I'm Back ^_^

Hello everyone...its been a very long way back since I visited my Blog...sorry for been away too long....will keep you updated.... and will repost what ever links are lost....so bear with me and have a lot of patience....for the mean time enjoy whatever links are still active and will do my homework to keep this blog alive...and watch out for more this coming year 2011.....happy holidays and happy new year too all

Andromeda - Andromeda (1970)

German group unknown, record a solo disc for a French label for you then definitely miss their mark. The style is a hard-rock-inspired jazz-blues, where in some points very similar to the COLOSSEUM. Perhaps with some more hard you could watch a band interesting.

The disc opens with the homonymous track Andromeda, already presenting a hard-rock with keyboards in the spotlight. There is no shortage of ideas especially in jazz where the final round of the bottom seems borrowed from Valentyna Suite.
Cosmos Main Road following the introduction performed by the classical piano for one song in a half a pulled very hard rock. Beautiful work done by the keyboards.
Galaxy is a blues-rock more conventional although there are also some interesting changes with melody in choral style.
A World On A Star is a slow song for piano and organ once again in classic style.
Space Trip breaks again with a very hard-rock pulled out is where the long drum solo finish which highlights the technical qualities of Steinborn absolutely not be underestimated.
Rockets is one of the best evidence of the disk being the longest track. The starting point is the jazz-rock but scattered inside you can hear psychedelic cues that make the track more deep and fascinating.
Closes Lady Silver Star, the most pop track that adds little or nothing to the rest of the disc.

Track Listing...
01. Andromeda - 5:25
02. Cosmos Main Road - 4:57
03. Galaxy Of Beauty, Galaxy Of Nightmares - 8:05
04. A world On A Star - 4:40
05. Space trip - 7:33
06. Rockets - 8:27
07. Silvery Lady Star - 4:39

Samurai - Kappa (!971)

Samurai – a Japanese group led by vocalist/flautist Miki Curtis. They went to Europe in late 1967, picking up some European members and thus becoming half-Japanese. In London they recorded a single and their debut album, the double-LP [so I’m told] ‘Samurai’ a.k.a. ‘Miki Curtis & Samurai’ [German Metronome, 1970], as well as a single only released in Italy. They should not be confused with the UK group of the same name, who released a self-titled LP on Greenwich in 1971.

Track Listing...

1 - Trauma (10:18)

2 - Same Old Reason (2:49)

3 - Daredatta (3:38)

4 - Vision Of Tomorrow (3:52)

5 - King Riff And Snow Flakes (22:28)

Samurai - Samurai (1971)

Samurai was previously known as Web. Once Web became Samurai, the band was no longer recording for Polydor, but for a far more obscure label, Greenwich. This is early '70s, where many progressive rock bands were still making song-based material, and Samurai was one of them. In fact, I really think the reason progressive rock got such a bad reputation later on was many people felt too many bands abandoned writing great songs in place of showing off their instrumental abilities and how complex they can make their music.
Samurai is truly another great, lost gem of early British progressive rock. I really like the jazzy feel that goes with it, and this is one progressive rock album you can't call "pretentious" (and we all know every prog rock detractor out there calls this kind of music "pretentious"). It's nothing but a collection of great songs with interesting use of instruments (organ, wind instruments, and the way the vibraphone is integrated in the music, rather than using it during jazzy solos like many other bands did at the time). I really highly recommend this album!

Track Listing...
1. Saving It Up For So Long
2. More Rain
3. Maudie James
4. Holy Padlock
5. Give A Little Love
6. Face In The Mirror
7. As I Dried The Tears Away
Bonus Tracks:
8. Give A Little Love (Live)
9. Holy Padlock (Live)
10. More Rain (Live)
11. Concerto For Bedsprings (Live)
12. Love You (Live)

Christopher - Christopher (1969)

Christopher first came together in 1968 out of Houston Texas area and were originally known as United Gas. Metromedia offered them a 2 year contract and suggested to change their band name because of similarity to Pacific Gas and Electric. After much thought, they came up with "Christopher", after Saint Christopher who was stripped of his sainthood. Their music was a bit heavy psych and the guitars sound so cool. Try this cd and you'll not be disappointed.

Track Listing...
1. Dark Road
2. Magic Cycles
3. Wilbur Lite
4. In Your Time
5. Beautiful Lady
6. Lies
7. Disasters
8. The Wind
9. Queen Mary
10. Burns Decision

Short Cross - Arising (1970)

I just listened to the album Arising by Short Cross the other day. I'm really impressed by this boogie rock outfit, considering that these guys were only in their teens when they recorded this album. It was a low budget recording from a small label, but these guys really rocked! Some of the tracks that stand out are, Nothin' but a woman, Wastin' Time, Suicide Blues, Just don't care, On my own, Till we reach the sun, That's her train and Before it rains. I really recommend this album for all 70's boogie rock fans. It's truly a rare gem.

Track Listing...

1. Nothin' But a Woman
2. Wastin' Time
3. Suicide Blues
4. Just Don't Care
5. On My Own
6. Till We Reach the Sun
7. Ellen
8. Hobo Love Song
9. On My Own [Stereo Mix]
10. Marching off to War [Stereo Mix]
11. That's Her Train [#]
12. Bomb [Unfinished Demo]
13. Before It Rains [Unfinished Demo]

Joseph - Stone Age Man (1969)

The cover drawing of a cave man is completely apt. Joseph sings like he’s about to hit you in the head with a club. His gruff, gravely voice is completely perfect for songs with titles like “I Ain’t Fattenin’ No More Frogs For Snakes” and “Cold Biscuits and Fish Heads.” The backing is solid bluesy organ and guitar, with a few surprising moments here, like “Mojo Gumbo” speeding up at the end. While a bit of Howlin’ Wolf/Captain Beefheart shows through here and there, he’s really one step behind those guys on the evolutionary chart. His lead guitar playing is equally as crude as his vocals. This is a short album, with 9 songs in 29 minutes, and not a second is wasted, except maybe for the cover of “House of The Rising Sun.” Really cool!

