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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 8:41:37 GMT -5
Tangerine Dream is the 1967 debut album by Kaleidoscope, the UK band that later changed its name to Fairfield Parlour. I remember from my first encounter with this album at PSF (thank you again, OP) that my favourite track was the wonderfully named "[Further Reflections] In The Room Of Percussion" ("My god, the spiders are everywhere..."): I see Tangerine Dream is now held in the highest esteem and has been compared to the likes of The Piper at the Gates Of Dawn. I also recall being impressed with Fairfield Parlour's 1970 album From Home to Home. www.vcn.bc.ca/~htmlsig/peter.htmen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaleidoscope_(UK_band)
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 9:04:32 GMT -5
Tim Hollier should be much better known than is the case. His stunning if criminally unknown 1968 album Message to a Harlequin features its arranger "John Cameron on harpsichord, organ and piano, Harold McNair on flute, Danny Thompson on bass and Tony Carr on drums, and Tim sings and wrote the songs--this makes for a colourful combination of instruments which give the album a 'folky', baroque feel." This is the hypnotic title track, "a fantastic display of psychedelic acid-folk, with dreamy lyrics, 'by the silver palace tower in the wild sunlight swaying… in his robes of silk and satin, trimmed with juniper and lime, he tells his timeless story to the quiet of the mind,' transporting the listener to a pre-raphaelite, Arthurian world, smothered in a psychedelic haze." Source: moofmag.com/2017/06/16/album-of-the-week-tim-hollier-message-to-a-harlequin-1968/ |
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 9:23:10 GMT -5
One of the most unlikely candidates for psych rock fame is Dantalion's Chariot, who mere months earlier had been called Zoot Money's Big Roll Band and played the soul-struttin' likes of this: "Big Time Operator" (which I remember well) was Zoot's biggest hit, reaching #25 in the UK in July 1966. (Interestingly, both bands included future Police guitarist Andy Summers.) All the music on Chariot Rising was recorded in 1967 but the album was compiled 29 years later. It's among the "Not Impressed With"s in the OP's list of obscure psychedelic albums, of which she says the "last two tracks are good". I listened to it all the way through just now and I disagree (it happens)--my two choices are the album's single and opening track, the UK psychedelic classic "Madman Running Through The Fields", and "Soma", a sitar guitar and flute fuelled instrumental. [Regrettably this video has done a runner -- jk]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantalian%27s_Chariot |
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 10:50:16 GMT -5
I couldn't remember anything about this self-titled 1968 album by Ivory (I can't believe I skipped it first time round) so I listened to it again tonight. Ivory is a trio (see blurb below) so it would be cool to learn who played bass and drums--maybe this will come to light some time. I must admit much of it is a little too Airplaney for my liking, although I do like "Free And Easy", "Laugh" and the stunning closer, the piano and fuzz guitar heavy "Grey November" (maybe the rest of the album will grow on me): [Regrettably this video has done a runner -- jk]This blurb comes from near the bottom of a long page so it's more practical to reproduce it here (I won't make a habit of this!): "Ivory is one of those fascinating California rock bands that seemed to spontaneously materialize in the heady psychedelic days of late '60s, making a brief but outstanding impression before just as quickly fading along with its music into the headless 1970s, never to be heard from again. Most such artists rarely merit rescuing from obscurity, but Ivory is one of the few that deserves what little belated acclaim might come its way in the era of CD reissue. "Guitarist and songwriter Ken Thomure spent his high-school years playing in any number of amateur and semi-professional combos with friend, classmate, and keyboardist Mike McCauley in