Orphan Egg - Orphan Egg (1968 us, groovy fuzzed psych)

Orphan Egg album originally released on gnp subsidiary carole in 1968 - formed in 1967 in San Jose Orphan Egg was one of the lengthy list of bay area groups inspired by the psych movement spreading its tentacles from the sounds spiritual home in San Francisco. The album which also boasts some strong uk beat psych influences features lashings of incredible heavy fuzz guitar psych on a number of tracks. Aside from a handful of covers the self-penned tunes really are the stand-outs here with the feisty fuzz guitar bass drums a little recorder & a smattering of harpsichord combining along with beautiful trippy vocals to produce an ethereal floating psych sound.

Tracks
1. Falling - 3:40
2. That's The Way Love Is - 2:30
3. Mourning Electra - 2:16
4. Bird Dog (Boudleaux Bryant) - 2:45
5. It's Wrong - 2:30
6. Ain't That Lovin You Baby - 2:55
7. Look At Me - 2:50
8. Deep In The Heart Of Nebraska - 2:15
9. Don't Go To Him (Dratleaf, Guy Hemric, Mirby, Jerry Styner) - 2:05
10.Circumstance - 2:50
11.Unusual State Of Mind - 1:40
12.Rock Me Baby (Joe Josea) - 5:50
All songs by Dratleaf, Orphan Egg, Mirby except where noted.

The Orphan Egg
*Jim Bate - Vocals
*George Brix - Drums
*Pat Gallagher - Guitar, Vocals
*Dave Monley - Guitar, Harpsichord
*Barry Smith - Bass

Related Release
1969  Various Artists - The Cycle Savages / O.S.T. (2012 edition)

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The Pretty Things - Emotions (1967 uk, brilliant psychedelia, Japan remaster)

In accordance with their label's (and not the band's) wishes, the Pretties were teamed with a middle-aged orchestra directed by Reg Tilsley on this album, which saw the Phil May-Dick Taylor songwriting team making an effort to move beyond R&B knockoffs into more sophisticated territory. Sometimes the arrangements (dubbed onto tracks without much involvement from the group) worked; more often, they were an unnecessary hindrance. An interesting failure, it contained some genuinely top-rank originals that saw the group expanding their vision into social observation and tentative psychedelia, including "My Time," "The Sun," and especially the moody, folk-rock-ish "Death of a Socialite." 

by Richie Unterberger

And here is this enchanted garden of psychedelia. The Pretty Things' third album has its admirers - but The Pretty Things are not among them. Released in May of 1967, "Emotions" saw this stubborn band embarking, just for once, on a path that was not of their choosing. Doubtful of the Pretty Things' place in a changing music scene, Fontana's hierarchy thought the beat group formula was fading and needed dressing up with mainstream pop arrangements. So they summoned new producer Steve Rowland. But the most radical colouring of the Pretties' sound was done by another outsider, one Reg Tilsey, who overdubbed the elaborate arrangements, much to the bands disgust.

But thanks to the helping of bonus tracks, you can  hear some of the "Emotions" sessions as nature intended them - free of the poppy brass and string embellishments imposed upon the music. However to neutral ears, the record sounds rather charming - a period of transition from the bands blistering R&B roots to full flowering of psychedelia. It's surely true the songs themselves were softer than before. The "Emotions" material has, at least, a definite leaning towards the wistful. As May says "we were using personal incidents to make the songs out of. Normally someone would get a musical idea and the lyrics would be made to fit that, but these were lyric-led songs. It was a completely different way of writing".

