Janis Ian - For all the Seasons of your Mind 1968

Janis Ian followed up her self-titled debut with the appropriately trippy For All The Seasons Of Your Mind (1968). Her no-nonsensical approach and bellicose lyrical style was poignantly defined by the widely banned single "Society's Child", which dealt with interracial relationships. This refreshing candour was also featured on a number of other edgy sides from her previous disc such as the teenage hooker blues that Ian titled "Pro-Girl" or the socially and sexually combative "Too Old To Go ‘Way Little Girl". On this disc, the singer/songwriter allows for a bit of psychedelic poetry to colour her commentaries. Again, she is accompanied by studio musicians whom Ian gives full and respective credit for their contributions -- a rarity for many solo artists in the late ‘60s. The band provide Ian with a variety of sonic pallets ranging from the sitar twang of the opening title track to the baroque orchestration that graces the instrumental introduction of "Insanity Comes Quietly To The Structured Mind". There are several introspective and more traditional folk tunes including the stark "There Are Times", which foreshadows Laura Nyro's "New York Tendaberry" and the scathing observational statement on the status of the aged on "Shady Acres". The quiet and personal "Evening Star" hearkens toward Ian's future jazz-inspired works. She maintains a delicate command of the stirring and moody piano inflections that trickle all around her vocals in a sort of improvisational dance. The track also has the maturity of a pop music standard from the likes of Gershwin or Cahn. Ian slightly bends the piano voicings to replicate her own soulful intonations. One of the hidden gems on the LP is the more contemporary minor chord masterpiece "Bahimsa". The performance evokes a distinct European flavour that might suggest the Incredible String Band or Pentangle. These more sombre and developed compositions make for somewhat schizophrenic bedfellows beside the funky electric soul of the derisive "Honey D'ya Think" or the awkward coming of age brass band waltz "And I Did Ma". For All The Seasons Of Your Mind is included on Society's Child: The Verve Recordings (1995) -- a mini box set gathering Ian's first four albums: Society's Child (1967), The Secret Life Of J. Eddy Fink (1968) and Who Really Cares (1969) -- as well as this title -- onto two CDs. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Lowell George - Thanks Ill Eat It Here 1979

As Little Feat was disbanding in late 1978, their lead guitarist/songwriter Lowell George recorded a solo album, Thanks I'll Eat It Here, that sounded as loose and funky as the band in their prime. After its release the following year, he set out on tour to support the album. Sadly, George died of a heart attack while on the road; he left behind a body of gritty, eclectic, and funky rock & roll. On the first five Little Feat albums, his songwriting and instrumental talents are more apparent than on his solo effort, yet that doesn't detract from the record's pleasures.
Thanks I'll Eat it Here is strikingly different from the fusion-leanings of Little Feat's last studio album, Time Loves a Hero. Lowell George never cared for jazz-fusion, so it should be little surprise that there's none to be heard on Thanks. Instead, he picks up where Dixie Chicken left off (he even reworks that album's standout "Two Trains"), turning in a laid-back, organic collection of tunes equal parts New Orleans R&B, country, sophisticated blues, and pop. George wasn't in good health during the sessions for Thanks, which you wouldn't tell by his engaging performances, but from the lack of new tunes. Out of the nine songs on the album, only three are originals, and they're all collaborations. That's a drawback only in retrospect -- it's hard not to wish that the last album George completed had more of his own songs -- but Lowell was a first-rate interpreter, so even covers of Allen Toussaint ("What Do You Want the Girl to Do"), Ann Peebles ("I Can't Stand the Rain") and Rickie Lee Jones ("Easy Money") wind up sounding of piece with the original songs. George's music rolls so easy, the album can seem a little slight at first, but it winds up being a real charmer. Yes, a few songs drift by and, yes, Jimmy Webb's vaudevellian "Himmler's Ring" feels terribly out of place, but Lowell's style is so distinctive and his performances so soulful, it's hard not to like this record if you've ever had a fondness for Little Feat. After all, it's earthier and more satisfying than any Feat album since Feats Don't Fail Me Now and it has the absolutely gorgeous "20 Million Things," the last great song George ever wrote.AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Queen - Queen 1973

