Renaissance - live at Carnegie Hall (1976)

Renaissance - live at Carnegie Hall

  Renaissance's amazing double LP set recorded live over 3 nights at New York's Carnegie Hall is clearly an album you just gotta hear.

  This live album followed 1975's stunning  "Scheherazade and Other Stories" and was a wonderfully well recorded collection of some of the most memorable songs from their earlier albums.  

Fittingly the album opens with Prologue from their first Haslam vocal album which is a landmark live cut for Renaissance fans.  

The second record is really just 2 side long epic tracks capturing "Scheherzade" and "Ashes are burning" in its entirity and in the most natural live setting.  

Annie Haslam had the voice of an angel and never was it ever so captivating as captured here with the live orchestra.   Renaissance were an amazingly talented band and the Carnegie Hall shows gives us a nice live glimpse into this deep seeded talent.
  

True Myth (1979)

True Myth
 
  True Myth sadly only released two albums, but what a great debut album they left behind!  This album is widely recognized as being the first Canadian digital album released and seems to have its fame based mostly on this fact, but for me it is what lies on the vinyl that makes it for me.

   No question True Myth were a progressive rock band that had jazz leanings and were likely 5 years too late on the scene as the whole prog rock scene was pretty much gone by then.

  True Myth were a 5 piece art rock band that are in the Starcastle and Tai Phong camp with Yes like structures and excellent harmonies and songwriting not far from Renaissance in many ways (minus Annie Haslam).

  The song "time and time again" is the highlight for me on this album with is luring melody and thoughful composition.   I also love the delicate vocals of Bruce Cummings who sings this particular number in grand epic style.

  True Myth were graced by the keyboard talents of Tom Treumuth who played mellotron, piano, fender, arp and Yamaha synths throughout this album.  Tom would also go on to  produce albums for Helix and Honeymoon Suite in Canada years later.

  The whole album is just excellent from start to finish and if you can find this album still it is well worth picking up !

Roy Buchanan - Second Album (1973)

Roy Buchanan - Second Album

    Roy's second album is a Blues rock extravagenza and a superb album !    No question Roy was one of the best blues guitarists ever and this album get to show off his skills.

  Buchanan had the blues........and had the ability to draw out so much emotion out of his guitar....literally they could speak !

  Songs like "after hours" and " five string blues" just leap out of the stereo like he was literally talking thru his guitar to us.

  Buchanan does not even sing until about 12 mins into the album...its just that kind of an album!

  Canada's Jerry Mercer (April Wine) is the drummer featured on this album along with Dick Heintze (organ), Don Payne (bass) and Teddy Irwin on the rhythm guitar.

  Side one ends with a real treasure.......a 2 minute blues-prayer called "thank you lord" which just works to perfection and is a short watermark for me on this incredible album.

The Devil's Anvil - Hard rock from the Middle East (1967)

The Devil's Anvil - Hard rock from the Middle East

   The Devil's Anvil were 60's  New York rockers that released as far as I know this sole album.  

   They were regulars in Greenwich village playing cafes and bars with their unique Middle East influenced rock sound.   Felix Pappalardi (producer of Cream's Disraeli Gears, later to play in Mountain) was the arranger and producer as well as bass guitarist, tambourist, percussionist and support vocals on this album.   

 This band and album were doomed to failure on thecharts as bad luck and bad fortune would have it that the very same day that Hard Rock From The Middle East hit the stores, the 1967 Arab-Israeli War broke out, and not a single radio station anywhere would go near the album! 

Its too bad cause this album is just so psychy and fused with middle eastern vibes and rock genres throughout.   I love the Arabic, Turkish and Greek lyrics and the wild instrumentation with the heavy rock tendencies ....this is an album that you need to sit and listen to very carefully.

  There is also a vast array of world instrumentation on this album featuring the electric oud, bouzouki, tamboura, durbeki as well as fuzz guitar, bass and hand and rock drums.

