John Mayall - The Latest Edition 1974

The title makes a virtue of necessity, as John Mayall introduces another all-new lineup (actually, bassist Larry Taylor is returning from an older edition). Two guitarists, Hightide Harris and Randy Resnick, lead the band in more of an up-tempo R&B style than has been used in much of Mayall's music during the past several years, starting with the timely "Gasoline Blues" (1974 was the year of the gas lines, remember?) and going on to "Troubled Times" (which advises impeaching President Nixon). Still, this was a lackluster set, which is only appropriate since it was Mayall's swan song with Polydor, and the album became his first to miss the charts in the U.S. since 1967. AMG.

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Strawberry Alarm Clock - Good Morning Starshine 1969

This is the fourth and final long-player of new material from Strawberry Alarm Clock (SAC). As with their previous discs, Good Morning Starshine is a mixed affair. Prior to recording the album, the band underwent a somewhat drastic personnel change -- replacing longtime members George Bunnell(bass/vocals) and Randy Seol (drums/vocals) with Jimmy Pitman (guitar/vocals) and Gene Gunnels(drums), respectively. Also of note is the fact that all of Bunnell's songwriting credits for material on this album actually belong to Gunnels. The music has shifted away from the mix of punky psychedelia such as "Love Me Again" and "The World Is on Fire," inheriting a much more aggressive, bluesy approach à la Grand Funk Railroad or even (gasp) MC5. Although there are sonic vestiges and remnants of the band's former self -- such as the disc's pseudo-hippie title track -- by all accounts this was the antithesis of what the band had been up until this point. The dichotomy in the material on Good Morning Starshine is indicative that SAC had pretty much run their course. With managerial and other behind-the-scenes issues continuing to plague them, there are no signs of cohesion within the grooves. The disc is certainly full of strong material, despite the decidedly aimless direction. "Small Package" is reminiscent of the band's sound, circa Wake Up...It's Tomorrow. Likewise, the song is a minor chord masterpiece in the same vein as their previous hit, "Tomorrow." The "California Girls" vocal tag is a nod to the Beach Boys, with whom SAC shared many a late-'60s performance stage. Additionally, either of the two versions of the mid-tempo rocker "Miss Attraction" would have been a welcome addition to their earlier releases. The free-form jamming and lead guitar lines are definitely reminiscent of early Spirit and the highly underrated Bay Area band Kak. The heavier and blues-influenced "Me and the Township," "Off Ramp Road Tramp," and "Hog Child" recall Blue Cheer and even later-era Moby Grape as much as they do the electric British blues of, say, Fleetwood Mac. AMG.

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Steamhammer - MK II 1969

The second version of the British combo Steamhammer released its first LP utilizing the talents of Steve Davy (bass), Martin Pugh (guitars), and Kieran White (vocals/guitar/harmonica/Jew's harp) from the original band as well as new recruits Steve Jolliffe (woodwind/brass/harpsichord/vocals) and Mick Bradley (drums). It was the blues that initially drove the combo on its debut long-player, Reflection (1969), likewise known as Junior's Wailing. This lineup adds more exploratory and intricate melodies, courtesy of the multi-instrumental talents and sonic sculpting of future Tangerine Dream member Jolliffe. While this version of the band would not remain past this album, its unique fusion would arguably peak on Mountains (1970), the follow-up to MK II (1969). There are definite shapes of things to come throughout this effort, thanks to the aggressive interaction of the new recruits. They immediately step up to the plate, providing a variety of interesting melodic and instrumental textures. These range from the full-speed gallop of Jolliffe's "Johnny Carl Morton" or the Baroque waltz "Turn Around" -- both of which are punctuated by some prominent harpsichord interjections reminiscent of other U.K. progressive groups such as Family and Blossom Toes.

