Various Artist - The Warner-Reprise 'Record Show' (US 1969)

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Bitrate: 320

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Warner Bros. Records was one of the hippest and most progressive record companies on the West Coast in the late 1960s. In order to accurately target their consumers, as well as to introduce a great many cool records, they created an ingenious series of budget-priced sampler albums. 1969 Record Show was the first of these efforts, and easily one of the finest. Over thirty artists spread out over two LPs and priced at a then-very comfortable $2.00, this release introduced a whole lot of people to the fun, freewheeling creative spirit that defined the Burbank offices. Many high-quality sides -- from Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Van Dyke Parks, Jethro Tull, and the Pentangle to Ella Fitzgerald and Fats Domino -- provide an excellent representation of a company that cared about its artists as well as its customers.

Another one from the US  Warner Bros. "Loss Leader" serie (concept referring to a sales strategy where an item is sold under marketing cost to promote more profitable articles - in this case single samplers for $1, doubles for $2 and triples for $3). This 2-LP set was the second of thirtythree such from the label issued between 1969-80. The four sides each present a theme - country style, soft pop, mixed pop and what they call "Hippie Creep Rock'n'Roll" - showing on the label's amazing musical width at the time. 

Here's the whole spectra - from non household acts as Mothers Of Invention, Fugs, Grateful Dead and Mephistopheles over contemporary teen idol names like KInks, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Peter Paul & Mary and Jimi Hendrix to older artists Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Domino and Everly Brothers. 

All high quality so no need for the acceptive music lover to jump tracks - just turn sides and take it in. You also get a couple of rare cuts. As far as I know Geoff & Maria Muldaur's "All Bowed Down" and Hamilton Camp's "Star Spangled Bus" have remanied unissued otherwise and this may still be the only place for them. Everly Brothers "Empty Boxes" was a 45 only cut. Kinks "Nothing To Say" from the "Arthur" album is presented as mono on the info sheets (explained by - "...that's the only kind of tape we got from Granada TV, which commissioned the project"). 

The cut here is the mono version, but slightly enhanced for better width. Pressing the mono button narrows it down a little, but whichever you choose it sounds better than the one on the UK "Arthur" mono album. Fats Domino's cover of Everybody*s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey" also an enhanced mono version - probably from the 45 edit. Rare or not there's enough here to get me through the day -checking track history, reminicing and enjoying all the good music. Audio shifts a little depending on original recordings, but it's pleasant listening all through. First had label as shown here, thick glossy fold/out cover with info sheets and custom artist pic inners. 

The multi-page Loss Leaders inserts are a fantastic read… quick, irreverent andto the point, holding lots of surprises in the form of composers, producers andauxiliary musicians. At the time of its release, in 1969, all this was merely informative. Now it’s more like a history book, alerting us to hidden tidbits like; session guitarist Louie Shelton’s offering is produced by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart; The Blue Velvet Band features members Eric Weissberg and Sea Train’s Richard Greene; and those spoken word excerpts from Joni Mitchell are from a Carnegie Hall concert. 

The liners also take the hot air out of the typical promotional hype usually associated with record labels. Like this excerpt regarding Van Dyke Parks: “We’ve discovered that people either dig Van wildly or find him, as one disgruntled ad-reader and self-appointed critic put it, ‘pretentious and boring.’ Make up your own mind. In the face of the unbelievable commercial failure of Song Cycle, Van has been keeping himself busy by composing

music for commercials, rather like Buckminster Fuller tightening bolts in an aircraft factory.” Edited tracks from The Grateful Dead and David Blue, as well as non-LP tracks, b-sides and mono versions from Geoff & Maria Muldaur, The Everly Brothers and The Kinks are included. And, yes… that’s Theodore Bikel (of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels fame, not to mention “seventeen albums of exotic folk songs”) tackling The Beatles’ “Piggies” 

Warner/Reprise's Country & Western, Cowboy Provincial, And Twangy Americana Side; Or Jumpin' On The Country Bandwagon With Warner/Reprise

01. Neil Young (With Crazy Horse)* – Cinnamon Girl  Written-By – Neil Young  02:58

02. The Grateful Dead – Doin' That Rag (abridged)  Written-By – Garcia*, Lesh*, Hunter*  02:20

03. Geoff Muldaur & Maria Muldaur – All Bowed Down  Written-By – Geoff Gutcheon* 02:42

04. The Everly Brothers* – Empty Boxes  Written-By – Ron Elliot*  02:40

05. Doug Kershaw – Son Of A Louisiana Man  Written-By – Doug Kershaw  02:14

06. David Blue– Atlanta Farewell (abridged)  Written-By – David Blue  01:47

07. Arlo Guthrie – Every Hand In The Land  Written-By – Arlo Guthrie  02:19

08. The Blue Velvet Band – Weary Blues From Waitin' Written-By – Hank Williams  03:02

Warner/Reprise's Soft Arty Underbelly Side: A Collection Of Unamplified And Other Delights

