Riff Raff - Riff Raff (1973 uk, fantastic prog rock, 2016 korean remaster)

Riff Raff's self-titled effort from 1973 was the band's first album proper. Alan Marshall was not replaced when he left, with Tommy Eyre, Roger Sutton, and Pete Kirtley all taking turns on the vocal chores. The jazz -rock sound that Eyre and Sutton had explored with Mark-Almond was the springboard for the exploratory rock music made by Riff Raff. Here deep groove -- à la Brian Auger's Oblivion Express -- and tough rock choruses and dynamics were married to the jazz sense of structure and composition.

Far more "progressive" sounding than their early demos, this music nonetheless has little to do with the excesses of the Canterbury Scene. From the opener, with the glorious Fender Rhodes and electric guitar interplay in which the blues and jazz commingle in a rock picture frame, through the improvisational melodic and modal work on "Dreaming" to the glorious theatricality and drama of "La Même Chose" that closes the album, Riff Raff comes off as one of the most original, innovative, and brilliant bands of the early '70s. It's too bad they never got to America; they would have been as huge as their former bosses in Mark-Almond. 

by Thom Jurek

Tracks
1. Your World (Roger Sutton) - 7:39
2. For Every Dog (Peter Kirtley) - 3:46
3. Little Miss Drag (Thorpe, Richardson) - 3:12
4. Dreaming (Peter Kirtley) - 4:32
5. Times Lost (Tommy Eyre) - 4:15
6. You Must Be Joking (Peter Kirtley) - 7:29
7. La Même Chose (Roger Sutton, Tommy Eyre) - 12:12

Riff Raff
*Tommy Eyre - Hammond Organ, Piano, Acoustic Guitars, Concert, Bass Flute, Vocals
*Peter Kirtley - Guitar, Vocals
*Roger Sutton - Basses, Acoustic Guitars, Vocals
*Aureo De Souza - Drums, Percussion
Guest Musicians
*Bud Beadle - Saxophones

1974  Riff Raff - Original Man (2017 korean remaster)  

Related Acts
1968  Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends (2015 SACD)
1969  Jody Grind - One Step On (2006 japan remaster)
1969  Jaklin - Jaklin
1969-70  The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation - To Mum From Aynsley And The Boys / Remains To Be Heard
1972  Roger Morris - First Album (korean remaster with extra tracks)
1974  Zzebra - Zzebra
1976  The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - British Tour

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Riff Raff - Original Man (1974 uk, remarkable jazz prog rock, 2017 korean remaster)

Tommy Eyre and Roger Sutton were neighbours in 1969. Eyre was the organ player with Joe Cocker's Grease Band, and when the band broke up after their No.1 hit () - "With a Little Help From My Friends") he chose to stay in London and try his luck rather than go back home to Sheffield. Tommy got the gig with Aynsley Dunbar's Retaliation and brought Roger in for the Blue Whale project. When Aynsley left to join Frank Zappa, Roger, in turn, introduced Tommy to John Mark and Johnny Almond who had just left John Mayall's Turning Point band. The four of them became the Mark-Almond Band which was very succesful in the USA for about three years. Roger Sutton left the Mark-Almond Band shortly before their third album, when he and Jon Mark couldn't get along, () - check Roger's lyric, "God damn the man who ever tried to put his mark on you"). It was recorded in a place that Richard Branson had recently opened as a "live-in" studio called the Manor, Oxfordshire, England, a beautiful old mansion where Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" was made.

When John Mark's behaviour forced even Tommy to quit, he and Roger spoke about reforming a studio band, Strabismus (pre-Riff Raff) that they had put on hold due to the success of Mark-Almond. They were introduced to Peter Kirtley, guitarist, singer and composer who had been involved with all the major bands in his native Newcastle. His musical ideas fit perfectly with Eyre and Sutton's plans and he was asked to join () - it was Peter who came up with the name Riff Raff). Tommy brought in Kenny Slade from the Grease Band on drums and of course Alan Marshall, Strabismus' brilliant singer who was going to be the linchpin. Songs were written, demos recorded and then Alan quit. His management advised him that merely being the singer in a band would be a back-step for him and he should pursue a career as a soloist. Kenny Slade decided the music was too complex () - "I couldn't get to grips with all these strange time signatures!"), so auditions were held and the Brazilian drummer Aureo de Souza was hired, while Peter and Roger took over vocals. Tommy suggested recording at the Manor, Riff Raff produced the record themselves and the sessions were wonderful. Bud Beadle played sax, Tom Newman engineered. When it came to mix time, though, their inexperience showed and Peter recommended Eddie Offord who remixed the album in a now-defunct studio in Victoria, London.

