Stud - September 1972

Originally a trio comprising Jim Cregan (b. James Cregan, 9 March 1946, Yeovil, Somerset, England; guitar/vocals), Charlie McCracken (b. Richard McCracken; bass) and John Wilson (drums), Stud formed from the ashes of Taste, a band that included both McCracken and Wilson in its ranks. Wilson had also been a member of Them, while McCracken had previously played in Blossom Toes and Julian Covey And Machine. This central trio was quickly supplemented by the addition of former Family guitarist and vocalist John Weider (b. 21 April 1947, Shepherd’s Bush, London, England) after the release of their debut album, a self-titled effort released in 1971 on Deram Records. This set, which secured significant press acclaim, established jazz rock as the band’s métier. Although in retrospect the songwriting did not equal their obvious instrumental skill, it was enough to earn the band a strong following in Germany. Both their subsequent albums were released in that country alone as part of a contract with BASF Records, a situation owing in no small part to their manager Eddie Kennedy’s ructions with Deram. However, German sales alone were not enough to support the band, and soon after the release of 1973’s Goodbye Live At Command Cregan left to join Family, Weider moving on to Moonrider, and McCracken joining a re-formed version of the Spencer Davis Group. Wilson, the final remaining member, attempted to resurrect the band name by recruiting Andy Sneddon (bass, ex-East Of Eden) and Snowie White (guitar), but this line-up never recorded. AMG.

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Jesse Ed Davis - Jesse Davis 1971

This first solo release from session-guitarist extraordinaire Jesse Ed Davis celebrates the ethos of early-'70s album making; namely, renting a studio for a weekend, supplying lots of drugs and alcohol, and then inviting a few dozen of your closest friends over to record. The album itself is filled with cameos by Davis' musician pals: Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, and Gram Parsons among them. However, it does neither the all-star backing musicians, nor Davis, much credit. With the exception ofVan Morrison's "Crazy Love," most of the album was penned by Davis, and in spite of some strong rockers ("Every Night Is Saturday Night for Me,") the downplaying of Davis' exemplary soloing ability does the guitarist a disservice. AMG.

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David Ruffin - My Whole World Ended 1969

After rising to superstardom as the Temptations' co-lead vocalist, David Ruffin concluded his oft-tumultuous relationship with the Motown quintet to forge a solo career. His debut album was less a statement regarding his status as a former Temp and more a reflection of the artist's temperament. Although drugs would begin to erode his immeasurable talents from the inside out, Ruffin can be heard at the top of his game on My Whole World Ended (1969). While he may have been out of the band, he was still considered a key component in the Motown family and, at least for a while, was afforded support by the best and brightest that the label had to offer. Among the perks was working with top-notch hit making producers Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Paul Riser,and Ivory Joe Hunter -- all of whom add their magic to the mix. Ruffin's vocals are uniformly inspired, particularly when he pours himself into the performance. The LP kicks off with the title track, "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)." The song's dark and somewhat menacing tone provides all the atmosphere Ruffinneeds to unleash his trademark heart-wrenching leads. It is no wonder that the number made a significant impact as a Top Ten crossover smash. As was the assembly line nature of new Motown product, quite often the deeper cuts were just as appealing, especially when it was David Ruffinbehind the microphone. The mid-tempo soul-stirrer "Pieces of a Man," as well as the churning funk-a-thons "World of Darkness" and "Flower Child" may be the effort's sleeper classics. Ruffin certainly isn't afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve either as the ballads "Message from Maria," "I've Lost Everything I've Ever Loved" and the radiant waltz "My Love Is Growing Stronger" demonstrate to great effect. Pop music fans will undoubtedly recognize the melody to "Everlasting Love" as it had already been a hit forRobert Knight two years earlier in 1967, while Carl Carlton -- a fellow Detroit-based singer -- would score even higher with his 1974 update. Perhaps the same fate could have befallen Ruffin's take had it been extracted as a single release. In the end the project didn't need too much help to take to the top of the R&B album survey for two weeks and into the Top 40 on the pop side. Parties looking for My Whole World Ended on CD are encouraged to check out the Hip-O Select Great David Ruffin: The Motown Solo Albums, Vol. 1 (2005) double-disc anthology. The contents have been digitally remastered and also offer Ruffin's follow-up long-players Feelin' Good (1969), David Ruffin (1973), and Me 'N Rock 'N Roll Are Here to Stay (1974). AMG.