Also, stereo had become 'good'. Listening to the album with headphones will drive you insane in no time. Whereas common sense is used to create a stereo sound nowadays, at the end of the sixties the preference was to pull everything apart as much as possible. After the setback of "Emotions" the band moved to EMI, and found themselves at work in the Abbey Road studios alongside The Beatles and Pink Floyd. They went down on to make the classic record "S.F. Sorrow". 

by Henri Bos

Tracks
1. Death Of A Socialite (P. May, D. Taylor, I. Stirling) - 2:44
2. Children (P. May, D. Taylor, W. Waller) - 3:01
3. The Sun (P. May, W. Waller) - 3:05
4. There Will Never Be Another Day (P. May, D. Taylor, W. Waller) - 2:20
5. House Of Ten (P. May, D. Taylor, W. Waller) - 2:50
6. Out In The Night (D. Taylor, Stirling) - 2:40
7. One Long Glance (P. May, D. Taylor, W. Waller) - 2:54
8. Growing In My Mind (P. May, D. Taylor) - 2:19
9. Photographer (P. May, D. Taylor, I. Stirling) - 2:07
10.Bright Lights Of The City (P. May, W. Waller) - 3:02
11.Tripping (P. May, D. Taylor) - 3:23
12.My Time (P. May, D. Taylor, W. Waller) - 3:05
13.A House In The Country (R. Davies) - 2:58
14.Progress (B. Halley, C. Spencer) - 2:40
15.Photographer (Alternate Mix) (P. May, D. Taylor, I. Stirling) - 2:15
16.There Will Never Be Another Day (Alternate Mix) (P. May, D. Taylor, W. Waller) - 2:25
17.My Time (Alternate Mix) (P. May, D. Taylor, W. Waller) - 3:10
18.The Sun (Alternate Mix) (P. May, W. Waller) - 3:09
19.Progress (Alternate Mix) (B. Halley, C. Spencer) - 2:55
20.Children (Alternate Version) (P. May, D. Taylor, W.  Waller) - 3:00

The Pretty Things
*Phil May - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Dick Taylor - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*John Povey - Percussion, Vocals
*Wally Allen Waller - Bass, Vocals
*Skip Alan - Drums, Vocals

1964-66  The Pretty Things - The EP Collection...Plus 

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The Pretty Things - The EP Collection...Plus (1964-66 uk, excellent freak beat)

Of all the original British Invasion groups, perhaps none were as underappreciated in the United States as the Pretty Things. Featuring the hoarse vocals of Mick Jagger-lookalike Phil May and the stinging leads of guitarist Dick Taylor (who actually played in early versions of the Rolling Stones with Jagger and Keith Richards), the Pretties recorded a clutch of raunchy R&B rockers in the mid-'60s that offered a punkier, rawer version of the early Stones sound.

Their first two albums, 1965's The Pretty Things and the same year's Get the Picture, as well as a brace of fine major and minor British hits (of which "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Honey I Need" were the biggest), featured first-rate original material and covers, and remain the group's most exciting and influential recordings. Unfortunately, the band remained virtually unknown to American audiences, most of whom would first hear "Don't Bring Me Down" on David Bowie's Pin Ups album (which also included a version of the Pretties' "Rosalyn"). 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Roadrunner (E. McDaniel) - 03:13
2. Don't Bring Me Down (J. Dee) - 02:12
3. Big Boss Man (Smith, Dixon) - 02:40
4. Buzz The Jerk (May, Taylor) - 01:56
5. Sittin' All Alone (Taylor, Sterling, May) - 02:49
6. Come See Me (P. Tubbs, J.J. Jackson, S. Barnes) - 02:40
7. London Town (Taylor) - 02:28
8. Judgement Day (Arr. J. Stax, P. May, D. Taylor, V. Prince, B. Pendleton, B. Morrison) - 02:47
9. Progress (B. Halley, C. Spencer) - 02:42
10.We'll Play House (Aldo, Gandy, May, Taylor) - 02:34
11.Can't Stand The Pain (P. May, D. Taylor, B. Graham) - 02:42
12.Midnight To Six Man (P. May, D. Taylor) - 02:21
13.Big City (J. Duncan, A. Klein) - 02:03
14.Get The Picture (May, Taylor, Graham) - 01:56
15.We'll Be Together (B. Taylor, P. May, J. Stax) - 02:12
16.Rainin' In My Heart (J. West, J. Moore) - 02:32
17.I Can Never Say (Pretty Things) - 02:37
18.Gonna Find A Substitute (M. Turner) - 02:58
19.Get A Buzz (Pretty Things) - 04:01
20.Me Needing You (D. Taylor, P. May) - 01:58
21.Honey I Need (Smithiling, Taylor, Button) - 02:00
22.Cry To Me (Russell) - 02:52
23.Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut (E. McDaniel) - 03:00
24.LSD (D. Taylor, P. May) - 02:27
25.A House In The Country (R. Davies) - 03:00
26.Rosalyn (J. Duncan, W. Farley) - 02:20

