S.J.C. Powell ~ Australia

Celestial Madness. 1975 Albert Productions

Here's an album that I've had on my curiosity list for decades. I can't remember when or how I'd heard the name, but it never surfaced during the CDRWL heyday despite having it on lists sent to those who were helping me with the site. It's on Albert Productions which is most famous for pressing the original AC/DC albums. Well lookee there, someone posted it on YouTube. Let's dig in.

Stephen Joseph Christopher Powell offers up ten short form vocal tracks and one trippy interlude ('Supernova'). So the prog rock tag is definitely a misnomer here. The music belongs more to the loner folk rock genre, with copious vocals and acoustic guitar being the primary sounds. Powell's vocals are on the airy side, and there is some use of synthesizer giving it that "celestial" feel I suppose. I can certainly hear the appeal as there's a type of collector who will eat this up. Add to that the genuine rarity, and that's how albums like this become sought after worldwide. Not really my bag though.

Apparently Powell went deaf after this recording and that was essentially the end of his career. 

Priority: none

4/17/25 (new entry)

New Jazz Quintet ~ USA

High Energy Design. 1981 E-WEB; 1985 ITI

UMR review

Priority: 2

4/15/25 (new entry)

Satwa ~ Argentina

Danza de Amor. 1983 Raviol

Satwa play a type of commercial rock with period instrumentation. Very much like an American AOR band with ballads and occasional harder edged guitars (think same era Journey) but sung in Spanish. A4 draws on some Yes themes (one chord progression comes straight from 'And You and I') but is slick and very much watered down. Straightforward and rather uninteresting overall. Not neo prog, hard rock, nor jazz fusion, at least as I define those terms.   

Priority: none

11/7/23 (review); 4/13/25 (new entry)

Abakus ~ Austria

Spielzeug. 1981 Atlantis Studio Reutlingen

Not even sure how or where I ended up with this title (probably could say that about most of the albums I've jotted down). Hard rock and prog are the descriptors on Discogs. Hard rock maybe. Prog no - unless having a Hammond organ in 1981 qualifies as such. This is German sung rock, otherwise known as Deutschrock. Apparently they were from Austria. There's some interesting breaks on A3, A4, and B4. The second side is more straightforward overall. Good but inessential album. 

Priority: none

4/13/25 (new entry)

Crazy Dog ~ USA

Crazy Dog. 1979 Scratch-N-Sniff

Crazy Dog were one of hundreds of hard rock bands roaming this fine land. This time we're in St Georges, Delaware, a place in the north part of the state on the way in and out of Wilmington. Hard guitar and synthesizers rule the palette of sounds. This is definitely the hard edged bar n' roll / AOR hybrid music of 1979 America, where every band with one unique riff, a half way decent singer, and a standing invitation to the Local 101. Then made a go at a private press hoping that Capitol or Columbia Records would take notice. Put five promo pictures on the back cover with harmless, friendly poses and hope for the best. 46 years later no one has still noticed except those of us crawling around on the floor looking at the dustiest crates - in the back - hoping to find something like Crazy Dog. Once you hear it, you are transported to that time where the bands that did manage to get one album on a major (and one album only) are just as forgotten. Except they go for five bucks today instead of 50. This isn't the album that has aged well like those that gave the middle finger to the establishment. Crazy Dog were the establishment. It's worth a couple of spins (maybe only one actually). Might want to watch James at 16 or Eight is Enough to prep though.

Priority: none

4/13/25 (new entry)

Help ~ USA

Help. 1971 Decca
Second Coming. 1971 Decca

Help were a band from the Los Angeles area (appears to be near Thousand Oaks), and Second Coming is appropriately their sophomore effort. Right out of the gate we're treated to two upbeat Grand Funk styled burners, with killer wah wah guitar. This is followed by two lengthier tracks, where each also features some great guitar among some more typical "west coast" psychedelic rural songwriting. The even longer 'Dear Lord' uses the time wisely to get in some extended jamming. Jack Merrill really goes for the pedals like early Stray, which is awesome to my ears. Many reviewers call this a Christian album, but it's nothing of the sort, confirmed by at least one band member. Dear Lord is an American colloquialism that is the equivalent to the more modern use of OMG. In this one song you hear can also hear them use the phrase in the generic "answer my prayers" way. No proselytizing here. B2 continues on like A3 and A4. Album closes with the appropriately named 'Power' with perhaps too much "Power to the People" chanting and drum circle hippyisms. Overall a very strong early 70s hard rock album, the fast pacing predicting the late 70s variant of the style.

Priority: 2 (for Second Coming)

1/15/24 (review); 4/8/25 (new entry)

Magi ~ USA ***REISSUED***

1976 Uncle Dirty's Sound Machine

***Reissued by Got Kinda Lost (2021)

From the Elkhart, Indiana area, Magi play a typical brand of Midwest hard edged bar n' roll with occasional guitar jamming. There's definitely a southern tilt to the songwriting. Picking up some early era Styx as well (first four albums), minus the keyboards of course. A3 has some excellent dual guitar work, with complete knucklehead lyrics "Girl I'm only interested in what's below your waist". A4 is a fine instrumental though one would hope for more of a lethal guitar assault. Definitely appreciate the break section though. B1 gives off a whiff of classic Ted Nugent especially the 'Stranglehold' styled solo towards the end. The subject matter certainly would appeal to him as well. B2 is the requisite ballad, because you know, they're sensitive. These guys will try anything to score it would appear.  It's a boring tune BTW.  B4 has a strong finish, but by then it's too late. Seems Magi might have been a killer live act if they let loose for a few minutes. Perhaps a more meaty production coupled with a commitment to original songwriting would have taken this to the first division. Too much crowd pleasing boogie, not enough extended jamming and composition. They had the talent, no question. Solid straightforward hard rock, but inessential I would submit.

Priority: none

4/8/25 (new entry)

Zaharas ~ USA

Livin' Ain't Easy. 1978 Vegas

Huh - starts off with a song named 'Grand Illusion'. You won't be thinking Styx here. Has a nice laid back jam vibe, some Allman Bros. feel. Then a bit of footstompin' Ram Jam on A2. Another nice southern rock solo here. A3 is the mid-side introspective piece, with yet another quality guitar solo. 'Stairway to Heaven' isn't a Zep cover fortunately. The opening riff has a 70s Judas Priest feel to it. And so it goes, subsequent tracks following the guidelines laid out above. Some catalog dealer hyped it like this: "Rare privately issued hardrock blaster; thunderous beat, tortured vocalist, and the ever-present smokin' axework." Umm...noooo. Completely oversells the heaviness. Tortured vocalist? Que? That's not what the band were striving for here. Enjoy what the album gives you which is primarily a straightforward hard rock / southern rock with excellent soulful guitar work.

Priority: 3

1/18/24 (review); 4/7/25 (new entry)

FBC Band ~ USA

Worth a Fortune. 1982 private

From Fort Wayne, Indiana, FBC gives us a tale of two albums. The studio Side 1 is terrific. The classic Midwest mix of hard rock and prog, with organ and synthesizers. Side 2 is live and introduces a much more straightforward hard rock sound complete with sax. Most of the prog has been rubbed out in favor of bar patron pleasers. The guitar work is still quite good and there are some analog synth solos. Would be great if there exists archival material in the vein of Side 1.

Priority: 3

5/3/24 (review); 4/5/25 (new entry)