Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Dando Shaft - Dando Shaft • Lantaloon (1971-72 uk, brilliant hippie folk with ethereal female vocals, 2002 remaster)



There aren’t many bands whose birthplace might, idiomatically, seem like an embargo from a period’s genre.

Not always in this case either, but often. They were never (officially) sent to Coventry but left there for five brief years 1968 to 1973. Named after a shady character in a yank pulp sex-thriller that nobody had heard of let alone, hopefully, read, Dando Shaft debunked to a communal house in leafy Ealing well-loaded with an intriguing blend of “good vibes and spirituality …an airy tapestry of influences resulting in a singular repertoire”.

Fronted by two guitarist/vocalists, Kevin Dempsey and Dave Cooper (both contribute to the booklet and had earlier gigged in local folk clubs as a duo), with multi-instrumentalist Martin Jenkins (vocal, guitar, mandolin, flute, fiddle etc.), Roger Bullen (upright bass) and Ted Kay on percussion not drums. They’d debated going electric but thought it might dilute their joyful, inspired magic, which at times sounds positively ethereal, especially after adding vocalist Polly Bolton from up the road in Leamington in October 1970, a pure and expressive singer who’d worked with June Tabor.

Less whimsical and more diurnal than Dr. Strangely Strange or ISB, less medieval and more coeval than Forest and Amazing Blondel, with the energy (but not wattage) of Trees, their very original sound isn’t quite like anyone else in music’s kaleidoscopic tapestry. This unique blend of quality musicianship in styles reflect a constantly progressive outlook, their website says legendary folk jazzers, and they should know. Keyed-up musical histories adapt freak folk, and this is a master class, pure and simple. Haunting as drift-smoke while on a hill in the middle of nowhere, they’re quite wonderfully pioneers of the genre.

It took off when they moved to London and replaced a cancellation at Pye Studios to cut a demo. This became an album when they recorded eight songs in four hours, with a second session for mixing and to correct a fluff on the instrumental Drops Of Brandy. It was produced by Miki Dallon, who had a failed label (Strike, which issued Roy Harper’s debut in ’67) and restarted with Young Blood Music on which appeared ‘An Evening With Dando Shaft’ in 1970, MCA in USA. The Dandos were signed to a shockingly unfair contract, Dallon still holding and profiting from the original tapes to this day! It was favourably reviewed and compared to Pentangle with a broader palette from Balkan to bluegrass, establishing their sound of many colours.

Due to friendship with Mathews Southern Comfort and John Martyn, they moved to their management agency, Axel, signing a contract for six albums over three years with an annual advance. They were hoping for a move to Island, their sound perfect for that innovative label, perhaps produced by Joe Boyd. Instead their second and eponymous LP was issued in mid-1971 as the fifth release of Neon, a new RCA subsidiary begun in March 1971 and famous for its art covers (by Pat Moran). Started by Olav Wyper, who had signed the Kinks and Sweet to the parent label, he tried to sign Dando Shaft earlier to Vertigo (whose logo he designed). Later buying Transatlantic, he left Neon which folded by the year-end after less than a dozen albums. Vertigo had worked on the basis that after 1500 units it would make a profit, so presumably it didn’t always happen for Neon.

Yet Dando Shaft briefly did chart stateside, moving to the parent company RCA for ‘Lantaloon’ (1972). Supporting bands such as Osibisa, Pentangle, Southern Comfort and Brian Auger at prestigious venues like the Roundhouse and Lyceum, they often appeared in concert and infrequently on radio e.g. two Peel sessions in June/September ’71 and January/March ’72 with nine songs overall, as well as In Concert in July with Heads, Hands & Feet. Five new songs were showcased on Stuart Henry’s programme on New Year’s Eve, just before signing to Neon. Their radio debut had been on BBC’s folk service, two of the songs still unreleased (‘Young Man;’ ‘Muntaz’). Their playing was with as much power as the electrified Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention, weaving intricate patterns through textures for a beguiling atmosphere, as if the essence of music as magic.

‘Cold Wind’/’Cat Song’ was a single on ‘Young Blood’ (1970), ‘Coming Home To Me’/’Kallyope Driver’ plus the almost Morris-like ‘Sun Clog Dance’/’This Gift’ both on RCA, the latter of July ’72 a slightly more commercial approach causing dissension in the group. They’d moved to rural Wales by the end of the year with families in tow, though Polly and Kevin stayed in west London. The group fractured, briefly reforming in 1977 for Kingdom when added electrics, drums and sax among other swag including guests, for their reputation still had kudos. Dempsey released an LP with Pentangle’s Jacqui McShee for example and toured America as a duo with Polly Bolton where he took part in sessions with Alice Coltrane and Aquarius; Bolton holds singing workshop today. Jenkins joined Hedgehog Pie then Southern Comfort and Whippersnapper with Dave Swarbrick as well as working with Richard Digance then Bert Jansch. As well as reissues on Trading Places, compilations appeared in 1994 in Germany and one of the three albums and radio in 2002. Three of the band have since exited the stage, Ted Kay (1944-2007), Martin Jenkins (1946-2011), and Roger Bullen (1946-2018).

