Lee Michaels - Lee Michaels (1969 us, remarkable organ drivin' groovy heavy psych)

One of the most interesting second-division California psychedelic musicians, keyboardist Lee Michaels was one of the most soulful white vocalists of the late '60s and early '70s. Between 1968 and 1972, he released half a dozen accomplished albums on A&M that encompassed baroque psychedelic pop and gritty white (sometimes gospel-ish) R&B with equal facility. A capable songwriter, Michaels was blessed with an astonishing upper range, occasionally letting loose some thrilling funky wails. In 1971, he landed a surprise Top Ten single with "Do You Know What I Mean," one of the best and funkiest AM hits of the early '70s.

But Michaels was really much more of an album-oriented artist, from the time he began recording in the late '60s. Michaels started playing music in Southern California, where he was in a band with future members of Moby Grape, the Turtles, and Canned Heat. By the time he signed to A&M, however, he'd moved to San Francisco, joining the management stable of Matthew Katz (which also included, at various times, Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape, and It's a Beautiful Day). Michaels was unusual for a San Francisco act in that he relied mostly on an organ-based sound, especially after the first pair of albums, when for a time he played (live and in the studio) with the mammoth drummer "Frosty" as his only accompanist.

"Do You Know What I Mean," ironically, was a throwaway tune that Michaels wrote hurriedly. Though Lee himself didn't think much of it, the song was a first-rate blast of blue-eyed soul; around this time, the gospel influence that had often informed his sound came to the fore. His albums in the mid-'70s for Columbia, however, were both critical and commercial disappointments. Michaels moved to Hawaii for an extended retirement from the music business. In the early '80s he announced the forthcoming independent release of a new solo album entitled Absolute Lee, which finally saw distribution through One Way Records in 1996; however, little has been heard from him since.

by Richie Unterberger

One of the masterpieces of the period, Lee Michaels was essentially recorded live in the studio by only Michaels (organ/bass pedals) and Frosty on drums. It's a fabulous performance and one of the finest R&B/rock sets of the period. The first side is comprised of a medley of soulful workouts that come out sounding not unlike Led Zeppelin. Here, Michaels pulls out all the stops (literally) and showcases the organ as a bona fide rock instrument. Despite the lengthy drum solo, it's one of the finest sides of Los Angeles rock & roll. Michaels also reprises "My Friends," a song from his first album, to great effect. Lee Michaels is also home to the good-time, pro-drug anthem "Highty Hi," as well as an awesome cover of "Stormy Monday." A true party platter. 

by Matthew Greenwald

Tracks
1. Medley: Tell Me How Do You Feel/(Don't Want No) Woman/My Friends/Frost (Lee Michaels) - 20:27
2. Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker) - 5:12
3. Who Could Want More (Lee Michaels) - 3:44
4. Want My Baby (Lee Michaels) - 2:59
5. Heighty Hi (Lee Michaels) - 6:01

Personnel
*Lee Michaels - Bass,  Keyboards,  Vocals
*Bartholomew Smith Frost - Drums, Percussion

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Alvin Lee - In Flight (1974 uk, awesome roots 'n' roll blues rock)

Alvin’s second solo effort and only Alvin could make the magic happen on this recording. It was one Hell of a spectacular event, not only because of the gathering of the all star supporting players, but because for the first time Alvin became just one of the boys in the band. With nothing to prove he was playing for the love of playing and that’s what becomes apparent to the listener, it was a triumph of discipline over stardom. 

For Alvin to sing Don’t Be Cruel and really do it justice is a prime example of  his true talent. He plays his Gibson like a stradivarius and the notes and phrasing flow like silk and honey all over this recording, nothing hectic or over done, it’s all in good taste without the usual Alvin Lee haste. 

When Alvin learned to control his guitar and caress the numbers being played instead of his usual flying fingers assult that he has been known for over the years, that is what has propelled him into a higher artistic status. As the Billboard review has stated, his voice became just as important an instrument as the notes he was playing. 

Bonus τracks, Sombody Callin’ Me and Put It In A Box. Now here is something different and interesting and worthy of being included on this release.   

