Rayuela, Argentina ***REISSUED***

Rayuela. 1977 Orfeo

***Reissued by Fonocal, Dec 2024

Moved to UMR

Priority: 1

3/16/14 (new entry); 12/10/24 (complete)

Formas, Spain ***REISSUED***

Largos Suenos. 1981 Surcosur

***Reissued by 5 Lunas Producciones Dec 2024

Formas also has two cassettes I haven't heard to date.

One of the many Rock Andaluz albums from Spain during the late 70s and early 80s, which Triana had popularized to great success starting in 1975. It can be argued that Formas isn't progressive rock at all, but rather straight up Flamenco rock, with short, compact tunes. The irregular rhythms, hand claps, synthesizer,s and Arabian voices add an exotic flair, and I personally find this style of music highly appealing. This is a second tier work for the style, but a good one all the same, and it's too bad the album missed the first wave of CD reissues coming out of Spain in the 1990s. As with most Spanish albums, it features fetching art work.

Priority: 2

3/18/11 (new entry); 12/7/24 (complete)

Random, USA-Illinois

Nothin' Tricky. 1977 Hell Yes Productions

Random are a very interesting avant progressive band from Illinois. Starts off with a disco (?!) track, but you know it's a head fake from the beginning. Mostly the band goes for a chamber music sound, with all sorts of other styles mixed in, most notably jazz. Highly inventive for 1977, and one has to presume Henry Cow were an influence here.

Priority: none

12/27/11 (new entry)

Columbus Circle, USA-Connecticut

On Saint John's Eve. 1976 Pharoah

Columbus Circle are a very interesting group from Connecticut. Side 1 is a bombastic serious symphony with rock elements thrown in. Almost like a proto-Art Zoyd if you can imagine that. Side 2, on the other hand, is almost the complete opposite and features a more simplistic horn rock sound with female vocals, organ, and guitar. The second side of the album is about half a dozen years too late on the pop scene, but I found it the more enjoyable portion. Really strange, almost anachronistic album. 

Priority: 3

12/20/11 (new entry)

Apprentice, USA-Illinois

Rough Draft. 1982 Mainstream Records (not the Mainstream Records)

Chicago based Apprentice could be classified as a straight ahead fusion album, but it has just enough of an edge, especially in the 70's inspired guitar work, to add it here as a featured item. There's no mistaking its 1980s heritage though, especially noticeable in the thin sounding synthesizers, warm bass tones, and slick production qualities.

Priority: 3

12/17/11 (new entry)

Smoke, USA-California

Smoke - Everything. 1973 MPS

Everything is a varied, but super cool atmospheric jazz rock album. Freaky in the MPS tradition, though group is California based (rather than German as is often thought). The bass clarinet piece recalls Lard Free on I'm Around Midnight. Speaking of which, lots of great midnight lounge organ sounds. No other album like this one. A kozmigroov classic.

They have another album from 1970 that I understand to be different (more jazz influenced), though I haven't heard it.

Priority: 2

***Reissued on LP by Q-Tape (2004)

12/16/11 (new entry)

Tony Palkovic, USA-California

Deep Water. 1980 Deep Water

And, as you'll see below, guitarist Tony Palkovic has a couple of other 1980s albums. I've only heard this title.

Throwing this one out there for you fusion fans who are looking for new items to uncover. The one element of Palkovic's music I enjoyed is the heavy use of electronic-music styled synthesizer within the usual guitar fronted jazz rock instrumental setting. The guitar tone is a bit too light for me to sink my teeth into, and it's not exactly a tear-up session ala Bill Connors on Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. But that's not the purpose of the album I'm sure. Apparently Palkovic is an artist who has received great praise from the guitar playing community. The below segment is taken directly from Palkovic's own website. Best I can tell, none of his 1980s works are available, and the original LPs currently sport a high price tag.

"Praised by the prestigious Guitar Player and 20th Century Guitar Magazines, Tony Palkovic has performed in clubs and concert halls including the BET television network... He studied music and film for six months at Columbia College in Chicago before transfering to Berklee College of Music in Boston where he spent the next four years finishing with a Bachelors Degree in Composition... After graduating, he started leading his own band playing jazz-fusion in the Midwest, but eventually moved to Los Angeles which has been his home since 1983... In 1980, Palkovic released his first album "Deep Water" which made many Top 10 lists for airplay on Jazz Radio stations all over the U.S. , Canada and eventually in Europe. This led to the recording of his second album "Every Moment" following the same path in '83, "Born With a Desire" in ’85...

