That 70's Thread - Anteater's Reviews Of Cool **** You Should Already Have
 

Ah the 1970's - disco, punk, krautrock, jazz fusion, prog, punk, the kitchen sink...a decade where bands would form just as quickly as they would fade into the darkness of the roadside, while others would put on shows in the long hours of the night that would put Cirque Du Soleil to shame.

Simply put, I want to use this thread as a place to entertain you with album reviews of both common classic canon and of the blackest of obscurities, extremes that characterized a very musically conscious decade where nothing was as it seemed and experimentation was rampant even when the music was radio savvy.

So sit back, light up, and PM me for links if you find any of descriptions scintillating. I have many summaries to spin and records to pull from cobwebbed shelves, all to spur your musical souls toward that ever-changing sky called Curiosity. :wave:

Sindelfingen – Odgipig (1973)

"Aggressive Folk/Random Progginess With Extra Shenanigans."

1. Song For Dawn (0:55)
2. Three Ladies (8:23)
3. Today & Tomorrow (9:42)
4. Mark's Bach (1:06)
5. Perpetual Motion (12:39)
6. Odgipig (3:12)

This was an album I actually learned about on accident while fishing for other stuff after a particularly BS evening at Economics class back when I still unfortunately had to take classes like that. After picking it up based on the cool looking sketchy 'hog however, I soon realized that this was one of THOSE albums. You know, the kind that you don't think will be much but end up knocking your ass to the curb because of how awesome it is. Since that time, it has lodged itself deep into my bowels...and my heart.

Anyway, the story behind these guys is a typical one of the era; Sindelfingen was an amateur outfit started up by two brothers whose collections mostly consisted of a lot of Fairport Convention, Yes and Beggars' Opera vinyls. They learned to play good, started up a band, worked the club circuit, ended up getting popular & made enough pocket change to dish out a record pressing, and then finally disappeared off the face of the earth only to reappear as session musicians in random pop bands from the 80's to the present.

However typical the story though, this was one outfit that really should have stuck to their guns and pressed forward with their musical ambitions. Why? Because this silly bunch in the course of a SINGLE album cultivated one of the most dynamic sounds you've never heard of, and it certainly surprised the hell out of me when I first checked it out. I mean, who else was combining Hendrixian acoustic guitar freakouts coupled with a pounding Rickenbacker bass and random jazz interludes? NOBODY!!! The playing's got pizzazz, the vocals raw, the arrangements long but not full of pretentious farkin' biznatchery. AKA, a 70's one shot that should have been an opening kick to a series of skull bustin' onslaughts. The quieter moments, such as the brief opening section of "Today and Tomorrow", are done with more than expected finesse also.




So what do we really have here? Merely a diamond in the ruff for people who are up for some ballsy folk music that also appeals to cantankerous progheads on the longer numbers. Don't miss it!

Very interesting review thread!
I always underestimated the 70s because of all the disco hype in that decade, but now diving more into it, I actually have more 70s albums than any other decade's.

D/ling this album atm. Great write-up, been looking to get more into prog lately maybe this will be the first album I really "get". Love the songs posted, a lot of changing around but pretty awesome. I can't believe you just found this album. Cheers on starting another great and informative thread btw.

Edit: I'm actually going to need a d/l of this. I could only find on d/l; it's in two parts and I don't trust it. =(

Those are a couple of truly mind blowing tracks!
Great album to start with... just got more excited to see the rest of the list.

^ Glad you guys like it so far! :p:

Rainbow – Rising (1976)

"Walls to the Balls Heavy Hittin' Proto-Metal w/ Keyboardz."

1. Tarot Woman (6.08)
2. Run with the Wolf (3:47)
3. Starstruck (4:04)
4. Do You Close Your Eyes (2:58)
5. Stargazer (8:27)
6. A Light in the Black (8:11)

Once upon a time, there was a burly English mofo guitarist named Ritchie Blackmore, and he was really pissed off. The driving force behind much of what made Deep Purple the hard rock gods that they were from the late 60's through the mid 70's, by the release of their 1974 release Stormbringer he had become fed up with the other band members and their disregard of his concerns about their change toward a more funky/soul influenced kind of rock. After breaking a bunch of stuff, he promptly left before the year was out.

In 1975, he teamed up with the then-vocalist of Elf, Ronnie James Dio, an extraordinary singer who shared with Blackmore a love of harrrrd rock and classical music. And thus, after recruiting a bassist and drummer, the dynamic duo formed a rock band whose name would echo down the years as a household statement, a wonderful collaboration of showmanship and edgy classicism that would prove to be very awesome for awhile: Rainbow.

But although their 1975 debut was quite decent, even spawning a less-than-commercial single that charted, it was on 1976's Rising where everything, from the riffs to the keyboards to the epic delivery, came together without the slightest of hitches and every track was perfect. And amidst all the stuff they've done since that time, they've never outdone the 33 minutes of work recorded here. Not even once.

The party begins with 'Tarot Woman', opening over the course of a minute or so with psychedelic keyboards that seem to float around in distant spiraled space before the main riff comes in around 1:30 to bring you back to reality. What ensues is a good ol' fashioned headbanging back by galloping two-kick drum n' bass. All things considered, you couldn't ask for a better start to one of the best rock albums ever made.




But its not just the opener that hits home. 'Run With The Wolf' and 'Starstruck' are both nice slices of blues based proto-metal with solos that are nice and gritty without the usual cheese you associate with hard rock.



Side 2, however, is where we see just how epic a level Rainbow are willing to...rise to, when given the opportunity to perform longer tracks. 'Stargazer', with its vaguely-Eastern sounding keyboard, knotty guitar and Dio bellowing about sword n' sorcery and whatnot, is sure to be on anyone's dragon slaying playlist and is one of the tracks that laid the foundations for the power and progressive metal genres that would arise in the mid to late 80's, along with the 8-minute closer "Light in the Black", which ends the album on a high note and makes use of all the elements seen in previous tracks into one fantastic whole.



In conclusion, Rainbow, along with Uriah Heep, is just to me one of those bands that truly defined the harder edge of the 70's. More straightforward than Zeppelin, but at times a lot more fun too! Although they would decline down the AOR route once the 80's hit, Rising still stands as this band's distinctive stamp in music history, borne in an era where others may have been weirder, but not nearly as catchy for all their experimental tendencies. For as many of us well know, sometimes simpler is better: for people looking for some blazing hot rock without the excess cock, this here is the peak.

Cool review. Some consider this the first Power Metal record, spear-headed by Dio's incredible range, lyrics and Blackmore's classic guitar style. "Rising" ventures into prog territory at times, but never lets up in energy. As you noted, the band became more of a straight forward hard rock band on their next album, but "Long Live Rock n Roll' is still another mighty fine release.

A great idea for a thread and agree with most of the comments about Rainbow above. I was never a fan of DP with David Coverdale in the band. As for Rainbow, I`m also a big fan of their first two albums and they could easily be described as power metal with their classical influences and keyboards along with their swords and sorcery Heavy metal image, as opposed to the satanic darker feel of Sabbath. These albums are certainly my favourites as far as Dio is concerned and Blackmore`s best work in his post DP days.

After this it was all downhill really, as they like some of their counterparts such as UFO and Uriah Heep etc steered into a much easier listening radio commercial sound. Admittedly they were capable of releasing catchy songs such as "Since You`ve Been Gone" and "I Surrender" As good as these songs were, they`re probably not the kind of thing that a metal head wants to hear, from a band that were capable of producing much better.

^ Yeah, I've always felt that Rainbow could have upped their game even more after Rising, but chose the easier path because it meant more money for them. Big shame really. As for today's review-

Colin Blunstone – One Year (1971)

"Vocalist from The Zombies + Baroque Pop = Hell Yeah!"