The Pretty Things
*Phil May - Vocals
*Dick Taylor - Guitar
*Skip Alan - Drums, Vocals
*Brian Pendleton - Rhythm Guitar
*John Stax - Bass
*Viv Prince - Drums

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The Byrds - Live At Fillmore (1969 us, shiny straight ahead folk country rock)

In 1969, after their definition of the folk-rock sound and their brief dip into country & western, the Byrds were ready to begin a new stage of their career. By this time, the only remaining original member was Roger McGuinn, whose 12-string guitar sound has been remembered as the canonical "jangle" so important to the evolution of classic rock. Gram Parsons may have ushered in the epic country dalliance of Sweetheart of the Rodeo, but the dominant sound of Byrds by this time was something else: the jarring post-Nashville electricity of Clarence White.

Live, the stripped-down two guitars, bass & drum format turned the Byrds away from the formula they perfected on their pre-Sweetheart records. Their recently recorded "Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde" LP showed the Byrds shift from the already cliched folk-rock sound towards a fuzzier, riskier Jefferson Airplane-like drum & distortion sonic zone. For material however, even as McGuinn was stretching his writing chops, their reliance on Dylan songs and the post-Harry Smith Anthology/Woody Guthrie folk canon to fill out their set list showed their inability to escape their beginnings. As documented in this fascinating live recording, the 1969 Byrds were heading into an area where the virtuosity of White and the pop/folk craftsmanship and experimentation of McGuinn could coexist.

cd cover While McGuinn clung to the songs and approaches which made him famous, the band as a live entity had changed. White's guitar could kick the energy to another level at any moment. On this record, McGuinn's playing lurks in the background holding down the chords while White reels off baffling fills and solos. Though not part of the guitar pantheon of the sixties, White deserves a reassessment for his singular synthesis of country and psychedelic lead guitar stylings. His adaptation of pedal steel technique for the electric guitar was a true technical innovation and his solos snake through the acid honky-tonk terrain with an acuity Jerry Garcia never attained. Though they play a perfunctory medley of their big hits, the band sounds relieved to get "Turn! Turn! Turn!" out of the way so they can let White loose.

The Byrds post-Sweetheart records are justly well-loved by rock connoisseurs for their framing of classic folk-rock material and McGuinn's own increasingly forward-looking songs in a surprisingly modern sonic space. Though frequently linked to Rickenbacker-slinging sixties worshippers like Tom Petty and REM, the band that comes to mind in relation to the late Byrds is actually Pavement, who also walk the particularly Californian line between pop song-craft and hazy sonic sprawl. Live at the Fillmore is a link in understanding the Byrds' various transformations, and maybe even more importantly, a rare showcase for the artistry of Clarence White. 