...If you haven't yet heard Tony Palkovic's brand of music, you don't know what you're missing - Guitar Player Magazine"

Priority: none

***Born With a Desire (1985) was reissued on LP by Numero (2024)

12/12/11 (new entry)

Pollen, Belgium

Ry d'Oxhe. 1978 Beo

Pollen's sole album is an odd combination of Dylan-esque street folk, depressing blues, and dramatic Ange inspired progressive rock - all sung in French. A bit outside my interest area, but there's some challenging and compelling music to be found here. 

Priority: none

12/10/11 (new entry)

Mike Warren + Survival Kit, USA-California

Please Yourself First. 1978 Xound (or Dobre)

Mike Warren's sole album is a fine mix of typical late 70's fusion (side 1) with a more ferocious side 2, bordering progressive rock, and which even includes some psychedelic guitar. Progressive rock laced fusion with acid guitar is one of my favorite mixes! And this has to be the only jazz rock album I've heard that uses timpani extensively. Overall a mixture of Pierre Moerlin's Gong, Colosseum II, Randy Roos, and Frank Zappa. I'm sure the latter was a major influence and one hopes Frank's philosophical outlook is the inspiration behind the title of the album. Otherwise, a rather unfortunate choice of words...

Priority: 2

12/6/11 (new entry); 7/1/18

Henk Werkhoven, Netherlands

Orphical Positions. 1982 VMU

Once I saw the album cover, I was intrigued. After hearing this once, I bought an LP on the spot. Based on an article I read, Werkhoven is another one of those Renaissance guys, constantly in creativity mode, yet few know who he is or what he does. As you read the bio, you could come away thinking this is a new age album. Couldn't be further from the truth.

Basically Orphical Positions is good old fashioned instrumental progressive rock lead by flute, violin, and guitar (acoustic and electric), along with exotics like sitar. A crack rhythm section keeps the proceedings moving along at a crisp pace. At once I'm reminded of Camel's Snowgoose and Rousseau's Flowers in Asphalt. But I also hear Anthony Phillips, Kenso, Flairck, Coda, and Verdaguer. 

Priority: 2

12/5/11 (new entry)

The Machines, Canada-Ontario

The Machines Have Landed Part One. 1981 North Shore Records

The Machines Have Landed is an interesting mix of spoken word, space rock via the mid 70's Pink Floyd lens, and early 80s synth-pop. Somewhat like the Body Album from England, mixed with the Human Adventist Concept and FM. 

Priority: none

12/3/11 (new entry)

Fungus, England

Premonitions. 1973 private (demo only)

Fungus issued this one demo album, released in a plain white sleeve. It's about 38 minutes long and the music is a mix of progressive rock and electronic oriented music. Fungus is post Second Hand / Chillum and pre-Seventh Wave - and the music seems to be the transition from one style to the other. It's an orchestral oriented progressive rock, with long instrumental electronic journeys. A ridiculously rare artifact that is near impossible to find.

I've had this on tape for close to 20 years. I gave it to a friend a few years ago without realizing its historical importance, and I didn't make a copy for myself. Unfortunately my friend had misplaced the tape - and it took 3 years to find! But after an exhaustive search through his home - he found it! So here we are. Not the greatest album I've ever heard, but a nice one for the UK progressive style as found on the Dawn or Transatlantic labels.

Priority: 3

10/27/11

Window, USA-California

The Empyreal Ballet. 1978 Cottage

Window were a San Francisco / Bay Area based group, and they released this one very good progressive rock album. Honestly, I was certain I was going to find out the band were from Illinois or Missouri, because it does have that Midwest progressive rock sound, especially apparent in the vocal sections. The mix of complex progressive rock, piano jazz-rock, and AOR FM radio ambition only cements the comparison. Excellent electric / acoustic guitar work, flute, tuned percussion, with a horn section and complex rhythms is what you'll find on Empyreal Ballet.

---

Last night's listen almost resulted in a +1 as it's really an exceptionally great album. Side 1 in particular is strong. I'm not sure how I managed to get through that first review without mentioning Gentle Giant as that's the most obvious influence here. Fireballet also comes to mind, in both sound and overall aesthetic. I've seen some folks go out of their way to poo-poo this release, but don't pay attention to them. For whatever reason the mere mention of horns along with melodic songwriting sends them into a rage they cannot seem to control. This is an album for hardcore prog fans. For us alone.