Boron, CA, a town situated next door to Edwards Air Force Base about 90 miles outside Los Angeles. Their various aggregates played military clubs, teen hangouts, schools, battle-of-bands, and just about anywhere else that would have them. Upon graduation, the duo decided to move to Hollywood together to give the music business a shot. By chance, while hitchhiking, they ran into Chris Christman on the Sunset Strip one day shortly after arriving, and asked her, partly on the basis of her blonde good looks, to audition for them. As it turned out, she was also a burgeoning songwriter and vocalist of considerable, Grace Slick-like skill. The newly formed trio moved into a downtown loft with a group of art students and made its living playing nearby small clubs in the Hollywood and Santa Monica areas, as well as throwing occasional 'rent parties' by enlisting a number of other bands to play and help publicize the events. This makeshift apprenticeship in enterprise led to the formation of a legitimate production company and offers for out-of-town concerts. "Ivory began landing auditions and were hired to create the soundtrack for an underground film. The band also earned a recording contract and, under the tutelage of well-known producers Al Schmitt and Les Brown Jr., recorded the Ivory album, a dead ringer for fellow Schmitt-production the Jefferson Airplane. This brought the band an agent and bigger concerts and gigs, including an appearance on The Tonight Show. Ivory's first promotional tour took them to almost every city in Colorado. It also, however, turned out to be the band's only tour. Upon the trio's return to Los Angeles, McCauley was drafted, sent to Vietnam, and wounded, in effect, breaking up Ivory. Christman did make a solo album in the early '70s, but then married and moved out of state. Thomure and McCauley dropped out of music altogether but continued to play together occasionally." Source: fantasy0807.blogspot.com/2008/04/june-2007-pt2.html |
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 10:56:28 GMT -5
In 1967, NYC quintet The Third Bardo paid a one-off visit to the studio where they recorded six tracks, including a criminally underexposed single, "Five Years Ahead Of My Time" (love those triplets!). And then they broke up. In 2000 (and again in 2018) Sundazed released everything from that session on a 10" EP. Two other tracks from it I'd recommend are "Lose Your Mind" (here at 7:05) and "I Can Understand Your Problem" (11:50). All good stuff, once again thanks to the OP.  www.discogs.com/The-Third-Bardo-Im-Five-Years-Ahead-Of-My-Time-5/release/11813793en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Bardo |
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Post by dauber on May 28, 2020 11:03:01 GMT -5
For me...
David Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name... - I only first heard this album this year, and my jaw hit the floor that such a great album eluded me my whole life.
Eric Burdon & The Animals' The Twain Shall Meet - I'm really surprised this album doesn't get a lot more attention.
(while I'm at it) The Animals - Animalism - some great raw rock'n'roll and blues. Love it!
Any album by Wondermints (well, except for their debut -- it just sounds like a bunch of demos) - it's beyond tragedy that they don't get attention, especially Bali and Mind if We Make Love to You.
Logan Whitehurst & the Junior Science Club - Goodbye, My 4-Track - probably doesn't get much attention because it's a comedy album, but it's soooooo good. Logan was extremely creative and a musical genius in his own right. I'm 45 and have been struggling to try to write songs like his, but he nailed it in his short life. (He didn't live to see 30.)
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 15:06:17 GMT -5
David Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name... - I only first heard this album this year, and my jaw hit the floor that such a great album eluded me my whole life.
Any album by Wondermints (well, except for their debut -- it just sounds like a bunch of demos) - it's beyond tragedy that they don't get attention, especially Bali and Mind if We Make Love to You.
