Procol Harum - Broken Barricades (1971 Superb Prog-Rock - PH's "Trower-est" Album)

Despite the departure of organist Matthew Fisher, Procol Harum survived, and this album is ample proof. Fisher was one of the prime architects of the Harum sound, and his work on such classics as "Shine on Brightly" and, of course, "Whiter Shade of Pale" underline that. Procol continued as a four-piece, and it was indeed a good thing that they decided not to replace Fisher. The sound of the band on this album is a bit sparser, but definitely not without dimension and dynamics. "Simple Sister," one of the finest Gary Brooker/Keith Reid compositions, is truly glorious, with Robin Trower's frightening lead guitar work juxtaposed nicely against a wonderful string arrangement. Several other tracks are first rate, including "Power Failure" and "Playmate of the Mouth." Along with Little Feat, Procol Harum was a great survivor among rock bands that have lost a key member. The proof is in these grooves.

AMG Review by Matthew Greenwald

Shriekback - Sacred City (Indie Rock 1992)

Shriekback's final studio album, Sacred City went out of print almost immediately after its 1992 release; this reissue, with the advantages of 20/20 hindsight, proves the group to have been well ahead of their time, their music predating the subsequent rise of electronica via its use of dub and drum'n'bass-styled sampled rhythms. Recorded with original members Barry Andrews, Dave Allen and Martyn Barker as well as Karl Hyde, later to resurface in Underworld, Sacred City lacks the ingenious spark of such peak Shriekback efforts as Oil and Gold and Big Night Music, but their intellectual art-funk always makes for intriguing listening -- an album (and band) overdue for rediscovery.

AMG Review by Jason Ankeny

Ten Years After - Cricklewood Green (1970 Blues-Rock)

Cricklewood Green provides the best example of Ten Years After's recorded sound. On this album, the band and engineer Andy Johns mix studio tricks and sound effects, blues-based song structures, a driving rhythm section, and Alvin Lee's signature lightning-fast guitar licks into a unified album that flows nicely from start to finish. Cricklewood Green opens with a pair of bluesy rockers, with "Working on the Road" propelled by a guitar and organ riff that holds the listener's attention through the use of tape manipulation as the song develops. "50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain" and "Love Like a Man" are classics of TYA's jam genre, with lyrically meaningless verses setting up extended guitar workouts that build in intensity, rhythmically and sonically. The latter was an FM-radio staple in the early '70s. "Year 3000 Blues" is a country romp sprinkled with Lee's silly sci-fi lyrics, while "Me and My Baby" concisely showcases the band's jazz licks better than any other TYA studio track, and features a tasty piano solo by Chick Churchill. It has a feel similar to the extended pieces on side one of the live album Undead. "Circles" is a hippie-ish acoustic guitar piece, while "As the Sun Still Burns Away" closes the album by building on another classic guitar-organ riff and more sci-fi sound effects.

AMG Review by Jim Newsom

Stooges - Funhouse (Superb Proto-Punk 1970)

The Stooges' first album was produced by a classically trained composer; their second was supervised by the former keyboard player with the Kingsmen, and if that didn't make all the difference, it at least indicates why Fun House was a step in the right direction. Producer Don Gallucci took the approach that the Stooges were a powerhouse live band, and their best bet was to recreate the band's live set with as little fuss as possible. As a result, the production on Fun House bears some resemblance to the Kingsmen's version of "Louie Louie" -- the sound is smeary and bleeds all over the place, but it packs the low-tech wallop of a concert pumped through a big PA, bursting with energy and immediacy. The Stooges were also a much stronger band this time out; Ron Asheton's blazing minimalist guitar gained little in the way of technique since The Stooges, but his confidence had grown by a quantum leap as he summoned forth the sounds that would make him the hero of proto-punk guitarists everywhere, and the brutal pound of drummer Scott Asheton and bassist Dave Alexander had grown to heavyweight champion status. And Fun House is where Iggy Pop's mad genius first reached its full flower; what was a sneer on the band's debut had grown into the roar of a caged animal desperate for release, and his rants were far more passionate and compelling than what he had served up before. The Stooges may have had more "hits," but Fun House has stronger songs, including the garage raver to end all garage ravers in "Loose," the primal scream of "1970," and the apocalyptic anarchy of "L.A. Blues." Fun House is the ideal document of the Stooges at their raw, sweaty, howling peak.

AMG Review by Mark Deming

Pixies - Doolittle (Great Alternative Rock 1989)

After 1988's brilliant but abrasive Surfer Rosa, the Pixies' sound couldn't get much more extreme. Their Elektra debut, Doolittle, reins in the noise in favor of pop songcraft and accessibility. Producer Gil Norton's sonic sheen adds some polish, but Black Francis' tighter songwriting focuses the group's attack. Doolittle's most ferocious moments, like "Dead," a visceral retelling of David and Bathsheba's affair — are more stylized than the group's past outbursts. Meanwhile, their poppy side surfaces on the irresistible single "Here Comes Your Man" and the sweetly surreal love song "La La Love You." The Pixies' arty, noisy weirdness mix with just enough hooks to produce gleefully demented singles like "Debaser," — inspired by Bunuel's classic surrealist short Un Chien Andalou — and "Wave of Mutilation," their surfy ode to driving a car into the sea. Though Doolittle's sound is cleaner and smoother than the Pixies' earlier albums, there are still plenty of weird, abrasive vignettes: the blankly psychotic "There Goes My Gun," "Crackity Jones," a song about a crazy roommate Francis had in Puerto Rico, and the nihilistic finale "Gouge Away." Meanwhile, "Tame," and "I Bleed" continue the Pixies' penchant for cryptic kink. But the album doesn't just refine the Pixies' sound; they also expand their range on the brooding, wannabe spaghetti western theme "Silver" and the strangely theatrical "Mr. Grieves." "Hey" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven," on the other hand, stretch Francis' lyrical horizons: "Monkey"'s elliptical environmentalism and "Hey"'s twisted longing are the Pixies' versions of message songs and romantic ballads. Their most accessible album, Doolittle's wide-ranging moods and sounds make it one of their most eclectic and ambitious. A fun, freaky alternative to most other late-'80s college rock, it's easy to see why the album made the Pixies into underground rock stars.