After the appreciative audience reaction at the live recording following a week of rehearsals to peg the set-list, the group without Burton (Jenkins/Cooper/ Dempsey share the vocals) plus an accomplished guest violinist, Chris Leslie from Fairport and Whippersnapper, the group later returned to north Italy for a week-long tour. Eleven tracks are here, with most not all their most loved, what Dave Cooper overmodestly called “chord fragments and a well-turned phrase difficult to play on one’s own…that together made a kind of wonder”.

Where most tracks are around five minutes up to nearly eight, the shortest opens the set (Railway, from their second album) with chunky violin like a jigging fiddle. Rain opened the debut and is probably their most compiled and specialist radio play, here with Jenkins on mandocello. Slack-stringed guitar duels in a jazz-flavour mixing picking and strumming over tablas and male harmonies, followed by that sweet and easy ethos that sums them up in ‘If I Could Let Go,’ which with the more up tempo violin-driven ‘Feel Like I Want To Go Home’ reminds a little of the Buckleys or Nick Drake. One of their beautiful classics (Sometimes), with time -less lyrics from the folk tradition, removes the extreme vocal endings of the ’71 version augmented with delightful flute by Jenkins.

All the instruments blend on a percussive, symphonic elegy to their debut, while ‘Road Song’ opened ‘Lantaloon’ (’72) which disappointed some of the band. As with ‘Feel Like I Want To Go Home,’ the curve to the jazzier folk of later years including the lyrics is clear. This album’s title track delivers keening violin with vivid lyrical content colouring a dreamy tale-telling, followed by Riverboat which was originally famed for Polly Bolton’s vocals as a classic of that year yet is still mesmerizing here with orchestral violin and flute in heights reached by such as Amazing Blondel in the cathedral and Forest. This riverboat gliding through space and time can freeze a memory like cryogenics without its static view. The title track of Kingdom (1977) is the lone visit to that later work, gospel-like in patches about the age. The closer ‘Coming Back To Stay’ has rocking violin interplaying with a tight band for a joyous finale. Soundwaves always were their forte, though their lyrics hold gravitas.

It’s like stumbling unaware into the hidden entrance of a fairy hill to witness a celebration. Dando Shaft dance and sing about living in the day and days we go through, with smiles aplenty or reverie not so much nostalgic but as life is for living (without the cliché platitudes normal in modern music). A gem of a release from a real treasure stash.
by Brian R. Banks
Tracks
1. Coming Home To Me - 03:50
2. Railway - 02:50
3. Whispering Red - 01:39
4. Sometimes - 04:06
5. River Boat - 04:32
6. Kalyope Driver - 03:05
7. Waves Upon The Ether - 04:38
8. Dewet - 00:46
9. Till The Morning Comes - 01:48
10.Pass It On - 03:50
11.Prayer - 00:32
12.Road Song - 03:36
13.Is It Me? - 03:57
14.Down To You, Up To Me - 03:12
15.Melancholic Fervour (It's Only Us) - 03:47
16.It Was Good - 02:35
17.The Harp Lady I Bombed - 04:55
18.The Black Prince Of Paradise - 02:45
19.When I'm Weary - 03:39
20.I Heard Somewhere - 02:41
21.Magnetic Beggar - 04:14
All songs by Dave Cooper, Kevin Dempsey, Martin Jenkins, Polly Bolton, Roger Bullen, Ted Kay

Dando Shaft
*Dave Cooper - Guitar, Vocals
*Kevin Dempsey - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Martin Jenkins - Mandolin, Violin, Vocals
*Polly Bolton - Vocals
*Roger Bullen - Bass
*Ted Kay - Percussion

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Black Sheep - Black Sheep (1975 us, pleasant aor stadium rock, feat Lou Gramm from Foreigner fame, 2016 bonus tracks remaster)



Black Sheep is primarily remembered for being the band vocalist Lou Gramm sang in before joining the successful '80s rock band Foreigner. Gramm had originally been in a band called Poor Heart in the early '70s. However, nothing much came of Poor Heart, and Gramm formed Black Sheep with bassist Bruce Turgon (who would also join Foreigner) and his younger brother Richard, who played guitar. The band scored a record contract with Captiol and released two albums, a self-titled debut (1975) and Encouraging Words (1976). But the band's longevity was short-lived. First, while opening for Kiss one night, a traffic accident destroyed all the band's equipment, and there was no money for replacement equipment. Secondly, the band lost its contract. Shortly after, Gramm received a phone call from Mick Jones, formerly the guitar player for Spooky Tooth. Jones invited Gramm to join a new group he was forming, Foreigner, and Black Sheep officially came to an end. 
by Jason Birchmeier
Tracks
1. Payin' Yer Dues (Lou Grammatico, Don Mancuso, Larry Crozier, Ron Rocco) - 4:12
2. Broken Promises (Lou Grammatico, Larry Crozier, Bruce Turgon) - 5:49
3. Woman Back Home (Lou Grammatico, Bruce Turgon) - 3:24
4. Piano Prelude / Let Me Stay (Larry Crozier / Lou Grammatico, Bruce Turgon) - 8:14
5. Power To Heal (Lou Grammatico, Bruce Turgon) - 3:24
6. Far Side Of The Sun (Lou Grammatico, Don Mancuso, Ron Rocco) - 6:59
7. A Little Or A Lot (Lou Grammatico, Don Mancuso, Ron Rocco) - 3:36
8. Freight Train (Lou Grammatico, Don Mancuso, Ron Rocco) - 3:06
9. Woman (Paul Rodgers, Andy Fraser) - 8:23
10.Stick Around (Lou Grammatico, Bruce Turgon) - 3:27
11.Cruisin' (For Your Love) (Lou Grammatico, Bruce Turgon) - 3:04

