Salamander - The 10 Commandments (1971 uk, beautiful psych rock with some prog tinges, 2007 edition)

This progressive album made against the background 10 commandments. English recorded only this one album, referring to the achievements of The Moody Blues (from the period of Days Of Future Passed) - a fairly mild prog-rock variety, based on the sound of organs Hammond,guitar and brass enriched orchestrations.

This is a band whose concept album is based on the Ten Commandments. Each track deals with a different commandment. The album, which was produced by Miki Dallon, was dominated by Bob Leaper's orchestral arrangements, but there are also some good melodies, strong vocals and organ work and powerful drumming. The best tracks are those where the orchestral arrangements are more discreet: "He Is My God", on which the melody sounds like King Crimson in places; "Images", which features strong vocals, good drumming and organ work; the mellow and melodic "People" and "False Witness", a good progressive piece with some fine guitar leads and powerful organ. 

Salamander's "Ten Commandments" is a most interesting album. Produced in 1971 (but released on CD by The Laser's Edge and Progressive Line), it has all the markings of a post-60's progressive release. Its sound is heavy on the Hammond organ and the album is fully orchestrated. Ken Golden from The Laser's Edge compares the organist to Jon Lord which is not accurate, as Alister Benson lacks the technique of Lord. I would compare Salamander more directly to Rare Bird's sound, with the addition of orchestration. The lyrics are at times direct, and at times vague. (Should we get philosophical on the issue of adultery? The Bible is clear on this topic.) However, it is well worth a listen if you like this early 70's type of sound.

Prelude Incorp. He Is My God' - This is a very impressive and memorable opener which starts appropriately enough with a devotional chapel organ before leading into the main theme arranged for full orchestra and overlaid with an exotic 'quivering' guitar lead. 

'Images' - Nice Leslie speaker 'siren' effects on this and more than a trace of 'Hush' by Deep Purple in the rhythm employed but not overtly derivative as the tune is truly memorable and original. Titley displays what a wide range of vocal timbres he has command of with a rasping blues inflection (or is it someone else singing and the reviewer is too dumb to refer to the sleeve notes ?) One of those nice 'false ending' devices is exploited towards the end to good effect.

'People' - Although the production is horribly dated, that has never been an obstacle to a strong melody and sympathetic harmonic support eg the Beatles 'Yesterday' would still be a damn fine song even if rendered by a flat footed Bolivian nostril flute marching band. (think I'm drinking too much coffee) This is beautiful (Full stop)

'God's Day' - Things take a downward turn here with a paean to the Sabbath that sounds just a bit too cheerful for its own good. The melody is decent and well sung but is spoiled by some 'Trumpton Fire Brigade Brass Band' horn writing.

'Honour Thy Father and Thy Mother' - Simple and brief instrumental modest in its scope that carries an echo of Leo Sayer's 'When I Need You' (hardly an unqualified endorsement certainly, but so much of what we remember we profess to dismiss, without acknowledging its durability)

'Kill' - Reference points might include the organ sound and feel of Bob Dylan and the Band plus the arrangements of Van Dyke Parks heard on the more credible work by Brian Wilson. Unfortunately a good song is rather undermined by the adolescent 'gravitas' of a spoken narrative that drags us down into the twee realms of a school production of 'Joseph and the less than Amazing Monochrome Dreamcoat'.

'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery' - If Giles, Giles & Fripp had been god fearing souls with a better grasp of pop songcraft, they may have delivered something like this. Beautiful flute weaves its way throughout a finely woven tapestry of harmonized strands of melody. Brilliantly sung and enhanced by some restrained strings and subtle hand drum percussion. The best hippy camp fire song ever written to put out the flames of passion.

'Steal' - Bit of a no brainer in the moral lexicon really ? but an exquisite Hammond sound and a nagging riff that lives long in the memory afterwards. This may be the best song on the album as the electric band and the orchestral instruments are perfectly balanced with the latter injecting a thrilling little strings glissando at periodic intervals. Great tune and topped off with Benson's Vincent Crane impersonation on an economical solo which is interrupted by a startlingly ethereal strings dissonance. Very spooky.

'False Witness' - These guys were obviously big fans of 'The Crazy World of Arthur Brown' and early 'Deep Purple' as this has that sort of vibe but it fails to really go anywhere after a promising start. Ultimately it serves as a vehicle for an excellent short guitar solo from Titley, who otherwise contents himself with brushing up on a very convincing Dave Davies of the Kinks impersonation.

