Crack The Sky - Crack The Sky (1975 us, powerfull prog rock with glam shades, 2002 remaster)

Progressive rock group Crack the Sky was formed in the Ohio River Valley region in 1975 by frontman John Palumbo, guitarists Jim Griffiths and Rick Witkowski, bassist Joe Macre, and drummer Joey D'Amico. According to the website at www.crackthesky.com, the band was originally dubbed ArcAngel, building a loyal following on the Cleveland and Baltimore club circuits before signing to the Lifesong label to issue their self-titled debut LP, which earned critical acclaim for Palumbo's acerbic lyrics and the songs' complex structures and time changes. 

Commercial reward was minimal, however, and after completing Crack the Sky's second LP, 1976's Animal Notes, Palumbo exited to pursue a solo career. D'Amico assumed lead vocal duties on 1978's Safety in Numbers, with singer Gary Lee Chappell featured on the Live Sky release. Crack the Sky then disbanded, but in 1980 Palumbo, Witkowski, and keyboardist Vince DePaul briefly reformed the group to record the White Music album before again dissolving. Palumbo then formed another new lineup for a series of albums including Photoflamingo, World in Motion I, and Raw before reuniting with Witkowski, D'Amico, and DePaul for a series of 1986 live dates at the Baltimore club Hammerjacks and eventually a new 1989 studio LP, From the Greenhouse. Dog City followed in 1990, and Crack the Sky infrequently reunited throughout the decade to come. 

by Jason Ankeny

The astonishing success of Crack the Sky's eponymous first album raised expectations that the band was never able to fulfill for the rest of their career. Critics and audiences alike delighted in the wry, intelligent lyrics, complex and powerful progressive rock, and carefully crafted harmonies. Radio programmers were more ambivalent. Songs like "Ice," "She's a Dancer," and "Surf City" all got nationwide airplay, though none actually became a real hit. 

All of them deserved more attention, but the label never focused their promotional efforts on any one of them, and as a result there was no hit single. (Shades of Moby Grape's first album.) Rolling Stone's designation of Crack the Sky as "Album of the Year" for 1975 helped did as much as anything the record company did, and in retrospect their award was well-deserved. The album still holds up very well, especially the delirious "A Sea Epic," one of the rare examples of a driving and complex progressive rock song with a really good sense of humor. Three years and two albums later, when Crack the Sky did a live album, most of the songs were from this album. They obviously knew where their best material was and played to their strengths. Highly recommended. 

by Richard Fos

Tracks
1. Hold On - 3:00
2. Surf City - 3:54
3. A Sea Epic - 6:33
4. She's a Dancer - 3:54
5. Robots for Ronnie - 4:39
6. Ice - 4:36
7. Mind Baby - 4:32
8. I Don't Have a Tie - 3:04
9. Sleep - 7:48
10.Let Me Go Home (A Visit to the Projects) - 3:25
11.Eileen, I Lean on You - 3:49
12.Hold On - 2:14
13.Dr. Octopus, Pt. 2 - 3:08
All songs composed by John Palumbo

Crack The Sky
*John Palumbo - Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar
*Rick Witkowski - Lead Guitar, Percussion
*Joe Macre - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Jim Griffiths - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Joey D'Amico - Drums, Vocals
Additional Musicians
*Michael Brecker - Horns
*Randy Brecker - Horns
*David Sanborn - Horns
*George Marge - Woodwinds
*Tom Jones - Trombone

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Manassas - Pieces (1971-73 us, remarkabale country folk classic rock, 2009 release)

Pieces is the perfect name for this new Manassas outtakes collection from Rhino.  Nobody had combined country, rock, salsa, blues, and bluegrass like Stephen Stills’ powerhouse 7-piece that formed out from the wake of CSNY and the Burrito Brothers, and their eponymous album was a disconnected smattering of “pieces” itself. This new hodgepodge of unheard treats may be scattered, but it’s right in line with tradition and kicks ass like any Manassas fan would expect.

Pieces collects some leftovers from the Miami sessions that led to the first album (“Witching Hour” “Like A Fox”), warmups and ideas intended for the 2nd Manassas album, Down The Road (“Lies” “Love and Satisfy”), as well as what Stills refers to as “Chris Hillman and Byron Berline teaching me bluegrass” (“Panhandle Rag” “Uncle Pen”). Other tracks are electrified covers from Stephen Stills 1 & 2, the hugely successful solo albums that gave Stephen the freedom to form a band with Doug Sahm level schizophrenia.

There are a number of gems here; “Witching Hour” and “Sugar Babe” are easy classics. Stills throws together the chorus of “Like a Fox” last minute and presages  Manfred Mann’s “Fox On The Run” (which the Country Gentlemen would turn into a bluegrass standard) word for word. Only problem, even with Bonnie Raitt lending her voice, I can’t hear past the Manfred version to this one. On Side B, the bluegrass numbers have no knockout picking, but it’s a treat to hear Stills and Hillman harmonize on “Uncle Pen.” “Do You Remember The Americans,” however, is cooler grass than I’ve ever heard. I wish Stills had recorded an entire album in this vein. ”I Am My Brother” is a sick solo blues to prove Stills’ immense talent and soul.