AMG Review by Heather Phares

Eclection - Eclection (1968 Folk-Psych)

Eclection's sole album is very much a period piece of its era, albeit an attractive and at times intriguing one. At root this is slightly melancholy folk-rock with a strong Californian influence, particularly in the blends of six-string and twelve-strings, of acoustic and electric guitars, and of male and female vocal harmonies. What sets this off slightly from the Seekers and the Mamas and the Papas is the ornate production by Ossie Byrne, and particularly the pseudo-baroque orchestral arrangements by Phil Dennys. It's also set off somewhat from the most commercial Californian pop-folk-rock by the slightly spacy, psychedelic aura of the lyrics, even if the sentiments are about as misty dew-eyed as they come in folk-rock. The harmonies can't fail to bring to mind a cross between the Seekers, early Jefferson Airplane, We Five, and Mamas and the Papas, particularly due to female singer Kerrilee Male's strong, earnest pipes. The record's chief flaw is that the all-original material, while sometimes extremely pleasant, fails to stick in the craw, causing one's attention to drift somewhat over the course of the disc. It's also true that the arrangements get a little too inappropriately fruity at times. It's still a nice listen, some songs making more of an impression than others, such as "Nevertheless," which might have had some hit potential.

AMG Review by Richie Unterberger

DAG - Righteous (Very Good Indie Rock 1994)

Although the notion of white guys playing funk is enough to make a person justifiably skeptical, make no mistake about Dag -- they are the real deal. On Righteous, the band lays down some of the dirtiest, deadliest grooves this side of George Clinton, and do so with great restraint and respect for the genre. The tunes are peppered with vintage synths, horns, and imaginative lead guitar, not to mention catchy hooks, while vocalist Bobby Patterson possesses a falsetto that could make Prince envious (as heard on the gorgeous title track). Dag's strength is their commitment to funk; unlike bands who use funk as a gimmick or try to fuse it with other styles, these guys play it pure. Highly recommended.

AMG Review by Andy Hinds

Danielle Dax - Inky Bloaters (Great Alternative Rock 1987)

After a nearly hermetic approach on her first two albums, Dax opened things up a bit on Inky Bloaters by recording with a band and sharing songwriting credits with David Knight. The resulting sound is "bigger" and more commercial than her previous work, with many songs taking on the traits of the guitar-driven dance-pop that ruled the airwaves in the '80s. The funky "Big Hollow Man" takes a page from Prince, while "Flashback" could almost be a Blondie single. While undeniably catchy, more conventional arrangements date some of this material in a way that her earlier idiosyncratic efforts avoided. Still, on the best tracks (like the sitar-infused "Where the Flies Are"), Dax's voice remains distinctive.

AMG Review by Michael Jourdan

Blue Cheer - Outside Inside (Acid Rock 1968)

Blue Cheer is a San Francisco-based rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s, who helped to pioneer heavy metal music. According to Tim Hills in his book, The Many Lives of the Crystal Ballroom, "Blue Cheer was the epitome of San Francisco psychedelia. The band was rumored to have been named for a brand of LSD and promoted by renowned LSD chemist and former Grateful Dead patron, Owsley Stanley. Another rumor is that the Blue Cheer was a blend of heroin and methamphetamine with just a pinch of arsenic "for an extra glowly feeling", taken intravenously. A "blue cheer" is also obscure and somewhat archaic British slang for a fart.

The band's sound, however, was something of a departure from the music that had been coming out of the Bay Area: Blue Cheer's three musicians played heavy blues-rock, and played it very loud.

Original personnel were singer/bassist Dickie Peterson, guitarist Leigh Stephens, and drummer Paul Whaley. Their first hit was a cover version of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" from their debut album Vincebus Eruptum (1968). The single peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, their only such hit, and the album peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The group's sound was hard to categorise, but was definitely blues-based, psychedelic, and loud. The group underwent several personnel changes after the 1968 release of Outsideinside, and then yet more changes during and after 1969's New! Improved! Blue Cheer (different guitarists on side 1 and 2). After Leigh Stephens was replaced by Randy Holden, formerly of Los Angeles garage rock band The Other Half, in 1968, Blue Cheer's style changed to a more commercial hard rock sound ‡ la Steppenwolf or Iron Butterfly. For the fourth album Blue Cheer, Holden, who had left during the third album, was subsequently replaced by Bruce Stephens. Stephens later quit and was replaced by Gary Lee Yoder, who helped complete the album.


Outsideinside is the second album by Blue Cheer, released on PolyGram in August 1968. This album features writing contributions from all members along with two covers: "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones and "The Hunter" by Booker T. & the M.G.s (also covered by British rock band Free). The album was produced by Abe Kesh and engineered by Eddie Kramer, who had worked with Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and would later work with Led Zeppelin and KISS among others. The cover painting is by "Arab" and design by "Gut," legendary Hells Angel.

01. "Feathers from Your Tree" (Peterson, Stevens, Wagner) - 3:29
02. "Sun Cycle" (Peterson, Stevens, Wagner) - 4:12
03. "Just a Little Bit" (Peterson) - 3:24
04. "Gypsy Ball" (Peterson, Stevens) - 2:57
05. "Come and Get It" (Peterson, Stevens, Wagner) - 3:13
06. "Satisfaction" (Jagger/Richards) - 5:05
07. "The Hunter" (Booker T. Jones) - 4:22
08. "Magnolia Caboose" (Peterson, Stevens) - 1:38
09. "Babylon" (Peterson) - 4:22

Post by ChrisGoesRock

Shiver - San Francisco's Shiver (1972 Acid Psychedelia)

The music on this cd represents the entire recorded output of this obscure early '70s acid-rock band. Shiver recorded this stuff live to two-track tape in the summer of 1972, and while they never released an album back in the day, it's clear that the world is ready for their heavy guitar jams now. Well, maybe not the world -- but certainly those of us, mostly too young to have "been there then", who aren't entirely satisfied with today's stoner metal and are always looking for the real deal, the lost stoner psych monster.
Basically, Shiver were a bunch of hard-rocking hippie freaks, brought together by a Texas-bred drummer who moved to San Francisco to take up where his obvious heroes Blue Cheer left off. They soon had a rather rough, tough reputation, playing Haight street fairs and Hells Angels biker parties. At one point they even had a singer with an iron hook for a hand, which he could use as a slide for his guitar, or for more violent purposes. Shiver played "heavy psychedelic rock" at its most primal -- no overdubs, raw as hell.

Rising from the same scene of Texas freaks like The 13th Floor Elevators, Johnny Gee & The G Men, and a pre-ZZ Top, Warlocks, Shiver moved to SF and this CD documents their complete output of early 70s heavy psychedelic rock. In a city known for peace, love and flower power, Shiver was an over the top, in your face, balls to the wall 'gang' of musicians that felt at home with Hell¥s Angels and Hippies alike. Free Love, Free Dope. Shiver played a lot of Street Fairs on Haight, Market and Castro streets, and got to jam with guys from Big Brother (Gurley & Albin) and other local heroes. These recordings were done on a twotrack machine at 2909 Mariposa in the Summer Of ¥72 and feature no overdubs or studio 'wizardry'. What you hear on these tracks is Shiver in it¥s raw, powerful glory."