Black Sheep
*Lou Grammatico - Vocals
*Don Mancuso - Guitar
*Larry Crozier - Keyboards
*Bruce Turgon - Bass
*Ron Rocco - Drums

Monday, June 16, 2025

Masters Of The Airwaves - Masters Of The Airwaves (1974 us, fine glam tight steel rock)



Although Rock has always been powered by the mysterious energy of human charisma, one still has to ask where the Stones Satisfaction would have been without a fuzztone, or how Eric Clapton could have possibly survived without the wah-wah. These men, the innovators, were eventually recognized not merely for the in- novation, itself, but for the talent which enabled them to utilize these otherwise gimmicks in a most original and stunning way.

Welcome now one Jimmy Berick, a California kid who grew up on Clapton and Beck and who, like thousands of kids, played everything he could get his hands on. Berick, a wild-eyed introvert, formed a hot local group, but preferred to experiment and make tapes in his Sacramento garage. By accident, through a friend of a friend, the tapes came to the attention of Epic A&R man Michael Sunday who was impressed when friends described Berick's following and the strange contraption in his garage. (Berick had perfected a flying wedge of twin chrome- plated double-neck steel guitars with thirty-two resonating strings. The assemblage, which Berick plays with steel bar slides in each hand is channeled through a variety of sound accessories driven by a wall of Marshall amplifiers). But what impressed Sunday even more was that heavy metal could survive and blossom in the traditionally laid-back Bay area.

The Jimmy Berick Group was signed in November 1973 by Epic, and they started to expand into San Francisco clubs. But they were coldly received. As group friend-and-guiding-light Richard Kipsgard put it, "we come in through the back door. We were filling Bay area clubs, but nobody wanted to admit that a metal band could do that. The only answer, as we saw it, was to be as tight as possible."

Late 1973, Hollywood aristocrat Kim Fowley and friend Mars Bonfire saw the group. Mars, who had written the classic Born To Be Wild, was blown out and suggested the name MASTERS OF THE AIRWAVES. It was a compliment. Berick, lead singer John Flak (who was already tired of being compared to Robert Plant) and bassists Randy Rand and David Rodo accepted.

Their first Epic album, Masters of The Airwaves, sports a variety of styles with songs whose topics range from alien landings to Hollywood bitch celebrities to Texas highways. Still, the basic thunder is unmistakable. It is safe to predict that the Masters' first national tour will leave behind a wake of garage bands. All sporting newly chromed pedal mega- steel guitars.
Liner Notes
Tracks
1. In It for the Thrill (Jimmy Berick, Mars Bonfire) - 5:45
2. I Believe in God (Kim Fowley, Becky Hobbs, Lewis Anderson) - 4:26
3. Stay Away From Mirrors (Jimmy Berick, Kim Fowley) - 3:23
4. Light Up the Heavens (Jimmy Berick, Michael Checik) - 5:15
5. Anna King Jamaica (Jimmy Berick) - 3:40
6. Back in '51 (Jimmy Berick, Michael Checik) - 3:35
7. Squeeze Me Positive (Jimmy Berick) - 2:35
8. Highway to Hell (Jimmy Berick, Michael Checik) - 3:43
9. Gettin' Tight (Jimmy Berick, Randy Rand, David Rada, Jon Flak) - 6:00

Masters Of The Airwaves
*Jimmy Berick - Guitars
*David Rada - Drums
*Randy Schuchart "Randy Rand" - Bass 
*Jonathon Fredrick Boring "Jon Flak" - Vocals

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Various Artists - Psychedelic Minds Vol.1 Heavy Underground (1967-71 us / peru / germany, fascinating rough heavy psych trip, 2006 release)



