-titled debut, 1973's Desperado, 1974's On the Border, and 1975's One of These Nights -- on which Leadon penned such underrated gems as "My Man" and "Bitter Creek," among others. But the band's never-ending and grueling touring/recording schedule began to wear Leadon out, to the point that the guitarist decided to leave the group (as a self-described "act of survival"). The Eagles carried on with Joe Walsh replacing Leadon, and issued one of the biggest-selling releases in the history of pop music, Hotel California.

It didn't take long, however, for Leadon to land back on his feet and resuscitate his music career. In 1977, the guitarist formed the Bernie Leadon/Michael Georgiades Band, who issued a lone album the same year, Natural Progressions, before splitting up.

by Greg Prato

Michael Georgiades tends to drink up the spotlight here, as the retiring Leadon eases into a decidedly sporadic solo career. Still, country-rocking Leadon showcases like "How Can You Live Without Love?" and, in particular, his Eagles kiss-off "The Sparrow" provide stirring reminders of his early role as canny instrumentalist and old-pro traditionalist. This is the path left untraveled for his ex-band.

Tracks

1. Callin' For Your Love - 4:31

2. How Can You Live Without Love? - 3:48

3. Breath - 3:28

4. Rotation - 6:19

5. You're The Singer - 4:08

6. Tropical Winter - 4:33

7. As Time Goes On - 3:08

8. The Sparrow - 3:25

9. At Love Again - 4:21

10.Glass Off - 6:45

Songs 1,3,4,5,6,9 written by Michael Georgiades

Songs 2,7,8,10 written by Bernie Leadon

Personnel

*Bernie Leadon - Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Mandolin, Piano, Banjo, Vocals

*Michael Georgiades - Guitar, Vocals

*Bobbye Hall - Percussion

*Brian Rogers - Strings

*Bryan Garofalo - Bass

*David Kemper - Drums

*Ed Silvers - Vocals

*Baron Stewart - Vocals

*Irving Azoff - Vocals

*Joe Smith - Vocals

*John Brennan - Guitar

*Steve Goldstein - Keyboards

1970 The Flying Burrito Brothers - Buritto Deluxe (2020 SACD)

1968-69 Dillard And Clark - Fantastic Expedition / Through The Morning, Through The Night (MFSL remaster)

1970 Patto - Patto (2010 japan SHM remaster)

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Patto - Roll 'Em Smoke 'Em Put Another Line Out (1972 uk, warm jazz blues funk soul rockin’ with a big stoned grin, 2011 remaster and expanded)

Although Patto has exhibited a penchant for eccentricity in their previous efforts, not even from a bunch of loonies such as they could one expect an album as bizarre as this. Once a group noted for recording covers of Four Seasons hits and cutting demo tapes while under the influence of cough syrup, Patto (nee Timebox) have graduated to the school of album-as-a-singular-concept. Roll ‘em Smoke ‘em Put Another Line Out is, although it may sound absurd, the missing link between Abbey Road and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Patto consists of Olly Halsall (guitarist/pianist), Mike Patto (vocal/piano), John Halsey (percussion/speaking voice) and Clive Griffiths (bass guitar). They’ve been playing together for five long years and are virtuosos all. This, coupled with the Halsall/Patto song writing team’s block-busting ability of combining unusual chord structures with exceptionally witty lyrics, makes Patto one of my personal faves.

The album kicks off with their latest single, "Singing the, Blues on Reds," a funky number wish words intended, I suppose, to provide a sequel to "So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star." Patto continues with a love song to a sweetie with a paw impediment, "Flat Footed Woman," a keen little tune which starts off rather slowly but picks up after some fooling around on the 88's. John Halsey’s song "Mummy" might easily go down as the farthest thing from a drum solo that a percussionist has ever written, and giving this particular track a listen is twice as necessary as solving the Riddle of the Sphinx. Side one closes with Patto indulging themselves in a heap of rock & roll noise, spotlighting on Olly Halsall’s ludicrous guitar wailing above the electrical commotion.

Side two continues in a similar vein, commencing with "Turn Turtle," an invigorating and woeful tale of a poor lad whose object of affection has a touch of frigidity—"When I touch you, you scream/ You turn turtle, play dead." Next comes the low point of the album, "I Got Rhythm," a dragged-out number which wouldn’t rate at all if it weren’t for Olly’s fluid and furious guitar runs. Patto closes the side with a two-part oceanic tale, the first segment being an infectious ditty from Olly, and part two tying up the loose ends, a crazed studio excursion capable of making both the Bonzo Dog Band and the Firesign Theatre pee in their trousers with delight.