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Got To Keep Moving - 5:02

2. Going Through The Door - 4:21

3. Don't Be Cruel (Blackwell, Presley) - 2:39

4. Money Honey (Stone) - 3:05

5. I'm Writing You A Letter - 4:52

6. You Need Love Love Love - 5:24

7. Freedom For The Stallion (A. Toussaint) - 6:26

8. Every Blues You've Ever Heard - 5:24

9. All Life's Trials - 2:59

All songs by Alvin Lee except where stated

Disc 2
1. Intro - :53
2. Let's Get Back - 4:58
3. Ride My Train - 4:14
4. There's A Feeling - 4:02
5. Running Round - 5:38
6. Mystery Train (Phillips, Parker) - 4:42
7. Slow Down (Williams) - 3:38
8. Keep A Knockin' (Penniman) - 2:14
9. How Many Times - 2:04
10.I've Got Eyes For You Baby - 3:36
11.I'm Writing You A Letter - 4:18
12.Somebody Callin' Me - 6:26
13.Put It In A Box - 8:06
All songs by Alvin Lee except where noted
Bonus tracks 12-13 Not On Original LP

Personnel
*Alvin Lee - Guitar, vocals
*Tim Hinkley - Keyboards
*Alan Spenner - Bass guitar
*Ian Wallace - Drums
*Mel Collins - saxophone
*Alan Spencer - Bass
*Neil Hubbard - Guitar
*Dylan Birch - Vocals
*Frank Collins - Vocals
*Paddie McHugh - Vocals

1973-74  Alvin Lee And Mylon Lefevre - On The Road To Freedom
2012  Alvin Lee - Still on the Road to Freedom

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Fox - San Francisco Session (1969-70 us, stunning heavy blues psych rock)

An unreleased album from this post "Day Blindness" band, recorded in 1969/70. This album is a heavy bluesy psychedelic masterpiece of the highest order. It is virtually the second "Day Blindness" album with slight personal changes, but musically in a more heavy psychedelic direction. 

The lead guitarist Gary Pihl is well known today for being the guitar player of Boston. Here he plays an amazing psychedelic guitar and it reminds us in parts of the mighty Mariani's "Perpetuum Mobile" album. Superb bass guitar by Johnny V. Vernazza and crazy drums by Roy Garcia, who later went to play with the legendary band Gold (of Rockadelic Records fame!). 

Only one 45 single was ever released of those fantastic sessions on "Studio 10", and the single is mega rare these days.

Tracks
1. Susie S. Kalator - 6:33
2. Sun City - 6:19
3. I Can't Take It - 4:58
4. Keer On Livin' This Wax - 5:27
5. I Was Alone - 4:49
6. Geraldine - 6:28
7. Parckman Farm - 11:00
8. Baby, Please Don't Go - 6:52

Fox
*Johnny Vernazza - Bass
*Roy Garcia - Drums
*Gary Pihl - Guitar

Related Act
1969  Day Blindness 

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Jeff Beck - Truth (1966-68 uk, classic heavy blues rock, 2014 japan SHM remaster and expanded)

Despite being the premiere of heavy metal, Jeff Beck's Truth has never quite carried its reputation the way the early albums by Led Zeppelin did, or even Cream's two most popular LPs, mostly as a result of the erratic nature of the guitarist's subsequent work. 

Time has muted some of its daring, radical nature, elements of which were appropriated by practically every metal band (and most arena rock bands) that followed. Truth was almost as groundbreaking and influential a record as the first Beatles, Rolling Stones, or Who albums. Its attributes weren't all new -- Cream and Jimi Hendrix had been moving in similar directions -- but the combination was: the wailing, heart-stoppingly dramatic vocalizing by Rod Stewart, the thunderous rhythm section of Ron Wood's bass and Mickey Waller's drums, and Beck's blistering lead guitar, which sounds like his amp is turned up to 13 and ready to short out. Beck opens the proceedings in a strikingly bold manner, using his old Yardbirds hit "Shapes of Things" as a jumping-off point, deliberately rebuilding the song from the ground up so it sounds closer to Howlin' Wolf. 