'Possessions' - Flecks of 'Cream' are visible on a decent tune but the specter of our old unvanquished foe 'James Last' hovers like a white bearded bird of prey over the arrangement.

by Adamus67

Tracks
1. Prélude Incorporing He's My God's - 7:15
2. Images - 3:24
3. People - 2:50
4. God's Day - 2:27
5. Honour Thy Father And Thy Mother - 1:38
6. Kill - 3:31
7. Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery - 3:07
8. Steal - 4:20
9. False Witnwess - 3:54
10. Possession - 3:15

All compositions by Alister Benson, David Titley

Salamander
* Alister Benson - Organ, Vocals
* Dave Chriss - Bass
* John Cook - Drums
* Dave Titley - Lead Vocals, Guitar

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John And Beverley Martyn - Stormbringer! (1970 uk, folkish vein with jazzy feel, 2005 remaster expanded edition)

Behind him were a couple of charming acoustic albums in London Conversation and The Tumbler; ahead of him was his '70s purple patch of Bless The Weather, Solid Air, Sunday's Child and One World. These find him in transitional mode, working with his new wife, the folk singer Beverley Kutner (the Posh and Becks of the late'6os jazz/folk scene). The results are lovely enough cocktails of gentle hippydom that will have you reaching for your kaftan and joss-sticks, but neither rank among his greatest works.

That said, there are three good reasons why you should buy them in their new format. Stormbringer, marginally the weaker of the two albums, now has Mr and Mrs Martyn's original demo added to it. This contains a previously unreleased track: One Of Those Days, which is just Beverley singing over John's guitar, completely pared down, completely gorgeous. Well worth the price of admission alone.

The most important of all- because John Martyn is nothing short of a national treasure, who is finally getting the sort of recognition he deserves. Buying a copy is a worthwhile contribution to the John Martyn benevolent fund. Give generously.

by Simon Waldman

Tracks
1. Go Out And Get It - 3:09
2. Can't Get The One I Want (Beverley Martyn) - 2:55
3. Stormbringer! - 4:18
4. Sweet Honesty (Beverley Martyn) - 8:03
5. Woodstock - 1:44
6. John The Baptist - 3:13
7. The Ocean - 3:41
8. Traffic-Light Lady - 3:19
9. Tomorrow Time (Beverley Martyn) - 3:50
10.Would You Believe Me? - 5:22
11.One Of Those Days - 5:43
12.I Don΄T Know - 3:53
13.John The Baptist - 2:56
14.Traffic-Light Lady - 3:01
All tracks by John Martyn except where noted.
Bonus tracks 11-14  Chelsea demos 16-4-1969

Musicians
*John Martyn - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Guitar
*Beverley Martyn - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
*Harvey Brooks - Bass
*Paul Harris - Piano, Organ, Arrangements
*John Simon - Harpsichord
*Levon Helm - Drums
*Herbie Lovell - Drums
*Billy Mundi - Drums

1970  The Road To Ruin

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John And Beverley Martyn - The Road To Ruin (1970 uk, sensational jazzy folk rock, 2005 bonus track remaster)

The posthumous release of guitarist/vocalist/songwriter John Martyn's Heaven And Earth (Hole In The Rain, 2011)—the basic tracks extensively overdubbed, though not edited, by producers Garry Pollitt and Jim Tullio following Martyn's death in 2009—is welcome. Compositionally, it is not one of Martyn's greatest albums, but it contains enough gritty blues/rock guitar, and retentions of the spacey vocal style with which Martyn forged some of his reputation, to satisfy his longtime followers. More than anything though, Heaven And Earth serves to remind us of Martyn's multifaceted 40-year discography, and the above-average proportion of masterworks within it.

Key among those masterworks is 1970's The Road To Ruin. This was the second, and final, album Martyn made with his wife, vocalist/songwriter Beverley, and followed the duo's Stormbringer (Island), released earlier the same year. A more genuinely collaborative effort than Stormbringer, the nine tracks which made up the original LP release of The Road To Ruin include one written by Beverley ("Primrose Hill") and three others jointly composed by Beverley and John ("Auntie Aviator," "Sorry To Be So Long," "Say What You Can"), on all four of which Beverley takes lead vocals. It is these tracks, along with Paul Wheeler's "Give Us A Ring," written for singer/songwriter Nick Drake and the only track on the album not composed by the Martyns, which give the album so much of its affective power and historical resonance. About this, more in a moment.

