Phase ~ USA ***REISSUED***

Phase - Midnight Madness. 1979 QCA/Red Mark. (aka Fusion Quartet - Comprovisations. 1981 Happening.)

UMR Review

Priority 1

News: Eloiteron's "Lost Paradise" to be reissued by Belle Antique

Well it's been a long time, if ever, that we received news on a Friday night for a new CD reissue. The always surprising Belle Antique (Marquee) of Japan have announced their intention to reissue Eloiteron's sole album on December 20th, in their usual mini-LP format. I couldn't find any supplemental reissue news around this - that is to say maybe something indigenous to Switzerland - but we know Belle Antique does things the right way, and achieves official rights upfront. Let's just hope they get a fine mastering on this like Old Man & the Sea and not like the tinny Aquarelle.

We featured Eloiteron years ago, and fortunately I own the original LP in case things go south.

As an aside, Panna Fredda's brilliant album will also be reissued in Japan for the first time by Belle Antique. I have both the original LP and the BTF CD, but might splurge for the extra Japanese copy here to see what they do with it.

And heck, while I'm at it, look for Abus Dangereux's debut and the Surya album to come out on Belle Antique as well.

Eloiteron ~ Switzerland ***REISSUED***

Lost Paradise. 1981 private

***Reissued by Belle Antique in 2013

Not a great reissue.

UMR review

Priority: 2

7/2/09 (new entry); 11/22/13 (complete)

News: Jimmy, Yoko & Shin to be reissued on Think

Here's one I was planning on featuring for a long time, and just never got around to doing it. And now I don't have to, thanks to a tip from Laser Ken! Disc Union's jazz based label Think will be reissuing this scarce album from the progressive keyboard trio of Jimmy, Yoko and Shin. Though it was originally on Three Blind Mice - a label that is becoming increasingly collectable amongst jazz collectors "in the know" - the music on "Sei Shonagon" falls squarely in the progressive rock camp. I was most reminded of the obscure archival release by Mahoujin, that we featured over on the UMR a long while back.

I'm buying!

News: Shroom Angel to issue archival album by Chameleon

Great to see fellow Texans' Shroom Angel getting back into the game. My home state was purportedly home to many progressive rock bands throughout the 70s, and yet so very few have surfaced. But Shroom certainly have done their part, as have others (Hands in particular, which was practically in my back yard growing up in NW Dallas, and yet I never knew of them!).

By description, Chameleon sound exactly like my kind of American band toiling away in the local clubs. Shroom says: "Previously unreleased vintage studio tracks spanning 1976 to 1978. Beginning in the early 1970s and continuing until 1980, this relatively unknown band from Houston managed to record a stunning collection of songs that are the musical expression of the word Chameleon. Twisting and turning, changing colors, leaping out of your speakers at times with unbridled ferocity- this band will hold your attention throughout the 70+ minutes contained on this disc. Musicians Spencer Clark (guitars, vocals), Mike Huey (drums), Craig Gysler (keys, vocals), and Rick Huey (bass) rounded out the mid-70s line-up with a key change being made later in 1978 with the addition of Marty Naul (Oz Knozz) on drums. The band's sound and style reflect the artists they listened to and loved yet at the same time they managed to craft their own unique tones. One may hear reflections of Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, Canterbury heavyweights Camel, King Crimson, Dixie Dregs, and Eloy in their music."

In addition to this title, Shroom also announced their intention to release an archival CD/LP from a Dallas rock band called Shotgun. Apparently they received area radio play on the legendary KZEW from 1976 to 1978. The summer of 1977 is when I first started tuning in attentively to "The Zoo", but I just can't remember Shotgun. But that was a looong time ago, and I was only 12 years old. It appears they were a straightforward rock band with female vocals, but the descriptions I've read aren't very telling. I may get it just because of the local connection.

Metaphysical Animation, USA

Metaphysical Animation - s/t. 1973 private.

Well, after much ado, here we are. You know, we all hear so many rarities... so many things that just don't live up to expectations, that it seems unreal something as sublime as Metaphysical Animation's sole album can actually even exist. We often see the term HOLY GRAIL used in ebay auctions. And yet, if it's available for auction, how can it be a Holy Grail? My definition of a Holy Grail is Metaphysical Animation. That is, something you're not likely to ever witness. We are talking about an album that has existed for exactly 40 years in the wilds of the record stores/flea markets/warehouses throughout the world, and it is just now being discovered for the first time. And did I actually discover it? No, I did not. But the AC did. No, he really did. As in, he invested over $150 of his own money on some demo LP listed on ebay that no one had heard of, nor ever spoke of. It wasn't listed with any key terms that we all look for. It was just a demo album thrown out there and by pure happenstance, the AC stumbled onto it. Right time, right place. Fortunately, three short samples were put up, which helped mitigate the risk somewhat, but not too many folks are going to blow a good amount of money on a few snippets of sound. So he was taking a big chance. But the payoff on this one is the equivalent of a Vegas multi-casino jackpot.

After meeting with 3 of the 4 band members, between them only one copy was saved for posterity. It has been, it appears, completely sold out at the source as they like to say in the marketplace.

Here's how the AC first introduced the album to me. And before I do that, you know him as well as I do now. He does NOT exaggerate, or foam at the mouth for the smallest of rarities. So when I saw this, I about fell off my chair: "Okay, here it is. By far the biggest discovery of my record collecting "career" (so to speak), and one that may go down as among the more significant finds in American prog history..... But, something like this really does make you wonder what could still be lurking out there, languishing undiscovered in some dusty warehouse, on the very brink of extinction..."

As it was so eloquently stated on the incredible TV show The Wire once: "Omar listenin'"

"Part 1: The band Metaphysical Animation was first formed in 1968 in Gainesville, Florida, and later ended up in the Miami area. Their sound and lineup evolved gradually over this time, eventually coalescing around the core of guitarist Alberto de Almar and keyboardist Bill Sabella. They gigged around the small clubs of the area regularly, and by 1972 were ready to record an album. By then the lineup consisted of de Almar and Sabella, along with drummer Robbie Hanson and bassist Steve Margolis (another bassist, Larry Jessup, also played with them around this time). The album was recorded that same year at a professional studio in the area, over the course of one or two sessions. They had a test pressing made of it, but were never able to secure a record deal and soon disbanded. The musicians went their own separate ways, with Alberto de Almar ending up in another local band named Faustus, who opened up for some of the larger rock acts that toured the area. By 1976 they too had called it quits, and I believe de Almar then left Florida to pursue more advanced musical education elsewhere. 

Part 2: The album: Less than 50 copies were pressed, housed in a plain white demo sleeve with the band name hand-written in pen on the cover. Now here's where we get to the most amazing part: It's a double LP set, clocking in at nearly 65 minutes in total! I'm not sure if I know of any other instance where an unreleased test press of an underground band like this was done as a double LP. Anyway it seems that they had a sort of uncompromising attitude and never really did try to market it too hard. After failing to be signed, they sold most of the few remaining copies at local gigs, which might account for why no other examples seem to have survived. A few comments on this album's actual discovery: The seller who ended up with this apparently dug it up in a warehouse find that may have been associated with the particular (long defunct) pressing plant where these LPs were actually made, which would explain how it managed to survive these 40 years at all. This lone copy was buried amongst a bunch of other test presses, all the rest of which were just various 45s of local radio jingles and other such ephemera. 