09. Theo Bikel* – Piggies  Written-By – George Harrison  03:16

10. Joni Mitchell – My American Skirt (live)  00:40

11. Joni Mitchell – The Fiddle And The Drum  Written-By – Joni Mitchell  02:45

12. John Renbourn – Transfusion  Written-By – Charles Lloyd  01:58

13. Bert Jansch – Poison  Written-By – Bert Jansch  03:13

14. The Pentangle* – Once I Had A Sweetheart Written-By – Jansch*, Thompson*, McShee*, Renbourn*, Cox* 04:40

15. Joni Mitchell – Spoony's Wonderful Adventure (live) 00:40

16. Peter, Paul & Mary – Going To The Zoo  Written-By – Tom Paxton  03:09

The Many Faces Of  Pop

01. Sweetwater – Day Song  Written-By – Nansi Nevins  01:45

02. Louie Shelton – A Walk In The Country  Written-By – Louie Shelton  01:58

03. Lorraine Ellison – Stay With Me  Written-By – George Weiss*, Jerry Ragovoy  03:29

04. Van Dyke Parks – Music For Ice Capades TV Commercial  Written-By – Van Dyke Parks  02:00

05. Randy Newman – Yellow Man  Written-By – Randy Newman  02:13

06. Pearls Before Swine – These Things Too  Written-By – Tom Rapp 03:24

07. Hamilton Camp – Star Spangled Bus  Written-By – J. D. Souther*  02:34

08. Ella Fitzgerald – The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game  Written-By – Wm. Robinson*  02:55

The Irreverent Hippie-Creep And Rock 'N' Roll Side

09. The Fugs – Yodellin' Yippie  Written-By – Ed Sanders  02:14

10. The Mothers – Electric Aunt Jemima  Written-By – Frank Zappa  01:58

11. Jethro Tull – Fat Man  Written-By – Ian Anderson  02:48

12. Mephistopheles (3) – Take A Jet  Written-By – Siller*, Tackett*, Mosher*, Simone  02:39

13. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Stone Free  Written-By – Jimi Hendrix  03:33

14. The Kinks – Nothing To Say  Written-By – Ray Davies  03:15

15. Fats Domino – Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey  Written-By – John Lennon and Paul McCartney*  02:30 

1. Record Show

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2. Record Show

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3. Record Show

The Spaniels - Selftitled (Vee-Jay R&B US 1960)

Size: 120 MB

Bit-rate: 320

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Artwork Included

Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

The story of how the Spaniels came to prominence begins in late 1952, when lead singer Hudson was convinced by four of his Roosevelt High classmates -- Ernest Warren (first tenor), Opal Courtney, Jr. (baritone), Willie Jackson (second tenor), and Gerald Gregory (bass) to join them for a school talent show. 

They had debuted as Pookie Hudson and the Hudsonaires for the Christmas show and fared so well they decided to continue. Not wanting to join the bird group club (Orioles, Ravens, etc.), they decided on the name Spaniels.

In the spring, the group visited the local record shop owned by James and Vivian Bracken, who had begun developing a record label called Vee-Jay Records. They soon moved their operation to Chicago, in a garage off 47th Street (later they would relocate to offices at 1449 South Michigan Avenue). The Spaniels were one of the first two artists signed to the label (the other was blues guitarist Jimmy Reed). On May 5, 1953, the Spaniels recorded "Baby It's You," released in July. On September 5, "Baby" hit number ten on the national R&B best-seller charts.

The Spaniels' next session produced additional singles, including "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," which took off in March 1954, but it took about six months for the record to break nationally, charting at number five on the R&B charts. Its success prompted the McGuire Sisters to cover it for the "white" market, stealing a lot of the Spaniels' thunder when their version landed in the Top Ten (number seven).

The Spaniels' next single, "Let's Make Up," earned more for songwriter Hudson as someone else's B-side when it appeared on the flip of the Top 20 hit "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" (number 14, 1955). On June 11, 1954, the Spaniels made the first of numerous appearances at the Apollo Theatre and began touring the greater Midwest. Another single, "You Painted Pictures," reached number 13 R&B in October.

