Aztec Camera - High Land, Hard Rain (1983 Beautiful Alternative Pop)

Some performers never make a bigger splash than with their first record, a situation which the Ramones and De La Soul know all too well. If that's the case, though, said musicians had better make sure that debut is a doozy. Aztec Camera, or more specifically, Roddy Frame, falls squarely into this scenario, because while he has doggedly plugged away ever since with a series of what are, at times, not bad releases, High Land, Hard Rain remains the lovely touchstone of Frame's career. Very much the contemporaries of such well-scrubbed Scottish guitar-pop confectionaries as Orange Juice, but with the best gumption and star quality of them all, Aztec Camera led off the album with "Oblivious," a minimasterpiece of acoustic guitar hooks, lightly funky rhythms, and swooning backing vocals. If nothing tops that on High Land, Hard Rain, most of the remaining songs come very close, while they also carefully avoid coming across like a series of general soundalikes. Frame's wry way around words of love (as well as his slightly nasal singing) drew comparisons to Elvis Costello, but Frame sounds far less burdened by expectations and more freely fun. References from Keats to Joe Strummer crop up (not to mention an inspired steal from Iggy's "Lust for Life" on "Queen's Tattoos"), but never overwhelm Frame's ruminations on romance, which are both sweet and sour. Musically, his capable band backs him with gusto, from the solo-into-full-band showstopper "The Bugle Sounds Again" to the heartstopping guitar work on "Lost Outside the Tunnel." Whether listeners want to investigate further from here is up to them, but High Land, Hard Rain itself is a flat-out must-have.

AMG Review by Ned Raggett

Aztec Camera - Stray (1990 Alternative Pop)

A welcome comeback after the flaccid dance-pop of 1987's insipid Love, Stray is among Roddy Frame's most assured and diverse collections of songs. Unlike previous Aztec Camera albums, there's not one unifying style to the disc, and the variety makes Stray one of Frame's better collections. From the assured rocking pop of the singles "The Crying Scene" (the closest thing Aztec Camera ever got to an American hit single) and "Good Morning Britain" (a rousing collaboration with Mick Jones of the Clash and Big Audio Dynamite) to the cool, Chet Baker-ish cocktail jazz of "Over My Head," Frame covers the waterfront, but it's the quartet of songs that constitutes the second half of the album that impress the most. These four songs, "How It Is," "The Gentle Kind," "Notting Hill Blues," and the tender acoustic closer "Song For A Friend," are a loosely connected cycle mingling folk, soul, and pop in varying proportions. Starting with a bitterly cynical denunciation of modern society, the four songs move through sadness and resignation to a hopeful, sweet closure. Shorn of the pretentiousness that mars some of Frame's earlier lyrics -- written, to be fair, while he was still in his mid-teens -- the lyrics on Stray are the first that stand up to Frame's remarkable melodic sense. The simple, low-key production by Frame and Eric Calvi also retreats from the unfortunate excesses of both Love and its misbegotten Mark Knopfler-produced predecessor, Knife. With the exception of Aztec Camera's 1983 debut High Land Hard Rain, this is Roddy Frame's best album.

AMG Review by Stewart Mason

Procol Harum - A Salty Dog (Great Prog-Rock album 1969)

This album, the group's third, was where they showed just how far their talents extended across the musical landscape, from blues to R&B to classical rock. In contrast to their hastily recorded debut, or its successor, done to stretch their performance and composition range, A Salty Dog was recorded in a reasonable amount of time, giving the band a chance to fully develop their ideas. The title track is one of the finest songs ever to come from Procol Harum and one of the best pieces of progressive rock ever heard, and a very succinct example at that at under five minutes running time -- the lyric and the music combine to form a perfect mood piece, and the performance is bold and subtle at once, in the playing and the singing, respectively. The range of sounds on the rest includes "Juicy John Pink," a superb piece of pre-World War II-style country blues, while "Crucifiction Lane" is a killer Otis Redding-style soul piece, and "Pilgrim's Progress" is a virtuoso keyboard workout. [A Salty Dog was reissued by Repertoire Records in 1997 with enhanced sound and the lost B-side "Long Gone Geek," a Robin Trower guitar workout par excellence.]

AMG Review by Bruce Eder

James - Getting Away with It ...Live (2001)

Recorded live at the Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England on December 7, 2001. One of Britain's beloved pop bands, James, officially called it quits in December 2001 after founder Tim Booth announced his departure weeks earlier. You could say it marked an end of an era -- a bittersweet end of the heyday of Madchester. The double-disc Getting Away with It: Live captures James' last evening together, the final show on their farewell tour hosted in their working-class hometown of Manchester, England, and a remarkable look back at some of the band's shining moments from their 20-year career. Getting Away with It: Live is celebratory throughout the entire album. Booth is typically sweet, talking to the audience between songs while adding a dash of English wit. Selections from their global smash Laid go over well; the harmonies of "Sometimes" are heartwrenchingly beautiful. "Out to Get You" breathes similar life, and Booth heaves a sigh in the process. Andy Diagram's surprise appearance on the rumbling good time of "God Only Knows" picks up the pace, while the classic "Johnny Yen" is an extra bonus. Former guitarist Larry Gott is eventually added to the musical fray, alongside newer members like guitarists Adrian Oxaal and Michael Kulas, leaving the dynamic of the show to exude a powerful warmth. James' musical prowess on the anthemic "Born of Frustration" and the 11-minute sonic storm of "Sound" are great representations of what made them a brilliant pop band in the first place. Their energy is infectious, particularly on the swan song "Sit Down." No one else has given a punch to the gut with a smile quite like James, and Getting Away with It: Live commemorates that.

