Erica Pomerance - You Used To Think 1969

Rhythm guitarist and vocalist Erica Pomerance was a singer/songwriter whose coming of age in the hippie flower power era is easily heard and deciphered on this recording. Her strained vocal style is not by any means pleasant, nor is it intended to be. In many instances sloppy rhythmically, idiot savant garage band amateurish, sophomoric, anxious by nature, and unpolished under any criteria, Pomerance and her band of ragtag players ramble through themes both existential and idealistic. They evince occasional oppression and rose-colored visions, and at times attempted improvisation, while lacking a sense of a jazz background suitable for effectively making things up on the spot. Yet there's something quite charming about this folkish, Neanderthal, Joan Baez-copped amalgam, as the group wends its way through whatever substance-induced haze it experienced, approaching a somewhat unique fusion of many American musics grounded in basic rock & roll. Pomerance overdubs her voice in middle altissimo and high winding (and whining) sonance during the title selection, which defines the loose rock, free love era, while multiple bled-over metaphysical phrases underlined by Trevor Koehler's fluttery alto sax identify "Burn Baby Burn," and wordless American/East Indian style chanting and tambourine, guitar, and soaring vocals bloom in "Koanisphere." The flutes of Gail Pollard and Tom Moore give the music an airy feeling, even though it is by nature quite dirty. "We Came Via" exemplifies this dichotomy as Moore's musings and humming counteract a sped-up inconsistent rhythm in this clearly stoned music. Similarly, "The Slippery Morning" has a heartfelt approach but a naïve result. "The French Revolution" is a funkier protest story vs. song, again featuring Moore; "Anything Goes" is indeed free prose in an atmospheric bubble with a ritual core; and Pollard plays sitar quite competently on three tracks, including the warbling "To Leonard from Hospital" as Pomerance expresses an association to Grace Slick, but without the nuanced mystery. In many ways this music is annoying for its lack of sophistication or refinement, but at the very least is completely honest and real. Guitarist Richard Heisler's liner notes comment "it is what it is not" says a lot. It is music that is not well played, but also not pretentious. AMG. Thanks to B.!

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Mackenzie Theory - Out Of The Blue 1973

Formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1971, Mackenzie Theory remain one of the few totally instrumental bands in Australia to achieve recognition in the mainstream rock and pop music industry since the demise of non-vocal rock ‘n’ roll and surf bands of the early 60s. In 1973, they recorded a fully instrumental album in Australia, which charted. Rob Mackenzie led the band with his inspired, ethereal guitar playing, but the band also owed much of its distinctive sound to the viola playing of Cleis Pearce. The band, which included Andy Majewski (drums) and Mike Leadabrand (bass), folded in mid-1974 when Mackenzie was awarded an Arts Council grant to study guitar in Europe and America. He later moved to Los Angeles, USA, performing and doing recording sessions with emerging bands, providing guitar solo embellishments on their demo tapes, or recording eastern and other exotic ethnic styles. Pearce turned her talent to folk music and other eclectic work and she has recorded regularly. AMG.

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Lonnie Smith - Move Your Hand 1969

Anyone that has listened to Lonnie Smith should know that Dr. Smith is at his best when performing the slow and grinding ilk of funk. While his album "Live at Club Mozambique" is a great and funky disc, it tends towards the faster and more energized groves; it only gives us a taste of the grinding slow stuff. This album, however, gives us a lot more of the slow grinders that Dr. Smith is rightly known for. No password.

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Natural Life - Unnamed Land 1976

The basic quintet (recall this comprises Mike on guitar, Robert Rockwell III on saxes, Bill Berg on drums (and cover art), Bobby Peterson on piano, and W. Peterson Jr. on bass) is augmented by a half dozen more musicians playing vibes, flutes, congas, clarinet, and Rick Peterson on synths (on the last track).  Each song is composed by a different musician pretty much.  The standout is the collaborative track "Trio" which is arranged by Elliott, but composed by the two Peterson  gentlemen.   This record has a kind of smooth overall softness in composition and arrangement that is so attractive and typical of the late seventies style that, as mentioned, is utterly concerned with crafting beautiful music with no cynicism, irony, technical artifice, or impediments. Thanks Prognotfrog's blog.