Patto has succeeded in the pass with writing tunes capable of stopping the human heart and soloing in such a way that the tune is continuously interesting. With this new one, however, the band has cut a disc which ties together perfectly without sacrificing song quality, and they deserve fame, fortune and critical acclaim.

by Jon Tiven, November 23 1972

Tracks

1. Flat Footed Woman - 8:02

2. Singing The Blues On Reds - 4:56

3. Mummy (Ollie Halsall) - 2:18

4. Loud Green Sonfi - 3:51

5. Turn Turtle - 6:07

6. I Got Rhythm (Mike Patto) - 4:46

7. Peter Abraham (Ollie Halsall) - 6:14

8. Cap'n 'P' And The Attos - 5:32

9. San Antone - 3:37

10.Government Man - 5:15

11.Beat The Drum - 4:57

12.Sittin' Back Easy - 3:57

13.So Cold (Mike Patto) - 6:36

14.Love Me - 8:39

15.San Antone - 5:13

Songs 1,2,4,5,8 written by Mike Patto, Ollie Halsall

Songs 9-12,14,15 written by Mike Patto, Ollie Halsall, Clive Griffiths, John Halsey

Bonus Tracks 14-15 From The BBC Sessions (November 1970)

Bonus Tracks 9-13 From The BBC Radio - Live In Concert (March 1971)

Patto

*Mike Patto - Lead Vocals, Electric Piano

*Peter "Ollie" Halsall - Guitar, Piano, Organ, Vibes, Vocals

*Clive Griffiths - Bass, Vocals

*John Halsey - Drums, Percussion

1971 Patto - Hold Your Fire (2011 Japan SHM)

Related Acts

1967-69 Timebox - Beggin'

1975 Boxer - Below The Belt (2012 remaster)

1976 Boxer - Bloodletting (2012 remaster)

1977 Boxer - Absolutely (2015 reissue)

1974 Tempest - Tempest (2011 remater)
1973-74 Tempest - In Concert (2013 release)

1973-75 Tempest - Under The Blossom The Anthology (2005 double disc set)

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Royal Servants - We (1970 germany, fine psych groovy rock, remaster and expanded)

The Royal Servants, forerunners of Eulenspygel, were formed in 1965 in the town of Reichenbach in Swabia. Starting out with beat, they gradually turned to bluesrock and, finally, progressive artrock. This development is well recognizable on their one and only LP "We" (Elite Special PLPS 30130), released in 1970 in a small edition. Whereas their first two singles, which were added to their CD as bonus tracks, are audibly in the 60s vein, the track presented here is the finest of laid-back underground and bears its title honestly. In early 1971, the Royal Servants were one of the first German bands to write their songs in German, and so it was only consistent that they changed their name into Eulenspygel that very year. Their CD "We", which was taken from the master tapes, contains their complete releases. With 32-page colored booklet.

Tracks

1. Work Part II - 5:20

2. We - 9:15

3. Someone To Be With Me - 2:48

4. Latin Underground - 12:40

5. Here's Where I'm Gonna Stay - 2:57

6. Private Man - 2:43

7. Doomsday Up To Date - 1:57

8. Burnin' Region (Matthias Thurow, Ronald Libal) - 3:48

9. Help Me Please (Matthias Thurow, Ronald Libal) - 4:14

10.Still I Belong - 3:50

11.The Blues 'Comin' My Way - 5:00

All songs by Detlev Nottrodt except where noted

Bonus-Tracks 8-11

The Royal Servants

*Detlev Nottrodt - Electric Guitar, Vocals

*Matthias James Thurow - Electric Guitar, Violin, Mellotron, Sitar

*Ronald Libal - Electric Bass

*Manfred Maier - Vocals

*Günter Klinger - Drums

*Reinhard Hetzinger – Organ

With

*Peter Mayer - Piano, Organ, Vibraphone (Tracks 1-7)

*Cornelius Hauptmann - Concert Flute (Tracks 1-7)

*Alex Alecke - Drums (Track 8,9)

*Michael Scheibner - Rhythm Guitar, Organ (Track 8,9)

1971-72 Dando Shaft - Dando Shaft • Lantaloon (2002 remaster)

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Dando Shaft - An Evening With Dando Shaft (1970 uk, beautiful folk psych rock, 2006 japan remaster)

Dando Shaft led by Martin Jenkins, who had a firm position in the British folk scene and made a presence with his unique personality. They use various acoustic instruments and create their own unique world by blending the international feeling and acid flavor of the Incredible String Band with the warmth of American folk.

