MERRY CHRISTMAS!

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (1970) Mickboy Remaster

Does this sound 'better' than the the official remaster or the original release? To my ears it does, but in the end it's a matter of personal opinion I guess. Mickboy started with the highest quality Japanese vinyl available, so that's a plus right there, and tweaked it so that it sounds so much more lively and warm, I don't think you will be disappointed. This is a huge download, 320 megs, but hey you don't have to download all the parts right away. What's the rush?

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Deep Purple - The Book Of Taliesyn (1969)Chaotic and dramatic, Deep Purple's second album is a minor masterpiece of psychedelic pop/prog. I have always preferred the first version of Deep Purple, with Evans and Simper in the line-up. My rip @ 320 w/scans.

Part 1 Part 2

Opossum - Bear's Banquet (1974)

Unreleased album of real nice instrumental jazz-rock from this German band that later morphed (!) into Morpheus. Morpheus' album was posted 30 Jan 2006.

Download

Sam Gopal - Escalator (1969)

Great late 60's acid rock from this British band, a little on the dark side. Fronted by Malaysian Sam Gopal, who plays tabla and other percussion instruments - only one track has an actual drum kit. Two guitarists and a bass player round things out. Of major interest, to some of us anyway, is a young Ian Willis, who had been a roadie for Jimi Hendrix. He wrote and sang lot of the material, and his fuzzed-out guitar leads are all over this thing. He would later be known as Lemmy to legions of Hawkwind/Motorhead fans.

Download

Peter Bursch & Die Broselmaschine (1975)

Broselmaschine broke up a year or so after recording their self-titled prog/folk masterpiece in 1971, then in 1975 Peter Bursch formed a new band under the name "Peter Bursch & Die Broselmaschine". Even with assistance from Mani Neumeier and Roland Schaeffer from Guru Guru and Jan Fride from Kraan, this is still a great folk album. There's no more sitar or psychedelic influences, just solid basic folk rock. Not as cool as the first one I don't think, but still pretty damn cool. Peter Bursch is after all an amazing guitarist!

Download

Osibisa - Woyaya (1971)

This is Osibisa's second album, and arguably their best. I have only heard one other of their releases, and I much prefer this one. Conga beats, African chants, flute, saxophone, great bass playing, a Fender Rhodes, and fantastic guitarist Wendell Richardson (who filled in on tour for Paul Kossoff - he's on that Free "Talking of Heartbreaker" boot that I posted a few months ago)all help to make music that is joyful, enthusiastic and kinda jazzy/funky. I don't know all that much about "World Music" but I suspect this is the best of World Music - years ahead of it's time.

Download

Häx Cel - Zwai (1972)

Häx Cel was a short-lived German band, unusual for the day in that the line-up didn't include a guitarist. Their only release, recorded live, sounds fresh still all these years later. Not progressive rock, more like art rock, the music is classically influenced and fronted by the flute player who takes the solos. Pleasant and lite at times, powerful and rhythmic at others. Kind of like an early 70's British band only with flute instead of guitar, and harpsichord-like keyboards instead of a Hammond!

Download

Tangerine Dream - Alpha Centauri (1971)

I really don't know much about Tangerine Dream's music but I do like this album which was their second. I found one review that describes it as "like being in a haunted spaceship" and I think that pretty much sums it up!

Download