November 2007 pt.1

Thursday, November 15, 2007

The Fredric - 1968 - Phases and Faces

LP Front Cover

Storming US '60s psych pop rarity on CD at last with bonus tracks and a band history. Alongside The Baroques, David and C.A. Quintet this is one of the US '60s psych / pop Holy Grails. Beautiful songs and a totally unique psychy pop style (melodic harmonies and swirling keyboards) add up to one hell of an album that is highly recommended to fans of both US '60s psych and harmony pop !
(The Freak Emporium)

LP Back Cover

Phases and Faces (West Michigan Psychedelia 1967 - 1969 The Complete Recordings) by the Fredric - a collection that includes the complete contents of the original album as well as a single and some outtakes that were recorded for an unreleased second album.


Track Listing:
Tracks 13 - 16 are the extra, non-album tracks.


1. Federal Reserve Bank Blues
2. The Girl I Love
3. All About Judi
4. Henry Adams
5. Morning Sunshine
6. Taggin'
7. Cousin Mary Knows
8. My Yellow Tree
9. Red Pier
10. Old Fashioned Guy
11. Born in Fire
12. Saturday Morning with Rain
13. Five O'Clock Traffic
14. Postmarks
15. Bob's Songs
16. Lori Lee Loveland

CD Back Cover

From Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Fredric issued a rare, limited-run album in the late '60s, Phases and Faces, that's highly valued in some collector quarters. It is soft psychedelia; it's too clean-cut and poppy, with conscientious harmonies, guitar-organ interplay, and light lovelorn lyrics. They were a very young group, and it shows in the callow songwriting, despite the well-executed arrangements. The single "Red Pier" made some modest local noise, and by 1970 they were signed to Capitol, who changed their name to the Rock Garden. They disbanded shortly after beginning their relationship with Capitol; drummer-vocalist David Idema eventually had a hit as David Geddes, "Run Joey Run."

Get it here
The_Fredric__1968_-_phases_and_faces.rar

Hillow Hammet - 1969 - Hammer

Hillow Hammet - Hammer (1969)

Tracks :
1 - Slip Away
2 - Trouble
3 - Fever
4 - Home
5 - Brown-Eyed Woman
6 - Nobody but You
7 - Come with Me
8 - We want to be Free
9 - Oh, Happy Day!

Excellent hard guitar rock produced by Lelan Rogers of IA/Elevators fame. Recorded at Sounds of Memphis Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Stock mono pressings may not exist; it also appears that many or all 'mono' promos actually play stereo. The band name incorrectly listed as 'Hillow Hammet' the House Of Fox version. The 1978 release corrects the spelling, while the cover is different and has incorrect song listings. One track has been replaced. The sound has been reported as inferior to the 1969 pressing.

Thanks bilbo1742 !!!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Nightshadow - 1968 - The Square Root of Two

"Square Root Of Two" 1968 (Spectrum 2001) [bonus 45; poster; 1000p]

"Square Root Of Two" 1979 (Hottrax 1414) [remixed; altered sleeve; 200p]
"Square Root Of Two" 199 (no label, Europe) [blue vinyl; +2 tracks]
"Square Root Of Two" 199 (CD Cosmic Mind, Italy) [+2 tracks]
"Vol 3: The Psychedelic Years 1967-69" 2003 (CD Hottrax 60012) [LP +9 bonus tracks]