1. Tough As Nails
2. Fixer
3. Bone Shaker
4. Interstellar Vision
5. Alpha Man
6. Rocky Road
7. Keep On Rocking
8. Up My Sleeve
9. Winter Time

Post by ChrisGoesRock

Al Stewart - Modern Times (1975 Folk-Rock)

Surely the title is a bit of an allusion to the Past, Present and Future of its predecessor, but Modern Times also brought Al Stewart into the present, establishing his classic sound of folky narratives and Lennonesque melodies, all wrapped up in a lush, layered production from Alan Parsons. Hearing this production makes it clear that this is what was missing from Past, since it gives epics like the title track a real sense of grandeur that makes their sentiments resonate strongly. But it's not just the improvement in production that makes Modern Times the beginning of Stewart's classic period ó his songwriting has leapt up and met his ambitions, as it retains the historical sweep of his earlier material but melds it to a melodic sensibility that's alternately comforting and haunting. This skill is apparent throughout Modern Times, and is married to a sound that is its equivalent, making this an exquisite pop-prog gem.

1 Carol Stewart 4:24
2 Sirens of Titan Stewart 2:50
3 What's Going On? Stewart 3:34
4 Not the One Stewart 4:34
5 Next Time Stewart 4:19
6 Apple Cider Re-Constitution Stewart 5:19
7 The Dark and the Rolling Sea Stewart 5:21
8 Modern Times Mudge, Stewart 8:21

AMG Review Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Human Beinz - Nobody But Me (Superb Psychedelic Album 1967)

It's hard to imagine what the kids must have made of the Human Beinz' first album when it was released back in 1968. The band was riding high on the charts with their feedback-enhanced cover of the Isley Brothers' bold statement of dance prowess, "Nobody But Me," and folks who bought their subsequent LP must have been expecting 30 minutes of similar high-swagger garage rock. However, the band and their producer, Lex De Azevdo, had more ambitious stuff in mind, and the closest things to the hit single on Nobody But Me were a clunky cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Foxey Lady" and a guitar-heavy tribute to a voodoo priest, "The Shaman," neither of which are likely to fill any dancefloors. Instead, there's the tongue-in-cheek, pseudo-Left Banke pop of "It's Fun to Be Clean," a droning, string-laden interpretation of "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair," a rootsy take on "Turn on Your Love Light" which suggests the Grateful Dead's version without the jamming, and a couple exercises in moody introspection written by the band, "Sueno" and "Flower Grave." Nobody But Me is more than a bit pretentious, but it's also better than you might expect, and it builds on its psychedelic ambitions with greater success than the majority of Nehru-clad Midwesterners of the era. Still, one can't help but wish someone had persuaded the Human Beinz to cut a few more R&B covers while they were in the studio, since that's clearly where their greatest strength lay.

AMG Review by Mark Deming

Mason - Harbour (Great Psychedelic Hard Rock from Virginia 1971)

This hard rock album from 1971 by a Virginia trio has one great standout track: the acoustic guitar driven "Golden Sails", performed entirely by Jim Gaylon and sounding quite similar to Jethro Tull. This song alone is worth the price of admission! Other standouts include the organ-powered, heavy rock of "Let It Burn" (complete with bluesy vocals and great flute and organ solos) and the long, lumbering title track "Harbour". There aren't many weak moments musically.

Fans of heavy rock with booming bass, drums, and organ will find a lot of meat on this one. Lovers of early Jethro Tull and heavy organ bands (like Deep Purple) could very well get into this. Includes two unreleased bonus tracks, with "One More Drink" (clocking in at 39 seconds) being another acoustic ballad reminiscent of Ian Anderson. Informative liner notes. Another hard rock rarity available at last.

01. Let It Burn
02. Tell Me
03. Electric Sox and All
04. Golden Sails
05. Travelin'
06. Harbour
07. Goin' Home
08. Charlotte
09. Carry Me Home (unreleased)
10. One More Drink (unreleased)

Post by ChrisGoesRock

Manfred Mann's Earth Band - The Good Earth (1974 Progressive Hard Rock)

Another piece of topical hard rock from Manfred Mann's Earth Band and, as before, listenable even to those without a serious bone in their bodies, by virtue of the playing. Moving between hard rock and British blues influences (with a special debt to Cream on the opening cut, "Give Me the Good Earth") and progressive rock, the quartet cuts a mean swathe across the sonic landscape, between Mick Rogers' soaring guitar solos and Manfred Mann's inimitable synthesizer work. Some of the less ambitious cuts, such as "I'll Be Gone," are relatively dispensable, but when these guys start reaching, as on "Earth Hymn," that's when their best musical instincts take hold, and the results are always worth hearing. There's stuff here that King Crimson or Be Bop Deluxe wouldn't have been ashamed to have had on any of their albums; indeed, the instrumental "Sky High" is worth the price of admission by itself as a showcase for the talents of all four players as both hard rock musicians and an art rock ensemble. They even manage to work in elements of folk-rock, and its attendant lyricism, on the album, by way of the Christopher Logue-based "Be Not Too Hard" (which was also recorded, in a different adaptation, by Joan Baez about seven years earlier). And "Earth Hymn, Pt. 2" closes out the album in grand style, once again pushing the band to the edge of their unique brand of progressive/hard rock.

AMG Review by Bruce Eder

10cc - How Dare You (1976 Very Good Art-Pop)

After scoring their commercial breakthrough with "I'm Not in Love" from 1975's The Original Soundtrack, 10cc continued to build on their good fortune with How Dare You. It didn't spawn another massive hit like "I'm Not in Love," but it is a well-crafted album that shows off 10cc's eccentric humor and pop smarts in equal measure. This time, the hit singles were "I'm Mandy Fly Me" and "Art for Art's Sake." The first tune is the fanciful tale of a plane crash victim saved from death by the stewardess of his dreams that plays out a poppy mock-exotica musical backdrop while the second is a tongue-in-cheek parody of commercial-minded artists set to a rocking, cowbell-driven beat. Elsewhere, How Dare You pursues a similar mix of zany humor and pop hooks: "Iceberg" brings its tale of a frigid romantic partner to life with an incredibly intricate and jazzy vocal melody, and "I Wanna Rule the World" is a witty tale of a dictator-in-training with enough catchy riffs and vocal harmonies for two or three songs. How Dare You loses a bit of steam on its second side when the songs' tempos start to slow down, but "Rock 'N' Roll Lullaby" and "Don't Hang Up" keep the listener involved through a combination of melodic songwriting and typically well-crafted arrangements. In the end, How Dare You never hits the giddy heights of The Original Soundtrack but it remains a solid album of witty pop songs that will satisfy anyone with a yen for 10cc.

AMG Review by Donald A. Guarisco

Human Instinct - Stoned Guitar (1970 Prog-Psych from New Zealand)

Human Instinct is a continuation of the group, the Four Fours. The transition to Human Instinct began in 1966 when Trevor Spitz, founding member of the Four Fours, decided to leave when the other group members wanted to embark on a trip to England to seek their fortune and fame.

