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The CD Reissue Wish List blog has been discontinued as of October 2015, as it had served its initial purpose.

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New CDRWL items and/or new notes on items previously featured here.

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Sunday, February 28, 2010

Oko, Croatia *** REISSUED ***


Oko – Raskorak. 1976 Jugoton

Mix of hard rock, fusion and funk. The guitar work here is much better than average, and that's where the interest in this record has come from. In some ways it reminds me of the Izvir album listed here, though less jazz and more rock oriented.

(Update: Turns out there is a really obscure CD of this that came out in 1998 on the Sazas label)

Priority: none

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Nautilus, Switzerland



Nautilus - 20000 Miles Under the Sea. 1978 Turicaphon.
Nautilus - Space Storm. 1980 Musk.

Both Nautilus albums were released in the heyday of the Swiss private press progressive rock movement that continued through the early 80s (see Agamemnon, Plamp, Eloiteron, Schakta and many others here in this list). "20000 Miles Under the Sea" is a bit more "proto prog" than most and carries over some harder edges (organ, guitar) from the days when Uriah Heep and Deep Purple ruled the airwaves. "Space Storm" is a considerably more commercial attempt and was my first exposure to the band some 20 years ago. I sold pretty quickly, and now that I've had a chance to revisit, I'd say it's actually worse than I remember! I wish I'd bought "20000 Miles Under the Sea" instead (if I recall correctly I had the opportunity to buy either). It may have changed things over time, but as it stands, Nautilus to me are strictly 4th tier.

Priority: none

Friday, February 26, 2010

M.O.T.U.S., France


M.O.T.U.S. - Machine of the Universal Space. 1972 Connection.

An album that is heavily influenced by the early 70s UK rock / progressive scene, similar to great extent to other like-minded French acts such as Iris, Total Issue and Alice. Concerning the former, they both are on the Connection label, and both feature wonderful albums covers.

Priority: none

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Lindwurm, Germany



Lindwurm - Fruhjahr 76: Erinnerungen an Klaus. 1976 ???.

The above is not related to the featured album here:

Lindwurm - Im Windschatten. 1981 private.

"Im Windschatten" is a high energy fusion album, with active percussion and some nice guitar. A light and breezy tropical flair can be found in the melodies and rhythms throughout. This one would be a big hit with the "rare groove" crowd, if a reissue ever surfaced. The album is pretty one-dimensional, with all the tracks possessing the same qualities. Even the synthesizer they use has only one sound. Like a monophonic Moog with one switch and knob. File next to the French group Spheroe and the To Be album on Brain. I have not heard the 1976 title, and that one is scheduled for reissue by Garden of Delights. I'm certainly most interested in it!

Priority: 3

Long time Gnosis friend, and German underground expert, Lev Gankine has provided some fascinating data regarding the first Lindwurm listed:

"I've got interesting news about the first Lindwurm LP. I'm just back from Moscow record fair and believe it or not I have seen the record there, but couldn't buy it because the price was way higher than I could afford. But I held it in my hands for a while and even got to listen to the first track, which is pretty amazing power-trio heavy psychedelic blast! Definitely would like to hear the whole LP one day!

What is also interesting is that I now have a tracklist of the album (meticulously copied from the original cover) as well as other bits of the info that were on the LP - and it appears that this Lindwurm was hardly related to the band that did the "Im Windschatten" record. Although the cover doesn't state clearly who plays what on the "Fruhjahr" LP, there's a list of the musicians, and no one from it is on "Im Windschatten" unless they used pseudonyms. The sound is highly different too, according to the first track at least. So currently it is my understanding that there were two bands called Lindwurm in Germany.

By the way, Klaus who they refer to in the album title, is a deceased friend of the band whose photo graces the back cover, and the album is dedicated to his memory.

Hope this will be interesting for you and for your blog's readers!"

------

August 7, 2012 update:

And Lev has confirmed now that it is indeed a different group! Here is his review: "I suspected this for a long time, but now, after getting hold of a copy of this elusive album, can confirm 100% that this is a different band from the one that recorded "Im Windschatten" 5 years later. This Lindwurm is a basic heavy rock combo, for fans of Grave, Arktis, Kaputter Hamster, Rockport and the likes, and the album is dedicated to a deceased friend of the band (pictured right here on the back cover), which probably explains why they are totally ripping it in terms of energy and dedication - they've put their souls into this thing for sure! Actually, this is what ultimately makes the record listenable and even charming in its own way, because musically it's rather meh - bloozy heavy rock that only get saved by a few extended Hendrixoid guitar jams. The recording is rather crude too, and apparently at least a part of this material was recorded live, because at some point I can clearly hear the unforgettable high-pitched squeal of a microphone that was placed too close to a monitor or something like that."