1. She Loves The Way They Love Her (2:49)
2. Misty Roses (5:04)
3. Smokey Day (3:13)
4. Caroline Goodbye (2:54)
5. Though You Are Far Away (3:24)
6. Mary Won't You Warm My Bed (3:11)
7. Her Song (3:31)
8. I Can't Live Without You (3:28)
9. Let Me Come Closer To You (2:24)
10. Say You Don't Mind (3:22)

Anyone who loves the 60's can tell you a bit about The Zombies. How they came at the end of the counterculture era and shattered just after as 'Time of the Season', a single issued from their 1968 masterpiece Odessey And Oracle hit airwaves and made them legends.

But what most people don't really know (or bother to look up) is what happened to the various members AFTER the big breakup, especially Colin Blunstone, the man whose voice gave the group such a distinctive edge over so many other bands at the end of the age of Flower Power. After spending some time washed-up as an insurance agent and a brief stint to re-record some Zombies tracks for radio, this strangely underrated vocalist pulled himself together, got some material into a studio along with some musician pals, and released his debut album as a solo artist, One Year, in 1971, and you couldn't ask for a more fantastic sounding slice of classically-tinged pop to kick off a new decade.

To fans of The Zombies: don't walk into this record expecting anything. Much of the psychedelia and slight jazz touches that characterized Blunstone's former group is basically non-existant here. What is emphasized, however, are extremely LUSH arrangements around the strings and a lorn, strangely tantalizing melancholy in Blunstone's delivery that would make Nick Drake green with envy...and the results are sometimes so breathtakingly gorgeous that your heart will bleed through your shirt merely hearing it.





It isn't all about the gorgeous folk and ballads though. One Year contains a couple of upbeat rockier works, such as 'Mary Won't You Warm My Bed' and 'She Loves The Way They Love Her', that keep the album balanced and mature as an experience for the listener. The subject matter is typical pop song fare, but with all the lushness and classical inclinations dashing about, its very easy to just flow with the tracks themselves and revel in the act of smiling with the swell of an orchestra, a touch of tension or any number of crescendos that Blunstone's voice hits as he croons off into the darkness.





Pop music has always been a hit and miss affair to people who want something to tap their fingers to while at the same time making some kind of emotional connection with whats being played, but One Year manages to do just that with both a sophistication beyond its era and genuine heart to boot, and it stands out as a major gem of the 70's because of them.

So for those looking to hear some of the best stuff that this talented mofo has sung and set to posterity, pick this up immediately. Hopefully you won't cry at some point through it!

England – Garden Shed (1977)

"In Progressive Rock's Dying Breath, A Final Classic Emerged..."

1. Midnight Madness (6:58)
2. All Alone (Introducing) (1:53)
3. Three Piece Suite (12:58)
4. Paraffinalea (4:12)
5. Yellow (5:24)
6. Poisoned Youth (16:17)

Arriving in 1977 at the height of punk's popularity, it's no wonder that the boys who formed England and then released a proggy work of this calibur weren't stoned to death in the streets. Especially considering the fact it came on a major label. "Progressive rock in OUR U.K.? BOLLOCKS!!!"

Still, all things considered, this album was mostly certainly the last "straight up" progressive rock album to be released on a major label up until the 90's, and thus could be considered to be the last masterpiece from a movement in music that many people were trying to forget ever existed. In many ways, Garden Shed is a work that draws from all the major groups that made prog. what it was, but innovates and stands apart from the works of all those bands. Although vocally similar to Yes whilst compositionally closer to Genesis with a few nods to Gentle Giant and a tad amateurish at times overall, this is record as grandiose as it is fun to listen to, and a fitting closure to prog. rock's golden age.

Each of the six tracks present here are gorgeous exclamations in both complexity and pop sensibility. Opening number 'Midnight Madness' twists and turns with quirky synths before the vocals and the main beat clocks in and you begin to hear why England are interesting: they remind you of other bands in the genre, but sound utterly unlike any one them. Like all classic prog., this track remains memorable and engaging throughout its seven minutes while still showing off the chops of the people involved. You couldn't ask for a tastier beginning.



However, there's plenty of fun highlights in the ensuing songs. 'Paraffinalea' is a quirky, upbeat analog synth driven number that wouldn't be out of place on Gentle Giant's early albums and 'Yellow' is an acoustic stab into the band's more idyllic potential, bringing to mind images of green hillsides and blazing sunsets. There are also two suites, 'Three Piece Suite' and 'Poisoned Youth', that portray just how fantastic these guys were at songwriting for longer pieces. The former is very bright, the latter dark and full of delicious, pounding bass n' drums that wouldn't be out of place on a Miles Davis or King Crimson album somewhere.




The latter half of the 1970's was not a friendly place for progressive rock, nor was it that welcoming a time for experimental music in general. The time when a 60-minute piece of music could chart at #1 on the Top 40 in the U.S. was lonnnnng over by the time Garden Shed hit shelves. Still, there's something to be said of an album that is considered to be the "last great prog. rock album" by enthusiasts and music historians, and you can all be the judge of that proclamation for yourselves when you give this underrated record a spin on a drive or in the comfort of your homes, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something wholly good and awesome sounding in a genre derided for its cheesefests and pretentious ramblings.

So I just listened to the Sindelfingen tracks, and I really need this album *wink, wink* :D This was amazing. Every time I thought oh, I see where they're going here, my idea was completely obliterated. All over the place, and absolutely genius from the songs you posted. A few times it kind of made me laugh (the short little distorted polka bit towards the end of the first video) and the rest of the time pretty much blew my mind, sucking me in more than a lot of what I hear. Excluding Yes, and perhaps Opeth if any of their later albums were prog, I haven't given much time to prog, and this could very well change that.

Don't like Rainbow all that much. But Colin Blunstone, on the other hand... despite the fact that it doesn't match my normal music preferences, I think I prefer One Year to Odessey and Oracle. I like psychedelic pop and the jazz undertones of the Zombies a lot, but this albums is just... beautiful, I guess. I don't know what else to call it. Though Pink Moon is better, I don't see Nick Drake needing to be jealous.

And you posted England while I was typing it... I remember again why I don't like a lot of prog. I just absolutely cannot get into bands like Gentle Giant or this. Though I will admit people that write off all prog as a "cheesy pretentious" genre are just being close minded idiots. There's bound to be something for everyone in just about every genre... Great thread, by the way. Good reviews so far keep em coming :)

Thank ya' kindly phantom for the feedback! I also personally feel One Year edges out Odessey and Oracle by a couple of hairs for the same reasons. I only threw in the Nick Drake reference to appeal to people who enjoy a good shot of beautiful melancholy and incite them to compare for themselves. ;)

But I actually think you might enjoy England some if you like any of Yes's albums, given some time and all. The vocals and progressions are very reminiscent of Yes after all, plus they're rather sharp on the instrumental side of things too. :)

Well I am a Zombies fan that's why I picked up One Year, from what I gathered of the review, I must like it.
Loved the England songs, and the review in all, would love a link on that one, couldn't find it anywhere.

Keep it up :thumb:

Mu – S/T (1971)

"Captain Beefheart's #1 slide guitarist playing some killer psychedelic blues with friends."

1. Ain't No Blues (4:08)
2. Ballad Of Brother Lew (4:34)
3. Blue Form (4:09)
4. Interlude (1:59)
5. Nobody Wants To Shine (4:12)
6. Eternal Thirst (9:38)
7. Too Naked For Demetrius (2:36)
8. Mumbella Day (3:24)
9. The Clouds Went That Way (3:10)

The world is full of questions that may never be answered: Where do we go when we die? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop? Dude, where's my car? What would Captain Beefheart's Magic Band sound like doing psychedelic/jazzy rock?