   This is a very tasty album but dont forget to brush your teeth !

Virgil Fox - On Top Of Bach (1971)

Virgil Fox - On Top Of Bach

    Years ago i first heard "Heavy Organ" and thought that was one of finest organ albums I had ever heard.     To this day that album (which I previously reviewed on ths BLOG) remains one of y most beloved live albums in my collection.

  That same year Virgil Fox released this ode to BACH album that features a number of studio tracks that do not appear on thelive at Winterland album!

   Virgil had a very positive almost flamboyant approach to how he played BACH casting his music in very positive light.   Virgil played BACH the way that I wanted to hear his music which is likely why I am so fond of his playing.

   How can you beat BACH's Toccatas and Fugues?  They are simply some of the best pieces of music possibly ever written......BACH was a genius.

   Virgil Fox plays BACH on the organ like no other and this album is a pure delight to spin time and time again.





 

The Knack - .......but the little girls understand (1980)

The Knack - .......but the little girls understand (1980)

  After the big success of the Knack's debut power pop album and the hit single "my sharona" their second album "......but the little girls understand " was basically all but ignored and dismmissed.  In many ways I think that this sophmore album is better than their debut!  

  The Knack were a power pop band that wrote some very cool songs...the kind of albums you love to drive to with all your windows rolled down and the tunes just blaring.

  The Knack even play an ode to The Kinks with a little fast rockin interpretation of "The Hard Way" which is guaranteed to make you air drum !

 There were no big hits on this album but toe tapping songs like "Mr. Handleman" and "Baby talks dirty" make this album so memorable for me.  I think "Baby Talks Dirty" was on the charts for a very short period otherwise I think sadly this album just fell off the shelf!

 This is a power pop album that you just gotta hear !

Homer and Jethro - Nashville Cats (1967)

Homer and Jethro - Nashville Cats 

  Homer and Jethro were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in  2001.   They released a good lot of albums and always had a humorous spin to their music.  What makes these guys so interesting for me is their keen musicianship and humor bits which keeps younglued to their music.   

Homer Haynes and Jethro Burns were at one time one of the biggest Country acts going.  Below this humor (much of which is humor of the times) lays 2 guys who can really play and write music. 

 Like many of the J&T albums "Nashville Cats" was produced by Chet Atkins.  This album is extra special as it features some discrete psychedelic hints......on Quincy Quack they reference LSD and on The Square Song they actually reference the Psychedelic garage band The Seeds.

My favourite song this album is the "square song" where Homer and Jethro sing about the rock and roll scene...and make mention of the psychedelic band that I love The Seeds, the Animals, the Stones, Byrds, the Beatles and others.

  On side 2 they play a rather funny spoof of The Beatles "She Loves You" with some very altered lyrics!   Beatles fans will love this humorous version no doubt which is actually rocked up a bit.

  They also do a funny rendition of "Winchester Cathedral" that they try to hurt but in the end is a superb version.   This song also features some pretty standout electric guitar playing showing just how good these guys were really.

 No question this is far away from modern country and even modern music , but I can assure you that these guys are grooovy!

10cc - live and let LIVE (1978)

10cc - live and let LIVE (1978)

  Recorded live at London's Odeon Theatre Hammersmith and The Apollo in Manchester in 1977 this 2 LP set captures 10cc with a new lineup on tour of their album "Bloody Tourists".   The 15 tracks are nicely taken spanning all their albums including my personal favourite "wall street shuffle" from their sheet music album. 

  10cc were a band way ahead of their times and the world really has not caught up to them still!   Albums like "Sheet Music", "How Dare You" and "The original soundtrack" are some of the most clever art-rock ever produced with extra thoughful song structures and complex lyrics.  

