Paul Williams - Just An Old Fashioned Love Song (1970-71 us, wonderful jazzy smooth ballads)

Here Williams came into his own, writing the bulk of his material single-handedly. Just an Old Fashioned Love Song boasts "We've Only Just Begun" -- one of his signature compositions -- and finds him in wistful, melancholic form. The uncluttered arrangements, and the fact that Williams has learned to use his voice for emotional effect, make his second album a comparative success. 

While it's not really right to assess him in singer/songwriterly terms (he never played piano, guitar, or indeed any instrument, and is more accurately termed an easy listening tunesmith), Just an Old Fashioned Love Song is a worthy addition to the genre. "Waking Up Alone," "A Perfect Love," and "Gone Forever" form a touching triptych of moving, and surprisingly subtle, love-gone-wrong songs. Each adequately displays Williams' growth as both a performer and composer. 

by Charles Donovan

Tracks

1. Waking Up Alone - 3:41

2. I Never Had It So Good (Paul Williams, Roger Nichols) - 4:36

3. We've Only Just Begun (Paul Williams, Roger Nichols) - 3:25

4. That's Enough For Me - 5:20

5. A Perfect Love - 2:27

6. An Old Fashioned Love Song - 3:12

7. Let Me Be The One (Paul Williams, Roger Nichols) - 3:00

8. Simple Man (Graham Nash) - 2:14

9. When I Was All Alone - 3:53

10.My Love And I - 3:34

11.Gone Forever - 4:11

Lyrics and Music by Paul Williams except where noted 

Musicians

*Paul Williams - Vocals

*Craig Doerge - Acoustic Piano, Electric Piano 

*Leland Sklar - Bass Guitar 

*Russ Kunkel - Drums, Congas, Tambourine 

*David Spinozza - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar

*Michael Utley - Organ 

*Bobbye Hall Porter - Congas , Percussion 

*Tom Scott - Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet 

*Gene Cipriano - Oboe , Tenor Saxophone , Woodwinds 

*Paul Shure - First Violin 

*Marv Limonick - Second Violin 

*Milt Thomas - Viola 

*Edgar Lustgarten - Cello 

*Joe Mondragon - Bass Guitar , Double Bass 

*Dick Hyde - Tuba 

*Jack Conrad - Bass 

*Rick Marotta - Drums 

*Teddy Boy Friesen, Daffy Jackson, The Hobbit - Kazoo 

*Bob Brookmeyer - Trombone 

*Al Aarons - Trumpet 

1970  Paul Williams - Someday Man  

Related Act

1968  The Holy Mackerel - Holy Mackerel  

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Strider - Exposed (1973 uk, solid hard rock with great guitar parts, 2007 digipak)

Strider was a British hard rock band, signed to the tiny GM label (Warner, in the U.S.) owned by one Billy Gaffs, better known as the sometime manager of Rod Stewart and John Cougar, among others.

Their first LP, Exposed, was unveiled in 1973, bearing a striking – and intentional – resemblance to Humble Pie, thanks to keyboardist Ian Kewley’s howling, soulful vocals (not quite Steve Marriott, but pretty ballsy just the same), Gary Grainger’s blustery, rip-roaring guitar, and a rock-solid rhythm section, à la Free, in bassist Lee Hunter and drummer Jimmy Hawkins.

Unfortunately, despite being uniformly well-constructed and expertly played, with gusto and attitude, the rousing, in-concert favorite “Flying,” the bruising (if occasionally glam-sparkled) “Esther’s Place,” and a tough little bastard called “Straddle,” simply lacked that magical immediacy required of would-be-hits.

Ditto attempts to further incorporate the Pie’s R&B flavors (along with Kewley’s more prominent keys) like “Ain’t Got No Love” and “Higher and Higher” (watch out for the falsetto right out of The Darkness), featuring Jennie Haan, of Babe Ruth, on backing vocals.

And while “Woman Blue” revealed a mellower side of the band and the eight-minute “Get Ready” some unexpected versatility, Strider were seemingly doomed to obscurity – even though they toured extensively with Status Quo, Deep Purple and, yes, Humble Pie.