Crosby's solo album has been a firm favourite of mine since 1973. An absolutely extraordinary piece of work! MIWMLTY is a fantastic album too. |
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 15:57:56 GMT -5
This is the first of two PSF posts I wisely copied to my "hobby" forum before PSF died: The mysterious Garrett Lund released just one solo album. This is the opening track from Almost Grown, a gem entitled "The Only Turnaround". There's something magical about the three-bar pattern in 3/4 metre, best noted in the solo. Great guitar work all round from the late Jimmy Jerviss: Since then (March 2018), I've learned a little more about the man (reproduced verbatim): "Bruce Robertson aka Garrett Lund was and still is a mysterious person. In the early '70s he was singer in the L.A. group The Caretakers. "From what is known, he was born in the early '50s. His father deserted Garrett and his mother before he was born and in his teens his beloved mother died. Garrett's audition and acceptance as a member of The Caretakers, was a step up from his first local band to evolved into Trane, and became an instant success, playing the southwest of the US. "Trane appeared at numerous rock festivals and large clubs, opening for Led Zeppelin, Cream, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Jefferson Airplane and The Who. Almost immediately Trane was headlining their own sold-out shows. What happened then is unclear, except that Garrett began a solo career and three years after Trane completed Almost Grown which was promptly rejected by 22 record labels. [!!!] "Convinced that the album could and should be an artistic and commercial success, Garrett's manager/producer, along with friends and family, set out to independently release Almost Grown with the help of record promoter, John Holcomb, succeeded in achieving rotation on nine radio stations and selling 2000 units in less than two weeks. Armed with the independently released success, the record companies were once again given the chance to sign Garrett and once again they passed. Since then, there's virtually no information on Almost Grown or Garrett Lund until 2001." [ Source] rockasteria.blogspot.nl/2011/05/garrett-lund-almost-grown-1975-us.html |
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Post by E on May 28, 2020 16:10:57 GMT -5
I think that Crosby album is better than anything else he did, solo ot with the others
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 16:18:22 GMT -5
This is another that was first posted at PSF and (happily) a second time at my "hobby" forum: 1970 was the year Kapp Records released Parallelograms by Linda Perhacs. It's not surprising if it means nothing to you--the album sank without a trace. In a just world, it would have been hailed as a masterpiece. Luckily, it is getting more attention now. This is the title track (check out Linda's BB connection at her wiki page): The lineup on this track would appear to be as follows (information I found a year later): Linda Perhacs--vocals, guitar, electronic effects Leonard Rosenman--electronic effects Steve Cohn--lead guitar John Neufield--flute Milt Holland and Shelley Mann [sic]--percussion [ Source] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Perhacs |
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Post by jk on May 28, 2020 16:30:01 GMT -5
Here's a track from a band whose name would probably have put me off ever dipping into, had it not been mentioned in PSF's obscure albums topic. Mom's Apple Pie do this great cover of Etta James's "I Just Wanna Make Love To You", which long featured in my former band's repertoire (in a medley with "Born To Be Wild"). It's the opening song on their debut album (the second track, "Lay Your Money Down", is also worth a listen).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mom%27s_Apple_Pie |
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Post by jk on May 29, 2020 4:36:05 GMT -5
Two for the price of one now: Poking around on YouTube I noticed this self-titled album by Five Day Rain, which happens to be on the OP's list in the "Worth Another Listen" section. And it's a great listen so far. "Rough Cut Marmalade" (I can relate to the title alone!) is an eleven-minute guitar-fuelled instrumental: www.silentstudios.org.uk/page2fdr.htmFrom Within (1969) isn't on the list. I saw Sapphire Thinkers mentioned in a YouTube comment on the Five Day Rain album so I followed it up. The standout feature of this "West Coast sunny psych" band is the distinctive vocal harmonizing, shown off to full effect in "I Got To You"--some stunning harmonic progressions in there. (The entire album is worth checking out if you can find it.) They've been compared to the Airplane but they are very much their own band, to these ears at least. The link is most informative but don't click on anything while you're there! therockasteria.blogspot.com/2012/10/sapphire-thinkers-from-within-1968-us.html |
