Dick Heckstall-Smith - A Story Ended 1972

Rather than a story ended, Dick Heckstall-Smith's debut album was in some ways a continuation of the stories written by his previous bands Colosseum and the Graham Bond Organisation. For the record was recorded with the assistance of several of his past associates from those two groundbreaking British blues-rock-jazz groups, including Mark Clarke, Dave Greenslade, Chris Farlowe, and Jon Hiseman (who both played drums and produced) of the just-disbanded Colosseum, as well as Graham Bond. Pete Brown, who'd worked with several of the musicians who sprang from the Graham Bond Organisation crowd, co-wrote most of the songs with Heckstall-Smith; Chris Spedding and famed Elton John sideman Caleb Quaye contributed guitar. As often happens on solo projects stuffed with contributions by famous friends, however, the album was something of a disappointment in comparison to the leader's respectable track record. It sounds like a slightly heavier, slightly jazzier Colosseum, with songs that strain and tumble over themselves where the best Colosseum tracks had a powerful glide. Vocals were never Colosseum's strong suit, but the singing here, particularly on those tracks paced by Farlowe's blustery bellow, really drags the lyrically ambitious (and at times convoluted) material down. It might have been better to have had Pete Brown himself sing on those numbers he co-composed, as he was capable of projecting a real sense of his lyrics in spite of his vocal limitations. Instead we're left with a confused-sounding (and at times grating) set that doesn't add up to the sum of the individual talents, though in the most melodic and laid-back number ("What the Morning Was After"), you get a hint of the kind of moody songs that Brown helped craft for Jack Bruce's early solo recordings. AMG.

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Beacon Street Union - The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens [1968]

The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens is an original statement by a Boston group who was musically superior to Eden's Children and Ultimate Spinach, but not as focused as the Remains, the Hallucinations with Peter Wolf, or the emerging J. Geils Band. Where national groups like the Peanut Butter Conspiracy may have been misguided and sputtered with no direction, vocalist John Lincoln Wright developed into a first-rate songwriter and a country singer with a purpose. Hearing his work on highly experimental tunes, like the title track or the impressionistic "May I Light Your Cigarette?," is true culture shock. "The Clown's Overture" seems pointless, yet "Angus of Aberdeen" is inspired and a bright spot in the morass that was the Bosstown Sound. The rave-up version of "Blue Suede Shoes" is great, the guitar funneled through effects and brimming with excitement. Therein lies the problem with this album and this group. The most structured piece is a Carl Perkins cover, while "A Not Very August Afternoon" feels like a song wanting to belong to some hippie movie that was never made. Where the Chocolate Watchband rocked with authority, the Beacon Street Union are feeling their way through the times, the business, and their music. "Now I Taste the Tears" is some jazz-folk piece gone psychedelic. It is dramatic and creative, but misses the mark. "Baby Please Don't Go" takes the pluses and minuses and stretches them past 16 minutes. This is not "Sister Ray," the explosive grunge invention that thrust the Velvet Underground into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor is it the decadence of the Doors' "The End." It's a jam trying to be something more. While the Fifth Estate delivered a tremendous album of well-crafted pop and Moulty & the Barbarians delivered two striking hit singles, the very talented crew who were the Beacon Street Union needed a little more time in the incubator. Producer Wes Farrell should have nudged them into a more commercial direction and brought more accessible material to their attention. John Lincoln Wright is a major talent, and had he the right direction this early in his career who knows what kind of chart action he could have enjoyed. The tragedy of The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens is that it could have been so much more. AMG.

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Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks 1975

Following on the heels of an album where he repudiated his past with his greatest backing band, Blood on the Tracks finds Bob Dylan, in a way, retreating to the past, recording a largely quiet, acoustic-based album. But this is hardly nostalgia -- this is the sound of an artist returning to his strengths, what feels most familiar, as he accepts a traumatic situation, namely the breakdown of his marriage. This is an album alternately bitter, sorrowful, regretful, and peaceful, easily the closest he ever came to wearing his emotions on his sleeve. That's not to say that it's an explicitly confessional record, since many songs are riddles or allegories, yet the warmth of the music makes it feel that way. The original version of the album was even quieter -- first takes of "Idiot Wind" and "Tangled Up in Blue," available on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3, are hushed and quiet (excised verses are quoted in the liner notes, but not heard on the record) -- but Blood on the Tracks remains an intimate, revealing affair since these harsher takes let his anger surface the way his sadness does elsewhere. As such, it's an affecting, unbearably poignant record, not because it's a glimpse into his soul, but because the songs are remarkably clear-eyed and sentimental, lovely and melancholy at once. And, in a way, it's best that he was backed with studio musicians here, since the professional, understated backing lets the songs and emotion stand at the forefront. Dylan made albums more influential than this, but he never made one better. AMG.