Like any patchy but promising debut from a classic rock group, it's often easy to underrate Queen's eponymous 1973 debut, since it has no more than one well-known anthem and plays more like a collection of ideas than a cohesive album. But what ideas! Almost every one of Queen's signatures are already present, from Freddie Mercury's operatic harmonies to Brian May's rich, orchestral guitar overdubs and the suite-like structures of "Great King Rat." That rich, florid feel could be characterized as glam, but even in these early days that appellation didn't quite fit Queen, since they were at once too heavy and arty to be glam and -- ironically enough, considering their legendary excess -- they were hardly trashy enough to be glam. But that only speaks to the originality of Queen: they may have traded in mystical sword 'n' sorcerers themes like so many '70s prog bands, and they may have hit as hard as Led Zeppelin (and Jimmy Page's guitar army certainly was a forefather to May's overdubs), but they didn't sound like anybody else, they were too odd in their theatricality to be mistaken for another band. That much was apparent on this debut, but one thing was crucially missing: songs that could coalesce their sound and present it in a memorable fashion. There is an exception to that rule -- the wild, rampaging opener "Keep Yourself Alive," one of their very best songs -- but too often the album plays like a succession of ideas instead of succinct songs, and the group's predilection for suites only highlights this, despite the occasional blast of fury like "Modern Times Rock & Roll." This can be quite appealing as sheer, visceral sound and, in that regard, Queen is kind of irresistible. It showcases the band in all their ornate splendor yet it's strangely lean and hard, revealing just how good the band was in their early days as a hard rock band. That might not quite make it an overlooked gem -- it remains patchy on a song for song basis -- but it sure makes for an interesting debut that provides a rough road map to their later work. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Fapardokly - Fapardokly (Merrell Fankhauser) 1966

Though they were considered an enigma in the world of '60s rock collectibles, there was never a group called Fapardokly; the 12 songs on their self-titled album were recorded by Merrell & the Exiles, a Southern California group headed by legendary cult folk-rocker Merrell Fankhauser. That group cut several singles for the tiny Glenn label before heading off in a psychedelic direction and mutating into H.M.S. Bounty. The equally tiny UIP label decided to gather a few of the Glenn singles, add a few more psychedelically oriented tracks that Merrill and his group had recorded, and release the package as the work of a group called Fapardokly. Although it was not recorded or intended as a unified work, it stands as one of the great lost folk-rock classics of the '60s. Fankhauser went on to make more excellent obscure recordings with H.M.S. Bounty in the late '60s and Mu in the early '70s. AllMusic

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Ange - Au-delà du délire 1974

With two studio recordings under their belt (the 1972 Caricatures and the 1973 Le Cimetière des Arlequins), Ange struck artistic gold with Au-Delà du Délire. All the elements came together this time, producing France's best symphonic progressive rock album of the 1970s. Christian Decamps' medieval imagery (echoed in the music by occasional minstrel-type folk song structures) is assisted this time around by Biblical themes, something noticeable in the song titles. His voice is not the only center of attention anymore, as instrumental passages take more room and arrangements become more intricate. "Exode" actually takes off when the verse is over and the guitar and Mellotron start working on an instrumental crescendo. The pastoral "Ballade Pour Une Orgie" ("Ballad for an Orgy") is the lightest track, along with the almost pop "Fils de Lumière" ("Son of Light"). The other tracks are darker and very substantial. The soft piano and violin intro of the opener "Godevin le Vilain" ("Godevin the Villain") leads into a full-blown bombastic song. "Les Longues Nuits D'Isaac" ("Isaac's Long Nights") is heavy on guitars and is the rockiest number Ange played in these first years of existence. "Si J'Étais le Messie" ("If I Were the Messiah") is a showcase for Christian Decamps' theatrical talents, his soliloquy being backed by minimal musical flooring. Au-Delà du Délire also contains two theatrical pieces that would become classic material: "La Bataille du Sucre," the story of a time when there was no sugar left on Earth, a piece complete with characters played by each member of the band, and "Au-Delà du Délire" which culminates in a anthemic instrumental section with one of Jean-Michel Brézovar's best guitar solos. On this album, Ange developed a heavy, dark, and bombastic sound (thanks to the Mellotron) they will partly abandon afterwards, as the transitional album Émile Jacotay exemplifies. But Au-Delà du Délire had such an impact on the French market that the label Philips re-issued it on CD in a budget-price collection along with titles by songwriters like Jacques Brel, Georges Moustaki, and Serge Reggiani. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King 1969