by Brendan McGrath

Tracks
1. Witching Hour - 5:12
2. Sugar Babe - 4:19
3. Lies (Chris Hillman) - 3:07
4. My Love Is A Gentle Thing - 1:23
5. Like A Fox - 2:58
6. Word Game - 1:35
7. Tan Sola Y Triste (Stills, Nelson Escoto) - 1:23
8. Fit To Be Tied - 3:49
9. Love And Satisfy (Hillman) - 1:57
10.High And Dry - 5:52
11.Panhandle Rag (Leon McAuliffe) - 1:58
12.Uncle Pen (Bill Monroe) - 1:53
13.Do You Remember The Americans - 1:49
14.Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music) (Joe Maphis, Max Fidler, Rose Lee Maphis) - 2:16
15.I Am My Brother - 3:24
All songs by Stephen Stills except where indicated

Personnel
*Stephen Stills - Vocals, Guitar
*Al Perkins - Pedal Steel Guitar
*Joe Lala - Congas
*Dallas Taylor - Drums
*Calvin Samuels - Bass
*Paul Harris - Piano
*Byrone Berline- Fiddle
*Roger Bush - Bass
*Ricky Roberts - Guitar, Vocals
*Bobby Whitlock - Keyboards
*Bonnie Raitt - Vocals
*Joe Walsh - Guitar
*Chris Hillman - Mandolin

1970  Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills (debut album, 2008 japan SHM remaster)
1972  Stephen Stills - Manassas (2006 HDCD)

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Stephen Stills - Manassas (1972 us, amazing classic rock melted with country folk and blues tunes, 2006 HDCD)

A sprawling masterpiece, if not its sound. Rock, folk, blues, country, Latin, and bluegrass have all been styles touched on in Stephen Stills' career, and the skilled, energetic musicians he had gathered in Manassas played them all on this album. What could have been a disorganized mess in other hands, though, here all gelled together and formed a cohesive musical statement. 

The songs are thematically grouped: part one (side one on the original vinyl release) is titled "The Raven," and is a composite of rock and Latin sounds that the group would often perform in full live. "The Wilderness" mainly centers on country and bluegrass (Chris Hillman's and Al Perkins' talents coming to the forefront), with the track "So Begins the Task" later covered by Stills' old flame Judy Collins. Part three, "Consider" is largely folk and folk-rock. "Johnny's Garden," reportedly for the caretaker at Stills' English manor house and not for John Lennon as is often thought, is a particular highlight. 

Two other notables from the "Consider" section are "It Doesn't Matter" (later redone with different lyrics by the song's uncredited co-writer Rick Roberts on the first Firefall album) and "Move Around," which features some of the first synthesizer used in a rock context. The closing section, titled "Rock & Roll Is Here to Stay," is a rock and blues set with one of the landmarks of Manassas' short life, the epic "The Treasure." A sort of Zen-like meditation on love and "oneness," enlivened by the band's most inspired recorded playing it evolves into a bluesy groove washed in Stills' fierce electric slide playing. 

The delineation lines of the four themed song groupings aren't cut in stone, though, and one of the strengths of the album is that there is a lot of overlap in styles throughout. The CD reissue's remastered sound is excellent, though missed is the foldout poster and handwritten lyrics from the original vinyl release. Unfortunately, the album has been somewhat overlooked over the years, even though Stills considers it some of the best work he has done. Bill Wyman (who guested on "The Love Gangster") has said he would have quit the Rolling Stones to join Manassas. 

by Rob Caldwell

Tracks
1. Song Of Love - 3:28
2. Medley - 3:34
..I.Rock And Roll Crazies (Stephen Stills, Dallas Taylor)
.II.Cuban Bluegrass (Stephen Stills, Joe Lala)
3. Jet Set (Sigh) - 4:25
4. Anyway - 3:21
5. Both Of Us (Bound To Lose) (Stephen Stills, Chris Hillman) - 3:00
6. Fallen Eagle - 2:03
7. Jesus Gave Love Away For Free - 2:59
8. Colorado - 2:50
9. So Begins The Task - 3:57
10.Hide It So Deep - 2:44
11.Don't Look At My Shadow - 2:30
12.It Doesn't Matter (Chris Hillman, Rick Roberts, Stephen Stills) - 2:30
13.Johnny's Garden - 2:45
14.Bound To Fall (Mike Brewer, Tom Mastin) - 1:53
15.How Far - 2:49
16.Move Around - 4:15
17.The Love Gangster (Stephen Stills, Bill Wyman) - 2:51
18.What To Do - 4:44
19.Right Now - 2:58
20.The Treasure (Take One) - 8:03
21.Blues Man - 4:04
All compositions by Stephen Stills except where noted

Manassas
*Stephen Stills - Vocals, Guitar, Bottleneck Guitar, Piano, Organ, Electric Piano, Clavinette
*Chris Hillman - Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin
*Al Perkins - Pedal Steel Guitar, Guitar, Vocals
*Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuel - Bass
*Paul Harris - Organ, Tack Piano, Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinette
*Dallas Taylor - Drums
*Joe Lala - Percussion, Vocals
Additional personnel
*Sydney George - Harmonica
*Jerry Aiello - Piano, Organ, Electric Piano, Clavinette
*Bill Wyman - Bass
*Roger Bush - Acoustic Bass
*Byron Berline - Fiddle
*Jerry Garcia - Pedal Steel Guitar

1970  Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills (debut album, 2008 japan SHM remaster)

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The Greatest Show On Earth - The Going's Easy (1970 uk, spectacular prog brass rock, 2012 Esoteric remaster)

The Greatest Show On Earth was an intriguing octet who produced some rather original music in their three year lifespan, including two albums both released on EMI's Harvest label. Now, Esoteric give us the opportunity to hear these two light-hearted albums once again. 