During the next few months, Tommy also worked extensively on other projects with producer-composer Ken Burgess, and when Riff Raff's second album was due, Tommy recommended Ken to co-produce. Ken and Tommy had used a studio in Kent called Escape. It was a converted coast house, (a building for drying hops in the beer-making process). Its biggest claim to fame was that Jeff Beck lived nearby and would often come in to jam, Jeff's the guitarist on "Put a light on me" on Zzebra's "Panic" album, (uncredited, of course).

Thus, "Original Man" was recorded. Buddy Beadle and Steve Gregory played saxes, Tony Taverner engineered and some dubs were done at Advision Studios in London, engineered by Martin Rushent. For Riff Raff the US deals that had looked so promising collapsed one by one. But there were other problems too. Aureo was not granted an extension on his work permit in England. The British goverment and the Musicians Union were inflexible and that was that. Aureo had to return to Brazil, Peter joined the Alan Price group, Roger and Tommy returned to studio work.

However, many of the connections made during this time endured. In one form or another the music has continued until the present day. The reader will see many of the same names turning up in the most unlikely of places, but the future of music that we hoped for never happened. Apart from beautiful exceptions (Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Weather Report), everything in the seventies seemed to revert to the mindless three-minute pop song, new dance crazes and artists with no musicianship but great make-up.

There will always be the Top 40. Nobody has any problem with that, but the feeling at that time was that pop and progressive music could co-exist and everyone would be the better for it. AM for the teenagers and FM for the people that were intrigued and wanted to know more. Well it never happened.

by Tommy Eyre, Encino, California. 1999

Tracks
1. Original Man (Pete Kirtley) - 7:47
2. Havakak (Kenny Craddock, Pete Kirtley, Colin Gibson) - 6:13
3. Goddamm The Man (Roger Sutton) - 6:18
4. In The Deep (Pete Kirtley) - 4:06
5. The Waster (Roger Sutton) - 5:18
6. Tom's Song (Tommy Eyre) - 4:28
7. Speed (Roger Sutton) - 9:26

Riff Raff
*Tommy Eyre - Keyboards, String Synthesizer, Vocals
*Bud Beadle - Saxophones
*Steve Gregory - Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
*Pete Kirtley - Guitars, Vocals
*Roger Sutton - Bass, Cello, Vocals
*Aureo De Souza - Drums, Percussion
Guest Musicians 
*Joanna Newman - Vocals
*Joe O'Donnell - Viola

Related Acts
1968  Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends (2015 SACD)
1969  Jody Grind - One Step On (2006 japan remaster)
1969  Jaklin - Jaklin
1969-70  The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation - To Mum From Aynsley And The Boys / Remains To Be Heard
1972  Roger Morris - First Album (korean remaster with extra tracks)  
1974  Zzebra - Zzebra
1976  The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - British Tour

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Karen Dalton - In My Own Time (1971 us, brilliant acid folk blues rock, 2006 remaster)

To hear Karen Dalton sing "How Sweet It Is" or "When a Man Loves a Woman" is to hear the song completely transformed. The Oklahoma-bred, New York City-based singer sustains what were previously just grace notes, moves the accents around, inverts the rhythms, and plays hide-and-seek with meter. Dalton even changes the lyrics at the end of "When a Man Loves a Woman", fitting them to her female perspective. Her talent isn't merely interpretive, but imperialistic: She takes these songs over completely, bending their melodies and meanings to fit her specific mood. And In My Own Time, her second and final album, has a very specific mood: These songs exalt love, but acknowledge its transitory nature. Dalton gives herself over to its joys on "How Sweet It Is", notes its passing on her majestic take on Richard Manuel's "In a Station", then sounds resigned on closer "Are You Leaving for the Country?" The album contains just the slightest hint of a narrative-- a struggle between love and loss, the city and the country, joy and sorrow-- but she sounds honestly conflicted, a jaded romantic trying to find her way.