Following a lineup reshuffle, Strider released a second LP in ‘74 (the aptly named Misunderstood) and then went their separate ways, with Grainger later backing up Rod Stewart for several albums and tours.

by Eduardo Rivadavia

Well ... We just about made it, even though the beers of various countries came swirling in frothy torrents, 2 feet deep, through the control room. Sometimes these floods carried the lads into oblivion, but they forged onwards with the production, for which they can thank Jimmy Horowitz and Themselves, not forgetting the sober Phil Dunne, on advice. Strider threw up and disarranged the arrangements, while Phil Dunne (again?) engineered the whole shebang with admirable fortitude. John Eaton set the tapes up in between bouts of stealing our booze. All this happened at the Marquee Studios, London, and was recorded on a 16 track something or other, that coped memorably with the event. (Especially as it was February 1973.)

Album sleeve notes, 1973.

Tracks

1. Flying (Gary Grainger, Ian Kewley) - 6:01

2. Ain't Got No Love (Gary Grainger, Jack Noton) - 4:18

3, Woman Blue (Ian Kewley, Jack Noton, Jim Hawkins, Lee Hunter) - 5:41

4. Higher And Higher (Carl Smith, Gary Jackson) - 3:55

5. Esther's Place (Gary Grainger, Ian Kewley, Jack Noton) - 6:30

6. Straddle (Danny O'Brien, Gary Grainger, Ian Kewley, Jack Noton) - 3:49

7. Get Ready (William "Smokey" Robinson) - 8.50

Strider

*Gary Grainger - Guitar

*Ian Kewley - Keyboards, Vocals 

*Jim Hawkins - Drums

*Lee Hunter - Bass 

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G.F. Fitz Gerald - Mouseproof (1970 uk, fascinating avant-garde psychedelic suite contains elements of folk, jazz, rock and electronica, 2006 remaster)

Many odd, uncommercial rock albums were produced in the early '70s, but G.F. Fitz-Gerald's Mouseproof is an odd effort even in that company. It's not so much the music itself that's weird, though it's certainly far outside the rock and pop mainstream, drawing from jazz, classical, avant-garde, and electronic forms as well as more song-oriented rock ones. It's the juxtaposition of different, almost stylistically unrelated songs that's the record's most unusual feature, even if most of them are not the weirdest things to come down the pike when judged individually. In tunes like "April Affair," Fitz-Gerald can recall the more obtuse British folk-rock singer/songwriters, such as Roy Harper, the pleasing textures crossed with jazzy touches and a not-too-easy-to-hum melody. Yet there are also rather comic art rock-ish pieces, somewhat along the lines of what Giles, Giles & Fripp might have been had they become a more forceful rock band, but not quite evolved into the all-out prog rock of King Crimson. 

There's also droll country-rock ("Country Mouse"), and a pretty folk-jazzy number inspired by the 1970 shootings of Kent State students ("May Four," the most accessible track). Plus there's the bizarre "Ashes of the Empire/The End," which almost sounds like a Frank Zappa-esque inner dialogue/struggle between the most hippy-dippy and bestial elements of the counterculture, a lewd Captain Beefheart-ish growl giving way to an angelic male-female duet intoning "This is my land/This is my home/This is my country/And I want to make love to my lady." (The female voice in that section, incidentally, is original Fairport Convention member Judy Dyble.) The tracks get yet stranger after that. "Under and Over the Waterfall" again recalls the transition between Giles, Giles & Fripp and King Crimson with its tense jazzy rock and flute interplay. "A Movement Lost in Twilight Stone" makes much use of the kind of eerie, echoing guitar/piano pinging heard in the most abstract passages of early Pink Floyd songs. "Political Machine" runs operatic satire through a repetitive, tape-loopy grinder. 