The bands on this selection represent the innovative boiling point of the short-lived worldwide psychedelic rock movement between 1967-71, the years when garage punk evolved into heavy psychedelic rock with its wider soundscapes and complex improvisations. Vol. 1 contains a dozen 45-rpm songs by lost psychedelic messengers (8 US bands, one from Germany, Peru and France). The groups are Blackrock, Sound Machine, Yesterday/s Obsession, Mastermind, Sangre Mexicana, Bhagavad Gita, Protein Bros, Purple Canteen, Los Nuevos Shains, Blow Mind and the A & B-side of legendary Dirty Filthy Mud. About half of the songs are previously unreissued and appear in stunning soundquality and with 12 p. poster-booklet.
Artists - Title - Composer
1. Blackrock - Black Cloud Overhead (Archie Turner, Cornell McFadden, Joseph Reynolds, Kirk Dudley, Willie Pettis) - 3.36
2. Sound Machine - Woman (Alli Kudzelka) - 3.52
3. Yesterday's Obsession - The Phycle (Frank Jeffers, Greig Gabourel) - 3.11
4. Mastermind - Turn Of The Head (Mastermind) - 3.31
5. Sangre Mexicana - Good Cause (Florencio Vargas Jr.) - 2.48
6. Bhagavad Gita - Long Hair Soulful (Chuck Mangione) - 5.45
7. Protein Bros - Drainpipe (Dennis Dragon, Richard Henn) - 2.52
8. Purple Canteen - Brains In My Feet (Jim Wheeless, Terry Taylor) - 4.05
9. Los Nuevos Shains - Looking You (Cliff Bennett, Frank Allen, M. Roberts) - 3.37
10.Blow Mind - They΄re Coming (Ian George, Maxwell Rogers) - 6.12
11.Dirty Filthy Mud - Morning Sun Flower (Kyle Hunter) - 2.40
12.Dirty Filthy Mud - The Forest of Black (Kyle Hunter) - 3.02

Friday, June 13, 2025

State Of Micky And Tommy - State Of Micky And Tommy (1965-71 uk, nice folkish swinging baroque psychedelia, 2008 release)



It's not well known, but long before he joined Foreigner -- and even before he was in Spooky Tooth -- Mick Jones made quite a few records with Tommy Brown, the pair working in France for much of the period. This French CD collects 24 tracks in which they were involved between 1965 and 1971, encompassing recordings billed to several different monikers, including the State of Mickey & Tommy, the Blackburds, Nimrod, the J&B, and Thomas F. Browne. It may be that the singles they released as the State of Mickey & Tommy, obscure as those 45s are, are the best known of the lot, especially "With Love from One to Five," which has shown up on a few relatively high-profile U.K. psychedelia compilations. That does happen to be one of the better numbers, but generally this CD has fair, though not exceptional, music that reflects the British mod, pop/rock, and psychedelic trends of the time with occasional hints of French and Continental influences. "With Love from One to Five" is typical if classy 1967 orchestrated psychedelic pop; "Nobody Knows Where You've Been" strongly recalls the arrangements on Sgt. Pepper's cuts like "Within You, Without You"; and "Frisco Bay" is nice dainty, dreamy pop with beatific Summer of Love lyrics and the lightest hints of raga-rock. 

All of those songs were found on singles credited to the State of Mickey & Tommy; the ones billed to the Blackburds are more like soul-flavored British mod rock that could serve as incidental film music, while Nimrod's 1969 single "The Bird" (previously included on several collector-oriented comps of rare British psychedelia) is a fairly strong relic bridging psychedelia with early progressive rock. The best track, however, is the relatively unheralded 1966 single "There She Goes" by the J&B, a quite haunting, dramatic song that's a bit like a mini-soundtrack to a story of Swinging London heartbreak. As a whole, this will hardly qualify Jones and Brown as lost masters of mid- to late-'60s British rock, but there's pleasant period music of the genre to be heard, virtually all of it from extremely rare recordings (including soundtracks). 
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
1. With Love From 1 To 5 - 3:01
2. Sunday's Leaving - 2:43
3. I know What I Would Do - 3:06
4. Quelqu'un Qui Part (Mick Jones, Tommy Brown, Long Chris) - 2:36
5. Frisco Bay - 3:14
6. Julian Waites - 2:24 
7. Nobody Knows Where You've Been - 2:40
8. Good Time Music (John Sebastian) - 2:56
9. If I Could Be Shure - 3:11
10.Alice - 2:48
11.Promenade Dans La Foret Du Brabant (Mick Jones, Tommy Brown, Giorgio Gomelsky) - 2:19
12.Absolument Hyde Park (Mick Jones, Tommy Brown, Raymond Donnez) - 3:10
13.Get Out Of My Life Woman (Allen Toussaint) - 2:43
14.Don't Go Home (Johnny Lehmann, Stan Lebowsky) - 1:59
15.In The Crowd (Billy Page) - 2:49
16.Don't Need Nobody - 3:24
17.The Bird - 3:16
18.Don't Let It Get The Best Of You - 2:23
19.There She Goes (Mick Jones, Tommy Brown, Gilles Thibaut) - 2:39
20.Wow! Wow! Wow! (Mick Jones, Tommy Brown, Georges Aber) - 2:43
21.Never At All (Eddie Vartan, Tommy Brown) - 2:22
22.Then You Got Everything (Eddie Vartan, Tommy Brown) - 1:52
23.Gentle Sarah - 2:54
24.Carry My Load - 4:14
All songs written by Mick Jones, Tommy Brown except where noted
Tracks 1-10,21,22 as Micky And Tommy
Tracks 11-16 as The Blackburds
Tracks 17,18 as Nimrod
Tracks 19,20 as The J. & B.
Tracks 23-24 Thomas F. Browne with Mike Jones

*Thomas F. Browne - Guitar, Vocals
*Mick Jones - Guitar, Vocals

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Synanthesia - Synanthesia (1969 uk, remarkable acid folk psych rock, 2006 reissue)



When the original LP by Synanthesia was released in the late sixties, the album cover gave no information about the band: sleeve notes had already become a thing of the past. Happily, the 2006 re-release on CD includes a little booklet which explains a little bit more about Synanthesia, how it came together, and what the group was trying to do.

