Stoneground - Family Album (1971)

Originally released as a 2 LP set in 1971, this has never had a major label reissue on CD. I purchased this through the artist's website so it is authorized, and not a bootleg. Three of the LP sides were devoted to a live set that was broadcast on San Francisco's KSAN radio, performed at Pacific High Recording Studios in front of an audience of about 200 people. The last LP side was new studio material. I don't know if the master tapes have been lost or what, but this is vinyl-sourced, some light surface noise can be heard during quiet passages. But, so what? The music is awesome and if this is the only way we can hear it, so be it. The music is great West Coast hippie rock, not psychedelic and not boogie, but a kind of rhythm and blues infused with soul and elements of gospel! Star of the show and apparent leader of the band is ex-Beau Brummels guitarist and singer Sal Valentino, possibly one of the most under-rated guitar players of the 70's. Four outstanding female vocalists are on hand, I think there's seven singers on the album altogether. The live set starts with a rollicking version of Johnny Cash's Get Rhythm and the passion and excitement doesn't let up for over 60 minutes. The duet with Sal Valentino on guitar and Annie Sampson on vocals, "Precious Lord", is nothing less that awesome.

Disc One - Live
1. Get Rhythm
2. Passion Flower
3. Corina
4. Big River
5. Won't Be Long
6. Super Clown
7. Richland Woman
8. Queen Sweet Dreams
9. Precious Lord
10. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
11. I Can't Help It
12. No Doreen
13. It's Not Easy
14. If You Gotta Go
15. Total Destruction To Your Mind

Disc Two - Studio
16. You Must Be One Of Us
17. All My Life
18. Where Will I Find Love
19. Gonna Have A Good Time
20. Jam It

Sal Valentino - Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
Tim Barnes - Guitar, Vocals
Cory Lerios - Keyboards
Stephen Price - Drums
Brian Godula - Bass
John Blakely - Guitar, Bass
Lynne Hughes - Vocals
Dierdre LaPorte - Vocals
Annie Sampson - Vocals
Lydia Morero - Vocals

EAC-FLAC-LOG-CUE-SCANS 474MB

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Happy New Year!

Jefferson Airplane - Bark (1971)

"It is hard to believe that upon its release in 1971, Bark was poorly reviewed. In retrospect, its musical closeness to Jefferson Airplane's earlier work, especially 1969's Volunteers, is striking. "When the Earth Moves Again" is a collective, anthemic song in the same mould and of the same quality as "We Can Be Together," and "Crazy Miranda" is clearly by the author of "rejoyce." What makes Bark special is the move of Slick and the astonishingly under-valued Jorma Kaukonen to the foreground and the new casual, almost frayed approach to performing and recording. Also new is a shift away from the already-qualified counter-culture sentiments of Volunteers towards a more resigned, knowing worldview: "Third Week in the Chelsea" is painful in its directness, but gorgeous in its craftsmanship and execution; Slick's "Law Man" projects a tired, slightly annoyed, spirit that Slick could tap into so well. New to the band was the funky and sensual punch of tunes like "Feel So Good" and "Pretty As You Feel," which project a randy-to-sultry adult sexuality absent from their more whimsical "love" songs of the '60s. Confirms that the early '70s were the high water mark for the extended Airplane family." (toolshed amazon.com)

1. When The Earth Moves Again
2. Feel So Good
3. Crazy Miranda
4. Pretty As You Feel
5. Wild Turkey
6. Law Man
7. Rock and Roll Island
8. Third Week In The Chelsea
9. Never Argue with a German If You're Tired or European Song
10. Thunk
11. War Movie

Paul Kantner - Vocals, Guitar
Jorma Kaukonen - Vocals, Guitar
Grace Slick - Vocals Piano
Joey Covington - Vocals, Drums
Papa John Creach - Violin
Jack Casady - Bass

EAC-FLAC-LOG-CUE-SCANS 311MB

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Bye and Merry Christmas to all!