This reissue of King Crimson's debut, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), renders all previous pressings obsolete. In the late '90s, Robert Fripp remastered the entire Crimson catalog for inclusion in a 30th anniversary edition. Nowhere was the upgrade more deserved (or necessary) than on this rock & roll cornerstone. Initially, King Crimson consisted of Robert Fripp (guitar), Ian McDonald (reeds/woodwind/vibes/keyboards/Mellotron/vocals), Greg Lake (bass/vocals), Michael Giles (drums/percussion/vocals), and Peter Sinfield (words/illuminations). As if somehow prophetic, King Crimson projected a darker and edgier brand of post-psychedelic rock. Likewise, they were inherently intelligent -- a sort of thinking man's Pink Floyd. Fripp demonstrates his innate aptitude for contrasts and the value of silence within a performance, even as far back as "21st Century Schizoid Man." The song is nothing short of the aural antecedent to what would become the entire heavy alternative/grunge sound. Juxtaposed with that electric intensity is the ethereal noir ballad "I Talk to the Wind." The delicate vocal harmonies and McDonald's achingly poignant flute solo and melodic counterpoint remain unmatched on an emotive level. The surreal and opaque lyrics are likewise an insight to Peter Sinfield's masterful wordplay, which graced their next three releases. The original A-side concludes with the powerful sonic imagery of "Epitaph." The haunting Mellotron wails, and Fripp's acoustic -- as well as electric -- guitar counterpoints give the introduction an almost sacred feel, adding measurably to the overall sinister mood. Giles' percussion work provides a pungent kick during the kettle drum intro and to the aggressive palpitation-inducing rhythm in the chorus. "Moonchild" is an eerie love song that is creepy, bordering on uncomfortable. The melody is agile and ageless, while the instrumentation wafts like the wind through bare trees. Developing out of the song is an extended improvisation that dissolves into a non-structured section of free jazz, with brief guitar lines running parallel throughout. The title track, "In the Court of the Crimson King," completes the disc with another beautifully bombastic song. Here again, the foreboding featured in Sinfield's lyrics is instrumentally matched by the contrasting verbosity in the chorus and the delicate nature of the verses and concluding solos. Of course, this thumbnail appraisal pales in comparison to experiencing the actual recording. Thanks to Fripp and company's laborious efforts, this 30th anniversary edition sports sound as majestic as it has ever been within the digital domain. Frankly, the HDCD playback compatibility even bests the warmth and timbre of an original 1-A vinyl pressing. This is especially critical during the quieter passages throughout "Moonchild" and "I Talk to the Wind." Initial releases were housed in a limited-edition gatefold replica of the original LP packaging and were accompanied by an oversized 12-page memorabilia booklet with photos and press clippings from the era. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Capability Brown - From Scratch 1972

This band's staple diet was mainstream rock with some arty pop leanings. Their "From Scratch" album had a couple of tracks with more progressive leanings: 'Rayge' and 'Sole Survivor'. This latter song was about the escape from the coming war with a time machine and culminated in some fine guitar work imitating time machine travel! There are reasonable stabs at Rare Bird's 'Beautiful Scarlet' and Russ Ballard's 'Liar'. They also covered another Rare Bird song, 'Redman', which dealt with the fate of the American Indians. The "Liar" album is a compilation of their recordings from 1972 and 1973. Kenny Rowe had earlier been in The Moments and both he and Tony Ferguson had been in Harmony Grass. Joe Williams and Dave Nevin may also have been later members of Harmony Grass, whilst Roger Willis had played with The Gremlins. Willis, White and Ferguson went on to Krazy Kat in 1976. Amazon.

listen here

USA / UK

Kasenetz-Katz - Super Circus 1968

The production duo of Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz defined the sound and spirit of the bubblegum era, helming quintessential if interchangeable records from the Ohio Express, the 1910 Fruitgum Company, and numerous others. According to an April 25, 1997, feature in Goldmine titled An Informal History of Bubblegum Music, the duo met while both were attending the University of Arizona, and their initial entrance to the music industry was as managers of a number of groups active on the New York City club circuit; their production debut was the Christine Cooper single "S.O.S. (Heart in Distress)," issued on the Cameo-Parkway label. The record was not a hit but it did bring Kasenetz and Katz to the attention of Cameo exec Neil Bogart, whose subsequent venture Buddah Records was to play a pivotal role in bubblegum's success.