So that phrase "in my own time" fairly neatly sums up her life. She arrived in New York City with her daughter Abra in the early 1960s and became a fixture on the budding East Village folk scene-- even sharing the stage with Bob Dylan. But Dalton moved around compulsively, played rarely and begrudgingly, drank and did drugs heavily, and recorded almost never. She enjoyed playing privately with friends and hated the Billie Holliday comparison that dogged her throughout her entire life. Producer Nick Venet reportedly had to trick her into recording songs for her first album, It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You Best, released in 1969 and reissued by Koch in 1997, four years after her death. Dalton casts a subtle but powerful spell as she sings songs by Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, and Duke Ellington with minimal accompaniment. In My Own Time was released in 1971 on producer Harvey Brooks' Just Sunshine label and has since been a collector's treasure on vinyl. Admirers Nick Cave and Devendra Banhart (who is turning folkie resurrection into a cottage industry) extol her talents in the liner notes for this affectionate reissue.

Compared to It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You Best, In My Own Time sounds a little more adventurous and lively with its full band and free-wheeling performances, seamlessly and playfully blending folk, country, rock, jazz, and soul. More than a dozen musicians coalesce into a loose, loopy backing band that knows exactly when to push forward ("In a Station"), exactly when to back off ("Take Me"), and exactly when to let Dalton take front and center (pretty much always). In My Own Time has the laidback, lackadaisical vibe of a close-knit group of friends doing single takes around an inspired singer. They play up the jazzy breeziness of "Take Me" and "Satisfied" and soak "In a Station" with multiple organs and Richard Bell's rambling piano, giving the song a majestic push ideally showcasing Dalton's dramatic range. They tackle the tripping rhythms of "How Sweet It Is" as Dalton sings almost independent of the familiar melody.

With such a clear dynamic between all these musicians, it's ironic that two of the album's most moving tracks are also its most naked: the bleakly existential "Katie Cruel" and the supremely lonely-sounding "Same Old Man" showcase her elastic vocals and piercing banjo with only minimal accompaniment. You could easily spill a thousand words on her pronunciation of "mackintosh." Like her debut, In My Own Time reveals a demanding, intuitive, eccentric singer and arranger who never sang her own words but clearly and confidently expressed herself with others'. She was a free spirit who sounds freest on these ten tracks. So "Are You Leaving for the Country?", with its swooning melody and laidback vibe, closes the album on a poignant note: this is her final take, her last number ever. It makes you wish there was just one more record to reissue and even more music to pore over obsessively.

by Stephen M. Deusner

Tracks
1. Something On Your Mind (Dino Valenti) - 3:23
2. When A Man Loves A Woman (Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright) - 2:59
3. In My Own Dream (Paul Butterfield) - 4:17
4. Katie Cruel (Traditional Arranged By Karen Dalton) - 2:22
5. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland) - 3:43
6. In A Station (Richard Manuel) - 3:52
7. Take Me (George Jones, Leon Payne) - 4:40
8. Same Old Man (Traditional Arranged By Steve Weber) - 2:45
9. One Night Of Love (Joe Tate) - 3:18
10.Are You Leaving For The Country (Richard Tucker) - 3:14

Musicians
*Karen Dalton - Vocals, Banjo, 12 String Guitar
*Richard Bell - Piano
*Harvey Brooks - Bass
*Amos Garrett - Guitar
*John Hall - Guitar
*Daniel Hanken - Guitar
*Bill Keith - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Ken Pearson - Organ
*Denny Seiwell - Drums
*John Simon - Piano
*Greg Thomas - Drums
*Dennis Whitted - Drums
*Bobby Notkoff - Violin
*Hart Mcnee - Tenor Saxophone
*Robert Fritz - Clarinet
*Marcus Doubleday - Trumpet

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Elvin Bishop - Struttin' My Stuff (1975 us, fine southern funky blues rock, 2013 japan SHM remaster)

Shortly after recording this show for the King Biscuit Flower Hour in April 1976, Elvin Bishop, along with his current album at that time, Struttin' My Stuff, made it to the #2 position on the Billboard pop chart and went gold (thanks, in large part, to its hit single, "Fooled Around And Fell In Love"). The single was already a hit, but it was this Biscuit show that gave Bishop his first extensive national radio exposure.