The other characteristic which distinguishes The Road To Ruin, and made it so adventurous for its time, is the instrumentation. In essence, the music is a folk/rock hybrid played by an acoustic (guitar and bass guitar aside) jazz lineup. The band included three of London's ranking jazz saxophonists: Ray Warleigh, Lyn Dobson (also heard on flute) and South African émigré Dudu Pukwana, each given ample solo space. They are heard alongside John Martyn on guitars (and the Echoplex introduced on Stormbringer), John and Beverley on vocals, pianist and co-arranger Paul Harris, drummers Wells Kelly and Mike Kowalski, and conga player Rocky Dzidzornu. Three bassists are variously employed, including, on one track, "New Day," acoustic player Danny Thompson, on the first of his studio recordings with Martyn.

Much of the horn work was added by producer (and folk/rock Svengali) Joe Boyd after the basic tracks were laid down. Pukwana, for instance, recorded a second solo on top of his extended primary solo on "Road To Ruin," consciously recreating a traditional African call and response pattern. Martyn later expressed reservations about this aspect of the album, saying the overdubs undermined the organic, in-the-moment feel he wanted. The criticism, however, was likely prompted by some other dispute Martyn was having with Boyd at the time, for The Road To Ruin, post-production and all, still sounds as in-the-moment as it gets. It reeks of atmosphere, one laden with incense, herbal aromas and a sense of community.

Which brings us to the historical resonance mentioned above. In commercial terms, The Road To Ruin was small fry: Martyn's breakthrough came a little later, with Bless The Weather (Island, 1971) and Solid Air (Island, 1973). But the album (with its pitch perfect Max Ernst front cover illustration) was common currency among London's counterculture, in no small part because of the Martyns' well known enjoyment of hash and weed, which seeps out of every groove and which is explicitly referenced in "Primrose Hill," "Auntie Aviator" and "Give Us A Ring." In its own, more pastoral way, "Auntie Aviator"—which starts unremarkably, but rapidly evolves into something mysterious and other, via the lyrics, Beverley's vocal delivery and John's theremin-like guitar lines—was in Britain as much of a psychedelic rallying cry as Grace Slick's "White Rabbit," from the Jefferson Airplane's album Surrealistic Pillow (RCA Victor, 1967), had been three years earlier. Martyn continued to enjoy dope for the rest of his life, and went through the statutory cocaine binge; the damage was done later by alcohol addiction.

But you don't have to have been there to enjoy it. The Road To Ruin, with all its historical baggage—societal and, informed as it so pervasively was by the Martyns' lifestyle, domestic—still sounds as exalted as it ever did.

by Chris May

Tracks
1. Primrose Hill (Beverley Martyn) - 2:53
2. Parcels - 3:24
3. Auntie Aviator (John And Beverley Martyn) - 6:00
4. New Day - 3:56
5. Give Us A Ring (Paul Wheeler) - 3:50
6. Sorry To Be So Long (John And Beverley Martyn) - 4:40
7. Tree Green - 3:08
8. Say What You Can (John And Beverley Martyn) - 3:02
9. Road To Ruin - 6:21
All tracks composed by John Martyn, except where indicated

Musicians
*John Martyn - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Keyboards
*Beverley Martyn - Vocals, Guitar
*Dudu Pukwana – Saxophone
*Lyn Dobson - Flute, Saxophone
*Dave Pegg - Bass
*Rocky Dzidzornu - Congas
*Paul Harris - Keyboards
*Wells Kelly – Drums, Bass
*Mike Kowalski - Drums
*Alan Spenner - Bass
*Ray Warleigh - Saxophone
*Danny Thompson - Double Bass

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Mouse And Traps - Fraternity Years (1965-68 us, smashin' garage psych folk rock, Big Beat release)

There are some who say that this early 1966 masterpiece does Dylan's 'Highway 61' period better than the master himself, said Lenny Kaye of "A Public Execution" in the liner notes to the epochal Nuggets compilation album from 1972. In the small but fiercely contested kingdom of Dylan imitators Texas' Mouse 'n' The Traps stand tallest due to Execution. 

