Bob Mosley - Bob Mosley (1972 us, sensational hard rockin' funky psych with some folk shades, Wounded Bird edition)

Born and raised in Southern California (Paradise Valley), James Robert Mosley spent his teens playing in a number of local bands, including stints with The Frantics, The Misfits and the Strangers. By 1966 Mosley was a member of the ill-fated Moby Grape. His residency proved fairly brief. Discouraged with the band's lack of commercial success and what he saw as Columbia Records unwillingness to adequately support the group, Mosley dropped out of the band following the release of "Moby Grape '69". 

As the story goes, Mosley was working as a school janitor and was about to be drafted when he decided to volunteer for the Marine Corps. Mosley made it through basic training, however an extended military career was not in the cards. Following a fight with an officer, nine months into his enlistment he was diagnosed as suffering from paranoid-schizophrenic and discharged. Returning to California, he rejoined The Grape in time to record 1971's "20 Granite Creek". Unfortunately, shortly after the album was released the group again called it quits. Somehow attracting the attention of Reprise Records, Mosley secured a recording contract, going into Hollywood's Crystal Studios with producer Michael O'Connor. 

Recognizing that cut out bins are full of atrocious solo efforts, we weren't expecting all that much from 1972's "Bob Mosley". Our mistake !!! (Guess we should have remembered that the guy wrote some of The Grape's best material - "Mr. Blues", "Come In The Morning" and "Trucking Man".) Credited with penning all eleven tracks (one co-written with brother Andy), Mosley turned in an album that was as good as anything The Grape ever recorded. Supported by a talented pick-up band including former Superfine Dandelion guitarist Ed Black and former Morning Glory drummer Allen Wehr, Mosley demonstrated an almost chameleon-like ability to handle different musical styles. 

The lead off "The Joker" was a roaring slice of fuzz guitar propelled rocker, "Hands of Time" was a nice West Coast rocker, while "Thanks" offered up a pretty country-rock tune. Among the other highlights, sporting backing from the Memphis Horns, "Let the Music Play", "Nothing to Do" and a rerecorded "Gypsy Wedding" offered up three classic slices of blue-eyed soul. Personal favorite, the wonderful "Gone Fishin'" Sadly, this lost classic vanished without a trace.

Bad-cat

Tracks
1. The Joker - 3:41
2. Gypsy Wedding - 3:41
3. 1245 Kearny - 3:15
4. Squaw Valley Nils (Hocked Soul) - 3:09
5. Let the Music Play -3:36
6. Thanks - 3:17
7. Where Do the Birds Go - 3:37
8. Hand in Hand - 3:03
9. Gone Fishin' (Bob Mosley, Andy Mosley) - 3:22
10.Nothing to Do - 2:22
11.So Many Troubles - 4:04
All compositions by Bob Mosley except where indicated.

Musicians
*Woodie Berry - Backing Vocals
*Ed Black - Guitar
*Bob Mosley - Vocals, Bass
*Frank Smith - Backing Vocals
*Allen Wehr - Drums, Backing Vocals

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The Roosters - All Of Our Days (1964-68 us, jingle-jangle garage surf, folk rock, Vinyl edition)

The Roosters have been known among fans and followers of the Californian mid 60s folk rock scene for a long time. Their "One Of These Days" b/w "You Gotta Run" 45 has been included on early garage compilations and is a huge favourite among collectors. Less well known is their second and at least as brilliant 45 "Rosebush" / "Ain't Gonna Cry Anymore". 

Additionally there's a rare 1965 surf/mersey punk single released under the name "Five More", an early 1965 acetate put down as the Avengers and most of all, three 1966 stunning unreleased folk/garage janglers recorded at Gold Star Studio. This collection finally puts all these gems in one place and unravels the enigmas behind the band on a LP sized full glossy insert with a detailed history of the band emerging from the memoirs of guitarist and songwriter Timothy Ward and the bandOs vocalist Ray Mangigian. 

This is embellished with a load of stunning never-before-seen photos. Finally here«s the legacy of an underrated, but excellent band direct from Los Angeles, the mid-Sixties epicenter of jangle  The Roosters! 

