Rationals - The Rationals (1969 us, stunning detroit r 'n' b garage rock, 2011 extra tracks remaster)

At the time of the album’s release, Detroit rock was epitomised by the Grande Ballroom and the powerful sounds of the groups associated with it, such as the MC5, Stooges, SRC, Amboy Dukes and Frost. The Rationals were younger than the majority of the musicians in these groups, and they ploughed their own rock/R'n'B furrow, resisting the heavyweight arrangements deemed mandatory, and eschewing the fashionable hirsute image of the time for a neat, latter-day mod look. Not that the Rationals were unpopular at the “high energy” Grande – far from it. The group appeared as a regular, and no doubt refreshing, alternative to the bluster of many of their harder-edged contemporaries. Their classic 1969 single ‘Guitar Army’ became an anthem of sorts for Detroit rock, with its universal truth that seemed to have been submerged in the overheated revolutionary rhetoric of the time – that the music was the message.

Having left their mentor Jeep Holland, of A-Square Records,in 1968, the Rationals cast around for a contract and a producer, eventually settling for a deal with Bob Crewe’s short-lived Crewe label. The result, this album, were as soulful as their earlier recordings but it demonstrated better the breadth of the group’s talents. Intricate, complex originals like ‘Ha Ha’ and ‘Deep Red’ nestled easily with tried and tested R&B chestnuts from their stage act and inspired covers like Dr John’s ‘Glowin’’ and Mike d’Abo’s soon-to-be-classic ‘Handbags And Gladrags’. All showcased the amazing pipes of vocalist Scott Morgan to great effect.

Sadly, the Rationals’ long-overdue shot at recording a long-player did not translate into record sales and by the end of the year the group had split. They remain a cherished memory for their devoted hometown audience of Ann Arbor who had been by their side since they first emerged in 1965.

Our reissue of “The Rationals” adds the rare single mixes of ‘Guitar Army’ and ‘Sunset’, along with two previously unissued tracks, including an amazing ten minute live-in-the-studio take of ‘Wang Dang Doodle’ that goes some way to explaining the roots of that devotion. The Rationals were truly one of the era’s finest.

by Alec Palao

Tracks
1. Barefootin' (Robert Parker) - 3:22
2. Temptation 'Bout To Get Me (James Diggs) - 3:58
3. Guitar Army (Bill Figg, Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt) - 3:16
4. Something's Got A Hold On Me (Etta James, Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods) - 3:49
5. Deep Red (Bill Figg, Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt) - 2:19
6. Sunset (Bill Figg, Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt) - 5:36
7. Glowin' (Mac Rebennack) - 4:16
8. Handbags And Gladrags (Mike D'Abo) - 3:30
9. Ha-Ha (Bill Figg, Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt) - 6:36
10.Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah (Previous Unissued) (Allie Wrubel, Ray Gilbert) - 3:36
11.Wang Dang Doodle (Previous Unissued) (Willie Dixon) - 11:24
12.Guitar Army (Single Version) (Bill Figg, Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt) - 2:46
13.Sunset (Single Version) (Bill Figg, Scott Morgan, Steve Correll, Terry Trabandt) - 5:39

The Rationals
*Scott Morgan - Lead Vocals, Flute, Harmonica, Percussions
*Steve Correll - Electric Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
*Terry Trabandt - Bass, Vocals, Piano
*Bill Figg - Drums, Vibes, Percussion

1965-69  Think Rational (2009 two discs set)
1968  Temptation 'Bout To Get Me / Live At The Grande Ballroom (Vinyl Issue)

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Van Morrison - Hard Nose The Highway (1973 northern ireland, delicate jazzy folk silky rock)

Hard Nose the Highway is psychologically complex, musically somewhat uneven and lyrically excellent. Its surface pleasures are a little less than those of St. Dominic's Preview and a great deal less than those of Tupelo Honey, while its lyric depths are richer and more accessible than those of either predecessor. The major theme of Hard Nose is nostalgia, briefly but firmly counter-pointed by disillusion. The latter sentiment Van spews out in the album's one ugly, self-indulgent song, "The Great Deception," a vicious indictment of hip urban culture and rock affluence.

The chief musical mode of Hard Nose the Highway is intimate, quiet jazz, a cornucopia of understated, subtly-shaded and shifting instrumental textures that provide a sympathetic setting for Van's vocal ruminations. Again, Van demonstrates his ability to fuse jazz, pop and rock ideas into a fluid format whose stylistic identity ends up being his and his alone.