Priority: 1

Beyond, USA-Oklahoma

Music and Beyond. 1980 Tuhlottesound

The music is a mixture of classic hard edged arena rock and all-out complex progressive rock. A little heavier than the usual Midwest progressive rock sound that we've featured extensively with a small to non-existent keyboard presence, but in reality Beyond were under the same influence as other groups from the region. Converse to tradition, Side 2 is the more commercial oriented part of the album, and it leaves one with a slightly bitter taste at the end (which is why I think the album never resonated with me prior). The complex songs do recall Astre, another Tulsa based group. Some fantastic acid guitar throughout, with some fuzz bass, and even some jazzy tuned percussion. A very cool relic from America's heartland.

Generally you'll read the group is from Texas (mainly due to an error in the Acid Archives book). But actually they're from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the management of the group is from Coffeyville, Kansas (on the border with Oklahoma). Purple Peak Jeff met the drummer years ago and confirmed the data. So I suspect various members are from the NE OK, SE KS area.

Dec 2013 update: OK, I now have the vinyl of this. The record is officially on the Tuhlottesound label (one word) and is based in Copan, Oklahoma - which is north of Bartlesville, Oklahoma near Coffeyville, Kansas as stated above. The album was further mastered in Dallas in 1980 so that would be the final release date.

Priority: 3

7/21/11 (new entry); 12/15/13

Quasar Light, USA-Pennsylvania

Experience This. 1981 Jet Eye

Quasar Light were from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, which sits in the southeast part of the state, in and around Amish country. This isolation in the middle of farm country may explain a few things, as these guys were tapped into something that has yet to be followed up with anywhere else.

One of the absolute funniest reviews I've ever read concisely stated the following: WTF is.... this?  That got a belly laugh out of me. How many times have I felt exactly like that? Who knows, but no album I've heard qualifies that expression more than Quasar Light.

WTF is this indeed. I don't even know where to begin. Umm... yea, it's exactly like... OK wait. You can compare them to... No...  but.... yea, that.

The first four songs on the album sound like some kind of alien pop with nimble hard rock guitar picking and disembodied female vocals. There is no mistaking its 1980's heritage here. 'Don't Ever Leave Me' seems to be heading down a somewhat normal path, to the point of discouragement. Starting with 'Secret of  the Stars', Quasar Light begins to go completely off the rails. This sounds like a off-kilter version of this list. Then Side 2 all bets are off. They were in their own world. Not that it's avant noise or anything so overt as that. No, they're still going strong with actual composed songs. But they're strange, twisted, distorted, and downright complex at times. It's progressive rock from the 6th dimension. There is absolutely no reference here. Based on their location, one begins to wonder if they're Amish on a Rumspringa binge. The only reference I could find on this album was a stream of consciousness rant from the Quasar Light founder. Yea, a surprise that. Underground America at its weirdest right here. A must.

Priority: 2

Crow, England

Live at the Oyster Stores. 1992 private cassette
Medicine Wheel. 1992 private cassette
The Tides of Apsaroke. 1993 private cassette

As we are in the midst of the unknown UK festival psych scene of the 1980s and early 90s, I'm happy to announce what may be the absolute best group I've heard in the entire genre: Crow. 

Holy moly! This is the good stuff right here. No pussyfooting around with electronica or reggae. Just hardcore space rock, in high flight mode most of the time, with loads of effects applied to the guitar. The guitarist plays not only fast solos, but a multitude of rhythm wah-wah that drives the music forward in an exciting way, with plenty of meter and thematic shifts to keep you guessing all the way through. There are sparse vocals, generally applied to add a trance-like effect and do not deter or become the centerpiece at any time. There are no keyboards to speak of, so the guitar and bass have the responsibility for all the tones and atmosphere - and they do a fantastic job at just that.

Medicine Wheel is the more psychedelic of the two albums, with plenty of tribal drumming and freaky guitar sequences with intense build-ups and actual climax releases. Both albums add didgeridoo to great effect. The Tides of Apsaroke ups the ante to a whole new level of intensity. Dare I say the guitar is almost heavy metal? Not a 1992 post-Metallica palm mute method, but rather a 1979 NWOBHM sound, similar to maybe early Saxon or Iron Maiden - but with the sound on sound fuzzy technique like Ed Wynne of Ozric Tentacles. I've never heard anything like it! And what an exciting path for other bands to pursue! There are a few more vocals on this album, and the material is definitely angrier, but no less satisfying for space rock heads. I haven't heard the live album, though the two live "bonus" tracks on Medicine Wheel are pretty rough in the recording department - so hopefully it's better than that would imply. Of the two albums, I prefer the purest Medicine Wheel, but Tides is the more adventurous and also just plain awesome.

