I forgot this was Labor Day weekend! I'm going to make next week's post a little early. Have a nice holiday all.

The Monks - Black Monk Time (1966)

This may be the greatest rock album ever made! Or maybe the best punk album ever, 10 years before punk. The Monks weren't so much "ahead of their time" as they were "outside time" like they were from another universe or something. Recorded in the waning months of 1965, while the rest of the world was singing about love, the Monks were singing about how much they hated their girlfriends! Instead of growing their hair long and wearing beads and colorful clothes, they shaved tonsures on the tops of their heads and dressed all in dark colors, like medieval monks. This music was created in a vacuum - when this album was made there was absolutely nothing to compare it to. I mean you really have to hear it to get an understanding of how insane these guys were. What is it? Punk? Noise Rock? I remember reading somewhere that the Monks possibly influenced the pioneers of Krautrock (the Monks were American ex-G.I.'s in Germany)! This is the version with 19 tracks. It's Black Monk Time!

Bitrate 320 w/covers Part 1 Part 2

Antrobus / The Flying Hat Band - Buried Together (Split CD)

Antrobus were formed in early '71 when Britain's heavy progressive rock underground scene was in full flight. The band existed for only one year, and they had no real rehearsal place and that's hard to believe while listening to the nine tracks that were never offically released. They are playing at an amazingly high standard and had accomplished song-writing abilities. Like some of their comrades, they are using flute and organ but the songs are more focused on heavy riffs and bluesy vocals. A hard-driving rock approach, similiar to that of Stray mixed with Alice Cooper Band and early Pentagram, was adopted but the ability to contrast their sound with classy melodic harmonies is apparent too. And when Antrobus were playing hard and heavy, they were an awesome force. Mixed up with a few sound-effects and a lot of guitarwork, this band had created an effectively heavy ass-kickin' sound in their short lifetime.

The second band on this split-CD is The Flying Hat Band. This was the group where Glen Tipton played, before he left to join Judas Priest. The Flying Hat Band existed for only a short time and the featured four songs are dated back to '74. The songs are also released here for the very first time, so that one can listen to some ferocious guitar leads and intense riffing. But this band doesn't sound like a Priest forerunner. "Lost Time" is fine acoustic bluesy song, with a slight Latino vibe, while "Reaching for the Stars" got a groovy rhythm-line and the album closes with excessive guitars in "Coming of the Lord". This powerful outfit wasn't around long enough to gain the respect that the energy and drive of their music demanded. This CD was released by the German re-issue label SPM International, who have also re-released such bands as Groundhogs, Janus, Bodkin, T2 and more, and the English label World Wide Records.

Part 1 Part 2

Hank Williams - Famous Country Music Makers

This is my "Bargain Bin" find of the week. The generic packaging makes it look like one of those cheap Truck Stop CD's, but this is really a terrific disc, containing 18 radio transcriptions of Hank, Audrey, and the Drifting Cowboys doing some fantastic country, gospel, hillbilly & blues tunes. From the opening track, "Happy Rovin' Cowboy", which was the Drifting Cowboys' theme, to the closing number Sally Goodin, you'll be tapping your feet or crying or getting religion. This is a great CD.

Download

OK that's it - see you next week I hope.