It was only a medium-sized hit in the United States back in the 1960s but has become renowned the World over in the years since, as one of the best records of its kind. In truth, while Ronnie 'Mouse' Weiss and his gang of Texas buddies would never deny the influence of Dylan's classic folk-rock, A Public Execution - shaped into a Dylan cop more by the studio machinations of producer Robin Hood Brians than anything else - was merely one facet of a band that could cover all the bases. 

Along the way, they made some of the most enduring rock and pop records of the decade. If nothing else, they should be remembered for the raging follow-up 'Maid Of Sugar-Maid Of Spice', a record so violent that the grooves of the original 45 could barely contain it (hear it off master tape for the first time since release on The Fraternity Years, but remember, Big Beat Records accepts no liability for damage caused to your loudspeakers). The Traps formed in late 1965 from a pool of hot pickers and teenage musicians centred around Robin Hood's studio in Tyler, Texas. 

With his strong voice and offbeat demeanour Mouse became the defacto leader of the band that cut Execution purely for fun, and then realised they had a regional hit on their hands. Ken Murray and David Stanley headed up the solid rhythm section, the underrated Buggs Henderson strangled the guitar and the Traps went through keyboard players like margaritas on a hot Tyler night. 

The group toured all over the Southern midwest in the mid to late 1960s and had a considerable following, thanks to their wild act. Unfortunately, the Traps never succeeded in capitalising on their live popularity, despite a slew of excellent releases for the Fraternity label. Like I Know You Do, Promises Promises and Cryin' Inside were all state-of-the-art pop gems, as was Sometimes You Just Can't Win, an almost-but-not-quite smash with an expert arrangement. 

Looking to broaden their commercial potential, the band even flirted with psychedelic pop, their Look At The Sun and I Satisfy being two fine examples of the genre. But it's gritty garage rock'n'roll that was the forte of Mouse & The Traps, as it should be for any Texan outfit worth their enchiladas. Hear 'em wail on previously unissued versions of I'm A Man and You Don't Love Me, as well as the oft-covered flip Lie Beg Borrow and Steal. "The Fraternity Years" collects together every worthwhile moment of Mouse & The Traps' glory years, with the usual Big Beat attention to detail, in one helluva rockin' package. 

Ace-recs

Tracks
1.  A Public Execution (Knox Henderson, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:49
2.  Maid Of Sugar, Maid Of Spice (Knox Henderson, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:40
3.  Nobody Cares (Randy Fouts, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:44
4.  Cryin' Inside (David Stanley, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:33
5.  I'm A Man (McDaniel) - 2:25
6.  Lie Beg Borrow And Steal (Ronnie Weiss) - 2:35
7. (as Chris St John) - I've Got Her Love (Mack Barton, Robin Hood Brians) - 2:15
8.  I Am That One (Mack Barton, Robin Hood Brians) - 2:26
9.  Like I Know You Do (Knox Henderson, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:25
10.Sometimes You Just Can't Win (Knox Henderson, Robin Hood Brians) - 2:57
11.All For You (Knox Henderson, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:47
12.Do The Best You Can (Robin Hood Brians) - 2:25
13.Look At The Sun (Tim Gillespie) - 2:41
14.You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care) (Willie Cobbs) - 2:09
15.Promises Promises (Dale Payne, Robin Hood Brians) - 2:24
16.I Satisfy (David Stanley, Ronnie Weiss) - 3:47
17.Requiem For Sarah (David Stanley, Ronnie Weiss) - 3:19
18.L.O.V.E. Love (Knox Henderson, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:31
19.Ya Ya (Clarence Lewis, Lee Dorsey, Morgan Robinson) - 1:57
20.Good Times (David Stanley, Ronnie Weiss) - 2:31
21.Hand In Hand (David Stanley) - 1:59
22.You Are My Sunshine (Charles Mitchell, Jimmie Davis) - 2:23
23. I Wonder Where The Birds Fly - 1:57
24.Mohair Sam (Dallas Frazier) - 2:14
25.(as Chris St John) - As Far As The Sea (Mack Barton, Robin Hood Brians) - 2:39