In addition to Elvin Bishop himself on guitar and vocals, the group featured on his recording was made up of bassist Fly Brooks, keyboardist Bill Slais, second guitarist Johnny Vernazza, drummer Donny Baldwin and vocalists Reni Slais and Mickey Thomas. Thomas, who had charted his first international hit as the singer on "Fooled Around," would emerge two years later (along with Baldwin) as a member of rock-revamped Jefferson Starship, with whom they would reach superstar status, thanks to hits like "Find Your Way Back" and "We Built This City." 

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Tracks
1. Struttin' My Stuff (Philip Aaberg, Elvin Bishop ) - 4:09
2. Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (Philip Aaberg, Elvin Bishop, Mickey Thomas) - 3:30
3. My Girl (Smokey Robinson, Ronald White) - 3:05
4. I Love The Life I Lead - 2:29
5. Fooled Around And Fell In Love - 4:35
6. Holler And Shout - 3:11
7. Slick Titty Boom - 5:00
8. Grab All The Love - 2:52
9. Have A Good Time - 2:30
10.Joy - 4:02
11.Silent Night (Traditional Arr. Elvin Bishop) - 4:00
12.Silent Night (Instrumental) - 4:15
All songs by Elvin Bishop except where stated
Bonus tracks 11-12

Personnel
*Elvin Bishop - Rhythm, Slide Guitar, Vocals
*Donny Baldwin - Congas, Drums, Percussion, Vocals
*Philip Aaberg - Clavinet, Keyboards, Piano
*Michael Brooks - Bass
*Terry Hanck - Tenor Saxophone
*Mike Keck - Keyboards, Organ, Piano
*Bill Slais - Keyboards, Synthesizer, Vocals
*Mickey Thomas - Vocals
*John Vernazza - Rhythm, Slide Guitar, Vocals

1969-70/72  Party Till The Cows Come Home
1974  Elvin Bishop - Let It Flow
1977  Live! Raisin' Hell (2012 remaster)

with Paul Butterfield Blues Band
1964  The Original Lost Elektra Sessions
1965  The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
1966  East West
1966-68  Strawberry Jam

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The Web - Fully Interlocking (1968 uk, beautiful ethereal baroque psychedelia with jazz and prog elements, 2008 remaster)

One of the more eclectically inclined bands to emerge out of the British psychedelic scene, the Web hailed from the same neck of the woods as Robert Fripp, Greg Lake, and Al Stewart, and very much shared in the same serious outlook that characterized those talents. Jazz-tinged and blues-laden, the Web moved to London in 1966, eventually signing to one of the few labels that actually seemed geared toward their darkly uncommercial brew, Decca's Deram subsidiary, but the three albums the band cut were never going to set the charts on fire, no matter how sincerely atmospheric the music therein.

Moodily produced by Mike Vernon, 1968's Fully Interlocking debut is generally regarded as the band's finest hour, a thoughtful and oftentimes dense exploration of themes, rhythms, and melancholies that were uniquely their own. Three bonus tracks then bounce this reissue up to 13 songs via an intoxicating blueprint for Blood, Sweat & Tears' "I'm a Man" and "God Bless the Child," and -- standing out like more sore thumbs than any single band should be able to raise -- the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody." What were they thinking? 

by Dave Thompson

Tracks
1. City Of Darkness (Tony Edwards, John Eaton) - 3:07
2. Harold Dubbleyew (Tom Harris, John Eaton) - 3:11
3. Hatton Mill Morning (John Eaton) - 3:49
4. Green Side Up (Tom Harris) - 2:01
5. Wallpaper (Tom Harris, John Eaton) - 3:00
6. Did You Die Four Years Ago Tonight? (Lennie Wright, John Eaton) - 2:11
7. Watcha Kelele (Tony Edwards) - 3:51
8. Reverend J. McKinnon (John Eaton) - 2:59  
9. Sunday Joint (Lennie Wright, John Eaton) - 2:02
10.War Or Peace - 9:42
.1.Theme (Terry Noonan)
.2.East Meets West (John Eaton)  
.3.Battle Scene (Lennie Wright, Kenny Beveridge)
.4.Conscience (Lennie Wright, John Eaton)
.5.Epilogue (Terry Noonan, Lennie Wright, John Eaton)
11.I'm A Man (Steve Winwood) - 3:33
12.God Bless The Child (Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog Jr) - 5:00
13.To Love Somebody (Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb) - 3:29