In the meantime, in mid-1967 Kasenetz and Katz -- or Super K Productions, as they were collectively known -- jumped to Laurie Records to score their first Top Five hit with the Music Explosion's "Little Bit o' Soul." When Bogart founded Buddah soon after, the duo joined the label to release their production of "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy"; the song was written and performed by one Joey Levine but actually attributed to the Ohio Express, the first in a long line of Super K projects to play fast and loose with proper credits, with countless aliases disguising the fact that the same creative nucleus was actually responsible for the vast majority of bubblegum releases. In any case, "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" was a million-selling hit in early 1968, its sunny escapism and infectious exuberance distilling the very essence of the Kasenetz-Katz aesthetic.

"The Sound of Goodtime Music Is Kasenetz & Katz" read a trade ad of the time, and certainly confections like the Ohio Express' "Chewy Chewy" and the 1910 Fruitgum Company's blockbuster "Simon Says" offered a sharp contrast from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and others whose more ambitious and serious-minded hits also charted during the turbulent year of 1968. At Bogart's request, the duo agreed to come up with a catchall name under which to market their records, and they suggested "bubblegum," the sugary-sweet implications of the tag perfect for the product rolling off the Kasenetz-Katz assembly line. The variations on the Super K sound were endless, with recording aliases including Crazy Elephant ("Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'"), Lt. Garcia's Magic Music Box, the St. Louis Invisible Marching Band, and so forth -- in all, a dozen Top 40 hits in less than two years' time.

The Ohio Express, the 1910 Fruitgum Company, and others were also two of the acts featured in 1968 under the banner of the Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus, scoring a hit with the single "Quick Joey Small." Two years later, the project was revamped under the name Kasenetz-Katz Super Cirkus, issuing "Dong-Dong-Diki-Di-Ki-Dong." So great was the popularity of bubblegum in general and Super K Productions in particular that the duo was even approached by the Hanna-Barbera animation studio to produce a cartoon series; to be titled Captain Groovy and His Bubblegum Army, the show never got off the ground although it did generate an eponymous single. Kasenetz and Katz's fortunes dwindled during the early '70s, however, and by 1972 the bubblegum fad was basically over -- they later worked on projects with the fledgling 10cc, Bo Diddley, and others, but never again recaptured their peak success. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

David Peel & The Lower East Side - The American Revolution 1970

The politically charged David Peel & the Lower East Side directly contrasted their 1968 acoustic live debut, Have a Marijuana (recorded in New York City's Washington Square Park), with 1970's American Revolution, an amplified studio outing. The real similarity between the two remains Peel's no-holds-barred, in-your-face attitude and staunchly liberal espousing. Once again joining in the festivities are Peel (guitar/vocals), Billy Joe White (guitar/vocals), and Harold C. Black (tambourine/vocals), as well as new instrumentally intensive recruits Tony Bartoli (drums), Herb Bushler (bass), David Horowitz (organ), and Richard Grando (soprano sax). Although Peel's earlier effort hinted at the band's proto-punk and garage rock leanings, the aggressive electric bashing that accompanies "Lower East Side," "Hey, Mr. Draft Board," and "Girls, Girls, Girls" allows them to bring that restless spirit to complete fruition. While Peel's work has been considered as little more than a hippie novelty, the sheer range of his topical lyrics is often a direct reflection of the then-current anti-establishment movement. His music deals candidly with their attitudes regarding Vietnam ("I Want to Kill You"), the repression of local law enforcement ("Oink, Oink, Oink"), hypocritical drug laws ("Legalize Marijuana"), sex ("Girls, Girls, Girls"), and even more contemplative esoteric concepts ("God"). Peel also takes on other sacred cows; "Pledge of Allegiance" is a parody that not only reaffirms his pro-pot perspective, but could likewise be interpreted as expressing anti-American sentiments. But that would be missing the point entirely, as Peel's anger and sarcasm are both well-founded and rooted in his love for the freedoms that the United States has stood for. When Rhino Handmade issued American Revolution on CD as part of And the Rest Is History: The Elektra Recordings in 2000, the first pressings included a previously unreleased version of this album derived from a mislabeled "master tape." The problem was quickly corrected, yielding a very collectible and highly sought-after CD anomaly. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Bronco - Ace Of Sunlight 1971