  I think highlight for me on this album is the track "ships dont dissapear in the night (do they?)" which is given an extra bit of space live to explorenand unfold with great results......even Eric Stewart acknowledges this by stating that "this will definitely make the album" !   The other killer bit on the album that hits godly moments is "feel the benefit" which seems to take me into another world everytime.........quirky yes......but still very progressive

  

    

Sarah Vaughan - How long has this been going on ? (1978)

Sarah Vaughan - How long has this been going on ? (1978)

   I have always loved the wonderful voice of Sarah Vaughan and this album with Oscar is simply killer!  Her voice is deep and pure and sounds just so amazing with Peterson's piano, Joe Pass' guitar, Ray Brown's bass and the drumming of Louie Bellson.  

    Her song selection really fits the album with heavy dark blues almost sombre tones and that special reflective midnight Sarah Vaughan-thing !

  Jazz loving Audiophiles will love the tone on this Pablo Records vinyl with great warmth and exquisite detail.  

  This is an album that I just adore and it makes the perfect listen for those lonely moments in your life when you just need to get away from it all!

Terje Rypdal: Vossabrygg (2007)

Terje Rypdal - Vossabrygg (2007)

Kenny Burrell - Soul Call

Kenny Burrell - Soul Call

Aerial - In The Middle Of The Night (1978)

Aerial - In The Middle Of The Night (1978)

Renaissance - Ashes Are Burning (1973)

Renaissance - Ashes Are Burning (1973)

  "Ashes are burning" was the 4th album released but was probably their most successful album of all time!    On this album we really get to experience the full and classic Renaissance lineup with Annie Haslam at the helm.  Every song on this album is fantastic from start to finish and features for me some of the most memorable Renaissance songs of all time.  "Carpet of the sun" was an instant love for me and is IMHO one of the best progressive folk rock songs of all time. 

   Annie Haslam had an amazing and powerful soprano-like voice which really shaped the sights and sounds of Renaissance's music.   Renaissance stood out in the 70's as something very different with their original progressive folk rock sound and magical music.   Haslam had quite a band backing her with JohnTout's inventive piano work, John Camp's bass, Terry Sullivan's drums and the wonderful guitar and song writing of Michael Dunford.    

  Perhaps the most progressive song they ever recorded is the 12 mins long epic title track "Ashes Are Burning" which brings the album to a close and is a promise of what is still to come from Renaissance.   On this track the band really get to stretch out the mid section with some great prog passages featuring some excellent vintage keyboard work.

. .......clear your mind......maybe you will find.......that the past is still turning....circles sway........echo yesterday...ashes burning.....ashes burning

Phoebe Snow - Something Real (1989)

Phoebe Snow - Something Real (1989)

  My first exposure to Phoebe was in one of my old bosses office who loved Phoebe and played her music from time to time.  I borrowed his CD and had to start huntng down Phoebe!

   Her debut album has become a favourite of mine (Shelter Records) and Something Real as her first LP for Elektra Records.

  Phoebe plays a jazz-blues-pop style that is somewhere in the Carole King vein with more emphasis on the guitar vs the piano.  Her voice is not picture perfect (like King's) but it just really works for me and I actually quite like her expressionisms and use of tone on her songs.

  The song "we might never feel this way again" is my fav from this album marking a distinct breakaway from her vintage blues soul sound and a take on pure ballad pop.......and the crazy thing is that it works for me!

  There is just something real about this album!

Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf (narrator: Hermione Gingold)

Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf (narrator: Hermione Gingold) 

   When i was a very young kiddie-boo-boo my very musical Grandpa Jim gave me for my birthday this record.  I sat for hours listening and re-listening to this album and remember just loving this story put to the enchanted sounds of Russian composer Serge Prokofiev. 

   The whole piece is narrated by Hermione Gingold who has one of the most picturesque voices of all times.  Her reading of this old tale is truely amazing and as crazy as it sounds I think this really a magical little album to this day....I guess its my memories and an extra special album.  Gingold actually won a Grammy Award for Best Album for Children for Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf and Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals album!

  The Vienna Philharmonic was conducted by Karl Bohm and the album pressed on Deutsche Grammophon with great audio fidelity.  