Disc One

1. "Say Something"
2. "Waltzing Along"
3. "Sometimes"
4. "Laid"
5. "I Know What I'm Here For"
6. "God Only Knows"
7. "Someone's Got It In For Me"
8. "Vervaceous"
9. "Protect Me"
10. "Out To Get You"
11. "Hymn From A Village"
12. "Johnny Yen"

Disc Two

1. "Getting Away With It"
2. "Tomorrow"
3. "Born of Frustration"
4. "Ring the Bells"
5. "Top of the World"
6. "Sound"
7. "Space"
8. "She's A Star"
9. "Come Home"
10. "Sit Down"

AMG Review by MacKenzie Wilson

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (1969 Superb debut album)

This reissue of King Crimson's debut, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), renders all previous pressings obsolete. In the late '90s, Robert Fripp remastered the entire Crimson catalog for inclusion in a 30th anniversary edition. Nowhere was the upgrade more deserved (or necessary) than on this rock & roll cornerstone. Initially, King Crimson consisted of Robert Fripp (guitar), Ian McDonald (reeds/woodwind/vibes/keyboards/Mellotron/vocals), Greg Lake (bass/vocals), Michael Giles (drums/percussion/vocals), and Peter Sinfield (words/illuminations). As if somehow prophetic, King Crimson projected a darker and edgier brand of post-psychedelic rock. Likewise, they were inherently intelligent -- a sort of thinking man's Pink Floyd. Fripp demonstrates his innate aptitude for contrasts and the value of silence within a performance, even as far back as "21st Century Schizoid Man." The song is nothing short of the aural antecedent to what would become the entire heavy alternative/grunge sound. Juxtaposed with that electric intensity is the ethereal noir ballad "I Talk to the Wind." The delicate vocal harmonies and McDonald's achingly poignant flute solo and melodic counterpoint remain unmatched on an emotive level. The surreal and opaque lyrics are likewise an insight to Peter Sinfield's masterful wordplay, which graced their next three releases. The original A-side concludes with the powerful sonic imagery of "Epitaph." The haunting Mellotron wails, and Fripp's acoustic -- as well as electric -- guitar counterpoints give the introduction an almost sacred feel, adding measurably to the overall sinister mood. Giles' percussion work provides a pungent kick during the kettle drum intro and to the aggressive palpitation-inducing rhythm in the chorus. "Moonchild" is an eerie love song that is creepy, bordering on uncomfortable. The melody is agile and ageless, while the instrumentation wafts like the wind through bare trees. Developing out of the song is an extended improvisation that dissolves into a non-structured section of free jazz, with brief guitar lines running parallel throughout. The title track, "In the Court of the Crimson King," completes the disc with another beautifully bombastic song. Here again, the foreboding featured in Sinfield's lyrics is instrumentally matched by the contrasting verbosity in the chorus and the delicate nature of the verses and concluding solos. Of course, this thumbnail appraisal pales in comparison to experiencing the actual recording. Thanks to Fripp

and company's laborious efforts, this 30th anniversary edition sports sound as majestic as it has ever been within the digital domain. Frankly, the HDCD playback compatibility even bests the warmth and timbre of an original 1-A vinyl pressing. This is especially critical during the quieter passages throughout "Moonchild" and "I Talk to the Wind." Initial releases were housed in a limited-edition gatefold replica of the original LP packaging and were accompanied by an oversized 12-page memorabilia booklet with photos and press clippings from the era.

AMG Review by Lindsay Planer

King Crimson - In The Wake Of Poseidon (2nd album Progressive Rock 1970)

King Crimson opened 1970 scarcely in existence as a band, having lost two key members (Ian McDonald and Michael Giles), with a third (Greg Lake) about to leave. Their second album — largely composed of Robert Fripp's songwriting and material salvaged from their stage repertory ("Pictures of a City" and "The Devil's Triangle") — is actually better produced and better sounding than their first. Surprisingly, Fripp's guitar is not the dominant instrument here: The Mellotron, taken over by Fripp after McDonald's departure — and played even better than before — still remains the band's signature. The record doesn't tread enough new ground to precisely rival In the Court of the Crimson King. Fripp, however, has made an impressive show of transmuting material that worked on stage ("Mars" aka "The Devil's Triangle") into viable studio creations, and "Cadence and Cascade" may be the prettiest song the group ever cut. "The Devil's Triangle," which is essentially an unauthorized adaptation of "Mars, Bringer of War" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, was later used in an eerie Bermuda Triangle documentary of the same name. [In March of 2000, Caroline and Virgin released a 24-bit digitally remastered job that puts the two Mellotrons, Michael Giles' drums, Peter Giles' bass, and even Fripp's acoustic guitar and Keith Tippett's acoustic piano practically in the lap of the listener.]

AMG Review by Bruce Eder

Lou Reed - Live (1973 - released 1975)

Lou Reed Live is a live album by Lou Reed, released in 1975. It was recorded at the same concert as Rock 'n' Roll Animal ; on December 21, 1973, at Howard Stein's Academy of Music in New York. It features three songs from Transformer, one song from The Velvet Underground & Nico (Reed's former band's debut album) and two songs from Berlin.

In 2003, BMG Special Music Products re-issued this album under their "Extended Versions" series. The title was changed to reflect this, but the contents remained unchanged.

This live album's stereo mix differs from its counterpart in that guitarist Dick Wagner is heard on the left channel, and Steve Hunter is on the right; this arrangement is reversed on Rock 'n' Roll Animal.

1. "Vicious" – 5:55
2. "Satellite of Love" – 6:03
3. "Walk on the Wild Side" – 4:51
4. "I'm Waiting for the Man" – 3:38
5. "Oh, Jim" – 10:40
6. "Sad Song" – 7:32

Screaming Lord Sutch - Rock & Horror (1982 Loonabilly)

Taking a break from electioneering, his Screaming Lordship, or Dave to his friends, let loose on these early 80s recordings in his own genteel style. A who's who of the UK rockin' scene from the 60s back up Sutch on this ghoulish goulash of hair raising monster rockers, like 'Screem, Screem', 'Murder In The Graveyard', 'Loonabilly' and the inevitable 'Jack The Ripper'. The leopardskin-clad Sutch recorded with the legendary cult producer of the 60s, Joe Meek and is the UK's most eccentric rocker, king of bad taste and horror. He regrettably never realised his ambition to be prime minister with his Monster Raving Loony Party as he took his own life in 1999 - a great eccentric that will be gravely missed.

http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=886

Ten Years After - Goin' Home! (1975 Classic Rock Compilation)

Hear Me Calling
Going To Try
Love Like A Man
No Title
I Woke Up This Morning
Woodchoppers Ball
I'm Going Home

Temptations - Psychedelic Shack (Psychedelic Soul 1970)

https://rapidshare.com/files/3727432467/9000522.zipWith everything the Temptations released pretty much guaranteed to turn to gold, not to mention platinum for that matter, even their tripped-out forays into sweet '60s psychedelic experimentation were sure to fire a string of hits. 1970's Norman Whitfield-produced Psychedelic Shack — while perhaps a system shock to those fans who grooved to the band's lame-suited, Motown dance-routined R&B classics — was a magnificent stretch into an epic and ultimately emerged as another in a long line of enduring sets. Deviating from form across the first songs, it was with the whimsical and willful title track (and a big thanks to the band from Georgia retro-ists the B-52's, who took their own homage, "Love Shack," to the top of the charts in 1989) that the Temptations broke their own mold with the acid-drenched party chant: "Psychedelic shack/That's where it's at." Opening that door and venturing outside the nonstop celebration, the band retains that vibe while returning to a slightly more staid stance on "Hum Along and Dance," leaving both the oddly paced "You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth" and the totally tripped-out "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" out on their own plane entirely. With such a strong collection of songs, it couldn't get much better than that. But, of course, it does, as the Temptations blister through the groovers "It's Summer" and "Friendship Train." And that, of course, just leaves the Whitfield-penned classic "War" to round out the mix. While fellow Motown-er Edwin Starr has etched what is now considered to be the definitive version of the song into the history tablets, the Temptations certainly took their own inspiration and added a unique spin as well. Not much else can be said, except that this is an absolutely outstanding album — one which has stood the test of time, sounding as fresh as it did upon initial release. And for those who still suffer the scratchy vinyl, a 2002 CD reissue of the album on Dutch Motown finds Psychedelic Shack cunningly paired with the similarly superlative All Directions in a neat two-disc package.