There is also a cool sense of acutolade, this unique world that you can't forget once you hear it brings a truly mysterious feeling.

Dando Shaft's debut album, "An Evening With", can be said to be ascetic, can be said to have established a shining monument in the history of British folk. A masterpiece that I would say is a must-have for anyone interested in British folk!

Tracks

1. Rain - 5:04

2. Cold Wind - 4:11

3. September Wine - 3:38

4. Cat Song - 2:30

5. In The Country - 6:48

6. Drops Of Brandy - 2:27

7. End Of The Game - 3:29

8. Lazily Slowly - 3:21

9. Spring Clog Dance - 2:53

10.Thruxton Flute - 3:28

11.Digging Up The Rose - 3:28

12.Don't Forget The Animal - 2:31

All songs by Dave Cooper, Kevin Dempsey, Martin Jenkins, Roger Bullen, Ted Kay

Bonus Tracks 9-12

Dando Shaft

*Dave Cooper - Guitar, Vocals

*Kevin Dempsey - Bass, Guitar, Vocals

*Martin Jenkins - Mandolin, Violin, Vocals

*Roger Bullen - Bass

*Ted Kay - Percussion

*Polly Bolton - Vocals (Track 12)

1969 Man - Revelation (2009 remaster and expanded)

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Man - All's Well That Ends Well (1977 uk, razor sharp guitar power jam psych rock, 2014 three disc clamshell box remaster)

Thirteen line-ups, twelve albums, a few bits and pieces and no fatalities. So went the opening text of the Man Family Tree poster included with the first 500 copies of the Welsh supremos last album before their six-year hiatus. In 1976 the musical scene was in flux with the first flowerings of the short-lived punk scene forcing their shoots through the established foliage. However, it wasn't fear of being pushed aside or sounding dated that prompted the split, the band were still selling out live concerts with ease, but after nine years on the road the band had all had enough.

Their label at the time, MCA, were owed a final album and although the band did make a half-hearted attempt to record some new material the sessions crumbled amongst in-fighting and the reluctance of anyone to submit any songs, preferring to keep what they were working on in the bag to be used in future projects of their own. Tensions between band members were not helped by guitarist and vocalist Deke Leonard offering to write the whole album himself, an offer that was seen by the rest of the band as Leonard trying to claim the writing royalties for himself. The day was saved, and litigation prevented, when booking agent Brian Marshall managed to persuade MCA that a farewell live album would sell, as the group always managed to achieve the greatest heights when playing on stage.

The recording was, perhaps inevitably, taken from a series of three concerts at the Round House in London's Chalk Farm, a venue where the band had recorded two previous live albums (the live half of 1973's Back Into The Future and the Maximum Darkness album recorded with John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service) as well as appearing on the bill and subsequent album of the infamous Greasy Truckers Party. Only the first two nights of the run were recorded, possibly because the final night was on a Sunday, with roughly half of the original album taken from each of the Friday and Saturday night's concerts. The newly remastered version of the original album is included as the first disc of this set but it is the second and third discs where the value of this release lies, a newly mixed rendition of the entire set list of the concerts taken from the original 24-track tapes which, fortunately, had been kept safe and secure in storage.

Because of technical issues arising from an electrical buzz emanating from a faulty on-stage monitor, only one of the extra numbers is included from the Saturday night so the bulk of the 90-minute concert derives from the first of the three nights. However, as the band were on scorching form that is not an issue. And what a band Man were at the heights of their powers. The twin guitars of Leonard and main man Micky Jones may not have provided the same intertwined complexities of the likes of Wishbone Ash, but support each other superbly, each of the guitarists providing a foil for each other to play off, the origins of the often lengthy jams the band would indulge in. Future Dire Straits sticksman Terry Williams occupied the kit, Phil Ryan had returned on keyboards and newest recruit John McKenzie, who reasonably enough was the most upset about the decision to call it a day, filled in the bass end.