Tracks
1. Avalanche (As The Five More) (T. Ward, T. Stanton) - 2:14
2. I'm No Good  (As The Five More) (T. Ward, T. Stanton) - 2:31
3. One Of These Days (T. Ward, T. Stanton) - 2:49
4. You Gotta Run (T. Ward) - 2:25
5. Rosebush (T. Ward) - 2:06
6. Ain't Gonna Cry Anymores (T. Ward) - 2:29
7. Cool It (T. Ward) - 2:08
8. Help Me Please (T. Ward) - 2:41
9. She Sends Me (T. Ward) - 2:33
10.Deep Inside (T. Ward) - 2:32
11.I'm Suspecting (J. Griffin, M. Gordon) - 2:26
12.Love Machine (J. Griffin, M. Gordon) - 2:42

The Roosters
Ray Mangigian - Vocals 1-12
Levitt Earhart - Guitar 1-10
Tim Ward - Guitar 1-12
Floyd Fletcher - Bass 1-12
Jim Peters - Drums 5-6 & 8-10
Dave Bolen - Drums 1-4, 7
Tom Stanton -Drums - 11-12

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Alquin - Marks (1972 holland, progressive jazzy folk rock, 2009 remaster)

Like most young bands, Alquin proudly wore their influences on their sleeves, but unlike most of their fellow progressive rockers, the Dutch group eschewed opulent arrangements and showboat soloing. Simplicity seems to have been the byword for their 1973 debut album, Marks, recorded while the members were still attending Delft's Technical University. 

This understandably led to the album being tagged as jazz-folk, but that label does injustice to the breadth of Alquin's vision and wide range of styles, with their songs encompassing everything from a conga line to disco, Dixieland to Gypsy violin. The unadorned arrangements counterintuitively make Marks sound far less adventurous than it actually is, but correspondingly far more accessible than it might otherwise have been. It's also a reflection of the set's lack of improvisation, but live the band soared into more experimental territory, as "Mr. Barnum Junior's Magnificent and Fabulous City" well illustrates, an extended piece that giddily shape-shifts through numerous genres and styles. 

Contrast that number with the lilting in and out of pomp rock and jazz during "Oriental Journey," the cheery jazz-pop of "The Least You Could Do Is Send Me Some Flowers," or the moody jazz fusion of "Soft Royce"; it's like night and day. Positioning themselves between the Canterbury scene, the jazz clubs, West Coast psychedelia, and the rock greats, Alquin took the best of all worlds and threaded it into a sound uniquely their own. They had much growing to do, but this was an impressive start. 

by Dave Thompson

Tracks
1. Oriental Journey - 4:22
2. The Least You Could Do Is Send Me Some Flowers - 2:26
3. Soft Royce (F. Bakker, Ronald Ottenhoff) - 6:57
4. Mr. Barnum Junior's Magnificent And Fabulous City (Alquin) - 5:36
5. I Wish I Could - 11:47
6. You Always Can Change (Job Tarenskeen) - 3:05
7. Marc's Occasional Showers - 3:23
8. Catharine's Wig - 2:38
9. Hard Royce (F. Bakker, Ronald Ottenhoff) - 2:40
All songs by Ferdinand Bakker except where noted

Alquin
*Hein Mars - Bass
*Paul Westrate - Drums
*Job Tarenskeen - Saxophone, Percussion, Vocals
*Ronald Ottenhoff - Saxophone, Flute
*Ferdinand Bakker - Guitar, Electric Violin, Piano, Vocals
*Dick Franssen - Organ, Piano, E-Piano

1973  Alquin - The Mountain Queen

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The Rising Storm - Calm Before... Alive Again At Andover (1967 us, impressive garage psych)

Hardcore fans of unknown 60s psych and garage all search for that taste of magic once committed to rare grooves of vinyl, a glimpse into an era when any rock combo with a few fans could get enough studio time to immortalize a set of their wildest sounds, and with Calm Before.., you get the full dosage.

If you have an original copy of this record, you ought to encase it in 15 sheets of mylar and lock it up in the safe, as garage rock hounds are probably sniffing you down as you read this. Only 500 LPs were pressed in 1967, just as these six young lads from Phillips Academy in Massachusetts were graduating prep school.