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Post by jk on May 29, 2020 5:22:04 GMT -5
In a way, I was surprised to see Traces by Classics IV in the OP's list of "Keepers". Most of it is fairly MOR late-night listening, with Tommy Roe's "Traffic Jam" the only up-tempo song in the set. Ironically, it was another Tommy Roe song, "Dizzy", which kept the title track, the first of two singles from the album, from the US #1 slot in 1969. It's certainly the album's standout track and I see (at Wikipedia) that it's held in high esteem. You might say with its four cover versions that Traces is a step away from Gandalf, but without that superior album's psychedelic sheen. The trademark "Spooky" rhythmic motif is in evidence on many of its tracks--in my view this is what holds the album together. www.discogs.com/Classics-IV-Traces/release/3817094en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traces_(song) |
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Post by jk on May 29, 2020 6:29:42 GMT -5
Looking through the "Worth Another Listen"s, this entry has always made me smile: "The C.A. Quintet--Trip Thru Hell (some good moments but mostly shit)".  Last week I took it upon myself to check this album out. The session started off promisingly. "Trip Thru Hell Pt 1" is pretty goofy but eminently listenable--the "phased" * drum solo is even exciting in its way. The quality takes a slight dip seven tracks in at "Trip Thru Hell Pt 2" but picks up again... until we reach the covers. Covers of famous songs are a tricky business at the best of times and they fall pretty flat here! But they're the unfortunate exception on what is on the whole an engaging if fairly lightweight psych album. So I'll turn the OP's remark around if I may and say "some shit but mostly good moments".  A most unusual feature is the use of a trumpet as part of the standard lineup in a psych band. Curiously, this brief B-side appears to be the only track by C.A. Quintet that I'm able to embed. (The album in question can be found on YouTube.) www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/thebookofseth/c-a-quintet-trip-thru-hell* I have to be careful when describing the whooshing effect heard on many psych records, after being roundly castigated at Hoffman for not distinguishing between phasing and tape flanging (which I must admit I'd never heard of  ) |
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Post by jk on May 29, 2020 7:39:05 GMT -5
I remember when I first heard Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" in mid '67 I was blown away by its authority. Of course I bought it straight away. But then I heard it so often on the radio (day in, day out) that my interest in it soon flagged. The B-side was the very opposite--a throwaway blues thing. They would have done better to have used the backing track of "AWSAP"--it would have been played day and night as background music on radio shows. I still feel their next 45, "Homburg", was vastly superior to "AWSAP" and indeed anything else on PH's debut album. Although I love the third album's title track, "A Salty Dog", which I've long regarded as a sort of UK equivalent of "Surf's Up", my choice for this topic (all three albums are included in the by now legendary "Keepers" list) falls on "Shine On Brightly", from PH's sophomore album of that name. When I did charity work in Birmingham in '73, "Shine On Brightly" was on a tape I played while dropping off to sleep. So despite the title, for me this magical song conjures up a picture of inky blackness! (Curiously, another equally dark-sounding song on that tape had a similar soft verse/loud chorus structure, albeit more extreme--George Harrison's "Let It Down".) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procol_Harum |
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Post by jk on May 29, 2020 9:44:15 GMT -5
Birth by Rebecca and the Sunnybrook Farmers is not on the OP's list. Maybe the "bluegrass sounding" name put her off.  Nijake Meno's splendid YouTube blurb says it all really (reproduced below, in case the video does a runner)--and pretty well reflects my own feelings about the album. If you want to lend an ear to just one track, I would suggest #5, "Endless Trip". But it's a fascinating listen all the way through, even if "Love" gets a little hysterical at times. 