Pugh's guitar work is another of the band's conspicuous assets, as he is able to fluidly waft between the acoustic romanticism of the diminutive "Sunset Chase" to the bluesy and tongue-in-cheek "Contemporary Chick Con Song." The latter track includes a stretched-out instrumental jam that captures Pugh's criminally underrated electric fretwork. Steamhammer's various and seemingly disparate musical elements coalesce on the manic "6/8 for Amiran." They blend the complexities inherent in the time signature with a tightly executed and churning blues -- much in the same way that early Jethro Tull was able to do on sides such as "Nothing Is Easy" or "For Our Mothers." The second side consists of a suite containing "Down Along the Grove," "Another Travelling Tune," and "Fran and Dee Take a Ride." This 16-plus minute epic allows Steamhammer to improvise and stretch out. The open structure makes room for the various musical styles to be thoroughly explored with more intricacy than a majority of the three- and four-minute tunes. The double lead electric guitars, courtesy of the song's co-authors, Pugh and White, blend well with Jolliffe's jazzy sax and flute improvisations. Enthusiasts are encouraged not only to seek this platter, but the Mountains (1970) follow-up as well. AMG.

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Satisfaction Unlimited - Think of the children 1972

This release by the obscure combo, Satisfaction Unlimited, has the unfortunate accolade of being the final long player release on the Hot Wax Records imprint. Formed originally by the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland team in 1969, Hot Wax ran into financial difficulties in 1973 whereupon they concentrated their efforts on the Invictus outlet. However, the roots of the band actually pre-date the H-D-H collaboration (H-D-H’s first Motown release being ‘Dearest one’ in 1962). As The Marvels, they originated in the backstreets of Washington DC, comprising of Sam Gilbert (lead), James “Junior” Isom (second tenor), Ronald Boyd (baritone), and James Mitchell (bass). In 1958, they ventured to New York to record the skip-a-long pleaser, ‘I Shed So Many Tears’ with James Isom on lead. The ensuing rush of tumbleweed meant the band didn’t venture back to the studio for another 3 years, with the tuneful doo-wop ballad, ‘For Sentimental Reasons’, and the similarly slanted ‘Wedding Bells’ a year later, this time under the name of The Senators (just check out that crazy lazy piano playing!).
Several personnel changes later, they returned as The Satisfactions around ‘66 with a string of 45s on the Smash and Lionel labels. Some mighty fine and feisty tracks were included among these sides, including the urgent ‘Use me’ (love this!) and ‘Take it or leave it’. They finally hit paydirt with ‘This Bitter Earth’ in 1970, reaching nº36 on the R&B Charts. This was consolidated by the radiant, midtempo ‘One light, two lights’, peaking at nº21 a few months later. A gorgeous track, by the way. They changed their name to Satisfaction Unlimited a year later, the personnel now standing at Lorenzo Hines (lead tenor), James Isom (second tenor), Earl Jones (baritone), and Fletcher Lee (bass), linking up with Hot Wax in ‘72.
The years spent fortifying their sound certainly paid dividends. Just give the opening track and lead single release, “Bright City Lights”, a listen. A gentle, summery track that reminds me a little of The Rascals ‘Groovin”, it’s the effortless confidence that is so remarkable with a sound more reminiscent of a band with a score of hit singles behind them. You know you’re in for a treat y’all !! “I Know It’s Love” keeps up the calibre, with the same fabulous lead (Lorenzo Hines ably assisted by James Isom) giving David Ruffin & The Temptations a run for their money. Then it’s one the highlights for me, the thunderously mature “Spread Your Love Around” - surely the perfect 45. With some glorious piano-tinselled highlights, the ballad with an insistent beat “Let’s Change The Subject” has a mesmerising message – absolutely top drawer, and probably my favourite track. The title track and its organ-ground melody is a definite wink at their doo-wop roots, and again it’s the natural feel of the lead vocal and harmonies that carry its success so effortlessly.