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The Contents Are - Through you 1967

Based in Davenport, IA, the Contents Are were a rock band whose music typified the grey zone between the era of garage rock and the dawn of psychedelia; what they were doing was less aggressive and more melodically adventurous than what the average band of high school kids was bashing out back in the day, with some tricky guitar interplay and excellent harmonies, but they hadn't evolved into full-blown lysergic experimentation when they recorded their sole album at Davenport's Fredlo studios in 1967. (Significantly, several members had previously played in a cover band specializing in surf tunes and British Invasion hits.) Lyrically, the Contents Are had moved well beyond the usual "I'm bugged at my girl" stuff in terms of their themes, though the brief descriptions of the songs on the back cover tell you all you need to know -- "No Chance to Choose" concerns "Flower children for freedom vs. the capitalist establishment," "No Need to Be Blamed," is about "People deceived by a greedy, corrupt government," and "In Trouble" sends a message "To the leaders of our country." In short, this ain't "Louie Louie," but Through You shows the Contents Are hadn't quite drifted into the outer stratosphere in the manner of the 13th Floor Elevators and other pioneers of the psychedelic sound, at least not when this was recorded. But there's still some thoroughly enjoyable mid-'60s guitar rock to be found here, and for the CD reissue on Shadoks Music, four songs from early singles have been added as bonus tracks (two of which, "Future Days" and "New Mexico," suggest the boys had picked up a few pointers from the first Moby Grape album) as well as new liner notes from guitarist and songwriter Craig Hute. Given that the original album was supposedly pressed in a run of only 100 copies, this is certainly well worth a listen for fans of Midwest sounds of the '60s who are looking for new obscurities to explore. AMG. 

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Spirit - Future games: A Magical Kahauna Dream 1977

Also the title of a Fleetwood Mac album from 1971, Mercury certainly let Randy California's ideas flow across a number of releases in the mid- to late-'70s, this particular release dated 1977. As with the best of California's work, there are flashes of inspiration and brilliance, the title track a perfect example of the upside. A collaboration with Kim Fowley entitled "Buried in My Brain" is California at his most self-indulgent. The effects and foundation for the song are good, but his vocals wander hither and yon. They don't get better on "Bionic Unit," also written with Fowley and co-engineer Blair Mooney. Connected by sound effects, the artist moves into his Jimi Hendrix mode, tracking Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower." Spirit, with California at the helm, continued to work this Hendrix connection, which certainly wasn't a bad thing. The expressive and creative guitar lines would have made an instrumental version of "All Along the Watchtower" a real treat. What happens instead is California having fun but not thinking in terms of Top 40 airplay as Dave Mason did to some limited success with this Dylan title. "Would You Believe" goes back to the great stuff Randy California is capable of. Not commercial, but original and inviting.
"Star Trek Dreaming" is exquisite, but a bit short, and side two is rife with excerpts from the Star Trek episode where Captain Kirk turns into his ex-girlfriend Dr. Lester. There are so many bits and pieces of Star Trek interspersed on side two it is a wonder that Paramount didn't sue. There are many thank yous on the back, to Dr. Demento (Randy California's ex-roommate), to backing vocalist Terry Anderson, but no credit to Gene Rodenberry. On one level, a major lawsuit would have been helpful, they could have yanked the Star Trek bits off, creating a collector's item and bringing some attention to this good, but not great, record. Randy California appears half-naked on the back cover, a blatant and egotistical move, almost claiming that he is Spirit. Keep in mind this came a year after the reunion known as Farther Along, which brought John Locke and Mark Andes back into the fold, along with his brother, Sprit contributor and Jo Jo Gunne member Matt Andes, but no Jay Ferguson. These 1970s Mercury albums, from 1975's sublime Spirit of '76 double LP and its same-year follow-up, Son of Spirit, to the aforementioned Farther Along, make good companion pieces to the work on Epic records that brought the group their initial fame. Randy California references his big FM hit "Nature's Way" on the beginning of the album as he does elsewhere in his career, while side two drifts off into some Star Trek dementia. "Freakout Frog" and "The Romulan Experience" are interesting, with bits of "All Along the Watchtower" thrown in for good measure. "Monkey See Monkey Do" could have been a great novelty hit...that is...on the planet Romulus. It's a fusion of nuttiness and pop that sounds inspired by drugs and a Dr. Demento program. Randy California's work with stepfather Ed Cassidy is unique and important, but they would have been better off calling some of the product Randy California solo, and that's what this is. There are some great moments here, "The Journey of Nomad" as the album closes, along with "Stars Are Love" and "Kahauna Dream," which open the album. Mr. California's obsessions with science fiction and the place of his untimely passing, Hawaii, are here on these grooves, two decades before his passing. AMG.