Singer/guitarist Jess Roden was born in Kidderminster in England's West Midlands, and his first band was the Shakedown Sounds. In 1967, he joined the Alan Bown Set as their new lead singer. Although their records never charted nationally, he did pick up a fandom in London (and belatedly became something of a star on the Northern Soul scene) with the release of their single "Emergency 999". He remained with the Bown group through 1970, after which he formed the band Bronco, and later worked on Wildlife, the third Mott The Hoople album, and with Keef Hartley on the album Lancashire Hustler. In the mid-1970's, he teamed up with ex-Doors John Densmore and Robby Kreiger in the Butts Band, and sang on their first album. Roden finally emerged as a solo artist in his own right in the mid-1970's on Island Records, with his 1974 self-titled solo album, which was cut in New Orleans and included Allen Toussaint and Art Neville on keyboards. His albums throughout the 1970's got great reviews but he never saw any significant sales; in between his own work, he managed to sing and play on albums by Carol Grimes, Jim Capaldi, Stomu Yamashta, Sandy Denny, and Grace Jones. He was with the group Rivits on Island, for one album at the outset of the 1980's. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Gabor Szabo - Femme Fatale 1981

Released in 1981 on a small Hungarian label, this 1978 session recorded in Hollywood is the guitarist's final record. "Out of the Night" interestingly pairs him with pianist Chick Corea. But the remainder of the record is a standard late-'70s fusion date without Corea, highlighted by the Return to Forever intrigue of "A Thousand Times." Gabor Szabo was one of the most original guitarists to emerge in the 1960s, mixing his Hungarian folk music heritage with a deep love of jazz and crafting a distinctive, largely self-taught sound. Inspired by a Roy Rogers cowboy movie, Szabo began playing guitar when he was 14 and often played in dinner clubs and covert jam sessions while still living in Budapest. He escaped from his country at age 20 on the eve of the Communist uprising and eventually made his way to America, settling with his family in California. He attended Berklee College (1958-1960) and in 1961 joined Chico Hamilton's innovative quintet featuring Charles Lloyd. Urged by Hamilton, Szabo crafted a most distinctive sound; as agile on intricate, nearly-free runs as he was able to sound inspired during melodic passages. Szabo left the Hamilton group in 1965 to leave his mark on the pop-jazz of the Gary McFarland quintet and the energy music of Charles Lloyd's fiery and underrated quartet featuring Ron Carter and Tony Williams. Szabo initiated a solo career in 1966, recording the exceptional album, Spellbinder, which yielded many inspired moments and "Gypsy Queen," the song Santana turned into a huge hit in 1970. Szabo formed an innovative quintet (1967-1969) featuring the brilliant, classically trained guitarist Jimmy Stewart and recorded many notable albums during the late '60s. The emergence of rock music (especially George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix) found Szabo successfully experimenting with feedback and less successfully (but innovative at the time) with more commercially oriented forms of jazz. During the '70s, Szabo regularly performed along the West Coast, hypnotizing audiences with his enchanting, spellbinding style. But from 1970, he was locked into a commercial groove, even though records like Mizrab occasionally revealed the success of his jazz, pop, Gypsy, Indian, and Asian fusions. Szabo had revisited his homeland several times during the '70s, finding opportunities to perform brilliantly with native talents. He was hospitalized during his final visit and died in 1982, just short of his 46th birthday and five years after his final American album was released. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Dollar Brand - Cape Town Fringe 1977

