Haven't seen Comus in nearly a week and a half now, but I assume he'll return in a triumphant fashion at some point soon. :laughing:

Definitely getting Luv Machine btw, and I enjoyed the review.

Today's review, coincidentally, is a very obscure psychedelic album of the highest calibur:


Garden of the Elks, which is the English translation of the name Algarnas Tradgard, is not your grandad's psychedelic rock band. In fact, as their moniker might give you an indication of, this one-shot album band is, to me, a living example of just how grand it is when you DO manage to find something a bit offbeat that doesn't sound singular and unique for the sake of it. Or, to put this in a different way, how many groups at that point in time would have thought to fuse Psychedelic Rock, Space Rock, Krautrock and Nordic folk music into a single, cohesive sound that doesn't rely on bass to send your mind to the skies?

Not many I'd say, which is why Framtiden ar ett Svavande Skepp, Forankrat I Forntiden (English translation: The Future Is A Hovering Ship, Achored In The Past) is simply so interesting when you actually sit down and listen through it the first time. You are struck that it doesn't strive to be different, it simply IS by the combination of the styles involved, and that's a rare quality indeed considering how easy it is, for the most part, to figure out which X band influenced Y band's sound in today's music world.

Not that I can't give you guys a few comparison bands to Algarnas Tradgard, because there are a few. The dread-folk atmosphere that pervades this album feel like a cousin to parts of Comus's First Utterance in some ways, while the lighter passages are sibling to Jan Dukes de Grey or Pentagle without sounding like either of those bands.

However, perhaps the best thing about this record is that certain aspects of their sound are emphasized on different tracks to various degrees, hence appealing to a variety of audiences without losing the core sound or style. Rings of Saturn, for instance, is driven entirelly by some serious psychedelic guitar grooving, while There Is A Time For Everything, There Is A Time When Even Time Will Meet has lots of sitar, Nordic flutes and enough spaceyness to make even Hawkwind fans cream their jeans. The female vocals, while sung in Swedish, are rather nice and don't distract from the mind-expansive sound at all.

So in conclusion...Honestly, this is an outstanding effort. Their sound is unique and stands alone for the most part, which is always a plus for obscure albums. For you fans of the psychedelic, the depths of space, or even folk music...this could very well be your Holy Grail of the month. No joke.


Also, here's an excerpt from Track #2 of the album for your listening pleasures. Enjoy!

Because I'm in the arctic at the moment and don't have much time/chance to listen to music, I've been purposely avoiding your thread for a while, thinking I would check up on the your new stuff when I got back to my apartment on the mainland.

However, I'm just wondering .. what's up with all the swedish stuff? Pain of Salvation, Älgarnas Trädgård, Moon Safari, some of the members of The Tangent .. Is it coincidence or have you been getting into swedish bands on purpose? ;)

Looking forward to listen to the elkboys when I get back!

Hey guess what!
I'm a hipster and I love the thread!
I got Lucifer's Friend and it's great and I guess I have to catch up with the rest.

Sweden have been at the forefront of progressive rock output for a long while now, though like most things the assertion is debateable. ;)

jacklovezhimself: Hipster or not, welcome to the Anthill. Enjoy Lucifer's Friend and check out whatever else you find interesting!

Today's obscure album may not be prog., but its an unusual beast to be sure...with extra funk included.



For anyone who remembers (or has ever read) my old Screaming Headless Torsos review, I raved a bit on how David Fiuczynski, known in musical circles by the moniker "Fuze", can play guitar like a mother****er. His style, to put it generically, is very distinctive regardless of the project he plays on; haphazard and textural, yet at the same time he has the capability to shred with the best of 'em on a whim. You never really know where he'll take his sound from one second to the next, and as a result Fuze possesses an unusual charisma in a time when technical proficiency seems to have devoured the original goal of many great guitarists: to be unique.

But enough about him and more about the record in question that he's involved with. This particular project, the album Black Cherry Acid Lab, makes full use of Fiuczynski's unique style, along with his good friend Dean Bowman (Screaming Headless Torsos's vocalist) and hence results in lots of punk-jazz antics crammed with funk and rythm up the wazoo. But guess what? It also has a certain infamous voice-actor providing his talents as a rapper to go with an already lethal musical duo, a man by the name of Ahmed Best.

But who is Ahmed Best you peeps may ask? The pic. below should explain everything:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...jar-binks2.jpg

Yes, its the truth. We have Jar Jar Binks rapping like a crazy mofo' here on Black Cherry Acid Lab. And BOYYYYY is he on the game here, adding an unusual element to an already unpredictable funk album with some interesting results. His performance here, in fact, makes this one of the most diverse and interesting albums to come out at ANY point in time, much less the 21st century. Rap+funk+punk+jazz+hard rock has never sounded so fun!!