The late sixties were a time of change in the pop music scene in England. The beat period of the early sixties, when a specifically English beat sound emerged to dominate pop music, came to a close. During the mid-sixties, after the release of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album, itself the culmination of more original ideas flowing into the Beatles' music, flower power took over. This started a wealth of new groups (or as they started to be called, bands), some of whom departed from rock-and-roll and beat, some leaning more towards folk and jazz. At the time, this music became labelled "underground" or "progressive". Among the most successful at that time were bands such as Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, and King Crimson. Three-guitar-and-drums groups gave way to more varied instrumentation, with the introduction of wind instruments, especially sax and flute, and, to a lesser extent, strings.

London had become the centre of a new-style folk scene. Bob Dylan had introduced the idea of the singer-songwriter and inspired a whole range of this kind of artist in London, notably Bert Jansch (later to team up with John Renbourn in the acoustic band Pentangle) and another visitor from America, Paul Simon. The doors were open to music which was original, breaking away from the standard formulas of yesterday. Outstanding in originality was the Incredible String Band. Playing a multitude of instruments, the two musicians in that band, Robin Williamson and Mike Heron, drew on all sorts of different traditions, from Scotland to Afghanistan. The music was poetic and romantic. In the sixties, we allowed ourselves to dream.

In 1968 I started working in the small ad section at Melody Maker, at that time London's leading music newspaper. The paper went to press on Tuesday and Monday mornings always saw a never-ending procession of people coming to the office to place last-minute ads, looking for gigs, musicians, etc. Like many bands at that time, Synanthesia came together through the small-ad columns of Melody Maker. Dennis Homes, who brought the three of us together, placed an unusually long advertisement under "Musicians Wanted". What was he looking for? A second guitarist and a flute-player. Unusually, he listed all his musical preferences. I noticed that he was living in the same unfashionable part of London as I was: the working-class East End. We met.

Dennis had already been in the music scene for quite some time, playing bass guitar in a soul band. He played me some of his original songs and I was struck by their complexity and unusual quality (and the fact that they had nothing to do with soul music). I remember him saying that he was interested in doing something really different. Only 18, I was then more or less a beginner on the guitar, but already had a distinct preference for acoustic fingerstyle playing. At that time the only things I could play, like many other players at that time, were songs I had learned listening to records (in those days the more interesting ones were harder to find and much more expensive!) and trying to work out what how the guitarist was getting his sound. I had also started to make up some songs of my own, initially very influenced by the style of Bert Jansch. In this I was inspired by Richard Carlton, a schoolfriend who taught me how to read music and who composed two of the tunes included on the Synanthesia LP.

The third member of the band was Jim Fraser. Jim was from the North of England and had just arrived in London. Unlike us, he was a jazzman through and through and had spent many a night blowing away in jazz sessions. He had an amazing gift for tasteful flute, sax and oboe improvisation around the tunes that Dennis and I played to him. With me on vocals and guitar, Dennis added his guitar or vibraphone, an instrument completely unheard of in "progressive" music. With Dennis on guitar and vocals, I accompanied on guitar or bongos and even ventured out on violin and mandolin.

We set out to be an acoustic band. We recorded a demo and Dennis hawked it around. This resulted in interest from an agency, Chrysalis (later to become a huge record label), and led on to gigs, mostly at colleges and universities. The setting in which we presented our music was not always the ideal one for us. Most of the other groups were amplified and loud. We played music which needed to be listened to: the aim was not to blow people over with a wall of sound. Still, it was an interesting experience.
     
After one concert, our agent told us that a guy was interested in recording us. The following Monday we were to go to a recording studio in Chelsea, a fashionable part of London. Another interesting experience. A visit to the toilet revealed a part of the studio with shelves stacked with master tapes by musicians I admired: the Incredible String Band, for example. I recall that at our second session (we only did two for the whole album!) we saw the gear that Fairport Convention had left lying around.

The album completed, we had to wait for its release. This proved more difficult. None of the record companies seemed to be interested. It was only after a long wait that we were signed up to RCA and the record came out. Unfortunately, RCA was not prepared to invest much in getting the public's attention. In those days, when the Home Service had recently been re-named Radio 1, local radio was in its infancy. Practically the only way of getting a hearing for our kind of music was by being invited to appear on Top Gear, John Peel's radio programme. We were not invited.

And so, the Synanthesia album flopped. The inevitable followed: we disbanded. It was impossible to keep on doing gigs in faraway towns and continue our day jobs. But we all needed the income from our day jobs.

Over the years, various friends reported that they had seen the Synanthesia LP on sale for 50p at Woolworth. It was only this year, 37 years later, that I suddenly heard the record was being sold on E-Bay for surprisingly large sums of money, that some time ago there had been a bad quality bootleg version, and that Sunbeam Records had been in touch with Dennis about a re-release. And that also, even more unexpectedly, one of the songs from our one and only album had been included on an anthology of British Folk music, called Anthems in Eden, on the Sanctuary label. This is very gratifying, especially in view of the fact that the other artists on that collection include many of those who influenced us.