Typically, impossibly rare albums tend to get seriously over-hyped, but not so in this case. Collectors don’t go nuts over this one because it’s so rare, it’s because it’s so good! The Rising Storm rocks with the controlled frenzy of The Remains (even tearing open the album with their explosive “Don’t Look Back”), but manage to layer in a thin film of psychedelia. The contemplative original numbers are the real gems on this record. “To L.N./Who Doesn’t Know,” “Frozen Laughter,” and “The Rain Falls Down” are three must-hear folk-tinged treats.

“Mr. Wind”  with it’s lovely, lilting melody and the rollicking “Bright Lit Blue Skies” were both tunes borrowed from local Boston garage rocker contemporaries, The Rockin’ Ramrods, clearly heroes to the Storm. Another laid back treat is “A Message To Pretty,” a Love cover that proves the musical taste and cool sensibility of these young preps. Simply put, the rockers on here will start up the party, but the softer tunes give it all the sparkle.

Most of my favorite records take some time invested before they begin to reward, and Calm Before is a genuine grower. Â The CD reissue includes the original LP lineup and follows with a 1983 reunion concert recorded in their home town of Andover. Surprisingly, the boys play with all the same energy and a little bit of welcome slop that actually recreates an authentic garage sound.

These guys arguably had one of the best band names of the time.

by Brendan McGrath, June 8th, 2007 

Tracks
1. Don't Look Back - 2:50
2. Medley - 3:16
3. I'm Coming Home - 2:50
4. A Message to Pretty - 3:30
5. In the Midnight Hour - 3:54
6. Frozen Laughter - 3:10
7. She Loved Me - 3:45
8. Mr. Wind - 3:04
9. Big Boss Man - 3:03
10.Bright Lit Blue Skies - 2:32
11.The Rain Falls Down - 3:26
12.Baby Please Don't Go - 2:52
13.Slow Down - 3:30
14.I'm Crying - 4:34
15.Signed D.C - 3:28
16.I'm Coming Home - 3:15
17.A Message to Pretty - 3:54
18.In the Midnight Hour - 3:01
19.My Little Red Book - 2:56
20.Medley - 3:40
21.We Gotta Get Out of This Place - 3:44
22.Medley - 6:40

The Rising Storm
*Bob Cohan - Guitar, Vocals
*Todd Cohen - Bass, Vocals
*Andy Paley - Bass, Vocals
*Charlie Rockwell - Organ, Electric Piano, Vocals
*Tony Scheft - Bongos, Drums, Tambourine
*Tony Thompson - Guitar, Vocals
*Rich Weinberg - Cowbell, Guitar, Harmonica, Tambourine, Vocals

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Gilgamesh - Gilgamesh (1975 uk, splendid fusion progressive jazz rock, 2011 Esoteric remaster)

Esoteric’s 2011 remastered reissue of Gilgamesh’s 1975 eponymous debut recording provides a 21st century opportunity to investigate a fine group that emerged during the waning days of Britain’s Canterbury scene. The album by keyboardist Alan Gowen’s quartet -- also featuring guitarist Phil Lee, bassist Jeff Clyne, and drummer Mike Travis in this incarnation -- was issued by Virgin Records’ budget-line Caroline imprint. By the mid-‘70s, Virgin’s support for bands of this ilk was beginning to wane, with punk and new wave soon ruling the day. 

Arriving late in the game, Gowen and company sounded most similar to Canterbury supergroup Hatfield and the North, and in fact Hatfields keyboardist Dave Stewart co-produced the album. Gilgamesh had clearly mastered the Hatfields’ suites’n’segues approach to Canterbury-style complexity while sidestepping blatant imitation -- for the most part. Certainly from the first notes of opening three-part suite “One End More/Phil’s Little Dance/Worlds of Zin,” Gilgamesh prove capable of nimble thematic lines and knotty stops and starts, while admirably refraining from pyrotechnics. 

