Unicorn - Blue Pine Trees (1974)

Unicorn - Blue Pine Trees

  Unicorn were an English rock-folk band that carried elements of Alan Parsons, CSNY and Lindisfarne in their sound.   Guest appearance by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour on steel guitar and also LP production  credits.  But let me say that this does not sound anything like Floyd......but it is a wonderful album from start to finish.

Steve Hillage - Green (1978)

Steve Hillage - Green

  This is classic Hillage !   Less quirky than GONG and more like Tangerine Dream meets Pink Floyd.  In fact Nick Mason of Pink Floyd co-produced this album with Steve !

  Musically this album is right up there with his classics like "Motivation Radio" and "Fish Rising".  Hillage blends synths and spaciness with his acid soaked guitar leads all supported by great drumming and bass work.

  Green is a concept-like album dedicated to a celebration of time-space travel through nature.

  Space- Prog heads will drool over this album............simply essential music

IQ - The Road Of Bones (2014)

IQ - The Road Of Bones (3 x LP)

  IQ have been one of my favourite prog bands for a long time and they never seem to get old or redundant to my ears.    Here is their latest offering....a deeply moving album of massive music and thought provoking lyrics of the master Peter Nicholls.   Longtime drummer Paul Cook returns as does  long time bass player Tim Esau which were from the original lineup.....all we need is Martin Orford and then we have a total reunion!   Keyboardist Neil Durant however makes up perfectly well for absence again of Martin Orford with his huge arsenal of vintage and modern synths.

Just listen to the last section of "Without Walls" and you will see what amazing almost heavengly things IQ can do !

Breathtaking..........just breathtaking!!!!

Ramases - Space Hymns (1971)

Ramases - Space Hymns

   Barrington Frost claimed that he had been visited by the Great Ramases and become obsessed that he himself was a reincarnated Pharroh in the likeness of Ramases.  As far as I know Ramases only released two folk prog albums in their lifetime and both are excellent.

 On Space Hymns Frost is joined by pre 10CC members Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, Graham Gouldman and Lol Creme .

Musically this is true progressive space folk music with some great vocals and a certain  craziness aboard!

Art work is worth a notable mention with the talents of Roger Dean adorning the sleeve.

Blocco Mentale - POA (1973)

Blocco Mentale - POA

  Blocco Mentale was an Italian prog band from Lazio that wrote and recorded this superb album that stands as one of my favourites from the 70's!   In the spirit of PFM, New Trolls and Le Orme, POA (Greek for grass) will harken you back to the golden era of the great prog Italian bands.

Founding band leader and singer Bernardo "Dino" Finocchi (vocals, sax flute) joined up with Aldo Angeletti (bass, vocals), Gigi Bianchi ( guitars, vocals)' Filippo Zazzari (keys, harmonica) and Michele Arena (drums, vocals).

Tons of vintage analog synths, great drumming and bass, with guitar and tons of vocal harmonies.


Blocco Mentale official website

Pat Metheny - New Chautauqua (1979)

Pat Metheny - New Chautauqua

  I have always been a big fan of the music of Pat Metheny and adore his ECM label albums....

New Chautauqua was Metheny's third album for ECM and was a departure from his collective work this time its just Pat....acoustic and electric six and twelve stringers............

His compositions are beautiful and all shine with the crystal clear production of Manfred Eicher.

Pat recorded this solo album in Oslo in 1978 and is one of his most contemplative and spatial albums in his entire vast discography.  The 10 mins epic track "Long Ago Child/ Fallen Star" is more of a soundscape atmospheric piece that will take you to a distant place.  There is also some crazy guitar tunings going on here which adds to the stangeness and delicate character to this tune and album.

 In many ways this album plays like a movie soundtrack and is a great late night chill album with the lights turned low!   This is especially true with the use of the 15 stringed harp guitar which adds a haunting quality to this music.

An album for a lifetime.......simply essential music

Al Stewart - Past Present & Future (1974)

Al Stewart - Past Present & Future

"Past Present and Future" was in many ways a premonition of what was to come for Al Stewart!  Talk about Nostradamus eh !    This was the album I think where Al started to change his musical direction  and you can hear on this album what would become his classic acoustic folk prog vibe.

Side two is the side for me (although side one is nothing to sneeze at either") .  The song "Terminal Eyes" is one of my favourite Stewart songs which is sandwitched by two masterpieces witth "Roads to Moscow" and "Nostradamus".

Gary Moore - We Want Moore!(1984)

Gary Moore - We Want Moore!  (2 x LP)

  Irish born Gary Moore was (and still is) one of the premiere rock guitarists of all time...and "We Want Moore" is proof  'nough!   This two disc set captured Gary Moore and Deep Purple's Ian Paice along with his band live in Detroit, Glasgow and at the Hammersmith Odeon.

