Stonehouse - Stonehouse Creek (1971)

There have been rips of an over-modulated bootleg CD of this album at a low bitrate floating around cyberspace for years. Well it has finally gotten a long-awaited legitimate reissue! The first and last tracks are kinda 'country', but everything in between is early 70's hard rock of the highest order. Honestly this is some great stuff, what a shame this British band only released one album. Intelligent, well-played, no-frills heavy duty rock with great vocals, what more could you want? All fans of 70's rock will need to get this one. My rip @ 320 w/jewel case artwork made from digipak.

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Mythos - Dreamlab (1975)

Classic space-progressive rock from Germany. If you can imagine a mix of Ash Ra Tempel and Jethro Tull, then you got a clue about how this album sounds. The space-atmosphere on the album is close to perfection, with great use of different synths, flute, spacey guitar and even the heavenly mellotron. The only problem is the dreadful vocals of Stephan Kaske, but fortunately he doesn't "sing" too often. The material is good all the way through, and it varies from jam-oriented parts (like the excellent title-track) to more structured and theme-based parts. There's lots of great flute here, and the mellotron has got a beautiful spacey sound to it. Just check out the extremely beautiful "Mythalgia" and you'll hear. This album is essential for anyone into spacey progressive. (vintageprog.com) My rip @320 w/scans.

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Eddie Boyd - Eddie Boyd And His Blues Band (1967)

One of many albums to come out of the 1960's British "Blues Boom" featuring an American artist being supported by English players. I don't think this is as cool as Boyd's album with Fleetwood Mac, "7936 South Rhodes", but it's still pretty dang good. The cover says "Featuring Peter Green", but the players on the record included all the then-current members of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - John Mayall, Peter Green, John McVie and Aynsley Dunbar. Plus a few members of Boyd's own band, and on a few cuts is T.S. McPhee from the Groundhogs.

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Curved Air - Guildford Surrey University 11-20-74

Soundboard recording of a great show by this amazing band.

1. Marie Antoinette
2. Young Mother
3. Back Street Luv
4. Phantasmagoria
5. Melinda More Or Less
6. Woman On A One Night Stand
7. Propositions
8. Stretch
9. Vivaldi
10. Everdance

Part 1 Part 2

Spooky Tooth - First Tooth

Fantastic Spooky Tooth boot! BBC sessions from "Top Gear" and "Top Of The Pops" and material from singles. The last four tracks are live in concert, from a 1974 version of the band, with Gary Wright as the only original member. Mike Patto on vocals and Mick Jones on guitar. Their version of "I Am The Walrus" is awesome!

1. Too Much Of Nothing
2. Sunshine Help me
3. Tobacco Road
4. Love Really Changed Me
5. Pretty Woman
6. Feelin' Bad
7. I Can't Quit Her
8. Evil Woman
9. Luger's Groove
10. Do Right people
11. The Weight
12. Pretty Woman
13. Weird
14. Waitin' For The Wind
15. Cotton Growing Man
16. The Mirror
17. I Am The Walrus

Tracks 1-8: BBC sessions
Tracks 9-13: single versions
Tracks 14-17: Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio, 1974

Part 1 Part 2

Tractor - John Peel Bought Us Studio Gear and a P. A.

The late great John Peel always had a special connection with the town of Rochdale, situated just north of Manchester. In 1970, after receiving tapes through the post from Rochdale band Tractor, he signed them to his Dandelion Records label, bought them studio equipment and a stereo PA system (fairly ground breaking for a north west band in the early 1970's). Peel continued to have a special relationship to the Tractor people right up until his untimely death, always plugging their live appearances and Tractor releases. This CD presents the tracks that John Peel signed Tractor on the strength of in 1970, plus all the tracks (A and B sides) they did as singles and a 2006 remix of a song specially commissioned by Peel in 1972.

Part 1 Part 2

OK that's it then, happy downloading and see you next week. Comments appreciated, as always!