Mouse And Traps
*Mouse - Vocals, Guitar
*Ken Murray - Drums
*David Stanley - Bass
*Bobby Delk - Keyboards
Additional Musicians
*Don Levi Garrett - Drums
*Bugs Henderson - Guitar, Banjo, Vocals
*Doug Rhone - Guitar, Vocals
*Randy Fouts - Keyboards
*Tim Gillespie - Keyboards
*Robin Hood Brians- Keyboards, Strings Arrangments
*H L Voelker - Vocals

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Bachdenkel - Stalingrad (1975-76 uk, fragile atmospheric gentle progressive rock, SPM bonus tracks edition)

The second album called "Stalingrad" (in cyrillic letters) was recorded and released in 1977. in the mean time BACHDENKEL toured small venues through europe (mostly France). BACHDENKEL started as a Flower Power psychedelic rock band (Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, Beatles, Procol Harum), but developed towards a more symphonic/melodic progstyle for their second album. Their sound is dominated by guitar and drums, with great vocals and occasional keyboard passages.

Tracks

1. The Whole World (Looking Over My Shoulder) - 3:37

2. After The Fall - 4:27

3. Seven Times Tomorrow - 3:56

4. For You To Live With Me - 3:23

5. The Tournament - 2:52

6. (It's Always) Easy To Be Hard - 4:46

7. Xenophon - 4:51

8. Ctalingpad - 3:30

9. Stalingrad - 4:33

10.You Lied About Your Age - 3:11

11.Ring Of Truth - 2:55

12.Sirocco -  2:58

13.Ctalingrad - 3:23

14.After The Fall - 5:35

15.For You To Live With Me - 4:38

16.Seven Times Tomorrow - 6:50

17.Through The Eyes Of A Child - 4:01

18.An Appointment With The Master - 3:39

19.Bo Bo's Party (Melanie Safka) - 6:11

Tracks 1,5,6,13,15,18  by Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer

Tracks 2,3,7,8,11,14,16 by Colin Swinburne, Karel Beer

Tracks 4,10,17 by Colin Swinburne, Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer

Tracks 9,12 by Peter Kimberley, Colin Swinburne

Bachdenkel 
*Colin Swinburne - Guitar, Organ, Piano
*Peter Kimberley - 6 String Bass, Piano
*Brian Smith - Drums
With
*Karel Beer - Electric 12-String Guitar, Slide Guitar
*Irv Howray - Vocals
*Andy Scott - ARP Synthesizer

1968-70/73  Bachdenkel - Lemmings 

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Bachdenkel - Lemmings (1968-70/73 uk, fantastic progressive rock, 2007 Ork extra tracks issue)

Bachdenkel started out life as the U NO Who.  This late 60s group had been active on the Birmingham scene for some time and played psychedelic pop.  They recorded a handful of respectable tracks which were pitched to the Beatles’ Apple label but no deal ever materialized.  The U NO Who would go on to become Bachdenkel at the end of the decade.  Bachdenkel’s lineup looked something like this:  Colin Swinburne on vocals, guitar, piano, organ and harpsichord, Peter Kimberley on vocals, bass and piano, Brian Smith on drums, and Karel Beer on Organ.

Bachdenkel would relocate to France and record the great Lemmings album in 1970.  Although the LP was completed by the summer of 1970, Phillips didn’t release Lemmings until 1973 - released throughout Europe but not in the UK.  This really sealed this unique British group’s fate – unfairly so because they were very talented.  I believe a UK reissue/rerelease appeared in the late 70s (maybe 1978) but by that time Bachdenkel had ceased to exist.    The group released another solid progressive album titled Stalingrad (1975) and toured Europe in 1976 before breaking up.

And as for the Lemmings LP? It’s one of the best 70s progressive rock albums out there.  The musicians here keep their egos in check and know when to end a song, unlike Yes or ELP.  To me this is a much better (and more interesting) album than anything Yes or ELP would ever release.  The ringing guitars dominate Bachdenkel’s sound but there are tasteful keyboards as well.  Some people have linked Bachdenkel’s sound to Caravan, Abbey Road era Beatles, and King Crimson.  

These are all valid comparisons – think of Bachdenkel as a missing link between the Beatles and the mighty Crimso, progressive guitar pop with a slight psychedelic hangover.  “An Appointment With The Master”, the LP’s most popular song, is a lost classic that might be what the Beatles would have sounded like had they lasted into the progressive rock era.  Crashing drums and superb psychedelic guitar work give this cut a fresh edge.  “Translation” and “Equals” are also outstanding dark mood pieces that sound completely modern by today’s standards – this LP has not dated one bit.  