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Benny Bailey - Mirrors 1967

It is a bit ironic that Benny Bailey is best known for his contributions to the famous Eddie Harris/Les McCann Swiss Movement album, since he admitted later on that he did not care for the funky music. An extroverted and highly expressive player who mostly appeared in boppish settings, Bailey's longtime residence in Europe resulted in him gaining less fame (although probably more work) than if he had spent more time in the U.S.
Bailey had some training on piano and flute early in his career, switched permanently to trumpet, and studied at the Cleveland Conservatory of Music. In the early 1940s, he played with groups led by Bull Moose Jackson and Scatman Crothers. After gigging with Jay McShann, he was with Dizzy Gillespie's big band from 1947-1948, and then became a key member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra (1948-1953). The trumpeter left Hampton during a European tour, settling overseas. He spent a long period in Sweden, working with Harry Arnold's big band (1957-1959), recording with Stan Getz and touring with Quincy Jones (1959). A brief visit to the United States in 1960 (during which he recorded a near-classic album for Candid, Big Brass) was followed by his relocation to Germany. Bailey worked steadily, recording with Eric Dolphy in 1961, being featured with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band, touring with George Gruntz's Concert Jazz band, and in 1986 he became a member of the Paris Reunion Band. In addition to the Candid date, Bailey led sessions for many European labels, including Sonet, Metronome, Saba, Freedom, Enja, Ego, Hot House, and Gemini, plus an American set in 1978 for Jazzcraft. But it is his explosive solos on "Cold Duck Time" and "Compared to What" from the Harris/McCann concert (now also available on video) that made him most famous. Bailey recorded a well-received tribute to Louis Armstrong titled The Satchmo Legacy in 2000 and maintained an active touring schedule. The veteran trumpeter passed away April 15, 2005 at his home in Amsterdam. AMG.

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Cat Mother - Last Chance Dance 1973

Grassroots rockers Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys formed in New York's Lower East Side in 1967 -- comprising singer/guitarist Larry Packer, lead guitarist Charlie Chin, bassist Roy Michaels, keyboardist Bob Smith, and drummer Michael Equine; By year's end they were regularly headlining the Café Wha?, and soon were ensconced as the house band at the famed Electric Circus. In 1969 the group signed to Polydor Records, with longtime friend Jimi Hendrix agreeing to produce their debut LP The Street Giveth and the Street Taketh Away -- supported by a series of appearances as Hendrix's opener, the record generated Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys' lone Top 40 hit "Good Old Rock and Roll," a medley of pop classics from the late 1950s. Chin left the lineup soon after, and in an attempt to also sever ties with manager Michael Jeffrey, the remaining bandmembers traveled to San Francisco to record the follow-up, 1970s Albion Doowah, a pastoral, country-inspired effort featuring Paul Johnson on guitar and Jay Ungar on bass. Parker split soon after, and the remaining trio of Michaels, Smith and Equine returned to New York, abbreviating their name to simply Cat Mother and recruiting guitarist Charlie Prichard and percussionist Steve Davidson for their eponymous 1971 LP. Guitarist Charlie Harcourt replaced Prichard for Cat Mother's fourth and final album, 1973's aptly-titled Last Chance Dance, although the group continued playing live for several years to follow. AMG.

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Dave Mason - Scrapbook 1972

British guitarist and singer/songwriter Dave Mason made his initial splash as a key member, alongside Steve Winwood, of the beloved '60s rock band Traffic, penning one of their biggest songs, "Feelin' All Right." After a brief stint with the band, he grew restless and left to pursue his own vision. Mason's first full-length outing, 1970's Alone Together, was a critical and popular success, showcasing superior songwriting, soulful singing, and great taste in guest artists. He continued releasing albums through the '70s and '80s. AMG.

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Easy Chair - Easy Chair 1968

Easy Chair’s 1968 one-sided album with a running time of 20 min. is one of the most sought-after Northwest psych-underground records of all time. Original copies have been sold for over 1,000 US$. Correctly remembered as psychedelic rock pioneers, they crammed an amazing career into only one year of activity. Easy Chair performed with the Yardbirds, Cream, and the Mothers of Invention. Their epic Westcoast blues features unique guitar chemistry of Larson’s psychedelic leads and Kirby’s fluid lines and hypnotic chording. Their jam-excursions were always satisfying. They played lots of original material and it is known that a complete live-gig was recorded when EC opened for The Mothers at the Shrine Auditorium, L.A. - but the tape seems to be lost (forever).