The cut-by-cut schematization of Hard Nose is fairly loose. Side one comprises five songs, beginning with "Snow in San Anselmo" and closing with "The Great Deception." "Snow" is alternately contemplative and rapturous in its recollection of a near-miraculous occurrence. A languid, jazz-flavored verse suddenly erupts into a sped-up refrain that pits the Oakland Symphony Chamber Chorus against a frenetic horn-sax arrangement. Van's introduction of a large chorus seems as unnecessary as the London Symphony Orchestra behind Neil Young, for it exaggerates the volatile emotional dualism that exists at the core of Van's sensibility in the same way that the London Symphony overdramatizes and undercuts Neil's pathos. "Snow" does contain, however, one of Van's best vocals.

Next is the ingratiatingly melodic "Warm Love," which embodies in all its details a sensuous appreciation of life and music. Because it's the album's strongest tune, it stands the best chance of being a hit single. The title cut, which follows, is an abbreviated, inferior reprise of "St. Dominic's Preview" in its sound, structure and shifting time sense. Here Van pays tribute to the best mid-Fifties pop ("Ain't that some interpretation/When Sinatra sings against Nelson Riddle strings"), then assesses his own rocky past and offers a somewhat cynical directive: "Put your money where your mouth is ... In order to win you must be prepared to lose sometime."

"Wild Children," which delves deeply into Van's personal mythology from childhood through adolescence, is the album's most historically resonant song. Against early memories of returning soldiers, Van identifies his growing-up with the figures of Tennessee Williams, Rod Steiger, Marlon Brando and James Dean. The musical energy here is relaxed, the poetry terse and poignant: "We were the War Children/Born 1945/When all the soldiers came marching home/Love looks in their eye."

As was the case in St. Dominic's Preview, the second side of the album turns out to be better than the first. The ten-minute "Autumn Song" demonstrates anew Van's gift at creating extended meditations that accumulate emotional power as they unfold in modified, impressionistic streams of consciousness. "Little glamour sun coming round/Take a walk when autumn comes to town," he sings, evoking as few contemporary composers have, the ineffable joys of daily life in attunement to a pleasant environment. The music is laid-back and sparkling, highlighted by the lovely pianism of Jef Labes and the doubled guitars of Van and John Platania.

"Autumn Song" is sandwiched between two other mellow delights. Joe Raposo's "Green" is an enchanting bit of poetic whimsy set in rock & roll triplets and featuring a lusty horn break that segues into shivering strings. The album closes with Van's beautiful arrangement of the traditional "Purple Heather," which he has transformed into an ethereal "Astral Weeks" reverie that fades out on his inimitable rock scat singing ... "Da da da, Da da da, Da da da ..." echoed between voice and piano, with glissando strings hovering overhead. It is a deliciously satisfying ending that carries us back into the mystic arena where Van always seems most at home.

by Stephen Holden, September 27, 1973

Tracks
1. Snow In San Anselmo - 4:33
2. Warm Love - 3:22
3. Hard Nose The Highway - 5:12
4. Wild Children - 4:19
5. The Great Deception - 4:50
6. Bein' Green (Joe Raposo) - 4:20
7. Autumn Song - 10:34
8. Purple Heather (Traditional Arranged By Van Morrison) - 5:42
Music and Lyrics by Van Morrison except where stated

Musicians
*Van Morrison - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Jack Schroer - Tenor, Alto, Baritone, Soprano Saxophones
*Jules Broussard - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
*Joseph Ellis - Trumpet
*Bill Atwood - Trumpet
*Nathan Rubin - Violin
*Zaven Melikian - Violin
*Nancy Ellis - Viola
*Theresa "Terry" Adams - Cello
*John Tenney - Violin
*Michael Gerling - Violin
*Jef Labes - Piano
*John Platania - Guitar
*David Hayes - Bass
*Gary Mallaber - Vibraphone, Drums
*Rick Shlosser - Drums
*Marty David - Bass
*Jackie De Shannon - Backing Vocals
*Oakland Symphony Chamber - Chorus

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)
with Them
1964-66  The Story Of Them (two discs set)

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Bacon Fat - Tough Dude (1971 us, awesome funky blues rock vibrations, 2004 reissue)

Second album from 1971 by this killer LA blues/rock band, also originally released on the Blue Horizon label and also stupidly rare and sought after. With Rod Piazza still out front, harp in hand, wailing his soul and J.D. Nicholson suppling piano and vocals Tough Guys has much to recommend it to fans of the group's debut and anyone who would like to hear one of the west-coasts greatest harmonica players. 