We may never get to the bottom of most of those inquiries, but the last of them is brought to light in a spectacularly trippy fashion here on Mu's extremely rare yet fucking amazing 1971 debut, featuring Jeff Cotton from CB on slide-guitar and saxophone, as well as a host of other amazing musicians such as Merrell Fankhauser on vocals. Fun and fantastic while still retaining a very tight experimental edge, this is a work very different in feel and approach to most of Captain Beefheart's menagerie of records, but stands out more than anything Jeff Cotton did with Don Glen Vliet in some places in the sheer grooves issued, but never to the point where you forget to be engaged in what you're listening to.

Don't be fooled by the "blues-rock" tag either; this is a finely varied effort across the map, tipping its hat off to folk and art-rock even while it picks away to a West Coast sunset from 1967 with some sax crying out toward the rising night. Typical blues-bars will suddenly expand into odd time signatures without backing out any inch of melody or lick, a testament to the skill of Cotton and living proof that such a fantastic combination of elements and genre-fusion don't come around very often. This is best illustrated on tracks such as 'Nobody Wants To Shine' and the 9-minute cruncher 'Eternal Thirst', the latter of which morphs into something like Afro-pop midway through and only gets better as the minutes tick on by.



Ultimately, Mu's self-titled does a lot of things right and pretty much nothing wrong. It's got a bit of crossover appeal for nearly everyone, from folks who love the avant-garde to people who go nuclear for the blues and psychedelic rock, sitting at a wonderfully balanced happy place between some of Beefheart's more impenetrable songwriting and some of the more straightforward, dynamic energy that's seen more often in Krautrock and progressive rock circles.

Therefore, anyone looking for a curious early 70's slice of artsy blues rock with an edge should PM me for this immediately. Or if you just want to hear something like Captain Beefheart crossed with early Pink Floyd. In either case, there's plenty of satisfaction to be had. :)

Great, I just found this thread this morning and as I'm writing this, I'm currently on the wireless which is taking me away from where I live so I can go celebrate christmas with the family. I'd love to check more of these albums out right now, but it seems I'll have to wait until new years.

Still, it's not all new. I was surprised and quite happy to see Rainbow get a mention :) Rising is one of those albums that have gotten a fair amount of play from me a couple of years ago. I still find a lot of Rainbow tracks on burned CDs in my parents' car. Odgipig I already checked out on your recomendation and their debut is certainly interesting.

England and Mu sounds the most interesting to me at the moment - although I thought I'd drop playing those youtube vids on the buss. Of course there had to be a prog-outfit called England by the way .. I mean, there's one called U.K., so.

Anyways, great thread and I'm rooting fot you in the member awards for best writer. You deserve it :)

^ Ah shucks Tore, thanks for the nomination. Glad you've enjoyed the thread so far, and hope you have some merry holidays over the next couple of days. :)

And now...

Miles Davis – On The Corner (1972)

"The King of Jazz goes funky and commercial...and in the process redefined what music could become."

1. On the Corner (19:55)
2. Black Satin (5:16)
3. One and One (6:09)
4. Helen Butte / Mr. Freedom X (23:18)

Miles Davis is a musician that never has and never will need an introduction. From the 40's up until the early 90's he was Jazz's favorite spokesman and among the most well known entrepreneurs working in music period. As the 70's dawned, when the idea of electric guitar playing alongside a sax quartet horrified traditional jazz critics, Miles Davis recorded A Silent Way and then the ever lauded Bitches Brew and shut them all up for good. In 1991 when had ever really tried to do a serious jazz-rap album, Davis brought out Doo-Bop just in time to die from a stroke at the ripe young age of 65.

Still, the impact of these aforementioned works pale in comparison to a particular work of Davis's from 1972, an album so far ahead of its time that it not only bombed commercially, but was nearly forgotten by even Davis's own fanbase. It's a funky beat-busting little ditty that almost singlehandedly laid that foundations for both post-punk and drum n' bass over a decade before either genre had even begun to stir in the minds of their creators.

Ladies and gents, welcome to On The Corner!

The title track which opens the album, although a potentially turn-offer clocking at the 20 minute mark, is most definitely an ear catcher despite the length and memorable as well. The groove is immediate, explosive and thick with snaking polyrhythms from the percussion and drumming, supported from the depths of the mix by some wah-wah guitar riffagee and Davis's snarky trumpet. Tempo changes are prominent, noticeably quieting down around the 6:40 mark at first and slowly picking up speed as it goes uphill for the remaining fourteen minutes. If I had to sum up the experience of this piece in one word, it would probably be "Hard-boiled"



Next comes my personal favorite 'Black Satin', a five minuter that could most definitely be considered a big forerunner to early drum n' bass, particularly in regards to the opening beat and how it spirals down over the ensuing minutes. It's also got a few electronic touches that are pretty nice.



The last two tracks are well up there with the best Davis has ever done as well. 'One And One' has a strong Eastern feel underlying the drums and trumpeting, making one think of some of Coltrane's mid 60's work with a funkier beat, while 'Helen Butte/Mr. Freedom X', as expected of a strong closing suite, pulls elements from all the other tracks into thick cohesion. It never quite achieves the energy of the title track or Black Satin, but the chill factor is quite excellent nevertheless and ends On The Corner with a satisfactory feel, as if the music could simply play on and on toward the horizon and never really stop.



From start to finale, Davis set to recording a very very focused set of tracks here back in the early years of jazz-fusion, laying some musical foundations for future generations to work with in a variety of genres while still attempting to reach out to the young people of the 70's with a strong funk touch to his usual compositional approach. In all honesty, I think it's actually rather baffling that this album got such a cold shoulder back in '72 when it hit shelves: the rhythms are first-class, the playing is tightly wound and full of crash and the compositions themselves are well written. What more could you want?

For people just getting into Miles Davis, jazz cats, fellows who love their funk, and anyone who loves a hot beat that sounds fresh from the street, you can't go wrong with this seminal masterpiece. Merry Christmas MB!! :p:

Cerrone – Cerrone 3: Supernature (1977)

"Disco from the Depths of The Screaming Space Time Continuums...With Flavor"

1. Supernature (10:20)
2. Sweet Drums (3:30)
3. In the Smoke (4:40)
4. Give Me Love (6:10)
5. Love Is Here (5:20)
6. Love Is the Answer (6:00)

For many of us, Disco is one of those genres that's generally far too obnoxious for its own good. Like much of today's club music, the genre was just a plain snoozefest; unlike the pseudo-electronic crap around today though, most Disco was more often than not just watered down funk with cleaner bass for the musically sedated masses, and hence had very little durability on the charts when the beginnings of what would become New Wave hit big in the late 1978 or so.

Still, even the most unimaginative profit mongering music categories generally have a couple of gems that get buried amidst the commercial garbage, records that were more than definitely accessible but had that little extra something to make them stand out, such as much of the early material of French musician and dancefloor maestro Cerrone. Incorporating psychedelic and space rock influences into poseur funk that thrived on mediocrity, the man's experimentation and his commercial ambitions eventually clicked together in 1977 with the release of his third album Supernature, and thus his reputation as an artist became solid.

"But what makes Supernature so good?" you might say. Well, whereas most disco is boring and dated, full of cheesy horns and a general lack of energy, this work seethes, grooves, and perhaps best of all is actually varied in content; although the 10-minute opening title track is quite the hypnotic club number, tracks such as 'In The Smoke' provide a spacey quietness that has more in common with Pink Floyd than Earth, Wind & Fire, while 'Give Me Love' has a razor sharp jazz-funk bent, emphasizing some fantastic drumming and guitar rather than the pulse of a club beat.