  The story is compelling, the music is awesome and the narration is just ideal for this little tale.

Atlantic Rhythm Section - a rock and roll alternative (1976)

Atlantic Rhythm Section - a rock and roll alternative (1976)

   "A rock and roll alternative" was the sixth albums and IMHO best studio album they ever released mixing Southern jams with soul-rock and I think just the right amount of Country all wrapped around eight great songs.    

   Lead singer Ronnie Hammond has a fantastic rock voice and when combined with the harmonies and backing vocals of drummer Robert Nix will take you places.  In many ways this album carries the vibe of BREAD and the DOOBIES with some great 70's rock.

  The big hit off this album was "So In To You" which charted back in the day and is still played on the radio and has that 70's hook all over it!   My favourite song on the album is the harder edged "Outside Woman Blues" which I think is just a great blues rock tune that totally rocks !

  ARS were an excellent band and this album is an album you just gotta hear !

   

   

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Stranger In Town (1978)

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Stranger In Town (1978)

   "Hollywood Nights" was a childhood anthem of mine........and i still love the power of this album and always will.   I forgot just how groovy the backing vocalists were back then but this album kicks !  There is not a bad song on this album........

  I will admit that after having gone thru about 200 of my friends weddings I was tired of Old Time Rock and Roll....but now that we are all in our twilight years I dont hear this song every weekend....phew.......and on the album its a nice tune to hear again......i actually enjoyed it again !

  "Till It Shines" is another great toe tapping soulful rock ditty with a wild guitar solo that makes you wanna air guitar this puppy!   ............till it shines...........



  

Sting - .....nothing like the sun (1987)

Sting - .....nothing like the sun (1987 2 LP set)
  
  We'll be together tonight !    Sting was always able to write such great pop rock songs.....he did it a million times with the Police and it just continued into his solo work.  

  ...nothing like the sun is actually a wonderful album full of great variety and clever singing and  songwriting.  It also has one of my favourite Sting songs of all time .....the deadly gorgeous " They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo) with guitar contributions from both Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler.

  Drumming on the whole album is Peter Gabriel's percussionist Manu Katche, sax by Branford Marsalis and additional guitars by his old friend Andy Summers.
  
  The whole album carries a very "rainy" almost 50's espionage vibe to the album with the black and white photo montage and the solioquay-ish vocals of Sting.   

  This album sounds awesome in vinyl format and has a ton more clarity than the CD's or mp3's could ever emulate.  It has that vinyl warmth, depth and clarity that you only get from good vinyl transfers.

Sting also does a great total reinterpretation of Hendrix's "Little Wing" with orchestra and killer bass and drums.

Ananda Shankar (1970)

Ananda Shankar (1970)

   I bought this album a long time ago on a bit of a whim as at the time I was just getting into the whole sitar scene........yep George Harrison eat your heart out!
 
    Ananda Shankar is from the famous Shankar family and no question at some point he ran into rock and roll head on and loved it.  This album is a total fusion of rock and Eastern sitar raga-like structures.   Ananda plays a sitar just like Pandit Ravi.....with huge feeling and comfort.   On this album Shankar creates psychedelic moods with ode to the Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and a rather crazed version of The Doors' "Light My Fire".

The album features some groovy vibes and trippy parts with some fine moog , bass and percussive bits.   This all instrumental album is great from start to finish and i would highly recommend this album to all day trippers!

Big Jim Sullivan - Sitar Beat (1966)

Big Jim Sullivan - Sitar Beat (1966)

   I first discovered the talents of Big Jim Sullivan without even knowing who I was listening to........and I almost guarantee the same for you.....

  You see Jim was a session musician widely used by many bands including The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Lulu, the Four Pennies, Johnny Kidd and The Pirates, The Kinks and Them to name a few.  And the crazy thing is many times you might not even see his name credited but a bit a research and you will be shocked just how proific this guy was.