Tracks
1. Wait On It (Rod "Gingerman" Piazza) - 3:39
2. Down The Road (J.D. Nicholson) - 3:20
3. Shake Dancer (Walter Jacobs) - 2:05
4. Leaving On Your Mind (George "Harmonica" Smith) - 4:05
5. Jivin' The Business (Ivan «Buddy» Reed) - 2:25
6. Betty (Gregg Schaefer) - 2:41
7. Travelling South (Mike Vernon) - 3:00
8. Evil (Chester Burnett) - 2:46
9. Blues Feeling (Rod "Gingerman" Piazza) - 4:00
10.Pool Hall Sam (George "Harmonica" Smith) - 2:54
11.Translating Blues (Ivan «Buddy» Reed) - 4:05
12.Hurricane (George "Harmonica" Smith) - 5:00

The Bacon Fat
*Rod "Gingerman" Piazza - Harp, Vocals
*George "Harmonica" Smith - Harp, Vocals
*Buddy Reed - Guitar, Vocals
*Gregg Schaefer - Guitar
*J.D. Nicholson - Vocals, Piano
*Jerry Smith - Bass
*Dick Innes, Jr. - Drums

1970  Bacon Fat - Grease One For Me
Related Act
1967-68  Dirty Blues Band - Dirty Blues Band / Stone Dirt (2007 remaster)

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Heat Exchange - Reminiscence (1972–73 canada, marvelous post psych prog rock with blues and jazz details, 2017 release)

The history of Heat Exchange starts somewhere in the late 60s in Toronto, Canada. The band emerged from a band named Cloud which involved four of the total of six of Heat Exchange members, except the saxophonist / flutist Craig Carmody and the lead singer Mike Langford. The unsuccessful attempts to release their debut album in 1972 in connection with the indifference of the record companies, led them inevitably to their break-up. However, they managed to deliver a concise legacy of three 45 rpm records,  the six compositions of which are included in this album, along with some unreleased songs. Some of the band members kept the recorded material and Guerssen Records willing to carry out her purpose once again, gathered their material and presents an addictive compositions package where a blending of heavy prog, prog folk, pop glimpses, jazz and rock guitar is harmoniously achieved.

What seems clear is that their place of origin is not indicative of their influences. The whole aesthetics of the album refers to bands of the Old Albion and the generalized wave of prog rock of that era. If we want to clarify the effects that arise, these will probably be found in two of the favorite bands of Carmody, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and King Crimson, the Raw Material, Jethro Tull, The Nice, Web, and Argent. The album has an exciting flow capturing a band composed of highly talented musicians. To avoid prolixity in relation to the individual development of the album, I wish to stand on tracks which fascinated me most and to the minimum disadvantages I received as a listener.

First, it is the opening For Those Who Listen, a four-minute prog folk anthem based on the keyboards of Gord McKinnon. Imagine a mixing of Argent, Jethro Tull and Procol Harum with the discreet but very successful presence of the flute of Carmody. In the surprising title track Reminiscence, whose characteristic introduction recollects late 60s-early 70s keyboard-driven prog bands, until the Carmody flute takes charge of the composition to take off completely the composition. In the also excellent jazzy Stopwatch but mainly in the last track of the album, the prog / folk epic Four to Open the Door. From there onwards, Can you Tell Me is constructed on a pop base brightened with distinct funk blends, while the highly remarkable Scat effortlessly evokes N.S.U. by Cream. The heavy prog Inferno convinces equally with the foregoing, as well as the switch of harmonica and saxophone in the very good She Made All Alone. The intelligible Philosophy and Scorpio Lady without touching the heights of the previous compositions do not affect the positive sign of the total.

For several years we share a seamless revival of the past, with the positive and negative aspects. Bands like Heat Exchange underline the purpose of this revival which is not ephemeral and any trendy trivialization, but the need to update the past through the present. Reminiscence is a serious reminder of this revival. Rush fearlessly and listen.

by Thomas Sarakintsis

Tracks
1. For Those Who Listen - 3:43
2. Inferno - 3:52
3. Reminiscence - 4:37
4. Can You Tell Me - 3:06
5. Stopwatch - 5:48
6. She Made Me All Alone - 3:31
7. Philosophy - 2:50
8. Scorpio Lady - 2:35
9. Scat - 3:22
10.Four To Open The Door - 9:34
Music and Lyrics written by The Heat Exchange  

The Heat Exchange
*Mike Langford - Vocals
*Neil Chapman - Guitars
*Marty Morin - Drums, Backing Vocals
*Gord McKinnon - Keyboards, Harmonica
*Ralph Smith - Bass
*Craig Carmody - Saxophones, Flute