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Mingo Lewis, USA *** REISSUED ***


Mingo Lewis - Flight Never Ending. 1976 Columbia

Moved to UMR

*** Reissued by Wounded Bird June 2017 ***

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sirius, Germany



Sirius - Running to Paradise. 1982 Brutkasten
Sirius - The Three Bushes. 1984 private

Sirius' debut is one of the better Genesis inspired albums out there and compares favorably to other German bands like M.L. Bongers Project, Ivory or Neuschwanstein. As far as these kind of albums go, Sirius is better than most of their contemporaries, and are nowhere near as laughable as a band like Deyss or most of the SI stable, for example. In fact, had they been part of the UK new wave of progressive rock, then I could imagine them having the same kind of success as IQ, who they resemble perhaps the most.

Three Bushes moved to UMR

Priority:1

Monday, February 22, 2010

Komintern, France


Komintern - Le Bal du Rat Mort. 1971 Harvest.

An all over the map type release, with just about every conceivable style being represented somewhere. Avant-rock-cabaret-jazz is about the closest I can come to making any sense of it. Fellow countrymen Red Noise (who Komintern were formed from) and Mahjun are a couple of other references one could point to. A real mystery that this is still not on CD, since "Le Bal du Rat Mort" was reissued on vinyl in the 1980s on Cryonic (the predecessor to Musea). Even though the group was a radical left-wing political collective, there's fortunately little evidence of that here. They just let the music do the talking, as it should be. Had they still been around during the original RIO formation, they most certainly would've been a charter member.

Priority: none

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Klockwerk Orange, Austria *** REISSUED ***


Klockwerk Orange - Abakadabra. 1975 CBS

*** Reissued by Digatone in May of 2013 ***

Moved to UMR

Priority: 3

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Gas Mask, USA


Gas Mask - Their First Album. 1970 Tonsil.

The producer should get everyone's attention: Teo Macero (Miles Davis). As will the trumpet player for many: Enrico Rava. Big names for a completely unknown album. There are some monster tracks on here like 'The I Ching Thing' (a flute driven instrumental masterpiece) and 'Immigration Song' (another incredible instrumental with organ, trumpet, guitar, sax). A must for those who like horn rock, not quite up to the level or as progressive as Brainchild or the first Chicago, but better than most in the brass rock genre. Ugly album cover could use a makeover.

Priority: 3

Friday, February 19, 2010

Fire, Yugoslavia


Fire - Could You Understand Me. 1973 private.

Yugoslav group living in The Netherlands. This is one of the most guitar fuzz overload albums you'll ever hear. High energy hard blues rock, with great drumming/bass work and constant fuzz leads. Compares closest to Icecross, but this is more blues based and a bit heavier. Only misstep is a trad blues style number. Final 9 minute instrumental `Flames' has to be heard to be believed. I feel comfortable going on record as saying this track has the most EVIL and MEAN sounding fuzz in the history of recorded music. Forget Archaia, this is the peak of that sound. God knows where they got those effects, but I wish more bands would use them! If you don't know what evil and mean fuzz is, get a hold of this album. Boots exist unfortunately.

Priority: 3

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Elluffant, Netherlands


Elluffant - Release Concert. 1972 Thiel

moved to UMR

Priority: none

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Desiree, Germany



Desiree - Make it With a Smile. 1976 Lava.
Desiree - Tapes. 1977 Windkraft.

A very American sounding hard rock album with inventive song structures, tricky meters and high pitched underground vocals. Could have easily been from Michigan, Ohio or Indiana and you'd never know. For mainstream references, early Rush or "Give Us a Wink" era Sweet wouldn't take you too far astray. Exceptional guitar work here. Good record, though the vocals are pretty annoying after awhile. I have not heard the "Tapes" album but gather it is similar in style.

Priority: none

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Ceddo, Germany




Ceddo - s/t. 1979 Saguitarius.
Ceddo - Aufhören. 1980 Saguitarius.
Ceddo - Step by Step. 1983 Saguitarius.

Ceddo, on their debut, is very much from the jazz school, but in the same way as Association PC and Electric Circus. Long tracks, the guitar playing gets pretty wiggy, so a real plus there. The bass plays fretless and has that warm 80's jazz sound. The drumming is scattered which is nice. Closest comparison would be Dzyan's "Time Machine" (more jazzy though) or maybe Alpha du Centaure's album (rhythm section not so strictly straight jazz). "Aufhören" is very similar and continues with a mixture of jazz and rock styles. Band features guitarist Jochen Schrumpf (and in fact the band is later known as Jochen Schrumpf's Ceddo), who later went onto the reformed Kollektiv. "Step By Step" begins the journey towards fuzak, with smooth jazz sax, Caribbean steel drums, cocktail-hour Spanish themes and an overall feel of a cruise ship lounge act. Despite all of that, there's still some fine guitar work. In this way, I'm reminded of Santana's 1980s output. They also have, incredibly, two more albums. So much output from such an obscure band.