Side B leads with another big highlight, the ultra-smooth “Time For Us”, with exceptional use of blubby horns, I’m cast adrift on a boat just big enough for me, the one I love and a picnic for two, with a dangling bottle of wine being cooled by the still, sun-sprinkled water. We’re back on tried and tested H-D-H territory with the bold and striking “Somebody’s Else’s Woman” conveying its lyrics with the snarl of a banshee. The more pop-flavoured “Why“ is actually a really nice change of pace (reminds me a little of Lamont Dozier’s own ‘Why’ from ‘Working On You’), with a terrific crescendo on the outro and a track that grows and grows. Then it’s another track that gets way way under my skin, the awkwardly hypnotic “Seeing You Through The Eyes Of A Blind Man” – nothing ordinary about this gem ! “Don’t Call Me” is a thoroughly intriguing inclusion with a fresh lead and rock slant, it definitely defies all that has come before – and I love it.
The exceptional quality of the tracks appears to be largely indebted to the incredible writing skills of Mr A. Rackey, Mr G. Taylor and Mr W. Terry. I have no idea who produced this album, but the calibre and musicianship is outta sight. I would go so far as to say that this is possibly the most satisfying of the LPs that I am familiar with on the Hot Wax label, which includes such luminaries as 100 Proof, Honey Cone, Flaming Ember, The Politicians and Laura Lee. Wow, some amazing LPs right there !! Perhaps as the final LP of the label, it demonstrated (together with The Politicians LP) that the Motown legacy had finally morphed into the more sophisticated sound that was the early 70s. Whatever, this really is another essential addition to your admirable, growing soul collection.

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Steve Hillage - Rainbow Dome Musick 1979

Rainbow Dome Musick is too avant-garde to be classified as a new age album and too sleek sounding to fit into any progressive rock subgenres, but no matter how it's categorized, it's an excellent example of Steve Hillage's adeptness and vast musical background. His time spent with Daevid Allen's Gong and their far-out, space-fused grooves has rubbed off on him, as he has channeled his learned musical experimentation into an equally entertaining but more refined style of music. Playing guitar in Soft Machine and working with Kevin Ayers doesn't hurt either, but the 20-plus minutes of both tracks on this album harbor some intelligent and mature-sounding instrumentation thanks to a distinct array of sequencers and percussion. "Garden of Paradise" is a lush, intricately woven melange of guitar, piano, and synthesizer which are all pioneered by Hillage. Giving the track its feel and sustenance are the Tibetan bells and the powerful undertow of Miquette Girandy's double sequencer. The instruments gracefully converge to craft the non-existent paradise in which Hillage has musically created. "Four Ever Rainbow" contains much more rhythm and current thanks to the electric and glissando guitar and the subtle hovering of a harmoniser played by Rupert Atwill. The final result of the culmination of both tracks is a relaxing and pleasantly divergent journey through a sorted spectrum of instruments, making this album one of Steve Hillage's best solo pieces. AMG.

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Tracy Nelson - Homemade Songs 1978

A very versatile and talented vocalist, Tracy Nelson is better known for her role as lead singer of Mother Earth. The Nashville sextet had three albums in a country-rock vein make the charts in the late '60s and early '70s. But Nelson is just as capable in soul, R&B, and blues, though she hasn't released many records in that style. Her albums for Flying Fish were more indicative of her eclecticism, but her R&B and blues roots are really evident on her 1993 release In the Here and Now and 1995's I Feel So Good -- both on Rounder Records.

Born in California but raised in Madison, WI, Nelson began playing music when she was a student at the University of Wisconsin. Nelson began singing folk and blues at coffeehouses and R&B and rock & roll at parties with a covers band called the Fabulous Imitators. In 1964, she recorded an album for Prestige, Deep Are the Roots, which was produced bySam Charters. Two years after recording Deep Are the Roots, Nelson headed out to the West Coast, spending some time in Los Angeles before settling in San Francisco. After arriving in San Francisco, she formed Mother Earth in 1968, moving the group to Nashville the following year. The band stayed together for five years, recording several albums for Mercury Records, among a handful of other labels.Nelson left the band in the mid-'70s, embarking on a solo career that saw her release albums for a variety of labels, including Columbia, Atlantic, and Flying Fish. Nelson continued to record and perform into the '90s. In 1993, she released In the Here and Now, her first album for Rounder Records and, not coincidentally, her first straight blues record since she began recording in the '60s. Nelsonfollowed In the Here and Now with several acclaimed records of gritty blues-rock for Rounder, switching to Memphis International for the release of You'll Never Be a Stranger at My Door in 2007. AMG.