There are lots of unexpected moments on this record: a bone-pounding version of Willie Dixon's "You Shook Me"; a version of Jerome Kern's "Ol' Man River" done as a slow electric blues; a brief plunge into folk territory with a solo acoustic guitar version of "Greensleeves" (which was intended as filler but audiences loved); the progressive blues of "Beck's Bolero"; the extended live "Blues Deluxe"; and "I Ain't Superstitious," a blazing reworking of another Willie Dixon song. It was a triumph -- a number 15 album in America, astoundingly good for a band that had been utterly unknown in the U.S. just six months earlier -- and a very improbable success. 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. Shapes Of Things (Jim Mccarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith) - 3:22
2. Let Me Love You (Beck, Stewart) - 4:44
3. Morning Dew (Bonnie Dobson) - 4:40
4. You Shook Me (Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir) - 2:33
5. Ol' Man River (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) - 4:01
6. Greensleeves (Traditional) - 1:50
7. Rock My Plimsoul (Beck, Stewart) - 4:13
8. Beck's Bolero (Jimmy Page) - 2:54
9. Blues Deluxe (Beck, Stewart) - 7:33
10.I Ain't Superstitious (Willie Dixon) - 4:53
11.I've Been Drinking (Stereo Mix) (Beck, Stewart) - 3:25
12.You Shook Me (Take 1) (Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir) - 2:31
13.Rock My Plimsoul (Stereo Mix Of Single Version) (Beck, Stewart) - 3:42
14.Beck's Bolero (Mono Single Mix) (Jimmy Page) - 3:11
15.Blues Deluxe (Take 1) (Beck, Stewart) - 7:31
16.Tallyman (Graham Gouldman) - 2:46
17.Love Is Blue (André Popp, Pierre Cour, Brian Blackburn) - 2:57
18.Hi Ho Silver Lining (Stereo Mix) (Scott English, Laurence Weiss) - 3:46

Personnel
*Jeff Beck - Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Bass, Vocals
*Rod Stewart - Lead Vocals
*Ronnie Wood - Bass Guitar
*Micky Waller - Drums
*Madeline Bell - Backing Vocals
*John Carter And Ken Lewis - Backing Vocals
*Clem Cattini - Drums
*Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
*Nicky Hopkins - Piano
*John Paul Jones - Bass Guitar, Hammond Organ
*Keith Moon - Drums, Timpani
*Jimmy Page - 12-String Electric Guitar

1969  Jeff Beck Group - Beck-Ola (2006 remaster and expanded)
1970  Jeff Beck - Rough And Ready (Japan remaster)
 with The Yardbirds
1963-68  Glimpses (five disc box set) 

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The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - The Original Lost Elektra Sessions (1964 us, pioneer blues rock blast)

All but one of these 19 tracks were recorded in December, 1964, as Paul Butterfield Blues Band's projected first LP; the results were scrapped and replaced by their official self-titled debut, cut a few months later. With both Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop already in tow, these sessions rank among the earliest blues-rock ever laid down. Extremely similar in feel to the first album, it's perhaps a bit rawer in production and performance, but not appreciably worse or different than what ended up on the actual debut LP. Dedicated primarily to electric Chicago blues standards, Butterfield fans will find this well worth acquiring, as most of the selections were never officially recorded by the first lineup (although different renditions of five tracks showed up on the first album and the What's Shakin' compilation). 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson) - 2:23
2. Just To Be With You (Bernard Roth) - 3:24
3. Help Me (Rice Miller) - 2:17
4. Hate To See You Go ("Little" Walter Jacobs) - 4:35
5. Poor Boy (Traditional) - 3:27
6. Nut Popper #1 (Paul Butterfield) - 2:26
7. Everything‘s Gonna Be Alright ("Little" Walter Jacobs) - 2:59
8. Lovin‘ Cup (Paul Butterfield) - 2:44
9. Rock Me (Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup) - 2:52
10. It Hurts Me Too (Hudson "Tampa Red" Whittaker) - 2:46
11. Our Love Is Driftin‘ (Elvin Bishop, Paul Butterfield) - 2:30
12. Take Me Back Baby ("Little" Walter Jacobs) - 2:50
13. Mellow Down Easy (Willie Dixon) - 3:06
14. Ain‘t No Need To Go Further (Al Duncan) - 2:46
15. Love Her With A Feeling (Hudson "Tampa Red" Whittaker) - 3:00
16. Piney Bown Blues ("Big" Joe Turner, Pete Johnson) - 2:15
17. Spoonful (Willie Dixon) - 3:20
18. That‘s Allright (James A. Lane) - 3:14
19. Going Down Slow (James Oden) - 6:02

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
*Jerome Arnold - Bass
*Elvin Bishop - Guitar
*Michael Bloomfield - Guitar, Hammond, Piano
*Paul Butterfield - Harmonica, Vocals
*Sam Lay - Drums
*Mark Naftalin - Organ