The suite's kitchen-sink approach makes room for King Crimson-ish Mellotron and grand piano flourishes (recalling Keith Tippett on Lizard) as well as Stevie Wonder-ish funk-lite clavinet, but the uniform production smooths out such quirky juxtapositions. “Lady and Friend” provides a true jolt, with Clyne’s lullaby-like bass melody, seasoned by light electric piano/guitar accompaniment, preceded by a brief blast of full-band unison riffing seemingly designed as a rude interruption.

Just over a minute and a half long, Gowen’s “Arriving Twice” is a wonderful interlude, with acoustic guitar, electric piano, and synth sketching a melody that draws from jazz, folk, and classical but ultimately transcends such labels; it’s the perfect segue into “Island of Rhodes,” the first portion of the album’s next three-part suite, with the track’s namesake keyboard floating in nocturnal ambience a la In a Silent Way before the introduction of a dreamily beautiful theme accompanied by the subtlest percussive embellishments from Travis. 

The suite ultimately offers its own share of unpredictable twists, ending with a driving vamp as guitarist Lee cuts loose, but the production again manages to avoid shattering the prevailing vibe. The album does court Hatfields imitation here and there -- “Jamo and Other Boating Disasters” features Amanda Parsons’ soprano vocals in pure Northettes style during an interlude that clearly strives for the drama of The Rotters’ Club’s “Mumps” coda, while elsewhere Lee employs a decidedly Phil Miller-esque electric guitar tone. But Gowen himself avoids obvious Canterbury devices, eschewing fuzz organ solos during the music’s most animated moments in favor of round-toned synth voicings that snake and float through rather than pierce the air. 

Gilgamesh’s studio-based forays may have tamped down the band’s woollier aspects revealed by the Cuneiform archival recording Arriving Twice issued long after Gowen’s sadly premature death, but in retrospect, the keyboardist and his bandmates were charting their own inimitable direction, too briefly explored but holding up admirably in recordings such as this, decades after the fact. 

by Dave Lynch

Tracks
1. One and More/Phil's Little Dance (For Phil Miller's Trousers) (Alan Gowen, Phil Lee) - 10:22
2. Lady and Friend (Jeff Clyne, Alan Gowen) - 3:44
3. Notwithstanding (Steve Cook, Alan Gowen, Phil Lee) - 4:47
4. Arriving Twice (Alan Gowen) - 1:37
5. Island of Rhodes/Paper Boat/As If Your Eyes Were Open (Steve Cook, Alan Gowen, Phil Lee) - 6:41
6. For Absent Friends (Phil Lee) - 1:13
7. We Are All/Someone Else's Food/Jamo and Other Boating ... (Alan Gowen) - 7:49
8. Just C (Alan Gowen) - 0:47

Gilgamesh
*Jeff Clyne - Bass, Double Bass
*Alan Gowen - Clavinet, Keyboards, Mellotron, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Vocal Arrangement
*Phil Lee - Guitar
*Michael Travis - Drums, Percussion
with
*Amanda Parsons - Vocals

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reissue of this ultra rare 1969 U.K album originally released on Polydor. This re-issue contains the non LP tracks from the band's only release.

Tracks

1. Malfunction Of The Engine - 3:53

2. You Ain't Made Yet - 2:59

3. It Hurts Me Too (Marshall Sehorn, Elmore James) - 3:37

4. Paying The Cost To Be The Boss (B.B. King) - 3:38

5. Night Life (Willie Nelson, Paul Buskirk, Walter Breland) - 5:19

6. Custom Blues - 3:14

7. Popcorn Man (McKinley Morganfield) - 2:17

8. Heartbreaker (B.B. King) - 2:52

9. Solution - 7:03

10.Amber Blues - 2:34

11.Blues Never Die (Otis Spann) - 2:08

12.Malfunction On The Engine - 3:27

13.Blind Love - 2:29

All songs by Roger Cairns, Del Watkins, Gwyn Mathias, John Dover, Keith Whiting except where indicated

Bonus Tracks 12-13 from 1969 single release

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

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Argus - Argus (1973/77 uk, heavy progressive blues rock)

Argus was formed in 1972 by bass player Mick Pearl and drummer Dave Wagstaffe, both musicians hailing originally from Skegness. They recruited in guitarist Del Watkins, who used to play in the band ‘Julian’s Treatment’, who had had some success with a very original album ‘A Time before This’. Del had also been in the Ska band ‘The Skatalites’ as well as Polydor band ‘Rare Amber’, and as a back up musician for Ben E King. 