So what of the music? The selection for the original album was chosen so as not to over replicate material that had appeared on previous live efforts so three tracks from the latest studio album, The Welsh Connection, the title track, The Ride And The View and Born With A Future, were a given as that album had only been released a few months prior to the concerts. All three concerts were kicked off with the Louis Jordan/Ray Charles standard Let The Good Times Roll, a song never previously performed live or recorded by the band which as well as providing an affirming statement to kick things off also ticked a couple of boxes on the commercial front, although I doubt very much if that was ever a consideration.

A Hard Way To Live, first released on Leonard's debut solo album Iceberg in 1973, is perfectly suited to the Manband approach making maximum use of the twin guitars and being an energetic, good time piece of music. It is also possible that it was chosen as a partial explanation for the bands reason for calling it a day as the lyrics bemoan the trials of surviving in a rock band. The album was completed by two live favourites, the seminal (excuse the pun!) Spunk Rock, the band's signature tune that was only reintroduced into the live set shortly before these final concerts, and Romain which had been the favoured closing number since it first appeared on the eponymous 1970 album. A decent enough collection that would satisfy the fans even if there was no band to push its release and MCA not putting any great effort into its promotion, something that is obvious from the totally half-arsed cover.

It is the remainder of the set that was left off the original album that entices with this re-release. Three of the culled tracks, 7171 551, originally titled after Monkee Mike Nesmith's telephone number and another number from Leonard's Iceberg album, the folk ballad Babe, I'm Gonna Leave you, also recorded in rocked-up versions by Led Zeppelin and Quicksilver Messenger Service and Many Are Called, But Few Get Up had all appeared on the 1975 live album Maximum Darkness, and the remaining two tracks, C'mon and Bananas, both from the classic Be Good To Yourself At Least Once A Day were regular favourites and were probably omitted because of internal weariness of the numbers and fear of over-reliance and exposure on specific numbers.

Although the concerts were perhaps more concise and featured less jamming - limited largely to tracks that did not appear on the original album (the limitations of vinyl!) - than other Man concerts the performances are excellent with the version of Bananas being particularly poignant and memorable. A fitting end to the classic era of this fine band and with the full set restored across two CDs an essential addition to any decent music collection. Just a shame that permissions for the full unedited film of the concerts could not have been obtained prior to this release as that would have made a perfect complete package, still one can hope that its release will eventually be sanctioned. In the meantime we have the audio recordings to relish in.

by Mark Hughes, Monday 21 April 2014

Tracks

Disc 1 The Original Album 1977

1. Let The Good Times Roll (Fleecie Moore, Sam Theard) - 3:03

2. The Welsh Connection (Micky Jones, Phil Ryan) - 8:01

3. The Ride And The View (Deke Leonard) - 6:04

4. A Hard Way To Live (Deke Leonard) - 3:08

5. Born With A Future (Deke Leonard, Micky Jones, Phil Ryan) - 7:44

6. Spunk Rrock (Deke Leonard, Micky Jones, Terry Williams) - 8:36

7. Romain (Deke Leonard, Martin Ace, Micky Jones) - 5:03

Disc 2 Man At The Roundhouse, December 1976

1. Let The Good Times Roll (Fleecie Moore, Sam Theard) - 2:47

2. 7171 551 (Deke Leonard) - 5:18

3. The Welsh Connection (Micky Jones, Phil Ryan) - 8:14

4. Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You (Edward Darling, Paul Bennett, Anne Bredon, Erik Darling, Patricia Bennetts) - 5:02

