The Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe in Magic 1965

By the time of its release, Lovin' Spoonful's debut album was already a significant record because of the inclusion of its title track, John Sebastian's timeless anthem to love and music, which had been one of the major hits of the summer of 1965. The album elaborated upon Sebastian's gentle, winning songwriting style with the humorous "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind," which was released as a single in the spring of 1966 and became another Spoonful hit, and the wistful "Younger Girl," which became a chart hit for the Critters. The album also revealed the group's jug band roots in its arrangements of traditional songs like "Fishin' Blues" and "Wild About My Lovin'" and revealed that lead guitarist Zal Yanovsky and drummer Joe Butler, while not quite in Sebastian's league, were good singers as well. The Spoonful would be remembered as a vehicle for Sebastian's songwriting, but Do You Believe in Magic was a well-rounded collection that demonstrated their effectiveness as a group. AMG.

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John Klemmer - Blowin Gold 1969

Decent late '60s set by tenor saxophonist John Klemmer, not as focused nor as exciting as his early '70s sessions. Klemmer at this point was still finding his own sound and searching for comfortable middle ground between rock, pop, and jazz. AMG.

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Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - Jools & Brian 1969

The debut album from the formation of Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity, this record introduced to America a group that had been making some noise in England for some time already. The album is a bit fragmented, containing a few Julie Driscoll solo tracks, as well as some Auger/Trinity efforts without Driscoll. One of the most amazing moments opens the record: Driscoll's solo hit (in Europe), "I Know You Love Me Not." A swirling, churning string arrangement - not unlike a psychedelic Phil Spector - is the groundwork for Driscoll's steely vocals. She comes across as a combination of Dusty Springfield and Annie Lennox with a passionate performance. It's truly one of the great lost British records of the era, and it is worth the price of the record alone. There is, though, a lot more. Some excellent moments for Auger, such as the swinging-jazz drenched. "Kiko" illustrates what incredible jazz chops they had. There is also an excellent cover of "Didn't Want To Have To Do It," which renders this John Sebastion classic in a new, soulful light. An inspiring, fresh debut, and swinging London at its finest. AMG.
 

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Byard Lancaster & Clint Jackson III - Mother Africa 1974

Clint Jackson III (trumpeter, and flutist) joined forces with Byard Lancaster (saxophonist, and flutist), Jean-François Caloire (bass), Keno Speller (congas, and bells), and Jonathan Dickinson (drums) at the Studio Palm in Paris and released Mother Africa. 

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The Medium - The Medium 1969

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This album by The Medium is one of the rarest Canadian psychedelic rock albums there is. Recorded in Montreal in 1969 their sound is a very organ-driven mix of psychedelia and early prog rock elements. 

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Procol Harum - Procol's Ninth 1975

For their ninth album, Procol Harum turned to production by the veteran songwriting team of Leiber and Stoller, who had written the first single ("Poison Ivy") by Procol predecessor band, the Paramounts. Though the band is in top form (especially drummer B.J. Wilson) and despite a strong start (with the exquisite "Pandora's Box," a U.K. hit), the album largely runs out of steam by side two. Too much of the Brooker and Reid material is competent rather than exciting. Likewise, Procol fails to render memorable versions of two cover songs, Leiber and Stoller's "I Keep Forgetting" or the Beatles' "Eight Days A Week." Most of this album's best material can be found on the Chrysalis Years collection. [Grand Hotel and Procol's Ninth were later re-released as Cornerstone, a budget double album.] AMG.

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The Amboy Dukes - Migration 1969

The most prominent feature of Migration (the Amboy Dukes' third recording, originally released on Mainstream records) is the lack of a spaced-out follow-up to the group's biggest hit, "Journey to the Center of Your Mind." Perhaps "terrible" Ted Nugent was starting to win the drug war that was beginning to be waged within the band, a war that would ultimately claim more than a few key lineup casualties. No matter the reason, Migration -- with its less opaque drug references and general grooviness -- was given a cool reception at record stores as listeners perhaps became slightly confused about the Michigan band's intentions while pondering Nugent's relatively eclectic musical approach. Case in point: the spot-on version of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers' "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent." Besides this bizarre but effective cover, other highlights include the instrumental opener "Migration" and one of Nugent's all-time favorite songs, "Good Natured Emma." More ambitious than the group's huge-selling effort from the year before, "Migration" might be the better of the two discs, if not the best of the Amboy Dukes' career. AMG.

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