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Johnny Pace - Chet Baker Introduces Johnny Pace 1958

The liner notes begin with this sentence: "It's hard to think of this album as anything short of the first major step towards real success for the exciting and appealing young singer being introduced here." Oh, well. The fact that Pace ended up, at best, a minor footnote in jazz history doesn't detract at all from the significant pleasures to be had on his 1958 debut. Supported by the Chet Baker Quintet (which at this point included flutist Herbie Mann, pianist Joe Berl, bassist Jimmie Burke, and, depending on the recording date, either Ed Thigpen or Philly Joe Jones on drums), Pace delivers a winning program of standards in a style that owes an obvious debt to Frank Sinatra, but distinguishes itself by means of fruitier tone and an occasionally pronounced vibrato. His renditions of "The Way You Look Tonight" and "It Might as Well Be Spring" are both completely charming, and the band supports him beautifully -- special kudos go to Mann, whose dry, swinging flute tone complement's Pace's voice perfectly. Recommended. AMG.

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Al Kooper with Shuggie Otis - Kooper Session 1970

In 1969, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist Al Kooper added "talent scout" to his already lengthy résumé on the follow-up to the highly successful Super Session disc, which had been issued the previous year. One major difference between the two, however, is the relatively unknown cast featured on Kooper Session. Both albums again converge with the presentation of top-shelf musicianship and inspired performances. At only 15 years of age, guitarist Shuggie Otis is equally potent a performer as the seasoned keyboardist/guitarist Kooper. The duo is able to manifest an aggregate of material whose success leans as much on Kooper's experience as it does on Otis' sheer inspired youthful energy. The LP is divided between a side of shorter works (aka "songs") and a few extended instrumentals (aka "blues"). Kooper and Otis steer their house band, which includes Stu Woods (bass), Wells Kelly (drums), and Mark Klingman (piano). The tight arrangements aptly revealKooper's uncanny ability as a musical conduit. "Bury My Body" -- a variation on "In My Time of Dyin'" -- has been reworked into a gospel rave-up and features Kooper on one of the album's only vocals. Conversely, "Double or Nothing" is a spot-on re-creation of a Booker T. & the MG's track, which not only retains every Memphis-inspired intonation, but also shows off Otis' ability to cop Steve Cropper's guitar solo note for note. The blues instrumental jams are documented live and presented on this album the way that they originally went down at the recording sessions. The descriptively titled "Shuggie's Old Time Dee-Di-Lee-Di-Leet-Deet Slide Boogie" is endowed with a nostalgic piano/bottleneck slide duet and even features the added production value of manufactured surface noise. Both "12:15 Slow Goonbash Blues" and "Shuggie's Shuffle" are certainly no less traditional, allowing both Otis and Kooper the chance to stretch out and interact in real time. AMG.

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Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - Other Planes Of There 1964

Other Planes of There (1964) presents Sun Ra (piano) and his Solar Arkestra once again pushing the boundaries on five Ra originals. The exceedingly experimental works are marked by the performers as much as they are by the compositions. The opening title track is an expansive suite of sounds adhering only to the boundless limits of the combo's sonic canvas. Each soloist is given ample room to propel the piece between the inspired Arkestra interjections, which in turn clears the way for the next one. This isn't exactly call-and-response, however there are correlations between the respective and (at times) disparate juxtapositions. John Gilmore's (tenor sax) maniacal wails are matched by Marshall Allen (oboe) and Danny Davis (alto sax) -- the latter of whom quickly establishes the cut's moody and schizophrenic nature. By contrast, "Sound Spectra/Spec Sket" commences with the percussive pairing of Roger Blank (drums) and Lex Humphries (drums) asserting unified rhythmic patterns that are countered by a compact melody from Walter Miller (trumpet). His regal nuances are tentatively met by Ronnie Boykins (bass) and then Ra, who weave their lines considerately, rather than in a flurry of impassioned abandon. "Sketch" bops freely as Gilmore forges a seemingly straight-ahead tune, until Ra's frenzied and ardent runs overpoweringly steer the number further out. Pat Patrick's (baritone sax) sublime contributions are at the center of "Pleasure," smouldering with a measured and dreamy sense of portents. The long player concludes in much the same way that it began, sporting a full ensemble blowout on "Spiral Galaxy." Granted, the selection is certainly not as abrasive and demanding as later efforts, although there is strident involvement from everyone within the dense arrangement. The brass and reed sections provide emphasis behind an off-kilter and loping waltz backdrop. All the more impressive is how well the material has held up over the decades. Even to seasoned ears, the music is pungent and uninhibited, making Other Planes of There a highly recommended collection. AMG.

