Axis, Greece

Axis - s/t. 1973 Riviera (Released in France).

Now here's one I've had forever, going back to the 1980s. I never quite understood the album, but it's one I could not let go of either. After probably a decade since my last listen, this album sounds better to me now than ever. It's aged quite well.

Axis is as eclectic an album as you'll find from the early 70s. In some ways, it mirrors Aphrodite's Child's classic "666" album, with its mix of song oriented pop psych and long complex instrumental journeys. Axis begins as a straight up hard rock album and moves over to Canterbury jazz rock and then onto free jazz. Side 2 is similar, though they add a symphonic rock angle as well. The keyboards on Axis are splendid featuring anything from fuzz overloaded organ to jazzy electric piano to layers upon layers of mellotron. The album features two bona fide monster tracks: "Materializing the Unlimited" and "The Planet Vavoura". If the whole album were like these two songs, it would probably be in my Top 10 ever.

Features an awesome psyched out gatefold cover. Axis has one earlier release that is more straightforward and is of much lesser interest (for me anyway).

Priority: 2