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Sound Experience - Don't Fight The Feeling 1974

Sound Experience was a tight, hard-driving funk ensemble with a flair for up-tempo grooves and aggressive, mind-bending guitar work drenched in fuzz and wah-wah effects. Composed of lead vocalist Arthur Grant, Leroy Frailing, Johnny Groman, Gregory Holmes, James Lindsey, Melvin Miles, Anton Scott, and Reginald Wright, the rather large group formed at Baltimore's Morgan State College in 1970 and quickly built a local following. During the early '70s, the group hooked up with producer Stan Watson and his Philly Groove/Soulville labels, and moved to Philadelphia to record with him. Early sides like "40 Acres and a Mule" and "Blow Your Mind" displayed the influence of early Funkadelic, but by the time of their first album, 1974's Don't Fight the Feeling, their sound was a bit smoother around the edges. The title cut was a minor hit, and "Devil With the Bust" became an oft-sampled breakbeat classic in the years to come; other singles included "You've Broken My Heart" and 1975's "Boogie Woogie." Although their recorded output was limited, Sound Experience enjoyed an enduring cult following among funk collectors; Collectables issued the career overview The Soulville Collection on CD in 1994, and acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson used the track "J.P. Walk" in his adult-film saga Boogie Nights. AMG.

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Meic Stevens - Gwymon 1972

After the commercial failure of Meic Stevens' early-'70s Warner Bros. LP Outlander, the singer/songwriter -- whose Warners contract did not give the label jurisdiction over his Welsh-language material -- decided to record an album of Welsh songs in 1972, released on the Wren label. Those listeners in the English-speaking world who know of Stevens' work primarily through English-language recordings such as Outlander will naturally find the tracks on Gwymon harder to penetrate. The essence of Stevens' folk-rock style is still evident, however, in his committed vocals and his rather musically basic if stylistically diverse tunes. They were simply recorded, too, with one day given to laying the tracks down, and another to mixing. At times ("Cura Dy Law," "Mynd") he sounds like a more rustic Van Morrison; at others he has the somewhat subdued moodiness common to many folk-rock singer/songwriters of the era from the British Isles; and sometimes a pretty acid-folk bent comes to the fore ("Merch of Ffatri Wlan"). Blues informs a few numbers, like "Gwely Gwag" and "Mae'r Ellifant Yn Cofio Popeth," and on still others ("O Mor Lan yr Oedd y Dwr"), the uplifting, declamatory side of traditional British folk makes itself evident. The 2008 CD reissue on Sunbeam includes historical liner notes by Stevens (in English), as well as two bonus tracks recorded live in Bangor in 1974. AMG.

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Beefeaters - Beefeaters 1967

The Beefeaters were a Danish garage rock band active from 1964-1971. A precursor to this band was formed in Copenhagen in early 1964, but their strong orientation towards blues-rock began only with the arrival of Peter Thorup in 1966. In 1967, The Beefeaters played as support band for Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall and Pink Floyd during their concerts in Denmark.

The Beefeaters produced two albums, Beefeaters (1967) and Meet You There (1969). Both albums were top-notch "real" blues-rock efforts to file along albums by John Mayall, early Fleetwood Mac and even Cuby & The Blizzards. The first album was, along with Steppeulvene, the most important Danish album of 1967. The Beefeaters weren't entirely blues purists either, they also displayed beat and soul influences. The sound (very well developed for 1967) was largely based on Thorup's talents as vocalist and guitarist, but Kjærumsgård's Farfisa organ (sometimes replaced by piano) obviously augmented the group’s sound. Burnin' Red Ivanhoe was one of many groups who later copied this distinctive organ sound. In 1969, Povl Dissing left the group, which continued for a while longer with Ole Fick (from Burnin' Red Ivanhoe) as their lead singer. The post-Dissing group recorded the soundtrack to "Smil Emil", but no further vinyl output emerged.

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The Band - Moondog Matinee 1973

The Band essentially went back to being the Hawks of the late '50s and early '60s on this album of cover tunes. They demonstrated considerable expertise on their versions of rock & roll and R&B standards like Clarence "Frogman" Henry's "Ain't Got No Home," Chuck Berry's "The Promised Land," and Fats Domino's "I'm Ready," but of course that didn't do much to satisfy the audience they had established with their original material and that, two years after the disappointing Cahoots, was waiting for something in the same league with their first three albums. AMG.

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Bob Marley & The Wailers - Soul Rebels 1970

Originally issued in 1970, Soul Rebels was the first album credited to Bob Marley & the Wailers, and it was also the band's first full-length collaboration with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, for whom they had already recorded a string of fairly successful singles. Working with the newly configured Upsettersband, Marley and crew delivered a strange and wonderful set of early reggae that at times plays fast and loose with the already established conventions of the genre -- on "My Cup" the beat sounds inside out, while "It's Alright" sounds like a slightly Jamaicanized version of Motown soul. Other songs, such as the beautifully harmonized "Try Me," show their deep roots in rocksteady. One of the most arresting tracks on the album is the Peter Tosh sung "Four Hundred Years," on which Tosh unburdens himself of some of his typically dread pronouncements in his rich, chesty voice. AMG.