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Stud - Stud 1975

This is a damned great little gem, magnificent wailing heavy guitarrock executed in the most bad-azz way it could have been done. All 5 tracks are just stunners (with the 2 epic 12 minute + tunes) as icing on the cake. Rateyourmusic.com)

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The Travel Agency - The Travel Agency 1968

It's somewhat odd that the members of Travel Agency -- whoever they were -- didn't put their names anywhere on this album. It is known that the band included Frank Davis, who is perhaps best remembered for writing "Grand Candy Young Sweet" for Fever Tree. The Travel Agency played a pedestrian but occasionally appealing mishmash of pop, blues, and psychedelia, with fairly decent vocals and a few unusually sophisticated arrangements. Among the latter is the opening instrumental "What's a Man," which sounds like it might be the soundtrack to a short suspense or horror film. The album is very much a period piece and only of interest to serious fans of early psychedelia. AMG.

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The American Breed - Lonely Side of The City 1968

The American Breed were a '60s rock quartet from Cicero, IL, led by Gary Loizzo. They scored a gold Top Ten hit in early 1968 with "Bend Me, Shape Me." Later, drummer Andre Fischer and keyboard player Kevin Murphy were members of Rufus. AMG.

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The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - In The Jungle, Babe 1969

Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band were near the peak of their popularity on this, their third Warner Brothers LP featuring three chart singles. Artistically, they are right there. The rough unevenness of LP number one is gone, and it flows smoother than their second album -- which spawned "Do Your Thing." "Till You Get Enough," a heavy dose of funk, charted at number 68 pop and 12 R&B in 1969; the slow, sensuous "Love Land" faired much better overall at number ten pop and number 20 R&B in 1969. A final single, "Must Be Your Thing" (1970), charted at number 67 pop and 12 R&B. The band also affix their disjointed rhythmic approach to remakes of Edwin Starr's "Twenty Five Miles," the Doors' "Light My Fire," and Wilson Pickett's "I'm a Midnight Mover." In the Jungle, Babe is easily the most satisfying album of the bands' career. AMG.

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RE-Post: Stevie Wonder - Music Of My Mind 1972

With a new contract from Motown in his hand, Stevie Wonder released Music of My Mind, his first truly unified record and, with the exception of a single part on two songs, the work of a one-man-band. Everything he had learned about musicianship, engineering, and production during his long apprenticeship in the Snakepit at Motown Studios came together here (from the liner notes: "The sounds themselves come from inside his mind. The man is his own instrument. The instrument is an orchestra.") Music of My Mind was also the first to bear the fruits of his increased focus on Moog and Arp synthesizers, though the songs never sound synthetic, due in great part to Stevie's reliance on a parade of real instruments -- organic drumwork, harmonica, organs and pianos -- as well as his mastery of traditional song structure and his immense musical personality. The intro of the vibrant, tender "I Love Every Little Thing About You" is a perfect example, humanized with a series of lightly breathed syllables for background rhythm. And when the synthesizers do appear, it's always in the perfect context: the standout "Superwoman" really benefits from its high-frequency harmonics, and "Seems So Long" wouldn't sound quite as affectionate without the warm electronics gurgling in the background. This still wasn't a perfect record, though; "Sweet Little Girl" was an awkward song, with Stevie assuming another of his embarrassing musical personalities to fawn over a girl. AMG.

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