Category Archives: Rock
GARD NILSSEN’S SUPERSONIC ORCHESTRA-IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY THE MUSIC IS YOURS.
Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra-If You Listen Carefully The Music Is Yours. Label: Odin Records. To say that bandleader, composer, drummer and percussionist Gard Nilssen is a prolific musician is something of an understatement. Since 2007, he has played on over seventy albums by all types of groups. Mostly, it’s been with small groups including the …
MIKE WESTBROOK-LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING: CITADEL/ROOM 315 SWEDEN 74.
Mike Westbrook-Love and Understanding: Citadel/Room 315 Sweden 74. Label: My Only Desire Records. By 1974, composer and pianist Mike Westbrook was thirty-eight and one of the leading lights of the British jazz scene. He had come a long way since he formed his first band in 1958 when he was an art student studying painting. …
LARRY ROSE BAND-THE JUPITER EFFECT.
Larry Rose Band–The Jupiter Effect. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘17th’ April 2020. Usually, at this time of the year, dedicated crate-digging DJs and discerning record collectors spend much of their spare time searching for oft-overlooked albums and long lost hidden gems in back-street record shops, thrift stores and dusty warehouses. This is the natural …
CULT CLASSIC: THE ZODIAC-COSMIC SOUNDS.
Cult Classic: The Zodiac-Cosmic Sounds. By 1967, many critics and record buyers regarded Elektra Records as a folk rock label that had released albums by some of the genre’s finest exponents including Judy Collins, Love, Tom Rush and Tim Buckley. Many of these albums would later become important and influential albums, and some nowadays, are …
MUSAX BACKGROUND MUSIC LIBRARY VOLUME 1.
Musax Background Music Library Volume 1. Label: Farfalla Records. The resurgence of interest in library music that began a few years ago is still continuing, with collectors keen to add to their burgeoning collections. For many, it’s original releases from the golden era of library music which covers the late-sixties through to the mid-eighties. Alas, …
TEA AND SYMPHONY-AN ASYLUM FOR THE MUSICALLY INSANE.
Tea and Symphony-An Asylum For The Musically Insane. Label: Magic Box. When the original lineup of Tea and Symphony was founded in Birmingham, England, in the late-sixties, they were an acoustic group who have since been compared to Marc Bolan’s Tyrannosaurus Rex. The group was founded by Jeff Daw, James Langston and Nigel Phillips, but …
PIRANA-PIRANA.
Pirana-Pirana. Label: Magic Box. Although Australian progressive rockers Pirana were together for just over three years, they played live over 600 times and released two albums on Harvest Records. This included their 1972 debut album Pirana, which has just been reissued on vinyl by Magic Box. It’s a cult classic and a reminder of a …
CULT CLASSIC: IAN MATTHEWS-SOME DAYS YOU EAT THE BEAR AND SOME DAYS THE BEAR EATS YOU.
Cult Classic: Ian Matthews-Some Days You Eat The Bear and Some Days The Bear Eats You. Having completed recording of Journeys From Gospel Oak, Ian Matthews had discharged his contractual obligations to Vertigo. Journeys From Gospel Oak was the third and final album he owed Vertigo. This left Ian Matthews free to sign a two …
MILES DAVIS-BITCHES BREW AT 50.
Miles Davis-Bitches Brew At 50. Although Miles Davis’ recording career began in 1951, when he released his debut album The New Sounds, he soon had established a reputation as a prolific, and innovative musician. He released further forty-three albums between 1951 and 1969. This included classics like 1957s Round About Midnight and 1959s Kind Of Blue. …
LOCOMOTIVE-WE ARE EVERYTHING YOU SEE.
Locomotive-We Are Everything You See. Label: Magic Box. By 1965, all over Britain, new groups were being founded every day. They had watched as The Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion groups took America by storm. The new groups watched enviously, hoping and dreaming that one day soon, they would be signed …
CULT CLASSIC: LONNIE MACK-THE WHAM OF THAT MEMPHIS MAN!
Cult Classic: Lonnie Mack-The Wham Of That Memphis Man! By 1963, twenty-two year old Lonnie Mack was already an experienced musician. He had been making a living as a musician since he was thirteen. That was when Lonnie Mack quit school, after getting involved in an argument with a teacher. For most thirteen year olds, this …
PAVLOV’S DOG-PAMPERED MENIAL.
Pavlov’s Dog-Pampered Menial. Label: Music On Vinyl. In the history of progressive rock, Pavlov’s Dog’s 1975 debut album Pampered Menial is regarded as a genre classic. That was despite the album’s commercial failure. It was released initially by ABC-Dunhill. The initial commercial failure was totally unexpected as the label had given Pavlov’s Dog a large …
JAMIE 3:26 PRESENTS A TASTE OF CHICAGO.
Jamie 3:26 Presents A Taste Of Chicago. Label: BBE Music. Release Date: ‘27th’ March 2020. Two years after releasing a 12” preview sampler, BBE Music will release Jamie 3:26 Presents A Taste Of Chicago on the ‘27th’ March 2020. It’s a compilation of edits from the DJ and producers Jamie 3:26, who hails from the …
CULT CLASSIC: EL POLEN-FUERA DE LA CIUDAD.
Cult Classic: El Polen-Fuera De La Ciudad. Sadly, not every influential and innovative band enjoys a long and illustrious career, and instead, their career is short-lived. That was the case with the groundbreaking Peruvian rock band El Polen who released just two albums between 1972 and 1973. This includes their debut album Cholo (Música Original …
CULT CLASSIC: DEUTSCH AMERIKANISCHE FREUNDSCHAFT-FUR IMMER.
Cult Classic: Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft-Für Immer. History treats groups differently, and that was the case with Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft a.k.a. DAF, who released four albums between 1980 and 1982. They’ve been described variously as the “godfathers of techno,” the pioneers of EBM and the forefathers of electropunk. DAF recorded five albums during the four years …
CULT CLASSIC: HOLGER CZUKAY-MOVIES.
Cult Classic: Holger Czukay-Movies. By 1979, Holger Czukay’s career was at a crossroads, after Can the group he cofounded in 1968, had split-up. After releasing eleven albums in eleven years, one of music’s most innovative groups were no more. This came as no surprise to Holger Czukay, who was about to resume his solo career. …
UZELLI ELEKTRO SAZ 1976-1984.
Uzelli Elektro Saz 1976-1984. Label: Uzelli. By the early seventies, many Turkish people decided to move to other parts of Europe in search of a better life. Some headed to England and France, settling in large cities like London and Paris. Others headed to Germany, and in particular, Frankfurt. Soon, Frankfurt like many other European …
CULT CLASSIC: VOIGT/465-SLIGHTS UNSPOKEN.
Cult Classic: Voigt/465-Slights Unspoken. The story of Voigt/465 is a case of what might have been. They were formed in Sydney, Australia in 1976, and spent the next three years trying to make a breakthrough. By May 1979, things were looking up for Voigt/465 and they looked on the verge of a breakthrough. Their single …
CULT CLASSIC: RUPTURE-ISRAEL SUITE/DOMINANTE EN BLEU.
Cult Classic: Rupture-Israel Suite/Dominante En Bleu. Over the last fifty years, bands and artists have penned ambitious concept albums about all manner of subjects. No subject matter it seems is off-limits when it comes to the concept album. There’s been concept albums about bureaucracy and censorship, death and dreams, evolution and revolution, heaven and hell, …