Describing the tracks one by one is no easy task, partly because the songs themselves sometimes change randomly, veering off in odd designs that somehow seem crazy, yet held together by Fuze's playing like some variant of sonic superglue that prevents the building's foundations from caving in. Another plus, the instrumentation, is intracite to say the least; simply put, its heavily bass, guitar and sax driven with heavy drumming and the occasional turntable for good measure. Very danceable material in some ways, which is always nice once in a while.

So, for those who love jazz and fusion, this album will please you. To those who love their jazz fusion with rap and a sense of humour, you'll love it even more. And to the folks who take in avant-garde like gatorade at football practice, you'll probably enjoy this album most of all because its both inviting and challenging to the mind and ear the way a great album needs to be.

I suppose if Mr. Bungle had been just a mite jazzier and were still around today, this is how it would have been. Three thumbs way way way up for this classic in the making!! :D

Got an up for this at all? I like the sound of it!

You should definitely give Algarnas Tradgard a listen Jack although I find that their release drags on a bit at times, but that shouldn't deter anyone :). It does feel kind of weird at first, but it's definitely a grower. Great review too, although I tend to find that generally, you're a bit lenient when it comes to album ratings.

Meh; all that means is I have to revamp my grading scale some, which I'll go ahead and try out on this upcoming review.

1: Excrement
2: Trash, but there is the potential of promise in an area or two.
3: Average
4: One or two great tracks, but otherwise unexceptional.
5: Very good. Anything at this grade or higher is worthy of recommendation.
6: Classic status/exceptional. Not quite flawless, but milestones nevertheless.
7: Perfection. Transcends the genre to become something of potential universal meaning.

I'll be re-evaluating all my past reviews with this scale, and will also be posting this back on my first post.

Anyway....all that aside, I've got an album today that gives Leaf Hound's Growers of Mushroom a run for its money. Sorry Comus!! xD


T2 was a hard-rock band trio with a remarkable, if rather brief, resume to go with before the recording of their one and only record It'll All Work Out In Boomland back in 1970. Keith Cross, only 17 years old and fresh out of playing at the Isle of Wight Festival with Hendrix himself, had proven that despite his young age that he was a cunning wizard with the guitar, and together with bandmates vocalist Peter Dunton and bassist Bernard Jinks managed to land a recording session with the influential Decca Records (who, interestingly enough, own the recording studios where Wishbone Ash did most of their studio work).

The result of Keith Cross's efforts, an almagation of Cream, Hendrix and the sort of looseness you'd expect from some jazz outfit of the era, is an album that rings powerful and full of weight while still being remarkable in it's seamless ability to shift tone on a dime into acoustic psychedelia. Each track turns in on themselves a number of times, possessing the rare quality of smooth transition from one movement to the next. Take the 21 minute side-long 'Morning' for instance; it rises from an acousting dream over the first few minutes, gradually picking up the pace as the guitar's wailing shreds nicely, slows, shreds. But then, suddenly around the 10 minute mark, the drums and guitar have switched roles, with fantastic rythyms a'la Santana at the forefront of your mind while the guitar and bass morph spacily in the background. It's awesome!

An album like Boomland is interesting for several reasons. It approaches things more experimentally at times than the usual hard rock album of the late 60's, but never forgets its roots while pursuing these tendencies. It remains fun, heavy and head-banging even with longer than 4-minute songs and a 21-minute suite. T2 were a band, that even if it was only for one album, knew exactly what they were doing and what they wanted to do; they wanted to take the kind of rock n' roll Cream, Hendrix and the rest had pioneered and make it a bit more interesting.

Whether or not they succeeded, Keith Cross and company, is up to those who hear this album to decide. Could this have been among the most promising debuts of all time or a one-hit wonder that deserves it status in obscurity?

Either way, the awesomeness of Boomland is indisputable in my book, and hence I recommend it to lovers of all that is hard and rock in the years when it was done best. Thumbs up! :finger:

On a final note, here is Circles, the first track, for the curious on YouTube. Enjoy!

Send this my way, im intrigued

It's certainly nice to see so many people interested in Drac. Music Cabinet. Incredibly inaccessible even to more adventurous listeners, but thats part of the charm I guess. :)

Today's review deals with more of an underrated than obscure work. Still proggy though-



Pretty strange really, the scarcity of Yes album reviews on MusicBanter. Is it because they're universally accepted as awesome by everyone, or is it simply due to a lack of interest on the part of the users?