  Most of the tunes off this live set are from Gary's first 3 albums which were all good uns too but this live morsel really takes the cake !

  They do a great 10 minute version of the Yardbirds' "Shape Of Things"!

The Housemartins - Now That's What I Call Quite Good (1988)

The Housemartins - Now That's What I Call Quite Good (2 x LP)

  The Housemartins were a very short lived band from England who released only two albums and this nice collection of odds and sods plus a few hits.  Lead vocalist Paul Heaton had a very English style about his vocals which fits the Indie folk rock psych sound they germinated.

Hard to peg these guys But their sound is somewhere i guess in the SMITHS and THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH vein of indie pop.  They were a very melodic band with some great musicianship and songs like  "Build" and "Bow Down" are sure to please all country folk rock fans.

  This album was recorded on Chrysalis records and is a fantastic compilation.

Hoodoo Gurus - Blow Your Cool (1987)

Hoodoo Gurus - Blow Your Cool!

  I have been a fan of the 'Gurus' since the 80's and this was their first LP released on an American label.  They also opted to work with American producer Mark Opitz and I think developed a smoother sound than on their previous two albums.  Although a departure from their garage-rock sound they do pull out another great album here.

 The Hoodoo gurus were essentially a four piece band with dual guitarists, bass and drums and a cast of friends assisting them along the way.  On this album both The Dream Syndicate and The Bangels stop by to get on the LP!

 There is a crazy tune on side called "My Caravan" that marks one of the less melodic tunes and is more of a journey across the arid sand dunes.....and is pretty trippy with panning vocals and a hypnotic trance like beat.

Kate Bush - The Sensual World (1989)

Kate Bush - The Sensual World

Four years after the simply stunning "Hounds of Love" Kate returned back with another amazing album titled " The Sensual World".  Once again Kate transports us i to her delicate world where we are given plenty of imagery to sense.   Kate's music is enchanting and ethereal yet basic and reachable for the listener.  Songs like "Love and Anger" and "Reaching Out" are amongst some of her best songs ever recorded IMHO.

  Kate brings along some dear friends as well to help her unveil her music including Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, Michael Kamen, Eberhard Weber,  Alan Stivell and Nigel Kennedy.

Billy Cobham - Spectrum (1973)

Billy Cobham - Spectrum

Considered by most fusion fans to be one of the pinnacle albums to own....plain and simple.........and I can not argue!

Cobham was right fresh from his stint with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and this album is dripping in both creativity and lunar landings!

  Cobham is one of the great drummers and this album get to showcase this clearly!   Cobham calls on a few friends to help with Jan Hammer handling the synths/keys, Tommy Bolin on guitars, Lee Sklar on bass, Ron Carter and Ray Barretto on congas.

Musically this album is rich and full in tempo and straddles both rock and jazz to perfection ....pure fusion...

There are some wild moments with Hammer , Sklar, Bolin and Cobham caught in grooves of unquestionable spirit and mahyhem!

"What is life but a spectrum and what is music but life itself"

The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock (1985)

The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock

  In 1985 XTC under the name of The Dukes Of Stratosphear released an EP in ode to the 60's psychedelia genre!   With no reference to XTC on the album outer or inner sleeve no one had any idea who it was until fianlly they admitted to its origin as XTC!

  This six song EP is gorgeous with its colorful song designs and kaleidoscopic sounds!

Title track "25 O'Clock" sounds very reminiscent of The Electric Prunes and "What in the world"'is the perfect psych rock song and the highlight for me on this EP!

You can hear a lot of The Electric Prunes, The Move, Floyd, The Blue Magoos and even The later Beatles.

Paisley flowered music to feed your mind !

Michael Rother - Flammende Herzen (1977)

Michael Rother - Flammende Herzen

  Michael Rother of course was a member of both Germany's electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and Neu! and released this gem in 1977 marking the finest album he ever released IMHO.  With engineering credits to Conny Plank and  percussion to Can's Jaki Liebezeit this album drips of the coolness of Neu! and the colors of Kraftwerk thru and thru.

Flammende Herzen (Flaming Heart) is a masterpiece IMHO and deserves a lot more attention than it gets!

This is one of my "go to" albums when I need that certain fix.........,....

  Enchanted space psych rock music with a feeling like you are orbiting another planet......

Fans of Neu! will adore this album and in many ways echoes the feeling created on those classic Krautrock albums.   There is a tune on the second side called "Feuerland" which fans of Kraftwerk will likely go crazy for it.

Breathtaking !!!!!!