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Mac Gayden - Skyboat / Hymn to the Seeker (1976 uk, marvelous smooth rock jazzy funky blue eyed soul, 2008 two discs set)

If you were a London-based listener with at least a modicum of good taste in the late summer of 1975, Mac Gayden’s massive turntable hit, ‘Morning Glory’ will hold more than a few memories for you. Championed by a better class of DJ, such as Charlie Gillett on Radio London, and Roger Scott on Capital Radio when it was everything that an independent radio station should be, this supremely catchy song with its compelling slide guitar work ought, by rights, to have been one of the year’s stone smashes. Sadly, its appeal didn’t get far beyone those who appreciate perfect pop, but even now, 33 years on, it stands up to any amount of scrutiny, and is easily the equal of any of Gayden’s better known mid 1960s compositions, such as ‘Everlasting Love’ and ‘Love On A Mountain Top’, two Top 20 hits that he co-wrote for Robert Knight, or the beach music/60s classic ‘She Shot A Hole In My Soul’for Clifford Curry.

‘Morning Glory’ was not a hit in the USA either, but Gayden’s label ABC believed in him enough to release “Skyboat” and “Hymn To The Seeker”, two of only three solo albums that he released last century issued here with his non-album B-side ‘Sunfall’ as a bonus track. Neither of them made ways. Not helped by sending the decidedly non-country “Skyboat” album to country stations, on the basis that it had been recorded in Nashville. Now they have come to be recognised as masterpieces of the diverse and all encompassing musical melting pot that is Southern Rock.

The sleevenotes, by Gayden aficionado and Mojo writer Mick Houghton, give valuable insight into this still relatively unsung hero, whose other notable achievements include playing on Dylan’s “Blonde On Blonde” sessions, co-founding two cornerstone acts of Southern rock in Area Code 615 and its successor, Barefoot Jerry and, possibly most importantly, inventing an innovative way to play a slide guitar through a wah-wah pedal, as exemplified by his work on J J Cale’s first album and, of course, ‘Morning Glory’.

Gayden still pursues a musical path in the 21st century, with his own label and the occasional Nashville gig to keep him busy. For those who can’t pop across to Music City every time Mac plays a show, the CD premiere of “Morning Glory – The ABC Recordings” will be a most acceptable alternative. We’re delighted to return this small but perfectly formed body of work to catalogue after far too long an absence.

by Tony Rounce

Tracks
Disc 1 Skyboat 
1. Morning Glory - 3:40
2. Gettysburg - 2:41
3. Southwind - 3:27
4. Everlasting Love (Mac Gayden, Buzz Cason) - 4:10
5. Freedom Drum - 4:00
6. Don't Look Back (William Robinson, Ronald White) - 4:41
7. It's All Right (Curtis Mayfield) - 4:03
8. Sweet Serenity - 3:45
9. Appalachian Fever - 4:13
10.Waterboy - 3:42
11.Diamond Mandala 10:24
12.Sunfall (Bonus Track) (Mac Gayden, Buzz Cason) - 2:53
All songs by Mac Gayden except where indicated

Disc 2 Hymn To The Seeker
1. Rejoice The Dawn (Mike Miller) - 2:30
2. Steppin' Stone (Mac Gayden, Bill Cheatham) - 4:01
3. Someone Whispered - 4:53
4. Standing in the Background - 3:50
5. Life Is Just A Pantomime - 5:32
6. Here We Meet Again - 1:50
7. To Our Ancestors (Mac Gayden, Mike Miller) - 5:03
8. Colours of the Rainbow - 3:12
9. The Minstrel Is Free At Last (Mac Gayden, John Harris) - 9:16
10.Hymn to the Seeker (Mac Gayden, Mike Miller) - 1:32
11.If I Could I'd Set You Free - 1:14
All compositions by Mac Gayden except where stated

Musicians
1976  Skyboat 
*Mac Gayden- Guitars, Lead Vocals,  Banjo
*Jim Althouse - Bass
*Jerry Carrigan - Drums
*Buzz Cason - Vocals
*Tammy Cason - Vocals
*Tommy Cogbill - Bass
*Quitman Dennis - Saxophone
*Janie Fricke - Vocals
*Kim Gayden - Vocals
*Steve Gibson - Guitar
*Vickie Hatnie - Vocals
*Karl Himmel - Percussion
*Ginger Holladay - Vocals
*Kristy Karson - Vocals
*Robert Knight - Vocals
*Jack Lee - Bass
*Andrew McMahon - Keyboards
*Mike Miller - Vocals, Wind
*Farrell Morris - Percussion
*Bobby Ogdin - Keyboards
*Wasunt Pundant - Tabla
*Cindy Reynolds - Harmonica
*Dan Sperry - Cello, Vocals
*Jack Williams - Bass
1976 Hymn To The Seeker
*Mac Gayden - Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
*Bill Aikens - Keyboards
*Anita Ball - Vocals
*Buzz Cason - Vocals
*Bill Cheatham - Guitar
*Vic Mastrianni - Drums
*Randy Meisner - Vocals
*Mike Miller - Vocals, Wind
*Nelson Flaco Padron - Percussion