In any case, this is one group who is undeniably responsible for some major masterpieces of the 70's, stuff that even now is nearly impeccable even to those who look down on prog. rock. The Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge and Relayer are all known and loved with great fervor among fans and enjoyed by everyone else to at-least some degree.

But even after all of those works came and went, Yes had still one true innovative classic left in 'em as that decade came to a close. Strangely forgotten in light of most of their other albums, Going For The One has everything a Yes fan could want; intricate almost jazz-fusion level interplay between Howe's guitar and Wakeman's keyboard antics, killer bass from Chris Squire, the soaring intensity of Jon Anderson's vocals, and some real trippy lyrics that border closely to the surreal rather than the nonsensical. Hell, we even have the +15 minute long 'Awaken', a track that Anderson himself even today to be the band's best and most complete song ever recorded. The only thing missing was Bill Brufod and an album cover by Roger Dean. :wave:

The title tracks starts us off with an almost country-like riff from old school RnR, setting Anderson off nicely as the keyboards peek out from below the bass. Turn of the Century features nice acoustic work from Howe, Parallels begns with an organ and carries a heartbeat all the way up to Wonderous Stories, which has Anderson singing angelically in a manner reminicent on King Crimson's Lizard. This of course eventually fades into Awaken, which pulls together everything Yes had ever been or could have been in a breathtaking farawell to the decade befitting of their talents. The beginning and ending sections respectively are incredible if you have a decent surround sound system or speakers that aren't ****.

Really, unless you are into the rather obnoxious sort of pomp and studio-wizardry which would take hold of Yes's sound in the 80's through today, Going For The One should be considered the the last album any self-respecting fan should have in their collection alongside Close to the Edge, Fragile and the rest of their 70's output. Awaken may be the must-have/listen song from this work, but the album on the whole definitely has enough strong moments besides that one track to elevate it alongside their other records.

Hence, this is a worthy grab for a fan of the band while at the same time being accessible for new listeners. It may not reach the heights of Close to the Edge, but then again what does?


Here's the first half of Awaken being performed live. It's very awesome!

Another good review!

And a particularly interesting one. So far I've heard The Yes Album, Fragile and Close to the Edge. I'm pretty much blown away and Yes has quickly become my new favourite prog-band. Judging from your review, I'm gonna love this one as well. :)

This sounds excellent man, its now on the list for the next record hunt :ar_15s:

Cheers

Okay everyone, time for a straight-up review of one of my favorite obscure albums of all time, and one that some of you may even recognize if you've been paying attention. ;)


The two above sentences were the warnings issued on the inside of the vinyl cover of Cottonwoodhill after a limited number of copies hit stores back in 1971, the debut album of a bunch of Swedes led by the very mentally unstable multi-instrumentalist Joel Vandroogenbroeck. Although other records would follow this one from him (the original lineup broke up after this work), none would be as ****ed up as this one, perhaps due in part that they all stopped doing massive amounts of LSD during recording sessions (and hence got freaked out and left after the recording session).

Personally, I am of the opinion this is a rather dangerous album (especially the title track on side 2) to anyone who does drugs of any kind. Those warnings that were on the original vinyl really were there in all seriousness: Putting this on while you aren't in the right frame of mind as some people did back then when they heard this will inevitably cause bad trips and terrible nightmares. 'Cause For every wah-wah guitar grooving solo there is dissonance and darkness, and back then even the trippiest music was positive to a point. However, there is nothing happy or positive about Cottonwoodhill. Only stark-raving madness with something sinister along its borders, and to some that is what set it apart and above from almost anything done back then. :afro:

Also, there is no singing, but only the insanely doped up Timothy Leary-esque ranting of Dawn Miur, the female "vocalist". Spoken-word sequences compliment this sort of mind-expanding music very well, and its interesting and hypnotic even if you aren't really paying attention.

As with what I said about Dracula's Music Cabinet when I reviewed it, this is yet another album not for the faint of ear. Cottonwoodhill's effects on the human mind were thought to be so damaging that it was even BANNED in France, Italy and the U.K. upon its initial release. It is, without a doubt, the best goddamn piece of psychedelic music ever committed to record, but that doesn't mean this is the best place to start if you are curious about mind-altering rock. Climbing Mt. Everest before at-least hiking around the Rockies some is sorta silly ya know?