Trevor was replaced by 19 year old Maurice Greer. Hailing from Palmerston North, Greer had formed his first band when he was 14, and two years later joined Manawatu's number one group, the Flares Show Band. In 1963 Greer and his brother Frank opened their own Palmerston North nightspot, the Flamingo, and the following year Maurice formed the Big Three with ex-Flares Peter Knowles on guitar and Trevor Harrison on bass. It was with Big Three that Greer first used a restructured drum kit, allowing him to play while standing, to allow him to better handle lead vocals.

In 1965 Greer formed the Saints, (not to be confused with the Christchurch Saints from 1962), with Doug Rowe on bass, Dave Hurley on guitar and Winston Cartelli on vocals. They played in the Manawatu area, but in order to get greater recognition they were soon gigging in Wellington, before moving up to Auckland, which is where Greer came to the attention of the Four Fours.

He passed an audition to join the group and his first recording venture with them was the very successful 'Go Go'. Within six months he was on his way to England with the rest of the group. Dave Hartstone had been planning this trip for some time and arranged for them to take up a residency on board the Fairsky in return for reduced fares to England. It was during that voyage that it was decided that a name change was required to something more fitting for a group about to conquer the hip UK market. Human Instinct was the name decided upon.

Three months would pass before they got their first paying gig, but in the meantime they caught up with all the new sounds and what was hip in the fashion world. At the beginning of 1967 they auditioned for a booking agency. Playing an impressive version of the Beach Boys classic, 'Good Vibrations', they were successful over a number of other hopeful groups and soon found themselves gigging regularly, even landing a support role for the Small Faces on a tour of Northern England.

A recording contract was signed with Philips, who released three singles for them on the Mercury label. All songs were written by Dave Hartstone. The first release was 'Can't Stop Around'/'I Want To Be Loved By You My Friend' in 1967. The 'Can't Stop Around' song has often been referred to as 'Can't Shop Around' and 'Can't Stop Loving You'. The single was not successful, but the follow-up 'Rich Man'/'Illusions' received the following favourable review in New Musical Express: "A pounding up-tempo piece with ear-catching lyrics and some weird guitar sounds. Self-penned and out of the ordinary". Unfortunately the review didn't help with sales and the third single release, a remake of the Four Fours 'Go-Go' backed with 'I Can't Live Without You' fared even worse. As a result, Philips terminated the contract, but they were immediately picked up by Decca for release on their Deram label.

The first Deram single in 1967 was 'A Day In My Mind's Mind'/'Death Of The Seaside' and this was followed by a Byrds cover, 'Renaissance Fair'/'Pink Dawn' in 1968. Human Instinct once again failed to achieve recording success in Britain and Decca soon lost interest in them.

Most of the two years the band had been in England was spent on the road. It was not a lifestyle that Bill Ward was happy with so he decided to return to New Zealand. Dave Hartstone had no plans for leaving England, while Frank Hay also decided to return to New Zealand for a break. Maurice Greer was undecided, as he had been offered the drummer's seat with the new Jeff Beck band, the line-up which also included Rod Stewart. In September 1968 he decided to return to New Zealand to reform a new line-up with the hope of eventually returning to England.

Back in New Zealand Maurice replaced Bill Ward with a friend of his from Palmerston North, 21 year old Billy Tekahika, who had been with the Sinners. Billy was later better known as Billy TK. Frank Hay stayed for a short time, but when Maurice decided to take the band on a national tour, he decided to leave and was replaced by Michael Brown. During the tour Michael left to join Dunedin band, the Klap, and was replaced by Peter Barton.

After the tour, a short residency was taken up at the Bo Peep in Auckland, before Greer, Barton and Tekahika flew to London in February 1969 for a second assault on Britain. When they arrived there, they immediately bought a massive PA and lighting system and attracted an audience who wanted to experience the mountain of sound. The group's repertoire at this stage was all original. Although Greer handled most of the vocals, the focal point of the trio was Billy TK, who was becoming a guitar legend in his own right.

The second visit only lasted three months, but during that time they did meet up with Doug Jerebine, previously with the Embers and the Brew. Doug was in England also trying to crack the London scene. He was there recording under the name Jessie Harper. Doug had impressed Maurice and in time Human Instinct were to record seven of his songs.

On their return to New Zealand, they began recording an album at Stebbing's studios. About half way through it Peter Barton left the group and Larry Waide was brought in to complete the album. Released late 1969, the album was called 'Burning Up Years'. From it came the single 'I Think I'll Go Back Home'/'You Really Got Me'.

Work then began immediately on the second album. It was recorded in June 1970 and released as 'Stoned Guitar'. From it came the singles 'Midnight Sun'/'Idea' and 'Black Sally'/'Tomorrow'. These were the only two of their singles to be released with picture sleeves. Below is both sides of 'Black Sally'/'Tomorrow'.

Larry Waide left the group after recording the second album, as musical directions began to change. His position was filled in February 1971 by former Underdogs bass player Neil Edwards. No sooner had he joined and the group was back in the studios to record their third album. This was called 'Pins In It' and was released in June 1971. One single, 'Rainbow World'/'Highway', was issued from this album.

At the same time as its release, the group headed to Sydney for a three month tour. It was not a happy time for the band and at the end of the visit, Billy TK announced that he was remaining in Australia. This basically signaled the end of Human Instinct as a heavy rock band. Instead of replacing Billy with another guitarist, Maurice decided to go for a totally different sound and added Graeme Collins, previously with Dedikation, on keyboards. This configuration didn't last very long and in 1972 Maurice started again with a completely new line-up which consisted of himself, Martin Hope, from the Fourmyula, and John Donoghue, from Timberjack, both on guitar, and Glenn Mikkelson (also known as Zaine Griff) on bass. This combination concentrated on country rock.

From late 1971, Maurice divided his time between his music and nightclub construction with his brothers, Barry and Frank. They were responsible for opening quite a few clubs in Auckland, notably Hatchett's, Granny's, Shantytown, Ruby's Saloon and Croft's, as well as quite a number of others around the country.

Human Instinct released another single 'Texas Sparrow'/'Children Of The World' in 1971 and two more albums. One in 1972 called 'Snatmin Cuthin' and the other in 1974 called 'The Hustler'.

1972 saw a single on the Zodiac label called 'Down The Hall On Saturday Night'/'Simple Man' and then in 1975 the final single on Family 'Tropical Paradise'/'Dixie Holiday'.

Between 1972 and 1982 there were many combinations of the group. Others to have had a stint with the band were Paul Whitehead, Steve McDonald, Peter Cuddihy, Andrew Kaye, Chris Gunn, John Parker, Malcolm Weatherall, Len Whittle, Kevin Fury, Steve Hubbard, Murray Hancox, Stuart Pearce and Peter Woods.