The lengthy closing "Opal Pyramid Drifting Over Time" cools things out with a repetitive, meditative circular piano riff, over which gentle distorted electric guitar flutters and intermittent drums shuffle, eventually giving way to similar gentle, circular, but more disquieting tones and emissions, and then some ominous choral chanting. To say that this kind of record is not for everyone, even for some hard-bitten psychedelic collectors, is an understatement, since the record never settles into a steady groove or flow, and few of its tracks are conventionally accessible. Still, Fitz-Gerald's work here is skilled, daring, and eclectic, though the parts aren't particularly outstanding or memorable on their own. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks

1. April Affair - 5:22

2. New Lodger - 1:12

3. Country Mouse - 2:12

4. It Takes More Than A Clear Day To See It - 0:31

5. May Four - 2:56

6a.Ashes Of An Empire - 3:50

6b.The End

7. Under And Over The Waterfall - 2:57

8. A Movement Lost In Twilight Stone - 2:10

9. Political Machine - 2:50

10.Opal Pyramid Drifting Over Time - 8:40

Words and Music by Gerry Fitz-Gerald

Personnel

*Gerry Fitz-Gerald - Bass, Lead, Acoustic Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals, Banjo [Electric], Piano, Bass Guitar, Percussion, Synthesizer

*Ian Andrews - Bass, Double Bass, Mellotron, Moog Synthesizer

*B.J. Cole - Steel Guitar 

*Judy Dyble - Vocals

*Sam Gopal - Tabla

*Rod Herman - Guitar

*Rik Kenton - Bass

*Geoff Leigh - Alto, Tenor Flute, Saxophone

*Alan Place - Guitar, Vocals

*Martin Rushent - Vocals

*Les Taylor - Vocals

*Ted Tetlan - Drums

*Tony Turnbull - Drums

*Roger Watson - Vocals

*Steve Moyce - Vocals

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Bokaj Retsiem - Psychedelic Underground (1968 germany, fantastic acid freak psyh rock)

Rainer Degner, known as the guitarist of the 60s beat group German Bonds, had a passion for the old German children's song "Meister Jakob". This is also the name of the studio project (featuring session musicians). This is one of the first psychedelic albums in Germany and is therefore a very interesting and unusual listening pleasure. Not only members of the Rattles are involved in this project, but also old acquaintances from German Bonds times, namely Peter Hecht and Dieter Horn, who in addition to their normal career with Lucifers Friend produced several unusual albums under pseudonymous names, including many productions under the Europe label. An example would be the band Electric Food. 

The only album by Bokaj Retsiem released on the Fass label, and their name is  the result from the backwards spelling of "Meister Jakob”. The listener can expect an excellent psychedelic album with a very good lead guitar, wobbly keyboard and crazy ideas. On the tracks that contain the word "Bokaj" in their name, snappy corruptions of the topic "Meister Jakob" are given at best. The highlight of the album for me is the beat number "I'm so afraid", which contains an extremely long fuzz guitar solo with wonderful feedback. "Bokaj Retsiem" is another relatively unknown gem from the interesting late '60s. 

Tracks

1. So Bad - 6:04

2. Classic Bokaj - 0:29

3. It's Over - 4:21

4. Only A Child - 0:53

5. Sad Bokaj - 0:50

6. I'm So Afraid - 3:38

7. Bokaj Retsiem - 5:43

8. Bossa Bokaj - 0:30

9. Pill - 4:49

10.Something's Wrong With Bokaj - 0:45

11.Drifting - 4:39

All compositions by Rainer Degner

Bokaj Retsiem

*Rainer Degner - Guitar, Vocals

*Peter Hecht - Keyboards

*Dieter Horns - Bass, Vocals

*Noam Hazeid Halevi - Drums, Percussion

Related Acts
1970  Asterix - Asterix 
1970  Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend (2008 remaster) 

1974  Lucifer's Friend - Banquet (2015 digi pak)

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Southern Comfort - Southern Comfort (1970 us, essential brass jazzy blues rock)

Southern Comfort (no relation with any other band by that name), was a  late sixties Memphis band led by Bob Jones an American guitarist, singer, drummer and arranger, born in O'ahu, Hawaii. In between 1968 and 1979 Bob recorded five albums with Michael Bloomfield on which he played drums, guitar and sang. During those years he also recorded with Mississippi Fred McDowell, Nick Gravenites, Sam Lay, Harvey Mandel, Otis Rush and Taj Mahal. Between 1970 and 1973 Bob played drums, percussion and sang in the band Alice Stuart & Snake with bassist Karl Sevareid. They toured Europe twice and made two albums for Fantasy Records. He also played drums on two Brewer and Shipley albums.