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José Jorge Letria - Até Ao Pescoço 1972

An excellent poetic musician, was one of the best protest singers during the Salazar's ditacture. Thanks to MaraBunta. Enjoy.

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Joe Tex - Hold What You've Got 1965

For the most part, this early long-player from Joe Tex favors the goofier side of his musical personality rather than the home-truth moral lessons which often dominated much of his work. While "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show", "You Better Get It" and the title tune all offer heartfelt advice on love and life, the Caribbean-flavored "I'm Not Going To Work Today" and the Roger Miller-turned-hawk anthem "Are We Ready" both aim squarely for the funny bone, as does the exasperated "You Can Stay", a rant against noisy neighbors, while the slinky "You've Got What It Takes" confronts a seriously sexy woman with an appreciative smile. Of course, being the country boy that he was at heart, Joe Tex's comic numbers are still seasoned with friendly advice on living a better life, but Tex's warm, emphatic delivery and the easy-going but potently soulful accompaniment insures that Tex doesn't sound preachy so much as he recalls a neighbor down the way ready to offer some helpful words to a friend in need. A consistently enjoyable album from one of the most distinctive artists of Southern soul. AMG.

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John Kay - Forgotten Songs & Unsung Heroes 1972

John Kay's distinctive voice cut through radio with hits like "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Born to Be Wild." But on this LP there is none of the menacing growl found on his version of "The Pusher." What you will find here is Hank Williams' classic "You Win Again" with Kent Henry on simulated steel guitar, Hugh O'Sullivan on electric piano, George Biondo on bass, and the drummer from Lou Reed's Rock & Roll Animal band, Pentti "Whitey" Glan. The album was produced by the great Richard Podolor, who brought listeners Hoyt Axton and Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World." There is no Hoyt Axton here, but there are tunes by Richard Farina, Robert Johnson, Hank Snow, Patrick Sky, and the aforementioned Hank Williams, along with four Kay originals. To hear Kay droning "Christ will be our darling, and fear will be our name" on Farina's "Bold Marauder" is pretty chilling. Henry's acoustic guitar takes a back seat to Kay's dulcimer, and producer Podolor is on jaw bone and tambourine. This is a serious attempt by Kay to break away from the hard rock persona he established with Steppenwolf. That he pulls it off is impressive. Two years prior to this, John Phillips had a Top 40 hit with "Mississippi" on this same label, Dunhill, so it's not like the elements weren't in place for the lead vocalist from a superstar act to branch out. It's just that a six-minute composition like Kay's "Two of a Kind" was not going to get substantial AM radio airplay. Having Podolor perform on mandolin and organ with Kay providing vocals and guitar suggests that they were having fun more than looking for a hit single. If country radio had a tough time accepting Olivia Newton John, well, Steppenwolf's lead vocalist was not about to cross over as quickly asBrenda Lee. With just Biondo on bass and himself on harp and bottleneck guitar, Kay delivers a great version of Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues." This album is not what you'd expect, and that's part of what's so special about it. When Grace Slick does her own version of the Starship's No Protection on her Software album (and should be commended for such a bold move) and when Neil Young gives the world Trans, they shake things up. John Kay was not a star on the same level as Slick and Young, which makes his leap all the more admirable. The best track on this excellent album just may be Kay's own composition "Somebody," featuring the full band and gospel-style vocals from Marsha Jo Temmer, Joan Sliwin, and Alexandra Sliwin. Hank "Singing Ranger" Snow's "I'm Movin' On" comes as close toSteppenwolf as this album gets. Kay says that his version is closer to Ray Charles than Snow, but this track gives the artist and his fans that trademark snarl and a nice dark production. At three minutes and ten seconds, and with the nick of Three Dog Night's song "Liar" at the beginning, it's too bad radio didn't pick up on this fine work. AMG.  No password.