Part 3: The music I'll say right now that I think this album is fantastic, pretty much from start to finish, which is quite an accomplishment considering its unusual length. The basic style here could probably be summed up as classic 70s prog, with significant elements of fusion and psychedelic rock. But this band really had its own identifiable sound, which holds firm over the course of the entire sprawling opus, even though there's quite a bit of diversity displayed here as well. Being a bit more specific, the then-recent works of Yes and Mahavishnu Orchestra seem to be obvious building blocks for their style, as well as the more advanced forms of jamming psychedelic rock. Some of their early roots in blues-rock and jazz also peek through just a bit at times, as you might expect from an exploratory band of the era. Finally, Alberto's background as a Spanish guitar player can be heard informing some of the phrasing and rhythms on this album as well. What's really refreshing is that they seem to have come to this synthesis very naturally. As probably only an early 70s group could do, these guys were sort of making it up as they went along, using their influences as a starting point, rather than the be-all end-all. In that sense, they were following the same path of many of their own chronological peers over in continental Europe, especially in Italy and Germany. With all that in mind, let's talk about the individual instrumental performances a bit. First, there's de Almar. His guitar is phenomenal, and often loaded with cool effects, lending a very psychedelic tone. Along with the occasional hint at his Spanish guitar background, there's a sort of "Mclaughlin gone prog" feel to his playing. Then there's the rhythm section, which is very active and nimble, never allowing the music to get stuck in a rut, but also capable of locking into a steady, hypnotic pulse for the intense jamming that frequently breaks out overhead. Last but not least are the keyboards. Oh man... Anyone who's into vintage keys is just going to keel over when they hear this album. The most noticeable thing is Sabella's organ work, which is just over the top incredible. He's able to alternate between dark, spacey textures and extremely intense, choppy soloing like it's second nature to him. Then there's the mellotron. I'm only half kidding when I say that there must be more mellotron on this one album than the entire King Crimson back catalog put together. It seems to be going almost constantly in the background, and other little flourishes are added here and there to great effect. And of course there are plenty of classic synth lines as well. As for the vocals, here is where you'll see the strongest Yes influence. They're definitely Anderson-like, but not in that overly high-pitched and strained style that some Yes-influenced bands insisted on. The lyrics are also mostly in the Anderson mold, with lots of crazy made-up words and weird turns of phrase, spaced-out hippy dippy mysticism, etc. The vocals most definitely take a back seat to the instrumental work, but when they're there, they fit the mood perfectly. As for the sound quality, it's quite good, all things considered. Obviously a bit raw, but still better than many private prog albums that actually did see wide release. To use a relevant example, I'd say that this album actually has a much more pleasing, vital sound than the otherwise excellent Polyphony LP, which I've always thought suffers from a very dull, lifeless production job. 

I read all of that before actually hearing the album. He had submitted it during a particularly crazy busy period in my real life (that is, my paying job). So it took a couple of weeks for me to actually sit down and focus on a 65 minute album. And here was my initial reaction back to the AC, which I have no qualms sharing: "

Wow.

Wow.

This is an absolute jaw dropper. It's almost too good to be true. Normally I would be suspicious, except that it is so authentic in sound. So original, but totally a 1973 context is delivered. It could have only come from the USA in the early 1970s. All your observations are so spot on. I can only imagine how future listens will propel this to one of the all-time great progressive albums from the United States.

My early observations from a comparison standpoint: As you noted, I think Polyphony is about as close as anything. Polyphony itself is an anomaly, since we have so few examples of progressive rock in the US during the early 70s. That statement alone is almost mind blowing. How the US ended up missing on the entire progressive movement in the early 1970s would be a great doctoral study (not even one label like Silence, Brain, Ohr, Trident or any major stepped up). So in some ways, Polyphony was the only one that really got out there. The other album that MA could relate with is the-beyond-underrated Ram "Where in Conclusion" album. That album has the unfortunate street rock opening, but by the time of the side long suite, it features some of the intensity and creativity I hear on MA. And I'd also throw in the Baltimore group Id on "Where are We Going?" Not so much in the song craft (because there really isn't any with Id...), but in the overall guitar / mellotron aural backdrop. One aspect that links all these bands together is the awkward American vocal delivery, that was still prevalent well into the early 1980s.

And the Santana observation you made is astute, and dare I say I hear some Chango here? The organ/guitar rave-ups of Chango are unrivaled anywhere (with the exception of an occasional live Santana show), and yet I hear MA doing the same kind of thing. There are a couple of places where I catch an early Chicago Transit Authority vibe, especially in the vocal song portions. And I feel Chicago was a huge influence on American bands in the early 70s."

If you think the above is all made-up-fantasy, I've spoken with Bill Sabella myself when trying to line up a CD reissue. He informed me that de Almar "went nuts with all the effects and phasing", which he didn't personally enjoy, and he thought it ruined a perfectly good recording. I, of course, couldn't disagree more. But I love the honesty. Bill is a very level headed guy, who has done quite well for himself in "the real world" outside of music, and I found myself bonding with him on many levels beyond the album. As for Alberto de Almar, he is something of a local Miami legend. And you can read some reminiscing about him here. And listen to his current music here.

There's no doubt that the first person who hears this album will rush to chat boards and scream "It's OVERRATED!!!". Or worse it's "OVERHYPED!", as if I actually have something to gain from my personal enthusiasm. Yea, the CDRWL has been a financial boon like you have no idea. I can assure you, this is not my pension plan. To date, I've netted an entire $0 dollars for my endeavors. A lot of grief I get, but no money. And for the overrated crowd, which believe me is coming, do you really think the CDRWL is the barometer for what is worthy and what is not? So save the self-serving declarations please. Because if YOU had discovered this album, you'd be going nuts telling everyone about it. And that's exactly what I'm doing.

Both the AC and I worked behind the scenes for the last year for a CD reissue. The three band members we have spoken with have given tentative approval. The master tapes are long gone, as would be expected I suppose. The first - and only - label I contacted was very interested. We'll see if anything comes of that. If not, we'll go to the next label on the list.

Priority: 1 (ZERO really - this has to be heard by the masses)

And with this, the CDRWL plans on taking an extended break. It's tempting to call it a day right here. It's not likely to ever get better than this. But as long as I'm still buying LPs and CDs, we'll keep the flame on this blog going. I have received numerous other submissions, which I will most certainly entertain at a later date. And, as always, News items will be reported as announced. Look for new rarities in 2014!

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

Tomorrow we will unveil our amazing discovery. One of the best progressive rock albums ever made, and it remains a complete unknown as I write this. Not in Gnosis. Not in Discogs. In RYM, with exactly zero ratings. Even the deepest divers don't know this one. Shadoks? No. Strawberry Rain? No. The most knowledgeable collectors in Japan or Russia? No idea of its existence.

All of that is about to change.

Stay tuned!