by Ted Reichman 

Tracks
1. Nashville West (Gene Parsons, Clarence White) - 1:57
2. You're Still On My Mind (Luke McDaniel) - 1:57
3. Pretty Boy Floyd (Woody Guthrie) - 3:13
4. Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man (Roger McGuinn, Gram Parsons) - 2:28
5. Medley: Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)/Mr. Tambourine Man/Eight Miles High (Book Of Ecclesiastes (Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby) - 9:47
6. Close Up The Honky Tonks (Red Simpson) - 2:59
7. Buckaroo (Bob Morris) - 2:02
8. The Christian Life (Ira Louvin, Charlie Louvin) - 2:10
9. Time Between (Chris Hillman) - 2:09
10.King Apathy Iii (Roger McGuinn) - 3:14
11.Bad Night At The Whiskey (Roger McGuinn, Joseph Richards) - 3:50
12.This Wheel's On Fire (Bob Dylan, Rick Danko) - 4:17
13.Sing Me Back Home (Merle Haggard) - 3:08
14.So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman) - 2:36
15.He Was A Friend Of Mine (Traditional Arr. Roger McGuinn) - 2:32
16.Chimes Of Freedom (Bob Dylan) - 3:23

The Byrds
*Roger McGuinn - 12 String Guitar
*Clarence White-  Lead Guitar
*John York  - Bass
*Gene Parsons - Drums

1964  The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Edition)
1968  The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (2 Disc Remaster Expanded)
1971  The Byrds - Live At Royal Albert Hall
1973  Byrds - Byrds
1973  Roger McGuinn - Roger McGuinn (2013 Edition) 

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Gothic Horizon - Tomorrow's Another Day (1972 uk, bright, breezy folk psych prog, 2004 issue)

Gothic Horizon's second and final album, like many a sophomore effort, was essentially similar to their debut (The Jason Lodge Poetry Book), except for being somewhat more elaborately produced. Gentle, occasionally somewhat frail British acoustic-based folk-rock remained at the center of their sound. Standard rock instrumentation, however, was employed with considerably greater frequency, though not to the point of overuse. The group's material, too, sounded more serious and less innocent, though it still retained a light, easygoing quality (and, on numbers like "Jefferson James" and "Sydney's Wharf," a definite Simon & Garfunkel influence, especially in the vocal harmonies). 

While the tracks are almost always pleasing on the ear to some degree, they're not too penetrating, and the more they veer from the group's folky core to more ordinary early-'70s rock, the closer they come to losing the plot. The aforementioned "Sydney's Wharf" is probably the highlight, the nostalgic musings accented by some haunting backup female vocals and strange electronic buzzing tones. Like so many slightly-above-average rarities in its genre, the record will please serious enthusiasts of the style, but might be better appreciated by the average collector by hearing the best one or two cuts on various-artists compilations. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Thyme And Tied - 3:21
2. Sydney’s Wharf - 4:19
3. Beverley’s Song (Song For Beverley) - 3:36
4. Baby, You Make The Sunshine (Andy Desmond) -2:53
5. Lament (For Two Voices) - 2:58
6. Sunny Day Parable (Andy Desmond) - 4:30
7. Song No.1 - 4:41
8. Girl With Guitar - 3:25
9. If You Can Smile (Andy Desmond) - 3:33
10.Jefferson James - 3:39
11.Thoughts (Andy Desmond) - 2:49
12.Tomorrow’s Another Day (Andy Desmond) - 6:45
All songs by Mike Simmons except where stated

Musicians
*Andy Desmond - Six, Twelve String Guitars, Harmonica, Vocals
*Richard Garrett - Vocals
*Paul Cartwright - Drums, Percussion
*Barrie Evans - Electric Guitar
*Mike Simmons - Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, String, Brass Arrangements
*John Gosling - Organ, Piano, Moog Synthesizer

1970  Gothic Horizon - The Jason Lodge Poetry Book

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Tin Tin - Astral Taxi (1971 aussie, smart soft orchestrated harmonies, 2009 remaster)

Astral Taxi is an excellent second album from keyboard player Steve Kipner, guitarist Steve Groves, and their group, Tin Tin, whose 1971 Top 20 hit "Toast and Marmalade for Tea" actually sounded like a sequel to Marmalade's 1970 Top Ten hit "Reflections of My Life." They were often confused with the Bee Gees, though Tin Tin had more reason to be -- not only did they really sound like the brothers Gibb, they shared the same manager in Robert Stigwood, the same record label in Atco, and Maurice Gibb was executive producer on this follow-up to their debut, Gibb having more hands-on involvement with the first disc. Both the title track, "Astral Taxi," and the second song, "Ships on the Starboard," would have been perfect on a Paul Kantner solo disc. 