Around 1982, the Human Instinct was formally disbanded by Maurice Greer. After his time with the band, Billy TK went on to form Powerhouse.

Recently the first three albums by Human Instinct have been re-issued on CD by Ascension Records, along with a CD of all of their singles.

In late 1975, when the line-up consisted of Greer on drums, Whitehead on guitar, Mikkelson on bass, and McDonald on keyboards, a recording session for an impending album was done. The group at that time had been playing together for around 18 months at the Shantytown nightclub under Auckland's Civic Theatre. Several months passed before a rough mix-down of the tapes were performed. By the time the sessions were finished, the Human Instinct had moved on to a new residency at Crofts and there style of music had changed, along with new members in the band. The project was subsequently shelved.

In 2001, the session tapes were located at Stebbing's warehouse and a long slow process of restoring and re-mastering the tapes took place with the final result being the release of that 1975 album on CD called 'Peg Leg - The Lost Tapes'.

Track Listings:

1. Black Sally
2. Stoned Guitar
3. Jugg A Jugg Song
4. Midnight Sun
5. Tomorrow
6. Railway & Gun

Post by ChrisGoesRock

Eyeless in Gaza - Back from the Rains (Very Good British Post-Punk 1986)

The final Eyeless in Gaza release before the duo's temporary split, Back From the Rains builds on the pop sense of Rust Red September excellently. Beginning with the brief a cappella piece "Between These Dreams," Bates' vocals treated with a bit of a hollow-room sound that creates some subtly effective drama, the duo shifts into the bright, almost straightforward glow of "Twilight," a fine representation of the album as a whole. It's a bit much to say that Back From the Rains is the pinnacle of the band's aiming toward a neo-Duran Duran/Tears for Fears modern pop triumph, but there's no question that it's a long way from Photographs As Memories. Yet the irony is that little about the duo's approach actually changed -- art rather than commerce dominates, and for all that Bates almost lets his vocals verge into total histrionics at points, he still has that sweet, wistful quality in his voice that suggests gentle calm more than anything else. He and Becker, as always, make an excellent team, the latter surrounding the former's vocal and guitar parts with detailed, energetic arrangements and overdubs. "Catch Me" and the soul-touched "Welcome Now" may have straight-up rhythms for once, but it's still a meta-pop of the kind that could chart high but never does. Comparisons could be made to the Cocteau Twins at their most straightforward, a slightly less obscure John Foxx, but it's all Eyeless in Gaza's own particular vision. Even the simpler approaches, like the barely there production touches on the otherwise vocal-and-guitar combination of "Lie Still, Sleep Long," work wonders. Add in a wonderful version of the folk traditional "She Moves Through the Fair" that gives Bates another music-less chance to the shine and the result is a total winner. The CD version includes, in a slightly odd backtrack, the entirety of the New Risen EP.

AMG Review by Ned Raggett

Roky Erickson - I Think of Demons (Classic Compilation issued 1987)

Like Syd Barrett and Robyn Hitchcock, Roky Erickson is one of rock & roll's genuine crazies, and this album does nothing to dispel that image. As the song titles accurately suggest, the lyrics here all draw their subject matter from satanic and horror-movie subjects. Musically, the album is quite appealing. If the ghouls in the 1960s song "Monster Mash" were really hip, they'd be partying down to "Don't Shake Me Lucifer," a rollicking 1950s-inspired number with clear nods to Little Richard, and they'd be slow-dancing to "I Walked With a Zombie," a demented early-'60s ballad update. A number of other songs here suggest a drier, mid-tempo version of the garage psychedelia of Erickson's legendary 1960s band 13th Floor Elevators, especially "I Think of Demons," "Cold Night for Alligators," and the feedback-laden anthem "Two-Headed Dog." "Night of the Vampire" and "Stand for the Fire Demon" are ominously effective slow-tempo production numbers. The sound quality on this album is a bit trebly, but not bad. In general, this is an excellently listenable album. Note that this release's title as it appears on the disc label and jacket spine is five runic symbols unreproducible with a standard typewriter keyboard; other review sources give the eponymous title which has been listed above.

01. Two-Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)
02. I Think of Demons
03. I Walked With a Zombie
04. Don't Shake Me Lucifer
05. Night of the Vampire
06. Bloody Hammer
07. White Faces
08. Cold Night for Alligators
09. Creature With the Atom Brain
10. Mine Mine Mind
11. Stand for the Fire Demon
12. Wind and More

Post by ChrisGoesRock

Fad Gadget - Incontinent (1981 Electronic Indie Rock)

"Incontinent" is the second album by Frank Tovey, better known as Fad Gadget, released in 1981. While developing the industrial sound of his debut "Fireside Favourites" in 1980, the new album relied less on drum machines and found objects, introducing more traditional instruments such as accordion and jew's harp, as well as making more frequent use of female backing vocals. The album's cover featured Tovey made up as the puppet Punch. Its lyrical content was informed by his tour of the US in 1980.
"Blind Eyes" satirised keeping the world's problems at arm's length, with lines such as "Send a few pounds to a charity / Now we're feeling so much better" and a chorus intoning "Hear no, see no, speak no evil". This was followed by the sexual innuendo of "Swallow It". "Saturday Night Special" took its title from an American revolver and ruminated on the right of men to bear arms and rule their home. It has been called a "baroque ditty for all gun lovers", and "a comment on the macho attitudes of Reagan's America". The title track and "Manual Dexterity", respectively the last track on Side 1 and the first track on Side 2 of the original vinyl LP, were the album's twin instrumentals. The former track featured Mute Records founder Daniel Miller, the latter Robert Gotobed of the band Wire.
A non-album single, "Make Room" backed with "Lady Shave", preceded "Incontinent"'s release on 18 March 1981. "King of the Flies" was released as a flexi-single on 2 October 1981. "Saturday Night Special" backed with "Swallow It Live" (recorded at the Venue on 8 December 1981) was issued on 5 January 1982. A rerecorded version of "King of the Flies" backed with "Plain Clothes" was released on 6 April 1982. None of these singles, or the parent album, made the mainstream charts.
At the time of its release in November 1981, NME remarked on the album's "brooding nature... offset by female vocals and exultant piano". More recently Trouser Press described it as possessing "more instrhttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1717586220402428521umental variety and better production" than its predecessor "Fireside Favourites", but added: "Forgetting tripe like "Swallow It" and the charming title tune, some of this is interesting enough, but none is really involving; overall, the self-indulgent album rambles incoherently". [Source: WIKIPEDIA]

Track Listing:
1. Blind Eyes (5:04)
2. Swallow It (5:42)
3. Saturday Night Special (6:39)
4. Incontinent (3:27)
5. Manual Dexterity (3:35)
6. Innocent Bystander (6:32)
7. King Of The Flies (4:29)
8. Diminished Responsibility (5:50)
9. Plain Clothes (4:40)

Plasticland - Plasticland (Garage Rock 1985)

Plasticland is an American Neo-Psychedelic and Garage rock (revival) band, formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1980 with two members of Arousing Polaris, Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic.