After Opal Courtney, Jr. was drafted, Vee-Jay A&R man and Spaniels producer Calvin Carter was pressed into service during their road trips for a few months until James "Dimples" Cochran took over permanently. 

Shortly thereafter, Ernest Warren was drafted and the group continued recording as a quartet. Two subsequent Spaniels singles failed to connect. Disappointed, Pookie Hudson and Willie Jackson both decided to leave the group. 

The Spaniels bravely continued on, with Carl Rainge (lead), Gerald Gregory (bass), James Cochran (baritone), and Don Porter (second tenor). This contingent lasted for only one single until Pookie rejoined.

In April 1957, Vee-Jay released the first full-length album, Goodnight, It's Time to Go. By mid-summer, the group was back to turning out terrific singles. Incidentally, around this same time Hank Ballard (of Hank Ballard & the Midnighters) had just re-written the Drifters' 1955 number two pop hit "What'cha Gonna Do" -- already a revision of an old gospel tune, "What're You Going to Do" -- and offered his rewrite, called "The Twist," to the Spaniels, but they passed on it. 

It later became a number one hit for Ernest Evans, who recorded it under the name Chubby Checker.

By 1960, the Spaniels were Hudson, Ernest Warren, Gerald Gregory, Bill Carey, and Andy McGruder (former lead of the Five Blue Notes). They recorded the group's last Vee-Jay single "I Know" in 1960; it reached number 23 R&B that summer. Meanwhile, Vee-Jay Records issued a second full-length album.

01. I Know  02:15

02. Bus Fare Home  02:39

03. One-Hundred Years From Today  02:27

04. Crazy Baby  02:11

05. Heart And Soul  02:38

06. Stormy Weather  02:30

07. Everyone's Laughing  02:52

08. Little Joe  02:33

09. The Posse  02:19

10. So Deep Within  02:48

11. Baby Sweets  02:14

12. I Lost You  02:40

Bonus Tracks

13. Goodnight, It's Time To Go (Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight)  02:42

14. Bounce  02:06

15. Baby It's You  02:33

16. Jesse Mae  02:28

17. Hey Sister Lizzie  02:10

18. You Painted Pictures  02:25

1. Spaniels

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2. Spaniels

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3. Spaniels

The Spirit of Christmas - Lies to Live By (ProgRock Canada 1974)

Size: 106 MB

Bitrate: 320

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Source: Japan SHM-CD Remaster

Artwork Included

In 1969, Bob BRYDEN (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Rich RICHTER (drums, percussion), Robert BULGER (lead guitar), and Tyler RAIZENNE (bass) joined forces in Oshawa, Ontario to become a band known as CHRISTMAS. After releasing two psychedelic albums under that name, the band recruited vocalist and pianist Preston WYNN and made a slight adjustment to their name to become THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS also releasing a new album called "Lies to Live By". This change was accompanied by a change in style to a more eclectic style.

The music on the only album released under this name is a combination of hard, guitar-driven rock with folk and progressive rock elements added in with a healthy dose of fusion to become a band with a more varied and accessible style. 

The album itself has mostly been forgotten over the years, however, it was reissued in 1999 and since then has managed to become a sought after gem thanks to the excellent progressive sound that the band had created. Yes, it is an odd name for a band, but the music speaks for itself.

Lies to Live By is essentially the third album release by the Canadian band Christmas. After the release of the Heritage album, they were beset with management and label problems over the direction of the band's next album. The music scene in Canada was in disarray and bands such as April Wine, the Guess Who, BTO, and Chilliwack had hits with commercial hard rock songs. The Heritage album was a start in the right direction and the label wanted the band to continue with hard rock but make it more radio friendly. 

Christmas had other ideas about where their music was heading. In 1973, a new album was recorded that was a radical change from the hard rock sound of Heritage. The album ended up being tied up in legal wrangles and was not released until 1975 when the band decided on a name change to the Spirit of Christmas to avoid legal complications associated with the "Christmas" name and to release the album. This time out (The Spirit Of) Christmas went totally toward a guitar-fronted progressive sound complete with Mellotron, a chamber orchestra, special effects, intricate piano work, and lush backing choruses. In the similar vein of such acts as Genesis, Gentle Giant, and Yes, Lies to Live By was a total departure in sound from anything recorded by a Canadian band to date. 

The six songs on the album are broken into conceptual chapters, each with a different theme that intertwines throughout the song while half of the songs clock in at close to nine minutes or more. The album was an instant hit with critics and progressive music fans worldwide. Despite the critical acclaim of the album, Daffodil Records was in trouble and the album did not receive the promotion and support it deserved. Soon after release of the album, the label folded and with it the hopes of (The Spirit Of) Christmas. 