5. The Ride And The View (Deke Leonard) - 6:15

6. C'Mon (Clive John, Micky Jones, Phil Ryan, Terry Williams, Will Youatt) - 16:24

Disc 3

1. Born With A Future (Deke Leonard, Micky Jones, Phil Ryan) - 7:25

2. Many Are Called, But Few Get Up (Clive John, Deke Leonard, Martin Ace, Micky Jones, Terry Williams) - 10:31

3. A Hard Way To Live (Deke Leonard) - 3:29

4. Bananas (Clive John, Micky Jones, Phil Ryan) - 11:54

5. Spunk Rock (Deke Leonard, Micky Jones, Phil Ryan, Terry Williams) - 7:40

6. Romain (Deke Leonard, Martin Ace, Micky Jones) - 5:16

Man

*Micky Jones - Vocals, Guitar

*Deke Leonard - Vocals, Guitar

*Phil Ryan - Vocals, Keyboards

*John McKenzie - Vocals, Bass

*Terry Williams - Vocals, Drums

1969 Man - 2 Ozs Of Plastic With A Hole In The Middle (2009 remaster)

1971 Man - Man (2007 remaster)

1971 Man - Do You Like It Here Now Are You Settling In (2007 bonus tracks remaster)

1972 Man - Be Good To Yourself At Least Once A Day (2007 remaster with extra tracks)

1972 Man - Live At The Padget Rooms, Penarth (2007 double disc remaster and expanded)
1974 Man - Slow Motion (2008 remaster and expanded)
1974 Man - Rhinos Winos And Lunatics (2007 double disc remaster)

1975 Man With John Cipollina - Maximum Darkness (2008 remaster with bonus tracks)

1976 Man - Welsh Connection (2013 double disc remaster)

1974 Deke Leonard - Kamikaze (2015 remaster with extra tracks)

1975 Clive John - You Always Know Where You Stand With A Buzzard (2004 remaster)

1972 Various Artists - Christmas At The Patti (2007 remaster)

Saturday, July 5, 2025

First Friday - First Friday (1970 us, excellent classic psych brass rock, 2001 edition)

First Friday formed in South Bend in 1968 while band members were Notre Dame students, offering an appealing blues-rock sound. One album was released in 1970 on Chuck Perrin’s Webster’s Last Word label; Perrin also served as producer. With only 500 copies pressed, it has become an expensive collector’s item, especially without a proper reissue. The band’s name originated with a stack of First Friday event flyers promoting a monthly mass event in the dorm chapel; the band used the flyers instead to promote themselves.

While there are no other releases from First Friday, a second album was recorded in 1970 for King Records in Nashville, but not released. A reunion CD from 1997 was also recorded, but not released. The band reunites annually for performances. Guitarist Norm Zeller went to play with Undisputed Truth, Natalie Cole and others. Zeller and Wallace performed on Chuck and Mary Perrin’s Next of Kin LP.

Indiana-Musicpedia

Tracks

1. Nice Day For Something - 1:44

2. Got No More Home Than a Dog (W. C. Handy) - 4:26

3. Night Driving - 1:57

4. Maryanne (Ray Charles) - 6:28

5. Such a Lot to Say - 3:30

6. Wings to Fly - 3:43

7. Take Them All Away - 4:26

8. Ballad of John Doe Jr. (John Prendergast) - 2:43

All songs by Andy Wallace except where indicated

First Friday

*Andy Wallace - Organ, Vocals, Acoustic, Rhythm Guitars, Bass

*Bob Ewan - Vocals

*Jeff Hirschauer - Trumpet

*Jim Stynes - Drums

*John Prendergast - Bass, Organ, Piano, Saxophone, Flute

*Norman Zeller - Guitar

Friday, July 4, 2025

Polyphony - Without Introduction (1972 us, organ drivin' heavy psych experimental prog rock, 2011 remaster)

Polyphony were a Virginia US band who released this concept album originally in 1972. Polyphony proved to be even more deeply rooted in the sound of the psychedelic era than their British contemporaries. Despite this foundation in the sound of the late 1960s, their energetic compositions give the impression that the band simultaneously wanted to break away from this very heritage. They had undoubtedly arrived in the present day of the symphonic variant of progressive rock music, as evidenced by the frenetic use of the Moog synthesizer and powerful bass lines. The addition of Latin-inspired percussion in the form of a permanent conga player lends the whole a special touch.