Basically en finale, this has been on my personal top ten list of albums I have ever heard for a long time now, and there is nothing else that truly matches it in either sound nor in its insidious reputation among those who feared what would happen to people when drugs and music were paired together.

This, my friends, is a rare example of an essential album that goes beyond merely being a genre hightlight; it's aural entropy of the greatest, most elusive kind. My rating system would be destroyed trying to place a grade on it. To those who are not afraid of weird ****...GO GET THIS


Also, here is track 2, Places of Light, for those who want a very tame taste of what Brainticket have to offer thy ears.

Great album this, gets regular rotation on my playlist. Never decided to review it since I couldn't tackle the review properly. And because it pisses me off so much that T2 is some random *** techno fail.

Great review though.

"Acquiring the taste is the second phase of sensory pleasure. If you've gorged yourself on our first album, then relish the finer flavours (we hope) of this, our second offering. It is our goal to expand the frontiers of contemporary music at the risk of being very unpopular. We have recorded each composition with the one thought - that it should be unique, adventurous and fascinating. It has taken every shred of our combined musical and technical knowledge to achieve this. From the outset we have abandoned all preconceived thoughts on blatant commercialism. Instead we hope to give you something far more substantial and fulfilling. All you need to do is sit back, and acquire the taste."



And so we begin with a pretentious proclamation and a giant tongue salivating, along with the music industry's ginormous ass sticking up towards the tongue. The year is 1971, a year often overlooked by progheads (bar Yes's Fragile) in favor of the the next few when many staples in the genre would hit shelves everywhere. Weirded out yet? Well don't be; Gentle Giant's sophomore record, Acquiring The Taste, just happens to be what the title infers...a flavour that may freak you out at first lick, but with time grows over you like moss. Strange, angry in a Bartok way, and sometimes even quirky in its medievel styling blues/jazz-rock layerings, this is high-grade stuff even when compared with the works of other bands in the same ballpark, though it is somewhat inaccessible. Still, like Demi Moore, this is the kind of stuff that gets better with...well, more listening! :laughing:

In regards to the tracklist itself; Gentle Giant's musical approach has oftentime thematically borrowed ideas from French satirist Francois Rabelais, such as the character Pantagruel for "Pantagruel's Nativity", and their appreciation for that man's views shows in the music itself. The opening section is particularly awesome, as the keyboards and Moog actually sound like guitar here. You also have several meditations on melancholia and the night here in the tracks "Edge of Twlight" and "Black Cat", both wonderful; the former is thoughtful, the latter something like R&B crossed with chamber music. The title track is another high point; although real short, it manages to milk freaky keyboaring for all its worth; it'd be perfect for some Atari game soundtrack back in the arcade days. And this is only the beginning!

Overall, I am of the opnion that this is a particularly striking album and recommended to people who are looking for something less than conventional from a band already quite well known for being offbeat. Like it or not, at least you'll be impressed, if not surprised.



Pantagruel's Nativity (Opening track)

Great review! Including the proclamation was especially nice and and GG kicks ass of course though I've yet to acquire the taste myself. I'll start acquiring soon, though. :)

edit :

Been acquiring a bit lately and found this to be, as you write, an excellent album :D Yet another good music tip from Anty! I predict this album will be played many times in my near and far futures. Many thanks!

An obscure and weirdly childish concept album about a boy named Ernie and a giant magical red bird named Maraboo that transports him to a fantastical reality where they go on lots of adventures together, brought to you by one of Germany's most interesting bands from the 70's, a group called Grobschnit that formed out of the remains of 60's psychedelic rock group The Crew in 1970 and who as the 80's arrived would produce several mainstream New Wave/pop-rock albums for radio. Still, as of the making of this album, those evil AOR years are still far in the future, and in 1977 at the end of progressive rock's time in the spotlight, this band still had one arguablyy great work left in them.

To be honest though, this sort of stuff would normally be hard to swallow even for the most dedicated progressive rock fans if it weren't for Grobschnitt's uncanny ability to inject genuine humor into the compositions, along with some fairly memorable melodic progressions that remind me quite a bit of Yes without actually sounding like them, and a vocalist who can actually sing worth a damn in English. The humour is a particular highlight; for example, take the news broadcast interjection at the 7:04 mark in 'Ernie's Reise":

"This evening a huge bird was seen carrying a little boy on his back in a height of about 3.000 feet right above sector 0/16. The bird was carrying some beer-bottles, a bag with vegetables, was lit contrary to regulations and was smoking a pipe. We instruct all planes cruising this sector to observe this incident. Over."