And here's another longtime legend, reissued as early as 1979.
The band was usually known as Little Phil & the Nightshadows and had roots in the pre-Beatles era, but changed their name due to legal complications at the time. Unlike the Litter LPs I think this really is as great as people would have you believe, particularly side 1 which is like listening to a comp of killer fuzz acidpunk 45s. Beyond Phil's showmanship and the blatantly druggy lyrics and sound fx the fact remains that the superb songwriting puts most "Nuggets" classics to shame, and the band is completely at home in a sound that was unusual for the deep South. Some silly songs close the LP but all over this must rank among the top early garage psych LPs. Apart from the LP they had some killer 45s in 1966-1967. [PL]
~~~
The Nightshadows discography is very complex and includes multiple versions and remixes of the same recordings, as well as 45s released under aliases, withdrawn records, and more. Here's an attempt to sort "Square Root" out: 1) The 1968 original came with a bonus 45 that contained the band's risqué songs 'Hot Dog Man' and 'Hot Rod Song' on Banned records (both also on the LP); this with 900 copies of the LP. The poster was supposedly included with the remaining 100 copies that did not include the 45, although some subsequent finds of sealed copies have included both the 45 AND the poster. 2) The 1979 Hottrax release is a unique remix with "So Much" having an extra guitar lead, while "60 Second Swinger" has a loud fuzz riff added throughout. "Anything But Lies" has been shortened by 1 minute. Both front and back cover have been altered, as well as the running order. 3) Both the European 1990s bootlegs are sourced from the 1979 remix rather than a 1968 original. 4) The recent CD series is the easiest way to get a complete picture of the Nightshadows. Vol 3 has all tracks from the LP except "Hot Rod Song", which can be found on vol 2. "So Much" is the 1979 remix version, while "60 Second Swinger" and "Anything But Lies" are the 1968 LP versions. The running order from the LP has been completely broken up. Some of the unreleased bonus material is very good.

~@~@~


Nightshadow - 1968 - The Square Root of Two

It bears repetition: the "Square Root Of Two" LP in its original 1968 format has NEVER been reissued, to this day. The difference in sound and mix to both the 1979 vinyl reissue (which was bootlegged in the 1990s) and the 2003 CD is so pronounced that you can determine which is which after only 15-20 seconds into any track.

The key areas for comparison are:
- different mixes of "So Much" and "60 Second Swinger" with whole guitar tracks added
- clarity of vocals, in terms of separation from the backing track
- overall clarity of sound
- degree of stereo separation
- running times altered due to fadeouts and edits
- track sequencing

The 1979 remix is so different from the 1968 original that it should be regarded as a wholly separate work, and in certain spots may actually be superior to the earlier Spectrum release.

The 1980s-1990s bootlegs are based on the 1979 remix, something which not many people realized at the time. They also add a couple of bonus tracks.

The 2003 CD reissue on Hottrax is a lot closer to the 1968 original than the 1979 remix yet differs in important areas, both in terms of mixing and overall sound.


"The Square Root Of Two" (Hottrax 1414, 1979)
- remixed by band member Aleck Janoulis for the reissue

1. Prologue 3:27
2. So Much 2:12
3. In The Air 2:50
4. Plenty Of Trouble 1:48
5. I Can't Believe 9:31

1. 60 Second Swinger 3:08
2. Illusion 3:00
3. Anything But Lies 2:37
4. Turned On 3:44
5. The Hot Rod Song 3:03
6. The Hot Dog Man 2:25

The overall sound is clearly different from the 1968 original mix, more compressed and "garagey". The vocals blend into the backing tracks and there is overall less separation between the instruments. It makes the recordings sound more primitive and muddy than they actually were.

The track order has also been changed, with the extended "I Can't Believe" placed at the end of side 1, and "So Much" following the freaky prologue. At least to me this is a superior running order to the 1968 original.

Notes:
a) the "Prologue" is now almost 10 seconds shorter due to an earlier fadeout.
b) "So Much" has an excellent guitar lead that enters for about 10 seconds at the 1:10 mark, playing a figure somewhat like "Born To Be Wild". On the 1968 version there was no lead instrument in this break, just the rhythm section.
c) "60 Second Swinger" has seen even more drastic changes, as a loud fuzz guitar overdub plays the basic riff throughout the song; on the 1968 version the organ was the lead instrument, with no fuzz in sight. Just as on "So Much" this could be seen as an improvement.
d) "Anything But Lies" is drastically altered with a whole minute (almost exactly 60 seconds) of fuzz/organ rave-up removed vs the original 1968 version; the remix also downplays the psych-effect backing vocals somewhat.

The Hottrax reissue met with enough interest for Janoulis to embark on two other Nightshadows-related projects; the first official release of the "Live At The Spot" album of 1967/1969 live recordings (Hottrax 1430, 1981), and a reunion LP with 1 side of more old live recordings titled "Invasion Of The Acid Eaters" (Hottrax 1450, 1982). Details on these LPs can be found in the Acid Archives Of Underground Sounds.

More Info (source's page) Here

Read A Review Here

~@~@~

Get It Here :
Hottrax 1414, 1979

RapidShare Link :
rapidshare.com/files/Nightshadow_Square_Root.rar
or
SendSpace Link :
www.sendspace.com/file/fsqtqt


Enjoy !!!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Salamander - 2003 - Birds of Appetite

Minneapolis' finest psychedelic export have once again delivered the goods on this, their third full-length (all on Camera Obscura). Guitarists Erik Wivinus (also of local legends Skye Klad and Gentle Tasaday—whose debuts are also available from Camera Obscura) and Sean Connaughty (also of The Vortex Navigations—debut on Camera Obscura as well) team up with bassist Doug Morman and skinpounder Matt Zaun (another Skye Klad member) for a collection of ethnic wyrdfolk which is lighter than their previous "Red" outings ("Mantra" and "Ampersand") and heavier on the Floydisms, ca. "Set the Controls..." In fact, leadoff track "Vessel Is Vacant" cops the riff right out from under Water's nose and eases its way into our cranium like a hot knife through butter. It ends so abruptly, however, I thought they left the coda on the cutting room floor.