Consider Aztec Two-Step in outer space. Steve Grove's "Our Destiny," on the other hand, is an orchestrated progressive rock instrumental. A heady philosophical essay accompanies the song credit, though the bandmembers don't get the same courtesy. Gerry Shury did the orchestral arrangements, Geoff Bridgeford is most likely on drums, and Johnny Vallins is probably part of the ensemble as well, but the lack of information on who is playing what is distressing for such a great recording and eventual historical artifact. Vallins contributes his songwriting skills to "Ships on the Starboard," "The Cavalry's Coming," and "Benny the Wonderdog." The songwriter also wrote the 1978 number one hit for Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams, "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," along with Kipner's father, Nat Kipner. Steve Kipner and Steve Groves craft a poppy Moody Blues-type number in "Tomorrow Today" along with their producer, Billy Lawrie. Lawrie also co-wrote the final track, "Is That the Way," with the duo, its very Beatlesque elegance being one of the LP's many highlights. 

Astral Taxi is an enigmatic album for sure, but it works on every level. The more rocking "Jenny B." has horns and guitar battling it out toward the end, a departure from the rest of the music. This 1971 album has three of the guys on the cover photo (as well as on the inside gatefold) , but none of their names accompany the faces. They weren't the Bee Gees just yet, nor were they going to be that visible, but when you add up Steve Kipner's Australian hit along with his smash songs for Olivia Newton-John and Chicago in the mid-'80s and include the Tin Tin composition written by Steve Groves, this band -- who was pretty much written off as a one-hit wonder/Bee Gees clone -- turns out to have had immense depth. "I Took a Holiday" will delight fans of the Bee Gees' song "Holiday"; it has their vocal style, charm, and string arrangements. Astral Taxi is a very pleasant album which should be a collectors' item within pop circles. 

by Joe Viglione

Tracks
1. Astral Taxi (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves) - 3:31
2. Ships On The Starboard  (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Johnny Vallins) - 3:22
3. Our Destiny (Steve Groves) - 3:16
4. Tomorrow Today (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Billy Lawrie) - 3:54
5. Jenny B. (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves) - 4:06
6. I Took A Holiday (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves) - 3:28
7. Tag Around (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves) - 2:25
8. Set Sail For England (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves) - 2:55
9. The Cavalary's Coming (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Johnny Vallins) - 2:44
10.Benny The Wonder Dog (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Johnny Vallins) - 3:54
11.Is That The Way (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Billy Lawrie) - 2:33
12.Talking Turkey (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Geoff Bridgford) - 3:30
13.Strange One (Grozmann) - 3:44
14.I'm Afraid (Pete Beckett) - 3:39
15.Love Her That Way (From Tin Tin First UK Album) (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves) - 2:19
16.Back To Winona (B-Side UK Single “Come On Over Again”) (Steve Kipner, Steve Groves) - 2:45

Tin Tin
*Steve Kipner - Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals
*Steve Groves - Guitars, Percussion, Vocals
*Johnny Vallins - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Geoff Bridgford - Drums

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The Grodeck Whipperjenny - The Grodeck Whipperjenny (1970 us, splendid hard fuzz acid funk rock)

The Grodeck Whipperjenny were wolves in sheep attire: a Cincinnati-based group of jazz musicians flexing their rock chops under the auspices of future CTI artist and Grodeck leader David Matthews, who at the time was serving as arranger and writer for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. The band's lone 1970 release exists in the sonic hinterland between Funkadelic-style psychedelic soul and a distinctly soulful prog rock that shares some territory with Brian Auger and Norman Whitfield's Motown productions. 