The Going's Easy, their second and final album relased in late 1970. The light and airy Magic Woman Touch became later a hit single by The Hollies. Storytimes & Nursery Rhymes features some of the band's best vocal performances and can be considered to be the highlight on this album on which once again strong progressive rock elements come to the surface. 

The re-release of the second album contains two bonus tracks: Mountain Song and the single version of Magic Woman Touch. However, these tracks have no added value to the original album. Unfortunately this album had little to non-consumer or industry interest which resulted in the split up of the band in 1971. After the decease some of the musicians started to work with acts like Vinegar Joe, Graham Parker, The Darts, Suzi Quatro, Shaking Stevens and The Marmalade. 

by  Henri Strik

Tracks
1. Borderline (Greatest Show On Earth) - 9:18
2. Magic Woman Touch (C. Horton-Jennings, G. Watt-Roy) - 5:10
3. Story Times And Nursery Rhymes (C. Horton-Jennings, G. Watt-Roy) - 4:50
4. The Leader (Greatest Show On Earth) - 5:43
5. Love Magnet (D. Hanson, G. Watt-Roy, Ian Aitchison) - 9:26
6. Tell The Story (M. Deacon, R. Prudence, T. Philpotts) - 4:29
7. Mountain Song (G. Watt-Roy) - 3:32
8. Magic Woman Touch (Single Version) (C. Horton-Jennings, G. Watt-Roy) - 3:54

The Greatest Show On Earth
*Mike Deacon - Organ, Piano, Vocals
*Dick Hanson - Trumpet, Fluggelhorn, Percussion
*Colin Horton-Jennings - Lead Vocals, Flute, Acoustic Guitar, Bongos
*Tex Philpotts - Tenor, Alto, Saxophone, Percussion
*Ron Prudence - Congas, Drums
*Garth Watt-Roy - Vocals, Acoustic, Electric Guitars
*Norman Watt-Roy - vocals, Bass
*Ian Aitcheson - Tenor, Baritone, Saxophone, Percussion

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Wakefield - The Lost Warthog Tapes (1970-71 us, tremendous heavy acid jam brass rock)

We started in Pueblo Colorado, in about 1968 or '69. Ron, Carl and Charlie started jamming together at Ron's house which soon turned into regular practice sessions. Carl and Charlie were close friends and had been in other bands. They also lived close to each other so they saw each other often. A couple of months later, Charlie went to one of their practices and was very impressed with the band, especially with this new guitar player they had, a 16 year old kid from Fountain, Colorado, named Bobby Barth. That is when Charlie joined the band. The band went through several members during that time. Rose Mary Duran sang in between knitting. Steve Brown played the bass for a few months.

We had another female vocalist for a couple of gigs, Beatrice Oven I think was her name? I remember we always called her BO. We played at the Southern Colorado State College student union a few of times and also in the little mountain town of Salida, Colorado a couple of times. Carl was playing organ in this incarnation and Tom Snowbrick played trumpet. Mike Carrroll and Steve Moore had played together in another band and joined our band at the same time. Mike played trumpet and Steve played organ and French horn. When Mike and Steve joined. Carl moved back to bass. The band then consisted of Bobby Barth on lead guitar and vocals, Ron Struthers on sax, flute and vocals, Mike Carroll on trumpet, flute and vocal (later Mike also played guitar and piano), Steve Moore on organ, French horn and vocals, Carl Marcon on Bass and vocals, Charlie Ferrill on Drums.

That was the incarnation of "Wakefield" that started playing around the state. We played shows in Colorado Springs with a fake "Zombie's" and one incarnation of "Fleetwood-Mac" We also played several high school proms in Pueblo. We got our first "steady gig" at the "New Gnu" a restaurant/night club at the Vail ski area. Six nights a week, a few hundreds dollars, a meal a day at the restaurant and use of a condo in East Vail. That was the start of what would be a pattern of working at ski areas over the next couple of years.

From there, we got an offer to go to Seattle, Washington for three weeks We played at a club down by the University in Seattle called the Warehouse. That gig ended with us getting fired for being a non-union band in a union town. We sued the owner and lost A couple of years later we played at that club again with much better results Shortly after the Seattle mess we decided to move from Pueblo to the northern part of the state, Boulder or Fort Collins or Denver. We went to Denver and Boulder and did four auditions on the same day. One at "La Pitcheau", a 3.2 bar on West Mississippi Ave. in Denver, a second at the "Skunk Creek Inn", the third at another 3.2 bar in the college town of Boulder and I think the fourth one was the "Psychiatrist" in the Cherry Creek district of Denver. 

We actually got hired at all four clubs!! We didn't know at the time that two of the dubs, Skunk Creek Inn and La Pitcheau, were owned by the same group of people: Al Roth and his dad and his uncle, Nate FeW. As a side line, Nate Feld, Allen Roth and Al's dad were the money behind Barry Fey. Barry had great ideas but no money. When we called Al's office and wanted to be put straight through to Al instead of being on hold for a long time, we'd tell the secretary that we were Barry and we would be put through immediately. Of course, it pissed Al off to no end. Al was a club owner/club manager at that time, not really a booking agent or artist manager but he became our manager and later became an agent.

About this time, Steve quit the band and we auditioned several people but decided that we were better off just having one of other guys in the band fill in on keyboard when we needed it. It was about this time that we did a recording session at "Fred Arthur Studio" on East 17th Ave. in Denver. Fred Arthur is best known for recording radio and TV commercials but he did do some classical music. I think we were the first rock band to record there, maybe the only one. The tapes from that session have not been found.