Left without a label, the band also decided to call it a day and broke up. In the late '80s and '90s the Lies to Live By album became a highly sought after collector's item with originals changing hands for hundreds of dollars. As a direct result of the interest in the band's early albums, Christmas re-formed in the mid-'80s for a couple of local concerts. Still regarded as one of the best progressive rock albums to come out of Canada, this release by Unidisc is a straight reissue of the original album at a budget price complete with original artwork, but, unfortunately, it contains no bonus tracks.

Recorded at Manta Sound Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, circa 1972-1974

Line-up / Musicians

◉ Preston Wynn - vocals, piano, Mellotron, guitar, organ

◉ Bob Bryden - rhythm guitar, composer

◉ Robert Bulger - lead guitar

◉ Tyler Raizenne - bass

◉ Rich Richter - drums, percussion

01. All the Wrong Roads (3:19)

02. Stay Dead Lazarus (4:06)

03. Graveyard Face / All Is Light (4:19)

04. War Story (8:53) :

- a. Ballad of Jack Boot

- b. Requiem-War's Peace

05. Factory (8:33)

- a. Where the People Are Made

- b. Everything's Under Control

06. Beyond the Fields We Know (11:26)

- a. Prelude (I Don't Know Where I Am)

- b. Thermopylae

- c. Heaven's Lost

- d. In Closing

1. The Spirit

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2. The Spirit

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3. The Spirit

If you've bored, try this: Card Throwing Tutorial | Rick Smith Jr.

Hi all.

If you have nothing to do right now, become an expert at throwing cards. When you have learned to throw cards (after a lot of practice), you can train as in the videos below. Good luck!

Learn How to Throw Cards with Mark Rober | Behind the Scenes | Rick Smith Jr.

Card Throwing Trick Shots | Dude Perfect

Card Throwing Tutorial | Accuracy & Power | Rick Smith Jr.

 

Now just practice and practice, and you will be able to throw cards with great precision.

// ChrisGoesRock

Witchwood - Litanies From The Woods (Superb Hardrock Italy 2015)

Size: 212 MB

Bitrate: 320

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The Buttered Bacon Biscuits were a band from Faenza, a town located in an area called Romagna, that had been active from 2008 to 2013 with a style rooted in the seventies and consisting in a mix of psychedelia, hard rock and a pinch of progressive. They had a good live activity and in 2010 released a debut album entitled From The Solitary Woods that was distributed by the independent label Black Widow Records and got some good reviews but the band did not last enough for a follow up. 

After the band split up, in 2014 from their ashes came to life a new band called Witchwood, a quintet featuring three former members of the Buttered Bacon Biscuits, Riccardo Dal Pane (vocals, guitars, mandolin, percussion), Stefano Olivi (Hammond, piano, synth, Moog) and Andrea Palli (drums, percussion) along with Samuele Tesori (flute, harmonica) and Luca Celotti (bass). 

In 2015 this new band, with the help of some guests, released an interesting debut album on the independent label Jolly Roger Records, Litanies From The Woods, where they managed to mix hard rock, progressive, psychedelia and southern rock in a personal way adding fresh ideas to vintage sounds and obscure atmospheres borrowed from the past. Their love for bands such as Uriah Heep, Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Hawkwind or Lynyrd Skynyrd is apparent but the songwriting is good and the overall sound is full of energy and passion. The result is a nice example of what now is called classic rock and in my opinion it is really worth listening to...

The opener "Prelude" is just a short electric guitar intro that leads to the caustic "Liar", a heartfelt complaint against a world where appearances are more important than real values and democracy is nothing but an illusion conjured up by cynical politicians, a world where the lies of the media hide the dirtiest sins and where dreams fill the graves...

On the following "A Place For The Sun" the music and lyrics evoke the cathartic power of music and invite you to live day by day to tackle the adversities of life, always looking for the hidden place in your soul where the sun always shines...

"Rainbow Highway" deals with the wish of freedom and adventure of a boy who grew up in a small town, surrounded by boredom and old traditions. The music and lyrics here evoke the dream of a life without rules, a wish of absolute freedom, a fantastic ride on the shoulders of a rainbow demon to feel the wind blowing free and wild all around... Hey boy, pick up your heart and run! Before you lose your soul...

The hypnotic, psychedelic "The Golden King" conjures up the image of a caravan coming from a distant planet, sailing through endless skies... Listen to the litanies for the mysterious Golden King and let him take you away for a ride to his palace to celebrate a strange Sabbath!

