News: Shadoks to reissue Blueset from Sweden

I ran across this bit of news while doing my monthly research. However, I wasn't familiar with this 1974 album, and waited until last night to hear it. Our trusty aid YouTube came in handy again, and I heard the album in full. I would have tagged this a Priority None (borderline 3), but it's still a fine piece, and my notes below captures (briefly) my initial experience. Shadoks has confirmed they will be reissuing it both on LP and CD, the latter not always a given with the fine label.

Blueset's album is mostly straight up blues rock, though special mention goes to 'Vibrationer I Folkton'*  which sounds like Kebnekaise on a bender. I'll drink to that! 

* - It's a 4 part, 13+ minute track, so definitely worthy of mention.

News: Charlies archival Jail Sessions to be reissued by Shadoks in May

Shadoks continues to mine the great late 60s/early 70s Finnish hard rock / progressive band Charlies. This title, as per Shadoks protocol, had been released on LP already earlier in the year. This particular album is getting a fast track to CD without the usual 2 to 3 year waiting period. It appears to contain 4 additional tracks not found on the LP. I haven't heard the album yet, and didn't find any reliable reviews, but the label hype sheet does sound intriguing for certain: "After 'Musiikkia Elokuvasta Julisteiden Liimaajat' and 'Buttocks' here we have our 3rd release by the great Finnish band CHARLIES. This album was recorded in 1969 and 1970 in Charlies rehearsal room, an 'drunk tank' at the local jail, since Kari Lehtinen's father (later on known simply by the nickname ”Pitkä”) was the local police officer, so the band could use this room for playing and recording. After Charlies got the 1969 Julisteiden Liimaajat album done, and even though they got a lot of positive feedback from it, they never thought the final product sounded right. Pitkä (bass) and Eero (guitars) spent a lot of time considering how to deliver a much harder sounding album as a follow-up, representing the true Charlies spirit. They got the chance to make a new album, one that would be released by the famous Love Records label. The result again was only as good as the budget resources provided. Although in the end, the album Buttocks gained a good, hard reputation, they were never content with it. One night Pitkä said: ”Eero, we should have made our album from your tapes, the result would have been much different.” So the recording your hear now are those tapes the band was very happy with. Much heavier in sound, amazing electric guitar, 100% pure heavy underground sound. After 45 years this Charlies album comes out as the band wanted it to sound like with many alternative versions of songs from the Buttocks album and unknown songs as well. 100% pure Charlies!"

News: Lazarus to be reissued on CD from Shadoks

Lazarus' sole work is one of those mythical albums that was only whispered about amongst the cognoscenti. On the tiny Rex Records label from 1973, the Austrian band escaped everyone's radar until last year when it was announced that Digatone, and later Shadoks, was going to reissue it on vinyl. This is one of those albums I was just about to listen to, but never did. So now I don't have worry about spending big $ on the reissue LP, as Shadoks has already come through with a CD. Since their CDs are made here in the US, it'll be readily available and affordable. I'm looking forward to hearing it!

News: Micah "I'm Only One Man" to be reissued this summer!!

Thanks to a tip from Gnosis Mike (to distinguish from Midwest Mike...), we learned that Shadoks of Germany will be reissuing this most magnificent progressive hard rock album.

Only a couple of years ago, the band was completely shrouded in mystery. Now they have a Facebook page with a complete history. The page is filled with photos, band comments, etc... Hopefully most of these will find their way into the reissue.

And even more great info published here on April 25th (thanks to ProgCzar for the heads up!)

We should expect a reissue this summer. My guess is Shadoks, as is their custom, will lead with the LP and follow with a CD later, but hopefully they'll do both at the same time.

Check out the awesome promo video. For me, Micah's music is the definition of BAD ASS. They exude early 70's coolness.

Here's our original feature of the album. Another Priority 2 (borderline 1) to scratch off the list! Great news all around.

News: Shadoks latest reissues

An interesting batch this go round, with what looks like a potential monster. These albums are set to be issued in late August.

Bump 2 is the CD issue of the archival LP they released roughly a year ago. I still haven't heard it, though it does have a good reputation (though I never cared much for the actual 1970 release).

Question Mark is a pretty good psych rock band from Nigeria, circa 1974. Their sound isn't too far from other African psych outfits that you will hear from Nigeria or Zambia. Shadoks had issued this on LP back in 2007. Here's our blurb from the Original CD Reissue Wish List: "One of a handful of interesting African rock albums. This one is in the same genre as B.L.O., Witch, Chrissy Zebby Tembo, etc... Features some nice old organ sounds, a lot of scratchy fuzz and 1960s psych style melodies. Better than most Sub Saharan African albums I've heard - closest comparison would be the Nigerian band Ofege."

What really caught my eye is their LP reissue of Estrella De Marzo. I'd never heard this title from Bolivia before, but anything that compares to Wara and especially Climax is going to garner interest from me. Hopefully it's not hype, because the following description from Shadoks has my name all over it: "Most do not know much about music from Bolivia, like us. What's flashing our minds are the Andes, La Paz and flute music by Indios. But there are some great rock & underground bands such as Wara, Climax and most of all Estrella De Marzo. This album (still unknown to most collectors) is not only special because it's from an country not many listeners know much about. This album is so great, so much underground, so unique and well crafted, that it goes into a strong competition with most "classic underground releases" from South America. If you are in to wild fuzz guitar ala Zappa, and if you like Kissing Spell from Chile, beautiful vocals with strong lyrics and great beats , you will love this album. The early Pink Floyd has also influenced this album. For us it was one of the big musical discoveries for this year. Every track is great, high spirit progressive underground rock, as good as it can be. This album "A Los Ninos Con Amor" (to children with love) was recorded in 1974 with, keyboards, guitars, drums, bass & vocals."