Paul Butterfield's back pages
1965  The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
1966  East West
1966-68  Strawberry Jam
1967  The Resurrection Of The Pigboy Crabshaw
1968  In My Own Dream
1969  Keep On Moving
1970  Live 
1971  Sometimes I Just Feel Like Smilin'
1973  Paul Butterfield's Better Days
1973  It All Comes Back (Japan Edition)
1976  Put It In Your Ear

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

Mike Bloomfield's tapestry
1967  Electric Flag - The Trip
1968-69  Electric Flag - An American Music Band / A Long Time Comin'  
196?-7?  The Electric Flag - Live
1968  Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield - The Lost Concert Tapes, Filmore East
1969  Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper - The Live Adventures
1969  Michael Bloomfield with Nick Gravenites & Friends - Live At Bill Graham's Fillmore West
1969  Nick Gravenites - My Labors
1973  Bloomfield, Hammond, Dr.John - Triumvirate (Japan remaster)
1976  KGB - KGB
1976-77  Michael Bloomfield - Live at the Old Waldorf
1977  Prescription For The Blues

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Wooden Horse - Wooden Horse II (1973 uk, heavenly folk rock)

Growing up out of the grass-roots of the 70’s London folk scene, Wooden Horse were often likened to American acts such as Crosby Stills and Nash, Neil Young, and Peter, Paul and Mary, for their use of close vocal harmonies and acoustic textures.

Susan Traynor (a.k.a. Noosha Fox) was the female vocalist in this group. Songwriters David Mateer and Malcom Harrison provided vocals and guitar. The line-up was completed by Steve Marwood on lead guitar and Neil Brockbank on bass.

Their albums straight ahead acoustic folk with variations here and there if you are a fan of Fox then we'd say these lps are essential to see the kind of Susan aka Noosha sang in before Fox.

'Celebration Song' is a great folk-rock song somewhere between Peter, Paul, and Mary's folk enthusiasm and the Velvet Underground's flair for songwriting comes this number with glorious vocals from Noosha and the guys singing background vocals... an organ solo comes in unexpectedly with zippy enthusiasm, then begins again 'all along the st. i see the dancers...one of their very best compositions, and a tune you'll never forget.... 

'Wooden Horses', acoustic guitars play a slow tune, gloomy, peaceful sound.  'America', some really good lyrics for an excellent tune !, Noosha again shines out here, it's a song about leaving london and traveling thru states in the us such as washington and virginia.  'Kali',  this one is in the style of Gordon Lightfoot a straight ahead folk tune.....male singer - ' Kali i can't even say i really knew your name, i only know i'd no more time, no one left to blame'.... 

'Pick Up The Pieces', another good one, the vioces here are prominent over the instruments.  'July Morning' another Gordon Lightfoot / John Denver style acoustic number.  'Coming Home' is a soft folk that ends wonderfully.  'For You' ,slow song with piano playing, somewhere a sax comes in and plays a melody.

'On This Day', the male singer and Noosha sing this peaceful one together , kinda in the style of Fairport Convention, and the Velvet Underground.  'Afternoon', a  quiet folk tune, final track'Typewriter And Guitar, is a lovely ending, very quiet, closer to Leonard Cohen's LP of '68 than anyone else.

Angel-fire

Tracks
1. Celebration Song - 3:22
2. Wooden Horses - 4:53
3. America - 3:21
4. Kali (Malcolm Harrison) - 4:28
5. Pick Up The Pieces - 3:27
6. July Morning - 1:28
7. Coming Home (Malcolm Harrison) - 5:10
8. For You - 3:10
9. On This Day - 3:38
10. Afternoon - 2:05
11. Typewriter And Guitar (Malcolm Harrison) - 3:48
Words and Music by David Mateer except where stated.

Wooden Horse
*Susan Traynor «Noosha Fox» - Vocals
*David "Dave" Mateer - Guitar, Vocals
*Malcolm Harrison - Guitar, Vocals
*Steve Marwood - Lead Guitar
*Neil Brockbank - Bass
*Dave Young - Flute, Saxophone
*Bob Irwin - Drums

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Jeff Beck Group - Beck-Ola (1969 uk, hard funky blues rock, 2014 japan SHM remaster with xtra tracks)

When it was originally released in June 1969, Beck-Ola, the Jeff Beck Group's second album, featured a famous sleeve note on its back cover: "Today, with all the hard competition in the music business, it's almost impossible to come up with anything totally original. So we haven't. However, this disc was made with the accent on heavy music. 