The following "Shade Of Grey" is a dark, haunting track evoking Gothic atmospheres and a disquieting creature from an hidden world moving through the woods. You can listen to the songs soaring from the woods as you get lost in a starry night...

Next comes the romantic ballad "The World Behind Your Eyes" that is dedicated to Laura, the lovely muse of lyricist and composer Riccardo Dal Pane. It leads to the long, complex instrumental "Farewell To The Ocean Boulevard" featuring many changes in rhythm and atmosphere, a real epic where the band showcase all their musicianship and creativity swinging from calm, relaxed acoustic passages to fiery electric rides and vice versa. A wonderful track!

"Song Of Freedom" is a celebration of the life on the road, the song of a travelling man in love with his sweet freedom. This nice mix of country rock, blues, hard rock and psychedelic dreams à la easy rider leads to the long closer "Handful Of Stars", a beautiful suite divided into three parts that reminds me of the atmospheres of the Dream Cycle stories by H.P. Lovecraft and deals with haunting and dangerous dreams. On the first part, "The Gates Of Slumber" the music and lyrics conjure up the image of a dreamer lost in his room with floating planets all around while stars fill his mind and heart... He falls in a timeless abyss of dark dreams that the evocative music of next two instrumental parts, "Nox Erat..." (It was night) and "Epilogue: Litanies For A Starless Night", let your imagination free to build up...

Litanies From The Woods is Witchwood's first album. The band came into existence in 2014 out of a group called Buttered Bacon Biscuits that I haven't heard of, but they released an album in 2010, From The Solitary Woods, on Black Widow Records. Basically most members came from BBB with only a new bass player.

There is some nice variation on the disc, like the first proper song Liar that suddenly treats us to a jazzy interlude led by flute. Or the psychedelic and somewhat dreamy/trippy The Golden King with a mysterious undertone. Mostly, however, it's progressive hard rock of the kind many of us enjoy immensely. The World Behind Your Eyes brings typical Tull-like flute for the first time. 

A bit more like Led Zep is the 9 minute Song Of Freedom that starts bluesy with harmonica and initially has acoustic guitar. This then explodes in typical Deep Purple style (and even the singing here reminds me of Gillan). Cool roaring organ. The 10 minute Handful Of Stars brings soaring progressive hard rock that shows what Deep Purple would have sounded like if they had enlisted a flute player. 

Actually, the man on the flute takes over halfway through and leads us again into Tull-inspired realms. Even longer are the two very long tracks on the album, Shade Of Grey and the 15 minute Farewell To The Ocean Boulevard. I'm not going to describe those - just experience for yourself. All in all great stuff and no weak moments.

Although I do have the CD version, this kind of music should actually be enjoyed on vinyl, and so it's only just that it's also released as a double LP in a gatefold sleeve (Jolly Roger Records JRR 063). In two versions even; an ordinary black one and a limited numbered purple vinyl. Good luck finding the latter as it's limited to 100 copies only and sold out already...

Line-up / Musicians

- Riccardo "Ricky" Dal Pane - lead vocals, backing vocals, electric guitar, slide guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion

- Stefano "Steve" Olivi - Hammond C100, Leslie 760, Moog Voyager, piano

- Andrea Palli - drums, percussion

- Samuele Tesori - flute, harmonica

- Luca Celotti - bass

01. Prelude - Liar (7:23)

02. A Place for the Sun (7:11)

03. Rainbow Highway (5:54)

04. The Golden King (6:24)

05. Shade of Grey (11:04)

06. The World Behind Your Eyes (5:43)

07. Farewell to the Ocean Boulevard (15:27)

08. Song of Freedom (9:31)

09. Handful of Stars (10:09)

Part I : Witchwood I

Part II : Witchwood II

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Part I : Witchwood I

Part II : Witchwood II

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Part I : Witchwood I

Part II : Witchwood II

Function Underground - The Black and Brown American Rock Sound 1969-1974

Size: 103 MB

Bitrate: 320

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Nearly everyone in the world can rattle off the great African-American musical forms. Jazz, blues, R&B, soul, hip-hop, house, gospel. One influential genre is always left off of the list: a folk music known as rock n’ roll. Rock n’ roll was a term originally coined to market the white-friendly version of a genre that already existed; prior to 1965, the line between rock n’ roll and R&B was thin: Ike Turner recorded and released “Rocket ‘88’ ” in 1951 and, while its Chess Records release reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart, it is regarded by many as the first rock n’ roll record.