01 Oh gosh (Running through the forest) 02 Two blind sisters 03 David & Sally 04 Love 05 Endless trip 06 Better dead than red 07 All these ties 08 What do you think of the war? 09 Ma-Ma 10 Ghost INFO: Here are many odd things about the sole release from Rebecca and the Sunnybrook Farmers. First of all, the album was recorded in one weekend. The band drove up to New York from their hometown of Pittsburgh, recorded the album, and went home. Secondly, the album's label, Musicor Records, was primarily a country label. The only other hippie band on the label was the equally obscure Tingling Mothers Circus. Third, the bluegrass sounding band name; while hippies often DO have farms (especially indoor ones), the band name is hardly an indicator of the freakiness present on the album. And that's just the beginning: there are two Ilenes in the band (although one is really Lauren Wood), no one is actually named Rebecca, there is a violin player, and the band is nearly eclectic to a fault. And yet, the album holds together under the weight of all this strangeness, managing to deliver a solid set of songs that are enthsuiastically and imaginatively played. Side One is especially strong. "Two Blind Sisters" is a beautiful, baroque tearjerker, "Endless Trip" is a nice slice of West Coast pop, and "David and Sally" fairly represents the band's kooky, old-world side. Side two veers away from pop, with only slightly less success. "Better Dead than Red" starts off innocuously enough in a reflective, soft-psych mode, only to explode into a barrage of gunfire sound effects, whistles, and cacophonous drumming. MEMBERS: Ilene Rappaport [Lauren Wood] (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Ilene Novog [aka Novi Novog] (vocals, viola, harpsichord), Mickey Kapner (guitar, sitar, organ, vocals), Ernie Eremita (bass, vocals), Clifford Mandell (percussion, vocals) Formed: Pittsburgh, PA, United States Disbanded: January 1, 1971
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Post by jk on May 31, 2020 5:00:05 GMT -5
Looking at the OP's famous list, I see The Doors' third album Waiting for the Sun is high among her "Worth Another Listen"s. I loved their debut, liked most of Strange Days but this one flummoxed me from day one. In fact it was my last Doors purchase, the way that Weasels Ripped My Flesh became my last Zappa LP. Looking through the track listing today, there's not that much I'd write home about. The opening big hit sounds dated and a lot of the rest sounds tired, at least to these ears. Eventually I chose "Not To Touch The Earth" for its exciting build-up and its connection with their big theatre piece "Celebration of the Lizard", of which it seems to have been part. Sticking my neck out here but this may be the closest The Doors came to reproducing their live act in the studio. Later I came to love L.A. Woman so all's well that ends well (or something). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiting_for_the_Sun |
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Post by jk on Jun 1, 2020 5:27:01 GMT -5
Ramases' 1971 album Space Hymns gets the thumbs down from the OP--except for this one track. I haven't checked out the rest of the album but "Life Child" sounds excellent to these ears. Indeed, the passage beginning at 3:40 is simply breath-taking. The band backing Ramases (real name Kimberly Barrington Frost) would go on to form 10cc. His wiki page is an enthralling if heart-breaking read. May the gods protect the eccentrics of this world. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramases |
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Post by dauber on Jun 2, 2020 9:14:20 GMT -5
Looking at the OP's famous list, I see The Doors' third album Waiting for the Sun is high among her "Worth Another Listen"s. I loved their debut, liked most of Strange Days but this one flummoxed me from day one. In fact it was my last Doors purchase, the way that Weasels Ripped My Flesh became my last Zappa LP.
Try as I might, I couldn't get into Waiting for the Sun. Yet now, when I look at the track list, I keep thinking, "Okay, there's a good song. Ooh, that's another good one. Yeah, good one there..." I might have to give it another shot and perhaps get the 50th anniversary release. Got the one for The Soft Parade and it's AWESOME. BTW, I never understood the hatred for The Soft Parade. I mean...because a lot of the songs have strings and horns?? Geez. The 50th anniversary release has the strings-and-horns songs sans strings-and-horns ("Doors only mix"), and...it doesn't sound right. It sounds kind of...demo-y.
BTW2 -- you wanna hear some good Doors stuff? "Ships W/Sails" on their first post-Morrison album, Other Voices. Such an amazing tune.
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Post by jk on Jun 2, 2020 14:26:11 GMT -5
I never understood the hatred for The Soft Parade. I mean...because a lot of the songs have strings and horns?? Geez. The 50th anniversary release has the strings-and-horns songs sans strings-and-horns ("Doors only mix"), and...it doesn't sound right. It sounds kind of...demo-y.
BTW2 -- you wanna hear some good Doors stuff? "Ships W/Sails" on their first post-Morrison album, Other Voices. Such an amazing tune.