One big plus about all this is that the three of us are now back in touch. Dennis tells me that up to the end of March 2006, the Synanthesia CD has already sold 632 copies. Not enough for platinum, but also not bad for a 37-year-old album.
by Les Cook, 2006
Tracks
1. Minerva - 4:15
2. Peek Strangely And Worried Evening (Les Cook) - 2:47 
3. Morpheus - 5:51
4. Trafalgar Square (Les Cook, Richard Carlton) - 3:02
5. Fates - 2:02
6. The Tale Of The Spider And The Fly (Les Cook) - 5:58
7. Vesta - 4:45
8. Rolling And Tumbling (Les Cook, Richard Carlton) - 3:14
9. Mnemosyne - 5:20
10.Aurora - 3:50
11.Just As The Curtain Finally Falls (Les Cook) - 5:01
12.Shifting Sands - 3:12
Songs 1,3,5,7,9,10,12 written by Dennis Homes

Synanthesia
*Dennis Homes - Vibes, Guitar, Vocals
*Les Cook - Guitar, Bongos, Violin, Mandolin, Vocals 
*Jim Fraser - Alto, Soprano Saxophone, Oboe, Alto, Nose, Concert Flute

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Fantasy - Vivariatum (1970-77 uk, nice soft prog rock with unreleased material)



'Vivariatum' is the third album to be released by this Kent based group and spans the entire period of their career from 1970 - 77. It also features several other musicians who were a part of the Fantasy story whose contributions are finally acknowledged on this disc for the very first time, we delve back to the embryonic stages of the band, when they were known as Chapel Farm. This name was chosen because the band rehearsed at the farmhouse of the same name, the home of Paul Petley, their first  singer.

The four songs, recorded by Chapel Farm in 1970, are all featured on this CD, having been lifted in their raw state from the only known surviving acetate and remastered, using the Cedar de-clicking sound system. These early demos feature the band's original vocalist, Paul Petley, whose gritty and rasping vocals difered markedly from those of Paul Lawrence who replaced him the following year. Also featured in this ensemble is Geoff Whitehorn, the band's original guitarist, who wrote the opening track presented here, 'Fire-Fire'. He also co-wrote 'Afterthought', a later version of which appears on 'Beyond The Beyond'.

The remaining Chapel Farm demos 'Vacuum'and 'Alone' were written by bassist and founder member, David Read, whose riving force and motivating influence is prominent throughout. Keyboards are handled by another founder member, David Metcalfe, whose penetrating Farfisa organ gives resonance to the overall sound. Brian Chatham was the band's first drummer, soon to give way to Jon Webster when the group moved residence from Chapel Farm to David Read's basement.

These four demos, which have been paired up to open and close proceedings here, give a valuable insight into how the band's music evolved from that early period into the more refined and recognizable sound that became synonymous with the complex yet often simplistic beauty of Fantasy's songs and musicianship. Of particular interest is the original version of 'Afterthought', where a direct comparison can be made between 'new' and 'old'.

In contrast with these primitive yet potent early demos are the six songs recorded by the re-formed Fantasy, some two years after 'Beyond The Beyond' was aborted. The musicians concerned are Paul Lawrence (vocals), David Read (bass), Geoff Whitehorn, who returned to the fold to play guitar, and Nick and Malcolm Page (piano and drums respectively). These rare recordings, all of which have remained unreleased until now, capture Fantasy in relaxed mood, exploring diferent musical styles whilst retaining that special 'Fantasy' sound. The understated approach of these compositions harks back to the melancholy feel of some of the more mellow songs on 'Paint A Picture'. Paul Lawrence's ability to turn a song into something special is evident throughout with his unique phrasing and heartfelt lyrics. His gift for being able to say a lot with a few well chosen words is portrayed beautifully by 'In My Life' and 'Angel'. This is greatly enhanced by the sympathetic guitar playing of Geoff Whitehorn which has developed in parallel to change the appeal of the later tracks.

With the lighthearted 'Low Love'  the band adopt a more commercial approach. The song has a lovely groove to it conjuring up a picture of romance on sun drenched beaches by the sea. Sandwiched in the middle of the eleven songs here, and included as a bonus, is the B side of Fantasy's elusive  single from 1973. 'I Was Once Aware' reflects the general mood of much of the later material making it a perfect addition. 'Vivariatum' can be seen as an album of contrasts with its display showing the quantum leap from the hopeful and heady days of the early years to the mature and satisfying sounds of the final chapter. More importantly the diverse talents of the individual members that made up this remarkable group are captured here for all to savour.
by Pete Sarfas, 1994
Tracks
1. Fire-Fire (Geoff Whitehorn) - 6.41
2. Vacuum (David Read) - 4.03
3. In My Life - 3.56
4. Low Love - 4.26
5. Stardrifting - 4.32
6. I Was Once Aware (David Read, Paul Lawrence,  David Metcalfe) - 3.30)
7. Could It Be Forever - 3.55
8. Fantasy Moods - 4.11
9. Angel - 3.24
10. Alone (David Read) - 4.31
11. Afterthought (David Read, Geoff Whitehorn,  David Metcalfe) - 7.26)
All compositions by Paul Lawrence, David Read except where stated
Tracks 1,2,10,11 recorded in 1970 as Chapel Farm
Tracks 3,4,5,7,8,9 recorded in 1976
Track 6 recorded in 1973 b-side single (Politely Insane)