Several guitarists and drummers would rotate in and out of the band over time, but Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic have remained the core of the band. Dan Mullen was the second guitarist for most of the 1980s recordings and live appearances. Brian Ritchie, later of The Violent Femmes, played guitar briefly with the band on early recordings. Multiple singles, EPs, compilation appearances, studio and live albums appeared in the 1980s and early 1990s. Several compilation CDs chronicle the band's earlier years.

Color Appreciation (1984), their first album, was on the French Lolita label. Enigma Records in the US reissued the album in 1985, self-titling it, with track alterations and substitutions. Enigma subsidiary label Pink Dust released the next two albums, Wonder Wonderful Wonderland (1985) and Salon (1987). German label Repulsion issued their final studio album, Dapper Snappings in 1994, though it was recorded several years earlier. Two very different live albums were also released. You Need a Fairy Godmother (1989) and Confetti (1990) were both issued by Midnight Records. The former was recorded with Plasticland backing one of their musical heroes, Twink, legendary drummer of The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies. Confetti consists of various live performances edited together.

The duo of Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic, with new bandmates, are still performing, recently opening for Blue Cheer in November, 2007

Plasticland's acid-drenched neo-psychedelic sound bore some resemblance to L.A.'s concurrent paisley underground scene, but instead of drawing their chief inspiration from the Velvet Underground, the Milwaukee quartet had a greater affinity for vintage garage rock and British mind-benders like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and the Pretty Things. Formed in 1980 out of the ashes of prog rockers Arousing Polaris, Plasticland included vocalist/guitarist/organist Glenn Rehse, guitarist Dan Mullen, bassist John Frankovic, and drummer Vic Demechei, who debuted that summer with the "Mink Dress" single on Scadillac. Several more singles and EPs followed, including 1982's Pop! Op Drops (whose material later became part of the band's first album); there were also several personnel shifts, as Demechei was replaced first by Bob DuBlon, then Rob McCuen. (Several tracks with the Violent Femmes' Brian Ritchie on guitar were also recorded during this era.)

Plasticland's first full-length, Color Appreciation, was issued on the French Lolita label in 1984; a year later, it was re-released in America by Pink Dust with two different tracks, titled simply Plasticland. The follow-up, Wonder Wonderful Wonderland, was released before the end of 1985, and featured Mellotron and bouzouki, among other vintage psychedelic accoutrements. By the time of 1987's Salon, Demechei had returned to the fold. Plasticland subsequently resurfaced on the Midnight label with a pair of live albums: 1989's You Need a Fairy Godmother featured onetime Pink Fairies/Pretty Things drummer Twink, and 1990's Confetti. In the late '80s, a German fan commissioned an album, Dapper Snappings, for his Repulsion label. The albums was eventually released in 1994. Some of the band's early recordings were collected on Mink Dress and Other Cats, while a career-spanning collection was issued in 2006.

01. Alexander May, Povey, Taylor, Waller 3:27
02. Disengaged from the World Rehse 2:36
03. Her Decay Frankovic, Rehse 2:30
04. The Glove Frankovic, Mullen, Rehse 2:20
05. Sipping the Bitterness Frankovic, Mullen, Rehse 2:07
06. The Garden in Pain Frankovic, Rehse 1:59
07. Elongations Frankovic, Mullen, Rehse 1:51
08. Driving Accident Prone Frankovic, Rehse 1:38
09. Color Appreciation Rehse 2:18
10. Wallflowers Frankovic, Rehse 3:18
11. Euphoric Trapdoor Shoes Frankovic, Mullen, Rehse 2:33
12. Pop! Op Drops Frankovic, Rehse 1:10
13. Sections Rehse 1:57
14. Rattail Comb Frankovic, Rehse 1:53
15. Posing for Pictures Frankovic, McCuen, Mullen ... 2:05
16. Magic Rocking Horse Newman 3:39
17. Mushroom Hill Frankovic, Rehse 2:14

Post by ChrisGoesRock

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp! (Brilliant Debut Album 1979)

A brilliant, accomplished debut, Look Sharp! established Joe Jackson as part of that camp of angry, intelligent young new wavers (i.e., Elvis Costello, Graham Parker) who approached pop music with the sardonic attitude and tense, aggressive energy of punk. Not as indebted to pub rock as Parker and Costello, and much more lyrically straightforward than the latter, Jackson delivers a set of bristling, insanely catchy pop songs that seethe with energy and frustration. Several deal with the lack of thoughtful reflection in everyday life ("Sunday Papers," "Got the Time"), but many more concern the injuries and follies of romance. In the caustic yet charming witticisms of songs like the hit "Is She Really Going Out With Him?," "Happy Loving Couples," "Fools in Love," and "Pretty Girls," Jackson presents himself on the one hand as a man of integrity seeking genuine depth in love (and elsewhere), but leavens his stance with a wry, self-effacing humor, revealing his own vulnerability to loneliness and to purely physical attraction. Look Sharp! is the sound of a young man searching for substance in a superficial world -- and it also happens to rock like hell.

AMG Review by Steve Huey

Shake Sauvage: French Soundtracks 1968-1973 (Superb Album)

The French know and love their movies like no one else in Europe, so it's no surprise that they've produced a few top-notch film composers over the years. The folks at Crippled Dick Hot Wax, the German label that has unearthed all manner of offbeat film music, pay homage to a little-acknowledged side of French movie scoring with Shake Sauvage, a disc featuring cues from 15 different Gallic films released between 1968 and 1973 (with a bit of funky library stock music and one retro-styled cut from the '80s rounding out the track listing). On Shake Sauvage, the focus is on French music that seemingly channels hipper American sounds of the day, from the cool jazz-funk of Claude Bolling's "Full Speed" and the naïve neo-psychedelia of Roland Vincent's "LSD Party" (complete with some of the least fluid wah-wah guitar ever recorded) to the ominous spy movie sounds of George Garvarentz's "Les Temps des Loups," and the lush, seductive organ groove of Jean-Pierre Mirouze's "Sexopolis." Actually, lush organ is one of the dominant themes of this disc (Brian Auger appears on several tracks) along with a pervasive fondness for American pop music filtered through the lens of classic-era European cool. Shake Sauvage seems to have been assembled with denizens of the space age bachelor pads crowd in mind rather than connoisseurs of notable film music, but thankfully this set works nicely on both levels -- fans of upscale Eurotrash cinema will eat this up, as will anyone who likes their pop music grand, polished and just a little bit strange. Mais oui!