I'm not familiar with The Soft Parade, aside for the hit single. I agree--that argument is a little odd. Much of Forever Changes is fully orchestrated and it gets nothing but praise. (I myself only got to like it recently--with a little encouragement from the OP, as it happens.) I'm sorely tempted to bring Let It Be into the discussion but I'm in enough trouble in BBF's topic as it is so I won't. Oh, and thanks for the tip, d.  |
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Post by jk on Jun 2, 2020 15:37:52 GMT -5
It was only after I'd moved to NL that I discovered there was a Dutch band called The Outsiders (I'd bought the seriously tear-jerking "Girl In Love" by the US band of that name in 1966). Their 1968 album CQ (or C.Q., take your pick) is listed among the OP's "Wasn't Impressed With"s, although she describes two tracks, "Wish You Were Here With Me Today" (linked here) and "I Love You No. 2", as good. Assuming my spies have been doing their job properly, the lineup for this album is Wally Tax (vocals), Ronnie Splinter (guitar), Frank Beek (bass guitar) and Leendert "Buzz" Busch (drums). I then lined up CQ for late night/early morning listening--it gets rave reviews, not what I'd expected at all. To be continued. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsiders_(Dutch_band) |
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Post by jk on Jun 3, 2020 6:23:49 GMT -5
Curious album ^^, a bit on the uneven side. I most liked the one I linked (obviously), the noise-heavy "Doctor" and the driving "Happyville" (for harmonica fans only). Now, I remember Chimera's unsettling cover being a subject of discussion at PSF (or was it here in another thread?). I listened to this album all the way through (as in the video) and I'd say it's top-notch in all departments, not least in terms of sound quality. Lisa Bankoff and Francesca Garnett's two-part voicings are particularly strong. The YouTube blurb is confusing. According to the sleeve notes, both Lisa and Francesca sing on all tracks except "Sad Song For Winter", which features just Lisa.
[Regrettably this video has done a runner -- jk]
time-has-told-me.blogspot.com/2006/09/chimera-uk-acid-folkbaroque.html |
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Post by jk on Jun 3, 2020 12:18:07 GMT -5
Some years ago I discovered this take on Richard Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra and posted it at a now-defunct forum. I rediscovered it last night with a lucky spell of googling and here it is again (now on three forums for safety's sake). I remember giving the debut album by Ars Nova a brief listen in a record shop in 1968--it was on Elektra so I was immediately intrigued. I gave up after two or three tracks--it was too eclectic for my tastes in those days (and perhaps too frivolous). So I never got as far as "Zarathustra". It seems this album and 2001: A Space Odyssey were released pretty well simultaneously so there was little question of the Kubrick film being an influence. As if to confirm this, the Ars Nova track includes a bizarre passage from Strauss's work that is nowhere to be found in Kubrick's OST, namely the twelve-tone "Of Science" fugue (here at 0:32; see the Strauss link). This album by Ars Nova never made the OP's lists, probably because, being somewhat out on a limb, there were no YouTube comments that would have led her to it. Fifty years later, I can appreciate it more than I did then, having mellowed with age (or something). "Zarathustra" was the last track on side one of the original LP: therockasteria.blogspot.com/2017/10/ars-nova-ars-nova-1968-us-magnificent.html [please read but don't click on any links on this page!] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Also_sprach_Zarathustra |
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Post by jk on Jun 3, 2020 12:23:56 GMT -5
Lacewing's lone 1971 album is tucked away towards the end of the OP's "Wasn't Impressed With"s. She didn't single out "Paradox" as the standout track, which it most definitely is. It's understandable, as a gruelling three-year session of listening to some 300 albums would probably become more of an ordeal than a pleasure towards the end. It certainly shows stamina! badcatrecords.com/BadCat/LACEWING.htm |
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Post by jk on Jun 3, 2020 12:26:40 GMT -5
One of the few UK albums I bought in the 1960s was Family's Music in a Doll's House. I'd heard many of its tracks on John Peel's radio show and was astonished by the sheer variety, something that (in my view at least) successive Family albums failed to deliver. I used to take the needle off after "Voyage" (my favourite track) but these days I can appreciate the qualities of its two (on CD three) successors. I've linked "Peace Of Mind" as well because of the subtle transition between it and "Voyage" (here at 2:20), which has largely been lost in uploads of "Voyage" alone. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_in_a_Doll%27s_House |
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Last week I took it upon myself to check this album out. 
A most unusual feature is the use of a trumpet as part of the standard lineup in a psych band. Curiously, this brief B-side appears to be the only track by C.A. Quintet that I'm able to embed. (The album in question can be found on YouTube.)
)
Nijake Meno's splendid YouTube blurb says it all really (reproduced below, in case the video does a runner)--and pretty well reflects my own feelings about the album. If you want to lend an ear to just one track, I would suggest #5, "Endless Trip". But it's a fascinating listen all the way through, even if "Love" gets a little hysterical at times. 