The Great Divide between R&B and rock n’ roll came after the Beatles and the British Invasion decimated the Top 40 chart in 1964. Simultaneously, R&B entered a new phase, soon to be labeled “soul,” which upped the music’s gospel quotient and turned its frantic twang. So somewhere in the mid to late-1960s, rock n’ roll became perceived as something for the Caucasian kids. When Jimi Hendrix and Arthur Lee made the scene, they were said to be black musicians entering into a white world. While that couldn’t be farther from the truth, that false dichotomy has existed in America’s popular conscious ever since, to the point where the idea of a black rock musician is on the level with the idea of a black cowboy.

In the mid-1960s, funk replaced soul as the rhythm that was going to move the world. We know all its progenitor – James Brown, The Meters, Kool & The Gang – and their innovations: the syncopated, 4/4 dance between the bass and drums, horns repurposed as percussion, chicken-scratch and wah-wah guitar. We can trace where they came from. But there is one crucial funk influence that no one seems to want to acknowledge – a devil-may-care attitude we can attribute to rock n’ roll. It’s not a stretch to say that funk is the African-American answer to psychedelia and hard rock rolled into one.

The idea of “progressivism” that took over rock music after psychedelia’s heyday in the late 1960s belatedly spilled over to funk. In the early 1970s, as the underground/psychedelic fire burnt out in the white rock world, it roared to a blaze in the black musical community. Nearly every American city with a large black population boasted self-contained funk bands that didn’t consider themselves simply revues or backup groups, but rather fully-operational ensembles In these bands, everything from composing, arranging, record production and distribution, was handled in house by band members. These are the bands whose music comprises this anthology, and while they’re all different, they’re unique in one way: they kept their ears open for new developments in funk and rock music.

This anthology presents earnest questions as to why we know so little about these bands and the movement of which they were a part. While we don’t anticipate that we’ll ever find a definitive answer as to what these ensembles’ true goals were, then, we do know that they took their charges seriously. And they knew they were onto something different, something that, though only they and their immediate kin might recognize it, was more interesting than the status quo. Function Underground shines light on an important and overlooked part of rock n’ roll’s history and talented ensembles that toiled in the shadows, derided by their peers

"Do you realize that Hendrix was dead before most black people in America knew he was a black man?” Ebony Rhythm Band drummer Matthew Watson questions rhetorically. “We was scorned. In that era, everybody else in the black community was wearing three-piece suits, processes and Afro wigs and that shit. We was the first guys to wear bell bottoms. The first guys to wear big hats. We were off into a whole other thing.” 

01. 1984 - There's A Wrinkle In Our Time 02:40

02. Purple Snow - Down By The River 03:55

03. Jimi Macon - Jimi's Guitar Raps With The Bass 02:39

04. Creations Unlimited - Corruption Is The Thing 03:00

05. We The People - Function Underground 02:53

06. Michael Liggins And The Super Souls - Loaded Back 04:02

07. Stone Coal White - Stone Coal White 02:42

08. Blacklites - BL Movement 02:22

09. Ebony Rhythm Band - Drugs Ain't Cool 02:45

10. Cisneros And Garza Group - I'm A Man 02:46

11. L.A. Carnival - Blind Man (45 Version) 02:51

12. The Revolution - The Siesta Is Over 04:25

13. Black Conspirators - Just Got To Be Free 03:17

14. Black Maffia - I Want To Take You Higher 04:06

1. Underground

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2. Underground

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3. Underground

Spirits And Worm - Selftitled (Great J.Airplane Styled Rock US 1969)

Size: 61.9 MB

Bitrate: 256

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Ripped By: ChrisGoesRock

Artwork Included

This album is well worth searching out. Adrianne's powerful vocals are certainly an asset and although brass makes an occasional and unwelcome intrusion on the album it contains some fine guitar work, which on the title cut and Sunny Please Hold Me becomes quite psychedelic. 

Other highs include You And I Together and the final cut, She's So Good. Recommended. Both 45 tracks feature on the album, which was recorded at Ultra-Sonic Studios in Long Island, New York.

01. You And I Together  

02. Every Little Bit Of Love  

03. She  

04. Fanny Firecracker  

05. Sunny Please Hold Me  

06. Spirits And Worm  

07. All I Need Is A Little You  

08. Shes The One  

09. You're Dynamite  

10. Shes So Good

1. Spirits

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2. Spirits

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3. Spirits

 

Victoria - Victoria (Private Pressed US Psychedelia 1971)

Size: 118 MB

Bitrate: 256

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Locally New Jersey demo release (200 made), beyond rare fantastic concept psych beauty, maybe 5 or 6 known copies. 3 girls 1 guy. They tried to get attention from big labels but this never happend. They wanted him to sound like Blood Sweat & Tears. But this was not Greg's idea of music. The music has everything you need, like a wild version of early Moby Grape combined with New Dawn and C.A. Quintet, sometimes dreamy sometimes totally wild underground-psych, with female vocals and splattering leads, Titanic horns & destorted guitars. Sweet tunes turn into dark psychpower. TOTALLY STONED!! 