Another fun fact is that this is actually a concept album, mostly told through the title track and based around the story of animal-human mutants who are created by science to put an end to world hunger, but end up rebelling against their creators. Pretty camp, but nevertheless a nice touch to an album that already sounds leagues better than 99% of the disco that came out in the mid to late 70's.

So for those of you afraid of anything with the word "disco" attached to it, fear no longer -- this is one of those things you'll want to get your paws around and your ears on standby for. Thirty some odd years later, Supernature can still bust a move where it counts, and that's what makes it grand. Bon appétit!

Didn't like much of the first track, but the second surely made her mark.

Tho when you said disco is like watered down funk with cleaner bass, I wonder why would anyone mess with the bass in funk music, isn't that the best part?

Anyway, nothing bad with giving disco a chance once in a while, and I think this one succeeded in impressing me.
Thumbs up (x7) I guess.

The bass is certainly the best part, but as most folks have trouble with anything that isn't in 4/4 time or squeaky clean out of a studio, it was important that all the grit be squeezed out of Funk so that white folks with a bit too much time on their hands could go boogie on Saturday nights without wondering why they weren't listening to something like the Beejees. ;)

Also, disco WAS part of the 70's, so in accordance with this review thread's mojo I decided to review something that might be interesting to people who hate the genre.

I was expecting a Disco entry from the opening post, it made me kind of excited to see what you had up your sleeve.

Listening to the Odgipig album for the first time, at the moment. Just top-notch material, all together. :thumb:

Pavlov's Dog – Pampered Menial (1974)

"Ever Wondered What Geddy Lee from Rush would sound like on helium while fronting Roxy Music?"

1. Julia (3:10)
2. Late November (3:12)
3. Song Dance (4:59)
4. Fast Gun (3:04)
5. Natchez Trace (3:42)
6. Theme from Subway Sue (4:25)
7. Episode (4:04)
8. Preludin (1:39)
9. Of Once and Future Kings (5:27)

Of the many strange bands who emerged from the American musical woodwork of the swingin' 70's, you would be hard pressed to find a more polarizing band than Pavlov's Dog. Fronted by the mysterious but freakishly voiced David Surkamp and featuring more diverse-than-usual instrumentation than your average glam group, the group toured a bit through various clubs before catching the attention of the executives of ABC Dunhill Records, who in a curious move gave the band nearly $650,000 so that they could get into studio and record an album. The result of the ensuing studio work was 1974's Pampered Menial, the subject of this review, and in all the time that's passed since that year there has never been another album quite like it.

The first thing one might notice when listening to the opening piece 'Julia', which was also this record's big single, is that there is A. The piano and guitar are both quite dynamic, along with some nice flute and B. Surkamp's voice is possibly the coolest thing ever, regardless of whether you like the sound of it or not. Seriously, this guy could crack windows with that falsetto, and the very sound of it empowers and fleshes out the music in a way that a typically nice sounding or okay sounding vocalist would not be capable of doing. For better or for worse, you can't deny the uniqueness here.



'Late November', in something of a contrast to where we started at, is where the glam aspects begins to rear up. Featuring a strangely catchy chorus led by Surkamp's curious delivery and some wonderfully searing guitar clawing out from the depths of mellotron atmospherics, this is a nicely memorable track that could have been 5 or even 6 minutes long and still not worn out its welcome.



After this you may begin to see this album's main dynamic at work; fun slices of rock driven by vitar (a combination between the guitar and violin) laden with symphonic arrangements you'd expect more from Queen or prog. bands, and in this respect Pavlov's Dog excels fantastically. It's nothing too technical, but is great melancholic stuff fronted by a man who makes Robert Plant sound almost gruff in comparison. My favorite track, however, is the closer 'Of Once and Future Kings', which features a nice spurt in the energy department and two solos from both the piano and violin, bringing to mind Gentle Giant at their saner moments. It's basically five minutes of random, pure progressive fun, and the medieval lyrics fit these proceedings like a glove.



Where groups like Queen and Roxy Music were sublime to see in the mid 70's and David Bowie masterful, Pavlov's Dog may just seem weird and amateurish in comparison, but I for one find their earnestness endearing. The fact that an American band could stand out so starkly amidst their more successful British peers and still sound fresh thirty years later is remarkable in and of itself, and Pampered Menial can surely be appreciated by anyone who want to hear cool 70's American pomp. rock done odd, but with style and vigor to boot.

I like this thread a lot. Your reviews are well written and thoughtful and without any over the top criticism. Just how I like it. Congrats Anteater.

Comments on a couple of reviews. I being a very ancient individual compared to the vast majority of the people around here (haa haa) got Rainbow Rising on release and Pampered Menial came into my possession about 4 years after it's release. Because I had them originally on vinyl I actually downloaded both these albums out of curiosity last year to see how they stood the test of time. I tended to find Rising rather cliqued after thinking it was a fine album once. The lyrics are not to my taste nowadays and I also find the keyboard work less to the fore than I once remembered. In fact out of the Blackmore Purple and solo works that I had the only one that still gives me a thrill is In Rock.

Pampered Menial is the same though I suspect that is because the songs have not stood the test of time. Also Surkamp's voice is a mood voice for me. Either in or not. I am sure I once read he was big in Italy or something.

That`s because "In Rock" was well ahead of its time and the pure speed and heaviness of the album predates so much later similiar stuff by other bands. The album is always a great listen.

^ Italy eh. That's a bit unexpected to know, but it makes sense in a way. I'm a pretty young guy myself (20), so I don't have the benefit of being someone who knew a lot of these albums as they were released, but I'm glad you like my reviews thusfar 4ZZ, thanks! And I also think In Rock is a pretty good release Soldier. :)

Hawk – Africa She Too Can Cry (1972)

"Soul-Shattering Rock From The Dark Continent As You've Never Heard It Before!"

1. Uvuyo (3:13)
2. Elegy for Eden (2:37)
3. The Rolling of the Bones (2:43)
4. Dark Side of the Moon (2:55)
5. War Talk (2:42)
6. Africa (2:49)
7. African Day Suite (16:28)
8. Orang Outang (3:52)
9. Kalahari Dry (2:35)
10. Mumbo Jumbo (3:40)
11. Hunter (4:07)
12. In my Youth (4:56)

Of the procession of albums that have been reviewed so far, this one is without a doubt the rarest by far, as well as one of the more intriguing in my collection. Hailing from the racially charged rock scene of South Africa, were police could bust in and beat you to death merely by getting up on stage if you were black, the musicians who made up Hawk were given a golden opportunity when their manager cut a deal with Charisma Records, who were based in London, allowing them to escape the shackles of racism and cruelty that were prevalent in their homeland. They then were able to record several albums and go tour throughout Europe for quite some time, enjoying success to various degrees for their intriguing blend of African ethnicentrism and Van Der Graaf Generator-esque prog. rock, led by dual guitar and the fantastic vocals of Dave Ornellas.

Africa She Too Can Cry is Hawk's second release, a showcase for their abilities as well as an exercise in songwriting which reflected their patriotic love of the land of their birth. The songs dance between various moods, from the steller funk of 'Mumbo Jumbo' to dramatic, bluesy fare like 'Elegy of Eden' and 'In My Youth' to epic proggy hard rock such as the mammoth 17-minute "African Day Suite". Whatever the mood though, this is wonderfully raw stuff that sounds almost like a garage recording at times, unhinged and feral despite the fact its a studio album, but never forgetting to display its beautiful, most human elements when needed.





A lot of albums out there remain obscure for different reasons, one of which is that they weren't very good in the first place. I can, however, say with certainty that this is not the case with Hawk or any of their output on this early 70's gem, a work denied the audience it deserved for reasons more political and economical than due to any lack of musical worth. It's got a bucketfull of soul where it matters and some of the best rock n' roll sensibility this side of Leaf Hound to back up that zeal, tearing up the world to pieces with two guitars and some snarling rhythm in the dead of night.