1. PSYCHEDELIC SHACK 3:53
2. YOU MAKE YOUR OWN HEAVEN AND HELL RIGHT HERE ON EARTH 2:46
3. HUM ALONG AND DANCE 3:53
4. TAKE A STROLL THRU YOUR MIND 8:32
5. IT'S SUMMER 2:36
6. WAR 4:13
7. YOU NEED LOVE LIKE I DO (Don't You) 4:02
8. FRIENDSHIP TRAIN 7:53

AMG Review by Amy Hanson

Neil Young - Living With War (Very Good Hard Rock 2006)

In a move that deliberately echoes the rush release of "Ohio" in the wake of the Kent State shootings, Neil Young bashed out his 2006 protest record Living with War in a matter of days, sometimes recording songs the day they were written, and then seized the opportunities of the digital age by streaming the entire album on his website only weeks after it was recorded, with the official digital and CD releases trailing several days later. It's the best use yet of the instant, widespread distribution that the Web has to offer, and it also hearkens back to the days when folk music was topical, turning the news into song. But if the ballads of the 19th century were passed along gradually, growing along the way, or if the protest tunes of the folk revival of the 1950s and '60s grew in stature being performed regularly, gaining strength as singer after singer sang them, Living with War captures a specific moment in time: early 2006, when George W. Bush's approval ratings slipped to the low 30s, as discontent sowed by the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina, rising gas prices, and much more turned into a general malaise in the country (or in political shorthand, it was the moment when George W. turned into Jimmy Carter). To some, the specificity of Young's writing on Living with War will forever date it, but that's a risk with any topical folk, rock, or pop, from "We Shall Overcome" to "We Are the World" -- or "Ohio," for that matter. Young is aware of this and embraces the allegedly short shelf life of his songs for Living with War by directly addressing the political turmoil in the U.S.A. in 2006 and the real human wreckage it has left behind. As such, it will function as a vivid document of its era, as much as any journalism of its time, but Living with War isn't rock-as-CNN: it's a work of art, and it's a canny one at that, with Young drawing on familiar words and music to create both historic and emotional context for his songs. It's not merely clever that "Living with War" quotes "The Star Spangled Banner," or that "Flags of Freedom" consciously reworks Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom" -- it helps tie Young's work to the past and gives his new work greater resonance. And nowhere is that more true than on "Let's Impeach the President" and how its melody recalls "The City of New Orleans" to help underscore what was lost in the government's bungled reaction to Katrina's devastation to the legendary American city. With a grandstanding title like that, along with its George W. soundbites, "Let's Impeach the President" is the flashiest song here, and it crystallizes what's good about the album: sure, it pulls no punches and it's angry, but it's not just ranting; it's artfully written and effective, as is Living with War as a whole. It's not perfect, but it has a vitality lacking in Young's recorded work of the last 15 years or so, and its blend of Greendale's loud, meandering guitar rock and the bittersweet mournful, aging hippie vibe of Prairie Wind is not only appealing, it's better executed than either of those good yet flawed records -- and that execution not only applies to the ragged glory of the recording, but to the songs themselves. They manage to be unified in a way that Young wanted Greendale to be but didn't quite pull off, yet they also stand on their own and are, overall, more memorable than those on Prairie Wind. And that's the reason why, politics aside, Living with War stands as a very strong, effective Neil Young album that will continue to have a punch long after the George W. Bush administration has faded into the history books.

AMG Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Ben Watt - North Marine Drive & Summer Into Winter (1983 Alternative)

The story of Everything But The Girl has been well documented: a Hull duo find a common interest in melancholic folk, latterly reinventing themselves as a cutting edge dance/drum and bass act. Yet before all this Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt recorded their own solo albums for the Cherry Red label. Watt took a back seat on vocal duties on his EBTG work but here he demonstrates that his own frail timbre is perfectly suited to the laments of 'North Marine Drive'. The mood is earnest - but never overwrought - ranging from evocative location-driven pieces ('On Box Hill', the title track) to the embittered self-loathing of 'Waiting Like Mad'. The simplicity and clarity of the arrangements (generally just Ben and his guitar) means that the songs haven't aged a jot. There's also the generous addition of the 'Summer Into Winter' collaboration with Robert Wyatt, conjuring up rainy day atmospheres with filigree guitars and piano patterns to the fore. For fans of modern artists favouring the "less is more" approach, this is a must hear.

http://www.leonardslair.co.uk/watt.htm

City - City I (East German Progressive Rock 1978)

The debut album of City, released on the American market as First, contained their German super hit "Am Fenster" in an extended three part version occupying the entire B-side of the original LP release. The rest of the material is not as contemplative as their hit, but nevertheless straightforward, honest rock music. All in all, the album deserves its rating as one of the landmarks in German rock music, with "Am Fenster" now widely accepted as a timeless classic.

AMG Review by Frank Eisenhuth

Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (1997 Alternative Rock)

Functioning as a virtual catalog of mid-'90s indie rock trends, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One is an astonishing tour de force from Yo La Tengo, establishing their deep talents as songwriters and musicians. Although the album may run a little long for some tastes, there are very few throwaways on the record -- even the shoegazer cover of the Beach Boys' "Little Honda" is a revelatory gem. But what truly impresses is the way the songs, ranging from hypnotically droning instrumentals to tightly written and catchy pop songs, hold together to form what is arguably Yo La Tengo's finest and most coherent album to date.

AMG Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Yulara - All Is One (Multinational 1996)

With its debut album, "all is one," the young band Yulara, offers a fresh approach to music that actively reaches from innermost feelings to ecstatic dance grooves.