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Joe Bataan - Mr. New York and the East Side Kids 1971

Joe Bataan shot to popularity in Latin music circles by covering soul hits, starting with a radical revision of Curtis Mayfield and the Impression's "Gypsy Woman" that's brassy and built around the chorus. He also ethnicity-switches Aretha Franklin to "Young, Gifted and Brown," and his version of "Shaft" floats Latin horns and flute over that circular rhythm undercurrent. The liner notes focus on his "Joe the Rebel" persona, and one trademark is a rowdier edge than most Latin musicians. Tracks like "Muneca" and "Mambo de Bataan" fall within the canon but their energy (check the former's rat-a-tat-tat bridge) and blowsy trombones add an extra kick, just as the ragged loose ends in the vocals don't detract from the locked-down-in-clave-city pocket of "Aguanta La Lengua." "Magic Rose" has a brassy trombone solo over a strong piano hook that's off-kilter from the Latin norm, but totally killer at hip level, while "Chili Beans" is just a fine example of a lean, clean Latin soul instrumental. "Riot (It's a Good Feeling)" is pretty oddball, though, since it seems to celebrate dancing in the streets more than running wild in them. "Good good feeling" is the chorus over a bring-it-on-home gospel foundation riff and the very Latin R&B/rock & roll feel recalls Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels' take on "Little Latin Lupe Lu." "Subway Joe" is a pure N.Y.C. street life tale about hitting the subway for Chinese food and getting into a funny subway battle with a pretty girl who physically kicks his butt with blaring trombones over a frenetic rhythm. "My Opera" is a story song that builds drama with dynamics and tempo shifts but doesn't rate the "sicko song" label it gets in the liners (which are sketchy, marred by inaccuracies, and spend more time on Bataan's later career than his Fania stint or these tracks.) "Special Girl" is a nice salsa ballad, and "What Good Is a Castle" goes from slow part one to rip it up a bit on part two. The CD version of Mr. New York takes the original LP -- Joe Bataan's debut Fania LP -- and tacks on seven of his most popular songs from his eight albums for the label at the end. Good move -- the original LP selections are solid enough, but they lack the catchiness of the hits, and the extra tracks add a lot, especially for Bataanneophytes. Mr. New York winds ups a bit scattershot, but adding those hits from the latter stages of his Fania stay turn this disc into a makeshift, de facto, best-of collection. It's not the comprehensive one Joe Bataan probably deserves, or maybe not even an ideal introduction to his music, but it's a good one with a lot of strong performances that illuminate the late-'60s Latin soul era. AMG. No password.

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Frank Zappa - Sleep Dirt 1979

Sleep Dirt was never conceived as a stand-alone album. Five of its seven tracks were suppose to appear on the ill-fated 1976 box set Läther; three had been recorded for Zoot Allures but were shelved after Zappa decided to trim it down from a double to a single LP; finally, three had been written as part of the abandoned musical Hunchentoot. Zappa pieced the album together from these various discarded parts. "The Ocean Is the Ultimate Solution" (one of the leftovers from Zoot Allures) is now considered to be one of his finest instrumental rock pieces. Upon its original release, this LP was Zappa's first 100 percent instrumental record. On the CD reissue, the three Hunchentoot songs, "Flambay," "Spider of Destiny," and "Time Is Money," were given their vocal parts back (performed by Thana Harris). As infuriating as this was for purists, these latter versions are undeniably closer to what the composer had in mind. The same does not apply to Chad Wackerman's new drum tracks for "Regyptian Strut," recorded in the midst of the infamous tamperings of such classic LPs as We're Only in It for the Money and Cruising With Ruben & the Jets. A strange mixture of the gloomy atmosphere of Zoot Allures and more theatrical (even cabaret-like in the case of "Flambay") writing, Sleep Dirt is somewhat sweet and sour. There are strong guitar solos, but the whole thing lacks panache (and the cover artwork is truly awful). This item remains more for the completist than the newcomer. AMG.

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