PM me if interested in a copy of this, and a Happy New Year to everyone!!

Talking Heads – Fear of Music (1979)

"This aint no disco, and all I see is little dots."

1. I Zimbra (3:09)
2. Mind (4:03)
3. Paper (2:39)
4. Cities (4:10)
5. Life During Wartime (3:41)
6. Memories Can't Wait (3:30)
7. Air (3:34)
8. Heaven (4:01)
9. Animals (3:30)
10. Electric Guitar (3:03)
11. Drugs (5:10)

In the wake of punk's sudden takeover bid for musical supremacy in the late 70's and the demise of the disco and prog. demographics, popular music was in need of renovation, along with a fair amount of innovation. The question was, what exactly would this entail? Now that the musical world had gotten a nice shot of adrenaline, how could this energy be focused into something meaningful and interesting to people who actually gave a shit about listening to music that could stimulate both the body and the mind?

Different groups came up with different answers, and by the dawn of the 80's a number of "art-punk" bands had emerged from the underground in order to stake a claim at the shoreline of these changing sonic tides; Television turned riffing into a friggin' industry of its own while the Ramones integrated the charisma of good ol' fashioned rock with some punk sensibility to fun effect. However, as bands began to arise from their primordial boarding schools and whatnot in order to tame the Punk Beast into something less mindless, there was this snotty bunch of white kids from New York who stood out beyond the others in their lyrical sensibilities, experimentation and oddly contagious grasp on rhythm. In the course of three albums, they laid the foundations for what musical canon would later call New Wave and for a short while were one of the most popular groups on the planet despite their anti-commercial stance and often paranoid subject matter: ladies and gents, say hello to the Talking Heads.

Anyway, the review: Fear of Music is the Talking Heads third major studio album, released in 1979, and although it was critically successful and lauded its never been as popular as Remain In Light or the majority of their 80's output. This is probably because despite their radio-friendly lengths, most of the tracks here are weird or lyrically dark even at their most danceable. Take opening track 'I Zimbra' for instance; you have King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp whipping out angular licks over conga polyrythms as frontman David Byrne spouts incomprehensible gibberish for three minutes. Catchy? Yes. Awesome? Yes. Going to chart high on the Top 40? Not a chance, though American DJs briefly picked it up as a club groove for a week or two. The following track 'Mind' seems almost mundane in comparison, but its lamenting tone and low-key beat proves to be compelling in its own right also.



Still, even beyond these first two numbers, we're dealing with a classic work of sorts, so therefore highlights are numerous. Plus, regardless of whether your in the Love or Hate camp, its certainly no argument that the Talking Heads have quite the distinctive sound: Byrne's odd inflections, tribal thumping drums, congas and bass, and ever evasive, slinky guitar work make for an intriguing set up even when the songs don't always work (though that's not the case here; Fear of Music flows like a charm). Also, the Heads have a knack for balancing between straightforwardness and the purposely quirky; tracks such as 'Life During Wartime' and 'Heaven' are both engaging and deceptively stripped down, while my favorite track 'Animals' places some interesting lyrics, drunken atonal delivery and upbeat instrumentals in a sort of tandem, each contrasting the other and resulting in something simultaneously cool and memorable. And when all is said and done, its tracks like this that make an album for me.



Ultimately, what can I say already that hasn't been said about this album by snooty music critics in the last three decades? It's fantastic stuff that came right as the 70's birthday candle was going to be blown out, and like all good records can engage a listener just as easily now as it could 30 years ago. And for anyone wanting to get into the more creative side of punk, you could do a lot worse than with Fear of Music. It certainly did me good back in high school, I'll say that much.

Klaatu – 3:47 E.S.T. (1976)

"The Beatles =/= Klaatu. Klaatu > The Beatles!"

1. Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (7:14)
2. California Jam (3:01)
3. Anus of Uranus (3:16)
4. Sub-Rosa Subway (4:36)
5. True Life Hero (3:25)
6. Doctor Marvello (3:37)
7. Sir Bodsworth Ruggelsby III (3:22)
8. Little Neutrino (8:25)

For the last thirty years or so, anything with two particular words within the context of an album guaranteed Gold, sometimes even Platinum, sales of said album. What were these magical words you may ask? Why 'The Beatles' of course! Whether it was solo albums by its members, bootlegs, live recordings or the infinitely numerous compilations of their material, anything The Beatles did or do today sold/sells like crack on the street. It's insane, but that's the power of Beatlemania for ya.

Now, what does any of this have to do with a Canadian progressive pop band named Klaatu who released a fun and strangely awesome debut record back in 1976 on Capitol Records? Simply put, due to a strange yet fortuitous rumor, most of the U.S. thought that Klaatu WERE, in fact, the Fab Four reunited, and as a result this album here sold planet-sized volumes within a month of its release that it otherwise wouldn't have. This is due in part to Klaatu's often whimsical approach to their tune writing, but the fact that 3:47 E.S.T. was released through Capitol, who were also responsible for many of the The Beatles material being released stateside, as well as that none of the musicians in Klaatu were named in the album's linear notes, led many to believe that they were The Beatles despite the fact that Klaatu sounded a lot more grandiose, weirder and proggier than Lennon and co.

The album opens with a song that the Carpenters later stole and did a godawful cover of, the 60's tinged 'Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft', which while silly in the lyrical department has some fantastic vocal work and loads of eclectic spacey textures that give this piece a lot of sonic depth, though some may not like the Sgt. Peppers feel it gives off. This opener, more than anything else, was probably what started all those Beatles rumors.



Actually, almost all of Side A has a particularly late summer-y 60's feel to it, though filtered through Klaatu's slick approach to production and arrangement. 'California Jam' is everything that was great about the West Coast sound with a bit of extra punch to the drums and guitar, whilst 'Anus of Uranus' and 'Subway Rosa' start to harden the edges somewhat, with the vocals and guitar work getting sharper and more noticeable. There's even a shade of sitar in the later of these two songs, marking the line where the pop ends and the real weirdness begins.




Klaatu begin to stretch their tendrils out a bit more freely here on the dark side of this particular moon - the peruvian 'Doctor Marvello', raunchy 'Sir Bodsworth Ruggelsby III' and space-drone epic 'Little Neutrino' all stand out here. To briefly summarize, sitar leads and dominates 'Doctor Marvello', but in a more raga-rock kind of way that anything The Beatles did. 'Sir Bodsworth...", on the other hand, is without a doubt the most demented piece of anything on this whole album: to put it one way, its as if Animal from the Muppets jacked the mic from Klaatu's actual vocalist while replacing the rest of the group with some Tiny Tim session musicians. It's awesome and catchy to a point (especially if you pay attention to the lyrics), but extremely strange nevertheless!

We end this album on a darkly cathartic note on 'Little Neutrino', which is led acoustically throughout most of its 8 minute run while swelling into explosive vocoder climaxes at key moments, eventually fading off into silence with the pulse of an orchestra behind it. Very evocative, very spacey, and a most importantly look into the true creative deeps Klaatu would begin to plunge down into on later works.




Pomp and plaster and potential disaster all mix with some killer musicianship here on 3:47 E.S.T., and all in all its one of the most fantastic and fun debut albums to ever hit the market. It takes all the best parts of the late 60's, puts them in the electric chair, then blends up the remains with a a few cups of power-pop and an ounce of ham for maximum playability. I really can't recommend it enough, and along with the follow-up, 1977's Hope, this represents some of the best weird pop the 70's have to offer.

Circus – Movin' On (1977)

"Yes meets Van Der Graaf for a cup of joe during winter break in Switzerland under a bulbous, golden moon."