News: Strawberry Rain announces reissue of Julien Grycan album

While we await our big announcement (and there may be a delay, as a new development came along late yesterday - we'll see), we were recently contacted by the good folks behind the Strawberry Rain label. They let us know that the very rare Julien Grycan 1980 album "Post-Atom" will be reissued on CD and LP. Ms. Grycan is a new name for me, but SR stated that it would be of interest to the CDRWL. I believe him! Cool stenciled drawing cover, that's for sure. The photo above comes from a former ebay auction, where the description stated: "French acid folk psych on private label Kiosque d'Orphée . with stoned vocals, effects and great guitars and acidy parts. Like 1st Manset , Denis , en ces jours or Beautiful losers..."

As well, SR filled in more detail on the Mar-Vista album we reported on earlier. This sounds better than I had imagined!  He further describes the album as thus: "Side A is influenced by Ash Ra Tempel, Popol Vuh and even Balinese music and is very killer.  It plays as 1 long song, but it's 6 songs blended with sound effects and strangeness.  It's like a bad dream on vinyl with fuzz, lo-fi vocals like Dandelion, keys, strange loud sound effects flying left to right speaker & looping etc...  but it's not experimental, it's song oriented and progressive. Side B is 1 long song made of synths like Klaus Schulze or Tangerine Dream." Sounds great to me!

Kennedy ~ Japan ***REISSUED***

Twinkling NASA. 1986 Nexus

***Reissued by Nexus Oct 2013

Formed from the ashes of acclaimed electronic / experimental act Dada, Kennedy presents us with a heavy symphonic (in a 1980's dramatic keyboard-overload sense of the word) fusion record. The highlights are provided from the overly pyrotechnic guitar work, which plays well when juxtaposed against the digital onslaught that defines most of the album. 'Flying Ship Part 1' is a killer piece of Kenso-esque fusion. Good record, though certainly not among the top tier of the 1980s Japanese progressive rock acts.

Priority: none

11/28/09 (new entry); 10/9/13 (complete)

Teddybjorn Band, Sweden

Teddybjörn Band - s/t. 1980 Piglet.

Like yesterday's Touch album, I've had the Teddybjörn Band on a Curiosity list for a long time. From an obscurity standpoint, this album is one of the hardest to find. Other than a reference in the now-gone Progg.se site, I never could gather much info about it. So I was very happy to see it as part of The AC's latest batch of goodies. While listening to the album (and enjoying it immensely), I started on a fresh round of research, and I saw that my friend Progvarius had an LP of it for sale. So I jumped on it! Out of this last batch of rarities, I ended up getting Teddybjörn Band and Sidesteps on vinyl, and just missed out on a copy of Rantz. I'm ultimately a vinyl/CD collector first, so this has definitely been a successful series for me. We're getting very close to our big announcement here. I'm writing this 4 days before its publish date, and I might have one more entry before we get to that one (still on schedule for October 15th). Either way, Teddybjörn Band is a great way to begin closing things out.

So who are the Teddybjörn Band anyway? As odd as it may seem, it's a literal name. That is, we have two main protagonists: One named Ted(dy) and another named Bjorn. And then there's "Band", which is an 11 piece group including vocalists. Put that together and you have Teddybjörn Band - or in more familiar terms perhaps, Teddybear Band.

The AC tells us that "Quality Swedish prog. This band had a Samlas connection, which you can sometimes hear in the music." Yep, and I did recognize instantly from the back cover that drummer Hasse Bruniusson is involved here. Now I'm not the world's foremost RIO / Avant Prog fan (the genre can be paradoxically either overly academic or too cartoonish for my tastes) , but I do find Samla Mammas Manna to be one of the better examples of the sound - mixing traditional Swedish folk music with rock instrumentation. This is a long way from the Northside label's variation of same sound. It definitely has more of that 1970s psychedelic recklessness about it - which is what I find appealing about the music. Now in my mind, there's great Samla ("Familjesprickor") and lousy Samla (För äldre Nybegynnare). As you can surmise by now, Teddybjörn Band is the former and its recording date mirrors close with Samla's masterpiece. I doubt I need to say more here. If what I'm saying above fits into your wheelhouse, you'll love Teddybjörn Band. Not sure if Italy's AltRock plans on getting into the reissue market, but if they do, this album fits their oeuvre perfectly.

Priority: 2

Touch ~ Germany

Touch. 1981 Cain

UMR review

Priority: 3

10/8/13 (new entry)

Sloe Gin / Flintsprint / Pythagoras ~ Germany

Birth of a New Place. 1978 Offers Musik

Birth of a New Place is an excellent compilation of three bands that have yet to surface anywhere else (unfortunately). The first two tracks are from Sloe Gin, and I thought they were nothing short of amazing. A real Canterbury vibe exists throughout, with wonderful flute and fuzz guitar soloing. Good soft affected English vocals on the second track as well. This is one of those bands you hope that Garden of Delights or Long Hair would find some obscure archival radio session to release. Reminds me of some of those great bands you'd find on the Umsonst and Draussen albums. Both Flintsprint and Pythagoras have a similar sound, but definitely have less compositional acumen, nor do they possess the instrumental palette of Sloe Gin. The latter in particular sounds like a rhythm track awaiting some front line soloist to jam on top of. Flintsprint sounds like they were about six months away from having some significant material (their first track on here is quite good). All in all, a very good compilation - one that is worthy of a reissue on its own. Though even better would be separate albums from all three groups presented here.

Priority: 2

10/7/13 (new entry)

J&F Quintet ~ Switzerland

Contrast. 1976 Delta

UMR review

Priority: 2

***Reissued on LP by BBE (Jun 2023)  

10/6/13 (new entry)

Synthesax ~ Germany

Grundlos. 1981 Leico

With a name like Synthesax, you may think this is one of those Party-Sax-And-Synthesizers, covering-your-favorite-tunes type of album. Nope. It's just an unfortunate choice of a name for a band. Perhaps had they gone with Mörder Böse, it would have generated a bit more excitement out there. So it's obvious that my accusations are groundless (hoho).

Synthesax are an instrumental group who play a fiery fusion with - yes - synthesizers and saxophone. As well as a very tight rhythm section, Fender Rhodes, and... some pretty mean electric guitar licks too. There are some really fine peak moments here when they get into the zone and rock out. The more introspective moments tend to drag and then I feel ready for a nap. And there is a little too much happy sax here for me (of course there is), but the melodies and compositions win the day. Fans of the fusion genre won't want to miss out on this one.

Priority: 3

10/5/13 (new entry)

Yucatan ~ Germany

Yucatan. 1982 Tricom

Yucatan were a band that had no idea what they wanted to be, so they threw a lot of mud against the wall, and hoped something would stick. History tells us that strategy never worked. And it appears Yucatan were yet another victim. But not before demonstrating they had immense potential to be a great progressive rock band. Even though Germany had some odd obsession with Mexico during this period in time, Yucatan, despite the name, has zero influences from our neighbor to the south.

I suppose if I was to summarize in a hurry, I'd call Yucatan a Deutschrock band and walk away. But that would disregard the fact that when Yucatan wanted to, they could deliver a highly fascinating and complex sequence of progressive rock music. And yet they could as well incongruously take a direct lift from Eddie Van Halen's 'Eruption' solo and stick it in the middle of a song. For no reason, it would appear, other than to perhaps satisfy the guitarist that he indeed learned how to play it after four years of intense practice in front of the mirror. I just sat there waiting for the riff of 'You Really Got Me' but instead got the Gunther blues voice. And speaking of which, there is a tepid attempt at playing heavy metal here too. There's some galloping guitars (with no heft at all), and a few other tries at a sound that local countrymen Accept had already mastered with their brilliant and very heavy Restless and Wild album (and sadly, Accept then degenerated into an AC/DC party band not long after, much to my dismay). And then there's the 4th track. A very fine slice of instrumental organ / guitar driven progressive rock (though the ridiculously thin sounding synth at the opening is entirely unnecessary)!