In the studio and on record Yulara is led by producer and keyboardist Robert Matt with flute player and saxophonist Annie Hilsberg. They weave electronic soundscapes with slow funk rhythms, interact with sampled sounds from nature, spiritual references from world cultures, and improvise on the advanced harmonic structure of American jazz to create an enchanting musical journey.

Yulara means howling of the dingoes. It is also the name of an Australian village near Ayers Rock, full of primordial and spiritual connotations, which is just what Annie Hilsberg and Robert Matt bring out in "all is one": seemingly simple melodic beauty that lures the ears into a spiritual realm where universal truths are spoken with the language of music.

"all is one" is a travelogue for the ears and soul. Beginning in Japan with the ageless chanting of Zen monks on 'Uno Domini,' creating a trance-like state that leads into 'Out Of The Deep,' offering conversation with the humpback whale, the howling of dingoes in the Australian desert.

Hilsberg and Matt work such sounds into their compositions so that the samples, keyboards and reeds become an integrated musical statement, as in 'Out Of The Deep' where Hilsberg uses her flute to play an undersea duet with humpback whales.

It is truly soundtrack music for a peaceful planet. Annie explains, "The musicians who inspire us, whether it's an Australian Aborigine didgeridoo player or Grover Washington, all share something, and that is that it's not about how many notes you play, but finding the right ones. To us the problem with a lot of slower instrumental music is that it only goes for the upper chakras, it only tries to reach the mind. We play for the whole body, including the lower chakras below the waist. Our music is for dancing and lovemaking, too."

They named the album "all is one" because, "We think all over the world we should take down the boundaries and borders. It's stupid to create divisions between races, religions, countries. We are all humans. We should be free of the systems that limit us. We are all striving for the same thing: to find happiness and a better life. Robert and I try to connect the different cultures through the music."

A perfect example of Yulara's effect on listeners came when it staged a concert at the opening of the Peace University in Berlin attended by the Dalai Lama among other dignitaries. Yulara found itself performing for its most enthusiastic dance crowd.

"We played after a day-long conference," Robert Matt recalls, "and while we're used to audiences in clubs taking 15 or 20 minutes before they realize they don't need a faster groove to dance, I've never seen people dancing like that."

"People tell us it's an experience like meditation in that it draws you in, that it's got an inner energy. When you get out of the relaxed state you are so full of energy and power."

It is a long way from the pair's chance meeting as the European members of an African dance band based in Berlin. They came to the band through very different backgrounds and musical education, though both are trained as classical musicians. Robert Matt went to Catholic boarding school until he was 19. "The music was great. We sang Gregorian chants every Sunday." A year in Los Angeles at the Dick Grove School of Music was long enough for him to realize that what he wanted to learn couldn't be taught in music school.

Around the time he returned to Berlin, Hilsberg came back from study at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, where she gained inspiration from such jazz artists as Grover Washington and Herbie Mann, not to mention Maceo Parker, the Who, Pink Floyd and the Meters. She returned to Berlin to complete a master's degree in classical saxophone, but was already looking elsewhere when she joined a Berlin-based African dance band, Saraba. The band was mixing styles from Gambia and Ghana, but on the side Matt and Hilsberg found an affinity for mixing electronic keyboard sequencing with baritone saxophone, the beginnings of their combining technology with tradition.

The pair set up a tiny soundproof recording studio in their small Berlin apartment, often working through the night to get the right mood.

"We wanted to make an album for us because we couldn't find one we wanted to hear already out there."

They experimented with electronic rhythm tracks, over which Hilsberg improvised on sax and flute, taking samples of sounds that carried spiritual depth to them, and weaving them into the mix.

"To us, Yulara is a timeless village of connecting cultures," Hilsberg says. "It doesn't matter if you call it the voice of Buddha, or the Great Spirit, call it by a thousand names and the name is right."

http://www.smooth-jazz.de/Artists1/Yulara.html

Peter Murphy - Deep (1990 Goth Rock)

Perhaps the stars were right, or perhaps his American company, flush from the unexpected success of Murphy's former bandmates in Love and Rockets, just decided to give Murphy a well-deserved publicity push. Whatever it was, with Deep Murphy scored an honest to goodness American radio/MTV hit thanks to the tender, lively "Cuts You Up," a love song with solid energy and an inspired vocal. It was a perfect calling card for the album as a whole, with Murphy in excelsis throughout and his Hundred Men providing everything from the lush, acoustic guitar wash of "Marlene Dietrich's Favorite Poem" to the stripped-down Arabic-tinged funk/hip-hop punch of the commanding "Roll Call." Through it all, Murphy simply sounds like he's having the time of his life, singing both for the sheer joy of it and for the dramatic power of his commanding voice. He's even comfortable enough to do an open rewrite of Bauhaus' "In the Flat Field," renamed "The Line Between the Devil's Teeth"; it has almost the same verse structure, definitely some of the same lyrics, but still, it's something he could have only done in his solo days. Quite why nothing else on the album connected with the public as strongly as "Cuts You Up" is a mystery; its follow-up single, "A Strange Kind of Love," was a striking love song, with acoustic guitar and plaintive Statham keyboards supporting one of Murphy's strongest lyrics and performances. Regardless, Deep showed Murphy balancing mass appeal and his own distinct art with perfection.

AMG Review by Ned Raggett

Hallucinations (Psych-Pop Compilation)

Producer Andrew Sandoval has pulled together twenty-four superb psych-pop tracks from the WEA vaults, including sides culled from master tapes of Warner, Reprise, Loma, Atco, Valiant, and Cotillion. The focus is on singles, with a few album tracks mixed in, and primarily from artists who were either unknown, or were stepping outside their regular domain for an experimental run down the psychedelic highway. Some of the best known names here are those of the session producers, including Lenny Waronker, Jerry Yester, Don & Phil Everly, Don Adrissi, Jimmy Bowen, Joey Levine, Curt Boettcher, and Richard Perry.

Better known artists, like The Tokens, are represented by sides that step away from their familiar hits, and the one-off singles and rare album tracks explore lesser known sides of the commercial psych boom. Though recorded in proper studios for major labels, these tracks still temper their hit-seeking with a healthy dollop of experimental. The key years of 1966 through 1968 yield an entire program of psych-tinged folk and sunshine rock, heavy on the harmonies and studio craft.

Highlights include the trippy vocals, space sounds and discothËque beat of Baker Knight's "Hallucinations," the raga jangle of Adrian Pride's "Her Name is Melody," the funky "Straight Aero" by Jeff Thomas, the jugband-styled harmonies of MC^2's "My Mind Goes High," the Sgt. Pepper-esque "Lucifer" from future Ohio Express mastermind Joey Levine, and the droning "Hell Will Take Care of Her" from Brass Buttons. Fans of the mid-80s paisley underground, particularly The Rain Parade, early Bangles and Three O'Clock, will find this volume familiar and compelling.