Gotta hand it to Grobschnitt here; interjections like these really set them apart from their English proggy counterparts back in the day. Perhaps the genre as a whole would have probably stuck around on the charts a little longer if more bands took themselves less seriously eh? :laughing:

So, for fans who are looking for Germany's best in the short-lived German progressive rock scene, look no further than this simple symphonic illustration of a boy and a giant bird's journey into wonderland. Whether you laugh at its absurdity or simply nod admiringly at this silly band's attempt at a masterwork, I guarantee there's a good time for anyone who checks out Rockpommel's Land.

Yes, these are the same Californian douchebags that are responsible for many Top 40 hits in the late 70's and who did all that touring with The Doobie Brothers and Heart. For many they sound like the sort of band you'd want to avoid like you would Herpes and Scientologists. And yet...you would be wrong!

Go back far enough, and you'll find youself a progressive rock debut that is so infectious you'll do a double take merely by hearing it; are these really the same dudes who did "Biggest Part of Me"? Strangely enough yes, which makes the story behind this band's formation even funnier; as Crosby/Nash/Stills worshipping teenagers they heard King Crimson at a concert in San Pedro back in 1971 and in a single night their musical lives changed forever; after playing together awhile for the next four years and sending out a bunch of demo tapes, Warner Bros. went on to sign them and had Alan Parsons shipped out from the U.K. to give them the sound production they deserved.

The result? Nothing short of mindblowing. It produced two hit single songs, yet the music was complex, polyrythmic, sometimes very jazzy, and thanks to Parsons sounds dynamite even 30+ years later. Great lyrical sense and gorgeous vocals top the package off nicely, but the songs themselves are wonderfully varied as well; "Make Us All Aware" and "Mama Frog" are brilliant slices Gentle Giant-esque progressive rock with Motown sensibility, and "Holdin' On To Yesterday" is one of those rediculously gorgeous songs that can define an entire decade of music in 4 little minutes. But these are merely examples; there's not a single weak track on here, and with clocking at 38 minutes or so makes it a very good album for people being introduced to the poppier side of 1970's progressive rock.

Although they lightened up a fair amount after this self-titled debut and its immediate followup, I would highly recommend this album to anyone and everyone who appreciates what happens when a South Californian pop band begins to write songs like King Crimson, Yes or Gentle Giant would. A very fun listen from start to finish! :thumb:


Oh, and here's a live performance of Mama Frog for you guys' enjoyment.

Grobschnitt was really weird, I liked it but I wasn't sure if I thought the humour was just awkward or genius. I have to chew on that one a bit more, but the music certainly wasn't bad. Ambrosia, judging from your review, is something I have to get my hands on - and I'm looking forward to it already!

Great reviews! :thumb:

Everyone has an ideal soundtrack to doing nothing to. Maybe its folk. Maybe its Sonic Youth. Hell, there are probably weirdos out there who lay back on sunny green hills and stare at the clouds while listening to Mr. Bungle. The world is full of all kinds after all.

For me, the album to listening to while lazing about is a breezy little gem from 2002 called Lost Horizons, the work of the less-than-prolific duo Nick Franglen and Fred Deakin under the moniker of Lemon Jelly, where along with about a thousand other contributors bring to life colorful sample-littered soundscapes which cross such diverse territories as Return to Forever-eque jazz-fusion (The Curse Of Ka'Zar) to cinematic lounge-house (Experiment Number Six), and awe-inspiring dream-tred soundscapes that hurl your auditory senses through sky and space alike (Closer, Space Walk). Much of it has a sort of Eastern vibe in the drums and guitar, but nothing blatent enough to point out directly. If anything, it complements this album greatly and gives it bite compared to other records of its ilk.

In short, for an ambient album (electronic tendencies aside), this is a rather diverse offering; the tracks all exude different moods and hence there's something here for everyone. The production quality is vibrant to say the least and there's enough going on beneath the surface to reward those that pay attention. For everyone else though, a good deal of this falls into the sort of tuneage you'd play on a walk down the street, alone in a quiet place or in the midst of doing something else. You can pay attention to it, but its not necessary to enjoy it, and hence this succeeds as an album for me.

Hence, if you are seeking a laid-back yet energetic diversity in your ambient/electronica collections, Lost Horizons is something to look for. Here's two tracks for sampling purposes-

Just thought I'd let you know that this is an exceptionally interesting thread. I've just been skimming it pretty lightly so far, but I've already seen a good bit of stuff that I'll definitely need to give a thorough checking out when I get back to my house in a couple weeks. Highlights:
Gentle Giant - Wasn't familiar with these guys, very cool track and interesting vocal style that I didn't like at all at first, but had grown on me quite a bit before the end of the track. I also enjoyed the solo, which I found to be sabbath-esque
Pazop
The Vampires of Dartmoore - Instantly loved this severely awesome track, and I think you know why
Brainticket - I'm sitting completely alone listening to this. At the beginning I'm just enjoying the organ/flute heavy funkish instrumental. 20 seconds after the vocals kick in, it momentarily scares the living **** outta me. This is amazing, to state it lightly.