A singer was eventually found in Bill McRae from Scotland and the band put together a set of original material, with influences from Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash (who’s third album had inspired the band’s name) and Free. The band soon built up a good reputation on the college circuit, festivals, and rock pubs and clubs such as the Fulham Greyhound, from where one report came to the attention of The Old Grey Whistle Test’s Bob Harris, who gave the band a good review on the show. 

After about a year Bill called it a day and a replacement was found in Ken Lewis who hailed from Greenford. Ken was a more experienced performer with a stronger voice, but musically not perhaps as in step with the band as Bill, but the band continued getting some good support slots with Thin Lizzy, Brinsley Schwartz (with Nick Lowe) Jack The Lad, Pink Fairies, The Equals and others. A demo was recorded at the bands huge flat in Brondesbury Park, engineered by John Dover, bassist from Julian’s Treatment, and the newly formed Rocket Records were set to sign the band but Del’s sudden departure brought things grinding to a halt. 

Amongst potential guitarists answering the ensuing advert in melody Maker was Allan Holdsworth, recently departed from Tempest, but with nothing concrete on the table to temp him with, he declined. A replacement was found in an American guitarist from the band Hookfoot, Ray ? - who’s surname seems to have got lost over the years. He eventually was tempted off back to the States for a tour with Dr Hook, and for some reason, probably being fed up with guitarists, the band decided to get a sax player, and were very pleased to get John ‘Irish’ Earle, the baritone sax player formerly with Gnidrolog, and later on Thin Lizzy, Cliff Richards and many more, who impressed the band hugely, but he didn’t stay around too long before other ventures called. 

The end came when bass player Mick Pearl was invited to join Nicky Moore’s Hackensack. The songs that had been recorded were later released on the ‘Audio Archives’ label – some twenty eight years later! Mick went on to play in 'Street Band' with Paul Young, and then went on to form 'Q Tips'. Dave Wagstaffe later played with 'Anaconda', Gaskin, Quasar, John Wetton, Ken Hensley, Davy O List, and currently with 'Landmarq' and Oliver Wakeman.

by Dave Wagstaffe

Tracks
1. Friend Of Mine - 5:54
2. Road Of Life - 3:26
3. Tweny-four Hours - 6:08
4. Same Old Story - 4:03
5. Superstition - 3:44
6. Funk Song - 6:05
7. Why Can't They Leave Us Alone? - 4:15
8. Take No Chance - 8:26
9. Drum Thing - 8:23
10.Jubilee Shuffle - 3:09
11.77 St. Thomas' Road Part 1 - 5:15
12.77 St. Thomas' Road Part 2 - 3:25

Tracks 6-12 as Anaconda

Tracks 1-5 recorded in Brondesbury Park, London 1973 

Tracks 6-12 recorded live at The George Robey, Finsbury Pa rk, London 1977 

Argus
*Dave Wagstaffe - Drums
*Mick Pearl - Bass
*Del Watkins - Guitar
*Ken Lewis - Vocals
Anaconda
*Dave Wags Taffe - Drums
*Randy Spence - Guitar, Vocals
*Rod Newington - Bass
*'Mad' Reg - Flute

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Shiver - San Francisco's Shiver (1972 us, hard fuzz out acid psych, Shadoks bonus tracks release)

Shiver was a late sixties/early seventies band that played heavy acid rock in the vein of Iron Butterfly and Blue Cheer. This album is a reissue of a 1972 recording the band did on an old, yet effective, 2-track machine. Re-released by Shadoks Music, a subdivision of Germany's Normal label, it is a startlingly good artifact of the seventies acid rock scene. 