Sitar beat is a uncanny but wonderful fusion of Eastern and Western music on one album!   As you might have expected Big Jim Sullivan traded in his customary guitar for the sitar on this album.     Sitar Beat is a great mix of odes and originals with songs like "shes leaving home", "a whiter shade of pale", "sunshine superman" and  "within without you".

The entire album is a wonderful excursion into the sitar raga-like Eastern music while not letting go of Western rock ideals.  

Peggy Lee - Latin ala Lee! (1960)

Peggy Lee - Latin ala Lee! (1960)

   The music of Peggy Lee is pure joy and pure enjoyment.  This may be one of hidden gems that I am not sure I would pull out with company in the house!  I can just hear it now....."what is your husband listening to up there?   Dooooooooooooooo!

  But if you open your ears and give this album a try you will be rewarded .......Peggy Lee was an absolute entertainer.....her voice is slight chalky but has a certain sweetness and character which works so well with the cha cha cha and brass on this album.
 
   There is also a certain loneliness about this album even though it appears to be a more lively recording. For example when I hear "wish you were here" (no....not the Pink Floyd version) I get this huge melancholy feeling.

King Crimson - Discipline (40th Anniversary)

King Crimson - Discipline (40th Anniversary)

  Discipline was one of the Big 3 King Crimson albums I was into while at University.   I would oscillate between "Beat" and "3 of A Perfect Pair" and "Discipline" as to which one was the best.  I still can't make up my mind to be honest but no question the Belew era Crimson are special albums and Discipline is a masterpiece!

  Fripp, Belew, Levin and Bruford....how can you go wrong !

Discipline is an album that manages to cover a pretty wide territory ranging from the gentle space caverns of "Matte Kudasai" to the power prog darkness of "Indiscipline" to the quirky and almost laughable at times "Elephant Talk".
  
This album is oozing in creativity and originality and there really no other album like this that I have ever heard.  The 5.1 Mix was remastered by Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson and although I am not a huge 5.1 surround fan when it comes to music I must admit this version is pretty cool.

   The remastering here is way better than my previous EG RBCD copy offering much deeper sounding
grooves and more reminiscent of my vinyl copy.  I hear things in a way for example on "Matte Kudasai" that I have never heard before and you can really feel the Fripp space atmospheres on this mix.

 

    

The Fiends - A Grave Beginning (2004)

The Fiends - A Grave Beginning  (2004)

    Any band that has a song called "zombies have feelings too" is right down my alley !  

   "A grave beginning" is a FUZZ'tastic album that will bring your grandmother back from the grave !  This Canadian horror inspired garage psychedelic band may be best enjoyed late at night while in a cemetary!

 Their music is adventurous and full of fun toe tapping ditties with an overdose of tripped out garage-psych fuzzed out guitar rock.  The vocals are haunting and yes a tad eerie and the whole vibe is pretty freakbeat 60's.

It is really hard to compare the music of the fiends but perhaps they are somewhere in the style of The Cramps, The Sonics or The Fuzztones.

  This is a fun album which has also been remastered offering more distortion and fuzz that ever !!!

Can - Delay (1969)

Can - Delay (1969)

  Progressive rock Pioneers CAN were in a class all their own !  No one ever really sounded like them nor approached music like these guys.   I am a huge fan of Germany's CAN and think that their early albums are all absolutely essential to own in your collection.

  I will admit that CAN are a bit off the beat and track and definitely quirky at the best of times and not always an easy listen , but in the sheer depths you will find it's rewards and treasures........you just need to really hear them.

  No question they are an acquired taste but once you really open the CAN you wont look back.

1968 is really just an album of early tracks that did not for one reason or another make any of their early albums.  "Butterfly" is a beauty song with its psychedelic pulses, electronic mayhem and freaked out vocals of Malcolm Mooney.....what a waybto kick off an album....

   Considering this is an unreleased compilation album I dont think anything here is filler.   I also cant believe this stuff wasnt released back in the day as i am sure it would have been a fan favourite as was Ege Bamyasi and their debut album!