'60s folk fans will want to check out the Curt Boettcher-produced cover of Bob Gibson and Phil Ochs' "That's the Way It's Gonna Be," complete with a variable-speed guitar and backward koto instrumental break. Songwriter Paul Williams' debuts as a performer on The Holy Mackerel's "Wildflowers," complete with Leslie-fied lead vocals, and the original mono single mix of The Monkees' "Porpoise Song" makes it's CD debut. Producer Sandoval lovingly documents each side with details on the band and the circumstances of the track's creation. The insert booklet also includes many photos and label reproductions, and the purpose-built tri-fold digipack features a neat pop-art color wheel. Originally issued by Rhino Handmade as "Hallucinations: Psychedelic Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults," this has been reissued with a minor track change in the UK under the title, "My Mind Goes High." [Source Unknown]

01. Hallucinations - Baker Knight, Baker Knight, Baker Knight
02. It's Love - Misty Wizards
03. Break Away - Next Exit
04. Looking at a Baby - Collectors
05. Her Name Is Melody - Adrian Pride
06. Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies - The Association
07. Lantern Gospel - The World Column
08. Who Planted Thorns in Miss Alice's Garden - Tom Northcott
09. Man of Straw - John Wonderling
10. White Pony - Ellen Margulies
11. Straight Aero - Jeff Thomas
12. My Mind Goes High - M.C.2
13. Hell Will Take Care of Her
14. Lucifer - The Salt
15. Strangers from the Sky - Kim Fowley
16. Antique Doll - The Electric Prunes
17. Astrologically Incompatible - The Bonniwell Music Machine
18. How Nice? - The Tokens
19. Your Love Belongs to Everyone - Los Coronados
20. That's the Way It's Gonna Be - Lee Mallory
21. House of Glass - The Glass Family
22. Wildflowers - The Holy Mackerel
23. Porpoise Song - The Monkees
24. Smell of Incense - The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band

Post by ChrisGoesRock

I Shot Andy Warhol (OST 1996)

I Shot Andy Warhol has the elements that every tribute album strives to capture: great bands interpreting great songs while injecting enough of their own personalities to make the recording and listening processes worthwhile. From Luna's smooth version of Donovan's "Season of the Witch" to Wilco's rendition of the Neil Young-penned "Burned" to Ben Lee's channeling of the Small Faces on "Itchycoo Park," no one missteps in their attempts to pay homage to the original artists. Even Jewel proves capable when tackling Donovan's "Sunshine Superman," which along with R.E.M.'s take on the Troggs' "Love Is All Around" and Bettie Serveert's interpretation of Bob Dylan's "I'll Keep It With Mine," rounds out the cover portion of the album. Also included are classic tracks from the Lovin' Spoonful, Love, MC5, and Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, as well as original tracks by Pavement and Yo La Tengo. Fittingly, the Velvet Underground's John Cale scores the "I Shot Andy Warhol Suite."

AMG Review by Michael Frey

In The Nursery - Anatomy Of A Poet (1994 Indie Rock)

The portentous opening track, "Bombed," makes for a fine start here, combining as it does the established ITN sound and approach -- Dolores Marguerite's sung/spoken lyrics, exquisite synth strings, and so forth, with such newer elements as Jill Crowther's oboe and a very arty but effective exploration of dance bass and beats. What makes Anatomy stand out even more, however, is hinted at in the album's title -- this collection very much explores poetry on a number of levels, taking the increasing narrative approach from Duality to newer heights. English author Colin Wilson is the featured spoken word performer throughout; his low but clear voice meshes well with the dramatic flow of the music, as on the title track, which features Wilson interpreting a poem by Victorian writer Ernest Dowson over an inspired, complex arrangement. Other poets quoted include Yeats, Wilde (Wilson's recital of one of his poems, over a lovely piano-based arrangement, features Crowther and is a definite album highlight), and the lesser known James Elroy Flecker, while other musical guests include Lemon Kittens/Shock Headed Peters veteran Karl Blake taking lead vocals on a moody version (featuring guitar!) of Scott Walker's "The Seventh Seal." Q continues his fine work on snare drum, as always, while electronic percussion takes the definite fore on such techno-based tracks as "In Perpetuum," featuring another of the brothers' now quite rare turns on vocals along with Marguerite, and a dramatically reworked version of the Ambush track "Hallucinations?," both combining the orchestral drama of ITN with the dancefloor better than anyone might have guessed. Proudly, self-consciously reaching for the artistic and unafraid to show it, Anatomy is yet another milestone in the Humberstones' continuing career.

AMG Review by Ned Raggett

It's A Beautiful Day - It's A Beautiful Day (San Franciscan Folk-Psych 1969)

Although they are not one of the better-known San Francisco bands to have emerged from the ballroom circuit of the late '60s and early '70s, It's a Beautiful Day were no less memorable for their unique progressive rock style that contrasted well with the Bay Area psychedelic scene. Led by David LaFlamme (flute/violin/vocals) and his wife, Linda LaFlamme (keyboards), the six-piece unit on this album vacillates between light and ethereal pieces such as the lead-off cut, "White Bird," to the heavier, prog rock-influenced "Bombay Calling." One of the most distinct characteristics of It's a Beautiful Day is their instrumentation. The prominence of David LaFlamme — former violin soloist with the Utah Symphony and original member of Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks — adds a refinement to It's a Beautiful Day's sound. Likewise, the intricate melodies — mostly composed by the LaFlammes — are structured around the band's immense virtuosity, a prime example being the exquisitely haunting harpsichord-driven "Girl With No Eyes." The noir framework, as well as lyrics such as "...she's just a reflection of all of the time I've been high," point rather candidly to the hallucinogenic nature of the song's — if not the band's — influences. The same can be said of the languidly eerie "Bulgaria." The almost chant-like quality of the track slowly crescendos into an hypnotic and dreamlike sonic journey — led by LaFlamme's brilliant violin work. By virtue of being a Bay Area fixture in the late '60s, It's a Beautiful Day could also easily double as a hippie dance band — which they can also execute with great aplomb — as the wildly up-tempo "Time Is" amply proves. It's a Beautiful Day remains as a timepiece and evidence of how sophisticated rock & roll had become in the fertile environs of the San Francisco music scene.