The soupy results are truly sublime with funky tracks like "Sitting Here on a Tongue" coasting on Kenny Poole's fuzz guitar and Jimmy Madison's insistent drums that surely made Brown, who gets his requisite "A James Brown Production" credit, proud. The proceedings get even harder and heavier with the lysergic caveman stomp of "Put Your Thing on Me" and "Why Can't I Go Back." Matthews gets to strut his arranging stuff on the string-heavy "Conclusions" and takes his Hammond for a ride on the trippy "Evidence for the Existence of the Unconscious." A few dated speed bumps, "I Wonder" and "You're Too Young," prevent this from being a through and through classic, but it's a wild ride otherwise and not to be missed. 

by Wade Kergan 

Tracks
1. Sitting Here On A Tongue - 2:50
2. Wonder If - 2:55
3. Why Can't I Go Back - 3:40
4. Conclusions - 4:33
5. You're Too Young (Michael Moore) - 1:48
6. Put Your Thing On Me (Kenny Poole) - 4:40
7. Inside Or Outside - 1:00
8. Evidence For The Existance Of The Unconscious (Tom Banta) - 10:28
All songs by David Matthews except where stated

The Grodeck Whipperjenny
*Mary Ellen Bell - Vocals
*Jimmy Madison - Drums
*David Matthews - Organ, Piano, Trombone
*Michael Moore - Bass
*Kenny Poole - Guitar, Vocals

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Byrds - Byrds (1973 us, brilliant folk country ballads, 2004 issue)

The announcement of the reunion album featuring all five original Byrds raised expectations to the point where whatever emerged was almost bound to be an anticlimax. (Imagine the effect of the Beatles reforming around the same time, if you will.) Despite a general thumbs-down from the critics, fan loyalty and eager anticipation made the new long-player highly successful at the record store: in the States, the biggest-selling new-material Byrds album since Turn, Turn, Turn. Subsequent reviews expressed varying degrees of disappointment, but recent re-evaluation with almost forty years of hindsight portrays the project as fascinating historically and not without merit artistically. Interest in it has never waned and it’s been re-released on CD no fewer than four times. The Wikipedia article on it is almost a book.

The theory behind the reunion varies. According to one version, the famously unreticent David Crosby visited Roger McGuinn in mid-1972 and panned the well-loved White/Battin/Parsons Byrds lineup, saying, “you’ve done some OK stuff but you’ve also done stuff that is pretty bad. Please stop doing it under the Byrds name”. Crosby then suggested reforming the original band to record an album showing where the founder members “are at today”. Another version has the ever-opportunistic David Geffen seeing the lucrative potential of a reunion and planting the suggestion in McGuinn’s mind, noting that McGuinn himself had become dissatisfied with the long-standing lineup and replaced Gene Parsons with salaried sessioneer John Guerin. Either way, McGuinn acquiesced and the other members, all having found themselves between longterm engagements, followed.

The nature of the final work supports the first theory: the album is The Crosby Show in almost every respect. Although on the surface democracy seems to be served by each of the four principals furnishing two original compositions, two of the three accompanying covers are Neil Young songs and the third is by Joni Mitchell, both being longtime Crosby cronies (though Clark takes lead vocal on the Young ditties). It’s been suggested that the other three writers were saving their best material for their own solo projects, but though none of their offerings is a blockbuster they’re all engaging enough, especially Gene Clark’s delicate “Full Circle” and Dylanesque “Changing Heart” and McGuinn’s ersatz-traditional “Sweet Mary”. By contrast, Crosby’s “Long Live The King” is characteristically ebullient, while his “Laughing” is itself actually a cover of the original that appeared on his sublime 1971 collection If Only I Could Remember My Name. Crosby also has the sole production credit; the only tracks that show real spirit in the lead vocals are his; and in the cover photographs he’s the only one who really looks like he wants to be there. (Chris Hillman looks like he’d rather be anywhere else at all.)