With Southern Comfort he recorded and released one and only -self-titled- album in 1970, produced by Nick Gravenites and with Mike Bloomfiled contributing co-writing a song. They sound like soul freaks with blues and jazz elements. Other members were Ron Stallings (saxes and vocals) who was born in December 02, 1946 in Houston, Texas, USA Died April 13, 2009 in Berkley, California, USA. Mainly tenor saxophonist who was known as melodic rock and jazz musician, but he also played flute and clarinet. He was member of Huey Lewis & The News from 1994. Also he was a session musician who played with Elvin Bishop, Jerry Garcia, Jesse Colin Young, Merl Saunders, Boz Scaggs, Mike Bloomfield, McCoy Tyner and Gladys Knight, among many others. He joined the Machete Ensemble and co-led the Latin jazz band Que Calor with pianist Mark Levine.

Fred Olson (Fred Burton) guitarist and co-leader, who also played in Bloomfield's several recordings, Steve Funk the keyboard player, John Wilmeth as the trumpeter, and several bass players came in and out like, Bob Huberman, Art Stavro (played with Barry Goldberg, Albert Collins, Harvey Mandel and Elvin Bishop among others) and Karl Sevareid (later joined the Robert Cray band). Although they were very popular with the players at the time (like Tower of Power) and in the bay area, but couldn't get help from CBS to break out nationally. 

Tracks

1. Wild Western Cheetah (Ron Stallings) - 2:48

2. Talkin ‘Bout My Baby (John Kahn) - 3:03

3. Mountain Girl (Ron Stallings, John Kahn, John Wilmeth) - 2:52

4. Ride On Mary (Bob Jones) - 3:23

5. All Day Long (Ron Stallings, John Kahn, Mike Bloomfield, Fred Olson) - 3:28  

6. Love Got Me (Arthur Conlay) - 2:48

7. Come and Sit Down Beside Me (John Kahn, Bob Jones, Ron Stallings) - 3:52

8. Get Back (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:26

9. Who Knows (John Kahn, Bob Jones, Ron Stallings, Fred Olson, Steve Funk, John Wilmeth, Bob Huberman) - 3:52

10.Just Like A Friend (Bob Jones) - 3:40

Southern Comfort

*Bob Jones - Drums, Vocals

*John Wilmeth - Trumpet, Flügelhorn

*Steve Funk - Organ, Piano

*Art Stavro - Bass

*Ron Stallings - Tenor Sax, Vocals

*Fred Olson - Guitars

*Bob Huberman - Bass

With

*John Kahn - Piano

*Gerald Oshita - Baritone Saxophone, Flute

*Charley Schoning - Piano

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Crazy Horse - Crazy Moon (1978 us, amazing classic rock, extra tracks edition)

Six years went by between the release of Crazy Horse's third album, At Crooked Lake, and its fourth, Crazy Moon, and a lot of water went under the bridge in the meantime. Crazy Horse was, in effect, three different bands on its first three albums because the only constants were bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina as lead singers, songwriters, guitarists, and keyboardists came and went. The band name seemed to be retired by 1973, but in 1974 Talbot and Molina hooked up with singer/guitarist Frank Sampedro as Crazy Horse, leading to sessions with their erstwhile employer Neil Young that resulted in the Young/Crazy Horse album Zuma. At the same time, they recorded some Crazy Horse tracks that sat around for years, finally being finished off in the summer of 1978 for release here. 

