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Screen13 · 12-22-2013, 01:37 PM

Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe - The Alan Parsons Project
The copy I got was the 20'th Century US release with the original elaborate cover by Hipgnosis, including liner notes, lyrics and cool pictures. Parsons debut as an artist already started with the concepts, although this one was not as commercial as others. A good listen, especially in the night, this is a good side note to Prog that showed that Parsons seriously learned a lot from working with Pink Floyd. Vinyl is in good condition.

Once Upon a Dream - Rascals
The 1968 album with the hardly found booklet of photos to complete the elaborate packaging with also included a black inner record sleeve. The once-Young Rascals try to do a Pepper on the US music scene and really just create another fine example of Rascals 60's Pop Soul music with some sound effects here and there (including the title track's use of fans screaming...we get it, their dream was achieved...well deserved, though!) plus one step into Indian Music influenced writing on "Sattva". The only hit single here was the Top 20 and still the essential for Rascals history Psych Soul of "It's Wonderful" but there were other major contenders which were not singled out ("My World", "Easy Rollin"), although of course they were still thinking the Beatles way around this time. A little light than usual, although this would change a bit for the next round on Freedom Suite, it has some nice moments.

The Raspberries - Starting Over
Their 1974 album included a poster featuring a member, I think Wally Bryson, wearing an upside down star (Power Pop Ist Krieg, anyone? Joking, but it still rocked enough to wage war on the MOR of that time) - although it's C/O status shows that it's not as collectable of course. This was the band featuring Eric Carmen before going down the MOR, and this was the final album by this all time great Power Pop band which at least had one hit in "Overnight Sensation". "I Don't Know What I Want" certainly did know what it was aiming for when you hear bits of melodies that sound like vintage Pop Art Who, and despite a couple of ballads, this is filled with hooks by the bakers dozen...all the more reason to forget what happened after this for Carmen ("All My Myself" and "Hungry Eyes" never happened, nope! Ha! Ha!). Vinyl in great condition.

Take Some Time Out for... - The Isley Brothers
Vinyl in great condition, Stereo pressing, and side two's listing was printed upside down on the label! This is early Isleys, this time on the Scepter label and featuring "Twist and Shout". Great voices, but a little too much trying to re fry the hit. Still worth the dollar I spent on it!

Shaft (Original Soundtrack) - Isaac Hayes
The one and only! Vinyl in nice condition (I think I have to clean it up a bit)! The title hit song, a lot of good instrumental music, and a couple of cool vocal tracks including "Soulsville" and one excellent jam out session on "Do Your Thing". Although some may expect to hear more vocals at first (it is after all, Isaac Hayes!), check it out, play it all the way, and hear how good Hayes was as a major arranger and writer of film music for the 70's Urban Action films of which Shaft is one of the best.

The New Spirit of Capitol - Various Artists
A 1969 collection that announced several of the label's then-new Rock findings making it a very interesting compare and contrast with their better known songs in the next decade, including The Bob Seger System ("Innervenus Eyes" from Noah!), Steve Miller Band ("Little Girl"), Linda Ronstadt ("Silver Threads and Golden Needles"), Pink Floyd ("Astronomy Domine" from Ummagumma...a shortened version for this collection) , and the already hit album making Grand Funk Railroad ("Please Don't Worry"). Also included are the Edgar Broughton Band (another Harvest Records singing promoted through Capitol in The US), Joe South (His major hit "Games People Play"), Mississippi Fred McDowell, and The Sons. Plenty of funny promo liner notes, but one interesting bit - The Seger System's Noah was not mentioned despite one of it's tracks being on this collection while Tom Neme, the blame of the weaker tracks on that album, was also out of the picture...the changes that were leading to Mongrel as well as that power trio picture from 1970 found in the Grit, Noise, and Revolution book were happening as early as late '69, I guess.

Quadrophenia (Original Soundtrack)
Got this, and it was a C/O like I assumed it to have been. Both records in good condition, both original inner sleeves in, and the music still works after all these years. Now the original item has something next to it in my collection!

Tim Buckley - Greetings From LA
Vinyl great, cover slightly worn, but it was a dollar and it was worth hearing again.