Priority: 3

Midwest Mike adds the following:

The other two titles of Ceddo are:

Ceddo & Derschau/Guine Rose Live (1981. More of a strange Krautrock?)
Ceddo/Kathexis (1987. Very jazzy)

And the Guitarist did a private solo album called,
Jochen Schrumph/Saguitarius (1982)

Monday, February 15, 2010

Toto Blanke, Germany


Toto Blanke - Spider's Dance. 1975 Vertigo.

Blanke's version of the classic Mahavishnu Orchestra style. Great compositions and amazing guitar. For me, his best work, including the Electric Circus and Association P.C. albums. Awesome cover.

Priority: 2

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Poliphony, England *** REISSUED ***


Poliphony - s/t. 1973 Zella

*** Reissued by Audio Archives, June 2012 ***

Moved to UMR

Priority: 3

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Adam, Sweden



Adam - Eura. 1994 Xotic Mind.
Adam - Welcome Back. 1995 Xotic Mind.

Both solo albums are typical of the Xotic Mind psychedelic aesthetic (S.T. Mikael, The Word of Life). Flute, hand percussion and fuzz guitar is the order of the day. Good stuff, and it would be nice to see the rest of the Xotic Mind catalog reissued by the inheritors - Subliminal Sounds.

Priority: None

Friday, February 12, 2010

Aura, USA


Aura - s/t. 1971 Mercury.

Definitely one of the better horn rock albums out there. The movement was quite large after Chicago and BS&T became chart toppers (interesting to note that Aura were also from Chicago). However most of these horn groups tried too hard for pop stardom, and failed miserably. Or they were blues rock groups that added horns in a feeble attempt to be trendy. But Aura just kicks butt from beginning to end. They never lost focus of the horn charts and they're constantly a feature, rather than a side show for some lame songwriting. In fact, Aura are BRASSY, more than any other album I've heard in the style anyway. Also some nice sax, organ and guitar solos to check out. Aura aren't progressive in the sense of Brainchild or McLuhan - more like BS&T if they'd amped up a bit and hadn't been so schmaltzy. Not sure if there's a market for this long forgotten style, but if there is, Aura along with Rodan and Gas Mask would have to be amongst the first few to get noticed for a CD reissue.

Priority: 2

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Jean-Louis Bucchi, France


Jean-Louis Bucchi - Sunflower. 1978 Trema

moved to UMR

Priority: none

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Crypto, The Netherlands


Crypto - s/t. 1974 Pandora/Negram.

Known as the Dutch Placebo, though I found this more funky and less "cool" than Marc Moulin's outfit. Fairly typical of the era, especially the synth work. The guitar and Rhodes playing is a bit more exceptional, however. Overall a good example of the European instrumental funky fusion sound. File next to Saluki, Pumpkin and Napoli.

Priority: 3

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Dr. Dopo Jam, Denmark



Dr. Dopo Jam - Fat Dogs and Danishmen. 1974 Zebra (Germany)
Dr. Dopo Jam - Crusin' at Midnite. 1981 private

Moved to UMR

Priority: 3

Monday, February 8, 2010

Ex Ovo Pro, Germany



Ex Ovo Pro - European Spassvogel. 1976 Amayana.
Ex Ovo Pro - Dance Lunatic. 1978 Amayana.

Yet another fine German fusion band from the late 1970s. Both albums play a typical Eurofusion with melodic wind lines (generally supplied by sax with some flute), some good deep grooves and acid-y guitar solos and some standard late 70's CTI fusion. I could see this being the 5th or 6th Secret Oyster album if that makes sense. At its best, similar to groups like Missus Beastly or the Canterbury scene.

Priority: 3

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Frantz, France


Frantz - Peut Etre Aux Yeux Silence. 1970 CAT.

Interesting French pop psych album, with female vocals/narration, organ, guitar. Not a lot of albums like this coming out of France from this era. If France Gall went underground, I could see this being the result. Fans of Popera Cosmic should check it out. Pretty cool album.

Priority: None

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Le Grand Nebuleux, France


Le Grand Nébuleux Et Ses Laveurs De Consciences - Les Pirates du Cortex. 1978 Hocco Mitu.