Peter Frohmader - Kanaan Live 1975

Ok first off this is not for everybody only for the musically adventurous. Don't put this on at a party - unless you want most of the people to leave. This performance by Kanaan (only one of a few outlets for Frohmader's music) is experimental and avant-garde. Very atmospheric, with doom and gloom holding sway, there are touches of jazz fusion, free jazz and maybe even a little rock.
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"Peter Frohmader is an innovator of the second generation of German electronic music. Different from most electronic music artists, he is only marginally influenced by the cosmic sound of Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze. His music leads to the underworld and creates a sinister and nightmarish atmosphere. Frohmader has released numerous albums, but most of them came out on little labels, so they did not gain the attention they deserved.

Already a pupil, Peter Frohmader started to record tapes with alienated sounds in the early ’70s and later formed amateur bands like Kanaan and Alpha Centauri. In 1981, he released his first LP, Musik Aus dem Schattenreich. Frohmader got his inspiration from movies like Nosferatu, books of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe, and the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch. So it is not surprising that especially the early works are very dark and disturbing. The excessive use of bass guitars beside the electronics is striking.

Peter Frohmader is also a talented painter and studied art and graphic design. His mystic airbrush paintings often were used for record covers. The famous Swiss artist H.R. Giger, creator of the alien monster in the movie of the same name, became attentive to him and they co-operated on his film Second Celebration of the Four. Music for TV movies and documentaries followed.

Besides his solo albums, Peter Frohmader has worked with musicians of Amon Düül, Embryo, and Emtidi. In the early ’90s, two albums were released in the United States and focused the attention of a wider public to his music. Later works withdrew from the ghostly music of the early days and integrate elements of ambient, neo-classical, and new age music. Peter Frohmader collaborated with guitarist Richard Pinhas of French band Heldon and Russian composer Artemiy Artemiev and had various exhibitions of his graphic art and releases several albums of his own music." (Klaus Kehrle, All Music Guide)
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"Peter Frohmader is one of most interesting and not ordinary persons of our time. Composer, multi-instrumentalist musician, an artist, Peter is one of key figures in modern musical culture. He is considered to be the experimenter-workaholic, the author of ten solo projects and numerous collaboration works with Richard Pinhas, Michael Fuchs-Gambock, Andreas Merz, Iva Bittova, Chris Karrer, Kanaan and Russian composer Artemiy Artemiev. His musical career started in the beginning of 70-s when he began playing with such collectives as “Apha Centauri” (avant-garde music), “Electronic Delusion” (electronic experimental music), “Kanaan” (jazz-rock/electronic music). The certain communications with German “underground” movement (which representatives scooping their inspiration in Christensen’s and Murneau’s cult films) are traced in Peter Frohmader’s activity. Peter’s music is mystically gloomy, chaotic and avalanche. His stylistics, a manner of presentation of sound material, wielding of the instrument, performing techniques bewitched the listener. You can like or dislike his music but it will never leave you indifferent and all that was created by Frohmader for to-day or will be created in future always will be interesting for the fans of serious art. Music of this very talented German composer will take a worthy place in history tables of modern musical culture." (discogs.com)

1. Bizarro
2. Rupscake
3. Spaced Out
4. Muzak Für Beknacte
5. Starnberger Prinzenschießen
6. Flash Gelee
7. Bulla-Bulla
8. Paranoia Frame

Peter Frohmader - Fretless Bass, Electronics, Gong, Voice
Uwe Rüdiger - Drums, Trumpet, Voice
Michael Schobert - Fender Rhodes Piano, Keyboards, Voice

EAC-FLAC-LOG-CUE-SCANS 498MB

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(^-^)

Out Of Focus - Wake Up (1970)