1. The Bandsman (4:25)
2. Laughter Lane (4:11)
3. Loveless Time (5:32)
4. Dawn (7:51)
5. Movin' On (22:23)

Ah Switzerland: the fancy cheeses, the delicious chocolates, the snowy mountains, Social Security...and in the context of this review, the land of REALLY FRIGGEN AWESOME OBSCURE PROG!

Circus is one of those groups who had everything a good prog. band needs to stand heads and shoulders above its ilk: untypical instrumentation, interesting songs and themes, and perhaps best of all a overall sonic approach that melds the dark jazzy tendencies of Van Der Graaf Generator with the golden harmonics of Yes. Also, there's no keyboards...at all! Quite an intriguing lineup choice, and one that lets the flute, drums, bass and acoustic guitar and sax shine through at their darkest and more shimmering, which is really what makes their 1977 release Movin' On interesting: it sounds more organic than most of the prog. albums some of you are familiar with, as well as having a more reasonable length than most; the five tracks that comprise Movin' On together only clock at about 45 minutes in total. The majority of this time is taken up by the title track on Side 2, which in and of itself is worth the price of admission and most representative of Circus's prowess as a group.



Not that side one doesn't have quite a bit to offer the listener in its own right. 'The Bandsman' is a wonderfully flute n' bass driven opener, occasionally even danceable from the sheer craft of its rhythm. 'Laughter Lane', in contrast, demonstrates a folksier side to Circus where flute, guitar and xylophone dance together to form a beautiful soundscape, building up a bit of speed near the end and bringing in some tasty sax for extra kick. The vocals may not be to everyone's liking, but they generally work to these tunes' favor.



'Dawn', however, is my personal favorite track from this album and the sole instrumental. It starts off with a soothing ambience that hints at discord beneath the waves with the sighing of the sax, eventually evolving into an ambitious little jazz jig that segues skillfully into the album's 22 minute title track, living up to the imagery of its title without a hitch and a bright spot amidst an already starry musical canvas.



Overall, I feel that Circus is one of those prog. rock ensembles that has the appeal and distinctiveness to make it into the libraries even those unfamiliar or skeptical about progressive rock, especially the one's who think it all "sounds the same". Amidst the innumerable obscure 70's one shots and hard-to-find releases that are ultimately derivative of other bands, Movin' On is a kickass piece of work which managed to set a foundation all its own, and I honestly can't praise this band highly enough for releasing something this fantastic. It's certainly become one of my favorites in the time that I've owned it!

Highly recommended to prog. lovers and haters alike, especially if you are curious about prog. without the keyboards and pompousness.

I'm still in the process of digestion but safe to say this is the best thread I've seen in a very long while. I'll certainly be revisiting.

Excellent work.

On a previous recommendation from you, I've had Movin' On for a while now and it's not just a curiosity, it's a great sounding album! Definetly an album to get for those who think they might like a little prog. :)

Marvin Gaye – Here, My Dear (1978)

"The greatest soul album of all time? Probably."

1. Here, My Dear (2:48)
2. I Met a Little Girl (5:03)
3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (6:17)
4. Anger (4:04)
5. Is That Enough (7:47)
6. Everybody Needs Love (5:48)
7. Time to Get It Together (3:55)
8. Sparrow (6:12)
9. Anna's Song (5:56)
10. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You [Instrumental] (6:03)
11. A Funky Space Reincarnation (8:18)
12. You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You (5:32)
13. Falling in Love Again (4:39)
14. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You [Reprise] (0:47)

By 1978, the legendary sultan of soul, czar of croon, master of move Marvin Gaye was at the end of his rope. Divorced, on the verge of mental breakdown and nearly out of money, the musician who had already become legendary in the halls of Motown cut fourteen tracks to pour his sadness, longing and growing sense of dislocation into and turned the whole thing into a concept album, a catharsis to get over his various pains. And hence Here, My Dear was released in 1978 to mixed reviews and poor sales, and hence the last leg of Marvin's strange, star-studded life began its trek to a terrible, unfortunate ending.

However, as the decades passed, critics and fans alike began to look back on this album beyond its commercial viability. The heartache and inner damage that Gaye had unleashed within had actually given rise to some of the most beautiful yet most unhinged and experimental work of his mostly singles-driven career...without anyone noticing at all! The man who had brought soul to life at the beginning of the 70's had produced his greatest statement near its close, and at times it can be nearly breathtaking to behold.

There's a sense of reflection and spacious wandering from the start to the moment where this album's embers fizzle into silence. The opening title track meanders like a shining fog into the touching, almost hymnal soul of 'I Met A Little Girl', a wistful take on the joys of marriage and that joy's collapse over time, leaving both broken. But as the album lets loose its various aches and nostalgia, highlights begin to pop up in earnest; 'Is That Enough' carries Marvin's lush tones over a reggae-like shuffle while 'Funky Space Reincarnation' and 'Falling In Love Again' makes up the apex centerpiece tracks; the former is a literal wonder in spoken-word psychedelia while the latter ranks among one of the single more gorgeous and heart-wrenching cuts that Gaye ever recorded. Not a single wasted letter nor excess note pervades here; this is almost painfully raw and unpolished emotion from someone who no longer understood what it truly means to love another person, and its that sort of emptiness that makes this record come alive.




Everyone has demons inside of them, and many musicians have oftentimes tried to give form to such things through the music they craft and set to posterity with their own hands. Marvin may not have created the greatest soul album of all time in this singular attempt to exorcise himself of his negativity and regrets, but he came pretty damn close here. These are tracks wrought with frustration, nails digging into the palms, the works. It's unfocused at times, lyrically oblique at others, lost in a haze so often...and it all comes together just like that before you even realize it as you journey down the minutes.

For people who stopped on Marvin Gaye at What's Going On, or even for those who want to hear some of the best this man could bring about musically, pick Here, My Dear up immediately. The only thing you'll regret is the fact you didn't have it in your collection before now!

Birth Control – Operation (1971)

"Hungry, hungry hard rock from the Fatherland that puts the did back in Katydid."

1. Stop Little Lady (7:16)
2. Just Before The Sun Will Rise (7:35)
3. The Work Is Done (5:56)
4. Flesh and Blood (3:27)
5. Pandemonium (6:34)
6. Let Us Do It Now (11:09)

Ah God, where to start with this exceptionally hard rocking and vibrant sounding Krautrocky patch of holyland...the cover for Birth Control's 1971 sophomore slice of hard n' heavy Operation kinda tells you already just how amazing the music these men make is without even needing to try!

Straightforward yet eclectic, this Berlin band marvelously blends Deep Purple Hammond Organ driven tackling with a wild sense of ragged, percussive gallop that Can and Neu turned into a household standard early in their own careers. Opening stomper 'Stop Little Lady' is where this meld of rock approaches proves to be super effective right from the get-go, with the drums and guitar creating a near heartbeat like crackling that grabs hold immediately and sticks fast to boot.




In fact, up until the oddly symphonic yet amazing 'Let Us Do It Now', everything from the opening track through the soul-tinged 'Pandemonium' is a delicious hard rock bag of googies. Vocalist Fritz Groeger has a damn good roar (and can sing nicely too when not roaring), the songs are memorable, and you don't have to be some kind of elitist nor a musically retarded person to love the whole of it; this is thick, rumbling straight-ahead rock with plenty of fun and thought to offer, busting at the seams with passion and grit the way only a good German rock record can burst.