Interesting and complex jazz rock album with some freer structures. It tends to get a bit shrieky in the sax department and the compositions stray towards the unhinged. But that's not to say their aren't some stellar moments as well. Rhythm section is super tight, and the guitar playing sometimes has an acidic tone, which is more than welcome. Best track, and at complete odds with the rest of the material, is a mellow hand-percussion / flute piece with quirky French voices. Had the album been more composed and less improvised, it would've been a monster. As it stands, it's still quite good.

Priority: none

Friday, February 5, 2010

News: Look for 3rd Jan Dukes de Grey album in March


Well it goes to show that you never know what might turn up. Jan Dukes de Grey's "Mice and Rats in the Loft" is one of my Top 50 albums of all time, so I'm viewing this news with much interest. It's hard to tell exactly what the final result will be, but I'm most curious what they come up with. A different sounding project from 1976-1977 probably isn't going to sound anything like Mice and Rats, as it states below very clearly.

Label says: "Responsible for two of the strangest, most beguiling acid folk albums of the early 1970s, Jan Dukes de Grey have long been a legendary name on the prog/folk/psych collector circuit. When Cherry Tree reissued Sorcerers and the extraordinary Mice And Rats In The Loft on one handy double CD last year (to widespread acclaim, we might add), it seemed to be the final word on the band. However, during conversations with arch-Duke Derek Noy - the band's founder, guitarist, singer and songwriter - it transpired that Jan Dukes had actually gone on to record a third album, Strange Terrain, that had failed to appear at the time, largely due to the emergence of punk and the ensuing Collapse of Western Civilisation As We Know It. And here it is, complete with a handful of bonus tracks cut during the same timeframe (including the novelty single 'Standing In A Little 'Ole', issued under the band's punk-era pseudonym Rip Snorter). Recorded across 1976-77 under a production deal with Pink Floyd (Roger Waters produced and mixed two of the tracks), Strange Terrain reflects Derek Noy's desire to approach each album as a separate project rather than endlessly remake the same record. Dark, sombre and mysterious, Strange Terrain retains the boundless spirit of adventure and idiosyncratic approach to music-making that characterised their earlier albums, and is a vital addition to Jan Dukes de Grey's small but fascinating body of recorded work."

(08/27/2010 note: OMG - this is AWFUL. It's worse than I could have ever imagined).

Svenska Lod AB, Sweden *** REISSUED ***


Svenska Löd AB - Hörselmat. 1971 private

*** Reissued by Creole Stream, December 2011 ***

Moved to UMR

Priority: 3

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Fred Israel, USA - Denmark


Fred Israel - Fashions of Moon. 1977 Hookfarm

moved to UMR

Priority: none

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Anders Koppel, Denmark


Anders Koppel - Aftenlandet & Regnbuefuglen. 1977 Demos.

Anders Koppel was the keys player for Savage Rose and this his most known solo album. Parts of it were used for a soundtrack to a film called "Aftenlandet", and the album definitely has a soundtrack flow to it. There's very little cohesion between the tracks, though if each composition is evaluated individually, there's much to admire. An all instrumental album, Koppel was successful in putting together a quintet, giving it more a rock band feel, rather than just a bunch of studio musicians getting together to lay down some incidental music.

Priority: 3

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Steve Linnegar's Snakeshed, South Africa *** REISSUED ***


Steve Linnegar's Snakeshed - Classic Epics. 1982 AD Records

*** Reissued by Guerssen July 2014 ***

Moved to UMR

Priority: 3

Monday, February 1, 2010

Munju, Germany

Munju - High-Speed Kindergarten. 1976 April. 
Munju - Moon You. 1977 Schneeball. 
Munju - Brot + Spiele. 1979 Schneeball. 
Munju - Le Perfectionniste. 1982 Exil. 

One of the more known of the great Kraut fusion bands of the late 1970s and an original April/Schneeball label member along with Embryo, Missus Beastly and Real Ax Band. The first two albums are typical of the scene, both containing excellent instrumentals with sax/flute, a creative rhythm section, nice guitar, etc... "Brot + Spiele" adds in some New Wave elements and is highly original. Final album "Le Perfectionniste" is done at a time the band is playing with the Swedish RIO group Von Zamla and both groups took influences from each. All the masters are apparently lost. To date, the band seems content to offer their music for free as a download, rather than as a proper reissue. Certainly a better deal for those looking to save money, but I would prefer to see a full CD (not CD-R) package with additional bonus tracks, etc... I could see Garden of Delights or Sireena doing a fine job with clean, mint vinyl copies. 

Munju's albums can be downloaded by request from the band. Details here from their website. 

Priority: 2