So what we have here is an AOR radio friendly-70s progressive rock-German vocal-English vocal-heavy metal-boogie rock-symphonic-badly dated sounding synthesizers-killer organ-excellent psychedelic blues solos-good hard rock guitar-bad metal guitar album. One that was privately released. If there was ever an album that would be better to cherry pick a few songs off for a compilation of unknown German progressive bands, then this would be that album.

Priority: none

10/4/13 (new entry)

Franklin Street Arterial, USA

The Franklin Street Arterial - s/t. 1980 Dad Hat.

And yet another great submission from the AC. If you all remember from the original teaser post for this series of rarities, I mentioned one of the albums is posted online by a band member. And here it is! This is quite a rare album, and it definitely has been rising in price amongst those in the know. So don't miss out on this generosity! As I write this, there are no ratings in RYM (though it's been cataloged) and not even listed in Gnosis. That's all about to change I suspect.

The Franklin Street Arterial were from Portland, Maine and are the type of band I've come to appreciate since I started this blog. Mainly due to the enthusiasm of both Midwest Mike and The AC - and reinforced by many others. It's that late 70s and early 80s light fusion sound (but not smooth jazz!). Definitely more on the jazz side rather than rock, but with well crafted melodies and solid professional playing from all. There is some absolutely sublime synthesizer work here, with fine guitar (including one nice ripper), and fantastic sax. This latter comment is not something you will usually hear from the CDRWL, but this is how I personally like to hear the instrument played. All these dudes who squonk like cats-in-heat drive me batty.

And as a bonus, The Franklin Street Arterial had a very nice professionally done video (in 1978!) that has been shared on the same website (and is also on YouTube). It's a superb video, so don't miss out (Oh, and that synth solo! Goosebump stuff right there).

Priority: 3

Oakley ~ Germany

Peculiar Autumn. 1978 private

Oakley seem to straddle the border between the more overt late 1970s German progressive bands such as Trilogy and Rousseau - and the Christian folky singalong types such as Eden and Credemus. Overall, it's a rather simplistic album for the progressive rock genre, but the melodies are a cut above the norm and the instrumentals are good if not a bit too straightforward. Some old time revival flute mixed in here and there as well. File under: Nice and harmless.

Priority: none

10/2/13 (new entry)

Nekropolis ~ Denmark

Suite til Sommeren. 1976 Hookfarm

Nekropolis were yet another Danish band who embraced the thing-with-nature angle that seemed to be very popular in the 1970s. And Nekropolis would have to be considered on the folk side of the genre. Pleasant music to sing around the campfire so as to keep the wolves away. It's vocal heavy (in Danish) and lacks any kind of solo instrumental arrangements, so there's little to grab onto here if you're programmed that way. Recommended to those that love that particular 1970s styled woodsy Scandinavian folk rock.

Priority: none

10/1/13 (new entry)

Gold ~ USA

Gold - No Class What So Ever. 1980 Alpha

UMR reviews

Night Ride (1979)

It's hard to imagine this is the same band that released the excellent No Class What So Ever album. Especially the first half of the disc which is really no more than boogie shuffle rock, and is quite hideous in fact. By Track 5, the band started to turn to more intriguing instrumental guitar fronted fusion, and foreshadows the much better sophomore album to come.

4/6/14 (review)

Priority: 2

9/30/13 (new entry)

The Bob Bath Band ~ USA

Traces of Illusion. 1984 RPC

The Bob Bath Band, from northeastern Pennsylvania (near Scranton), were basically an instrumental guitar based duo with guests and occasional synthesizer accompaniment. Most of the material on Traces of Illusion is subdued, but not sleepy. The songwriting is above average, as actual thought was given to melody. Generally the music continues to drive forward at a steady pace. So there aren't any neck breaking shifts in meters, but rather a more methodical approach is applied. And every once in awhile, ole "Bobby" kicks the pedals into gear and rips off a mean solo. Had he done that throughout the album, it most certainly would have added one to two points to the overall grade. Definitely doesn't sound like an album from 1984, as the tones are still psychedelic edged, and there's none of that mid 80s gloss. Blindfolded I would have gone with the late 1970s for this album.

Priority: 3

9/29/13 (new entry)

Sideline ~ Germany

Sidesteps. 1979 private

UMR review

Priority: 3

Synthesis (73) ~ France

Synthesis. 1973 Fabulous

UMR review

Priority: 2

9/26/13 (new entry)

Eight Day Clock ~ Australia

Clockwork. 1975 RCA

Eight Day Clock were a large scale horn rock band, right out of the 1970 playbook. So 1975 is way past the glory days of this scene. It almost seems like the Jackson 5ive TV show had just arrived in Sydney, and Blood Sweat and Tears were getting regular airplay on the local radio stations.

When evaluating horn rock bands, there are two types to consider: Vocal and Instrumental. This one definitely falls in the Vocal category. From there, is it soul based, or more pop sounding? Mainly the former. So that leaves the actual quality of the songwriting. Here I'd give them a C+. There are no monster tracks to call out like on The Gas Mask album for example. But it avoids the downer blues aspect of bands like Brut, Little John, or Chelsea Beige. Eight Day Clock are no MAX or Brainchild that's for certain. The cover of The Doobie Brothers 'Listen to the Music' is for sure a low point here. And the album as a whole peters out on the second side.

Overall, a pretty harmless 11 track run. There's some good horn charts here, and a few good sax / flute / brass / guitar solos to toe tap with. Reminds me quite a bit of the two Puzzle LPs (1973 / 1974 Motown). A pleasant album, but not extraordinary.

Priority: 3

9/25/13 (new entry)

Sponge, Scotland

Sponge - Foam Spins (One).1989 Alternate Media Tapes. Cassette

Let's get back to the AC's rarities' pile here. He tees this one up as follows: "Scottish space-rock band. This was recorded live in Edinburgh throughout 1987. They spend a lot of time messing around with free-form spacey electronics, but when they finally get around to kicking out the jams, they do muster up a pretty intense Hawkwind-meets-Ash Ra Tempel type of sound. Released a bunch of hopelessly obscure cassettes in the late 80s, but this is the only one I've heard. Sound quality isn't great, but I suppose that's to be expected. Yet another interesting piece to the forgotten UK festival/space-rock puzzle".

Ultima Thule, the long standing mail order shop, and publishers of the excellent Audion Magazine, adds this review for Discogs: "Sponge were amongst a family of bands/musicians from Edinburgh in the late 1980's. They played a brand of space-rock that stepped on from classic Hawkwind, especially so on this tape of live improv/jams, fleshed-out with copious amounts of synths/electronics. Strangely many of their releases were cassette only on the Birmingham Alternate Media Tapes or American Audiophile Tapes, and thus they are extremely rare nowadays. The only problem with this tape is the cruddy quality, someone did something seriously wrong with the mix, although the music is brilliant, if you tweak your bass and treble controls!"