Super rare US psych concept album that has a Neighbr'hood Childr'n feel. This psych beauty, sometimes dreamy sometimes totally wild has female vocals, titanic horns & distorted guitars. Sweet tunes turn into dark psych-power. Greg Ruban, the composer and front-man of Victoria recorded this album just before he had to go to Vietnam. When he returned from War, obviously mentally fucked, he took his unreleased album on a 3 month trip to Europe on a motorbike to promote it, but unfortunately that did not work out at all. The album was unreleased until only a few years ago.…

01. Peace - 2.44

02. Cumberland - 4.41

03. Gevaro - 4.11

04. Ride A Rainbow - 2.50

05. Never Knew Blues - 4.58

06. Down To The Park - 2.57

07. Village Of Etaf - 12.23

08. Core Of The Apple - 8.09

09. Mister Let Me Go (Bonus Acetate) - 3.37

10. Johny & Lisa (Bonus Acetate) - 3.02

11. Peace (Bonus Acetate) - 2.52

12. Cumberland (Bonus Acetate) - 2.51

13. Child Of Princess (Bonus Real-To-Real Track) - 3.07

14. Sundance (Bonus Real-To-Real Track) - 1.46

15. Wheels (Bonus Real-To-Real Track) - 2.02

1. Victoria

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Hamana - Hamana (Great Psychedelic Folkrock US 1974)

Size: 76.6 MB

Bitrate: 256

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Ripped By: ChrisGoesRock

Artwork Included

A v.rare debut album recorded in 1974, originally issued on the local Phoenix label, Canyon Records. To most 60´s psychedelic rock/folk fans this is almost an unknown album, with only a few copies known to exist. Hamana was a native American, who went in 1969 to college in the white man's world, and the album expresses perfectly the sunny California peace, love & freedom feeling, 

The music itself is emotive with strong vocals, lots of West coast psychedelic guitar flashes, a bit garage feeling but also loner folk style with native American elements. 

The appeal of this album reminds one of Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Byrds, X.I.T, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield, Garrett Lund - Near unbelievable that on these recordings all instruments, bass, guitars, vocals and drums have been played by Hamana himself, later to be overdubbed into a tasty and atmospheric stereo acoustic/electric mix. This CD-reissue is a mastertape release licensed by Canyon Records, and contains an 8 page booklet + 2 unreleased bonus tracks. Highly recommended!

01. The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth - 2.35   

02. Whu Can't I Understand - 3.39   

03. Be Free With Me - 2.46   

05. On The Road - 2.17   

04. I Remember - 3.13 

06. One Night - 3.07   

07. Future Goodbyes - 2.57   

09. Message To The Crystal - 3.40   

10. Shine On (Bonus 1965) - 5.36     

11. Peace In Within You (Bonus 1965) - 5.33  

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Van Der Graaf Generator - Aerosol Grey Machine (UK 1969)

Size: 175 MB

Bitrate: 320

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Ripped by ChrisGoesRock

Source: Japan SHM-CD Remaster

The Aerosol Grey Machine is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. It was first released in the United States in 1969 by Mercury Records.

The album was originally intended as a solo album by the band's lead singer and main songwriter, Peter Hammill. When the band signed with Charisma Records, a deal was worked out whereby The Aerosol Grey Machine would be released under the Van der Graaf Generator name, in return for Mercury releasing Hammill from his earlier contract

The Aerosol Grey Machine was released in September 1969 by Mercury, in the US only. An initial edition contained the song "Giant Squid" on the cover but that was a mis-print (on the record "Necromancer" was featured instead), later pressings corrected the mis-print. This version of the LP was later released in Europe by Fontana Records.

'The Aerosol Grey Machine' was initially planned as the first Peter Hammill solo-record, but was finally released under the group name 'Van Der Graaf Generator', a device for producing high electrostatic potentials up to 15 million volt and quite a good name for such an energy loaden band. Now, VDGG owns as much to Byron, Shelley, Keats and E.A.Poe as to Chuck Berry. Peter Hammill is like Bob Dylan in the first place a poet, who composes music for his poems, supported by a great band . 