The melodic sounds of South Africa are fused with the improvisation of jazz and the technical proficiency of classical music by South Africa-born pianist Dollar Brand or, as he's called himself since converting to Islam in 1968, Abdullah Ibrahim. Since attracting international acclaim as a member of the Jazz Epistles, one of South Africa's first jazz bands, he has continued to explore new ground with his imaginative playing. Exposed to a variety of music as a youngster, including traditional African music, religious songs, and jazz, Brand began studying piano at the age of seven. Becoming a professional musician in 1949, he performed with such South African groups as the Tuxedo Slickers and the Willie Max Big Band. Ten years later, he joined the Jazz Epistles, a group featuring trumpet player Hugh Masekela and alto saxophonist Kippi Moeketsi. The band, which had been formed in 1959 by American pianist John Mehegan for a recording session, Jazz in Africa, had recorded the first jazz album by South African musicians.

In 1962, Brand left South Africa with vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin; the two were married in 1965, and temporarily settled in Zurich. Performing with his trio, which featured bassist Johnny Gertze and drummer Makaya Ntshoko, Brand was heard by Duke Ellington at the Africana Club. Ellington was so impressed that he arranged a recording session for Brand and the trio. The resulting album, Duke Ellington Presents the Dollar Brand Trio, was released on the Reprise label in 1963. He continued to be supported by Ellington following the album's release. In addition to being booked to play (at Ellington's urging) at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1965, Brand served as Ellington's substitute and performed five shows with the Ellington Orchestra the following year. Shortly afterwards, he disbanded the trio and accepted an invitation to join Elvin Jones' quartet. The collaboration with Jones lasted six months. After leaving the Jones quartet, he continued to be involved with a variety of projects. Besides touring as a soloist in 1968, he worked with bands led by Don Cherry and Gato Barbieri. Briefly returning to South Africa in 1976, the now Abdullah Ibrahim settled in New York the same year. Although he returned to South Africa to live in 1990, he continued to divide his time between his birthplace and his adopted home in New York.

In 1997, Ibrahim collaborated on an album and tour with jazz drummer Max Roach. The following year, Swiss composer Daniel Schnyder arranged several of his compositions for a 22-piece orchestra for a Swiss television production, and for a world tour undertaken by the full-sized Munich Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Barbara Yahr of the United States. Ibrahim continued to perform and record for the remainder of the 1990s and throughout the 2000s, releasing such notable albums as African Suite (1999, Enja), Cape Town Revisited (2000, Enja; recorded in 1997), Ekapa Lodumo (2001, Enja/Tiptoe), African Magic (2003, Enja/Justin Time), Senzo (2008, Sunnyside), and Bombella (2009, Intuition). Ibrahim has also composed the scores for such films as Chocolat and No Fear No Die. AllMusic.

listen here

FR / USA / UK

Big Brother & the Holding Company - Cheaper Thrills (1966-67)

Recorded on July 28, 1966, before the band had cut any studio material, this performance was one of Janis Joplin's first gigs with Big Brother. The sound is decent, with several famous staples of their repertoire already in place -- "Down on Me," "Coo-Coo," "Ball and Chain." Yet in comparison with their best studio and live recordings from 1967 and 1968, this is a bit limp. Big Brother were never noted for their polish, but made up for that with reckless bravado; however, that's largely missing at this juncture in their development, which finds them sounding somewhat tentative in their adaptation of R&B and garage-band ethos to heavy guitar arrangements. Big Brother were never noted for their songwriting ability either, and this set is pretty reliant on R&B staples like "Let the Good Times Roll" and "I Know You Rider"; the unabashedly psychedelic workout "Gutra's Garden" hasn't aged well at all. Joplin's vocals are fairly strong, but these early versions of "Down on Me" and, especially, "Ball and Chain" don't hold a candle to her performances of the same tunes at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. Other members of the band take the lead vocal on a few numbers, emphatically proving -- as they always did when given a chance -- that Joplin was necessary to put them on the map. This recording is an interesting glimpse into the group's formative days, though, and features eight songs not on their late-'60s albums. AllMusc.

listen here

FR / USA / UK