By end of 1968, they caught the attention of Zappa´s crew and signed a record contract with Bizarre Records to be promoted together with Alice Cooper. Too soon then Easy Chair broke up, but together with EC´s drummer Al Malosky, multi-instrumentalist Simmons recorded the “Naked Angels“ Soundtrack (re-released by WIS in 2008). After releasing his solo album “Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up“ in 1969, Jeff joined The Mothers. Carefully remastered from the original master tape - you´ll get definitive 1968 psychedelia with three haunting and unforgettable long songs. World in Sound.

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James Brown - Tell Me What You're Gonna Do 1961

Well on his way to becoming soul brother number one, James Brown's recordings are exhilarative, which can be attributed to his urgent delivery. His up-tempo numbers illuminate the Georgia native's trademark baritone, while his ballads are impressively as smooth as silk. The two singles to see chart action from this album are "Just You and Me, Darling" and "Lost Someone." The former has that locomotive rhythm and chanting background vocals complimented by the Godfather's wailing cry -- vintage James Brown. The latter, a pleading ballad, has its tender moments charged with Brown's weeping sighs. His ability to bring excitement to his upbeat songs goes without saying, but his serenading side is as majestic as some of the best melodramatic groups of the day. He goes from his stalwart vocals to a silky tone. This album houses quite a few of those recordings. AMG.

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Ed Askew - Ask the Unicorn 1968

An enigma even by the ultra-obscure standards of ESP-Disk Records, next to nothing is known about outsider folksinger Ed Askew. Although Askew has been recording songs since the late '60s, only one album has ever been released, 1969's Ask the Unicorn. A solo recording, the album features Askew accompanying himself on the ten-stringed lute-like acoustic instrument the tiple. A Latin instrument Askew discovered as a teenager because his ukulele-playing father owned one, the tiple quickly became a passion for Askew. 
While studying art at Yale in the mid-'60s, Askew began performing at local poetry readings, and soon incorporated the tiple into his act. Because the tiple is a difficult instrument, with the player having to press down hard on three tightly wound strings at once to get any sound, Askew's early material has a unique and oddly strained vocal quality that comes from the difficulty of singing while playing such a demanding instrument. After graduating from Yale and getting a teaching job in New York, Askew sent a demo tape to Bernard Stollman of the ultra-noncommercial ESP-Disk, possibly the most legendary indie label of the '60s; with his unique but attractive sound, Askew was quickly invited to record an album for the label. Easily one of the most bizarre and wonderful albums ever released by ESP-Disk, Ask the Unicorn is a psychedelic folk masterpiece, like the Holy Modal Rounders jamming with Alexander "Skip" Spence. A second album, Little Eyes, was recorded for ESP-Disk in 1970, but although it got as far as a test pressing, the label was beginning to run out of money and the album was never released. In most cases, that would be that, but while pursuing a career as a painter and poet, Askew sporadically kept up his performing career in New Haven and Boston during the '70s. Though he has never released anything commercially since Ask the Unicorn, his homemade tapes are traded on the fringe music underground. His recent music has included harpsichord, synthesizers, and drum machines along with guitar, piano, and his beloved tiple, but other than the more modern instrumentation, Askew's songs remain the same: quirky, but surprisingly accessible, with an engaging melodic sense and emotional, thoughtful lyrics that belie the easy "freaky outsider" tag that might otherwise get stuck upon him. AMG.

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Hank Ballard - You Can't Keep A Good Man Down 1968

Produced by James Brown in an attempt to resuscitate Hank Ballard's waning commercial fortunes, You Can't Keep a Good Man Down remains a minor soul classic -- Brown's admiration for Ballard galvanizes each and every groove, and his inimitably funky arrangements fit the singer's gritty vocals like a glove. While "Thrill on the Hill" and "Woman Is Man's Best Friend" nod to the muscular R&B of Ballard's early hits with the Midnighters, You Can't Keep a Good Man Down primarily serves to establish his credentials as a modern soul stylist -- a cover of Freddie Scott's "Are You Lonely for Me, Baby" is a particularly effective showcase for Ballard's rough-edged vocals, while "How You Gonna Get Respect" and "Come on Wit' It" prove his easy mastery of blistering, J.B.'s-type funk. A superb, sadly under-recognized recording. AMG.