"Ithsmus" is easier to absorb than pronounce, circling around the room like a spider ensnaring her prey in a web of guitar duals, Connaughty and Wivinus challenging each other in a series of "can you top this?" guitar runs. "Minutia Divine" has a hint of Spanish air about it, with Connaughty's flamenco-styled guitar hovering over the proceedings as samples, loops, acoustic guitars and Zaun's special fx rumble along like tribal warriors readying for the "sweat tent."

Leonard Nimoy introduces the 11-minute jam, "Sadhu" (in the preamble, "Yeoman, Pt. 1"), which springboards from its early "Set The Controls." atmospherics into referential nods to Grimble Grumble's "Future, The Only Point of Entry" and the band's earlier workouts like "Old Mr. Jones" along the way. It features more spacey "swooshes" over Connaughty's crystalline electric guitar runs as Wivinus serpentines his way over, under, sideways, down and back again in the finest tradition of twin guitar gods Deebank & Lawrence (Felt) and Lever and Smithies (Chameleons.) Snippets of Disintegration-era Robert (Cure) Smith also sneak in for a few guest riffs. This is a guitar head's fantasy come true and these two masters have adjourned as the new "heads" of the class of '01!

Those who remember the 3xLP/2xCD compilation, Harmony of the Spheres from a few years back will appreciate the awe and mystery of the ominous "Trench of Fire" (originally a sidelong, 20-minute extrava-ganja), with its familiar opening strains of Siouxsie's "Premature Burial" eventually yielding to Connaughty's echoey dive-bombing kamikaze assaults on the psyche while Wivinus swabs the deck with thundering Sabbath tonnage and the rhythm section announces the arrival of the Walkyrie. The tightly focused piece takes a few minutes to find its footing (common with lengthy, improvised jams of this sort), but soon combines elements of krautrock (Can and Amon Duul II come to mind) with industrial-strength, screeching guitars (perhaps inspired by the gothic influences of Wivinus' side project, Skye Klad) that will surely have the Cleopatra death metal kids creaming in their jeans. The sensual overload pinned me to my chair, leaving permanent imprints on my cerebellum.

The jam continues on "Mumpsimus' Lament." Unfortunately, the slight pause between tracks fails to take advantage of the CD technology, leaving us once again with a break in the vibe, and the appearance that we are joining our heroes mid-jam, similar to the outtakes on Abunai!'s Round Wound. Just as listeners were previously forced to turn the record over, the pause is unsettling and awkward. I would have preferred if the two tracks ran together, creating a seamless continuity so obvious in the music itself. The trade-off with this missed opportunity is a vastly superior sound, particularly over my copy of the original double-vinyl release, which had annoying, bowel-evacuating, scratch-the-stylus-across-the-record scratches at the end of each side.

The clanging bells at the onset of "The Wreck of Old 99" may be some sunken liner at the bottom of one of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes, but I'm going out on a limb and offering an alternate reading: the (often indistinguishable) TV samples and funereal organ flourishes, to my ear, signal the end of the 20th century.

Ending this album with this particular track, in light of what's proceeded, indicates not only the end of the century, but the end of Salamander's "phase 1" and the start of a gentler, kinder direction. Goodbye "Old Mr. Jones." He's dead and buried and Salamander have embarked on a new journey to the stars. The Birds of Appetite (a pseudonym for vultures?) are circling overhead observing the carnage of our past, their tears of remorse dousing the fires of the apocalypse below.

source : http://www.fakejazz.com/reviews/2003/salamander2.shtml

Download It Here :

RapidShare : Part 1 ~ Part 2
or
SendSpace : Part 1 ~ Part 2

Sunday, November 11, 2007

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band

This somewhat mysterious collection of L.A. players issued several albums in the late '60s that plugged into the era's standard folk-rock, freakouts, and trippy lyrics without establishing a solid identity of their own. But because the currents they were riding were themselves so inspired, average in this case doesn't necessarily mean bad. They cut a fair number of tracks, moving without rhyme or reason from straightforward Byrds and Kinks cops to zany orchestrated self-absorbed psychedelic pop to self-conscious exercises in hippy outrageousness (including, of all things, a cover of the Mothers' "Help I'm a Rock"). Though their legacy reeks of determined trendiness, the best of their output holds up reasonably well.

~from allmusic...

With their impressive light show, the band became popular around Los Angeles and were signed by Reprise Records.
~from wikipedia...

~@~@~


The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - Vol.1
later reissued as Volume one with bonus tracks
Volume One (1997 Sundazed)

Volume One and was the first album recorded by the influential psychedelic rock band, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. The album was first released in 1966 on the small record label, FIFO, before being reissued on compact disc in 1997 by the recording label Sundazed. The album features covers of popular songs from the mid 1960's such as Richard Berry's Louie, Louie, The Kinks' You Really Got Me. The songs mellow out into a blues/folk style with covers of Bob Dylan songs.

Get It :
RapidShare or SendSpace

~@~@~

Part One (1967)