AMG Review by Lindsay Planer

Joe Jackson - Big World (Live 1986)

Joe Jackson crafted his most labored, serious album in 1984's Body and Soul, so it's no surprise that he made a complete turnaround for its follow-up, Big World. Instead of delving deeper into jazz, Jackson pared his lineup down to a basic guitar, bass, and drums rock combo and recorded all of Big World live in front of an audience in a move to avoid the over-production that bogged down records of its period. Interestingly, Jackson insisted the audience not make a sound during the recording, so this doesn't sound like a live album, except in the spots where Jackson's voice wears a bit thin. And, running over 60 minutes and across three record "sides," Big World is a sweeping album, shifting from a more accessible first side to an experimental middle and closing out with a more aggressive third side. It works, since Big World is the most raw and immediate record of the middle part of Jackson's career. But listeners expecting another Look Sharp! won't be impressed, as this is still a much more serious, concerned Jackson than before. As the title of the album suggests, Jackson is tackling big issues, such as global cultural differences, Reagan-era politics, yuppies, and relationships -- from romantic ones to those you hold with your roots, as on the reflective "Home Town." At times, it works marvelously, and at times the songs are too ponderous and minimal to make any impact. But the best moments, like "Right and Wrong," "Tonight and Forever," and "Home Town," establish Big World as one of the best and most overlooked records of Joe Jackson's career.

AMG Review by Jason Damas

Hawkwind - Quark Strangeness and Charm (Great Hard Rock 1977)

Hot on the heels of two decidedly un-Hawkwind-y singles; following in the footsteps, too, of the defiantly transitory Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music album, Quark Strangeness and Charm was the first full flowering of Hawkwind's newly honed drive towards brittle pop, sharp wit, and crystal-clear intent -- attributes that, if they'd ever existed in the past, had been entirely overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of the space rock rocket blast. Now it was the propulsive riffs and deep space echoes that were held in abeyance, and Quark opened as it meant to go on, with "Spirit of the Age"'s tight keyboards, unobtrusive washes, and the utterly captivating -- if totally skewed -- story of love across the light years. It is hard to visualise just how shocking the change must have been to loyal fans of the era; how they must have trembled before the electrifying jolt of concise lyricism and accessible melodies. Airplay followed, and the band even made their first mainstream U.K. TV appearance in some five years, performing the new album's title track on Marc Bolan's teatime TV pop show. Robert Calvert wore an aviator's helmet and carried a stuffed falcon on one hand, odd apparel indeed for an ode to Albert Einstein's lack of luck with the ladies. Or maybe not so odd, after all. A handful of songs fed back into the traditional Hawkwind mythos -- the post-apocalyptic "Damnation Alley," the near-industrial instrumental "Forge of Vulcan," and the weary, dream-is-over nostalgia of "Days of the Underground." "Hassan I Sabha," an epic of Middle Eastern terrorist rhetoric, even recalled the prosaic realities of the old favorite "Urban Guerilla," although a haunting Arabic refrain and instrumentation catapulted it to a different realm regardless. And so it went on -- Hawkwind's most unexpected album to date and, today, one of their most endearingly enduring; charming, strange, and, if not quark, then certainly quirky.

AMG Review by Dave Thompson

Freedom - Freedom (British Psychedelia 1970)

Freedom's third album, originally issued in 1970 and reissued on CD in 2000 by Angel Air, is dire period British hard rock in the power trio format. While there's occasional laid-back reflective songwriting amongst the largely original material, its lumpy rhythms and unexceptional melodies make it hard to say much of anything about it, really, except to note that it's easy to envision them as a support act on any number of shows and tours of the era. The numbers emphasizing vocal harmonies are at least inoffensive (if boring), which can't be said of their outings into boogie blues-rock and proto-metal (as on the title track) that really grate. It might have been a cool idea in 1970 to cover the Standells' "Dirty Water," which wasn't a hit in Britain and wasn't yet fashionable as a garage band standard. It is not cool, however, to retitle the song "Frustrated Woman" and take the songwriting credits, as the members do even on the sleeve of the 2000 CD release.

AMG Review by Richie Unterberger

Freedom - Black on White (British Psychedelia 1968)

Although this was recorded and released as the soundtrack to a 1968 Italian soft pornography film, it holds up pretty well as a proper album. While Freedom's sound wasn't too original, often sounding much like Traffic and Procol Harum, the songs are pretty strong and the playing quite good. If you collect British psychedelia from this period, you can tell right away that these guys were at a higher level than the average such collectable outfit which only did a couple singles or an album; items like "Seeing Is Believing" and "Born Again" would have fit in pretty well on the Chocolate Soup for Diabetics compilations of rare British '60s psych. Mike Lease's classical-influenced organ and piano are especially imaginative, and sometimes they come up with tracks that escape the Procol/Traffic comparisons, like the melodic "The Better Side," with its tasteful dots of orchestration, and "The Butt of Deception," an extremely wry and British tune reminiscent of Ray Davies' late-1960s songs for the Kinks. The CD adds three alternate versions and mixes not available on the rare original LP; it doesn't have anything from their two rare singles, though.

AMG Review by Richie Unterberger

The Baroques - The Baroques + Bonus Tracks (Psychedelic Pop 1967)

A minor psychedelic band with a mixture of interesting and generic material, the Baroques recorded one LP for Chess in 1967, when the blues/R&B/soul-oriented label was considering breaking into the rock market. Popular only on a regional level, the Milwaukee group (originally called "The Complete Unknowns," until someone probably realized how dangerously self-fulfilling it could be) was dominated by the morose compositions and low, odd vocal range of singer-lead guitarist Jay Berkenhagen who also played keyboards; the other members were Rick Bieniewski on bass, Jacques Hutchinson on guitar and vocals, and Dean Nimmer on drums. With a slight garage feel, their unusual, occasionally oddball material was built around electric (sometimes "baroque") keyboards and fuzz guitar riffs, which occasional detours into uplifting folk-rock and freak-out jamming. They lucked out in 1966 with the Berkenhagen-authored single "Mary Jane," which engendered considerable local controversy over whether it was or wasn't a drug song: it wasn't, but the dispute over the lyrics got them labeled as a psychedelic act, and boosted their live popularity. The album never sold, however, and the group disbanded in 1968. They won't appeal to many listeners besides psychedelic specialists, but they recorded some idiosyncratically worthwhile stuff, most of which has been reissued on small collector labels. "Mary Jane" was re-released in 1997 on Gear Fab's

http://www.answers.com/topic/baroques-1

Pride - Pride (Psychedelic project by David Axelrod 1970)

The obscure self-titled 1970 LP by Pride will mostly be of interest to David Axelrod collectors, as he produced it and wrote all the material with his son Michael Axelrod. It's passable mild psychedelic pop with a Baroque folk-rock slant, distinguished a little from other similar records of the time by the prominent use of a Spanish guitar. There are also numerous passages where a 12-string electric comes to the fore, sounding heavily influenced by the kind of jagged leads the Byrds' Roger McGuinn took on the instrument around 1966 and 1967, as well as some keyboards with a classical tinge. Although no musicians are credited on the sleeve, it's been reported that Nooney Rickett (who briefly played with Love) is the singer, and while he has a pleasantly light and airy voice, the songs are rather trifling semi-mystical psychedelic observations. A pleasant period sound is crafted here, but it's one that pales in comparison to more heavyweight masters of who worked in the gutsier sectors of this general territory -- like the Byrds and Love.