We met Brent Lewis around this time. He was from San Francisco and did an act called "Putee". He played congas and bongos and had an immense sound system. We toured with Brent for several months. He would play our breaks. Traveling with Brent was a guy named Paul Zamucen. Paul had been a trap drummer in several bands in the San Francisco area. He also played congas. 

We played several Santana songs and asked him to sit in on them. From then on he sang, played congas, timbales and tympanis. It was around this time that we did a recording session at a low budget studio at the comer ot about 42nd and Sheridan in Denver called "Warthog Studio". Many of the songs on this CD were recorded there. Chuck Berry played several times at me "Skunk Creek Inn* and we were hired to be his back up band on those gigs. We were the opening act for 'War* at the Skunk and another show at Colorado State University. 

During 70, 71 and 72, we played in Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Washington, Idaho, Illinois and Michigan. It was on one ot the Seattle trips that we did a recording at a studio associated with the agent that helped book the club dates up there. That session started after we got through playing about 1:30 am and went all night. At that session we did "Something is Coming', "Bring It On" and "How Does it Feel*. We finished the basic tracks and over dubs in about 8 hours.

In late 72 Ron left the band. We changed managers and moved our base of operations to Seattle, Washington. From there we played Vancouver, BC, Spokane, Ellensburg, and several other towns in the state of Washington. During our time in Seattle we played a club north of down town called "The Aquarius". It was a bar/dance club that had major acts several time a week. We got to play shows with the Eric Burdon Band, Bach man/Turner Overdrive, James Cotton Blues Band, and several other national acts.

In 73, we took a job in Anchorage. Alaska. Three months starting in September through December. It was quite an adventure. What happened in those three months could fill a book and most of the stories are almost unbelievable, but we were there and we know they are true. After that we went back to Seattle and did several Showcases for agents and record people. We got a couple of bites from one of the Showcases and decided to go to LA and do a Showcase there. We arranged tor two nights at "The Whisky A Go-Go". We sent our manager there for several months lining up-agents, record people and management companies to come to the show.

There was a mix up and the place was double booked for that weekend so we made a deal with the other band. We would do one night and they would do the other. I don't remember if any people of consequence showed up but if they did they didn't approach us. Total bust. We came back to Denver very disappointed and down . We played a couple of times in Oklahoma City after that. Apparently some body from Shelter Records came and heard us. Our manager went up to Tulsa and met with them. He didn't tell us the whole story, but he turned down their offer because there was no "up front" money.

A couple of years later Bobby Barth said he ran in to someone from Shelter who said they still had a contract for us on his desk. But that was long time ago. Our last big show was in Pueblo in June of 1974. We were second billed at the first stadium show ever held in Pueblo The heacfliner was "Red Bone". By then we were down to a three-piece band- Bobby Barth, Carl Maroon, and Charlie Ferrill. Shortly after that we each went our own way. Bobby Barth went on to play with many notable acts since then. Axe and Blackfoot being the most famous. 

by Charlie Ferrill, Denver, Colorado, August, 2002

Tracks
1. Bring It On - 4:50
2. Something Is Coming - 4:10
3. How Does It Feel? - 3:54
4. I Will Always Come Back - 4:32
5. Old Man - 11:06
6. I Know - 3:10
7. Water - 8:18
8. Snowchild - 9:45
9. In My Mind - 8:03
10.Landgrabber - 4:40
11.You And I - 6:07
12.Let's Get Loaded - 3:27
13.Youll Find Your Man - 4:56
14.Rollin' Down The Highway - 0:33
All Songs written by Wakefield

Wakefield
*Bobby Barth - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Carroll - Trumpet, Flute, Guitar, Piano, Vocals
*Charlie Ferrill - Drums
*Carl Marcon - Bass, Vocals
*Steve Moore - Organ, French Horn, Vocals
*Ron Struthers - Saxophone, Flute, Vocals
*Paul Zamucen - Percussion
*Rose Mary Duran - Vocals
*Steve Brown - Bass

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Them - The Story Of Them Featuring Van Morrison (1964-66 ireland, pioneer garage blues, two discs set)

Them were a formidable, popular group in their own right before singer Van Morrison went on to even greater fame. This Belfast five only produced two LPs and a potful of 7" singles during its ascendance in the molten heat of the British Invasion. But they did manage two Top 40 hits in America in 1965 (the enduring number 24 "Here Comes the Night," later covered glam-style by David Bowie on Pin Ups, and number 33 "Mystic Eyes") and two Top Ten hits that same year in their native Britain ("Here Comes the Night" and a cover of Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go"). And is there a single bar band in America that doesn't play "Gloria," shouting "G-L-O-R-I-A" just like the 19-year-old Morrison in 1964? Moreover, the group's West Coast U.S. tour of arenas like the Fillmore in the spring of 1966 had the Ulster youths commanding bills that included such admiring support groups as the Doors, Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band, the Grass Roots, and the Association. At one of them, Frank Zappa even joined them on-stage. 

Clearly, Them's tough, heavily American blues captivated, a direct result of the vicious voice of Morrison. It was even more a weapon on this tougher-sounding material than it's been since he became a solo star. Although the band chose songs to cover by John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed (twice), T-Bone Walker, Ray Charles, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and Fats Domino, as seen here (as well as others by Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and Bobby Troup), the real precedent for the white-hot, gnashing growl in Morrison's teenage voice was Howlin' Wolf. Here's a red-throated snarl not even other great '60s English white soul singers -- such as the Small Faces' Steve Marriott or the singer for the Action -- could match, one even more unsettling than the Animals' Eric Burdon. 