The result is the first album since their debut, 1971's Crazy Horse, that sounds identifiable as the band that backs Young. In part, that's because Young himself is present on guitar on the tracks "She's Hot," "Going Down Again," "New Orleans," "Downhill," and "Thunder and Lighting," and brings along his production associates David Briggs and Tim Mulligan as well as his pedal steel player Ben Keith. But it's also because this is a well-realized effort on which Sampedro proves to be the first of the many successors to original guitarist Danny Whitten to fit in well with Molina and Talbot; because Molina and Talbot have upped their participation beyond providing the rhythm and some vocals, contributing to the songwriting as well; and because the guest musicians include a bevy of Crazy Horse alumni and friends including keyboardist Barry Goldberg (producer of the pre-Crazy Horse band the Rockets); Greg Leroy (Crazy Horse guitarist, 1971-1972); Bobby Notkoff (Rockets violinist); and Michael Curtis (Crazy Horse keyboardist, 1972). This is something of a Crazy Horse reunion effort, and it shows the band off at its best, or at least probably as good as it could be without co-founder Whitten, who died in 1972. 

by William Ruhlmann

Tracks

1. She's Hot (Steve Antoine, Frank "Poncho" Sampedro) - 3:11

2. Downhill (Frank "Poncho" Sampedro) - 4:15

3. Going Down Again (Ralph Molina) - 3:26 

4. Thunder and Lightning (Frank "Poncho" Sampedro, Billy Talbot) - 3:58

5. New Orleans (Ben Keith, Billy Talbot) - 3:11 

6. That Day (Billy Talbot) - 3:18

7. Lost and Lonely Feelin' (Frank "Poncho" Sampedro) - 3:10

8. End of the Line (Ralph Molina) - 3:10

9. Dancin' Lady (Frank "Poncho" Sampedro, Billy Talbot) - 3:23

10.Love Don't Come Easy (Ralph Molina) - 3:10

11.Too Late Now (Frank "Poncho" Sampedro) - 2:54 

12.Lady Soul (Mike Curtis) - 3:40

13.Rock And Roll Band (Sydney Jordon) - 3:08

14.Pills Blues (George Whitsell) - 4:01

15.Let Me Go (Danny Whitten) - 3:47

16.Stretch Your Skin (Danny Whitten) - 4:10

17.Won't You Say You'll Stay (Danny Whitten) - 2:45

18.Mr Chips (Danny Whitten) - 2:22

Tracks 1-11 Original album "Crazy Moon" 1978

Tracks 12-13 from "At Crooked Lake" 1972

Tracks 14-18 as The Rockets from "The Rockets" 1968

Crazy Horse

*Billy Talbot - Bass, Vocals

*Ralph Molina - Drums, Vocals

*Frank "Poncho" Sampedro - Guitars, Vocals, Harmonica, Piano

With

*Neil Young - Guitar (Tracks 1-5)

*Barry Goldberg - Piano, Keyboards

*Greg Leroy - Guitar, Vocals (Tracks 7,10-13)

*Michael Curtis - Synthesizer (Track 6)

*Bobby Notkoff - Violin (Tracks 9,12-18)

*Kenny Walther - Trombone (Tracks 4,10)

*Tom Bray - Trumpet (Tracks 4,10)

*Mike Kowalski - Drums (Track 10)

*Jay Graydon - Guitar (Tracks 6,8)

*Steve Lawrence - Saxophone (Track 4,10)

*Ben Keith - Pedal Steel Guitar (Track 7)

*Rick Curtis - Vocals, Piano, Organ, Guitars, Mandolin, Banjo (Tracks 12,13)

*Patti Moan - Vocals (Track 12)

*Danny Whitten - Guitar (Tracks 14-18)

*Leon Whitsell - Guitar (Tracks 14-18)

*George Whitsell - Guitar (Tracks 14-18)

1962-73  Crazy Horse - Scratchy, Complete Recordings

1972  Crazy Horse - At Crooked Lake (2013 remaster)
1968  The Rockets - The Rockets

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Gary Shearston - Abreaction (1967 australia, magnificent baroque folk rock)

Gary Shearston, Australian singer and songwriter, was a leading figure of the folk music revival of the 1960s. He has an enduring legacy in his meticulously researched versions of old 'bush' songs (folk songs), which have long been source material for younger performers. In his own younger years he was a popular singer with chart success in Australia (especially Sydney) and had his own TV show ("Just Folk").