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Ike & Tina Turner - Don't Play Me Cheap 1963

An early-'60s album from the formative days of the Ike And Tina Turner Revue. They were still developing the formula, but would soon begin striking soul gold. In the meantime, Turner was operating as an R&B and soul diva, although she later said that she hated singing these tunes. In this instance, what she was doing was mostly second-level material, but her husky, powerful voice sounded convincing. AMG.

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Flaming Youth - Ark 2 (1970)

This short-lived UK act comprised of Gordon Smith (guitar), Brian Chatton (keyboards), Ronnie Caryl (bass) and Phil Collins (drums). Their sole recording, Ark 2, was an ambitiously packaged concept album, written and arranged by Ken Howard / Alan Blakely, a team better known for creating the unashamed pop of the Herd and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich. The project was the subject of considerable hype, but its new musical departure proved unconvincing and prematurely doomed Flaming Youth’s career. The group was effectively disbanded when Collins successfully auditioned for Genesis in 1970. AMG.

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The Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter 1968

The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter stands as the Incredible String Band's undisputed classic among critics and musicians alike -- ask Robert Plant, who touted its influence on Led Zeppelin's first album and general direction. Recorded and released in 1968, the album hit number five on the U.K. album charts, and was nominated for a Grammy in the U.S. It was produced by Joe Boyd, and engineered by John Wood using 24-track technology. Robin Williamson, Mike Heron, and Licorice McKechnie also utilized the talents of Dolly Collins (vocals, flute, organ, and piano), and David Snell (harp). Williamson and Heron employed a vast array of instruments on these songs including sitar, gimbri, pan pipe, oud, chahanai, mandolin, guitars, Hammond B-3, dulcimer, harpsichord, pan pipes, oud, water harp, and harmonica. The songs were much more freeform and experimental. Check Heron’s 13-minute “A Very Cellular Song,” which incorporates elements from a Sikh hymn and a Bahamian spiritual. Using the Hammond, a gimbri, pan pipes, handclaps, and other instruments, it begins on a two-chord vamp that employs a vocal round in five-part harmony, with secular and spiritual lyrics. It’s simply infectious. Other notables include the stellar “The Minotaur’s Song,” with its call and response chorus played on guitars, upright piano, and six-part harmonies. It melds a children's song with a drinking song to humorous and utterly memorable effect. Elsewhere, “Waltz of the New Moon,” employs two-chord drones on acoustic guitar with a meld of Middle Eastern vocal styles and Scottish field songs. “Three Is a Green Crown” is a psychedelic folk song in all its hypnotic droning glory with Williamson’s primitive sitar playing featured prominently. The tender, exotic, "Nightfall,” the album’s closer, is a lullaby, with guitar and sitar accompanying the vocal in whole tone intervals. The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter is the most ambitious, focused, and brilliantly executed record in ISB’s catalog. AMG.

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Earth Island - We Must Survive 1970

Issued in June 1970, at a time when rock music was beginning to embrace ecological themes, this Canadian quartet's sole album was produced by Kim Fowley, and features material co-written with Byrds bassist Skip Battin. Touching on rock, psychedelia and sunshine pop, it boasts fine vocal harmonies throughout.

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Dennis Brown - Words of Wisdom 1979

Alongside Culture, Prince Far I, and the DJ Trinity, singer Dennis Brown helped establish the Mighty Two (Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson) production brand during the late 1970s, and he did so through records like Words of Wisdom. The singer's delivery is strong and his concerns palpable on a set of songs that consist largely of sobering, reality themes. Though his fondness for lovers material served Brown well, earning him a hit with "Ain't That Loving You," the most memorable material is contained elsewhere. The God fearing opener "So Jah Say," the wise man's discourse of the title track, and "A True"'s pleas for deeper understanding in religious matters and life in general, are standouts. Though these may not be quite the equal of Visions' counterparts like "Malcolm X," "Repatriation," and "Deliverance Must Come," they were strong enough to suggest that Brown had lasting potential. The singer even revisits his first charting single, 1972s "Money in My Pocket," achieving greater success the second time around. Gibbs' studio band is in even sharper form than on Visions. The veteran rhythm section of Sly Dunbar (drums), Robbie Shakespeare (bass), Willie Lindo (guitar), Winston Wright (keyboards), and others urging Brown to arguably greater musical heights. Words of Wisdom's follow-up, Joseph's Coat of Many Colours, completed a highly successful trilogy of recordings for the Mighty Two. Brown's subsequent popularity led to a contract with A&M in the U.S., though later attempts at broadening his fanbase failed to produce results as successful as early albums like this one. AMG.

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