Related Acts
1971-72  Barefoot Jerry - Southern Delight/Barefoot Jerry

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Roy Buchanan - Live In Japan (1978 us, fascinating hard blues rock, 2003 remaster)

It seems only fitting that one of Roy's best albums was a live album that's never even been released in the United States, as Roy was doomed to a life of cult fandom and recognition without ever reaping the rewards of significant commercial success. Of course, part of this was due to his own self-destructive nature, but in any event this live album is a scorcher that shows Roy and his loyal road band (still Lukens, Harrison, and Foster) in fine form on an "on" night in a country that really appreciated what they had to give. I'd give this album the slight nod over Live Stock mostly due to the appearances of "Hey Joe" and "Sweet Dreams," though like the previous live album this one is too brief (around 46 minutes) for its own good, especially since again there was more material available that could've been used.

The album starts with a stellar version of Booker T. & The MG's "Soul Dressing" (an improvement on "Green Onions") that's moody yet rocking, with keyboard and guitar solos and Harrison's bass prominent as well. "Sweet Honey Dew" delivers swinging mid-tempo rock n' roll with some good lashing guitar and moody keyboards including another solo spotlight, before "Hey Joe" slowly stretches out for 9+ minutes. Now, I really liked the flashier studio version, but I prefer this version for the "Shenandoah" reference and the explosive "Foxey Lady" coda; this performance is Roy Buchanan at his absolute best. 

"Lonely Days Lonely Nights," a soulful semi-ballad with a good Byrd vocal and attractive piano. "Blues Otani," a remake of an old Snakestretchers song called "Since You've Been Gone," is another in a long line of excellent extended (7:53) blues tracks, before an explosive "My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me" leads into an intimate, heart wrenching "Sweet Dreams." The main problem with this album is that it leaves you wanting more and makes you feel slightly unsatisfied as a result. Still, what is here is mostly excellent, and the album was a personal favorite of Roy's who felt that it captured what him and his band were all about. Note: Roy toured incessantly (band members came and went) and released several albums after this one, including a trio of studio albums for Alligator Records in the mid-'80s, but I feel that his best recorded output came in the '70s, on the albums reviewed on this page.

Buchanan's life was tragically cut short when he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and allegedly hung himself in jail. Fittingly given his enigmatic life, some have questioned whether he was really in fact the victim of police brutality and a subsequent cover up, but for all his shortcomings as a singer, songwriter, bandleader, and businessman, what can't be denied is that in life few people could make a guitar cry quite like Roy Buchanan. 

by Scott Floman 

Tracks
1. Soul Dressing (Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson) - 7:18
2. Sweet Honeydew (Roy Buchanan, Byrd Foster) - 3:28
3. Hey Joe (William M. Roberts) - 9:23
4. Slow Down (Larry Williams) - 2:53
5. Lonely Days Lonely Nights (Earl King) - 4:13
6. Blues Otani (Roy Buchanan, Byrd Foster) - 7:51
7. My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me (Roy Buchanan, John Harrison, Billy Price) - 3:24
8. Sweet Dreams (Don Gibson) - 3:58

Musicians
*Roy Buchanan - Guitar, Vocals
*John Harrison - Bass
*Malcolm Lukens - Keyboards
*Byrd Foster - Drums, Vocals

1969-71  Roy Buchanan - The Prophet
1969-78  Roy Buchanan - Sweet Dreams The Anthology
1972-73 Roy Buchanan - Roy Buchanan / Second Album
1977  Roy Buchanan - Loading Zone (2005 remaster)

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Roy Buchanan - Loading Zone (1977 us, essential hard blues guitar rock, 2005 remaster)

Well, this 1977 release from the guitar master (who ultimately and sadly took his own life in the late 1980's) just happens to be one if his rare fusion recordings, and contains a few tunes that the progressive listener will no doubt appreciate.