As he matured, Gary achieved international success as a songwriter (including Sometime Lovin' performed by Peter, Paul and Mary) and as a recording artist (his distinctive version of Cole Porter's I Get A Kick Out Of You was a worldwide hit in 1974).

Over the years his music absorbed and adapted a diverse range of elements including Australian Aboriginal and West Indian reggae (before either was popular with mainstream western audiences). He wrote songs with influences that ranged from Irish traditional to Japanese, and released an album with jazz arrangements that perplexed his folkie and pop music fans.

Since returning to live in Australia in 1988 Gary was often placed in the country music genre and he showed that he was equal to the best in that style too. In 1990 his iconic song Shopping On A Saturday was recognised with the Tamworth Songwriters' Association's award for Bush Ballad of the Year.

Gary Shearston thwarts attempts to categorise his musical style because he never stuck to just one, but we can say that over an active recording life of some 50 years he wrote, sang and recorded wonderfully evocative and distinctively Australian original songs.

In his 50s, an age when he might have started taking it easier, Gary followed his faith and became a hard-working grass-roots country-based Christian minister. When he finally retired in 2007 he again threw himself into songwriting, and over the following several years his output was prodigious! Many of the 'new' songs reflect on a life full of twists and turns and the characters he's known along the way. And, as always, his heart is on his sleeve, for all to see (or hear). 

Gary Shearston 

Tracks

1. Faded Streets, Windy Weather - 3:53

2. Monday's Child - 2:58

3. Hey! Honey, Give Me Some Money - 3:07

4. Rainbow Girl - 2.59

5. We'll Be Back In Just A Moment After This Important, Informative Interlude - 5:37

6. Sometime Lovin' - 5:36

7. Go On, Girl - 3:53

8. Last Night I Had The Strangest Delirium Tremendous - 4:22

9. Don't Wave To Me Too Long - 3:17

10.Crooked Hill - 7:29

Music and Lyrics by Gary Shearston

Musicians

*Gary Shearston - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica

*Richard Brooks - Harmonica

*Ed Gaston - Bass

*Sven Libaek - Piano, Organ, Harpsichord

*Peter Martin - Guitar

*Bob McIvor - Trombone

*John Sangster - Vibes, Drums

*Sven Libaek - Arrangments

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Various Artists - Sunday Sunshine The World Of SNB Records (1968-69 uk, potent exotic baroque pop psych, 2008 release)

Mention the name Simon Napier-Bell to ’60s music aficionados and they will remember him as manager and producer of The Yardbirds and/or John’s Children. ’70s/80s buffs might think of his stints managing Japan and Wham! But not many will remember that Napier-Bell actually ran his own label, SNB Records, for a period of roughly 18 months between ’68-69. A venture shared by hipster/actor David Hemmings and mostly a ploy to escape an old EMI contract Napier-Bell was saddled with, SNB nonetheless released some memorable material during its short run. 

Many of the 20 tracks assembled here are of the baroque pop variety, making the compilation something like a mini-Nuggets if some of the minor acts were trying to be The Left Banke instead of The Stones and The Who, et al. The most notable name from the rag-tag bunch on SNB’s roster is Mellow Candle, whose ’72 album Swaddling Songs is now a rediscovered acid-folk treasure. The song that will make you howl is Andy Ellison’s (former singer for John’s Children) fey, camped-up version of The Beatles’ ‘You Can’t Do That’. Hubert Thomas Valverde & The HTs (who?!) do a number called ‘Genevieve’ that sounds like a drag performer tarting up Scott Walker. A lot of this stuff is throwaway but almost all of it is at least interesting (if not just for its oddness), and a few tracks are downright jewels.

by Brian Greene

One of the movers and shakers of the music biz in the modern era has been Simon Napier Bell, and during 1968-1969 he put his talents into A&R-ing his own label. Fresh from managing The Yardbirds, Johns Children and co-authoring for Dusty Springfield, and with backing from CBS, SNB picked up on the hip pop world flowing through London at the time. It is an extraordinary assortment from which we have high production values with the likes of the talented Ian Green as arranger. As you would expect most of the singles are today very rare, and have not been reissued or released on CD. That said there is growing awareness of the music from numerous quarters, with pick up from internet radio stations to magazines, and the label has attained a cult standing. 