While their brand of psych rock is significantly heavier than that of the more popular bands of the era - the scorching "Touch As Nails" is enough to make The Seeds and Steppenwolf sound like Barbra Streisand - they are no less psychedelic than any of the era's major outfits. In fact, the band's amazing solos are enough to get any stoner's head in the clouds. "Fixer", for example, sounds as if its straight out of the seventies-era West Coast underground - blasting along with yelled vocals and powerful, spacey guitar solos. "Up My Sleeve", meanwhile, will get you moving immediately - its scorching guitar work and super-fast drumming is enough to get anyone shaking. And when the singer starts screaming along to the insane instrumentation, you'll no longer be on this planet.

And, of course, there's the album's epic, "Alpha Man". Like a cross between the melodic perfection of Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" and the acid-influences of Iron Butterfly's "In A Gadda-Da Vida", the track starts slowly, build up, halts, and then goes right into a devilishly catchy chorus ("Baby I'm the alpha maa-aaa-aan!"). It's the ultimate stoner paradise; head pounding riffs, brain boggling solos, and stoned drumming all make appearances. You'll wish you could have seen it played live.

Shiver's work is that rare stuff you hear so much about but never actually come across; it packs all the energy of a live performance onto one little cd. If you are at all interested in real acid rock, go find this artifact, lie back, and let the music take over your body. You won't be disappointed.

by Matt Shimmer 

Tracks
1. Tough as Nails - 6:48
2. Fixer - 5:10
3. Bone Shaker - 6:24
4. Interstellar Vision - 5:44
5. Alpha Man - 14:29
6. Rocky Road - 3:35
7. Keep on Rocking - 3:01
8. Up My Sleeve - 5:35
9. Winter Time - 4:25

Shiver
*Don Peck - Drums
*Neil Peron - Bass
*Frank Twist - Guitar, Vocals

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Black Merda - Black Merda (1970 us, heavy funky psych blues rock)

Usually linked in with the brief explosion of "black rock" bands that followed Jimi Hendrix in the late '60s and early '70s, Black Merda's formula was a good bit more complicated than most, and their debut album blends elements of hard rock, blues, soul, folk, and embryonic funk with a tough and uncompromising political consciousness that makes the disc at once a product of its time and not quite like anything else around back in the day. 

The guitar work from Anthony Hawkins and Charles Hawkins is tough and organic, whether they're stretching out on extended blues jams such as "Over and Over" and "Windsong" or cutting some hard R&B-accented rock on "Cynthy-Ruth" and "Prophet." Bassist Vessee L. Veasy (who also contributes most of the lead vocals) and percussionist Tyrone Hite generate a lean but effective groove throughout as they jump from the streetwise soul of "Reality" to the acoustic meditation of "Think of Me." But as good as the music is on this album (and despite bland production from someone named Swan, most of it is very good indeed), what really sets it apart is the dark vibe reflected in the minor-key tenor of the melodies and the bitter realities of the lyrics. 

Grinding poverty, racism, political and social inequality, the ongoing nightmare of Vietnam, the growing schism between youth culture and the establishment, and the absence of any easy answers to the dilemmas of a nation spinning out of control dominate songs such as "Reality," "Ashamed," and "That's the Way It Goes," and the grim but wholly appropriate fable of "I Don't Want to Die" ends this album as if a lid were being slammed shut on a coffin. 

Black Merda anticipates the grim consciousness-raising session of Sly & the Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin' On, which wouldn't arrive in stores until a year after this album, and if it isn't the stark masterpiece that Sly's album was, it's good enough that this group deserves to be regarded as much more than a footnote in the black music scene of the early '70s. 

by Mark Deming

Tracks
1. Prophet (Anthony Hawkins) - 2:54
2. Think of Me (Anthony Hawkins, Charles Hawkins, Tyrone Hite) - 2:33
3. Cynthy-Ruth (Roosevelt Veasey) - 3:06
4. Over and Over (Anthony Hawkins, Charles Hawkins, Tyrone Hite) - 5:33
5. Ashamed (Anthony Hawkins) - 3:52
6. Reality (Roosevelt Veasey) - 2:01
7. Windsong (Anthony Hawkins, Charles Hawkins, Tyrone Hite) - 4:14
8. Good Luck (Anthony Hawkins) - 3:46
9. That's the Way It Goes (Roosevelt Veasey) - 3:16
10.I Don't Want to Die (Anthony Hawkins, Charles Hawkins, Tyrone Hite) - 3:52
11.Set Me Free (Anthony Hawkins) - 0:43