Talk about making the hairs on your neck stand up! It's actually a pity, then, that Them relied so heavily on others' material (as did everyone else circa 1964), for the two dozen originals stand up well. In addition to "Gloria," Morrison was well on the road to his later genius when he penned "Could You, Would You" and "Hey Girl." True, his material could stand to rock & roll more, just as the Yardbirds held fast to Chicago blues but made their beat stomp. But still he comes on like some swamp-dwelling, moonshine-drinking, big man on the prowl. Them were raw and ready, and digitally brought back kicking and screaming from the original analogue master tapes, they are an eerie thing of bluesy beauty. 

by Jack Rabid

Tracks 

Disc 1

1. The Story Of Them Parts 1 & 2 - 7:18

2. Don't Start Crying Now (Moore, West) - 2:03

3. Gloria 2:35 

4. Philosophy - 2:35

5. One Two Brown Eyes - 2:34 

6. Baby Please Don't Go (Williams) - 2:40

7. Here Comes The Night (Berns) - 2:46 

8. All For Myself - 2:47

9. One More Time - 2:48

10.Little Girl - 2:47

11.I Gave My Love A Diamond (Berns) - 3:02

12.Go On Home Baby (Berns) - 2:32 

13.My Little Baby (Berns, Farrell) - 2:00 

14.Mystic Eyes - 2:41 

15.Don't Look Back (Hooker) - 3:20 

16.If You And I Could Be As Two - 2:51 

17.I Like It Like That - 3:16 

18.I'm Gonna Dress In Black (Gillon) - 3:29 

19.(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 (Troup) - 2:22 

20.Just A Little Bit (Gordon) - 2:21

21.You Just Can't Win - 2:21

22.Bright Lights, Big City (Reed) - 2:30

23.Baby What You Want Me To Do (Reed) - 3:26

24.I'm Gonna Dress In Black (Gillon) - 3:34 

25.One More Time - 2:45 

26.Little Girl - 2:47 

Disc 2
1. How Long Baby (Gillon) - 3:37
2. (It Won't Hurt) Half As Much (Berns) - 3:01
3. Something You Got (Kenner) - 2:31
4. Call My Name (Scott) - 2:20
5. Turn On Your Love Light (Malone, Scott) - 2:19
6. I Put A Spell On You (Hawkins) - 2:36
7. I Got A Woman (Charles) - 3:12
8. Out Of Sight (Wright, Brown) - 2:21
9. It's All Over Now Baby Blue (Dylan) - 3:47
10.Bad Or Good - 2:06
11.Hello Josephine (Domino, Bartholomew) - 2:04
12.Don't You Know (Scott) - 2:22
13.Hey Girl - 3:00
14.Bring 'Em On In 3:13
15.Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough (Witherspoon) - 2:12
16.Stormy Monday (Walker) - 2:40
17.Friday's Child - 3:27
18.Richard Cory (Simon) - 2:43
19.My Lonely Sad Eyes - 2:28
20.I Can Only Give You Everything - 2:39
21.Could You, Would You - 3:08
22.Bring 'Em On In - 3:41
23.Richard Cory (Simon) - 3:47
24.Call My Name (Scott) - 2:18
All songs written by Van Morrison except where stated

Them
*Van Morrison - Lead Vocals
*Ronnie Milling - Drums (63 - 65)
*John McAuley - Drums (65 - 66)
*Billy Harrison - Guitar
*Jackie McAuley - Keyboards (63 - 65)
*Peter Bardens - Keyboards (66)
*Alan Henderson - Bass Guitar

Themology
1967  Them - Now And Them
1967  Belfast Gypsies
1968-69  Them - Time Out Time In
1969-70  Truth - Of Them And Other Tales
1971  Them
1971  Them In Reality

Van Morrison
1967  Blowin' Your Mind! (extra tracks edition)
1971  Tupelo Honey (Japan SHM remaster)

1974  It's Too Late To Stop Now (Japan SHM remaster)
1974  Veedon Fleece  (Japan SHM remaster)

Peter Bardens 
1970  The Answer (2010 esoteric remaster with extra tracks)
1971  Write My Name In The Dust (Japan remaster)
1979  Heart To Heart (Japan remaster)
1973  Camel - Camel

1965-66  The Wheels - Road Block
1970-71  Rod Demick And Herbie Armstrong - Little Willie Ramble
1971  Jackie McAuley - Jackie McAuley...Plus  (2009 Esoteric extra tracks issue)

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Keith - 98.6 / Ain't Gonna Lie (1966-67 us, delicious sunny orchestrated pop)

James Barry Keefer, born in Philadelphia on May 17,1949, started his music career in the early 60's with his first band The Admirations, who recorded one single for Columbia Records entitled "Caravan of Lonely Men." Soon after the recording of "Caravan," he was discovered while performing at a school dance by radio DJ Kal Rudman.  Rudman introduced Keefer to Mercury Records' executive Jerry Ross, who then signed him to the Mercury label and renamed him "Keith." He recorded his first solo single "Ain't Gonna Lie," which placed in the US Top 40 charts. "98.6," Keith's best-known song and his biggest hit, was released in January 1967, charting as a top ten single.  Keith charted with two other songs in 1967, "Tell Me To My Face" and "Daylight Savin Time."

Keith recorded two albums for Mercury before leaving to join the RCA family. At RCA, he recorded Adventures of Keith -- an album of mostly original songs in which Keith also had the creative control to hand pick his studio band.