All of Lemmings 7 tracks are excellent, whether it be the 11 minute epic “The Settlement Song” or the shorter, tuneful tracks like “Long Time Living” – every works beautifully.  So…interesting arrangements that take chances (unique twists and turns), a dark aura, rock solid songwriting, Caravan-like vocals, and great musicianship unify this very special musical statement.  Any fan of classic rock needs to own this essential masterpiece.

Jason Nardelli

Tracks

1. Translation (Colin Swinburne, Karel Beer) - 4:17

2. Equals (Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer) - 1:51

3. An Appointment With The Master (Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer) - 5:15

4. The Settlement Song (Colin Swinburne, Peter Kimberley, Brian Smith, Karel Beer) - 11:26 

5. Long Time Living (Colin Swinburne, Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer) - 2:17

6. Strangerstill (Colin Swinburne, Peter Kimberley, Brian Smith, Karel Beer) - 6:51

7. Come All Ye Faceless (Colin Swinburne, Peter Kimberley, Brian Smith, Karel Beer) - 9:06

8. The Slightest Distance (Colin Swinburne, Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer) - 6:09

9. Donna (Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer) - 4:15

10.A Thousand Pages Before (Colin Swinburne, Karel Beer) - 6:35

11.Through The Eyes Of A Child (Peter Kimberley, Colin Swinburne, Karel Beer) - 4:01

12.An (Other) Appointment With The Master (Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer) - 3:42

13.Strange People (Peter Kimberley, Karel Beer) - 3:20 

Bachdenkel 
*Colin Swinburne - Guitar, Organ, Piano, Vocals
*Peter Kimberley - Bass, Piano, Vocals
*Brian Smith - Drums
*Karel Beer - Organ

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Sperrmüll - Sperrmüll (1973 germany, hard rock with some prog and psych shades, 2005 digi pak edition)

Sperrmüll is a German rock band founded in Aachen in the early 70s.
In 1971, Harald Kaiser and Reinhold Breuer decided to form a trio. His name sperrmüll. Then one day, Helmut Krieg arrives with his guitar and arrangements and the group is started. From that time, the group became a quartet with the involvement of Peter Schneider to play keyboards. The group's name is somewhat obscure because "Sperrmüll" is a German expression that means garbage in bulk.

They recorded one album for the label Brain in a very limited edition in 1972, in a manner also quite anonymous Dieter Dierks studio in Stommeln produced by a Chazadu surely a pseudonym.A test similar to the very successful early Deep Purple in Nosferatu and even Rufus Zuphall, This album has long been a precious rarity vinyl

Sperrmüll offers a burly album called simply "Sperrmüll" songs are in English and not overloaded instrumentally speaking, but the group actually plenty to offer. Mainly Heavy Rock, but with many additions musiqu progressive, guitar as well as the organ.

The original LP consists of 6 songs, then later be digitally added two songs ("You Have To Leave" and "To Be Satisfied").The set is however complex and dynamic improvisations in between some vagueness (many Hammond organs and guitars Heavy catchy) arrangements and folk epic flute.

The opening track is a pop folk entitled "Me And My Girlfriend" controlled first by mandolin and piano, lead, little by little, through the organ and synthesizer to an end much more Heavy Blues. "No Freak Out", Prog majestically, is the song of the group's most famous because it is found on most long compilations of Krautrock for several years. A good choice because it is a good mix of psychedelic ingredients in a style close to Pink Floyd combined with a monotonous rhythm. "Rising Up" is a bit more spacy sometimes reminiscent of Deep Purple, Eloy or even Grobschnitt.

The Hard Rock "Right Now", an epic nine minutes begins some unusual way, because only bursts of guitar and drums hell are dueling for a moment. After several minutes, the song turns into a calmer perfectly structured piece with a jazzy piano and a powerful bass, and finally ending in Hard Rock again. Perhaps the best part, because of these innovations varied.