And finally we have an archival release from the American expatriate King George Clemens. I haven't heard the 1968 album proper, though this claims to be more in line for what us underground heads prefer. We shall see. Label says: "King George Discovery - Peace Of Mind, was recorded in Sweden in 1968 with the US musician King George Clemens on guitar & vocals. A close friendship to Jimi Hendrix, who toured also Sweden in 1968, dropped many tracks from the release plan when the band was recording an album which also came out that year. All tracks who where competing with the music of Jimi Hendrix was not released, until now. A collector from England found the unknown tracks who where pressed only as a demo LP for the band. What a great find. Some tracks where placed on youtube and collectors where starting raving about this album. It is soo good, the guitar work is amazing, as psychedelic as it can get. We could release this album in cooperation with King George Clemens and we are proud to have this treasure released on vinyl and later onto CD. It's just great! One of the most important release this year for sure!"

News: Shadoks reissues O Bando from Brazil

Interesting new batch of CDs and LPs from Shadoks. As usual with the deep divers at Shadoks, not all is relevant to our site, but I cherry picked a few out. Since this is the CDRWL, we'll start with the shiny thing.

I haven't heard O Bando prior, but in typical Shadoks fashion, it appears they reissued it on LP first. As you'll see below, I generally try to seek some of these vinyl albums out as well, but I just missed this title altogether. The label says:

O Bando was recorded in 1969 in São Paulo by 5 guys and a beautiful singer Marisa Fossa. The production was state of the art hosted by the 3 top producer of Brazil. For 1969 it was recorded in Scatena studios in São Paulo with 8 channels equipment which was the best you can get at this time. The music has sophisticated brass arrangements very much like the same level as US bands Chicago Transit Authority, The Flock and Blood Sweat & Tears with the charm and rhythms of Brazil Exotics. If you like the album by Liverpool this one would be for you. A real summer record, should make the stoned Psychedelic listener move his hips and dance or at least nod their feet. Great guitars, smashing vocals, Samba rhythm, horns, tons of effects, a real trip to Brazilian underground music. One of the best!

Perhaps even more interesting is their new lineup of obscure LPs. I don't usually call these out, since that's not the purpose of our list, but what the heck - I'm already here. And there's a good chance all of these will see a CD reissue from the label sometime in the future. The Eugene Carnan (band name, not person) in particular could be promising, especially if it lives up to the groups its being compared to. I also included the second Bump LP, which was part of their last batch of releases. I didn't care much for the first album by them, but this sounds more interesting - on paper at least.

Label descriptions below:



Here is a great surprise for us. An unknown UK album with such a great musical potential. Musically it is a very powerful guitar dominated underground rock such as Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Dark or Grannie. The rarety factor is way above all those other rare UK album, which stay in low pressings of 99 copies and 15-20 such as Dark. This one has been pressed only 4 times ever. In September 1971 Eugene Carnan entered a UK-wide competition for “Best New Band” run by the famous Melody Maker magazine, they recorded the album in 1972 and took it to London to Eden Studios for a demo pressing and cut 4 acetates. Eugene Carnan a 3 piece band are from Sheffield, UK with guitar & vocals, bass and drums. All own composition. A killer album from beginning to end.



1968 Hollywood, USA. The Churchill Downs recorded 16 great tracks at the studio from famous producer Gary S. Paxton. The band was very young at the time but the musical output was on the highest level you can imagine with a damn good production. How can a band like this not become famous is a mystery. Fantastic compositions, great multi vocal singing, strong guitars, organ, drums, bass, effects, everything you desire to get catchy Underground songs with tons of great ideas in it to make those songs unique and out of bounce and not middle of the road. It is just what we love about the productions of Phil Spector and Andrew Loog Oldham. The Churchill Downs are one of the best US unknown albums among Beauregard Ajax and Public Nuisance. With Don Adey on guitar & vocals, Gary Dalton Stovall guitar & vocals, Dirk Acree bass & vocals, Mick Newton keyboards & vocals, Al Stigler & Fred Darling on drums. If we could go back in time, lets say 40+ years and release this album in 1968 we would have been rich. Why this album was never been pressed is still a mystery. So for the first time ever those great songs made it onto vinyl. We love it.



BUMP 2 (the unreleased second album) was recoded in 1971, just a year later after the debut album, also on Pioneer Records and also produced by Gary A. Rubin. Paul Lupien - organ / George Runyan - bass, vocals / Alan Goldman - guitar / Jerome Charles Greenberg - drums recorded 8 great tracks which never came out so far. We could even use the original artwork. This is a fantastic prog / psychedelic monster LP, a mixture of dreamy organ psych with heavy fuzz bluster, very much like CA Quintet. Ghostly swirly organs, burning rough guitars, sound effects, fuzz/wahwah guitars, trippy lysergic vocals and great melodies. A killer album from start to end.

News: Captain Marryat CD to be reissued by Shadoks

As predicted in our Captain Marryat entry back in June, Shadoks will release the CD version of this incredibly rare album. Generally Shadoks waits longer between LP and CD issues, but I suppose they want to capitalize on the name while its still relatively hot within the collector's market.

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the music. I expected the worst, but it's one that is definitely worth owning, especially if you're a fan of the distinctly UK style of early 1970s rock as found on the Dawn, Vertigo or Neon labels.