With an undeniable talent and charisma, in addition to chart topping songs, Keith was featured in numerous teen magazines, toured with many top acts of the 1960's including the Beach Boys and Neil Diamond.  In the 1970s, he toured with Frank Zappa and also recorded one single "In and Out of Love," for Zappa's Discreet label. Keith also appeared as a featured guest a record twenty times on Dick Clark's "Where the Action Is!"

Keith is still active in the music business and continues to write, record and perform. In the 1980's Keith set up his own record label A.I.R. Records and produced albums for several local California bands. Over the last few years, he has been especially busy with numerous radio interviews, to which he is happy to oblige. Aside from music, he is a successful part of the TV Industry, working on hit shows such as Judge Judy and Dr. Phil.

Keith-com

Not to be confused with his debut LP, 98.6/Ain't Gonna Lie, the more briefly titled Ain't Gonna Lie has all the Keith anyone should need. The 27 tracks include everything from his first two LPs, 1967's 98.6/Ain't Gonna Lie and the follow-up, Out of Crank (also from 1967), as well as three additional songs from 1967-1968 singles and one previously unreleased cut, "I'll Always Love You." There are also finely detailed historical liner notes, including quotes from producer Jerry Ross and period photos. The chief drawback of this anthology is one true of so many artists only remembered for one or two hits: those one or two hits are much more memorable than everything else the artist had to offer. 

In Keith's case, those hits were "98.6" and "Ain't Gonna Lie"; though a much lesser smash, the latter was actually a better song and the singer's peak moment, with its immensely catchy melody and light swinging blue-eyed soul groove. True, his strange cover of the Hollies' "Tell Me to My Face," with its strange snake-charming instrumental accompaniment, did make the Top 40. Beyond that, however, much of this sounds like AM pop radio of 1966-1968 without the hooks to actually get on AM radio, reflecting the day's trends in blue-eyed soul, bubblegum, and slightly Philly soul-influenced mainstream pop/rock. Keith's voice was good and some of material was fun, but both voice and material fell a little short of being something truly special. 

All that's being a bit too harsh on the lad, perhaps, since a good chunk of this is passingly pleasant, unassumingly upbeat, and quite well-produced ear candy. Most of the best stuff is from the first album, like the aforementioned hits and "Pretty Little Shy One," "You'll Come Running Back to Me," "Mind if I Hang Around," and the Righteous Brothers-ish "Our Love Started All Over Again," though the subsequent "There's Always Tomorrow," "Times Gone Bye," "Be My Girl," "I'm So Proud," and "Hurry" are pretty fair too.

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. 98.6 (G. Fischoff, T. Powers) - 2:07
2. Ain't Gonna Lie (G. Fischoff, T. Powers) - 3:01
3. To Whom It May Concern (C. Andrews) - 2:27
4. Pretty Little Sly One (J. Ross, M. Barkan) - 2:03
5. You'll Come Running Back to Me (C. Baer, G. Fischoff) - 2:13
6. White Lightnin' (M Whitson) - 2:23
7. Tell Me to My Face (A. Clarke, T. Hicks, G. Nash) - 2:52
8. Sweet Dreams (G. Fischoff, T. Powers) - 2:15
9. Mind If I Hang Around (Goldberg, J. Renzetti) - 2:27
10.Our Love Started All Over Again (N. Brian, W. Frederik, J.Ross, J. Renzetti) - 2:35
11.Teeny Bopper Song (A. Wayne, J.Ross) - 2:23
12.I Can't Go Wrong (A. Wayne, J.Ross) - 3:04
13.Sugar Man (D. Randell, S. Linzer) - 2:18
14.Candy Candy (A. Wayne, J.Ross) - 2:36
15.Easy as Pie (B. Carl, D. Cohen, J. Ross) - 2:31
16.Making Every Minute Count (Morier, Akbestal) - 2:42
17.Hope Girl (Melrose, Hess) - 2:28
18.Sweet and Sour (Barkan, Melrose) - 2:28
19.There's Always Tomorrow (Renzetti, Ross) - 2:18
20.Daylight Savin' Time (Schuman, Ross) - 2:53
21.Times Gone Bye (Ross, Gamble) - 2:08
22.Happy Walkin' Around (B. Keefer) - 2:36
23.Be My Girl (Spector, Sands) - 2:35
24.I'm So Proud (D. Landan) - 2:45
25.I'll Always Love Yu (Hunter, Stevenson) - 2:28
26.Hurry (J. Curtis, Mahoney) - 2:25
27.Pleasure of Your Company (E. Cobb) - 2:14

*Keith - Vocals

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Gordon Lightfoot - Complete Greatest Hits (1965-93 canada, fantastic folk country rock, 2002 edition)

There must be something in the water, or the beer, but Canada has given the world some of the strongest singer-songwriters of the modern pop era. Gordon Lightfoot emerged in the mid-'60s, first as a composer and soon after as a noted performer whose virile yet sensitive voice and striking songs quickly established him as one of the most gifted folk-inspired artists in a era bursting with talent. By the 1970s, Lightfoot went on to reach superstardom with a series of hit albums and singles. Complete Greatest Hits provides a career overview drawing on many of the Canadian bard’s signature songs, touching on those that first drew public attention (“Early Morning Rain,” “For Lovin’ Me,” “Pussywillows, Cat-tails”) before moving forward into the glory years (“If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown,” “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”) and beyond (“Stay Loose,” “Restless,” “Daylight Katy”). Although Hits only scratches the surface of Lightfoot’s rich oeuvre, it provides a fine entry point to explore the work of a genuine legend. 

by Steve Futterman

Rhino's 2002 collection The Complete Greatest Hits is certainly welcome for presenting what is essentially all of his most popular songs on one 20-track disc, but, the thing is, that's actually a trickier task with Gordon Lightfoot than you might think. On both volumes of Gord's Gold, he re-recorded early songs and mixed them with current hits -- which meant that a new "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" sat next to the hits like "Sundown," but on Gord's Gold, Vol. 2, newer songs which weren't quite hits were next to re-recorded versions of staples like "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." This, needless to say, was a bit of an irritant, but this is well-executed enough to make up for the years of awkward compilations by covering everything from his UA recordings to his latter-day recordings for Warner in the mid-'80s. Some might say there should be a little bit more of the earlier songs, but, for most listeners, this will contain all the major items and is as close to definitive as possible to get. 