Keith Jarrett & Jan Garbarek - Luminescence (1975)

Keith Jarrett & Jan Garbarek - Luminescence

  Luminescence was a joint production of Jan Garbarek and Keith Jarrett and focussed on a combo of sax and orchestration.    The music is very captivating and has a movie soundtrack like quality to it.  Of course this is another wonderfully recorded session skillfully pressed by ECM!

  Jarrett often creates these serene and lush yet slighly warbled sound sets while Garbarek accompanies with his sax improvisations.   The net effect is huge with some stunning moments and parts that will make the hair on your arms stand up!

Johnny Hammond - Wild Horses Rock Steady (1971)

Johnny Hammond - Wild Horses Rock Steady

  "Wild Horses..." Is a stunning jazz-soul-fusion album and another masterpiece from Creed Taylor's KUDU/04 label.    The tune "who is Sylvia" is amazing and borders on the psychedelic edge.

   The lineup on this album is also something out of this world with George Benson, Billy Cobham, Melvin Sparks, Ron Carter, Airto and Grover Washington Jr..

Sharks - First Water (1973)

Sharks - First Water

  In 1973 Chris Spedding teamed up with Andy Fraser (from the band Free) to create a great rock album not unlike the sound of The Who and Bad Company.  Lead singer Snips has a pretty cool rough rock voice somewhere in a range of Rod Stewart.

 This album rocks !

  Back a few years ago I got into the music of Chris Spedding and that path led me to discover the music of Sharks.  There is not a bad track on this album and Spedding's guitar work is just fantastic!

  This is the kind of album vinyl pickers die to find and are treasures in your collection

Johnny Cash - The Fabulous (1958)

Johnny Cash - The Fabulous  Johnny Cash

  The Fab Johnny Cash was his first album for Columbia Records moving away from his long prior relationship with Sun Records.  There is not a bad song on this album with mostly just Johnny and his acoustic Gibson guitar.  Each song is like a story with Cash telling the tale verse by verse with his lonely guitar sounds.  "Id rather die young" is an incredible moment for Johnny Cash with some great guitar work and sombre vocals and lyrics......everybody should hear this song!

Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters (1973)

Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters

 If you are into funk then you already know a ton about this album and likely simply adore it from start to finish...for the rest go out and buy this essential funk jam!  

   Hugely influential, this album remains a staple in funk, hip hop and fusion genres.   This was certainly the most funkafried album Hancock had ever recorded blending the xperimentalism from his tenure with Miles Davis and the avante- Garde themes from his previous efforts all on one album.

  Hancock's electronic and polyphonic keys blend to perfection with the groovey beats and bops of his amazing band of fellow musicians.

Who's That Man - A Tribute To Conny Plank (2014)

Who's That Man - A Tribute To Conny Plank (2x LP)

In late 2000 we lost German engineering maverick Conny Plank who was responsible for so many great Krautrock Lp's over the years.  Conny was responsible for Eno, Moebelius, Kraftwerk, Neu!, Grobschnitt, Jane, Can and tons of others Tier A , B and C prog and psych bands.....far too many to mention !

Who's That Man is a tribute album in memory of Conrad Plank and spans 4 CD's of assorted tracks he produced over the years from a wide myriad of artists.  The double vinyl set is a smaller summary of his work but considering the vinyl format I just not pass this up.

  Included in this small snippet of Plank's recording career is a track from Neu!, Dusseldorf, Ibliss, Moebius and Plank, Roedelius, Phew, DAF, Michael Rother and the early Eurythmics.

I love this double vinyl compilation and can not stop playing it..........it is just that good and the sound is fantastic !

Simply brilliant career and a huge figure in prog and psych arenas and this compilation is killer stuff although only a small sample of his work and engineering brilliance!

Jethro Tull - Broadsword and the Beast (1982)

Jethro Tull - Broadsword and the Beast

  "Broadsword" was something like the 15th album released by proggers Jethro Tull and is far too oft slagged IMHO!  

 Tull were having to reform band members with the loss of Both John Glascock and John Evans.  On Broadsword they were replaced by ex- Yardbirds member Peter-John Vettese and Fairport Convention's bassist David Pegg.

 Musically this is a softer album for Jethro Tull with a less prog flavour and more power pop rock leanings.   There are also a more 80's feel in the production and keyboard work yet still 100%  Jethro Tull.

Martin Barre's guitar work is excellent and really stands out on this album.  I think this is an excellent album with some great song writing and that is why I think I like this album so much.  It might lack the prog 70's characteristics but the music is still rich and powerful.

I think the depth of the vocal harmonies is really another very unique addition to the music on this album.

  Highlites for me is the catchy and harmonic  "Flying Colours", "Broadsword" and "Pussy Willow".