Their first "proper" album, "Part One", ranged from anthemic pop songs and acoustic ballads to harder-edged psychedelic numbers. It reflected the tensions between the band’s musicians and Markley, who effectively controlled the band’s output but who was regarded by the others as musically untalented. Markley contributed rambling pseudo-psychedelic lyrics and spoken sections, and the album also included ill-assorted inputs from nominal co-producer Jimmy Bowen, songwriters Baker Knight and P.F. Sloan, drummer Hal Blaine and pianist Van Dyke Parks. Disputes between Markley and Michael Lloyd also led to the inclusion of guitarist Ron Morgan (1945-1989), who over time became a fully fledged member of the band.

Get It :
RapidShare or SendSpace

~@~@~

Vol. 2: Breaking Through (1967)

Recorded and released in 1967, "Volume Two – Breaking Through" was a more ambitious and coherent album, with all of the tracks credited either in whole or in part to members of the band. It featured Markley’s anti-war rant "Suppose They Give A War And No One Comes?" – partly based on a speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt – and the song "Smell of Incense", featuring Morgan’s guitar work and later covered by Southwest F.O.B. The album also started to demonstrate Markley’s lyrical obsession with young girls.

Get It :
RapidShare or SendSpace

~@~@~

Vol.3 A Child's Guide to Good and Evil (1968)

The next album, "Volume III - A Child's Guide To Good And Evil" is generally regarded as the group's high point. However, again the naive peace-and-love message of some of the songs sat uneasily beside the ironic cynicism of tracks like "A Child Of A Few Hours Is Burning To Death", and the songs showed a tension between the Harris brothers’ melodies, Morgan’s strident lead guitar and effects, and Markley’s sometimes bizarre declamations. By this time, the band effectively consisted of Markley, Morgan and Shaun Harris, with Danny Harris having withdrawn through illness.

Get It :
RapidShare or SendSpace

~@~@~

Where's My Daddy? (1969)

The two Harris brothers, both disillusioned with Markley and with the group’s lack of commercial success, reunited in 1968 to form a touring band, California Spectrum, apparently also with Michael Lloyd’s involvement. However, this was not a success, and they returned to record a further West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band album, "Where's My Daddy?" This was credited to a line-up of Markley and the Harris brothers, although both Lloyd and Morgan also contributed.

Get It :
RapidShare or SendSpace

~@~@~

Markley, A Group (1970)

In 1970, a further album emerged, "Markley, A Group", which, although presented as a Markley solo album, had the active involvement of the whole band, including both Lloyd and Danny Harris.

Get It :
RapidShare or SendSpace

~@~@~

After that time, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band ceased to exist. Michael Lloyd became the Vice President of A & R at MGM, aged 20, in 1969, and went on to win a Grammy with Lou Rawls, to produce hits for the Osmonds, Shaun Cassidy and Leif Garrett, and to produce the best-selling soundtrack to "Dirty Dancing". Shaun Harris released a solo album in 1973, and worked with Barry Manilow, but eventually retired from the music scene to set up a successful children’s film festival. Danny Harris also released a solo album, in 1980, and has worked as a folk musician and actor. Ron Morgan went on to join Three Dog Night and then a touring version of the Electric Prunes, and later worked as a cab driver and janitor, before his death from hepatitis in 1989. Bob Markley worked as a record producer for a short while, but then ran into legal issues arising from his fascination with underage girls, as well as other domestic and health problems. He was last heard of in a mental hospital in the mid-1990s.

Enjoy !!!

Thanks strummy for this post !!!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

New Dawn - 1969 - There's A New Dawn

New Dawn - 1969 - There's A New Dawn

Tracks :
1. (There's A) New Dawn
2. I See A Day
3. It's Time
4. It's Rainin'
5. Hear Me Cryin'
6. Dark Thoughts
7. Proud Man
8. Billy Come Lately
9. Well Fall In Love
10. You
11. Last Morning
12. Life Goes On

Excellent 60s garage / psychedelia

Rare US psych garage from 1970, dreamy and atmospheric. Pounding bass and fuzz guitar back up softly melodic vocals whilst the bands songs are filled with a sense of dreamy despair.

Originally released by Hoot in 1970. Psychedelic rock band hailing from Salem, Oregon. The album is full of fuzz guitars & 'acid' organ sounds but with a few nice soft rock ballads.

anyone having more info is more than welcomed to share it with us

Download It Here :

http://rapidshare.com/files/68756683/new_dawn.rar

Michael Chapman - 1969 - Rainmaker

Michael Chapman - 1969 - Rainmaker

Genre Folk
Styles British Folk, British Folk-Rock

In 1969 British singer/songwriter Michael Chapman took the U.K.'s folk-rock world by surprise with his debut album, Rainmaker, on the Harvest label. In an era when each week garnered a new surprise in the music world, gathering serious and widespread critical acclaim wasn't easy, and finding a buying public near impossible. Rainmaker showcases a new talent who holds nothing back for himself. Every songwriting principle and trick, killer guitar riff, and songwriting hook in his bag makes an appearance here (something he would never do again). As a result, there are several truly striking things about the album that makes it stand out from the rest of the Brit folk-rock slog from the late '60s. One of them is Chapman's guitar playing. A true stylist in his own right, he holds a middle line between John Martyn and Bert Jansch with the provocative electric rock funkiness of Martyn juxtaposed against the rock solid folk traditional so wonderfully espoused by Jansch. Another is Chapman's lean, carved, sleek lyrical style, preferring the starkness of poetry to the lush elements of the song styles usually found on records of this type. Both are put to fine use on the opener, "It Didn't Work Out," a gorgeous broken love ballad with a philosophical bent, along with Chapman's doleful resigned vocal; the electric guitars cascade over fingerpicked acoustics, and acoustic and electric basses — courtesy of Rick Kemp and Danny Thompson. Here, the old-English melody style was welded to a rock backbeat and fused into a whole, rhythmic, elegant, but sparse tale of broken love. The fiery emotions were carried through the measures by Chapman's tumultuous guitar leads. On the title track, an instrumental with thunderstorm sound effects, the weave between electricity and natural sound grows tighter. When playing in traditional or blues styles, such as the dark, menacing folk-blues of "No One Left to Care," Chapman fuses the rock pulse to the folk or blues song, open-tuning his guitars to such a degree that drones created multiple tones and a solid bottom for his voice to pounce down upon. They also create a sense of emotional honesty not so prevalent on the scene at the time — artists were given to interpret old songs with an air of academic distance — Chapman chews his words and spits them out while rifling off guitar riffs at every turn that are as gnarly and venomous as anything by Richard Thompson at the time. Not to mention the stunning instrumental "Thank You, P.K., 1944," with its silvery 12-string work that turns the tonal qualities of the instrument inside out so completely you could swear there were three guitars players — despite the fact that none of the guitar parts were overdubbed — or the shimmering, high-whining slide work on the rock growler "Small Stones." The CD reissue contains five bonus tracks, a shorter single version of "It Didn't Work Out," and its B-side, "Mozart Lives Uptown," as well as a second part to that track, "On My Way Again," and the humorous but poignant "Bert Jansch Meets Frankenstein" (the latter three previously unreleased). As auspicious a debut as Rainmaker was for its fine songwriting, history has proved it to be more so because it's the only record in Chapman's distinguished catalog where he ever showcased his truly virtuosic talent as a guitarist. Why, is anybody's guess?

Tracks :
1. It Didn't Work Out (Chapman) - 5:16
2. Rainmaker (Chapman) - 3:38
3. You Say (Chapman) - 3:43
4. Thank You P.K. 1944 (Chapman) - 4:14
5. No-One Left to Care (Chapman) - 4:22
6. Small Stones (Chapman) - 3:02
7. Not So Much a Garden-More Like a Maze (Chapman) - 5:35
8. No Song to Sing (Chapman) - 3:45
9. One Time Thing (Chapman) - 4:51
10. Sunday Morning (Chapman) - 4:27
11. Goodbye to Monday Night (Chapman) - 5:01
12. It Didn't Work Out (Chapman) - 3:44
13. Mozart Lives Upstairs (Chapman) - 3:58
14. Mozart Lives Upstairs, Prt. 2 (Chapman) - 1:05
15. On My Way Again (Chapman) - 6:41
16. Bert Jansch Meet Frankenstein (Chapman) - 2:04

Personnel :
Michael Chapman - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Mick Ronson - Guitar
Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
Dave "Clem" Clempson - Guitar
Alex Dmochowski - Bass
Norman Haines - Organ
Rick Kemp - Bass
Barry Morgan - Drums
Danny Thompson - Bass


Michael_Chapman_-_1969_-_Rainmaker.part1.rar

Michael_Chapman_-_1969_-_Rainmaker.part2.rar
16_Bert_Jansch_Meets_Frankenstein.mp3

posted by BlackCatBone (http://standinatthecrossroads-blackcatbone.blogspot.com)

Friday, November 09, 2007

Loudon Wainwright III - 1970 - First Album

Loudon's first was to set him off on a great career. Some excellent songs here and a few not so good. But, well worth knowing if you like Loudon. Certainly I do!

Packing tonight for what is likely to be 2 weeks in Singapore - Sigh...

1. School Days
2. Hospital Lady
3. Ode To A Pittsburgh
4. Glad To See You've Got Religion
5. Uptown
6. Black Uncle Remus
7. Four Is A Magic Number
8. I Don't Care
9. Central Square Song
10. Movies Are A Mother To Me
11. Bruno's Place

Loudon First Album

Landberk - 1995 - Unaffected

Unaffected's a bit of an odd one; when I spoke to Stefan Dimle about it, he laughed and referred to it as a 'bootleg', although other people have refuted this, so it's difficult to know what to think. It sounds like a soundboard tape to me, with the vocals sometimes too high in the mix, and the sleeve lacks the professional sheen of the band's official releases, but it's been so widely available, unchallenged by the band, that I feel compelled to include it. N.B. Mauro Ranchicchio tells me that it was supposed to be given away free with issue #6 of 'Melodie & Dissonanze' fanzine, but the mag went under after issue #5. As the CD had already been mastered (and manufactured?), it was sold through shops instead, although it would appear that the band had no say in this state of affairs.

Anyway, the band are playing in front of small club audiences in Italy and Germany in early '95, with vocalist Patric Helje singing in both Swedish and English. Many of the songs are extended versions, giving the band room to relax and stretch out a little, making a change from the also valid 'straight copy of studio version' outfits. The one outstanding performance included here is the opener, a great, Mellotron-driven version of Van der Graaf Generator's Afterwards, from The Aerosol Grey Machine, the Peter Hammill solo project that somehow ended up as the first VdGG album. In fact, thinking about it, Van der Graaf are one of Landberk's more obvious influences, although without the shouty bits. Anyway, most of the rest of the songs are from Riktigt Äkta/Lonely Land, mainly with 'Tron parts intact, although strangely, neither Pray For Me Now or Song From Kallsedet have any Mellotron at all, with the band presumably preferring Nordberg's Hammond drones. Whether or not Unaffected is 'official' isn't that relevant, really, especially with the band having gone the way of all things, so, generally recommended.

Review taked from Planet Mellotron.

Tracks:

1. Afterwards (4:42)

2. Waltz of the dark riddle (5:05)

3. You & I (6:22)

4. The tree 9:35)

5. Rememberence (8:28)

6. Pray for me now (8:50)

7. Song from Kallsedet (5:38)

8. Undrar om ni ser (10:59)

Musicians:

Patric Helje / Vocals

Reine Fiske / Guitar

Stefan Dimle / Bass

Simon Nordberg / Keyboards
Jonas Lidholm / Drums

Unaffected

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Fit & Limo 1998 "The Serpent Unrolled"

A slice of German Folk Psych for you as per request.