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
1. Early Morning Rain - 3:07
2. For Lovin' Me - 2:27
3. Go-Go Round - 2:40
4. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - 6:22
5. Pussywillows, Cat-Tails - 2:50
6. Bitter Green - 2:44
7. If You Could Read My Mind - 3:50
8. Summer Side Of Life - 4:05
9. Cotton Jenny - 3:26
10.Beautiful - 3:24
11.Sundown - 3:40
12.Carefree Highway - 3:43
13.Rainy Day People - 2:49
14.The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald - 6:29
15.Race Among The Ruins - 3:20
16.Daylight Katy - 4:19
17.The Circle Is Small - 3:59
18.Baby Step Back - 3:56
19.Stay Loose - 3:55
20.Restless - 3:36
All songs by Gordon Lightfoot

Musicians 

*Gordon Lightfoot  - Guitar, Vocals

*David Rea  - Guitar

*Vesta Williams  - Background Vocals

*Victor Feldman  - Percussion

*James Newton Howard  - Synthesizer

*David Foster  - Keyboards

*Doug Riley  - Piano, Electric Piano

*Jim Gordon  - Percussion, Drums

*Robbie Buchanan  - Synthesizer

*Kenny Buttrey  - Percussion, Drums

*Pee Wee Charles  - Pedal Steel Guitar

*Chip Young  - Guitar

*Mitchell Clarke  - Bassoon

*Vassar Clements  - Fiddle

*Terry Clements  - Guitar, Background Vocals

*Nick Decaro  - Piano, Accordion

*Vern Dorge  - Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone

*Michael Francis  - Guitar

*Buddy Harman  - Drums

*Hoyt Hawkins  - Background Vocals

*Mike Heffernan  - Keyboards

*Milt Holland  - Percussion

*Roy M. "Junior" Husky  - Bass

*Jim Isbell  - Drums

*Sheree Jeacocke  - Background Vocals

*Barry Keane  - Percussion, Drums, Tambourine, Hand Drums

*Millie Kirkham  - Background Vocals

*Michael Landau  - Guitar

*Bill Lee  - Bass

*Herb Lovelle  - Drums

*Bob Mann  - Guitar

*Gene Martynec  - Moog Synthesizer

*Richard Marx  - Background Vocals

*Neal Matthews  - Background Vocals

*Hugh McCracken  - Guitar

*Suzie McCune  - Background Vocals

*Laverna Moore  - Background Vocals

*Farrell Morris  - Percussion

*Dean Parks  - Guitar

*Herb Pedersen  - Background Vocals

*Dennis Pendrith  - Bass

*Lou Pomanti  - Organ

*Hargus "Pig" Robbins  - Piano

*James Rolleston  - Bass

*Red Shea  - Dobro, Guitar

*Jerry Shook  - Guitar

*Catherine Smith  - Background Vocals

*John Stockfish  - Bass

*Gordon Stoker  - Background Vocals

*Henry Strzelecki  - Bass

*Tom Szczesniak  - Bass, Keyboards

*Jackie Ward  - Background Vocals

*Jack Zaza  - Harmonica, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute, Harmonium, English Horn, Recorder, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone

*Charlie Mccoy  - Guitar, Harmonica, Celeste, Bells

*Ray C. Walker  - Background Vocals

*Rick Haynes  - Bass, Background Vocals

*Bruce Langhorn  - Guitar

1966-67  Gordon Lightfoot - Lightfoot! / The Way I Feel

1970-80  Gordon Lightfoot - The Complete Singles (2019 double disc remaster)  

1974  Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown (audio fidelity vinyl issue)  

1976  Gordon Lightfoot - Summertime Dream 

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The Lemon Drops - Crystal Pure (1966-69 us, splendid garage psych)

Anyone who likes the Leaves, the Seeds et al will love the early cuts by this band, a hard-luck Chicago outfit who couldn't turn a local wave of popular enthusiasm into something bigger, despite some good songs. Their later stuff was more self-consciously psychedelic, but it's still very well done, with superb playing and harmonies. The Lemon Drops were Jeff Brand (bass), Bobby Lunack (rhythm guitar), Gary Weiss (drums), Eddie Weiss (rhythm guitar), and Danny Smola (vocals), who began rehearsing in the Weiss home when they were between 14 and 17 years old. With lead guitarist Ricky Erickson in tow and later an official member, they cut their first record, "I Live In the Springtime," for Rembrandt, a local label co-owned by one of the Weisses' elder siblings. "I Live in the Springtime" got an enthusiastic reception locally, and was played as far away as New York. 