So filtering the above, what do we have: Take the heavier Ozric Tentacles tracks like 'Eternal Wheel' and 'Dissolution', mix with the punk angst of Omnia Opera, toss a little pyrotechnic Mandragora jamming, throw in the progressive tendencies of 'White Rhino Tea' Ozric or the obscure band Blim, and add a dash of metal to the guitar sound. Almost sounds like the perfect formula - not sure I could have drawn that one out any better in the playbook.

Crow was awesome, and definitely the best band from the UK psych scene no one's heard of (even besting Blim). 

Priority: 1

7/5/11 (new entry)

Omnia Opera, England

Beyond the Tenth. 1986 private cassette
Celebrate for Change. 1987 private cassette
Omniasphere - Surfing the Zuvuya. 1990 private cassette
Omnia - Seeking the Elusive. 1997 private cassette

As of this update the following has not happened:

From their website: "Squalor studios is currently engaged on a project to digitally remaster the popular Omnia Opera early cassette albums: 'Beyond the Tenth' and 'Celebrate for Change'. A project that is long overdue for those whose originals have worn-out! The final decision as which record company to use has yet to be made but there are rumours that Voiceprint may be taking an active role in promotion and distribution."

---Omnia

August 3rd, 2015 update:  If there was ever a title more apropos than Seeking the Elusive, I sure would like to know. But the AC has persevered and we now have finally heard this rarity! The AC notes "Very obscure cassette album by this post Omnia Opera group (it's basically the regular band lineup, just with a different drummer). A more stripped-down and guitar-oriented recording, with lots of thrashing, heavy Hawkwindian riffage and angsty vocals over a steadily pounding rhythm section, with the usual keyboards and spacey effects used only sparingly. All of the techno/electronica elements that had crept in on "Red Shift" are completely out the window here, and the songs tend to be a bit more concise, making for nothing but a full frontal assault. This one has seemingly been lost to history, and aside from a reworking of "Second Skin" on their comeback album "Nothing Is Ordinary", none of this material has ever appeared elsewhere." And really, while on the topic of Nothing is Ordinary, clearly this was the path Omnia Opera were heading even at this stage some 15 years prior. If you like the 1993 debut CD, then for certain Seeking the Elusive will be of great interest. Perhaps a bit rawer in sound quality, but compositionally very familiar.

Priority: 2

7/1/11 (new entry); 8/3/15; 10/13/17

AMA, England

Not Blobs. 1988 Poultry Productions
Liveloudandlumpy. 1988 Poultry Productions
Genuflex. 1989 Poultry Productions

These were all pressed on cassette originally. The date of Not Blobs is based on the catalog number. Genuflex is listed 3rd as that's how the Freeman's from Ultima Thule have it ordered. Given that Liveloudandlumpy is from November 1988, I'll surmise this one is from 1989. But it's only a guess.

AMA can quite simply be described as long and improvised, primitive sounding guitar-bass-drums psychedelic instrumental music with a muddy production. The kind of group that makes Tangle Edge sound like Conservatory students with an academic pedigree. A little of this kind of music goes a long way. Probably the Improvised Drop Outs sessions from Tangle Edge are the best reference here. It has a hypnotic effect as background music, but close inspection reveals all sorts of cracks, lines and warts. Like going to a dark restaurant and appearing on the surface to look beautiful, only later to be exposed in the bright lights to demonstrate the ugly truth. Personally I like the raw intensity of the recordings, though probably not enough to lobby for a reissue. Perhaps the cassette format is perfect for these kind of recordings in that, like the medium itself, it's old and creaky.

Start with "Not Blobs" if you're curios, as that one has an inkling of compositional acumen at least.

Priority: none

6/25/11 (new entry)

Syncope, Canada-Quebec

Syncope. 1981 Productions Cram

A very obscure LP from Quebec. I hear a mix of way-past-its-sell-date horn rock, late 70s fusion, complex progressive rock similar to Opus 5 / Pollen, and even a little downer blues rock. The more I hear it, the better the album gets. The horn rock angle is really weird given the 1980 date, especially since it's of the 1969 Chicago / BST variety.