So sit back and listen and try and decide if you can find a small place in your heads for it." Beck was reacting to the success of peers and competitors like Cream and Led Zeppelin here, bands that had been all over the charts with a hard rock sound soon to be dubbed heavy metal, and indeed, his sound employs much the same brand of "heavy music" as theirs, with deliberate rhythms anchoring the beat, over which the guitar solos fiercely and the lead singer emotes. But he was also preparing listeners for the weakness of the material on an album that sounds somewhat thrown together. 

Two songs are rehauls of Elvis Presley standards ("All Shook Up" and "Jailhouse Rock") and one is an instrumental interlude contributed by pianist Nicky Hopkins, promoted from sideman to group member, with the rest being band-written songs that serve basically as platforms for Beck's improvisations. But that doesn't detract from the album's overall quality, due both to the guitar work and the distinctive vocals of Rod Stewart, and Beck-Ola easily could have been the album to establish the Jeff Beck Group as the equal of the other heavy bands of the day. 

Unfortunately, a series of misfortunes occurred. Beck canceled out of a scheduled appearance at Woodstock; he was in a car accident that sidelined him for over a year; and Stewart and bass player Ron Wood decamped to join Faces, breaking up the group. Nevertheless, Beck-Ola stands as a prime example of late-'60s British blues-rock and one of Beck's best records.

by William Ruhlmann

Tracks

1. All Shook Up (Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley) - 4:50

2. Spanish Boots (Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart) - 3:34

3. Girl From Mill Valley (Nicky Hopkins) - 3:45

4. Jailhouse Rock (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 3:14

5. Plynth (Water Down the Drain) (Nicky Hopkins, Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart) - 3:05

6. The Hangman's Knee (Tony Newman, Beck, Nicky Hopkins, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) - 4:47

7. Rice Pudding (Nicky Hopkins, Ronnie Wood, Jeff  Beck, Tony Newman) - 7:22

8. Sweet Little Angel (B.B. King) - 7:57

9. Throw Down A Line (Hank Marvin) - 2:54

10.All Shook Up (Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley) - 3:18

11.Jailhouse Rock (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 3:11

Musicians
*Jeff Beck - Guitars, Backing Vocals
*Rod Stewart - Vocals
*Nicky Hopkins - Piano, Organ
*Ronnie Wood - Bass
*Tony Newman - Drums
*Micky Waller - Drums

1970  Jeff Beck - Rough And Ready (Japan remaster)
 with The Yardbirds
1963-68  Glimpses (five disc box set) 

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Ron Elliott - The Candlestickmaker (1970 us, brilliant folky country rock with west coast breeze)

Now here’s a record that, for all practical purposes, should not be this obscure. In fact, I’m often taken aback at how many Beau Brummels fans aren’t even aware that Ron Elliott, said group’s guitarist and songwriter, ever cut a record on his own. Fortunately, however, Collector’s Choice saw fit to remind the world a few years back and reissued 1970′s The Candlestickmaker, which would prove to be Elliott’s one and only record.

The music here is beautiful. Mining a deep spiritual vein that was only hinted at in the last two Beau Brummels records (on 1968′s Triangle, in particular) Elliott’s vivid word craft and west coast roots are bolstered by the musicianship of such luminaries as Chris Ethridge, Bud Shank, Ry Cooder, and Mark McClure. Elliott’s voice is a marked contrast to Sal Valentino’s tremulous purr, boasting a rich depth that calls to mind that crown prince of Americana, John Stewart. Interestingly enough, this entire record makes me think of the dense, rocky wildernesses of the Pacific northwest. Maybe this has something to do with how the overall sound of the band is rather sparse, while managing to invoke a richly woven sound. Even the orchestral arrangements of Bob Thompson convey an organic and understated character.

When a record only holds five songs, it seems ridiculous to pick highlights, but “All Time Green” and the gently flowing train song “Deep River Runs Blue” really are absolutely beautiful. Mark McClure’s sharp, spidery guitar lines on the former, while Ry Cooder’s distinctive slide work on the latter blends majestically with either Elliott or McClure’s burbling wah guitar. Meanwhile, Bud Shank’s flute marks the mellow jazz folk of “Lazy Day,” and Leon Russell’s subtle brass arrangements drive “To the City, To the Sea.” Each of these little touches make the songs both memorable and distinctive.