The bandmembers became celebrities among the local kids when they were thrown out of school for their long hair. By that time, they were on their second single, the angry anti-Vietnam rocker "It Happens Everyday," and soon after had a new lead singer, Dick Sidman. The band slipped easily into the psychedelic blossoming of the Summer of Love, adding more overt flower-power references to their mix of sounds. It looked as though RCA was interested in the group, but a mix-up prevented the tapes for their third single, "Sometime Ago"/"Theatre of Your Eyes," from getting to the company in New York on time. A potential contract with Uni Records came to nothing, and their third single, as well as a dozen tracks cut live in the Weiss home in January of 1968, went unheard. A few more songs were cut on behalf of Buena Vista Records, but the death of the label head scotched the deal, and a potential contract with Alden Records fell apart, along with the group, following an acid party at the owner's Los Angeles mansion in the summer of 1969. 

by Bruce Eder

Combines the contents of both LPs issued on the Cicadelic label in the mid-'80s (Crystal Pure and Second Album) onto one CD, making this indeed the definitive collection. Almost all of their known tapes, covering both their searing electric garage/psych and softer, acoustic garage/folk sides. Dating from 1967 and 1968, this features a lot of original material that the band recorded in Chicago studios, as well as some drummerless home demos. These are endearing (and still moving) relics of an age of great exuberance, innocence, and hope. Good harmonies on the psychedelic ballads, which have been described as "garage-band Donovan." One of the best reissues of unknown '60s garage/psychedelic music. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. I Live In The Springtime - 3:03
2. It Happens Everyday - 2:18
3. Sometime Ago - 3:41
4. The Theatre Of Your Eyes - 3:22
5. Popsicle Girl - 5:19
6. Flower Pure - 4:00
7. Paperplane Flyer (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 2:34
8. Talk To The Animals (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 4:20
9. Fairy Tales (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 2:26
10.Hi, How Are You Today - 3:11
11.Alone (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 1:32
12.Sleeping On Colours (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 4:55
13.Sometime Ago (Acoustic Version) - 0:22
14.Guinevere - 4:02
15.Learn To Fly (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 2:05
16.Flowers On The Hillside (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 4:06
17.Flower Dream (Erickson, Thunderbolt) - 2:41
18.Flower Child Eyes And Arms - 2:27
19.My Friend - 0:33
20.To The Tower (Erickson, Thunderbolt) - 1:58
21.Death Calls (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 2:05
22.Hi, How Are You Today - 2:54
23.Love Is A Word (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 2:42
24.I Like You (Weiss, Sidman, Thunderbolt) - 2:06
All songs by Weiss, Thunderbolt except where noted

The Lemon Drops
*Dick Sidman - Lead Vocals (3-23)
*Danny Smola - Lead Vocals (1-2)
*Ricky Erickson - Lead Guitar (1-4, 11-23)
*Eddie Weiss - Lead, Rhythm Guitars
*Bobby Lunak - Rhythm Guitar (1-4, 10), Bass (5-9)
*Jeff Brand - Bass (1-4, 10-23)
*Garry Weiss - Drums

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Thorinshield - Thorinshield (1968 us, elegant baroque sunny folk psych)

The mysteriously-named Thorinshield released an album and two singles in 1968 which, though they sank with­out trace, are now prized by fans of so-called 'sunshine pop'. Their roots lay in Los Angeles, where drummer Terry Hand had played in numerous surf bands, as well as recording two singles with Everpresent Fullness. Bassist Bobby Ray, meanwhile, was a seasoned session player who had participated in Donovan's legendary May 1966 sessions in LA, resulting in songs including the classic Season Of The Witch. They teamed up with guitarist James Ray in 1967, and Smith and Ray began to write com­mercial songs together that reflected an interest in both folk and psych­edelia.

Having scored a deal with Philips records and recruited famed sax player Steve Douglas (whom Ray probably knew through the ses­sion circuit) as producer, and leg­endary arranger Perry Botkin (later to work with the Righteous Bros, Harry Nilsson, Bobby Darin, Barbara Streisand and many others), their sole, self-titled album was record­ed at numerous studios (Western Recorders, Wally Heider, Inc. and RCA Victor) in late 1967 and early 1968. A varied but consistent col­lection, its songs featured intricate harmonies akin to the work being carried out at the same time by Curt Boettcher on albums by Sagittarius and the Millennium (check out Pleasure Time), complex orchestra­tions (Prelude To A Postlude) and psychedelic guitar work (One Girl).

A single was extracted (Life Is A Dream I The Best Of It), promo copies of which came in a picture sleeve, but neither it nor the LP (promo copies of which were accompanied by an extensive press kit) sold. A further, non-LP 45 appeared later in 1968 (Family Of Man I Lonely Mountain Again, included here as bonus tracks), but when it also failed to sell, the band splintered. Smith is not known to have continued with a career in music, but Hand joined soft-psych band The Moon, and Ray recorded an excellent folk-psych solo LP entitled Initiation Of A Mystic, which appeared on Johnny Rivers's Soul City label in 1970. Though the album they made together was ignored for decades, it is now rightly regarded as a minor classic of late 60s soft psychedelia.

CD Liner-notes

Tracks
1. Life Is A Dream - 02:06
2. Brave New World - 02:24
3. Wrong, My Friend - 02:23
4. Here Today - 02:44
5. Pleasure Time - 02:24
6. Best Of It - 02:28
7. Daydreaming - 02:49
8. Light That Love Brings - 02:27
9. Prelude To A Postlude - 04:15
10.One Girl - 02:16
11.Collage Of Attitudes - 02:04
12.Family Of Man (Bonus Track) - 04:45
13.Lonely Mountain Again (Bonus Track) - 03:16
All songs by Bobby Ray and James Smith

Thorinshield
*James Smith - Guitar
*Bobby Ray - Bass
*Terry Hand - Drums

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