With 2 cover tracks Grateful Dead's Dark Star and Pearls Before Swine Images Of April.

This is a great album with Sitar blissfully coating your ears in a psychedelic manner. I'm glad this was requested as it reminded me of how good it is. Sends you back to the days when Psych was Psych.

Tracks:

01 Morgenroroe (Limo)
02 Born In The Eleventh Month (Limo)
03 Dark Star (Hunter / Garcia)
04 Walking The Labyrinth (Limo)
05 Song Of The Basilisk (Limo)
06 Florence's Birthday (Limo)
07 Images Of April (Rapp)
08 Salad Day (Limo)
09 Marry Me (Limo)
10 I'll Be Clay (Limo)
11 Mondisch (Fit / Limo)
12 Traumtür (Fit / Limo)
13 The Dew (Limo)
14 Her Ancient Theme (Limo)

Musicians:
Fit - autoharp, glockenspiel, whistle, percussion, jew's harp, paino strings, gopichand, kazoo, handy organ, violin, metallophone, toy piano, harmonium, tubular bells, bass, noises, vocals

Limo - church organ, bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin, veeh harp, shenai, piano, bongos, sitar, clay drums, tabla, xylophone, handy organ, banjo, dulcimer, bouzouki, whistle, kalimba, clarinet, percussion, electric guitar, vocals

3 years after Fit & Limo's last real album ("Autre Monde") the public is permitted another earful of their sound alchemy. Numerous well-known and strange instruments (new ones like church organ, Veeh harp and xylophone complement the usual F&L suspects such as violin, autoharp, sitar, mandolin, glockenspiel, piano, clay drums, bongos etc) pair up with nursery rhymes and cryptic messages. Beyond the "Traumtür" lies a medieval fairytale world of cranes and toads, basilisks and lions, spirals and stones, dew and cauldrons. A labyrinth of sounds, noises and harmonies unfolds. Fit & Limo playfully celebrate their unique mystic folk- incorporating elements of American acid/Middle Eastern/Celtic/British (Incredible String Band, Caedmon) folk- on the way to the 3rd millennium. Beside 12 originals "The Serpent Unrolled" contains 2 cover versions: Grateful Dead's "Dark Star" and "Images of April" by Tom Rapp/Pearls Before Swine.

Credits
Mastering - Wilfried Zahn, Bremen
Sleeve design, artwork - Eva Kohler
Serpent painting - Mrs. Fit
Photography of Fit & Limo - Therry
Produced and mixed at the Party Shrine, 1997/98 except Images Of April, 1996
Thanks, love and respect to everyone who supported us once, now and then

The Serpent Unrolled (@192 Sorry, no covers).

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

CD Catalogue Expert

This is a useful little utility that scans hard drtives and CD/DVDs for media and catalogue it all for you. It is the full release.

Included I have scanned my On Line media and will accept requests should anyone want any of that posted.

I will be away in Singapore for up to 2 weeks, so will respond to any requests when I rerturn.

This will also be posted to the PNF blog.

CD Catalog Expert

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Cyrkle

Cyrkle - 1966 - Red Rubber Ball

Tracks :
1. Red Rubber Ball
2. Why Can't You Give Me What I Want
3. Baby, You're Free
4. Big, Little Woman
5. Cloudy
6. Cry
7. Turn-Down Day
8. There's A Fire In The Fireplace
9. Bony Moronie
10. How Can I Leave Her
11. Money To Burn
12. Straighten Out My Messed Up Life
13. Dwontown Blues
14. How Can I Leave Her (demo)
15. Money To Burn (demo)
16. We Had A Good Thing Goin'
17. Reading Her Paper
18. Penny Arcade
19. The Words

The Cyrkle 'Red Rubber Ball' & 'Neon', 1966 was a good year for The Cyrkle, they scored a #2 hit with Paul Simon's 'Red Rubber Ball', joined The Beatles on their final U.S. tour, and recorded 'Red Rubber Ball' and 'Neon', albums with some of the most soaring three-part harmonies and intricate arrangements that 60s pop music had to offer.

RapidShare.com Link
http://rapidshare.com/files/67426118/Cyrkle_1966.rar
or
SendSpace Link
http://www.sendspace.com/file/75opep

Cyrkle - 1967 - Neon

Tracks :
1. Don't Cry, No Fears, No Tears Comin' Your Way
2. The Visit (She Was Here)
3. Weight Of Your Words
4. I Wish I Could Be Here
5. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
6. Two Rooms
7. Our Love Affair's In Question
8. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
9. Problem Child
10. Please Don't Ever Leave Me
11. I'm Not Sure What I Wanna Do
12. Don't Cry, No Fears, No Tears Comin' Your Way (alt. version)
13. You Can't Go Home Again
14. Terry's Theme
15. We Said Goodbye (And Went Our Separate Ways Or So We Thought)
16. Turn Of The Century
17. Friends
18. Where Are You Going
19. Red Chair Fade Away
20. Camaro

1966 was a good year for the Cyrkle in rapid succession, they inked a contract with Columbia Records, scored a #2 hit with Paul Simon's 'Red Rubber Ball', gained a coveted spot on the Beatles' final U.S. tour, and recorded Red Rubber Ball and Neon, two longplayers with some of the most soaring three-part harmonies and intricate arrangements that '60s pop music had to offer.

RapidShare Link
http://rapidshare.com/files/67426016/Cyrkle_1967.rar
or
SendSpace Link
http://www.sendspace.com/file/o5era9


Cyrkle - 1968 - The Minx [OST]

Tracks :
1. Squeeze Play
2. Minx [Vocal Version]
3. Murray the Why
4. Rigging
5. Party
6. Nicole [Stereo]
7. It's a Lovely Game Louise
8. Minx [Instrumental]
9. Something Special
10. On the Road
11. Walter's Riff
12. Chase
13. Terry's Theme
14. Something Special [Alternative Instrumental]
15. Kites
16. Squeeze Play [Film Version]
17. Murray the Why [Film Version]
18. Nicole [Film Version]
19. Baxter's Dangerous Game
20. Terry's Escape

Plush '60s pop-sike! In 1967, fresh from the Top Ten with 'Red Rubber Ball' & 'Turn Down Day,' the Cyrkle recorded The Minx, an intriguing soundtrack laden with three-part harmonies & breezily intricate arrangements.

RapidShare Link
http://rapidshare.com/files/67425974/Cyrkle_1968.rar
or
SendSpace Link
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ojcqww


Bio from Wiki :