And perhaps the oddest aspect of all is that they have at least 6 albums all released between 1988 and 1989 (?!), and this supposedly is the last one. So from an obscurity perspective, Sponge would have to be considered in the same league as Rancid Poultry, another band that the AC helped fill the CDRWL's collection on, and we covered at length a couple of years ago. How a group could be so prolific,and yet completely unknown until now, is definitely a mystery. But the UK Festival scene certainly produced a lot of interesting material out of its primordial stew. It's like discovering entirely new organisms out of the Amazon rain forests. As we mentioned in an earlier post, Head Duster continues to educate us about some of the truly rare bands from the scene. Our good friend Spacefreak also saw many of these bands back then, and has provided valuable information to us regarding the scene. Perhaps they knew Sponge?

There's over an hour of improvised space rock on here, and like most of these type of live outings, the album itself could have used a good edit. It's like having to eat spoonfuls of the spinach, broccoli, carrots, peas, potatoes, rice, beans all before actually getting to the meat. As mentioned by both gentlemen above, the sound quality is of bootleg standard.  I'd say Sponge relates closest to AMA, another long form improvisational space rock band - though AMA didn't possess synthesizers or  saxophone. And I'm also reminded of the Milwaukee collective F/i, at their most loose and reckless jam mode. If you're a fan of space rock, this is one you'll want to hear. When they get "in the zone", there's some pretty good ripping going on here. But it's not really anything that needs to be pressed on CD.

Priority: none

Indiscreet, Germany

Indiscreet - Difficult to Contribute Silence. 1985 Nabel.

Perhaps the great irony of this post is that it's the next entry from He Who Must Not Be Named. If anything HWMNBN is discreet. So discreet in fact, he tells me of fantastical tales of providing only the finest young ladies for oil rich sheik's in Dubai. I dunno, sounds far fetched to me but...

Indiscreet are a German band who are clearly a product of the middle 80s, when no one, and I mean absolutely no one, was going 1970s retro. Everyone had to have a modern, cold, and clinical sound. Belew-era King Crimson is of course the blueprint here. But I was reminded perhaps even more of Michigan's Inserts, especially in the sense of open space the band operates in. This has more of a jazz angle rather than rock, and is on the margins of the scope of the list. Some of the alto and soprano sax playing here is as annoying as it can possibly get. A lot of the free improvisational stuff on here does not work, and is truly dull, if not downright teeth gnashing. Indiscreet are at their best in full ensemble mode, especially when the violin is present.

(Our friend Tristan Stefan just alerted me that this album has been posted on Prog Not Frog this past June. I'd received this CD-R earlier in the year from HWMNBN, and didn't realize it had been posted since then. So you all can hear it as well, presuming the link is still active. Enjoy!)

Priority: none

Garuda, Indonesia

Garuda - s/t. 1976 EMI (England)

So here's out third submission from He Who Must Not Be Named. Now, he alleges he got this LP directly from his "best bud" Suharto (you know you're an important dude when you only have one name. And you're even more important when you can't name that name...). When did HWMNBN get this album? When he supposedly was supporting the ambassador representing France in the late 1970s. You know, I'm calling bullsh*t right there. But... maybe?

So my first thought here is: Selamat datang di disko  

Oh go on, look it up. You know you want to know what it means.

Done?

Right?

He Who Must Not says this: "There's a great story behind my travels to Indonesia... Composer Tony Campo is from there, Bali in fact.  His bio is featured briefly on the back of the record.  I take it he became a session bassist in the UK and did quite a few library records, often in collaboration with others.  His style is jazz-funk, as befitting the music of Bali which is very dance-oriented.  It's obvious that this album, which is named after the semi-mythical eagle-winged deity that is Indonesia's national symbol, is his masterpiece, the second side is called Suite No. 2 and is his attempt at creating a kind of jazz-funk symphony, you'll see what I mean when you hear it.  Note that the famed Frank Ricotti plays vibes and percussion on this record." 

In fact, had their been no second side, then I would wonder why it was sent to me in the first place. I mean, I actually like disco instrumentals, but it's not exactly the purpose of the list. But Side 2, while never quite losing those fat beats, takes on a whole new dimension. There's truly a depth found here that is uncommon in both funk and even in pure jazz. If you want to begin your dig for this album, you better like tight horn charts. With long fuzz guitar solos. And echoed Fender and vibes. I just happen to embrace said concept, hence I rate this:

Priority: 3

Amuthon, Germany

Amuthon - Wirklichkeit. 1982 private.

So here's the second entry from He Who Must Not Be Named. I had personal interest in this, as this showed up on ebay from a dealer with a bunch of rare Krautrock rarities last year. I won a couple of the auctions (on items I already knew), but there were quite a few I never heard of. Some clearly were out of my interest area. This one's description was somewhat appealing, but who knows right? And then HWMNBN shows up with this one in virtual hand. Cool. On this title, he also provides some insights:

"What a cover!!  some kind of unusually creepy everyman has a key that will unlock the mind... In terms of music, it's a very hard rock style with almost the polished british heavy metal sound from the late seventies (like granmax or americans legend from the fjords), not like the old rough krautrock sound from the early seventies. In fact at the start of track 1 I thought I heard influences from Led Zep's Song Remains the Same (the song that is, not the live album), although the minute the singer opens his voice the track does lose a lot of its allure. With titles like god, reality, you'd think this was a philosophical treatise exploring Kant, and maybe it is, I can't make out any of the lyrics. Oddly they switch between german and english.  A very impressive, albeit rough, outing totally uncharacteristic of German bands."

Well he certainly has a point about the vocalist, as he comes across as a Teutonic Arthur Brown. You can almost here the translation "Feuer!".... "Hölle Feuer!". Of course we must correct our presumably European friend (he mentioned something about watching over the Holy Grail in Provence. I mean, I'm calling bullsh*t right there. But you know... maybe?). Obviously Granmax is from the great Midwest (Missouri), rather than England. But let's not be pedantic, but get down to the meaning of what he's saying. Yes, good old fashioned American hard rock is a very astute observation.

Not only is the album half German and half English, but some of it is recorded live and some in the studio. Talk about "cobbling something together" for a release. There was quite a few of these private semi-progressive "Deutschrock" albums from the early 80s, and Amuthon fit squarely in the middle. A little Anyone's Daughter, 1980s era Grobschnitt and Novalis, Wintauge, Profil, Grim Reaper, and, oh, about 100 more obscurities few have heard and even fewer care about. It's certainly good, and non offensive German rock musik. Worth a spin, but no need for a CD reissue as far as I'm concerned.

Priority: none

Musikalische Gruppenimprovisation, Germany

Musikalische Gruppenimprovisation - s/t. 1974 private.

Names like Musikalische Gruppenimprovisation tend to be a magnet for the CDRWL. Especially bands with that name and coming from the Year 1974. And with a personnel pedigree that includes Broselmaschine, Kollektiv, and Annexus Quam. All favorites of the CDRWL. Oh the mind wanders... What kind of psychedelic treat is in store for me?