The sound of the album is also heavily redolent with Crosby’s aural fingerprint. Acoustic guitars predominate, with the electrics and bass mostly mixed way back and only Hillman’s vibrant mandolin and Clark’s plaintive harmonica forefronted strongly as solo instruments. Apart from “Laughing”, all the songs have short, terse arrangements, never really catching fire. While Crosby’s lead vocals soar, Clark’s and Hillman’s are more subdued and McGuinn’s particularly sombre. The block harmonies are immaculate but display the sweetness of CS&N rather than the engaging rough edge of latterday Byrds. One is led to conclude that with this album Crosby finally achieved, albeit temporarily, belatedly and with questionable success, the domination of the Byrds that he’d craved during the classic years.

by Len Liechti

Tracks
1. Full Circle (Gene Clark) - 2:43
2. Sweet Mary (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) - 2:55
3. Changing Heart (Gene Clark) - 2:42
4. For Free (Joni Mitchell) - 3:50
5. Born To Rock 'N' Roll (Roger McGuinn) - 3:12
6. Things Will Be Better (Chris Hillman, Dallas Taylor) - 2:13
7. Cowgirl In The Sand (Neil Young) - 3:24
8. Long Live The King (David Crosby) - 2:17
9. Borrowing Time (Chris Hillman, Joe Lala) - 2:00
10.Laughing (David Crosby) - 5:38
11.(See The Sky) About To Rain (Neil Young) - 3:49

The Byrds
*Roger McGuinn – Guitar, Banjo, Moog Synthesizer, Vocals
*Gene Clark - Guitar, Harmonica, Tambourine, Vocals
*David Crosby - Guitar, Vocals
*Chris Hillman – Electric Bass, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
*Michael Clarke – Drums, Congas, Percussion
Additional Personnel
*Wilton Felder - Electric Bass
*Johnny Barbata - Drums
*Dallas Taylor - Congas, Tambourine

1964  The Byrds - Preflyte (2012 Edition)
1971  The Byrds - Live At Royal Albert Hall
1967  Gene Clark - Echoes
1968-69  Dillard And Clark - Fantastic Expedition / Through The Morning, Through The Night
1971  Gene Clark - White Light
1972  Gene Clark - Roadmaster  (2011 Edition)
1973  Roger McGuinn - Roger McGuinn (2013 Edition) 

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Atlanta Rhythm Section - Dog Days / Red Tape (1975-76 us, fine straight southern rock, 2005 remaster)

Atlanta Rhythm Section was formed in 1970, intended as the house band for new state-of-the-art recording facility in Doraville, Georgia, and played on various recordings during the first year of the studio, for artists including Al Kooper, B J Thomas and Joe South. 38 Special and Lynyrd Skynyrd also gravitated towards the studio. Meanwhile, the ARS sextet began to record their own material. Three albums preceded 'Dog Days': a self-titled debut, 'Back Up Against The Wall' and 'Third Annual Pipe Dream' with increasing song writing maturity evident through these releases. 'Dog Days' was released in 1975 and as with all ten of the studio albums released up to and including 'Quinella' in 1981, each one offered an engaging balance and blend of up-tempo songs and reflective ballads.

'Dog Days' contains six of the former and two of the latter, all were self-composed and crystallised the bands sound, opener 'Crazy' beginning with the lyric "Wow! Isn't the music strange – it's over-arranged but so untogether..." showing that they had a great sense of humour and that they would – and did – stretch out and jam (as was the case with most of their contemporary Southern band cousins). Here, it was following track, the eight minute 'Boogie Smoogie' that begins as a slow blues that opens out after three minutes into a joyous romp with sensational contributions from both lead guitarists. Although comparisons can at times be made with these other Southern bands, ARS have always provided a broader musical palette and their incredible harmony vocals were also something of a trademark. On the slower material, such as 'Silent Treatment' here and 'Beautiful Dreamers' on 'Red Tape' one may begin to note some similarities with the harmonies and approach of bands like America, Hall & Oates and Toto...and this comes even more to prominence on 'Quinella'. As it happens, 'Beautiful Dreamers' is even redolent stylistically of some of ELO's slow ballads! 'Cuban Crisis' is also a must hear, with its highly amusing lyric and latino rhythms.