Jimmy McGriff & Groove Holmes - Dueling Organs

Jimmy McGriff & Groove Holmes - Dueling Organs

This is a vinyl re-release in 1979 of the 1974 classic album "Giants of the Organ Come Together" featuring the lead organ work of Jimmy McGriff and Groove Holmes.   These guys chalk up some pretty cool funk inspired organ drenched grooves!

 I love the way they each exchange solos and seem to pass the spoltlight seemlessly back and forth.  Helping round out the band are O'Donel Levy, George Freeman, Bernard Purcie and Kwas Jayouen.

Dave Brubeck - Jazz Impressions of Eurasia (1958)

Dave Brubeck - Jazz Impressions of Eurasia

"Time Out" was THE jazz album as a kid i played to death thanks to my mom.  The only sad thing was that this was also the only jazz album we owned and it wasnt until my Grandpa played me jazz that I developed an ear for it.  I grew up listening to Dave Brubeck and "Jazz Impressions" was an album I picked up much later in life.

In fact my copy is the original Columbia Mono version on vinyl which sounds simply killer

Dave Brubeck takes on the Eurasian scene – with wonderfully groovy results! The album's one of Brubeck's first in the "impressions" series, and it's a really colorful assortment of tunes – tracks with some lyrical and exotic moments that come through strongly, and which really offer a slightly different take on the Brubeck groove. Paul Desmond's alto sax is key to the sound here, and so is the progressive percussion of Joe Morello – and in addition to Brubeck's piano, the quartet also features bass from Joe Benjamin. Titles are all originals by Dave, and they include "Calcutta Blues", "Marble Arch", "Brandenburg Gate", "Nomad", and "The Golden Horn".

Gary U.S. Bonds - The Best Of ( from the original session tapes)

Gary U.S. Bonds - The Best Of

  Here is a superb ten track compilation album of Gary Anderson ( aka Gary Bonds) from 1960 thru to 1962.   All the early hits are here including "Dear Lady Twist", "Quarter to Three", New Orleans, "School is out"........

  This is early swing rock and roll....sax, trumpet, piano, bass, trombone and guitar.

This compilation was carefully compiled and remixed by the legendary Steve Hoffman so you k ow the sound is going to be as good as it can get.  There are four stereo cuts and six mono making this quite a nice little collectible album.

Count Basie - The Count ! (1956)

Count Basie - The Count!
  
   I wish I knew more about this album....all i could find was that it was released in 1956 in mono on Cliff Records.  My vinyl copy is a Japanese reissue K1 7908 and sounds awesome.  On this album I can only assume Count is doing the piano and the odd bit of organ but it is the huge orchestra that makes this whole thing come absolutely alive!

If you love big band then this album is for you !!!  Bang bam boom!!!

  The count has his band well oiled and this album does not stop right from the opening.  Lots of brass...lots of electricity and sone great piano along the way.  I know that there is another Count album on Cliff Records from 1956 that has Oscar Peterson on the piano so perhaps that is who is playing here.  There are no liner notes so if anyone knows please let me know.

Songs performed incuded The New Basie Blues, Sure thing, why not, fawncy meeting you, bootsie, tom whaley, paradise squat, Basie talks, hob nail boogie, jack and jill, bunny and cash box.

Count Basie & Mills Brothers - The Board Of Directors (1967)

Count Basie & Mills Brothers - The Board Of Directors

 Now here is a superb big band and big vocal album bu the union of two of the big un's!   Count Basie and his orchestra and the famous quartet the Mills Brothers.....omg who doesnt love the Mills Brothers!!!

A late 60s swinger from The Mills Brothers – with the aging vocal group get some great assistance from the Count Basie Orchestra! By the time of this sessions, The Mills Brothers had been recording for at least 4 decades – and although their early hits had gained the group a great deal of fame, their career as a whole was fading considerably in the 60s. Enter Basie, whose group was still very much at the top of its form in the decade – thanks to a great ear for transforming older tunes into fresher takes, and newer tunes into more swinging jazz-based vehicles. Working here with arranger Dick Hyman, the Basie group gives the Mills Brothers a soaring, bouncing kind of support – one that takes their vocals, tightens them up, and really sends the tunes home with a nice sort of zing! Old and new numbers come off great in the setting – and titles include "Release Me", "I Want To Be Happy", "Down Down Down", "I Dig Rock & Roll Music", "Let Me Dream", "April In Paris", "I May Be Wrong But I Think You're Wonderful", and "Tiny Bubbles"

Charlie - Lines (1978)

Charlie - Lines

  "Lines" was the third album released by British 70's pop prog rock band Charlie. This band were a fantastic example of a lite art rock band that wrote some great tunes.   Charlie blend elements of 10CC, City Boy and even Be Bop Deluxe with a pop vein all the way thru.