The last two tracks "Land Of The Rocking Sun" and "Pat Casey" are not really important, because they are typically Rock songs, while the second has a more pronounced rhythm style Boogie Woogie.

by Adamus67

Tracks
1. Me An My Girlfriend - 5:05
2. No Freak Out - 6:43
3. Rising Up (Harald Kaiser) - 6:32
4. Right Now - 9:09
5. Land Of The Rocking Sun - 4:30
6. Pat Casey - 3:20

All compositions by Helmut Krieg except where stated

Sperrmull
*Helmut Krieg - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
*Harald Kaiser - Bass, Vocals
*Reinhold Breuer - Drums, Percussion
*Peter Schneider - Organ, Electric Piano, Synthesizer

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Classical M - Bad Guys The Complete Collection (1967-70 france, delirious provocative psych rock, 2005 release)

Classical M could have made a great album if given the chance. As it is, the songs contained on this disc make for a stunning collection, with the band’s psychedelic flourishes, outrageous melodies, and fantastic attention to production detail evident throughout. 

This profoundly original music was made in three short years (1967-1970): twenty-four delirious and provocative songs that establish Classical M as perhaps the best, and certainly the most intriguing French band of all time. 

Their offbeat sense of rhythm and harmony, the complex intertwining of voices, and perhaps more than anything, their unusual practice of trying to play all sorts of instruments—be they electronic or traditional—these elements make the music of this odd French trio unique and very special. 

by Vincent Tornatore

Tracks
1. Love, Love Is There - 2:42
2. Gog Demagog (Pipo, G. Maruani, A. Maruani) - 2:53
3. Bad Guy - 4:02
4. The Way I Do Love You - 2:50
5. Such a Lovely Voice - 5:49
6. Once in a While (Demo Version) (G. Maruani, A. Maruani, H. Bratter) - 2:35
7. Music of the Rain (A.K.A. Mélodie de La Pluie) - 3:08
8. Decomplexion (Classical M) - 9:03
9. Ugly Room - 1:51
10.Ever Be My Friend? - 2:29
11.Paris Est une Ville d'Alcooliques - 4:39
12.J'Ai Décidé - 3:02
13.Le Romancier Tchèque - 3:10
14.J'Entends Les Étoiles (G. Maruani, A. Maruani, H. Bratter) - 4:06
15.Sisyphe - 2:06
16.C'est La Guerre (G. Maruani, A. Maruani, H. Bratter) - 2:16
17.Pauvre Cobaye (A.K.A. Cow-Boy) (G. Maruani, H. Bratter) - 1:40
18.Une Rivière Qui S'Égare (G. Maruani, H. Bratter) - 2:43
19.Un Jour de Chance (Demo Version) - 2:29
20.Love You One Another (G. Maruani, A. Maruani, H. Bratter) - 3:11
21.Marouanabab (Classical M) - 3:15
22.Love, Love Is There (Live) - 3:34
23.Le Métro (Live) - 2:17
24.Pop Club Session (Live) - 3:17
All songs by Guy Maruani and Andre Maruani except where indicated.

Classical M
*Guy Maruani - Lead Vocals, Flute, Harmonica, Percussion
*Andre Maruani - 12 string Guitar, Oud, Violin, Keyboards, Vocals
*Henri Bratter - Lead Guitar, Percussion

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Cochise - Cochise (1970 uk, fine country folk rock with BJ Cole, Rick Wills pre-Foreigner and Mick Grabham from Procol Harum, Kissing Spell edition)

There was a lot of talent involved in the making of Cochise's debut album. Guitarist Mick Grabham went on to play in Procol Harum; bassist Rick Wills would later join Foreigner; B.J. Cole would be an in-demand pedal steel player on many sessions over the next few decades; drummer Willie Wilson would play with Pink Floyd; Dick Taylor, who'd just left the Pretty Things, produced; and Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis (famous for working on Pink Floyd LP covers) designed a striking and, for the period, daring cover of a woman's unadorned breasts. 

The credits on a resume don't always guarantee an outstanding album, however, and Cochise is one of those '60s-turning-into-'70s records that treads an uneasy line between eclectic diversity and a lack of direction. It's so-so period 1970 British rock, distinguished just slightly by a more country-ish flavor than the norm, courtesy of Cole's pedal steel. It's not country-rock, however, and some of the songs in fact owe little or nothing to the form. 