The Web
*John L. Watson - Vocals
*Kenny Beveridge - Drums, Percussion
*Lennie Wright - Vibes, Percussion
*John Eaton - Guitar
*Tony Edwards - Guitar
*Dick Lee-Smith - Bass
*Tom Harris - Saxes, Flute

Related Act
1971  Samurai - Samurai (2008 remaster)

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Leonard Cohen - Songs Of Leonard Cohen (1967 canada, folk masterpiece, 2007 Japan remaster)

At a time when a growing number of pop songwriters were embracing a more explicitly poetic approach in their lyrics, the 1967 debut album from Leonard Cohen introduced a songwriter who, rather than being inspired by "serious" literature, took up music after establishing himself as a published author and poet. The ten songs on Songs of Leonard Cohen were certainly beautifully constructed, artful in a way few (if any) other lyricists would approach for some time, but what's most striking about these songs isn't Cohen's technique, superb as it is, so much as his portraits of a world dominated by love and lust, rage and need, compassion and betrayal.

While the relationship between men and women was often the framework for Cohen's songs (he didn't earn the nickname "the master of erotic despair" for nothing), he didn't write about love; rather, Cohen used the never-ending thrust and parry between the sexes as a jumping off point for his obsessive investigation of humanity's occasional kindness and frequent atrocities (both emotional and physical). Cohen's world view would be heady stuff at nearly any time and place, but coming in a year when pop music was only just beginning to be taken seriously, Songs of Leonard Cohen was a truly audacious achievement, as bold a challenge to pop music conventions as the other great debut of the year, The Velvet Underground & Nico, and a nearly perfectly realized product of his creative imagination.

Producer John Simon added a touch of polish to Cohen's songs with his arrangements (originally Cohen wanted no accompaniment other than his guitar), though the results don't detract from his dry but emotive vocals; instead, they complement his lyrics with a thoughtful beauty and give the songs even greater strength. And a number of Cohen's finest songs appeared here, including the luminous "Suzanne," the subtly venomous "Master Song" and "Sisters of Mercy," which would later be used to memorable effect in Robert Altman's film McCabe and Mrs. Miller. Many artists work their whole career to create a work as singular and accomplished as Songs of Leonard Cohen, and Cohen worked this alchemy the first time he entered a recording studio; few musicians have ever created a more remarkable or enduring debut. 

by Mark Deming

Tracks
1. Suzanne - 3:49
2. Master Song - 5:59
3. Winter Lady - 2:17
4. The Stranger Song - 5:07
5. Sisters Of Mercy - 3:36
6. So Long, Marianne - 5:40
7. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye - 2:58
8. Stories Of The Street - 4:38
9. Teachers - 3:02
10.One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong - 4:27
11.Store Room - 5:05
12.Blessed Is The Memory - 3:05
Music and Lyrics by Leonard Cohen
Tracks 11-12 outtakes from the Early Sessions for Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Musicians
*Leonard Cohen - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Jimmy Lovelace - Drums
*Nancy Priddy - Vocals
*Willy Ruff - Bass
*Chester Crill, Chris Darrow, Solomon Feldthouse, David Lindley - Flute, Mandolin, Jew's Harp, Violin

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Shawn Phillips - Spaced (1977 us, fascinating blend of folk funky jazz prog rock, 2013 remaster)

In the public eye, I have been known almost exclusively as a singer-songwriter. This image has tended to limit the number of instrumental pieces I have composed over the years and wished to place on albums. As you listen to this, or any of my other albums, please bear in mind that there has never ever been any written music for the studio musicians, apart from orchestra charts when it was utilized. 

Today it appears that almost anyone who puts on a cowboy hat and / or has played an instrument for two or threeyears can be designated as a musician. All of the people who have played on my albums are musicians who have dedicated the majority of their lives to music.

"Health, Love & Clarity"In All Friendship & With All Love,May The Music Never Stop!

by Shawn Phillips

Wonderful! Shawn Phillips started his career as a shaggy folk rocker with a bit of a jazzy twinge – but this album collects odd bits and pieces that were left off of earlier albums, and works perfectly as a record that shows a whole new side of his genius! 