The band was formed by guitarists and lead singers Don Dannemann and Tom Dawes (bass guitar), who met while studying at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. The other members were Earl Pickens on keyboards and Marty Fried on drums. They were originally a "frat rock" band called The Rhondells, but were later discovered and managed by Brian Epstein, who was better known as manager of The Beatles. Epstein's partner was New York attorney Nathan Weiss. Weiss heard the band in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Labor Day in 1965. He became their manager and renamed them. John Lennon provided the unique spelling of their new name. They were produced by John Simon.

In the summer of 1966, they opened on fourteen dates for the Beatles during their U.S. tour. On August 28 they headed the opening acts performing prior to The Beatles at Dodger Stadium. The remaining artists who appeared were Bobby Hebb, The Ronettes, and The Remains. Before touring with The Beatles, The Cyrkle had a successful engagement at the Downtown Discotheque in New York City.

The Cyrkle is best known for their 1966 song "Red Rubber Ball", which went to #2 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was co-written by Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel and Bruce Woodley of The Seekers. It was released on the Columbia record label. The band had one more Top 20 hit, "Turn-Down Day" later in 1966. After the release of the debut album, Red Rubber Ball, they recorded a second album, Neon, in late 1966, and a movie soundtrack, The Minx, in 1967. They followed that with various singles, then disbanded in late 1967.

Both Dawes and Danneman became professional jingle writers following the demise of The Cyrkle. Dawes later wrote the famous "plop plop fizz fizz" jingle for Alka-Seltzer. Danneman wrote jingles for Continental Airlines and Swanson Foods. He penned the original 7-Up Uncola song. In 1977 Dawes produced for Foghat.

Mondo Topless - 2006 - Take It Slow

Mondo Topless - 2006 - Take It Slow

(Get Hip Recordings GH1132)

Tracks :
1. Take It Slow 3:17
2. Louise 2:35
3. It Hurts Me 2:43
4. Beer 2:09
5. Can't Dig It 3:49
6. Conundrum 2:20
7. Powerglide 2:01
8. Stupidity 2:15
9. Just One Thrill 2:47
10. Crawl 4:41

After titling their second album Go Fast!, Philadelphia garage rock mavens Mondo Topless might seem to be making a creative about-face on their third disc, Take It Slow. But don't let that title fool you -- this is Mondo Topless as fans have always known and loved them, cranking out primitive ' 60s style rawk with lots of Farfisa organ from keyboard man Sam Steinig, plenty of raunchy guitar leads from Kris Alutius, and all manner of crashing and bashing courtesy bassist Scott Rodgers and drummer Alex Beisker. The guys in Mondo Topless would doubtless agree that they're not exactly reinventing the wheel with this stuff, but they do a really good job of blending an authentic garage sounds with enough buzz-off attitude on numbers like "Beer" and "Can't Dig It" to give the Mummies a run for their money, and the group writes songs that move and groove with the best of 'em. And at less than thirty minutes in length, you can't say that Mondo Topless wear out their welcome with this disc. Put Take It Slow on your stereo, crank it up, open a case or two of the malt beverage of your choice, and you'll have a party of lease-breaking proportions in no time; Mondo Topless are a band spoiling for a good time, and they'll let you have one too if you give them half a chance.
~Review by Mark Deming (AMG)

Download Links :
(ogg VBR 320-500kbps + artwork)
rapidshare.com/MonTopTakItS.part1.rar
rapidshare.com/MonTopTakItS.part2.rar

Enjoy !!!

posted by Stratos

Monday, November 05, 2007

Bob Ray - 1970 - Initation Of A Mystic

Excellent California Mystical Folk Psych LP with a mellow trippy vibe and some Donovan influences by Bob Ray who previously played with Thorinshield.


Los Angeles psych-folkie Bob Ray first earned attention as a session player, contributing bass to Donovan's now-legendary May 1966 sessions that yielded the classic "Season of the Witch." The following year he teamed with singer/guitarist James Smith and drummer Terry Hand in the sunshine pop trio Thorinshield, signing to Phillips to record their debut single, "The Best of It," produced by famed session saxophonist Teenage Steve Douglas and arranged by the great Perry Botkin, Jr. A self-titled LP soon followed, but after just one more single, 1968's "Family of Man," Thorinshield splintered, and Ray signed to Johnny Rivers' Soul City label. With Rivers assuming production duties, veteran Hal Paich handling the string arrangements, and the famed Wrecking Crew (studio virtuosos including Hal Blaine on drums, Joe Osborne on bass, and Larry Knechtel on keyboards) providing support, he cut his lone solo LP, Initiation of a Mystic, recalling Donovan with his lush, ambitious psych-pop. Ray essentially dropped from sight soon after the record's 1968 release, although Initiation of a Mystic remains a collector's item.


Get it here
bob_ray_-_1970_-__initiation_of_a_mystic.rar
bob_ray_-_11._islands__poem_.mp3

Fushitsusha - Double Live (PSF3/4) + Double Live (PSF15/16)

KEIJI HEINO!!! Here are BOTH unbelievable double live Fushitsusha albums. Cosmic guitar monstrosities in that fascinating, hypnotic, and inimitable Japanese style. These are really something else: Four full hours of squeals; squalls; moans; screams; blasts; explosions; long, meandering lyrical passages; and Ur-rock jams. Ripped at extreme VBR for your listening pleasure.

PSF (3/4) Disc 1
PSF (3/4) Disc 2

PSF (15/16) Disc 1
PSF (15/16) Disc 2 (part 1)
PSF (15/16) Disc 2 (part 2)

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Joan Baez - 1975 - Diamonds & Rust

1. "Diamonds & Rust" (Joan Baez)
2. "Fountain Of Sorrow" (Jackson Browne)
3. "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer" (Stevie Wonder/Syreeta Wright)
4. "Children And All That Jazz" (Joan Baez)
5. "Simple Twist Of Fate" (Bob Dylan)
6. "Blue Sky" (Dickey Betts)
7. "Hello In There" (John Prine)
8. "Jesse" (Janis Ian)
9. "Winds Of The Old Days" (Joan Baez)
10. "Dida" (duet with Joni Mitchell) (Joan Baez)
11. Medley: "I Dream Of Jeannie" (Stephen Foster) / "Danny Boy" (Frederick Weatherly)