Fantasy
*Geoff Whitehorn - Guitar (Tracks 1,2,10,11)
*Paul Petley - Vocals (Tracks 1,2,10,11)
*David Read - Bass, Vocals
*David Metcalfe - Keyboards, Vocals (Tracks 1,2,6,10,11)
*Paul Lawrence - 12 String Guitar, Vocals (Tracks 3-9)
*Peter James - Lead Guitar, Vocals (Track 6)
*Jon Webster - Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Track 6) 
*Nick Page - Bass (3-5,7-9)
*Malcom Page - Drums (3-5,7-9)


Monday, June 9, 2025

England - The Last Of The Jubblies (1976-77 uk, art symphonic prog rock, 2005 remaster)



Best known for their classic Garden Shed, England will forever be remembered as one of the few "new" bands of the late 70s United Kingdom brave enough to make unadulterated, symphonic prog (on a major label, no less) at the height of punk. The Last of the Jubblies consists of demo recordings made after the band found themselves without a label when Garden Shed bombed commercially. The line-up is the same as Garden Shed except for bass player Martin Henderson, replaced by Geoff "Jaffa" Peckham.

There is a lot more emphasis here on long, instrumental passages than on the first album. Also, they seem to be turning away from the bright, sunny melodics that characterized songs such as "Three Piece Suite" and "Paraffinalea," moving into darker territory they began first to explore on "Poisoned Youth." This may or may not sit well with fans of the first album. In any case, the music is still of high quality, making The Last of the Jubblies a worthwhile progressive rock artifact from this dark period in prog-rock history.
by Mike Ohman, 01-03-1996
Tracks
1. Creepin Instrumental (Frank Holland, Jode Leigh) - 6:44
2. A One-Legged Day Tale (Frank Holland) - 9:01
3. Sausage Pie (Geoff "Jaffa" Peckham, Robert Webb) - 5:17
4. Tooting Bec Rape Case (Robert Webb)  - 8:49
5. Mister Meener (Robert Webb)  - 3:45
6. Nanogram (Robert Webb)  - 4:14
Tracks 1-4 Recorded 1977
Tracks 5-6 Recorded 1976

England
*Robert Webb - Keyboards, Piano (Tracks 5,6), Vocals
*Frank Holland - Guitars, Piano (Track 1) Vocals
*Geoff "Jaffa" Peckham - Bass (Tracks 1-4), Vocals (Track 3)
*Jode Leigh - Drums, Percussion, Vibes, Vocals
*Martin Henderson - Bass, Vocals (Tracks 5,6)


Sunday, June 8, 2025

Beggars Opera - Act One (1970 uk, marvelous baroque prog rock, 2004 digipak remaster with extra tracks)



Defiantly cast in the shadow of the then-recently defunct Nice, but brimming with their own ideas and imagination, Beggars Opera emerged in 1970 with a debut album that still stands as one of the crown jewels of prog. Five tracks long in its original (Vertigo label) form, but bolstered with both sides of their debut single for the Repertoire CD, Act One is an audacious blending of hard riffs, Heep-esque vocals, and crazed organ and Mellotron, and it's those latter elements that most distinctly flavor the album. 

The opening "Poet and Peasant," based on Franz Von Suppe's overture of the same name, sets the scene with its multiple shifts in tone and tempo; the same composer's "Light Cavalry" then closes the disc in similarly dramatic style. "Raymond's Road" is the climax, however. An 11-minute orgy of sound that rides a "Rondo" rhythm, then sets a slew of classical snatches dancing above it. It's a breathtaking effort, a cross between a mad medley and a free festival freakout that so firmly establishes Beggars Opera's credentials that it seems impossible to believe that things never got any better for them. 
by Dave Thompson
Tracks
1. Poet And Peasant (Franz von Suppé, Arranged By Beggars Opera) - 7:11
2. Passacaglia (Marshall Erskine, Virginia Scott) - 7:04
3. Memory (Marshall Erskine, Virginia Scott) - 3:56
4. Raymond's Road (Martin Griffiths, Marshall Erskine, Ricky Gardiner, Alan Park, Raymond Wilson) - 11:49
5. Light Cavalry (Franz von Suppé, Arranged By Beggars Opera) - 11:55
6. Sarabande (Martin Griffiths, Marshall Erskine, Ricky Gardiner, Alan Park, Raymond Wilson) - 3:32 
7. Think (Alan Park, Martin Griffiths) - 4:25
Bonus Tracks 6,7 single 45' release 

Beggars Opera 
*Martin Griffiths - Vocals
*Alan Park - Organ
*Raymond Wilson - Drums
*Ricky Gardiner - Lead Guitar
*Marshal Erksine - Bass Guitar


Saturday, June 7, 2025

England - Garden Shed (1977 uk, art orchestrated prog rock, 2015 double disc remaster)



If you like this band just a little bit, I am 99% certain you have one of the issues of Garden Shed. This album was recorded in late 1976. During the same sessions, the band had recorded a track called Nanagram which was released as the B-side of Paraffinalea in February 1977, shortly before the album was released.