If you are yearning for the simple things in music, the good kind of simple that never wears out its welcome and can be rocked out to in rain or shine alike, then do yourself a favor and pick up Operation today. As the cover art promises, this is a baby-eating good time for musical enthusiasts both young and old. :)

great review, you have inspired me to check these guys out. on top of that you have just sparked a new 70's binge...this happens from time to time.

i love the hammond...and i've always been a sucker for the guitar fx used in pandemonium

Baby-eating, gigantic ten-legged orthoptera-like creatures with teeth have litte or no place in biology, but they sure look awesome on album covers I have to say. :p:

Just noticed that Circus album up there...nice choice!

Triumvirat – Illusions On A Double Dimple (1973)

"The ProggyMouse likes this...you should too!!"

1. Illusions On A Double Dimple (22:59)
2. Mister Ten Percent (21:22)

From mid-1969 through the summer of 1970, the success of groups such as The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull and Yes had begun to create waves and ripples throughout the music scenes of various countries both large and small, but particularly in Germany, who at this time was caught up in a variety of musical upheavals. While the bands who would later give rise to Krautrock and early Electronic experimenation were still finding their sea legs, a piano player by the name of Jürgen Fritz was astounding audiences at little bars and venues across the country, covering everything from Top 40 pop hits to Procol Harum and early ELP tracks, and became inspired greatly by much of what he was covering. Together with drummer Hans Bathelt and bassist Werner Frangenberg, Fritz formed a trio which would take Germany by storm for the next half decade or so, which he dubbed Triumvirat and by the release of their 1972 debut Mediterranean Tales were called by presses around the globe "The German ELP", and dismissed as derivative by many.

Their following sophomore record, however, proved that such a title was not befitting at all. For you see folks, 1973's Illusions On A Double Dimple added guitar and sax and a bludgeoning bass lead into the keyboard-lead approach that sounded better than anything their more famous English contemporaries had ever done or would ever do. Featuring two 20-minute sidelong epics and a cool ass album cover, it is difficult to comprehend how phenomenal this release must have been upon release back in prog. rock's heyday. Hell, it still sounds brilliant today.

The opening title track starts off gently enough on a catchy piano note and Gabriel-esque capella before beginning to gather speed around the minute mark where the synthesizers and pummeling drums begin to set in. Some interesting themes are established, as well as a fair amount of acoustic guitar woven like a ribbon amidst a blistering bass, all of which grows steadily sharper and more interesting as everything winds further and further toward an inexorable conclusion. It's the sort of affair that makes you wish you had been listening to these guys from the beginning instead of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, as this is one of the hardest biting prog. epics ever set to song by any band.

(Excerpt from title track)


'Mister Ten Percent', however, doesn't even try to build up before launching into a drum+bass bone crunching lead that speeds up punkishly while the piano grapples forth at specific intervals. The backing vocal work is quite reminiscent of Yes circa Close to the Edge, but it adds rather than detracts to the feel of the piece. Twin to Side A's title cut, if a bit more straightforward at times, 'Mister Ten Percent' never loses itself in overt synth wanks or unmemorable noodling; rather, the piano is always tasteful, plus an interesting flamenco section pops up starting around the 4:00 minute mark, followed by some sax at 5:30, and so on and so forth until you are either boggled by the constant twists or dragged along hypnotically by the grooves and discernible themes at play. No matter which it may be, it's one hell of a 20 some odd minute ride, and stronger than what we opened with too.

(Excerpts from Track 2)



I know progressive rock isn't everybody's thing, especially the keyboard-heavy breed, but when even the most pretentious brand of a pretentious genre is executed with this kind of throughfulness and punch, you can't help but either enjoy the heck out of it or respect it from the bottom of your heart & soul.

Recommended, then, to classical junkies, progheads, and to anyone who is looking for something rather challenging to grace their musical taste buds for a short time or eternity alike. Either way, you really can't go wrong with a cute-as-buttons rodent nibbling its way out of an eggshell...it's just too awesome to deny!

I really loved that little nibbling mouse getting out of his egg. Another great album that finds its way into your hands, and onto that thread. Beautifully written review as well.

Sai Yoshiko – Taiji no Yume (1977)

"Darkling and occasionally vivid dreams given form and noise for the ears of you and I."

1. Gitano (3:43)
2. Alhambra no Aoi Bin (2:08)
3. Aru Hareta Yoru (3:31)
4. Hatoba (3:58)
5. Haru no Yume (2:48)
6. Umi no Chinmoku (4:20)
7. Aoi Garasudama (4:53)
8. Henro (3:55)
9. Hakuchūmu (2:51)
10. Taiji no Yume (9:04)

Some music in the world simply never get the due it deserves. From the 1960's through the early 1980's, while the musical world was primarily fixated on bands coming out of the U.K. and U.S. respectively, Japan was undergoing a fantastic sonic renaissance of its own. Folk music traditions that had been passed down for centuries on more traditional instrumentation was now colliding head on with every other musical form under the sun, from American jazz to English psychedelia, resulting in rockabilly and acid-folk movements that rivaled anything going on in the Western world. And within these movements, some musicians produced masterpieces that never saw the light of international release.

The subject of this review, Taiji no Yume, which translates to Dream of a Fetus, is one such release, the third album of a then 24 year old singer/songwriter named Sai Yoshiko. Sometimes referred to as the "Joni Mitchell of Japan", Yoshiko's trademark style juxtaposes psychedelic, sometimes virulent musical landscapes against her crystalline, dream inducing vocals and jazzy sense of atmosphere, resulting in ten intriguing movements that never fail to hook you in.

Although certain thematic touches tie these different songs together into something like a whole, there is loads of personality to be found on each cut individually. Opener 'Gitano' kickstarts with the record with a samba shuffle mixed in with some cool piano while 'Aruhanbura no Aoi-bin' serves as a gorgeous counterpoint with its harp, Yoshio's croon and some moonlit synth textures gelling into a two minute slice of perfection.



Still, this is an album that blends and balances before all else. 'Aoi Garasudama' sounds like something David Gilmour might have written in Floyd's prime years had he been born and raised in Japan, whilst 'Hatoba' and 'Umi no Chinmoku' emphasize a yearning, acoustic sort fragility, making for some rather pleasurable, if oddly nostalgic, listening experiences. Plus, although its fun to have constancy in a record, what's the point of the tracks aren't also distinguishable from one another? Taiji no Yume manages to be eclectic without forcing the variety, and hence avoids this pitfall altogether.



Japan is a country of absolutely fascinating music from nearly every genre imaginable, but it's only really in the last ten years that people living in other parts of the world have gotten the option to be exposed to it without having to actually travel there or spend ridiculous amounts of money importing vinyl/CDs. Sai Yoshiko is only one of many fantastic musicians who was doing music in a fledgling, revolutionary time in the country's musical history, but I feel one of her albums is as good as any to represent part of 70's Japan here.

For anyone into folk, jazz, psychedelia, or just interesting music in general, this is most definitely worth the time to track down or request.

Jon Anderson – Olias of Sunhillow (1976)

"Hold my life, cross the path, course and curl my dreams away...."

1. Ocean Song (3:04)
2. Meeting (Garden of Geda) (3:34)
3. Dance of Ranyart (4:19)
4. Qoquac Ën Transic (7:08)
5. Flight of the Moorglade (3:24)
6. Solid Space (5:20)
7. Moon Ra (12:48)
8. To the Runner (4:29)

If there is anything the 1970's had in excess (beyond fear of nuclear doom and oil crises), it was concept albums. Albums about "X guy/girl involved in blahblahblah" that listeners didn't really give a shit about anyway, or maybe a four part suite about the elements and the earth or whatnot. In either, with a few exceptions, concept albums could be just as annoying as they were potentially engrossing...when done right.