"Amazing kraut-jazz alien that is completely devoted to ferocious rocking jams. In an explosive combination of sounds, the band conciliates heavily bluesy guitars, free folk and propulsive organs. "See how a white negro flies" is a great introduction track for tripped out psychedelic guitars, including nice keyboard arrangements and stoned pop voice, a very efficient, energetic composition. "God save the Queen, cried Jesus" follows the same musical schema, for a super dynamic hybrid. "Hey John" is a calmer improvisation with some enchanting flute lines and a good rhythmical section. "No name" goes back to a heavy acid rocking trip but it is not so surprising. "World's end" is an other explosive kraut-jazz standard, featuring a nice groove. A lot of varieties and gorgeously psychedelic, sonic infiltrations! Simply brilliant!" (Philippe, progarchives.com)

1. See How A White Negro Flies (5:48)
2. God Saved The Queen, Cried Jesus (7:28)
3. Hey John (9:35)
4. No Name (3:06)
5. World's End (9:55)
6. Dark, Darker (11:37)

Remigius Drechsler - Guitar
Hennes Hering - Keyboards
Moran Neumüller - Vocals, Saxophones
Klaus Spöri - Drums
Stefan Wisheu - Bass

Not my rip: Thanks to original releaser
EAC-FLAC-LOG-CUE-SCANS 264MB

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Bye

Agamemnon - Part I & II (1981)

"These were one of many obscure Swiss symphonic progressives, typical of such Teutonic styled bands who originated in the mid to late-1970's. Derivative, yet also quite inventive, Agamemnon had a distinctly Pink Floyd type cosmic symphonic edge, akin to earlier albums by German bands like Eloy, Pancake, Jane, or more so, often close to Faithful Breath's similarly otherworldly debut album FADING BEAUTY.

In keeping with the title PART I & II, Agamemnon's sole album had just two lengthy tracks (one per side), with vast instrumentals, and seems to be some sort of strange and fanciful concept opus. An obscure privately issued relic, it's an album that is worth seeking out by fans of the late-1970's indie progressive style." (Crack in the Cosmic Egg)

The Gnosis 2000 website gives this album a higher rating than Pink Floyd's "The Wall"!

1. Agamemnon's Youth - Agamemnon, King of Mykene 19:45
2. Agamemnon at Troja - Agamemnon's Death 19:39

Urs Ritter - drums
Erich Kuster - vocals, guitars, organ
Walter Rothmund - bass, keyboards
Werner Kuster - piano, keyboards, guitars, flute

EAC-FLAC-LOG-CUE-SCANS 283MB

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Bye

Arthur Lee & Love - Fillmore West 11-21-70

I got these files from Lossless Bootlegs 101 a while back, they're from a torrent that has been around a long time. I was real jazzed to find out that Love was such a rockin' live band, but disappointed in the quality of the files. The left channel on some tracks had a real muffled sound, one of the tracks had a major dropout, and one track was cut in half, with the last few seconds of the first half repeated at the beginning of the second half. I broke out my copy of Adobe Audition and over a couple weeks worked these tracks over in my spare time, did some channel mixing, some cutting, a little EQ'ing, and I'm pretty damn happy with the results. This flows seamlessly from beginning to end and the sound is much improved - it sounds great on my home stereo! The music is awesome, the players are great, the drummer especially. I wish the recording had been done better but from what I think is an audience recording we get a damn good listen to a great live band. Anyway you should check this out. Made the covers myself.

Early Show
1 Product Of The Times
2 Stand Out
3 Keep On Shining
4 Andmoreagain
5 Singing Cowboy
6 Good Times - Early Show Outro
Late Show
7 Late Show intro - Stand Out
8 Product Of The Times
9 Bummer In The Summer
10 Gotta Find Somebody
11 Signed D.C.
12 Slick Dick
13 Always See Your Face
14 Singing Cowboy

Arthur Lee - Guitar, Vocals
George Suranovich - Drums
Frank Fayad - Bass
Gary Rowles - Guitar

Separate FLAC's Homemade covers 290MB

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Later