Keep up the good work

Although many people are not aware of it, Japan's progressive rock scene, especially in the 80's and 90's, is quite vibrant and interesting to explore. This one such gem is from the era's peak, a debut work and the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Kazuhiro Miyatake, who plays everything from accordion to bass guitar while a very talented bilingual young lady named Hiroka Nagai takes care of vocals.

To be frank, this is among the most drop-dead gorgeous symphonic progressive rock albums ever put together, even when compared to all the greats from the progressive heyday over in the U.K., and hence I have a lot of praise for what's here. So many moods are brought to life to a near effortless degree, from the acoustics to the riverside Italian-feel accordion (Step Into Easter), to godlike flutework (Lagrima), along with some brilliant piano that ferments to an insanely catchy bombast (Eternal Jealousy). To put it one way, Barren Dream is amazing, if for nothing else, because if captures that mind-transporting fantastical mood at a level that only the best albums of progressive rock can realize. It reaches me where so many fail and burn, and no matter how much I play it the love does not lessen. It's one of a kind, and the only thing that prevented it from being acknowledged as the masterpiece it was back in 1987 was because it's from Japan! Grrrrrrrr!! :bringit:

If there are any complaints that come to mind, its that the guitar playing has a slight late 80's feel to it, but such doesn't really detract in the slightest from arrangements that are so damn wonderful that I don't even have the words to express the words for how I feel as I listen to them.

Despite the fact that Japanese progressive rock is something most of you are unfamiliar with, I recommend Mr. Sirius's Barren Dream as the first and foremost stepping stone to get you started. It's damn near impeccable as a representative of what makes the scene good, being more memorable and beautiful in seven tracks than entire neo-prog bands can be in two or three decades of work.

I don't say this very often, but I'll say it here: Get This!

Got this quite a while ago after you recommended me and I agree, it's a beautiful album.

Nice review! Looking forward to your next one! :)

Just finished reading all the reviews of the last 7 pages. Great picks, checked most of them out on youtube. Level 42 was meh. A fantastical and interesting thread non-the-less which has given me plenty of new names to check out. Thanks, I'll for sure be keeping an eye on this thing... I can't believe I've missed it for so long.

Due to my extreme curiosity on The Vampires of Dartmoore, I took it upon myself to do a little research on the group. Turns out from what I've read, they were actually a fictional band, thought up by 2 library musicians, whose names are Horst Ackermann and Heribert Thusek. What's more, these two lads made a followup album of sorts, entitled Science Fiction Dance Party (although this album isn't under the VoD name, but a more futuristic name: The Science Fiction Corporation). I haven't gone searching for this one yet, not sure how hard it will be to find. And if you'd like to see my sources of information, I'll post some links. Anyway, this puts my mind to ease. I just knew there had to be SOME sort of info about this mysterious, obscure group. And now I've come to find that they aren't even really a "band" at all! Quite interesting...


Dusty Groove America - Search: Vampires Of Dartmoore (Ackermann & Thusek) -- All Categories -- All Formats

FACT magazine: music & art news, upfront videos, free downloads, classic vinyl, competitions, gigs, clubs, festivals & exhibitions - The month in...Reissues

http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/sto...c&UPC=BMS016CD

After three damn months of searching, I finally got ahold of this hellraising and criminally unknown slice of classic prog-rock, and GODDAMN what a find it is!

Built from a fantastic lineup of dual guitar, razor sharp bass, drums and some vocals here and there, Friendship Time were in existence for a mere six years or so back in progressive rock's heyday (1970-1976), before breaking up due to financial constraints and a failed contract with Virgin Records back in 1975 despite the existence of recorded material. The mastertapes, however, disappeared for nearly three decades after that until a former member rediscovered them in his attic in 2004. Two years later, the best cuts were remastered and issued on CD in 2006...and the result is, to put it lightly, mindblowing beyond belief.

Imagine Yes back in 1971, except with two Steve Howe's on two guitars (a nod to Wishbone Ash perhaps), no keyboards, Chris Squire playing bass on crack cocaine and a drummer who makes Neil Peart and Bill Bruford look like grade schoolers on Grade-F drumkits and you'll have a general idea at just how hella' dynamic these guys sounded back in 1975 when this was recorded. And with none of them older than 18 at the time!