'Red Tape' appeared the following year, an album with a greater rock and blues emphasis and with a fantastic, new, nine minute version of 'Another Man's Woman' (a song they had included on the debut, but honed to perfection via many live performances). Other favourites here include the short but oh-so-sweet 'Shanghied', the amusing 'Police! Police!' with its migrating police car siren at the start and the glorious mid-tempo song 'Oh What A Feeling' that has some of the most sensational harmonies of the three albums discussed here.

Rocktopia

Tracks
Dog Days 1975
1. Crazy (Buie, Nix, Daughtry) - 3:07
2. Boogie Smoogie (Buie, Nix, Bailey) - 7:57
3. Cuban Crisis (Buie, Nix, Cobb) - 3:50
4. It Just Ain't Your Moon (Buie, Nix, Daghtry) - 4:50
5. Dog Days (Buie, Nix, Daughtry) - 3:35
6. Bless My Soul (Cobb) - 4:00
7. Silent Treatment (Buie, Nix, Bailey) - 5:15
8. All Night Rain (Buie, Nix, Daughtry, Mcree) - 3:10
Red Tape 1976
9. Jukin'/San Antonio Rose (Buie, Nix, Wills) - 3:43
10.Mixed Emotions (Buie, Cobb, Nix) - 3:20
11.Shanghaied (Buie, Cobb, Nix) - 2:14
12.Police! Police! (Buie, Cobb, Nix) - 3:11
13.Beautiful Dreamers (Buie, Cobb, Nix) - 3:26
14.Oh What A Feeling (Bailey, Buie, Nix) - 2:39
15.Free Spirit (Buie, Hammond, Nix) - 3:35
16.Another Man's Woman (Bailey, Buie, Daughtry, Nix) - 9:47

Atlanta Rhythm Section
*Barry Bailey - Guitar
*Buddy Buie - Vocals
*J.R. Cobb - Guitar, Vocals
*Dean Daughtry - Keyboards
*Paul Goddard - Bass Guitar
*Ronnie Hammond - Vocals, Vocals
*Robert Nix - Percussion, Drums, Vocals

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Winterhawk - Revival (1982 us, good hard rock with prog shades, 2006 remaster)

Winterhawk was a Chicago area band that existed between like 1977 and 1983 before leaving us all behind. This is the sole record that they released in 1982 on their own small label. 2000 copies were pressed in two bunches but 30% of the first batch were crap. It is pretty rare today and it has a lot of great material. The band was a 3 piece and you can hear Triumph (the high pitch vocal, more than the guitar work), the harder edged Styx material, Richie Blackmore like guitar in this great hard rock piece of art. 

The record starts with a short instrumental piece before launching into the hard rocking Sanctuary, which has a great riff. Period of Change has some amazing guitar playing and a lot of different moods. At this point I would have to consider the band a progressive rock band, and then Can’t see the Forest from the Trees kicks in and is a foot stomping bluesy track and Jordan lets it rip! The title track, Revival, is next and is a cool melodic rock track. Ace in the Hole is not sung by vocalist/guitarist Jordan Macarus but the bass player Doug Brown. This features some ripping guitar at the end and again is quite a complex arrangement. The CD ends with the long progressive rock track with some very Richie Blackmore like guitar runs that only miss Jon Lord on the organ., Free to live clocking in at 9½ minutes. A great track and pretty cool record.

Aural-Innovations

Tracks
1. Intro - 3:41
2. Sanctuary (D. Brown, J. Macarus) - 5:25
3. Period of Change - 7:15
4. Can't See the Forest for the Trees (D. Brown) - 5:35
5. Revival - 6:04
6. Ace in the Hole - 5:05
7. Free to Live - 9:23
All songs by Jordan Macarus except where noted

Winterhawk
*Jordan Macarus - Vocals, Guitar
*Doug Brown - Bass, Vocals, Guitar
*Scott Bennes - Drums, Percussion

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