jeudi 19 septembre 2013

Think - Variety (1973 excellent german heavy prog - 2002 edition with 2 bonus tracks - wave)


Think was one of many German incidents in the early 1970s which produced one album and then disappeared for ever and ever. The band featured skilled musicians, for example two from Hungary and one Czech who some day played in Germany with the Philharmonia Hungarica ... and then decided to stay. Soon they found some German mates to build up a six-piece crew and came in contact with the Marl/Ruhrgebiet based label Menga which 1973 released their sole album 'Variety'. This is an appropriate album title by all means.
They offer a nearly eclectic sound when mixing up classical, jazzy, symphonic, heavy, folk, blues and psych elements to something very interesting and enjoyable. With other words: this is nothing rough and unpolished ... if anything than the two bonus tracks probably, earlier recordings included on the Garden Of Delights reissue. Both appear in a more heavy rock vein where More Drops is also clearly Pink Floyd infected. The groovy All that I remember shines with some experimental gimmicks. This foreshadows the trickiness of the following regular album tracks.

think start the album very relaxed, folksy, the title song is decorated with violin and Frank Voigt's flute, later turning to a swinging jazzy mood and even classical impressions. And so on ... they build up a surprising chain of varying impressions provided with turns and breaks where you immediately can recognize the compositional ability. Then you will meet the mellow instrumental Watercorps - of course once interrupted by a frantic hurry-up. Drops is pervaded with hallucinatory impressions as well as jazzy excursions. The epic Draw Conclusions from partially sounds like performed by the Keef Hartley Band, bluesy with playful organ ...

... so you can hear they take the album title quite literally. And it works on top of it! Vocals are surprisingly good compared to other German bands and all in all this is somewhat relaxed music. As mentioned before 'Variety' is digitally remastered and re-issued, available via Garden Of Delights. The booklet of 32 pages holds many images, illustrating the spirit of that time very nicely. A very good progressive rock effort - recommended! (By Rivertree)

Tracklist
01. Variety - 7:37
02. Watercorps - 5:07
03. Drops - 8:19
04. Draw Conclusions From ... - 13:59
05. Last Door - 3:15
06. More Drops (Bonus Track) - 7:54 
07. All That I Remember (Bonus Track) - 6:46


Credits
Frank Voigt / flute, effects
Gerd Pohl / guitar, vocals
Ricky Ramor / bass
Rodrigo Ramor / vocals, percussion
Friedhelm Wördehoff / drums, percussion
Kajo Sandrik / keyboards, viola, vocals, percussion


Here

Five Day Rain - Five Day Rain (1969 great uk heavy psych & prog - 2006 extended edition - wave)


This is the first authorised issue of one of the best English albums on the edge between psychedelia and progressive: Five Day Rain. The band formed in late '68 as Iron Prophet, a heavy trio comprising Rick Sharpe, Clive Shepherd and Dick Hawkes. They changed their name to Five Day Rain in early 1970, with the arrival of Graham Maitland and the beginning of the recordings presented here. The usual disagreement between musicians, management and producers led the album to be shelved (only a few acetates were pressed) and the band to split. Rick Sharpe, Shepherd and Maitland formed the short-lived Studd Pump before taking separate ways, with Sharpe joining glam rockers Streak and Maitland resurfacing with Glencoe.
Five Day Rain was issued for the first time on CD a dozen years ago, with a nice John Hurford artwork made for International Times magazine, but without both musicians and illustrator permit. This new issue, made with the essential contribution of Rick Sharpe, uses the original running order and is enriched by a few bonus tracks: a Bob Dylan cover (Too Much Of Nothing) and four tracks recorded at the time but left off the purposed LP. These, which have been completed by Rick Sharpe with a few overdubs in November 2005, are the only recorded proof of the original heavier Iron Prophet sound. The 12 pages booklet features the band's detailed story, with never-seen-before photos and Sharpe's own funny anecdotes, while John Hurford has generously created a brand new artwork, elaborated by Loriana Martin.(By pinkmoon)


Tracklist:
01. Marie's A Woman - 2:54
02. Don't Be Mislead - 2:20
03. Good Year - 4:03
04. Fall Out - 3:32
05. Leave It At That - 5:22
06. The Reason Why - 4:44
07. Sea Song - 4:13
08. Rough Cut Marmalade - 11:05
09. Lay Me Down - 1:16
10. Too Much Of Nothing - 3:38
11. Antonia - 3:14
12. So Don't Worry - 3:28
13. The Boy - 5:46
14. Wanna Make Love To You - 4:58

Credits:
Graham Maitland - keyboards
Rick Sharp - guitars
Clive Burges - bass
Kim - drums
Sharon Tandy – vocals


Here

Phantasia - Phantasia (1971-72 us superb psychedelic folk rock - wave)


Reissue of US psychedelic ultra rarity recorded 1971/72. The original albums (a complete one and a one-sided) are legends for all psychedelic/garage collectors, only 25 copies pressed of each -- not many people have the pleasure of having seen a copy. The music is creeping slowly and sensitively in your mind, whether stoned or not ö it takes you wherever you want. Those are the complete sessions, 55mins in mastertape quality presented the first time to the public -- extremely informative booklet (20 sided), with outstanding artwork and colour photos. One of the best Psychedelic albums, playing in the same league as Fraction, Music Emporium, Hunger, Mystic Siva, Damon. Later the band changed into Trizo 50 that will also be released on WIS. For us unbelievable that this extremely talented band didn't make it. (forcedexposure.com)

I had the pleasure of hearing the material on this CD when it was first being done by the band back in the early seventies. Hearing it all again on this re-issue ( the original was relegated to 25 vinyl copies for the use of demos ) has been a enjoyable trip down memory lane - but more than that, it still sounds as good, if not better, then it did back then. Lyrical and melodic, plaintive and poetic it is just short of amazing that this band did not become a major force in the music of the times. The liner notes explain a lot about why it didn't; maninly the reason so many bands fail and fall apart: the human factor. Individual vanity and egotism and members with personal agendas that transcend team work.It was a shame since in all other aspects the group really had something going for themselves.The team of John DePugh and Bob Walkinhorst as song writer collaborators should have taken things to a grander and heightand scale, but regretfully it did not. Nevertheless it is really good to see that this music has been saved for posterity and is available for those of several generations later to hear. It is a doorway into the 70s world of psychedalia. For those who step through that threashold I assure you a grand experience. They just don't make music like this anymore.(By Robert N. Taylor)

Tracklist
01. Transparent Face
02. Winter Wind
03. Talk To The Moon
04. Chasing Now The Flying Time
05. Featheredge
06. Genena
07. Willow Creek
08. Give Life Another Try
09. I Talk To The Moon (Different Version)
10. Winter Wind (Different Version)
11. Chasing Now The Flying Time (Different Version)
12. The Saddest Song I Know


Credits
David Johnson - Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals
Bob Walkenhorst - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Tympany
Jim Clapper - Bass Guitar, Vocals, Claves
John DePugh - Drums, Bongos, Maracas


Here