  I have picked up most of CAN's Hybrid SACD releases on Spoon Records as the sound is just so good.   They did a fantastic job on these discs and you need to find these versions to really get the most form these strangely progressive gems.

Max Webster (1976)

Max Webster 1976)

  Back in the day we called this the "Blockhead album".....and no question this album was part of my growing up.   My brother and I listened to this album to death and to this day remains a treasure of the 70's Canadian Rock scene !

   Max Webster always straddled the line between Rock 'n Roll and Progressive Rock and this debut album is no exception.  

I also remember buying this album while in Sudbury Ontario at a Records On Wheels shop.......yikes that is a long long long time ago.

After hearing this album Kim Mitchell became a household figure and I can't tell you how many times we rocked out to this.

"Hangover" and "Here Among The Cats" are 2 of the best 70's Canadian rock tracks ever IMHO!

 Blockheads was remastered magically by the folks at Rock Candy and this is THE best version I have ever heard.  Terry Watkinson's keyboards finally get the real treatment here and you can hear just how key his playing was.  This mix also brings out subtleties that I have never heard before and has an extra depth that is all new to me.

 Max Webster was also produced by Rush's Terry Brown so it does have a very good vibe and sound about it!

 This was a great band and this album is just awesome............if you r a fan of Max then you owe it to yourself to get THIS version......

......no cigarettes, no matches

Satoh Masahiko - plays Togashi Masahiko (2005)

Satoh Masahiko - plays Togashi Masahiko (2005)
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Be Bop Deluxe - Drastic Plastic (1978)

Be Bop Deluxe - Drastic Plastic (1978)
  Drastic Plastic was the 5th studio and swan song album for England's Be-Bop Deluxe marking the end of a great album run.   I am a big fan of Be-Bop Deluxe and think that all of their albums deserve a lot more recognition than they received.  

  I really think that Bill Nelson is a real musical genius and his well crafted Be-Bop art rock music was ground breaking and surprisingly still does not sound outdated !  Musically I guess this veered between glam rock, pop, prog and heavy metal.  
 
    Drastic Plastic was at first my least favorite of the lot but after years of playing I found myself strangely going back to this album ...I guess this is a sign that I like the album.

  No question this album is the furthest out there of the lot and i would think that if any album deserved the title of "modern music" it would be this one ! 

  Typical of Bill Nelson this album is full of artistically revealing music with that certain level of creative strangeness that only he can pull off.  

  Drastic Plastic is actually quite Drastic !
  
    

Abbas Mehrpouya - Soul Raga (1968-1976)

Abbas Mehrpouya - Soul Raga

   Over the past few years I have been getting into music from the Middle East and this one was just too much !  "Sick" as my kids say !!!
   Mehrpouya according to transcripts of the Persian مهرپویا was born ايراايران مهرپويا (Abbas Mehrpouya) in Tehran (1927/1992).   Abbas was a Poet, translator, actor, guitarist, sitar , santur and organist who wrote some early trippy-groove based ragas that will blow your mind.
     Basically "soul raga" is a 2 CD compilation from his 45's, compilations and sole LP released.   

    Many of the songs actually on this CD have not ever appeared before and likely not heard much outside of Iran.  If you are a fan of the Big Jim Sullivan album "sitar beat" or love to groove to Ananda Shankar's 1970 marvelous debut sitar-pop album then you will love this album too!

    Soul raga is a wild compilation ranging from smooth and silky sitar vibes to full on sitar-laden funk outs!  The song "African Jumbo" is worth the price of this album alone...talk about a trip!
    Some of the songs are instrumental and some have vocals.......Abbas has a great deep and assuring voice which works very well with the tablas, flutes, pots and pans and sitars.
 
    This is the perfect taxi soundtrack album of all time for my money !!!
Brilliant .....hypnotic.......exotic and a very cool album !