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The Gods - Genesis 1968

The Gods' debut album was the sound of a band capturing the transition of British psychedelia into more ostentatious progressive hard rock. Ken Hensley's heavy Hammond organ was the center of their sound, and both that and the sometimes overbearing vibrato vocals pointed toward the less psychedelic sounds he and drummer Lee Kerslake would pursue in Uriah Heep. Genesis is undoubtedly lighter than Uriah Heep, though, often employing characteristically late-'60s British vocal harmonies. Some tunes, like "Candles Getting Shorter" and "Radio Show," even skirt a pop-soul sensibility. But the songs weren't terribly memorable, though they were segued together by brief odd'n'goofy instrumental bits at the end of tracks in keeping with the modus operandi of the psychedelic era. The Mellotron in "I Never Know" does rather remind one of the way the instrument was used onKing Crimson's first album, though King Crimson inserted it into much better material. The CD reissue on Repertoire adds both sides of their first two singles (from 1968 and 1969) as bonus tracks; these are slightly more pop in feel than their album, including one of the most obscure '60s covers of an obscureBeatles song, "Hey Bulldog." AMG.

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Linda Lewis - Fathoms Deep 1973

Perhaps the biggest surprise about the best-known of Linda Lewis' Reprise label albums is that it doesn't feature the best known of her Reprise-era songs. Though the single "Rock a Doodle Do" hit the U.K. Top 20 even as Fathoms Deep commenced its own rise, the hit was excluded from the main attraction -- and sensibly so. Even among Lewis' staunchest supporters, the slinky, squeaky single was seen as a novelty. Helmed by a virtual supergroup featuring the likes of R&B masters Bobby Tench,Max Middleton, folkie Danny Thompson, and rocker Philip Chen, alongside the inevitable Jim Cregan, Fathoms Deep is a true singer/songwriter's album, tasteful and tight, but punctuated with variety enough to ensure that it never sinks into repetitive, whiny balladeering. Even when Lewis' taste for introspection does bubble to the surface, there is always something on hand to keep the heart pumping -- the celeste that haunts "Lullabye," for example, or the almost radical synths that rise to race "Wise Eyes" around the block. Indeed, if Fathoms Deep has one major failing, it's that the dexterity of the musicians (Lewis' own guitar and keyboard playing included) and the ambition of the arrangements occasionally overwhelm the still slight and occasionally freakish nature of her vocal style. Again, there's a reason why "Rock a Doodle Do" wasn't included, and it's a shame to spoil the party by letting elements of it gatecrash. Thankfully, however, there's enough else on display to allow you to ignore them. AMG.

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Lovecraft - Valley Of The Moon 1970

Drummer Michael Tegza is the only original from two years prior when the band was H.P. Lovecraft on Phillips Records. For this 1970 Reprise release, they are dubbed Lovecraft and have abandoned the psychedelic Jefferson Airplane sound for a progressive Crosby, Stills & Nash-meets-Uriah Heepflavor. In 1975, drummer Tegza re-formed the band again and separated the two words, their Love Craft album, We Love You Whoever You Are, took things into an almost Santana-goes-soul direction. The lineup here of Tegza, Jim Donlinger, Michael Been, and Marty Grebb is more than competent, maintaining the strong vocal presence of the original band, but the direction is too studied and not as much fun as the previous incarnation. "We Can All Have It Together" sounds like Seatrain's "13 Questions" meets Lighthouse's "One Fine Morning." "Brother I Wonder" delves right into that Crosby, Stills & Nash territory, while "Love Has Come" is "Carry On" by Graham Nash and company. Tegza'sdrums are big, and perhaps a bit out of place for what was a psychedelic band. Even on this, he tends to overplay, the rolling thunder of the percussion interfering with the acoustics on "The Dawn," which is an otherwise interesting piece. "Never Gonna Go Back" is the Doors Soft Parade by way of Rare Earth -- not a good combination. The worst excesses of the group are bared here when they should've blended the Doors with Roxy Music, the saxophone on this song not as outrageous and wild as it could be. "Dear" is one of the stronger tracks, with British flavors and exquisite harmony vocals and piano. There are no qualms with the musicianship, it's just that the promise of early H.P.Lovecraft has dissolved into very mainstream and somewhat uninteresting material. "Hopefully We'll All Remain Together" also almost makes it, but the preaching gets in the way of sounds that are in transition. This is a strange one, for sure. Interesting Jack London poem hidden on the bottom right of the front cover espousing the philosophy Neil Young sang about on "My My Hey Hey." The album just doesn't have the intensity this poem describes. AMG.

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