12-22-2013, 01:37 PM	#20253 (permalink)
Screen13 Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,388	Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe - The Alan Parsons Project The copy I got was the 20'th Century US release with the original elaborate cover by Hipgnosis, including liner notes, lyrics and cool pictures. Parsons debut as an artist already started with the concepts, although this one was not as commercial as others. A good listen, especially in the night, this is a good side note to Prog that showed that Parsons seriously learned a lot from working with Pink Floyd. Vinyl is in good condition. Once Upon a Dream - Rascals The 1968 album with the hardly found booklet of photos to complete the elaborate packaging with also included a black inner record sleeve. The once-Young Rascals try to do a Pepper on the US music scene and really just create another fine example of Rascals 60's Pop Soul music with some sound effects here and there (including the title track's use of fans screaming...we get it, their dream was achieved...well deserved, though!) plus one step into Indian Music influenced writing on "Sattva". The only hit single here was the Top 20 and still the essential for Rascals history Psych Soul of "It's Wonderful" but there were other major contenders which were not singled out ("My World", "Easy Rollin"), although of course they were still thinking the Beatles way around this time. A little light than usual, although this would change a bit for the next round on Freedom Suite, it has some nice moments. The Raspberries - Starting Over Their 1974 album included a poster featuring a member, I think Wally Bryson, wearing an upside down star (Power Pop Ist Krieg, anyone? Joking, but it still rocked enough to wage war on the MOR of that time) - although it's C/O status shows that it's not as collectable of course. This was the band featuring Eric Carmen before going down the MOR, and this was the final album by this all time great Power Pop band which at least had one hit in "Overnight Sensation". "I Don't Know What I Want" certainly did know what it was aiming for when you hear bits of melodies that sound like vintage Pop Art Who, and despite a couple of ballads, this is filled with hooks by the bakers dozen...all the more reason to forget what happened after this for Carmen ("All My Myself" and "Hungry Eyes" never happened, nope! Ha! Ha!). Vinyl in great condition. Take Some Time Out for... - The Isley Brothers Vinyl in great condition, Stereo pressing, and side two's listing was printed upside down on the label! This is early Isleys, this time on the Scepter label and featuring "Twist and Shout". Great voices, but a little too much trying to re fry the hit. Still worth the dollar I spent on it! Shaft (Original Soundtrack) - Isaac Hayes The one and only! Vinyl in nice condition (I think I have to clean it up a bit)! The title hit song, a lot of good instrumental music, and a couple of cool vocal tracks including "Soulsville" and one excellent jam out session on "Do Your Thing". Although some may expect to hear more vocals at first (it is after all, Isaac Hayes!), check it out, play it all the way, and hear how good Hayes was as a major arranger and writer of film music for the 70's Urban Action films of which Shaft is one of the best. The New Spirit of Capitol - Various Artists A 1969 collection that announced several of the label's then-new Rock findings making it a very interesting compare and contrast with their better known songs in the next decade, including The Bob Seger System ("Innervenus Eyes" from Noah!), Steve Miller Band ("Little Girl"), Linda Ronstadt ("Silver Threads and Golden Needles"), Pink Floyd ("Astronomy Domine" from Ummagumma...a shortened version for this collection) , and the already hit album making Grand Funk Railroad ("Please Don't Worry"). Also included are the Edgar Broughton Band (another Harvest Records singing promoted through Capitol in The US), Joe South (His major hit "Games People Play"), Mississippi Fred McDowell, and The Sons. Plenty of funny promo liner notes, but one interesting bit - The Seger System's Noah was not mentioned despite one of it's tracks being on this collection while Tom Neme, the blame of the weaker tracks on that album, was also out of the picture...the changes that were leading to Mongrel as well as that power trio picture from 1970 found in the Grit, Noise, and Revolution book were happening as early as late '69, I guess. Quadrophenia (Original Soundtrack) Got this, and it was a C/O like I assumed it to have been. Both records in good condition, both original inner sleeves in, and the music still works after all these years. Now the original item has something next to it in my collection! Tim Buckley - Greetings From LA Vinyl great, cover slightly worn, but it was a dollar and it was worth hearing again.