This particular album, a blend of Prog. Rock and New Age, is such an album done right. Olias of Sunhillow, the 1976 debut solo album from one of the most distinct sounding frontmen of any any generation, Jon Anderson of Yes, is an album that not only engrosses the mind on sheer musical listenability, but also manages to bring its concept to life without you needing to have any inkling of the specifics of its story (basically the Exodus in space) in eight tracks of various length and content.

Perhaps most interesting of all however, Jon Anderson did absolutely everything here himself; instrumentation (guitar, harp, synth, percussion, etc), vocals, songwriting, and even recording. In a time when independent releases were generally maligned or oftentimes considered extremely risky, Anderson destroyed all expectations and managed to win some critical acclaim from both fans of his parent band and the Yes-hating critics alike.

Rather than start at the beginning though, I'll simply illustrate a few of my favorite pieces; 'Dance Of Ranyart' is an acoustic, harp-based illustration which defines the beauty of this album best before segueing in its last two minutes into a soaring vocal display by Anderson. It's a perfect lead into my personal favorite piece here, "Flight of the Moorglade", a track about Olias and his fellows animating a space ark/ship into being through song. To put it simply, its three and a half minutes of glowing, upbeat space-themed joy, and serves as the album's centerpiece.





Side B marks a shift in the mood of Olias of Sunhillow, as the Moorglade has set off into space and must now endure a perilous journey to Earth. 'Solid Space' is an epic, static-tinged escapade into the atmosphere, building its density and volume throughout its five minute run, and features some rather noble sounding synths. This leads into the 12-minute 'Moon Ra', which is divided into two main halves: the dissonant title part, which swells high then low before leading into a surprisingly tender middle/end section driven entirely by acoustic guitar. 'To The Runner' is a dreamy, low-key closer of a track that ends the album on a contented note, completing the voyage and a call to the listener to look beyond the here and now toward something more. And to be honest, it's one of the best closing tracks I've ever come across; it packs a major ambient wallop.





If space opera, high-mind concepts and science fiction isn't your bag, then this is definitely one of those albums that may make you scratch your head at first. But give it time; the gorgeous arrangements, heavenly yet airy voice of Jon Anderson and captivating atmosphere are all excellent and may win your ears over before you even realize it.

In the derivative and generally eye-rolling genre known as New Age, Jon Anderson's debut stands out like a fireball on a moonless night in Siberia, larger than life in both conception and execution. This is not only one of the best solo outings of the 1970's, but in all likelihood the best New Age album of all time...and that's saying quite a bit.

Kush – Presents Snow White ... And The Eight Straights (1974)

"Australian funk-prog. with David Bowie clone, kekekekeke!"

1. Wait Overture (2:04)
2. Easy Street (3:50)
3. All Right In The City (2:55)
4. McArthur Park (7:34)
5. Wait (4:53)
6. Satanic Deity (8:51)
7. Christopher John Suite (10:13)
8. Klue (5:23)

Although Australia never really has a progressive rock scene per se', the 70's was still a creative period in time period for the country, where bands were mixing things up and trying new things to see what would stick with audiences and what would not.

Kush, an unusual jazz-tinged rock group from Melbourne with some glam and prog. elements thrown in for good measure, is a case-in-point example of this creative era in Australia's popular music history. Fronted by the androgynous and enigmatic Jeff Duff and made up of other equally talented but obscure musicians, their 1974 debut Presents Snow White ... And The Eight Straights is an adventurous recording that tries a lot of different things...and rarely goes wrong in any of it.

The album kicks off on a minor key, letting some sax, flute and guitar float for a two minute overture amidst Jeff Duff talking off into the distance...before it kicks off into a Chicago-esque swing-jazz number called "Easy Street", giving off a distinct early 60's feel with the dueling sax and horns while the guitar sizzles. Very retro in all the right places, and not bad for an opening number either.



The following three tracks bring a more psychedelic feel to the overall proceedings while still retaining the jazziness present from the opening two-punch, with 'All Right In The City' being quite funky and 'Wait" quite reminiscent of early Soft Machine with a Bowie like vocalist. The balance of elements is rather ear-pleasing, indicating in an obvious way that these guys are more than meets the eye for your average jazz-rock group.



The second half of the album, however, is where things begin to get more interesting. 'Satanic Deity' and 'Christopher John Suite', the two longest tracks on the album, serve as evolutions of what has come before while still remaining very different beasts sonically. The former features some killer guitar and piano work midway, not too unlike some of Jimi Hendrix's more adventurous stuff while the latter 10-minute epic is an exercise in hypnotism, with almost mystical-sounding flute taking center stage for much of the song. Despite the length, it's without a doubt the best cut on the album, falling back on Jeff's vocals and some psychedelic jamming near to end to go out with a bang. The album then closes the door with 'Klute', a short Oriental-scaled number that speeds up the near the 5 minute mark, leaving you wanting more as the horns and guitar disappear into a gradual quiet.



In all honesty, I'm not sure if Kush were ever popular in their home country; they got a bit of radio play and some T.V. appearances, as well as being one of the few brass-rock outfits to possess a sense of humor in their lyrics. That aside though, this was a rather creative group who deserve a wider audience and should touch base with people who are looking for something a bit different from the norm, especially those with a taste for jazz-rock without the meh and bleh.

The Stooges – Fun House (1970)

"RWARWWWARRGH."

1. Down on the Street (3:42)
2. Loose (3:33)
3. T.V. Eye (4:17)
4. Dirt (7:00)
5. 1970 (5:15)
6. Fun House (7:46)
7. L.A. Blues (4:55)

Chaos. Savagery. The thrill of a rave at the climax of an insurmountable high. At a time when art-rock was quickly beginning to dominate airwaves, saturated by Hammond organs, synthesizers and the occasional Moog, a young Iggy Pop and his fellow Stooges were keeping things hot, crushing and manic to the point of rapture, blowing the minds of hundreds upon hundreds at live venues with with their eclectic yet electric sonic sledgehammer of an approach to rock. It was during the height of this creative onslaught that they pulled together 1970's Fun House, an album which reconciles the rawness of their infamous stage performances with an almost jazzy sense of improvisation.

The results, needless to say, are spectacular.

We kick off the curb with 'Down On The Street', driven by a characteristic unpolished riff tethered to the earth by Iggy's whooping and a gridlocked drum beat. Almost tame by these guys' standards, it's still a fine start to an album that only grows more and more unhinged with every passing note.



'Loose' and 'T.V. Eye" serve as pacer pieces of sorts, amping up the energy a bit and settling in your mind to the crunching pulse that makes Fun House what is is: shit in your face walls of sound that doesn't care about anything. The tone is remarkably different between each though; the former embodies rock's primal urges to **** and pillage, the latter an excursion into paranoia. And that's what makes this album great: it embraces the ugliness and negativity of people and turns it into rave material.



From here on out, we begin to move into the real wasteland though, with longer tracks that give the band room to bleed their sentiments like rags and to entrance audiences into these expanses. 'Dirt', '1970', and the jazzy title cut are all cravings for love, for life, for a good time when there's none to be found, and that's something anyone can dig whether its 1970 or 2010. In brief, these are songs for us.



But then, suddenly, it all comes crashing down in one final, hellish blast from the apocalypse in the five minutes of 'L.A. Blues'. The drums and sax loose all sense of sanity, with Iggy screaming amidst the madness and dissonance of a world about to end. The high is over, the joy is fading, and the horsemen bring calamity and cleansing as fire tears the sky to nothingness.

Fifty some-odd years ago, poet T.S. Eliot wrote the world would end with a not with a bang, but a whimper. Me? I'm of the opinion that it ends to this song.



Neither quite punk nor like most of the rock of it's time, Fun House, like the rest of the early Stooges' discography, is regarded as a timeless classic by every man and woman who has ever screamed at heavens for the sake of screaming, a testament to those who love to live. Its really not hard to see why!