"The Heat of the Battle" kicks things off in rousing fashion. This raging song is like a head on collision between vintage Allman Brothers and Wired era Jeff Beck, featuring smoldering jazz licks from Buchanan and Ray Gomez, acrobatic bass from Stanley Clarke (who wrote the song), drums from Narada Michael Walden, and nimble keys courtesy of Malcolm Lukens. The more moody and introspective "Hidden" follows, where Roy's electric and acoustic guitar passages are massaged by Jan Hammer's wonderful acoustic piano and Stanley Clarke's picolo bass. Additional strings and flute bring this one close to prog rock waters after the more upbeat opening fusion romp. "The Circle " is a rocking vocal piece, featuring great male and female vocals and Roy's funky guitar leads, while "The Adventures of Brer Rabbit and Tar Baby" is an engaging little country pickin' ditty where Buchanan and Clarke get to strut their stuff. Dixie Dregs anyone?

Fans of Booker T and the MG's will love the searing blues interplay of "Ramon's Blues" as well as the cover of "Green Onions", where Roy and Steve Cropper get to trade some serious blues licks over some meaty organ from Lukens. "Judy" is another jazzy number, written by Walden, that showcases some rampaging fusion solos from Buchanan over beds of piano and organ, while Walden and bassist Will Lee lay down some funky rhythms. Again, the comparison to Jeff Beck's instrumental work is evident. Screechingly heavy guitar rock meets the blues on "Done Your Daddy Dirty", a great vehicle for Roy's distorted blues-rock meanderings (this guy smokes!), then segues into the sappy Walden penned "Your Love", the CD's one lone clunker, and totally out of place here. Featuring no guitar and Buchanan on lead vocals, this one might have been nice had they left it instrumental, as there's some cool flute passages and brass in the mix.

Loading Zone is an essential purchase for guitar and fusion fanatics, and one of the better "lost classics" of the 70's. 

by Pete Pardo

Tracks
1. Heat of the Battle (Stanley Clarke) - 5:02    
2. Hidden (Roy Buchanan) - 3:25  
3. Circle (Roy Buchanan, Byrd Foster, Scott Musmanno) - 2:57  
4. Adventures of Brer Rabbit and Tar Baby (Roy Buchanan) - 2:36  
5. Ramon's Blues (Roy Buchanan) - 7:09  
6. Green Onions (Booker T Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson) - 8:11
7. Judy (Narada Michael Walden) - 4:11  
8. Done Your Daddy Dirty (Roy Buchanan) - 4:14  
9. Your Love (Narada Michael Walden) - 3:55

Personnel
*Roy Buchanan - Guitars, Vocals
*Byrd Foster - Drums
*David Garibaldi - Drums
*Dennis Parker - Bass
*Diva Gray - Vocals
*Donald "Duck" Dunn - Bass
*Jan Hammer - Keyboards, Piano
*Laura Williams - Vocals
*Malcolm Lukens - Keyboards, Organ, Electric Piano
*Narada Michael Walden - Drums, Piano
*Ray Gomez - Rhythm Guitar
*Rhetta Hughes - Vocals
*Ron Foster - Vocals
*Ronnie Foster - Vocals
*Scott Musmanno - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Stanley Clarke - Bass, Guitar
*Steve Cropper - Rhythm Guitar
*Will Lee - Bass

1969-71  Roy Buchanan - The Prophet
1969-78  Roy Buchanan - Sweet Dreams The Anthology
1972-73 Roy Buchanan - Roy Buchanan / Second Album

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Ken Hensley - Eager To Please (1975 uk, magnificent classic rock, 2010 bonus track remaster)

Following up his critically acclaimed debut solo album Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf from 1973, legendary Uriah Heep/The Gods/Toe Fat keyboard player/singer/songwriter/guitarist Ken Hensley unleashed record number two, Eager to Please in 1975, in between recording & touring for Heep's successful Return to Fantasy album. This time with ex-Heep/Colosseum bassist Mark Clarke on board, along with drummer Bugs Pemberton, pedal steel guitarist B.J. Cole, and orchestral arranger/conductor Michael Gibbs, Hensley once again handles all the keyboards, lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitar on this very solid mix of atmospheric rock, prog, blues, hard rock, and country.

The title track kicks things off, somewhat akin to what you would expect from Heep, a rousing boogie rocker chock full of Hensley's slide guitar licks and Hammond, and "Stargazer" continues the rock trend with some great bluesy riffs and Ken's strong vocals. "Secret" is more of a country pop ballad, featuring Cole's yearning pedal steel guitar, while "Through the Eyes of a Child" has piano & strings supporting Hensley's soaring, heart tugging vocal melodies. It's one of the most gorgeous songs he's ever written. You'll be reminded of Crosby, Stills, and Nash on the breezy folk/pop of "Part Three", as Hensley's lush acoustic guitar, vocal harmonies, and Hammond organ sweep you away. "House on the Hill" blends folk with prog-rock, another beautiful tune, while "Winter or Summer" takes things closer to Heep-ville, as rousing bass & drum rhythms drive some stinging guitar licks and insistent Hammond, Hensley's layered lead & backing vocals proving to be the icing on the cake. 