Artists - Tracks - Composer

1. Jon Plum - Alice (David Plummer, Jonathan Kennett) - 3:35

2. Hubert Thomas And The HT'S - We Don't Care (Nanette Workman, Richard Keen) - 2:31 

3. Mellow Candle - Feeling High (Clodagh Simmonds) - 2:21

4. Andy Ellingsen - Cornflake Zoo (Terry Maundrell) - 2:03 

5. Clive Sands - Marie (Clive Sands) - 3:20 

6. Andy Ellinson - You Can't Do That (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 2:48  

7. Flamma Sherman - Move Me (Corina Flamma Sherman, Georgia Flamma Sherman, Louiza Flamma Sherman, Victoria Flamma Sherman) - 2:42 

8. Sheila Scott Wilkinson - Quiet Man (Ray Singer, Jimmy Winston) - 2:48

9. Sue Wilshaw - Empty Sunday (Simon Napier-Bell, Rose Wickham) - 2:16 

10.Rory Fellowes - Endlessly, Friendlessly Blue (Rory Fellowes) - 4:27 

11.Clive Sands - In A Dream (Clive Sarstedt) - 2:24  

12.Jon Plum - Sunshine (David Plummer, Jonathan Kennett) - 2:40 

13.Jon Plum - An Apple Falls (David Plummer, Jonathan Kennett) - 2:25 

14.Hubert Thomas And The HT'S - Hubert Thomas And The HT'S (James Luck, John Szego) - 2:39 

15.David Blake - Now Is The Time (Terry Maundrell) - 2:58 

16.Nicola Davies - Infatuation (Simon Napier-Bell) - 2:20

17.Francoise Pascale - Got It Badly (Terry Maundrell) - 2:29 

18.Mellow Candle - Tea With The Sun (Clodagh Simmonds) - 3:19 

19.Flamma Sherman - Bass Love (Flamma Sherman) - 3:14 

20.Rory Fellowes - Nina (Rory Fellowes) - 4:01 

Related Acts

1972  Mellow Candle - Swaddling Songs (2004 bonus tracks edition)  

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Jake Jones - Different Roads (1971 us, excellent rural prog rock)

Jake Jones were a quintet from St. Louis Missouri, formed sometime in late ‘60’s. They had an unusual sound with the use of various instruments, like melotron, violins, cellos and flutes. In addition to melotron, Phil Jost (one of the five members of the band) also plays the more conventional  electric organ and piano. Chuck Sabatino was the lead singer, Joe Marshall on lead guitar, Mike Krenski the bass player and Jim Bilderback was the drummer.

Jake Jones performs all original music, Different Roads is a 1971 release on the Kapp label featuring a mix of progressive rock and folk rock, there are three long tracks (over 6 minutes each), where the band unfolds its virtues. There is a also a third record which never came out in the  record stores. Their last job was in 1973, opening act for the Eagles, and Dan Fogelberg, in Springfield, Illinois, soon after they split.

Joe Marshall moved back in St. Louis, where he played at local bars between 1984 and 1996 he also was member in a group called "The Sloppy Joes", as well as with a weddiing band called "Sundance and Brass", until his death.

Phil Jost moved to LA in 1978 and became assistant to Producer/Engineer Ken Scott. (Superertramp, David Bowie, Elton John) he worked on albums both as a player and or engenering & production with the Dixie Dreggs & Steve Morris, Stanley Clarke, Jeff Beck, Kansas, Supertramp and many orthers including Missing Persons. He also passed away.

Chuck Sabatino had a stroke while playing for Mike MacDonald in Los Angeles in 1994. A benefit was put on at Mississippi nights in 1994 for Chuck by many of his friends and former bandmates. He passed away in 1996 in Belleville, Illinois where his family had moved back to. Mike Krenski, who wrote "The Cheater" in 1965 for Bob Kuban and the In-Men, quit from his musical activities and became a teacher for would-be pilots, worked for McDonnell Douglas/Boeing.