This album comes courtesy of the Lolly Pope, who was a regular contributor to the Roots and Traces Blog.  He is the same gentleman that turned the CDRWL onto the wonderful Cosmic Circus album awhile back (now reissued by Garden of Delights) and a few other choice items. Just a mere few days after making his personal recommendation to me, he left this mortal coil. I had no idea until recently. Like so many in the blogosphere, I did not know Werner personally, He was one of the many friendly, yet anonymous, faces that would offer their expertise to my blog, for which I'm eternally grateful. So I dedicate this post to Werner 'Allen' Voran. Here is the Lolly Pope's writeup:

"Another Kraut, not a Krautrock rarity. An experimental LP recorded in Germany 1971 to 1973, released 1974. Some say MUSICAL GROUP IMPROVISATION is the great lost third ANNEXUS QUAM album, but we also have members of KOLLEKTIV and BRÖSELMASCHINE here... ..among other very seriously improvising musicians from very different backgrounds. Together they demonstrate how it should be done. Jamming without illicit drugs! (In the daylight anyway...). Produced for the use at secondary schools and universities by The Study Group Musik North-Rhine Westphalia, on authority of The Ministry Of Work, Health And Social Affairs, Düsseldorf. A CD-reissue of this rare artefact is long overdue, but the mastertapes seem to be lost, and it took us half a lifetime to find a mint vinyl copy. 

01-Improvisation Nr.1
instrumente: synthesizer, sopransaxophon und querflöte mit elektronik, e-piano, e-gitarre, schlagzeug
freie improvisation
02-Improvisation Nr.2
instrumente: e-gitarre, synthesizer, orgel, sitar, sruitbox, stimme, piano, superstring, kongas
improvisation nach einer grafik
03-Improvisation Nr. 3
instrumente: stimmen und hände
improvisation nach einem projizierten dia eines surrealistischen bildes. das bild diente als stimmungsrahmen für die improvisation
04-Improvisation Nr. 4
instrumente: kunstoffschlauch,stimme, flasche, konzertgitarre, chimtas, tabla, marokkanische trommeln, pfeifen mit dem mund
improvisation nach einem projizierten landschaftsdia
05-Improvisation Nr.5
instrumente: bratsche, querflöte, konzertgitarre, aufblasbare tabla
freie improvisation
06-Improvisation Nr. 6
instrumente: posaune, konzertgitarre, bratsche, schlagzeug
freie improvisation
07-Improvisation Nr.7
instrumente: stimmen, cello, tabla, dickmilchbechergeige, spiralfedergong, schlitztrommel, flexaton, flöte
improvisation im freien mit hunde-hecheln und vogel-gezwitscher
08-Improvisation Nr.8
instrumente: konga, shanai, tabla, posaune, maultrommel, konzertgitarre, schellen, bratsche, präpariertes piano
freie improvisation
09-Improvisation Nr.9
instrumente: richak, sitar, bratsche, tabla, ektara
improvisation nach einem projizierten landschaftsdia
10-Improvisation Nr.10
instrumente: piano, stimmen
freie improvisation

(TITLE: MUSIKALISCHE GRUPPENIMPROVISATION - Katalog-Nr.: TST 78426, RESCO HT 30152 - No label name. Manufactured by Telefunken)

Musicians:

PETER and MARITA BURSCH (BRÖSELMASCHINE)
KLAUS DAPPER (KOLLEKTIV, BRÖSELMASCHINE,GLATTER WAHNSINN)
JÜRGEN HAVIX (KOLLEKTIV)
HARALD KLEMM, HANS KÄMPER, GABRIELE and PETER WERNER (ANNEXUS QUAM)
Plus:
KARL GODEJOHANN -WERNER SCHERMEIER - JOHANNES HOBBING - EDWIN STILLER - ANKE and GERHARD LISKEN - MARGRET BREUKELGEN - MARGRET CONZELMANN - BRIGITTE GÖBEL - MICHAEL GOEDECKE - ROLAND GRÄBE -JOHANNES HOBBING - EGON HUNEKE - GERLINDE PAULUS - WILHELM SCHULZ - UWE NIEPEL 

The sessions, or weekend workshops, were led and co-ordinated by Harald Klemm between 1971 and 1973. The improvisations were either totally free, or inspired by shown paintings and projected colour slides of landscapes. Nr.7 is an outdoor recording wiih panting dogs and chirping birds. An all instrumental album, except for some ethereal, non-verbal femal voices. A certain affinity to the second album of Annexus Quam is obvious, but there also are moments that remind of a less aggressive, more disciplined Limbus, a less classically trained Between, Popol Vuh without the religious ambitions and a lot more."

I think his reference to Limbus 3/4 is spot on. Though there is at least one direct reference to Soft Machine's "Third". Very much a product of its age. This is for those who truly love the avant garde. Nothing fake about this - the real deal in both atmosphere and sense of exploration. A bit "outside" for me, but an absolute must for fans of radical frei musik.

Priority: none

Rantz ~ USA

Rantz. 1982 private

UMR review

Priority: 2

9/19/13 (new entry)

Frank Pisani, USA

Frank Pisani - Sky. 1977 Dellwood.

Time to get The AC into the mix. And here's his first entry for the 2013 CDRWL Rarity Series. It was born out of a conversation based on my initial release of the Midwest progressive rock list I published this summer.

Dellwood is one of a handful of "tax scam" labels that proliferated in the USA during the late 1970s, which as we discussed before, was basically an IRS loophole that was exploited (of course it was) for a few years before being finally sealed up (which created new loopholes - akin to trying to trap water in your hand). I have other insights on this topic, via the legit CD reissue of Zoldar and Clark on my UMR site. Zoldar and Clark, incidentally, was also on the dubious Dellwood label.

So who the heck is Frank Pisani? No idea. Just some schmuck from Chicago we are lead to believe. It's presumed to be the same Frank Pisani that has (had) a music and comedy act. But in 1977 he wasn't clowning about, but rather getting down to the serious business of releasing commercially accessible music for FM radio. BUT, in what seems to be a unique 1970s Midwest American trait, he was throwing in plenty of complicated progressive ideas and measures. As if to ensure to himself that, at the very least - YES - I am a serious musician. For that alone, Frank, the record companies will ignore you. Duh. As Dave Stewart of National Health (and other groups of course) once famously said about music executives: "We don't want music to get in the way of a Top 10 hit!" And so a desolate Frank sent in his tapes through some esteemed and academic music magazine like Creem or Circus, had his demos pressed up for a tax dodge label, and received absolutely nothing in return. And he probably never even knew the album came out. In fact, it's entirely possible he will learn right here on the CDRWL - some 35+ years later. It's actually happened before...

If you blindfolded me, and then asked me to name the time and place - I'd say Midwest 1977. Seriously. Such a bulls-eye for the entire insane genre. As I state in the premise for the list: "In the 1970s, within the American Midwest and Ontario, there existed a fascinating subculture that was distinctly their own - and this phenomena was sharply expressed in the music of the region. It was here in the early 1970s that unmitigated FM radio ruled supreme, and countless Baby Boomers checked in each night to hear some of the wild music coming from Europe during this time (especially in England). Yes and ELP were an enormous influence in the region, as was the relatively obscure Gentle Giant. Certainly Genesis and Van Der Graaf Generator had their disciples as well."