Albums like this that make me a fan of this genre and time period. There's a quality about the playing here that's nearly gone from the scene today. It makes one wonder where and when the hell this kind of music really vanished, cause it certainly wasn't punk's fault!

So anyway...I recommend this unknown gem heartily to those who love that really drum n' bass emphasized sound that Yes possessed circa The Yes Album or Fragile...or if you just want something to blast out your speakers that sounds amazingly vibrant all these years later.

P.S.: This is a very rare album, which is why it took me so damn long to find. If you like what you hear in the below vid and want an up, feel free to PM me!

Although not a particularly experimental or famous figure in today's modern jazz world, Steve Cole is a saxman from Chicago who is notable for one thing in particular that should raise a few eyebrows: He. Makes. Smooth. Jazz. LISTENABLE, unlike the music of another certain someone-

http://images.cheezburger.com/comple...4945840175.jpg

Seriously, good smooth jazz?! The very phrase is an oxymoron! It must be bullshit right? RIGHT??!

Well, not exactly. Hell, under normal circumstances I'd be just as skeptical, but after going through this guy's last three albums I've become completely conviced otherwise. Basically, Steve Cole is a smooth jazz sax player who incorporates, among other things, soul and R&B into a genre that has been considered nothing more than elevator music for the past twenty years or so, and even if the result isn't groundbreaking, it's certainly better than one would expect.

Regarding the dude's discography, NY LA in particular is a particularly strong example of why Cole works while people like Kenny G do not. The opening title track alone is leagues better than an entire stack of 90's smooth jazz albums combined; it's got energy, some memorable melody lines, great percussion and even a touch of funk. 'Everyday' tones the energy down a bit, though its got a nice backbeat, and quieter interludes such as 'Missing You' and 'Love Letter' have some elegant, yet respectively different touches to their melancholy, and even pop-soul tracks featuring vocals such as 'Every Little Thing' and 'Tonight It's On' go very far into distingushing this record's diversity compared to the works of artists in a similar vein.

The final cut in particular though, 'Keep It Live' (unsurprisingly a live piece) is actually somewhat experimental in approach and the real highlight of the album. For lack of better comparisons, it reminds me a bit of some of A Tribe Called Quest's earlier material or maybe a Liquid Soul improv., but Cole's presence is distinctive enough to make the song his own without too much trouble.

The verdict then? Smooth Jazz is one of those genres that on its own is fairly mediocre through and through without exception, to the extent where even mainstream listeners have gotten bored of it here in the 21st century. However, in taking cues and a few nods from other genres as well as having an appreciation for actual jazz and improvisation, Steve Cole proves on NY LA that even trash can be turned into treasure when a skilled but strangely obscure musician works his creative alchemy upon it. A commendable effort!

Folk has always been a genre that I've held in high esteem for reasons both understandable and in ways that I can't quite put into words. Regardless of whether its simple or being blended with a multitude of other genres, there's usually something of interest for me. There are always pleasant surprises, twists, turns, and usually a hella lot of great playing. And best of all, most of its is absolutely timeless, conjuring up visions of nature, the past...even what may lie ahead of us.

However, this debut from German folk group Hölderlin is on an entirelly different level than even some of the classics, a little-known pastoral wonder that strikes a precarious balance somewhere between Fairport Convention at thier most blissful and nightmarish landscapes that fans of Comus's First Utterance will find deliciously familiar. It is also curiously psychedelic at times, though given the time period such is not surprising.

Instrumentally, the elements we all expect from folk all reside here; there's the flutes and stringed acoustics as well as bongo drums, but with a nod to Jethro Tull we also have guitar and bass, which give Traum a progressive rock feel at times. The vocals, while sung in German, are quite lovely, as showcased in pieces like "Wetterbericht".

Overall, this is a very vivid work. The playing, the singing, the mood-setting, everything is top-notch and evocative in the best sense of the word. You'll see mountains at sunset, forests where man fears to tread and beautiful rolling hills of fertile green at dawn's breaking.

Fans of folk music, especially of the somewhat strange variety, should pick this up immediately.

When the name Vangelis comes up, I'm sure images of broken cities and flaming chariots and New Age wankery are brought to mind for most who are familiar with his reputation. Hence my surprise then to find out out that Vangelis's earliest album within his vast body of work is also the most interesting and striking music he's ever brought to completion, a very rare and brilliantly illustrated little slice of jammin' psychedelia simply called The Dragon, which is the subject of this revew.