Black Merda
*Anthony Hawkins - Guitar, Vocals
*Charles Hawkins - Guitar, Vocals
*Tyrone Hite - Drums, Vocals
*Roosevelt Veasey - Bass, Vocals

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The Aggregation - Mind Odyssey (1968 us, atmospheric psychedelic trip)

Ever since Hermann Hesse suggested back in 1927 that the cost for one admission is your mind, metaphors of magic theatres, carnivals and fun fairs have been popular among those wanting to illustrate altered states of mind. During the psychedelic 1960s the use of such symbols was so frequent and often so ignorant that the serious concept degenerated into a meaningless prop, much like what happened with incense or prayer beads. But as Hesse showed in "Steppenwolf" it is a powerful image with plenty of artistic possibilities.

One of the more remarkable uses of the "funhouse" as a metaphor for exploration of cerebral frontiers can be found on the 1969 "Mind Odyssey" LP by Los Angeles band the Aggregation. The LP is a somewhat obscure cult item today, and not many listeners are likely to realize how immediate, and ironic, the band's use of the concept is. A 5-piece of college graduates, several of which had degrees in music, the Aggregation were one of a small number of rock bands who played regularly at Disneyland. Hit covers of the day were delivered as a diversion for visiting teenagers, but the band also composed original music to work in conjunction with the rides and expositions on offer at Disneyland's "Tomorrowland".

The details behind the Aggregation signing with LHI and the work on the album can be found in the accompanying website interview, leaving us to concentrate on the resulting music. "Mind Odyssey" is a completely realized concept LP that uses a visit to an amusement park as a metaphor for an inner, ostensibly psychedelicized, journey. 

The most remarkable aspect of "Mind Odyssey" is that its' surface is deceptively similar to any number of cheesy concept LPs that appeared in the wake of "Sgt Pepper", yet if you stick around it will open up to reveal layers of elaborate composition and internal logic that surpass all those Beatles imitations, and indeed Sgt Pepper himself. The Charleston/vaudeville track is a telling example -- on the typical post-Pepper album this is a throwaway number made for no other reason than to echo "When I'm 64". When Aggregation does one it makes perfect sense, and even convinces of its need to be there, although it's unlikely to be anyone's favorite track. 

Formally trained and mature enough to understand the use of irony and intermusical references, Aggregation uncover a terrific analogy for a psychedelic experience in Disney's "Tomorrowland", and the way they proceed to deliver it makes "Mind Odyssey" one of my favorite albums from 1969. I bet old Herman Hesse would have liked it too.

by Patrick "the Lama" Lundborg

Tracks
1. The Lady at the Gate (Potts. Braun. Burt. L. O'Hara) - 4:45
2. Looking for the Tour Guide (Bun, L. O'Hara) - 2:13
3. The Long Windy Tunnel (Taylor) - 6:15
4. Flying Free  (Taylor. L. O'Hara) - 3:05
5. White Light  (Taylor. L. O'Hara) - 2:00
6. In the Garden  (Burt, L. O'Hara) - 3:05
7. Reflections  (Braun) - 2:55
8. The City of Toys and Games (Gregory) - 3:23
9. Change (Burt) - 2:50
10. Life's Light (Pott,Taylor) - 6:00

The Aggregation
*Lewayne Braun - Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Dale Burt - Organ, Piano, Honky-Tonk, Vocal
*Bayard Gregory - Drums, Timpani, Bongos, Tambourine, Vocal
*Richard Jones - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Leo Potts - Flute, Clarinet Soprano, Alto, Baritone Saxophone (Electronically Enhanced By Selmervaritone Conn Multi-Vider And Echoplex), Recorder, Kazoo, Vocals
*Bill Sissoev - Bass, Slide And Valve Trombone, Vocal
*Lemoyne Taylor - Flute, Clarinet, Alto, Tenor Saxophone (Electronically Enhanced by Selmervaritone and Music Maestro), Recorder, Slide Whistle, Vocal

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