AMG Review by Richie Unterberger

David Axelrod - The Warner/Reprise Sessions (Electric Prunes & Pride)

As both a producer and a solo artist, David Axelrod is probably more known for his work in the jazz and soul styles than anything else, but he was heavily involved in a few psychedelic rock projects in the late '60s and early '70s. This rather amazingly elaborate U.K. two-CD set touches all the bases in his work in that idiom for Warner/Reprise during that era. Disc one manages to fit three LPs in which he had a strong hand as composer and arranger -- the Electric Prunes' Mass in F Minor and Release of an Oath, and the self-titled album by Pride -- onto one CD. The two works by the Electric Prunes were religious concept albums that, while flawed and prone to some of the era's more self-indulgent ambitions, did yield some interesting and at times quite stimulating interactions between typical West Coast psychedelic rock and classically flavored orchestration and tunes, as well as some funky jazzy percussion. The Pride album, in contrast, was much more conventional Los Angeles folk-pop-rock devoid of any such orchestration, Axelrod's influence felt in the composition of the melodies (with the lyrics supplied by his son, Michael Axelrod).

Although disc two is technically comprised of previously unreleased material from these sessions, in fact to some degree they're just alternate mixes, with instrumental versions of all of the songs on Mass in F Minor and Release of an Oath. Indeed, there are two instrumental versions each of four of the seven songs on Release of an Oath, though one song from that album, "Holy Are You," is represented by an alternate vocal version. Those who are primarily interested in these records for David Axelrod's role might find them preferable to the official versions, as they allow listeners to hear the songs without vocals and concentrate virtually wholly on Axelrod's compositions and arrangements. Some of the alternates of the songs from Release of an Oath present in two instrumental versions, too, have more skeletal arrangements missing the orchestration and emphasizing the rhythm sections so beloved by samplers looking for breakbeats. More general psychedelic rock listeners, however, will still find the original Electric Prunes vocal versions preferable. They simply sound more developed and more like actual songs when rock singers and lyrics are involved, even if some of the lyrics are in Latin and some of the musicians are actually session players. But the packaging can't be faulted for going to such ends to provide as comprehensive an overview of Axelrod's Warner/Reprise psychedelic rock work as could be envisioned, including a booklet presenting a lengthy interview with Axelrod himself about these recordings.

AMG Review by Richie Unterberger

Ζωντανοί Στο Κύτταρο [Zontanoi Sto Kyttaro] (Greek Live Underground Scene 1971)

Την τριετία 1971 – 1973, το Κύτταρο της οδού Ηπείρου & Αχαρνών, γνώρισε τη μεγαλύτερη περίοδο ακμής του. Τότε ήταν που η ένταση και ο ηλεκτρισμός των βραδιών του καταγράφηκαν και ηχογραφήθηκαν στο θρυλικό πλέον άλμπουμ «Ζωντανοί στο Κύτταρο (Η ποπ στην Αθήνα)», το πρώτο ροκ live της ελληνικής δισκογραφίας, ισάξιο για τον τόπο μας με το τριπλό «Woodstock» που σάρωνε ανά την υφήλιο! Θυμηθείτε τους Δάμων & Φιντίας, Δέσποινα Γλέζου, Εξαδάκτυλος, Socrates και Στέλλα Γαδέλη στις καλύτερες στιγμές τους. Καλή σας ακρόαση.

Το CD είναι ιστορικό και συλλεκτικό γιατί παίζουν τρία από τα σημαντικότερα ελληνικά ροκ συγκροτήματα με ονόματα όπως ο Παύλος Σιδηρόπουλος, ο Αντώνης Τουρκογιώργης, ο Δημήτρης Πουλικάκος, ο Νίκος Αντύπας και άλλοι. Περιέχεται και το δυσεύρετο κομμάτι "Ο γερο Μαθιός". Για μερικούς από μας αυτό το CD συμβολίζει μια ολόκληρη εποχή, τότε με το "Κύτταρο" και το "Ροντέο"... όπως μας παρότρυνε ο Νιόνιος¨"Κι αν δεν ντρέπεσαι να καθίσεις πίσω, έλα Ηπείρου κι Αχαρνών να σε γιουχαίσω..."

01. Δέσποινα Γλέζου - Αποσμητικά

02. Δέσποινα Γλέζου - Τα επίκαιρα

03. Δάμων & Φιντίας - Απογοήτευση

04. Εξαδάκτυλος - Το ξεχασμένο πηγάδι

05. Στέλλα Γαδέλη & Μπουρμπούλια - Μαύρη θάλασσα

06. Socrates Drank The Conium - Ηλεκτρικός Σωκράτης

07. Δάμων & Φιντίας - Ο γερο Μαθιός

08. Εξαδάκτυλος - Ο ανεπρόκοπος

Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson

Roky Erickson often seems to be better known in rock circles for his well publicized psychological maladies and his less-than-gentle treatment at the hands of Texas' judicial system than for his music -- and that's a shame. While Roky's habit of informing anyone who asks that he's a Martian or is in contact with Satan makes for good fanzine copy, the best reason to be interested in Erickson is his songwriting -- there's a graceful, vivid surrealism to his lyrical style that's endured far better than most of the noodlers who came out of the psychedelic rock movement, and his later bursts of horror film fancy conjure up a troubling tension that's laughed at only by the shallow or ignorant. When Erickson's legal problems came to a head in the late 1980s, longtime fan and Sire Records executive Bill Bentley assembled Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson to raise money for Erickson, as well as drawing attention to the unique beauty of his music. Like most multi-artist tribute albums, the results are a bit uneven; some of these artists seem to have appeared out of convenience rather than any great love of Roky's music, and a few of the interpretations are simple miscalculations (Thin White Rope's Guy Kyser really goes overboard on his version of "Burn the Flames"). But there are a several moments of very real beauty and power here, especially from the artists who share Erickson's Texas heritage -- Doug Sahm and ZZ Top rock out on their contributions, the Butthole Surfers' version of "Earthquake" is one of their finest moments on wax, and T-Bone Burnett's take on "Nothing in Return" is a heart-tugging gem. The 13th Floor Elevators' first two albums are still the best place to sample Erickson's music (and the latter-day All That May Do My Rhyme is a fine album, for which Erickson actually receives royalties -- hint, hint), but Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye is a sincere if inconsistent tribute to his work, and shows how well his songs can translate to the styles of other artists.