Numbers like "Painted Lady" and "Moment and the End" are tense, meandering hard rock tunes; the latter cut, in fact (as well as sections of some others, like "Velvet Mountain") sounds kind of like late-'60s/early-'70s Guess Who LP filler. There's a wistful rural feel to parts of the material that suggests some promise, but that mood's shattered by an unnecessary, pedestrian heavy rock cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge Song." 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Velvet Mountain (Mick Grabham) - 3:26
2. China (Grabham)-3:55
3. Trafalgar Day (B. J. Cole) - 5:08
4. Moment And The End (Cole) - 5:58
5. Watch This Space (Stewart Brown) - 3:56
6. 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) (Paul Simon) - 3:39
7. Past Loves (Brown) - 3:38
8. Painted Lady (Grabham) - 7:03
9. Black Is The Colour (Traditional) - 0:56

Cochise
*Stewart Brown - Guitar, Vocals
*B.J. Cole - Dobro, Guitar, Pedal Steel, Cello, Steel Guitar
*Mick Grabham - Organ, Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals
*Rick Wills - Bass, Vocals
*John Sly Wilson - Percussion, Drums, Vocals

1970-72  Cochise – Velvet Mountain An Anthology (2013 remaster)

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Harlem River Drive - Harlem River Drive (1971 us, awesome latin jazz funky psych)

The reason this record is "legendary" is because it marks the first recorded performances, in 1970, of Eddie and Charlie Palmieri as bandleaders. The reason it should be a near mythical recording (it has never been available in the U.S. on CD, and was long out of print on LP before CDs made the scene), is for its musical quality and innovation. 

The Palmieris formed a band of themselves, a couple of Latinos that included Andy Gonzales, jazz-funk great -- even then -- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and some white guys and taught them how to play a music that was equal parts Cuban mambo, American soul via Stax/Volt, blues, Funkadelic-style rock, pop-jazz, and harmonic and instrumental arrangements every bit as sophisticated as Burt Bacharach's or Henry Mancini's or even Stan Kenton's. 

One can hear in "Harlem River Drive (Theme)" and "Idle Hands" a sound akin to War's on World Is a Ghetto. Guess where War got it? "If (We Had Peace)" was even a model for Lee Oskar's "City, Country, City." And as much as War modeled their later sound on this one record, as great as they were, they never reached this peak artistically. But there's so much here: the amazing vocals (Jimmy Noonan was in this band), the multi-dimensional percussion section, the tight, brass-heavy horn section, and the spaced-out guitar and keyboard work (give a listen to "Broken Home") where vocal lines trade with a soprano saxophone and a guitar as snaky keyboards create their own mystical effect. 

One can bet that Chick Corea heard in Eddie's piano playing a stylistic possibility for Return to Forever's Light As a Feather and Romantic Warrior albums. The band seems endless, as if there are dozens of musicians playing seamlessly together live -- dig the percussion styling of Manny Oquendo on the cowbell and conga and the choral work of Marilyn Hirscher and Allan Taylor behind Noonan. Harlem River Drive is a classic because after 30-plus years, it still sounds as if listeners are the ones catching up to it. It's worth every dime you pay for it, so special order it today. 

by Thom Jurek

Tracks

1. Harlem River Drive (Theme Song) (Calvin Clash, Eddie Palmieri) - 4:11

2. If (We Had Peace Today) (Jimmy Norman, Al Taylor) - 3:02

3. Idle Hands (Marilyn Hirscher, Bob Bianco) - 8:29

4. Broken Home (Calvin Clash, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri) - 10:37

5. Seeds of Life (Calvin Clash, Eddie Palmieri) - 5:09

Musicians
*Randy Brecker  - Trumpet
*Burt Collins  - Trumpet
*Ronnie Cuber  - Brass Arrangement, Saxophones
*Cornell Dupree  - Guitar
*Reggie Ferguson  - Drums
*Bruce Fowler  - Trombone
*Andy González  - Bass
*Gerald Jemmott  - Bass
*Bob Mann  - Guitar
*Nicky Marrero  - Drums, Timbales
*Dick Meza  - Tenor  Sax
*Jimmy Norman  -   Vocals
*Manny Oquendo  - Congas, Cowbell, Timbales
*Eddie Palmieri  - Piano
*Charlie Palmieri  - Organ
*Eladio Perez  - Congas
*Dean Robert Pratt  - Drums
*Bernard "Pretty" Purdie  - Drums
*Barry Rogers  - Trombone
*Allan Taylor  - Choir, Chorus
*Marilyn Hirscher  - Choir, Chorus
*Victor Venegas  - Bass

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