The album contains recordings from 1969 to 1977, and shows Phillips as a master of the funky jazz groove – and although he's still singing on some of the songs, he also lets loose with a number of instrumental cuts, laid out in a tight well-produced mode that puts them up there with some of the best work coming out on labels like Fantasy or Blue Note during the mid 70s. 

The centerpiece of these is the massive long cut "We Came To Say Goodbye", which builds and builds over the course of 15 minutes, with cool keyboards, great guitar, and the kind of tightly compressed grooves you'd expect to find on a Headhunters album (no surprise, since Headhunters Mike Clark, Bill Summers, and Paul Jackson are on the cut!) Other instrumental tracks include "Prelude To A Leaving" and "Italian Phases" – and strong vocal numbers include "Parisian Plight 1" and "Your Eyes".

Tracks
1. Rant - 3:24
2. Italian Phases - 2:22
3. The Light From Between You Eyes - 4:33
4. Stranded - 4:48
5. From All Of Us - 3:46
6. Parisan Plight I - 3:44
7. Prelude To A Leaving - 2:36
8. All Our Love - 1:33
9. I Don't Want To Leave You, I Just Came To Say Good-Bye - 16:15
Music and Lyrics by Shawn Phillips

Personnel
*Shawn Phillips - Vocals, Rhythm, Lead Guitar
*Russ Kunkel - Drums
*Leland Sklar - Bass
*Joe Sample - Organ, Piano
*Sneeky Pete - Steel Guitar
*Peter Robinson - Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer
*Michael Baird - Drums
*Brandy (A Beautiful Lady) - Bass
*Jim Horn - Soprano Sax
*Chuck Rainey - Bass
*Mike Miller - Bass, Lead Guitar
*Al Wing - Sax
*Steve R. Neilen - Drums
*Anthony Nedza - Synthesizer, Electric Piano
*Joseph Gaeta - Bass, Lead Guitar
*Daniel Timms - Piano
*Bruce Rowland - Drums
*Brian Odgers - Bass
*Chris Mercer - Sax
*Johnny Almond - Bass Flute, Concert Flute
*Mike Clark - Drums
*Paul Jackson - Bass
*Bill Summers - Percussion

1970  Shawn Phillips - Contribution / Second Contribution (2009 remaster)
1969-72  Shawn Phillips - Faces (2014 remaster)  
1974  Shawn Phillips - Furthermore (2014 issue)

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Bill Quick - Maravillosa Gente (1972 us / venezuela, exceptional acid folk psych rock, 2007 remaster)

Long in the works reissue of this amazing and little know gem, “Beautiful People”, from 1972. Born in Miami Florida to an American father and Venezuelan mother, Bill split the USA to Madrid Spain in the early 70s. Once there he quickly landed a recording deal with famous producer Alain Milhaud of the explosion label, and set to work on this, his sole LP release. Sessions went down with an impressive cast of up to eleven players in the studio, including Salvador Dominguez & Chema Pellico (Cerebrum), Jess Lam (Jess & James), and Frank Rojas (Sangre). one of the albums real hidden treasures, though, was the assistance of unknown Texan Mark Gottschall, who co-wrote the title song and adds perfect vocal harmonies as well a second acoustic guitar. 

A finely balanced mix of sounds that drifts between throbbing electric full band groove and gentle acid folk. when bill wants to rock, things get downright funky, with a wickedly hard-hitting rhythm section, pumping organ, scorching electric leads, and flipped out acoustic guitars all locking into some seriously tight jams. Then the next minute the mood swings and you’re deep into some beautifully fragile and introspective folk meditations; often just two acoustic guitars, bill’s lyrics, and huge, angelic, vocal harmonies all weaving together into lush tapestries of sound. A few tracks fill out a more folkrock vibe with flute, autoharp, piano, slide guitar, banjo, and more. bill’s lyrics (all in English) and vocals always feel deeply sincere, which combined with his unique voice, unusual accent, and loose delivery make for one hell of a cool singer. 