Jamming Hammond, loud electric guitar, high energy rhythms, rough and bluesy but-oh-so-sincere vocals, and.... cowbell. Yea, there's a little too much crooning at times, and there's that always present party-time Grand Funk Railroad sound, but that only adds to the vibe. Man, this is just a heck of a lot of fun. Probably ties closest to the Canadian band Dillinger, though I hear serious references to classic Kansas as well. And how about that cover? The marketing department worked overtime on that obviously. "Here's a sheet of Engineering Graphics paper. Make it work." Ya know, minimum wage didn't get you much in 1977 either.

Obviously, I'm a fanboy for this stuff, so take my fanaticism with a grain of salt. But I want to see this on CD anyway (uh, I mean legit there pirate boy - don't want a bootleg of a bootleg - dig?). Probably would move 10 copies, including free promos. And people wonder why I don't get into this business...

Priority: 2

Trilogy, England

Trilogy - Arctic Life (EP). 1982 private cassette.

This entry comes courtesy of our friend Head Duster who has an encyclopedic knowledge of the UK Festival scene of the 1980s (and was obviously a regular patron of the events). His website is a goldmine for those of us looking for rare cassettes from that scene. Most of the music falls outside of what we focus on here at the CDRWL (primarily dance/techno/reggae/punk/experimental), but it's a fascinating read all the same. And I make sure to visit the blog monthly. We'll have a full Oroonies feature eventually (I have only a couple of albums up now), and I owe him for most of the material I'll be presenting.

So it's odd that I'm introducing his site via a music group that has nothing to do with the Festival scene. Rather, Trilogy were part of a slightly earlier movement known as the New Wave of British Progressive Rock. As you all know, the CDRWL is a big fan of that genre - perhaps because it was the first one I personally grew up with in regards to progressive music. I was already a veteran of the NWOBHM scene, and that was where I cut my teeth on collecting rare imports as a young high school lad. As I was beginning to learn about 70's progressive music, it was refreshing to know that new bands were emerging in that style. Not only that,  but I did manage to get to London for a week in 1984, which helped solidify my position. So I do tend to be nostalgic about it all.

Trilogy were, as you might suspect, a trio that also happened to feature quite a bit of keyboards. When the keyboards are active, I am reminded indeed of many of the bands from the early 80s period such as Twelfth Night and Pallas. But the guitarist plays a double neck guitar - and you have to know exactly where I'm going here. Correct... Rush. As in "Moving Pictures" Rush. Tightly wound, non-sprawling Rush. And I love it. Rush meets Pendragon? OK  - works for me! Obviously the production quality is lacking, but it's a homemade cassette - what can you possibly expect?

The cassette is a 4 track EP, so of course that alone doesn't warrant a CD. But if they have other studio material, or soundboard live stuff - then it surely would be of interest to many I think. Heck, if Tamarisk can do it, then any other obscurity from that time and place can! Perhaps they could reform for a full effort as well? Why not - they probably haven't been asked to do so in nearly 30 years.

Priority: 3

Red Summer, England

Red Summer - Release. 1982 Rimshot

So let's start our 2013 rarities session here - a nice modest release to get things going. This one came as a recommendation from our friend Tristan Stefan over at ProgNotFrog, where he also posted the album for awhile (not sure if it's still up). Tristan has also provided an insightful review, so it's worth clicking the link above for that alone.

I think Tristan's reference to Mike Oldfield is very much spot on, especially considering he still had one masterwork left in him, with the brilliant "Amarok" still 8 years away from Red Summer's album. And there are some parallels to that future work here. There's also some twee Anthony Phillips styled moments interspersed throughout on the shorter numbers.

Though Red Summer are a duo, they manage to pack in quite a few ideas per track. And it's just this setup that also reminded me of Jade Warrior's "Horizen" album, also from the 1980s. Jade Warrior always managed to feature a big sound from a small lineup. And there is that distinct world music edge that pops up now and again, further solidifying the comparison.

Perhaps most startling is the opening title track, that had me at first thinking I may have the wrong disc in the changer. Why? Well, it sounded so very French, that's why. Like a long lost Richard Pinhas tape circa "L'Ethique". There's also some of that good ole fashioned handmade, basement styled NDW electronik German sound prevalent as well. Unusually loud and psychedelic guitars pop out of nowhere on "Release", and are completely incongruous with most anything else going on in England during this era.

Fascinating album that seemingly came out of nowhere.

Priority: 3

Many rarities on the way!

We start TOMORROW. I've managed to publish a solid backlog of daily entries taking us into early October (it helped that I took a couple of days off of work to do this) with a few more to hear. Tentatively scheduling mid October for our BIG announcement (see below). Not all of the albums were great (or even good), in my opinion of course, but that's to be expected. But I do think they are all interesting at least - and many are heavily sought after. We will either enhance or demystify their reputation. Some of the albums have been posted to the blogosphere already, while others were passed to me in secret by hooded figures via hidden cathedrals. And one of the albums you will be able to hear IN FULL (or rather 7 of 8 tracks), as we will be able to point to you where it is on the internet. The album itself has been shared by a band member. It's buried because no one knows what the album is! And we will bring it to light soon. You won't want to miss it.  Thanks again to all the contributors that made the 2013 CDRWL Rarities Exposition possible. I hope you enjoy reading about them as well!

-----

Just a quick note to let you all know that I do have some rarities that have come through the door within the last year. I have yet to hear them myself, but advanced word says they are worthy of our attention. I got off to a bit of a false start with the Humus album in early June, but then redirected my attention onto another music project for the summer - mainly listening to CDs that are in my collection that I haven't heard in forever (examples: Drama - s/t (France) 17 years since last heard; debut album by the Polish band Lizard - 16 years since I last pulled it from the shelf. And dozens more). I think that's going to be my summer routine going forward.

We've been the fortunate recipient of many great looking rare items as sent in by the now legendary The AC, as well as wonderful contributions from Tristan Stefan and SF. And we have a new contributor - someone who is cloaked in mystery. A dark shrouded figure who we don't even know actually. Someone we will refer to as He Who Must Not Be Named.

And we're sitting on one major gem in this pile. One that we first heard last year via The AC, but we sat on it as we worked behind the scenes for a CD reissue. Perhaps the rarest US progressive album ever made. And it's a killer. This is not hype I assure you. A jaw dropper. Better than even the Ginga Rale Band, Rob Thomsett, and Phase that we discovered last year. It's almost too good to be true. But it IS real. And no one knows about it. That's going to be the cherry on the top of this year's discoveries.

I'm targeting a start date around September 14th or sometime after. So check back then. Of course, I will continue to share news as it comes in.

In the meantime, I'm also sitting on a huge backlog of ready-to-go entries for Unencumbered Music Reviews and Under the Radar. I plan on getting those out this weekend - so there should be daily postings on both those sites for days to come.

News: Exciting announcements coming from the Lion label camp!

December 8, 2013 update: The Vanay albums have been released!

We've recently heard from Vincent, who runs the CDRWL's favorite US based reissue label: Lion Productions. While not all of Lion's releases intersect with the CDRWL's personal interests, this latest set of news either touches the circle, or is a complete bullseye.