Tracks

1. I'll See You Through (Joey Marshall) - 3:46

2. Of No Concern (Phil Jost) - 3:00

3. When Your Brother (Mike Krenski) - 3:17

4. Motherly Comfort (Chuck Sabatino) - 3:15

5. A Suite From The Court Jester (Chuck Sabatino) - 9:29

6. Speak To Me Lady (Phil Jost) - 6:28

7. Child Child (Plus Tag) (Mike Krenski, Chuck Sabatino, Joey Marshall, Phil Jost) - 4:06

8. It's Only Love You Know (Joey Marshall) - 4:27

9. Different Roads (Mike Krenski, Chuck Sabatino, Joey Marshall, Phil Jost) - 7:11

Jake Jones

*Joey Marshall - Electric, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar

*Phil Jost - Hammond Organ, Moog, Piano, Vocals, Tenor Saxophone, Accordion, Chimes, Guitar

*Chuck Sabatino - Vocals, Flute

*Jim Bilderback - Drums

*Mike Krenski - Bass, Vocals

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The Steve Brown Band - Soul Full Of Sin (1971-73 uk, superb underground jazz prog rock, 2021 digipak)

One of the greatest bands no ones heard of who are hereby rescued from slipping into the ether, despite once being on the verge of a deal with Transatlantic and garnering a massive live following in their native Newcastle Upon Tyne area during the early to mid seventies its only now that they have their lp debut. A hard working live band that played alongside the greats, its unbelievable they didnt have at least 3 lps released. starting as an underground folk singer then going the progressive route, Steve Brown formed this outfit in 71 and they quickly developed a tight style of cool but potent jazz rock, characterised by lengthy powerful instrumental breaks and sax, and infectious beats. 

This lp pieces together what should have been a debut LP on Transatlantic from remaining studio tapes and acetate sources and has good audio quality, the six tracks are pure killer, opening with the masterpiece ‘Hitman’ which is sung first person from the point of view of an assassin for hire, stone cold cool with a fantastic bassline and rhythm it conjurs up early seventies nihilistic film and tv imagery such as The Sweeney, Dirty Harry and Michael Caine...the side then ends with a genuine lost anthem in ‘Shine A Light’ which is epic and melancholic and should have had stadiums of people lifting up their lighters.

The lyrics are fab, and have a worldly wise quality about them, another song is a paean to an english Pint (quite probably Newcastle Brown Ale), but utterly, obscurely poetic, evoking the sense of peace and pleasure gained when sitting finally alone in a tranquil environment and gazing in silent anticipation at a drink in front of ones person, it evokes the pleasure that only comes with experience of hardship before that moment. This is a completely pro band, with brilliant songs, and a unique style. Hitman and Shine A Light could easily achieve staple late night radio play, and indeed thats when you want to hear this album, late night, in contemplative serious mood. 

In 73 the band hit a bad patch, burnt out by extensive gigging, they crashed their Transit Tour Van on a motorway, miraculously surviving with the Van straddling central crash barriers and written off, police then took away their jamaican keyboard player and imprisoned him on suspected illegal immigration reasons. management then tried to push the band toward a mainstream direction and a single was issued of their worst ever tracks, we have enough material restored for two lps, this is the first and its highly recommended. the LP is a genuine lost classic and all 6 tracks are fab.

Roughtr

Tracks

1.  Hitman (Steve Brown, John Farmer, Jeff Barak, Gowan Turnbull, Charlie Gordon) - 7:21

2. Night Flight (Steve Brown, Charlie Gordon) - 7:16

3. Shine A Light - 5:29 

4. Marija (John Farmer, Charlie Gordon) - 6:15 

5. City (The Lights Of Love) - 4:37

6. Soul Full Of Sin - 7:03 

The Steve Brown Band

*Steve Brown - Guitar, Lead Vocal

*John Farmer - Bass, Vocal

*Jeff Barak - Drums, Vocal

*Gowan Turnbull - Saxophone, Vocal

*Charlie Gordon - Electric Piano, Keyboards, Vocal

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