The whole album has an air of mystical psychedelia, yet never strays far from pop craft, and there's a real sun-blasted quality to it all that just makes you want to crank the volume… nothing amateur or lo-fi about this one, its a pro recordings and these guys have serious chops. its hard to image why it didn’t become a hit at the time. The album was released only in Spain and Brazil, to very little interest, and Quickly became yet another great album lost to obscurity

Time-Lag

Tracks
1. Take Me Away - 2:51
2. With You, Lord - 2:20
3. Get Me a Pony - 3:15
4. Only the Weather - 3:12
5. Somebody - 3:13
6. I Don't Think You're Listening - 2:31
7. Beautiful People - 3:55
8. Heaven Knows - 4:05
9. Winter's Gonna Come - 4:12
10.I Sing This Song - 4:28
11.When the Night's Fallin' - 2:18
Words and Music by Guillermo Enrique Ruiz Quick (Bill Quick) except track #7 co-written with Mark Gottschall

Personnel
*Bill Quick - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Mark Gottschall - Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
*Gregg Gitts - Backing Vocals
*Bob Carlson - Bass
*Chema Pellico - Bass
*Jess Lam - Bass
*Frank Rojas - Drums
*Joe Cieri - Drums
*Rafa Gálvez - Guitar
*Salvador Domínguez - Guitar
*Luis Franch - Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals

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Donovan - A Gift From A Flower To A Garden (1967 uk, brilliant jazzy trippy folk psychedelia, 2008 remaster)

Separately released in the U.S. as the pop record from 1967's double-LP A Gift From a Flower to a Garden, Wear Your Love Like Heaven stands on its own as one of the brightest, most pleasant works Donovan ever recorded. The title track and "Oh Gosh" were the only nods to the charts (and, tellingly, the only songs produced by Mickie Most). For once in Donovan's career, the remainders far outshone the singles, with brisk, breezy productions and the thoughtful playing of an actual band behind Donovan -- usually just bass, keyboards, and soft, whisking drums or bongos. Donovan's voice is better than ever, playful and unassuming on romps like "Mad John's Escape," "Skip-A-Long Sam," and "Oh Gosh," while expressive and controlled for the slower material. He also makes evocative folkie nostalgia work much better than it should on "Sun" and "Little Boy in Corduroy," helped by the breathy flute playing of Harold McNair. 

The second American LP released from the British two-record set A Gift From a Flower to a Garden, For Little Ones is almost wholly an acoustic-guitar work, with only a few touches of brushing percussion, flute, and harmonica. Donovan frames his long-ago fairy tales with an appropriately faraway yen to his voice, and the songwriting is influenced more by Lewis Carroll and Childe ballads than Bob Dylan. There's a pronounced air of sadness to many of these songs, so small children may grow uneasy by "The Enchanted Gypsy" or "Widow With Shawl (A Portrait)." Donovan's childlike sense of humor also comes through, however, including the irresistible closer "Starfish-On-The-Toast." 

by John Bush 

Tracks
1. Wear Your Love Like Heaven - 2:30
2. Mad John's Escape - 2:23
3. Skip-A-Long Sam - 2:29
4. Sun - 3:20
5. There Was A Time - 2:05
6. Oh Gosh - 1:52
7. Little Boy In Corduroy - 2:37
8. Under The Greenwood Tree - 2:00
9. The Land Of Doesn't Have To Be - 2:32
10.Someone's Singing - 3:09
11.Song Of The Naturalist's Wife - 2:47
12.The Enchanted Gypsy - 3:23
13.Voyage Into The Golden Screen - 3:17
14.Isle Of Islay - 2:25
15.The Mandolin Man And His Secret - 3:36
16.Lay Of The Last Tinker - 1:54
17.The Tinker And The Crab - 2:56
18.Widow With A Shawl - 3:03
19.The Lullaby Of Spring - 3:28
20.The Magpie - 1:33
21.Starfish-On-The-Toast - 2:48
22.Epistle To Derroll - 5:47
All songs by Donovan P. Leitch, except track #8 lyrics by William Shakespeare, music by Donovan 

Musicians
*Donovan - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Banjo, Whistling
*Eric Leese - Electric Guitar
*Cliff Barton - Electric Bass
*Ken Baldock - String Bass
*Jack Bruce - Electric Bass
*Keith Webb - Drums
*Mike O'Neil - Keyboards
*Harold Mcnair - Flute
*Tony Carr - Drums, Bells, Conga, Turkish, Finger Cymbals
*"Candy" John Carr - Conga, Bongo
*Mike Carr - Vibraphone