If you do decide to go surfing the web on this one, what you will find is fellow Gnosis colleague Sean Trane's excellent analysis of the album, which I'll quote here: "Hiding behind a poetic musical dawn artwork (see the full artwork PA's site), this septet is a very brassy affair, presenting a bit like a Quebecois version of Chicago through seven tracks ranging from four to six and a half minutes and one splendid mini-epic nearing eleven minutes.

The aptly-named septet develops some excellent syncopated prog-enhanced brass-rock, that sounds very Quebecois, not least through the relatively accent-less duo French vocals (often close to Opus-5), bar the swingy blues Bleu d'Hull track, which sticks out a bit too much from the rest of the album. Indeed the four tracks of the opening side sound like a calm and thoughtful version of Chicago or a less-kitschy Lighthouse without being derivative, the main difference being in the double vocals and an uncompromising songwriting. The flipside opens on the album's centrepiece, the instrumental self-titled mini-epic lasting almost 11 minutes, often running quite complex and even symphonic (grandiose intro on a church pipe organ), but never needlessly so. After an average mainly-sung track, the album closes on two splendid tracks, the first Cible (target) sounding like a brassy Opus-5 song, while the amazing instrumental finale of Rage features some wild Spanish-sounding horns that draws chills in the back of the neck. What an awesome way to finish an album.

If you'll make the exception of the sung-swing-song closing the A-side that ruins its cohesiveness, the album is a very impressive, filled with often-superb brass-rock that is probably more brilliant than the early Chicago classic albums."

Priority: 2

6/22/11 (new entry)

Kashmir / Patrice Guenat / Laurent Beguelin, Switzerland

Alarme! (aka Je Suis...). 1979 Kiswell. (Je Suis... was the original private issue)
Histoire Cruelle. 1982 Kobold.

Kashmir's debut Alarme! is similar to other electronic duos like Eden (France), Jonathan (Germany) and Space Art (France).

I hear their second album Histoire Cruelle better than the debut. It is, however, not an easy album to describe. Four listens in, and I'm not sure what I can tell you here. It's a mix of Tangerine Dream styled electronic, new wave synth pop, keyboard heavy progressive rock with fat fuzzy guitar leads and early Klaus Schulze styled dirges. There's a lot here to discover, and I think it could be a grower.

---1/22/24

In hearing Histoire Cruelle again last night for the first time since, it really doesn't fit neatly into any kind of bucket. In my overall ranking system (not music rating) I have a +1 metric for being "unique". This album gets awarded that one point and that appellation generally buys shelf space at the UMR household. When hearing it with my current perspective, I'm also moving it out of the progressive electronic collection and into the x-wave collection. 80s music as it were. And while its foundation remains steadfastly that of an electronic based musician, it's very clear band leader Patrice Guenat is striving for more variety. This is also magnified by the fact that no less than 10 musical guests appear on the album.

Patrice Guenat / Laurent Beguelin - Les Reflets du Lac. 1986 label unknown.

2/14/24: Strawbsfan back to the rescue! Here are my notes:

While researching the band again, I had finally found some info about the third Kashmir album Les Reflets du Lac. Except it wasn't really a Kashmir album at all. I decided to reach out to my friend (Strawbsfan) who had provided me with the Histoire LP originally. As it turns out, he did have a copy to share with me (online)! So let's see what the contents contain: After the electronic rock of Kashmir's debut, and the bizarre 80s amalgamation that was Histoire Cruelle, it should come as no surprise that this third effort is different than both. The first side (I think) is made up of eight short vignettes. Starting off mostly as a pleasant new age album with the unfortunate 80's digital synth technology being pushed towards the front. It does get interesting in the middle section with the French narration and an orchestral brass movement. This leads to the 18 minute lengthy suite 'Les Oiseaux du Parc', the music does appear to be a classical oriented symphony about "birds in the park". Throughout one can hear Klaus Schulze (especially the use of digital percussion), Deuter, Jean-Michel Jarre, Jerome Froese era Tangerine Dream, and a host of others from the middle 80s. Unpredictable as ever, Guenat offers up challenging music for the discerning listener.

---

Priority: 3 (for Histoire Cruelle)

6/17/11 (new entry); 1/22/24; 2/14/24