AMG Review by Mark Deming

Paul Roland - Duel (1989 Psych-Pop)

Paul Roland was born in England in 1959. Roland’s father was a writer of short stories and TV comedy scripts and his mother an actress.Since the release of his first (shared) single Oscar Automobile in 1979 Roland has been spinning his tales against a backdrop of gothic rock, psych-pop, folk and, occasionally, baroque strings. His character creations include a Regency magistrate, various 19th Century murderers, a retired executioner, an opium addict, and an entire court of medieval grotesques.In 2006 Roland left England to live in Germany.
By the time he recorded Duel, between November 1988 and January ’89, England’s psych-pop guru Paul Roland had already established an eclectic back catalogue that had appeared on some of the most revered independent labels. On Armageddon Records he’d released his 1980 debut LP Werewolf of London, on Armageddon’s successor, Aftermath, came his mini-album Burnt Orchirds, for Bam Caruso he’d recorded Danse Macabre, whilst in France New Rose issued the innovative baroque sounds of Cabinet of Curiosities. His stock-in-trade, the gaslight gothic Victoriana that infused his lyrics with their sharp sense of character, was yielding ever more confident and articulate melodramas and each of his songs could genuinely claim to contain their own internal short stories. Duel, reissued now for a tastefully retouched and well-earned 20th Anniversary Edition, went one step further, imagining its own internal world – partly influenced, as Paul notes in his liner commentary, by the Gormenghast trilogy of surrealist author Mervyn Peake.

In taking a cue from Peake, Paul Roland had created a conglomeration of both medieval and fantastical setting, but with a rich seam of black comedy helping to bring its grotesque inhabitants to life. That’s Paul doing what he does best, serving up totally macabre individuals, sometimes borrowed from existing texts or historical documents, but always deliciously monstrous. Here we have the real life Dr. Cream, who Roland describes as “none of Dr. Jekyll, but all of Mr. Hyde.” There are the familiar personages of ‘Spring Heeled Jack’ and ‘Nosferatu’ (a Goth club turntable hit on its original release) mixing with a fellow of the Royal Society whose house is an unsettling ‘Menagerie’. And in his suite of three movements with the overarching title ‘The King Must Die’, we have a gloriously evocative tale of royal decline and fall.

1. Knights

2. The crimes of Dr Cream

3. Reptile house

4. Spring heeled Jack

5. Nosferatu

6. At the edge of the world

7. Alice' s house

8. Menagerie

9. The King must die

10. Over the hills and far away

11. The King must die

12. The King is dead

http://spacerockreviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/paul-roland-duel-20th-anniversary.html

David Gilmour - David Gilmour (1978 Debut Solo Album)

By the time of David Gilmour's solo debut, he had not only established himself several times over as an underrated, powerful guitarist in Pink Floyd, but as a remarkably emotional singer, his soothing approach perfectly suited to such songs as "Wish You Were Here." The self-titled album, recorded with journeyman bassist Rick Wills and Sutherland Brothers drummer Willie Wilson, later to be part of the touring Floyd lineup for its Wall dates, isn't a deathless collection of music in comparison to Gilmour's group heights, but is a reasonably pleasant listen nonetheless. Certainly it's much more approachable than Animals, released earlier that year, eschewing epics for relatively shorter, reflective numbers. While Gilmour wrote the vast majority of the songs himself, the most successful number was co-written with Unicorn member Ken Baker: "There's No Way Out of Here," an agreeably dreamy, wistful song featuring an attractive acoustic slide guitar/harmonica hook. That it sounds a bit like a Pink Floyd outtake certainly doesn't hurt, but one figures Roger Waters would have tried for some heavily barbed lyrics to offset the melancholy. Throughout the album Gilmour sounds like he's having some jamming fun with his compatriots in his own particular blues-meets-the Home Counties style, adding keyboard overdubs here and there (his efforts are passable, but it's understandable why he's known for his guitar work first and foremost). Numbers of note include "Cry From the Street," with its fully rocked-out conclusion, the sweetly sad "So Far Away," one of his best vocal showcases, and the concluding "I Can't Breathe Anymore," capturing the recurrent Pink Floyd theme of isolation quite well. While one would be hard-pressed to hum a memorable melody outside of "There's No Way Out of Here," it's still a good enough experience for those who enjoy his work.

AMG Review by Ned Raggett

UFO - Force It (Excellent Hard Rock 1975)

Michael Schenker and Phil Mogg really started to find their groove as a songwriting team with their second album together (and fourth UFO release overall), Force It. In fact, the last remaining folk and space rock tendencies that had stolen much of Phenomenon's thunder are summarily abandoned here, as the group launches itself wholeheartedly toward the hard rock direction that would make them stars. The first step is taken by Schenker, of course, who confidently establishes the aggressive, biting guitar tone that would define all the releases of the band's glory years. "Let It Roll" and "Shoot Shoot" kick off the album in rousing fashion, and while holding them under a microscope might reveal them as rather disposable slabs of hard rock, they would remain concert favorites for the band nonetheless. The punchy single "Love Lost Love" sounds tailor-made for the American market and acoustic ballad "High Flyer" is quite good, despite taking a dip in energy. But things only really start to gell on the album's second half. Schenker and Mogg wheel out their most mature composition yet with the piano-led "Out in the Street," whose softer sections truly highlight Mogg's highly disciplined, understated vocal style and make the guitar player's more restrained soloing all the more memorable. Schenker is soon back in charge, however, on the stuttering riffs and blistering fretboard work of "Mother Mary" and the downright vicious stop-start strut of "This Kids" -- both UFO anthems. One of the band's best albums, Force It will not disappoint lovers of '70s English hard rock.

AMG Review by Eduardo Rivadavia

Twink - Think Pink (British Psychedelia 1970)