Hammiill has an expressive vocal range (from lamantations to cries and whispers) and on 'The Aerosol Grey Machine' one can already find the major elements of VDGG's music : Hammills expressive vocal style and poetry, Banton's classical inspired keyboard playing and Guy Evans' subtile drumming. The first five tracks (four songs) have a similar structure, the instruments enter one after the other (first the guitar, [on 'Afterwards' organ] than the bass, the piano or organ, Evans enters on drums establishes a medium tempo groove and Hammill starts singing , with small variations throughout the track. 

It is already typical VDGG, but the dynamic of the later records is still missing. The most interesting track of the four is 'Into a Game', the song starts the same way as the others, but in the middle there is an instrumental break starting with bass and drums joined by Banton, who delivers a nice piano solo and then Hammill joins and sings ad-libitum "into a game.." over the groove, until the track fades. 'Aerosol Grey Machine' is a funny publicity spot followed by a short instrumental 'Black Smoke Yen', where Evans establishes an interesting drum pattern joined by the bass and another piano solo by Banton. 

Now comes the best part: 'Aquarian' is a fantastic Prog-Pop-Song! It is the only track on the record (a part from the Bonus tracks) that follows a classical song structure with verse & chorus. [with the band joining on vocals for the chorus]. It starts with a great groove by Evans heavily phased drums and a pumping bass line joined by Hammill's vocals, a great chorus and a final organ frenzy.'Necromancer' is a nice stop and go rocker and 'Octopus' a heavy rocker with a ostinato bass line, organ washes and a nice organ solo in the second half, reminding Jon Lord. The record misses the dynamic tension of the later records, but is nevertheless a great record.

01. Afterwards (4:58)

02. Orthenthian St. (Part I) (2:23)

03. Orthenthian St. (Part II) (3:53)

04. Running Back (6:32)

05. Into a Game (5:56)

06. Aerosol Grey Machine (0:56)

07. Black Smoke Yen (1:18)

08. Aquarian (8:27)

09. Necromancer (3:30)

10. Octopus (7:41)

11. Firebrand (Single B-side) (4:08)

12. Firebrand [Demo] (3.33)

13. Sunshine [Demo] (4.04)

14. Ferret And Featherbird (4.33)

15. Giant Squid (3.19)

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Appalooza - Live at Smoky Van Sessions (US 2021)

Size: 46 MB

Bitrate: 320

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Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock

Some Artwork Included

APPALOOZAis a long-gone stallion speeding after a lost freedom. Formed in Brest, France, in 2012,they take their cue from the alt-heavy firepower of Alice in Chains, the rock'n'roll stampede of the likes of Queens of the Stone Age or Them Crooked Vultures, propelling themselves with a creativity and sense of direction that are only the essence of great bands. Spirituality and ancient myths color a spacious sound that nonetheless worships at the altar of modern and unwaveringly hard-hitting heavy rock.

APPALOOZA released their first two demos “Squamata” and “Chameleon” respectively in 2013 and 2014, further to which they embarked across the pond for their first ever US tour, taking them to Colorado, Nevada and California. Fired up by a brand new energy ensuing from this successful experience, the band officially released their eponymous debut in2018, quickly followed by a second North American taking them from the Midwest lands to the Pacific Coast. Some hundred shows later, they signed to Californian powerhouse Ripple Music for the release of their sophomore album "The Holy Of Holies" on February 5th,2021. The beginning of a new era driven by an album that perfectly embodies the trio’s musical and visual reincarnation, through an intense sonic escape and ultimately, freedom.

Says APPALOOZA: “‘The Holy Of Holies’ is an ironic comment on religion. A storm is coming and ready to send mankind to a certain death. They are deprived and punished for their individualism, appearing already dead. They accept it and seek a new being to venerate, then send a scapegoat to the desert with all their sins, to find the demon Azazael, the Holy of Holies. This fallen angel takes possession of mankind. He reincarnates them into a half-man half-beast species by transplanting a horse skull, symbol of a lost freedom. Our lyrics deal with subjects such as the lie of religion, the failure to assist a person in distress, the exploitation of man by man, the disappointment that one may have in general towards people, the eternal questioning about our existence and the universe.”

Appalooza gifts us with an unforgettable live under a blazing sun.

Defend their new album “The Holy of Holies” (2021) is not even a challenge for them as it is effective and gripping. With an effortless virtuosity, the Breton trio delivers a sharp set in this corn amphitheater.

Watch the band performing the tracks Nazareth, Conquest and Azazael for the 5th Smoky Van Session.

01. Conquest 07:05

02. Nazareth 05:03

03. Azazael 06:00

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