This trio of pieces, each liquid in their flow/structure and hinged upon setting mood and pace by alternating between frenzied acoustics and chilled out Middle Eastern jams, is truly inspired stuff if truth be told. Opening title track encapsulates the mood of an oriential Opium den with some VERY thick feedback and drumming. Although nothing groundbreaking, its one of the better psychedelic jams from the early 70's and fairly memorable on the whole despite the 15-minute length.



The remaining two pieces, 'Stuffed Aubergine' and 'Stuffed Tomato' respectively, are welcome contrasts to the weight of the opener. 'Aubergine' specifically, which is my favorite track here, possesses a particularly bright mood using flutes and the strumming of an acoustic guitar to evoke the morning rising over a sea somewhere. Very easy to get lost in when you aren't paying attention, but that's probably the point. :)

Overall, although far from well known and disliked by Vangelis himself for some reason, its refreshingly different from nearly anything else you'll find in this bloke's discography and will appeal to anyone looking for some extremely well done psychedelia from the genre's prime years.

Finally this thread is alive and kicking again! I wouldn't dream of unsubscribing to this baby, keep the gems rolling at me Anteater! Great reviews by the way, short enough to leave extra time to just listen to the last half of the song you posted, but also hits all the things I'd want to know about before downloading. Saves me a lot of time actually.

Underrated to an extent that I find unbelievable at times, Jeremy Steig is an American flautist who has been doing music in various jazz circles since the early 60's to the present day despite the fact that up until the 1990's or so half his face was paralyzed due to a motorcycle accident he had when he was only 19.

Although this guy has collaborated with a variety of interesting figures, from Bill Evans to Denny Zeitlin to Eddie Gomez, it was this 1977 work that marked a major change in focus on Steig's part, taking his remarkable ability into a late 70's funk/soul context. Not only that, but he got one of the smoothest sounding female vocalists from that period, Googie Coppola, to front the whole thing. But if that was not the icing on the cake, jazz producer extraordinaire Creed Taylor was the one who mixed this in studio, resulting in some real fiery ear candy that literally leaps from your speakers.

Plenty of highlights and oodles of excitement are in abundance within the confines of Firefly, reaching a crescendo on the three minutes of bliss that is 'Everything Is Coming To The Light", but the deliciously funky title suite and Shaft-esque tribal workout "Grasshopper" give plenty to chew on as well.

Although I can't find any vids to illustrate just how wonderful and rhythmic this album is, I feel that Jeremy Steig, and in particular Firefly, deserve a place in the collection of anyone looking for that buried jewel somewhere in that mines of funk and jazz forgotten by time.

Search this one out folks or drop me a line whenever. Killer grooves and flutage are just a PM or download away!

I have to say you write some fine reviews these days :) Even if I don't always post, I always check your recommendations out and this time is no different. I've only listened to the first track so far but I love it! Flute near always kicks ass and I like the slightly funky feel to it. The Dragon also sounds good.

Thanks again!

I've been particularly interested in that Friendship Time album. It'd be nice to get a PM sent my way.

Same here, that sounds really great!

On the strength of this review, I joined the Forum, Anteater! Having grown up in the 80's, I remember Level 42 as a slicker than your ordinary pop act. But I didn't plunk down any cash for their music until the compilation Level Best came out in '90. Needless to say, I wore out my cassette copy but never went back and discovered some of their more obscure tracks. I would say their music is kind of a Prog Pop with somewhat dated but excellent musicianship.

Am really loving their follow up released years later when it was rescued from the archives in 2001 titled appropriately Delayed.

http://www.progarchives.com/progress...7151282009.jpg

Really just amazing stuff.

I've read all the reviews in this thread and found them very interesting - I like your style. Although I am a fan of John Lawton with Uriah Heep, I could never get into Lucifer's Friend. They seem a bit too Led Zeppelin-like for my taste. Ambrosia and Grobschnitt are pretty good though, while The Tangent are a bit underrated (IMO). The T2 album is one of those albums that seemed exotic or intriguing when they were released, suffered poor sales and later became cult items. In hindsight, T2, like Gnidrolog, Clear Blue Sky and Gravy Train, seem a bit disappointing (to me at least).

It is always good to read reviews of progressive rock albums, especially the more obscure examples. I meant to comment much earlier but did not get round to it for some reason. Anyway, keep up the good work.

This looks an interesting journal, especially your marking system 5.3/7 and 6.1/7 for example, I'm baffled:D