As far as overlooked geniuses of the U.K. psychedelic underground go, the man known as Twink certainly belongs on the shelf alongside Kevin Ayers, Kevin Coyne, Syd Barrett, and Robert Wyatt. As drummer for the Pretty Things and, later, the Deviants, as well as being one-half of Shagrat with Steve Peregrin Took, Twink was integral in the creation of some of the U.K. psychedelic underground's most brilliant artifacts. His Think Pink session contains the classic Twink tracks "The Sparrow Is a Sign" and "The Coming of the Other One," which were cut with Steve Peregrin Took of Tyrannosaurus Rex fame. Incidentally, both tracks appear on the Shagrat album that was only officially released in 2001: Pink Jackets Required, which plays the sister album to the Twink solo outing in question. Think Pink is an incredibly varied album with no two songs resembling each other, but then one assumes an acid masterpiece like "Ten Thousand Words in a Cardboard Box" will stay on high rotation for at least a week on the stereos of most psychedelia fans, so overall album flow may not be such an issue. This is pure psychedelic acid rock of the highest order. If one can imagine a fusion of the Incredible String Band, Deviants, early Pink Floyd, and a fair dose of Twink's heredity as a member of Tomorrow and the Pretty Things, you get an idea of what he was up to. Not known for doing things in halves, he shows little restraint in the assembly of a group designed to tear the roof of the psychedelic scene. The band was made up of the Deviants guitarist Paul Rudolph -- the U.K. equivalent of Fred "Sonic" Smith -- who provides the most astonishing fuzz freak-outs and arrangements on the album. Other players included Viv Prince; Wally Waller; John Povey; Victor Unitt; Deviants bassist Honk; John Wood of Tomorrow; and, of course, the not-to-be underestimated contributions from Steve Peregrin Took. Regardless of the connotations the term "psychedelic" carries with it, it's not all Pink Fairies and Tolkien. Things get ominous and dark on "Fluid" and "I Remember Nothing"; then, by the first half of the album, the mind is expanded enough to take in side two, where the presence of Steve Took really starts to come into play. His brilliant "The Sparrow Is a Sign" is a psychedelic anthem that is worth acquiring the album for alone. Essential stuff, not to be missed by those following the U.K. underground psychedelic scene circa 1968-1972.

AMG Review by Skip Jansen

Triffids - Born Sandy Devotional (Great 1986 Alternative Rock from Down Under)

With Born Sandy Devotional, the Triffids fully realized the potential shown on their earlier releases, Treeless Plain and Raining Pleasure. By 1985 the band was based in London, but despite the fact that this album was recorded 9,000 miles from home, its roots lie deep in the Triffids' native western Australia. While the spectacular cover photograph featuring the township of Mandurah provides a sense of place, David McComb's songwriting evokes his home environment all the more vividly. Indeed, this is the most accomplished work from McComb's tragically short career, encapsulating his talent for creating a lyrical and musical resonance between the stark, isolated geography of western Australia and universally recognizable, desolate interior landscapes. Born Sandy Devotional certainly is dark, its lyrics replete with death, psychological turmoil, and despair, but it's never maudlin or banal. McComb's commanding delivery combines with expansive, string-adorned arrangements to elevate many of these songs to the level of high emotional drama; haunting keyboards, vibes, and "Evil" Graham Lee's pedal steel add atmospheric detail. The elusive quality of McComb's writing makes his stories all the more compelling and memorable as he offers listeners fragmented, unresolved scenes instead of comfortable, complete narratives. Such elements coalesce sublimely on "Stolen Property" and "The Seabirds," songs of loss and suicide, respectively, but the anthemic "Wide Open Road" and the intense, claustrophobic "Lonely Stretch" are the standouts. Another tale of life gone wrong, "Tarrilup Bridge" sets organist Jill Birt's childlike vocals amid an eerie ambience of vibes and strings. Nevertheless, the album closes on a cautiously optimistic note with Birt's duet with McComb, "Tender Is the Night." Born Sandy Devotional was a landmark release for the Triffids. More than that, it stands as a testament to McComb's status as one of Australia's most gifted (and overlooked) rock songwriters.

AMG Review by Wilson Neate

Verve - A Northern Soul (Excellent Alternative/Indie Rock 1995)

Though shorn of the more overtly shoegazer-styled elements of their debut A Storm in Heaven, the Verve's sophomore effort A Northern Soul is no less epic in scope, forging a heavier, more traditionally psychedelic sound infused with a chaotic energy which mirrors the emotional upheaval at the heart of Richard Ashcroft's songs. Reportedly produced under the influence of excessive drug use, the album is harrowingly intense, its darkly hypnotic momentum steered by Nick McCabe's spiraling guitar leads and Ashcroft's incantatory vocals; tracks like the remarkable "On Your Own," "So It Goes," and the majestically morose "History" are searing evocations of isolation and desperation, soaring yet heartbreaking anthems of disillusionment and loss.

AMG Review by Jason Ankeny

Danielle Dax - Blast the Human Flower (Superb Post-Punk 1990)

This is another interesting outing from Danielle Dax, a woman who's shown a talent for absorbing more than a few world music influences into her quirky brand of smoky pop. Here she picks up on the Beatles' Indian classical influences with her cover of Lennon/McCartney's "Tomorrow Never Knows," a Turkish dervish music in the hypnotic, swirling "Bayou," and melodic power pop in "The Id Parade," the sarcastic opening track. It doesn't always work quite as well as it should, with some numbers, like "Big Blue '82'," falling short of the mark and never quite gelling, and others not quite developing beyond a few good ideas and a nifty rhythmic pulse, as happens on "King Crack."

The nice side is that Stephen Street's production keeps things filled out, giving Dax's very pretty voice plenty of room to work (especially on the beautiful "Daisy," a story of tragedy framed in a light, sweet musical landscape) while filling the gaps in some of the songs with interesting instrumental work. Check out "Dead Man's Chill," with its mix of chugging rhythm guitars, stomping drums (the drum machine work on this album is superb, by the way) and biting lead guitar. When the songs are on target and developed, the result is terrific, sharp material. Check out "Jehovah's Precious Stone" and the magnificent "16 Candles," the closing tale of a lover's tragic devotion. In summary, an excellent shot across the bow -- there's a lot of good music here, and some not so good, but it's worth checking out.

AMG Review by Steven McDonald

Flaming Lips - Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (Great Alternative Rock 1993)

The addition of guitarist Ronald Jones and drummer Steven Drozd recharges the Flaming Lips' batteries for the superb Transmissions From the Satellite Heart, another prismatic delicacy that continues the group's drift toward pop nirvana. In typical fashion, the record's left-field hit, the freak-show singalong "She Don't Use Jelly," bears little resemblance to the album as a whole; the remainder of Transmissions is much more sonically and structurally ambitious -- the towering "Moth in the Incubator" keeps generating new layers of noise before erupting into an amphetamine waltz, "Pilot Can at the Queer of God" dive-bombs with kamikaze recklessness, and the slow-burning "Oh My Pregnant Head" is as mind-expanding as its title.

AMG Review by Jason Ankeny

Shocking Blue - 20 Greatest Hits (Bubblegum Pop Compilation)

Unless you're a collector, one disc of Shocking Blue will satisify. Known mainly for their 1969 hit "Venus," this Dutch band released several other singles that charted outside the U.S. The 20 Greatest Hits compilation does justice to their overall sound and output, including lesser-known but quality tracks like "Hello Darkness," "Shocking You," and "Mighty Joe." It is puzzling that the flip side of "Venus," a rocking bit of psychedelia (with sitar) called "Hot Sand," isn't included since it was the second most familiar tune the band released in the U.S.

AMG Review by Al Campbell