Haunting organ and tasty lead guitar work permeate the moody rocker "Take and Take", and Moog lines weave with pastoral acoustic guitar on the engaging "Longer Shadows", another great example of folky prog on the album. Clarke brings to the table the funky rocker "In the Morning", a groove laden number with some solid vocals from the bassist and more alluring lead guitar & Hammond from Hensley. The album closes out with the mellow "How Shall I Know" and the bonus track "Who Will Sing For You". The latter also rocks out in typical Uriah Heep fashion, as heavy Hammond organ and biting guitar feed off rich vocal harmonies for a winning formula.

Whether in Uriah Heep or solo, Ken Hensley has always been nothing short of an amazing talent. It's always surprising to hear just how strong his vocals were back in this time period, and when you toss in his thoughtful songs, commanding keyboard talents and tasty guitar work, it's not hard to see why he's been so respected by so many for over 45 years. Esoteric Recordings have done a great job on this remastered edition, giving the fan crisp, stellar sound and a booklet packed with lyrics and info. 

by Pete Pardo

Tracks
1. Eager to Please - 4:54
2. Stargazer (Mark Clarke, Susie Bottomley) - 3:46
3. Secret - 4:02
4. Through the Eyes of a Child - 2:19
5. Part Three - 3:48
6. The House on the Hill - 3:17
7. Winter or Summer - 3:01
8. Take and Take - 3:41
9. Longer Shadows - 3:36
10.In the Morning (Mark Clarke) - 2:34
11.How Shall I Know - 4:06
12.Who Will Sing For You - 2:52
All songs by Ken Hensley except where stated

Personnel
*Ken Hensley - Guitars, Keyboards, Synthesiser, Vocals
*Bugs Pemberton - Drums, Percussion
*Mark Clarke - Bass
*B.J. Cole - Pedal Steel
*Ray Warleigh - Saxophone

1973  Ken Hensley - Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (2010 remaster)
Related Acts
1968  The Gods - Genesis (2009 japan extra tracks remaster)
1969  The Gods - To Samuel A Son (2009 japan bonus track remaster)
1970  Head Machine - Orgasm (2006 digipak edition)

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Head Machine - Orgasm (1970 uk, fabulous beat psych, 2006 digipak edition)

Featuring members of the Gods performing under pseudonyms -- Ken Leslie (keyboards/vocals/guitars), John Leadhen (bass), Brian Poole (drums), and Lee Poole (percussion) -- British hard rock quartet Head Machine was created to record an album of compositions by producer/songwriter David Paramor, the bandmembers pledging themselves to a basic, pummeling rock sound redolent of Atomic Rooster. 

Their music was accented heavily toward crushing rhythms, with the Poole brothers providing a distinctive multi-layered backdrop to Leslie's alternately mythological or humor-based lyrics. Their sole album, Orgasm, was released in 1969 but failed to build a commercial profile. The band eventually morphed into Toe Fat and later Uriah Heep, after the bandmembers had returned to their more famous billings: Leslie, aka Ken Hensley; Leadhen, aka John Glascock; and the Poole brothers, aka Brian Glascock and Lee Kerslake. 

Ken Hesnley said:

Head Machine was contract project it was just project that somebody paid me to write some songs. In this case the producer came to me and said, “Would you write some songs? I’ll buy these songs from you. I wanna use them for this specific project”. And so that’s what I did — sat down and, you know, scratch down.

Tracks
1. Climax You Tried To Take It All - 6:52
2. Make The Feeling Last - 3:38
3. You Must Come With Me - 4:55
4. The Girl Who Loved, The Girl Who Loved - 3:35
5. Orgasm - 8:54
6. The First Time - 5:00
7. Scattering Seeds - 3:21
All songs written by Ken Hensley

The Head Machine
*David Paramor - Vocals
*Ken Hensley (Ken Leslie) - Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar
*Lee Kerslake (Lee Poole) - Drums
*Joe Konas (Brian Poole) - Guitar
*John Glascock (John Leadhen) - Bass Guitar

Related Act
1968  The Gods - Genesis (2009 japan extra tracks remaster)
1969  The Gods - To Samuel A Son (2009 japan bonus track remaster)
1973  Ken Hensley - Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (2010 remaster)

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Ken Hensley - Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (1973 uk, brilliant soft and gently classic rock, 2010 Remaster)

Solo albums are often a crapshoot for fans of a particular group.  They tend to be ventures into bloated-ego territory; repositories of songs that just weren’t good enough to cut it on the parent group’s album.  However, there’s a small but noteworthy percentage of solo albums that deepen your appreciation of what a musician brings to their day-job.  Said solo outings might not venture too far from the sound a musician’s group is known for but the best ones allow you to approach that musician from a different angle that brings their particular talents into sharp focus.