I think the most exciting news is that the Laurence Vanay albums are imminent! As in the October / November time frame. The LPs may come a month or two later depending on pressing plant priorities. Vincent states: "Loads of bonus tracks on both CD versions, almost doubling the original length of the albums. The LP versions will be exact replicas (without bonus tracks)." And the big surprise here is that we can also expect reissues of her mythical, and previously unreleased, "Les Soleils de la Vie" and "La Petite Fenetre" albums! What will not be reissued is her "Magic Slows" album, since Ms Thibault isn't very fond of it herself. And fellow Gnosis explorer Lev from Russia has already demystified the contents of the album, thus categorizing the omission as "no loss".

We've also been told that we may see Probe 10 as early as December of this year, or early 2014. So that's also very exciting news for the CDRWL.

With that, let's move onto Lion's three new releases that I think many of you will be interested in. I haven't personally heard any of them to date. The T2 is what amounts to the second post-"It'll All Work Out in Boomland" archival set of releases. Lion was involved with the first set as well which were called "T2" or "Fantasy". Those recordings were from 1970, and this latest batch constitute their 1971 to 1972 output (obviously). And, yes, this has already been issued on LP. This will be its debut on CD.

Tin House is a 1971 hard rock album from Florida that is highly rated in some circles. Based on the reviews I've read, it sounds like something I need to hear. Might as well just start with the Lion CD!

The Guy Skornik is another album that looks intriguing.  Not too many albums will reference Wahkevitch, Berger, Gainesbourg, and Manset in the same paragraph. I've also read comparisons to Popera Cosmic! The promo sheet says: "Digipack CD + 28 page booklet. Between 1970 and 1973, EMI/Path released several ambitious and progressive pop albums, including 'La Mort Dorion' (Grard Manset), 'Puzzle' (Michel Berger), 'Hathor' (Igor Wakvitch), and 'Pour Pauwels' by Guy Skornik. Skornik was a mystic explorer, psychonaut, and gifted musician, who was immersed in the metaphysical revolutions of his time. He presented television reports, laced with elements of Eastern mysticism, on LSD experiences. And then there was Skornik's album, 'Pour Pauwells', inspired by the revolutionary writings of Louis Pauwells, one-time counterculture hero and disciple of esoteric spiritualist G. I. Gurdjieff. Guy was brought to the public's attention for the first time in the beginning of 1970 with the release of a magnificent LP on the Path-label. Skornik tried, and succeeded perfectly, to do with his music what Louis Pauwels did with his huge best-seller 'The Morning Of The Magicians'. This is one of a handful of classic French progressive pop concept albums released in the early 1970's, together with Serge Gainsbourgs 'Melody Nelson' and the titles mentioned above. Features arrangements by Ivan Jullien (Franoise Hardy, Johnny Hallyday, Quincy Jones and Elton John). Licensed from Parlophone. Limited to 500 copies."

Lots to look forward to here!

News: Gringo to be reissued in September

I sense summer is starting to close, as the announcements are starting to roll in again. I myself have a couple of weeks of summer vacation still to take, but it's obvious the Fall season is upon us.

Gonzo, a sub label of the same folks behind Voiceprint, will be reissuing Gringo for the first time. I never featured the album prior, as there was a fuzzy/gray reissue from Audio Archives long ago with little backup as to the source. I'm no legal expert, so I just stayed out of the discussion. Well now we have a bonafide legit reissue that you can buy with confidence!

Label says: "You may not have heard the name, but I am sure that if you are reading this you have heard his music. John G Perry is best known for his session work, most notably for Caravan on "For Girls Who Go Plump in the Night" and "Caravan and the New Symphonia," but he has performed with many other Prog and non-Prog artists. Although he was born in America, his parents were British and soon moved back to the UK, and as PERRY grew up, he became more interested in music. One of his first projects as a musician was called Gringo. Evolving from student beat groups, Utopia and Toast, in 60s Bath; Gringo also featured Henry Marsh who later sampled chart success with Sailor, and Simon Byrne worked with – of all people - Brotherhood of Man among others. Perry describes the early days of the band: It started out as Utopia, a five-piece copy band doing all the hits from the Beatles and the Searchers and lots of stuff playing at college and parties. Everybody in the band had been at private school and sung in the choir, so it was a terrific vocal band. We used to do wonderful renditions of Beach Boys songs, we were really rather good at that. It was basically the same band all the way through, the three of us : Henry Marsh on guitar and keyboards, Simon Byrne on drums and myself... That first band unfortunately split when everybody went their way. I went off to become a farming student, working on different dairy farms in the West country of England. But I kept in contact with Henry and Simon, and they approached me one day, saying they'd have a year off in their studies, and would I join them to form a new band, you know, rather than go grape-picking in France, which I thought would be wonderful... I actually had also decided to have a year off before I was going to go up to the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester. So we elected to get this band together, which was called Toast. We hired one of the farmers' cottages, locked ourselves away and worked very hard, rehearsing or whatever, built up a repertoire and then we came up to London, and three months later we're on television! The show was 'Colour Me Pop' and we did three songs on that... So none of us went back to college, and we all carried on in a musical career. Gringo toured in Europe and even made a living with a club residency on the south coast of France. They were opening act on a UK tour featuring Barclay James Harvest and Caravan. Perry takes up the story: We were there a sort of opening act, and got to know both bands and kept in touch with them. It was a good tour actually, very successful, cause Caravan were very well-known in the South of England and BJH were very well-known in the North of England, so all the way round the country we had the crowds and stuff, so for us that was taking us out of the small clubs into concert halls and theaters and stuff like that, so that was a good experience for us. Their recorded legacy is a quality album of pop-tinged progressive rock that still sounds fresh, with a lightness of touch and many distinctive twists. The song-within-a-song piece, Emma And Harry, is worthy of note, but all nine tracks are good. It is tempting to wonder if “Land of Who Knows Where” may have been inspired by a certain Caravan album released the same year.

Tracks: 1. Cry The Beloved Country , 2. I'm Another Man , 3. More And More , 4. Our Time Is Our Time , 5. Gently Step Through The Stream , 6. Emma And Harry , 7. Moonstone , 8. Land Of Who Knows Where , 9. Patriotic Song , 10. * I'm Another Man (single version) , 11. * Soft Mud (* Bonus tracks) ."

News: King Records of Japan to reissue many progressive titles

Today we received news that the venerable label King Records plans on reissuing a couple dozen obscure Japanese progressive titles from the 1980s in the mini-LP format. I think most of these have been on CD prior (though long OOP), but the one that caught my eye is the debut album by Kennedy. It may have come out on CD before, but I've never been able to validate that. The second album, of course, is widely available. The Kennedy will be available in October. Many of the other titles from this batch will receive a September release.

On the same topic, and worth noting, is that Belle Antique of Japan plans on issuing the Klockwerk Orange on CD in the mini-LP format (release late September). This will be the full double LP version as presented by Digatone earlier this summer. So for those of you who were bemoaning having to buy the LP just to get the CD (which, BTW, doesn't include all the bonus tracks as the LP reissue), your patience will be rewarded. Of course the price point probably will be similar since it's a double CD in the mini-LP format...

Blim ~ England ***REISSUED***

Zero. 1992 private (MC)
No Frills. 1993 private (MC)

***Reissued by the band Aug 2013

UMR review

Priority: 2

8/23/10 (new entry); 8/17/13 (complete)