Track Listing...
1. Trick Bag
2. I Ain't Fattenin' No More Frog
3. Cold Biscuits and And Fish Head
4. Stone Age Man
5. I'm Gonna Build A Mountain
6. Mojo Gumbo
7. The House of the Rising Sun
8. Gotta Get Away
9. Come The Sun Tomorrow

Primevil - Smokin' Bats at Camptons (1974)

Originally a private and limited vinyl release in 1974, Smokin' Bats At Compton's stands as a fine example of '70s hard rock. The overall sound is bluesy hard rock, very much in the style of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, although in recent years they have also appealed to psychedelic collectors. Highlights include the opening track 'Leavin', 'Progress' and the now legendary 'Hey Lover'.

Track Listing...
01.Leavin' (3:51)
02.Progress (3:25)
03.Fantasies (6:00)
04.Pretty Woman (3:11)
05.Tell Me If You Can (5:20)
06.Hey, Lover (2:36)
07.High Steppin' Stomper (4:27)
08.Your Blues (7:24)

JPT Scare Band - Past Is Prologue (1975)

These recordings from the Kansas City threesome, JPT Scare Band, from 1973-75, have been bootlegged for eons at pricey sums. If the band had a signed record contract back in the early '70s, there is no doubt they would be up there with Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and Black Sabbath for guitar overload damage. Unfortunately, these recordings never really made it out of the inner circles of hard psych heads. This is a classic snapshot into the basement of a true American Rock Band doing what they do best. It is easy to imagine all their friends freaking freely to their brand of tripped-out, space-vibe rock. Interesting liner and production notes round out this great package (lots of photos, lyrics, etc.) and proves that, in the mid-'70s, not all of American rock was asleep or staring at its navel.The JPT Scare Band's screaming electric psych/blues barely made it past the basement where they first rehearsed back in 1973, but someone was smart enough to tape these three titans of volume at work. That work became the album known as Sleeping Sickness, an album spoke about in hushed reverence among heavy psych heads that were lucky enough to hear it.

Past is Prologue gives us a snapshot of the band through time, including tracks recorded in 1975, '76, '77, '93 - and oddly the best track, Sci-Fi acid-epic "Burn in Hell", recorded in 2001. The reason I say "oddly", is because the band seems not to have skipped a beat over the years. The musical chemistry between the three members of the band is awe- inspiring..."Burn in Hell" sounds as fiery and intense as, say, "Time To Cry" did back in '75.

The beauty of the JPT Scare Band is it's ability to function as a unit in the nebulous field of the free-form heavy jam. They start with a chord progression and the rest is a musical conversation, the direction dictated by unspoken energies. Terry Swope is a gawdam genius. One of the best all around soul guitarists I've ever heard. The kind that are unencumbered by strict technique and play soley based on smoldering emotion. Definitely in the league with the best in that genre...Hendrix, Duane Allman, Robin Trower and Carlos Santana. The other two comparatively unheralded players in the band are of equal importance - bassist Paul Grigsby anchors the band with an equal amount of soul and passion and drummer Jeff Littrell knows when to dig in with a fill and push the band a bit, and then back off in the more soulful moments. The end result is nothing short of mind-blowing.A must for those into heavy psych and/or those that are true aficionados of the mysteries of the jam.

Track Listing...
1. Burn in Hell
2. I've Been Waiting
3. Wino
4. Sleeping Sickness
5. Time To Cry
6. Titan's Siren
7. Jerry's Blues
8. It's Too Late (Revisited)

Love Sculpture - Blues Helping (1968)

Love Sculpture formed in Cardiff in 1966 out of the remnants of another local band called The Human Beans, and disbanded in 1970, although Edmunds went on to enjoy solo success in the 1970s. The band itself was essentially a showpiece for Edmunds' considerable technical ability on the guitar. Love Sculpture mostly performed blues standards, slightly revved-up, but still largely reverent to the originals, releasing their debut album, Blues Helping with such songs as "Summertime", "Wang Dang Doodle" etc. They are best known for their 1968 novelty hit in the UK Singles Chart, a high speed cover version of the classical piece "Sabre Dance", by Aram Khachaturian, released on the Parlophone label (R 5744). The recording was inspired by Keith Emerson's classical rearrangements.[3] "Sabre Dance" became a hit after garnering the enthusiastic attention of British DJ John Peel.[3] This was followed by a second album Forms and Feelings, with songs including: "In The Land of the Few", "Farandole", "People People", "Seagull" and the equally fast cover of Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me".They recorded three times for BBC Radio 1's John Peel sessions in 1968 (twice) and 1969.[4] Love Sculpture split up after a U.S. tour, having recorded two albums. Edmunds shortly went on to further number one hit success with "I Hear You Knocking", and collaborated heavily with ex-Brinsley Schwarz bassist Nick Lowe, eventually forming the band Rockpile with him.

Track Listing...

1...Stumble
2...Three O' Clock Blues
3...I Believe To My Soul
4...So Unkind
5...Summertime
6...On The Road Again
7...Don't Answer The Door
8...Wang Dang Doodle
9...Come Back Baby
10...Shake Your Hips
11...Blues Helping