Ken Hensley’s Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf is a great example of that rarified brand of solo album.  For those who don’t know the name, Hensley was the principal songwriter and keyboardist for the British hard-rock legacy Uriah Heep, as well as a frequent second guitarist and vocalist.  They’re known for a highly theatrical, prog-tinged proto-metal that often embraces fantasy themes.  This was Hensley’s solo debut, recorded concurrently with the group’s prolific output, and can easily be considered an extension of the group’s work because it features Heepsters Gary Thain on bass and Lee Kerslake in the drummer’s chair.

That said, one shouldn’t expect a bunch of fire-breathing Frodo metal from Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf.  Hensley delivers the occasional touch of heaviness here — album opener “When Evening Comes” is a steamy, wah-wah-drenched guitarfest and “Fortune” has the complex arrangement and multiple stylistic shifts that defined the best Heep moments — but rocking out is not what this album is about.  The mood of these songs is introspective, using the guitar/organ alloys of their arrangements to convey intense emotion without lapsing into cliched hard rock moves.

Instead, Hensley delivered an album that could be considered mellow-out music for the heavy rock fanbase.  Some songs even have a country-rock sound (favorite in this vein: “Black Hearted Lady”).  Balladry is the main style of songwriting here, with an emphasis on lyrics that deal in romantic loss and longing for the inspirations of a time gone by.  Thankfully, Hensley has a way with a lyric that can be poetic and haunting: “Go Down” paints its character portrait of a lovelorn woman in a spare, elegant way that magnifies the quiet heartbreak of its words and “From Time To Time” steeps its tale of love lost in gothic, Brothers Grimm imagery.

Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf further benefits from a high level of craftsmanship.  Hensley was on a real creative high here, coming off a string of classic Uriah Heep albums that were anchored by his complex, richly melodic sense of songcraft.  That style is fully on display here, in the arranging as well as the songwriting.  Hensley handles all the keyboards and guitars (both electric and acoustic) and creates a musical backdrop that is richly detailed without lapsing into bombast.  The rhythm section matches his every move in a sympathetic style, giving it all a three-dimensional quality.  A great example is “Cold Autumn Sunday,” which starts with solo piano then bursts into a full band performance driven by fiery guitar leads before closing with a coda that blends both styles, adding choral vocals and organ for just the right touch of grandiosity.

It also helps that Hensley’s vocals work hand in hand with the music to sell the lyrics.  He sings in that classic English style of that early-1970’s era, elegant yet soulfully intense when needed.  Throughout the album, he shows he can work a delicate croon (“Go Down”) or a strong, full-voiced delivery (“Cold Autumn Sunday”) with equal skill.  If this wasn’t enough, he also did his own backing vocals and he shows an unerring knack for knowing when to add a double-tracked vocal or a backing chorus without overdoing either.

Thus, Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf is a must for anyone interested in Uriah Heep and proof that Ken Hensley’s skills went beyond the group’s fantasy-oriented hard rock sound.  Anyone interested should pick up the recent Esoteric Recordings remaster because it offers a skillful remastering job that preserves its earthy, analog textures.  It also offers quality liner notes and a nice reproduction of the album’s lovely packaging in its booklet.  It’s a nice treatment for a solo album that beats the solo-album odds.

by Don Guarisco

Tracks 
1. When Evening Comes - 4:37
2. From Time To Time - 3:37
3. A King Without A Throne - 3:51
4. Rain - 3:13
5. Proud Words - 3:17
6. Fortune - 5:19
7. Black Hearted Lady - 3:36
8. Go Down - 3:09
9. Cold Autumn Sunday - 5:27
10.The Last Time - 2:47
All songs written by Ken Hensley

Personnel
Ken Hensley - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Dave Paul - Bass
Gary Thain - Bass
Lee Kerslake - Drums

Related Act
1968  The Gods - Genesis (2009 japan extra tracks remaster)
1969  The Gods - To Samuel A Son (2009 japan bonus track remaster)

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