In the opener, "Juggernaut," Polyphony presents themselves as torn between eccentric, exuberant psychedelia and progressive, dynamic symphonic music. It is precisely in this "battle" between these opposing poles that the appeal of the truly unique sound of "Without Introduction" lies. After the explosive Moog interlude "40 Second Thing In 39 Seconds," all of this is taken to the extreme in "Ariel's Flight," culminating in a "symphonic trip" sound rarely heard in other bands, the climax of the entire album. The late-entry vocals, combined with the euphoric keyboard sound, evoke memories of Lee Jackson in Refugee. The rather understated "Crimson Dagger," with its vocal lines still rooted in the 1960s, concludes the album as an impressive testament to the early phase of US progressive rock.

by Horst Straske

Tracks

1. Juggernaut (Craig Massey) - 13:58

2. 40 Second Thing In 39 Seconds (Glenn Howard) - 1:09

3. Ariel's Flight (Craig Massey) - 15:10

4. Crimson Dagger (Glenn Howard) - 6:53

Polyphony

*Glenn Howard - Vocals, Lead, Slide Guitars

*Craig Massey - Vocals, Organ, Moog

*Martin Ruddy - Bass, Backing Vocals

*Christopher Spong - Drums

*Chatty Cooper - Congo Drums, Timbales, Percussion

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

The Final Solution - Just Like Gold Live At the Matrix (1966 us, superb folk psych rock, 2024 remaster)

The Final Solution was among the more intriguing of the legions of bands populating the mid-1960s San Francisco rock scene. Though they rarely recorded, Just Like Gold: Live At The Matrix showcases a legendary Bay Area folk-punk quartet that never even got to release a record, yet whose cutting-edge sound and style brims with the heady air of early psychedelia.

The Solution was formed in 1965 by bassist Bob Knickerbocker and guitarist Ernie Fosselius, friends at San Francisco State, then a melting pot of personalities which would fuel San Francisco’s young-adult bohemian scene. Rounding out the band were John Chance on drums and John Yager on guitar and vocals. The group began by playing Haight-Ashbury dives like Haight Levels, but their constant rehearsals and growing notoriety soon bagged the Solution a month-long residency at the famed Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, NV.

In July of 1966, The Final Solution stepped in to perform when The Great! Society were forced to cancel a gig at San Francisco’s famed club, The Matrix, in some ways the epicenter of the city’s incipient rock explosion. Peter Abram was running his tape deck that night and captured a dynamic set that clearly shows the band’s diversity and musical chops. From the opening raga “Tell Me Again” to the propulsive folk-rock of “Time Is Here And Now” and the Dylan-esque “Bleeding Roses,” these original songs leave unequivocal proof of The Final Solution’s untapped potential.

After Chance left the group in the fall of 1966 to return to his studies and was replaced by The Great! Society’s Jerry Slick on drums, The Final Solution moved into a more musically experimental phase. But when a hopeful recording contract remained unconsummated, the band’s members began to lose interest and eventually drifted apart. While they rose high enough to share a bill with Quicksilver Messenger Service at the Fillmore Auditorium, The Final Solution was over before the Summer of Love had even begun.

The Final Solution—Just Like Gold: Live At the Matrix 1966 marks the first in a planned series from High Moon Records of authentic location recordings from The Matrix. From 1965 to 1971, this tiny club hosted not only the top movers and shakers of San Francisco rock such as Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and the Grateful Dead, but also a host of lesser-known yet no less worthy acts in the rock, blues, jazz, and folk fields.

High-Noon Recs

Tracks

1. Tell Me Again (Ernie Fosselius, Bob Knickerbocker, John Yager) - 6:17

2. Bleeding Roses - 3:45

3. If You Want (John Chance, John Yager) - 4:41

4. Time Is Here And Now - 4:24

5. Just Like Gold (John Yager) - 4:04

6. You Say That You Love Me/Got My Mojo Workin' (John Chance, Ernie Fosselius, Bob Knickerbocker, John Yager / Preston Foster) - 3:27

7. Misty Mind - 7:27

8. So Long, Goodbye - 3:37

9. America The Beautiful (Traditional) - 6:11

10.Truck Driving Son-Of-A-Gun (Dixie Deen, Ray King) - 1:37

11.Nothing To Fear - 4:02

12.Misty Mind - 4:51

13.If You Want (John Chance, John Yager) - 3:49

14.Just Like Gold (John Yager) - 4:33

15.Blacklash - 5:17

16.Bleeding Roses - 2:55

All songs by Ernie Fosselius. Bob Knickerbocker unless otherwise noted

Tracks 1-10 recorded by Peter Abram at The Matrix, July 1966

Tracks 11-16 recorded at Pine Street, San Francisco November 1966

The Final Solution

*Ernie Fosselius - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Bob Knickerbocker - Bass, Backing Vocals

*John Yager - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

*John Chance - Drums, Backing Vocals

*Jerry Slick - Drums (Tracks 11-16)