The quality and musical importance of this album is undisputed. 1977, however, was a hard time for progressive rock, especially since the band broke-up not long after the album's release.

What I really love about this album, is that while it shows a certain level of complexity often compared to Yes, it is delivered in a way that is not so cold. The warmth of the symphonic side famously found in early Genesis makes it an album loved by fans of both those bands. Sitting between the styles of those big names, I really think this album will appeal to fans of both. Simply, if you like symphonic progressive rock, you have got to listen to this album. This has been a favourite among my collection ever since I heard it in the early 1980s. I have not met anyone who thought this album was "just OK".

And what about those bonus tracks? I admit to having a bit of chronology-based OCD, so I am having a bit of a problem here.

Before the Garden Shed album was recorded, the band had recorded two tracks at Olympic, which actually got them the deal to do the album. These tracks were Three Piece Suite (that would be used as a bonus track on some versions of this album), and Mister Meener which appeared on the next album (or Mister Meaner as it would appear on later issues for some reason). This Bandcamp version also contains just Three Piece Suite (Olympic). It's not too different from the album version, it really fits the rest of the album, and therefore is an excellent choice for a bonus track.

The 2005 reissue had Nanagram, another 2005 reissue had Three Piece Suite (Olympic), a 2008 reissue had both, a 2013 reissue had the latter plus a song called Destiny from a 2010 "taster" CD for the announced Box Of Circles album. Then in 2015 there was the Golden Edition on Green Tree Records, which had Nanagram and Three Piece Suite (Olympic) but also The Ladies' Valley from Webb's 2014 solo album Liquorish Allsorts, HeeBeeGeeBee from a 2016 various artists 4CD release called Decameron Ten Days in 100 Novellas Part 3, some different tracks from Box Of Circles, and finally a 2006 live version of Nanagram. My OCD is playing up.

The Bandcamp version contains the same bonus tracks as the 2015 release except for Carmina Burana. Including the version of Nanagram that was released as a single B-side is a no-brainer. Personally I would have selected Mister Meener as well and leave it at the complete 1976 recordings.

The difference in style is another indicator. The Box Of Circles album has a different musical style. England, but a modern version. An album in its own right. The tracks feel a bit out of place on this collection. The same applies to HeeBeeGeeBee, which is just too different. The live version of Nanagram is by a completely different band (except two), and 30 years after the original recordings.

I just have a hard time relating to a compilation of mostly unrelated tracks, just to fill a second disc. Especially since on a digital release you're not limited to disc lengths. But another aspect to digital releases, of course, is that I can just skip a few songs in a play-list. And what an album it is! Simply essential.
by Jerry van Kooten, Saturday 2 October 2021
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Midnight Madness - 6:55
2. All Alone - 1:52
3. Three Piece Suite - 12:57
4. Paraffinalea - 4:11
5. Yellow - 5:24
6. Poisoned Youth - 16:15
All compositons by Robert Webb, Martin Henderson, Jode Leigh, Frank Holland
Disc 2
1. Nanagram - 5:09
2. Carmina Burana (Carl Orff) - 4:00
3. Fags, Booze And Lottery - 4:47
4. The Ladies' Valley (Camille Saint-Saëns, Robert Web) - 7:42
5. Masters Of War (Bob Dylan) - 4:27
6. Three Piece Suite - 11:44
7. Heebeegeebee - 5:37
8. Nanagram - 4:15
All compositons by Robert Webb, Martin Henderson, Jode Leigh, Frank Holland except where indicated
Track 4 perfomed by Robert Webb, Jenny Darren
Track 7 perfomed by Robert Webb

England
*Franc Holland - Guitar, Vocals
*Jode Leigh - Bass, Percussion, Vocals
*Martin Henderson - Bass, Vocals
*Robert Webb - Keyboards, Clavinet, Strings, Hammond Organ, ARP Pro Soloist, Tambourine, Vocals,Guitar 
With
*Maggie Alexander - Mellotron (Disc 2, Track 1), Choir (Disc 2, Track 2)
*Al Johnson - Electric Guitar (Disc 2, Tracks 1,3,4,5)
*Eun Jung Lee - Grand Piano (Disc 2, Track 2)
*Yutaka Masuda - Bass (Disc 2, Track 3) 
*Kimmo Pörsti - Drums (Disc 2, Track 4)
*Marco Bernard - Electric Bass (Disc 2, Tracks 4,7)
*Jenny Darren - Vocals (Disc 2, Tracks 4,5)
*Bogáti-Bokor Ákos - Guitar (Disc 2, Track 4)
*Henry Dagg - Saw (Disc 2, Track 5)
*Steve Unruh - Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Disc 2, Track 7)