With the Vietnam War winding down, Joan Baez, who had devoted one side of her last album to her trip to Hanoi, delivered the kind of commercial album A&M Records must have wanted when it signed her three years earlier. But she did it on her own terms, putting together a session band of contemporary jazz veterans like Larry Carlton, Wilton Felder, and Joe Sample, and mixing a wise selection from the work of current singer-songwriters like Jackson BrowneJohn Prine with pop covers of Stevie Wonder and the Allman Brothers Band, and an unusually high complement of her own writing. A&M, no doubt recalling the success of her cover of the Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," released her version of the Allmans' "Blue Sky" as a single, and it got halfway up the charts. But the real hit was the title track, a self-penned masterpiece on the singer's favorite subject, her relationship with Bob Dylan. Outdoing the current crop of confessional singer/songwriters at soul baring, Baez sang to Dylan, reminiscing about her '60s love affair with him intensely, affectionately, and unsentimentally. It was her finest moment as a songwriter and one of her finest performances, period, and when A&M finally released it on 45, it made the Top 40, propelling the album to gold status. But those who bought the disc for "Diamonds & Rust" also got to hear "Winds of the Old Days," in which Baez forgave Dylan for abandoning the protest movement, as well as the jazzy "Children and All That Jazz," a delightful song about motherhood, and the wordless vocals of "Dida," a duet with Joni Mitchell accompanied by Mitchell's backup band, Tom Scott and the L.A. Express. The cover songs were typically accomplished, making this the strongest album of Baez's post-folk career.

by William Ruhlmann AMG

view Diamonds & Rust live : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMHSbcd_qI

Download It Here :

http://rapidshare.com/files/67406261/diamonds___rust.rar

High Rise - Live (1994)

The Squealer website says: "High Rise is an explosive power trio comprising the core of Asahito Nanjo on bass and vocals and Munehiro Narita on guitar, joined by a succession of drummers (including Yuro Ujiie, Pill and free-jazz veteran Shoji Hano in the past, and Koji Shimura currently). High Rise mix the jazz-influenced improvising of live Cream with the often brutal amphetamine-inspired rock of Blue Cheer. Narita is one of rock's unsung guitar players, and his dexterous fingering causes eruptions of pure electric joy. The other players are equally stunning in their total commitment to this high energy music that features the freedom of jazz and the power of rock."

There's a lot of understatement in that paragraph. People, this is the real deal. These three guys will take your head off, nail it to the wall, and then knock that wall down with their guitars. Incredible lightspeed psychedelic guitar mayhem. The songs are just flimsy garage-rock excuses for quite possibly the greatest freakout jamming you have ever heard. This is not an exaggeration. The jams on this "double" live album (3 sides, with a gorgeous laser-etched design for side 4) just might be the Apotheosis.
Get it HERE.
Read what the Drude has to say about it HERE.

Mamas & the Papas - Deliver [1967]

By the time the Mamas and the Papas recorded and released their third album, the group was continuing, in the words of singer Denny Doherty, "on its own momentum." Acrimonious personnel changes, rock stardom, fame, money, and drugs (among other factors) were taking their toll on the group's chemistry. Fortunately, this momentum is precisely the reason that the album succeeds. Buttressed by the singles "Creeque Alley" (the sometimes hilarious story of how the group came together), "Look Through My Window," and the stupendous remake of "Dedicated to the One I Love," the album has some exquisite moments. "Look Through My Window" also is one of the group's most realized recordings, and the cover of "Twist and Shout" is an absolute killer. Much of the record, frankly, doesn't sound too different than the group's first two albums, but with the songwriting, vocal, and production excellence, why tamper with genius? The group felt so too, which is why this album is Michelle Phillips' personal favorite. It's not too hard to see why. [Allmusic]

Track list;
01 - Dedicated To The One I Love
02 - My Girl.
03 - Creeque Alley
04 - Sing For Your Supper
05 - Twist And Shout
06 - Free Advice
07 - Look Through My Window
08 - Boys And Girls Together
09 - String Man
10 - Frustration
11 - Did You Ever Want To Cry
12 - John's Music Box

[--]

Style; Folk-Rock

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Kousokuya - 1st (1991)

Brutal, time-dilating, pitch-perfect Japanese guitar skronk. Horrible, wonderful, exhausting, exhilarating, baffling, meaningless, profound power-trio noise. Like trying to do meditation exercises in an industrial meat grinder. And quite different from the live album posted below.

Get it HERE (@192)

The Stems - Terminal Cool (Anthology 1983-1986)

The Stems - Terminal Cool (Anthology 1983-1986)

Get Hip Records GH-1130

Tracks :
1. She's A Monster
2. Make You Mine
3. Tears Me In Two
4. No Heart
5. Can't Resist
6. Love Will Grow
7. Under Your Mushroom
8. Just Ain't Enough
9. Jumping To Conclusions
10. On & On
11. For Always
12. Terminal Cool
13. Don't Let Me
14. All You Want Me For
15. Mr. Misery
16. Sad Girl
17. She's Fine
18. Can't Forget That Girl
19. Lon Chaney Juniors Daughter
20. Spaceship
21. Let Your Head Rest

Very cool, 21-track retrospective of Dom Mariani + the boys very cool garage-pop outfit! Features 4 previously unreleased tracks and 1 track making it's CD debut! Captures a confident, self-assured band recorded during those halcyon years of 1983 - 1986 proving that they were indeed an extremely varied animal and effectively showcases their versatility from the Fuzztone hits “She's a Monster” and "Tears Me In Two", to the bluesy garage bop of “On and On", Byrdsian jangle of “Love Will Grow”, the pure pop of “Can't Forget that Girl” and the psychedelic snarl of “Jumping to Conclusions”.

Read A Review Here

Download Links :
(ogg VBR 320-500kbps + artwork)
rapidshare.com/StTerCoo.part1.rar
rapidshare.com/StTerCoo.part2.rar
rapidshare.com/StTerCoo.part3.rar

Thanks Stratos for this one !!!