David Lewis - The Songs Of David Lewis 1970

David Lewis is more known to collectors of late-'60s and early-'70s rock as the leader of the Northern Irish band Andwella's Dream (later shortened to Andwella) than as a solo artist. However, while that group was still going- some sources give the year 1969, others 1970 - solo Lewis performances came out on a publisher's demo, issued more than 30 years later on a Japanese release. It's a mixed lot that gives the impression the tracks might have been recorded at separate times and/or separate sessions spaced at least a few months apart. Many of the cuts are solo piano performances that show some similarities to the work of early singer/songwriters like Carole King, Randy Newman, Elton John, and perhaps even a bit of David Gates. (Some of the melody of "You Don't Know" certainly recalls Bread's "Make It with You.") "On a Day Like Today," on the other hand, might bring to mind Jesse Colin Young's mellower compositions for the Youngbloods. There's a soul-gospel flavor to some of these that makes him sound a little like a singer/songwriter Ray Charles, though you shouldn't get too excited by that comparison; the songs and vocals aren't on the level of Charles or the other aforementioned artists. Yet there are also a couple tracks with full-band arrangements and orchestration that sound like they could have been placed on official late-'60s pop/rock releases. Whatever the case, they're only passable songs, though Lewis is a decently soulful vocalist. AMG.

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Taste of Blues - Schizofrenia 1969

Swedish psychedelic rock band formed in 1967 in Malmö. Formed around Claes Ericsson, who would later perform in the 70s band Lotus, Taste of Blues challenges their listeners with a saucy concoction of the late 60s psych sound as well as something entirely original and free. It might just be a stretch to call this one Krautrock, but when one jumps in at the deep end here, the overt improvisations beyond the relative blues banner up front is downright uncanny. Loads of Can reminding moments, and this is before they even developed their legendary monotonous rhythm-based structure. Schizophrenia opens with the title track, which is a feast of krautocking hypnotising rhythms and then flips over to a more bluesy style on the 2nd side whilst still retaining a sonic playfulness.

Maybe this band is obscure beyond recognition, but it later evolved into the hard and heavy-hitting Asoka that sounded like a psychedelic take on Atomic Rooster. American Don Washington provided the vocals that are eerily similar in style and delivery to Malcolm Mooney, and even the repetitiveness and fiery motorik stuttering drumming recalls a certain Jaki Liebezeit.

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Bob Smith - The Visit 1970

Double LPs never were the best commercial options for debut albums, but it can't be said that Bob Smith didn't have a lot to say on The Visit, filling up four sides with various shades of psychedelic rock. That doesn't mean that what he had to say was that compelling. He sings in a serious, portentous voice, as is suitable for songs that are psychedelic sermons of sorts, offering abstract and somewhat stern philosophical advice. While eclectic and accomplished (with Don Preston of the Mothers of Invention and a young Daryl Dragon among the backup musicians), the music is fairly standard late-'60s/early-'70s heavy psychedelic rock, sometimes seeming as if it's trying to bisect the Doors with the eeriest moods of early Tim Buckley. There are plenty of tempo changes, and the grinding (sometimes wah-wahing) hard rock guitar and organ are embellished by flutes, Mellotron, vibes, and spooky sound effects. Occasionally, the tracks lean harder in a certain direction; "Source You Blues" merges ponderous late-'60s British blues-rock with Jim Morrison/Tim Buckley vocalizing, while "India Slumber" riffs off tuneless psychedelic improvisation à la Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive," but to the point of annoying gimmickry. It all sounds sort of like a guy determined to land a contract with Elektra Records in the late 1960s, though one granted far more studio time to demo his songs than most such aspirants. The record does have a good reputation among some collectors of obscure psychedelia, and a couple of the better tracks, like "The Wishing Song" (which with its prominent Mellotron is like Tim Buckley being backed by the Moody Blues), wouldn't be bad choices for compilations. It's ironic, though, that for all of Smith's tendencies to sing like a psychedelic preacher, he was very much a follower of musical trends rather than a leader. AMG.

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Julius Victor - From The Nest 1969

This is the sole album by this US hard-rock/psychedelic band, recorded at the famous Record Plant Studios in New York and produced by jazz musician Ahmad Jamal. The LP contains organ-dominated, hard progressive sounds with powerful, soulful vocals, hot lead guitars, and atmospheric swirling Hammond parts, for fans of Child, Atomic Rooster, Vanilla Fudge, Iron Butterfly, H.P. Lovecraft, Day Blindness, Arthur Brown, etc. Don't miss it.

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