The magnum opus here, however, is clearly the fifteen minute long title track. As Elliott suggests in Richie Unterberger’s liner notes, the song “has a healing quality to it.” The lyrics build on what seems to me to be a driving theme throughout The Candlestickmaker: man’s struggle to break through the cold iron landscape of modern capitalist society and rediscover a free, wild America. Arguably a common theme in the early 1970s United States, but rarely one so eloquently presented. The music never once falters: Ethridge’s bass runs warm and melodic, while McClure’s guitar craft truly sparkles as it trails around Elliott’s words. Indeed, McClure proves himself to be one of the greatest revelations, and his grace on his instrument draws me towards exploring his own work further.

by Nik Rayne

Tracks
1. Molly In The Middle (Gary Downey, Ron Elliott) - 4:09
2. Lazy Day (Downey, Elliott) - 2:41
3. All Time Green (Elliott) - 2:51
4. To The City, To The Sea (Elliott) - 2:59
5. Deep River Runs Blue (Downey, Elliott) - 2:48
6. The Candlestickmaker Suite (Pt. 1: Dark Into Dawn/Pt. 2: Questions) (Elliott) - 14:51

Personnel
*Ron Elliott – Guitar, Vocals
*Gary Downey - Lyrics
*Marc Mcclure - Guitar, Backing Vocals
*Dan Levitt - Bass, Vocal Harmonies
*Chris Ethridge - Bass
*Dennis Dragon - Drums
*Sal Valentino - Tambourine
*Bud Shank - Flute
*Ry Cooder - Guitar
*Lyle Ritz - Bass
*Paul Humphrey - Drums
*Leon Russell - Brass Arrangement

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The Cryan Shames - Synthesis (1968 us, marvelous sunny baroque psych, 2002 extra tracks issue)

This record is more eclectic than it is exciting, though the material is well arranged and the group were accomplished harmony singers in particular. On "Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith & Jones" they get heavy; with the cover of Hoagy Carmichael's "Baltimore Oriole," they get jazz/folk-rock progressive; on "It's All Right," it's jaunty country-rock; on "First Train to California," there's an almost-self-conscious straining for an MOR AM radio hit. 

The segueing together of tracks and occasional insertion of spacy instrumental and production flourishes indicate that they wanted to leave the impression of making a progressive statement. But it sounds for the most part like 1960s AM radio filler trying to get hipper with a touch of the far-out, the problem being that 1960s AM radio filler intrinsically cannot get too hip or far out. 

The 2002 Sundazed CD reissue of this odd mix of sunshine pop and mild pop-psychedelia adds eight bonus tracks. No less than six of them are single versions of tracks from the LP; the other two present both sides of their 1969 single, "Bits and Pieces"/"Rainmaker," which matched a country-rock original with a Harry Nilsson cover. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith And Jones (Isaac Guillory, Jim Fairs) - 2:16
2. Baltimore Oriole (Hoagy Carmichael, Paul Francis Webster) - 4:30
3. It's All Right (D.P. "Dad" Carter) - 2:11
4. Your Love (Lenny Kerley) - 3:28
5. A Master's Fool (Isaac Guillory) - 3:38
6. First Train To California (Jim Fairs) - 2:57
7. The Painter (Isaac Guillory) - 2:52
8. Sweet Girl Of Mine (Lenny Kerley) - 2:26
9. 20th Song (Lenny Kerley) - 2:07
10.Let's Get Together (Dino Valente) - 3:27
11.Symphony Of The Wind (Isaac Guillory) - 3:20
12.A Master’s  Fool (45 Version) (Isaac Guillory) - 3:37
13.First Train To California (45 Version) (Jim Fairs) - 2:57
14.Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith And Jones (45 Version) (Isaac Guillory, Jim Fairs) - 2:16
15.Your Love (45 Version) (Lenny Kerley) - 2:53
16.20th Song (45 Version) (Lenny Kerley) - 2:10
17.Let’S Get Together (Mono Version) (Dino Valente) - 2:31
18.Bits and Pieces (Lenny Kerley) - 2:34
19.Rainmaker (Harry Nilson, B. Martin) - 2:19

The Cryan' Shames
*Tom Doody - Vocals
*Jim Pilster - Vocals, Percussion
*Alan Dawson - Drums, Vocals
*Dave Carter - Vocals, Guitar
*Isaac Guillory - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
*Lenny Kerley - Vocals, Bass, Guitar