AMG Review by Mark Deming

Until The End Of The World (OST 1991)

Until the End of the World is a definite contender for best motion picture soundtrack of the 1990s. With a lineup that includes Talking Heads, Lou Reed, R.E.M., Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Depeche Mode, U2, and others all providing original songs or new covers, it's an absolute joy. Interspersed with Graeme Revell's haunting ambient score, virtually every pop/rock track works perfectly as part of a cohesive whole. "Sax and Violins," recorded during the dying days of Talking Heads, might be the band's most confident moment, as a jazzy background shuffle and keyboards provide compelling momentum underneath David Byrne's sarcastic vocals. Crime & the City Solution could have made an entire career out of the emotional yet existential "The Adversary." R.E.M. and Depeche Mode both contribute touching ballads. "Fretless" is one of the most beautiful tracks to be found in R.E.M.'s discography, documenting a wounded relationship with subtle grace. "Death's Door" is one of those sad numbers Depeche Mode fans have grown to love, with Martin Gore handling the vocals. Less emotional themes are found in the contributions of Lou Reed and Can. "(I'll Love You) Till the End of the World" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is dark, hilarious, and ultimately quite touching. Jane Siberry handles the soundtrack's most pristine, moving moment with "Calling All Angels"; k.d. lang's background vocals give the song a sweet, angelic feel. In addition to the greatness of the songs, the album is perfectly sequenced. It's hard to imagine a better song progression than that of the one from Julee Cruise to Neneh Cherry here. Throw in U2's Achtung Baby-shared track "Until the End of the World" and a Kinks cover by Elvis Costello, and it's almost impossible to think of a better soundtrack from or to the 1990s.

AMG Review by Tim DiGravina

Pink Military - Do Animals Believe in God? (1980 Post-Punk)

Jayne Casey's post-Big in Japan endeavor, Pink Military, was quickly snapped up by Virgin after critical accolades showered their 1979 single "Blood and Lipstick." Nearly a year later, and sporting a new rhythm section, Pink Military released the wonderfully moody Do Animals Believe in God?. The LP would become both their debut effort and swan song. Alternative beats which border on darkwave inform much of this set, and Casey keeps the mood sweet and melancholy, but imbues the songs with an edge that barely conceals her sharper points. This works to wonderful effect on many of the songs, but most especially on "I Cry," which crossed U.K. post-punk ethics with a smidgen of Nico and a little Rocky Horror Picture Show thrown in for kicks. "Did You See Her?," the album's lone single, keeps the vocal range low but brightens the vibe with some lighthearted synth. Elsewhere, the band continues to shine on "Back on the London Stage," as well as on the dramatic title track -- sung, incidentally, by an unidentified bandmember. Pink Military only falters when they step into the more experimental waters of "Living in a Jungle" and "War Games." Sadly, this wonderful album fared poorly, leaving Casey to regroup and redefine the band's dimension, burying Pink Military and giving birth to the new era of Pink Industry in 1982.

AMG Review by Amy Hanson

Mike Bloomfield-Al Kooper-Stephen Stills - Super Session (Blues-Rock Super Album 1968)

As the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) had done a year earlier, Super Session (1968) initially ushered in several new phases in rock & roll's concurrent transformation. In the space of mere months, the soundscape of rock shifted radically from two- and three-minute danceable pop songs to comparatively longer works with more attention to technical and musical subtleties. Enter the unlikely all-star triumvirate of Al Kooper (piano/organ/ondioline/vocals/guitars), Mike Bloomfield (guitar), and Stephen Stills (guitar) -- all of whom were concurrently "on hiatus" from their most recent engagements. Kooper had just split after masterminding the definitive and groundbreaking Child Is Father of the Man (1968) version of Blood, Sweat & Tears. Bloomfield was fresh from a brief stint with the likewise brass-driven Electric Flag, while Stills was late of Buffalo Springfield and still a few weeks away from a more or less full-time commitment to David Crosby and Graham Nash. Although the trio never actually performed together, the long-player was notable for idiosyncratically featuring one side led by the team of Kooper/Bloomfield and the other by Kooper/Stills. The band is ably fleshed out with the powerful rhythm section of Harvey Brooks (bass) and Eddie Hoh (drums) as well as Barry Goldberg (electric piano) on "Albert's Shuffle" and "Stop." The heavy Chicago blues contingency of Bloomfield, Brooks, and Goldberg provide a perfect outlet for the three Kooper/Bloomfield originals -- the first of which commences the project with the languid and groovy "Albert's Shuffle." The guitarist's thin tone cascades with empathetic fluidity over the propelling rhythms. Kooper's frisky organ solo alternately bops and scats along as he nudges the melody forward. The same can be said of the funky interpretation of "Stop," which had originally been a minor R&B hit for Howard Tate. Curtis Mayfield's "Man's Temptation" is given a brass-fuelled soulful reading that might have worked equally well as a Blood, Sweat & Tears cover. At over nine minutes in spin time, "His Holy Modal Majesty" is a fun trippy waltz and includes one of the most extended jams on the Kooper/Bloomfield side. The track also features the distinct hurdy-gurdy and Eastern-influenced sound of Kooper's small electric keyboard-manipulated ondioline, which has a slightly atonal and reedy timbre much like that of John Coltrane's tenor sax. Because of some physical health issues, Bloomfield was unable to complete the recording sessions and Kooper contacted Stills. Immediately his decidedly West Coast sound -- which alternated from a chiming Rickenbacker intonation to a faux pedal steel -- can be heard on the upbeat version of Bob Dylan's "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry." One of the album's highlights is the churning and scintillating cover of "Season of the Witch." There is an undeniable synergy between Kooper and Stills, whose energies seems to aurally drive the other into providing some inspired interaction. Updating the blues standard "You Don't Love Me" allows Stills to sport some heavily amplified and distorted licks, which come off sounding like Jimi Hendrix. This is one of those albums that seems to get better with age and that gets the full reissue treatment every time a new audio format comes out. This is a super session indeed.

AMG Review by Lindsay Planer