1967  Donovan - In Concert, The Complete Anaheim Show (2006 two disc set)
1973  Donovan - Cosmic Wheels  

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Joe Walsh - So What (1974 us, wonderful guitar rock, 2015 SACD)

Joe Walsh got his start at a guitarist for the James Gang, which he left for a solo career in 1971. Known best for his efforts with the Eagles, it was Walsh's 1974 album, So What, that secured him a place with the Eagles after Bernie Leadon departed. Walsh is still credited as the guy that gave The Eagles's laid-back sound a swift kick in the ass.

First and foremost, Walsh is an unbelievably solid guitar player. Walsh belongs to a class of guitar player that hasn't surfaced in the 90's alternative rock scene. It's almost sad really. Walsh is really a master of his instrument, while recently formed groups can barely play (i.e. Veruca Salt, seen 3/15/97 on my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 Saturday Night Live).

So What has a sound that is firmly rooted in the 70's. Today, the 70's feel is very refreshing. When you listen to So What, you feel like you've jumped back to the mid-70's again, which is a nice feeling. You catch all of the harmonized backing vocals that was a 70's staple, while listening to guitar work that is creative in any era.

"Welcome To The Club" has a enough rhythm changes to keep you hooked for hours, with signature Walsh guitars that build and fade meticulously. Lyrically, Walsh is a bit more subtle here than he's famous for, spinning a yarn about crazy situations on the road.

"Falling Down" has a soulful, western feel to it. The rhythm work is done on a 12-string, with most of the leads added delicately with a 6-string electric. Present again are the 70's vocal harmonies, which are layered so that they're almost ghost like.

On "Time Out", Walsh returns the style that made him famous on "Rocky Mountain Way." The song features a combination of standard and slide lead guitar that Walsh does so well. To date, I can't think of anyone who so perfectly combines these two styles. The drumming and bass are very prominent on this track. Walsh seems to let the rhythm guys hold the song while he paints over it. This isn't anything new, it's the standard Rx for rock and roll. It's just that when you listen to this album, you notice all of the ridiculously simple things that many bands don't do anymore.

"Help Me Through The Night" was the doorway into the Eagles and beyond. This was the first song that Henley, Frey and Walsh worked on together. With Henley and Frey on backing vocals, it sounds like the song is from Hotel California. While the presence of the Eagles is noticeable, the song still preserves the feel of the rest of the album.

While So What lacks any mega hits, it's probably his most beautiful album. With it's firmly rooted 70's style, it will show some signs of age on the turntable today. But its strengths, great guitar work, great vocal harmonies, and peaceful demeanor are timeless in any era. With So What in the background, a nice drink and a loved one nearby, the album promotes a wonderful "time out" to unwind.

by Bill Ziemer

Tracks
1. Welcome to the Club - 5:09
2. Falling Down (Joe Walsh, Don Henley) - 4:57
3. Pavanne for the Sleeping Beauty (Maurice Ravel) - 1:57
4. Time Out - 4:26
5. All Night Laundry Mat Blues - 1:02
6. Turn to Stone - 3:49
7. Help Me Through the Night - 3:40
8. County Fair - 6:40
9. Song for Emma - 4:42
All songs written by Joe Walsh except where stated.

Personnel
*Joe Walsh - Synthesizer, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Vocals,  Moog Synthesizer, Mellotron, ARP
*Jody Boyer - Vocals
*Dan Fogelberg - Guitar, Vocals
*Glenn Frey - Vocals,
*Guille Garcia - Percussion, Conga
*Bryan Garofalo - Bass, Vocals,
*Ron Grinel - Drums
*Don Henley - Vocals
*Russ Kunkel - Drums
*Randy Meisner - Vocals
*Kenny Passarelli - Bass, Vocals
*J.D. Souther - Guitar, Vocals
*Leonard Southwick - Harmonica
*Tom Stephenson - Organ, Keyboards
*John Stronach - Vocals
*Joe Vitale - Flute, Drums, Keyboards

Related Act
1969  James Gang - Yer' Album (Japan SHM remaster)  
1970  James Gang - Rides Again (2010 SHM remaster)  

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