1966  Sugar And Spice (Sundazed remaster and expanded)
1967  A Scratch In The Sky (Sundazed remaster and expanded)

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The Cryan' Shames - A Scratch In The Sky (1967 us, fabulous folk colorful psychedelia, 2002 remaster and expanded)

Every now and then something unexpected hits you in a way that leaves a deep and  lasting impression. For me, one of those occasions came with Chicago garage band The Cryan’ Shames’ recording of the old Drifters hit “Up On the Roof,” off their incomprehensibly under-appreciated psychedelic classic A Scratch In the Sky. Granted, “Up On the Roof” itself has been overplayed to the point of nausea since it first made the scene back in 1963, but the Shames take the old Tin Pan Alley standard and turn it into a soaring, tightly woven piece of teenage magic that does not waste a second out of its three minutes and twenty four seconds. It’s the sound of youthful rebellion and romantic angst woven into a thing of panoramic beauty.

As a matter of fact, I reckon that the record that this song is buried in is itself well-defined by the above platitudes. A Scratch In the Sky is one of those rare records laid down at the height of the sixties which manage to pull in the best qualities of the band’s many influences and turn back out something wholly unto its own. The cosmic harmonies of the Beach Boys, the jangling spirit of The Byrds, the rollicking pop of The Beatles; these are all commonly borrowed sounds, but rarely ones so expertly disassembled and recast as we hear on this record. Though this collection of songs remains well-polished through studio-craft and the musicians’ own abilities, it retains a freshness and noncommercial edge that makes it both an accessible and adventurous listen.

The second track, “Sailing Ship,” is a good example of what I mean by all this. There are all sorts of influences detectable here, but nothing absolute. I never fail to be impressed by the thundering drums, jagged guitar chords and droning bagpipes here, all of which make the song sound strangely ahead of its time, or at least out of its own time. In true Sgt. Pepper fashion, the band clearly strove to make each song stand out as a distinct work of art, rather than sounding like something they had simply worked up on the road. The arrangements are ornate and layered with lysergic sounds and tape tricks, and besides the previously mentioned bagpipes the band manages to bring in accordion, harpsichord, tamboura, french horn, and…french lyrics (on “In the Cafe,” of course). If there’s any song reminiscent of the band’s work on their previous record, Sugar and Spice it’s the hard grooving “Mr. Unreliable,” which retains a lot of the garage band attitude and sweet harmonic edge that painted earlier jewels like “Ben Franklin’s Almanac”.

I’m rather blown away to find that the 2002 Sundazed reissue of this record has already dipped back out of print, leaving it perhaps the hardest of the Shames discs to track down. Should the following tracks catch you like they caught me, however, you shouldn’t have to fork over too much for a vinyl copy. It seems strange that so many new reissues end up becoming more obscure and desirable than vintage releases of the same recordings, but I suppose that’s the way it goes.

by Nik Rayne

Tracks

1. A Carol For Lorelei - 4:05

2. The Sailing Ship - 3:36

3. In The Cafe - 3:12

4. Mr. Unreliable - 2:52

5. The Town I'd Like To Go Back To - 4:30

6. Up On The Roof (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 3:23

7. It Could Be We're In Love - 2:35

8. Sunshine Psalm - 2:17

9. Was Lonely When - 4:03

10.Cobblestone Road - 2:51

11.Dennis Dupree From Danville (Jeffrey Bryan - R. Holder) - 3:12

12.It Could Be We're In Love (Single Version) - 2:34

13.It Was Lonely When (Single Version) - 3:27

14.Young Birds Fly (William Oliver Swofford) - 2:25

15.Sunshine Psalm (Single Version) - 2:09  

16.Up On The Roof (Single Version) (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 3:28

17.The Sailing Ship (Single Version) - 2:55

18.The Warm (Jim Fairs) - 4:18

All songs by Jim Fairs, Lenny Kerley unless as else stated.

The Cryan' Shames

*Tom Doody «Toad» - Lead Vocals, Autoharp, Bells

*Jim Pilster «J. C. Hooke» - Tambourine

*Dennis Conroy - Drums

*Jim Fairs - Bagpipes, Bass, Flute, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals

*Isaac Guillory - Accordion, Bass, Cello, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

*Lenny Kerley - Bass, Guitar, Tambora, Vocals

1966  The Cryan' Shames - Sugar And Spice (Sundazed remaster)

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